Elective c-section over induction

[bluemoon2468]

I'm currently low risk and am hoping for a natural, spontaneous labour in the MLU with minimal intervention. I'll be holding out for this and refusing induction unless there's a good medical reason. However if for some reason an induction is strongly advised (for a medical reason or I go over 42 weeks) then I'm considering opting for an elective c-section instead, and would love to hear people's experiences of this. How easily was this choice accepted by the medical team? How did you find the experience? Are you glad you made this decision or do you regret not going for the induction? Has anyone experienced both an induction and an elective c-section and can you compare your experiences?

I have a number of reasons for wanting to avoid an induction which I don't want to go into fully, but I don't think I could tolerate a birth with lots of internal examinations, things being inserted vaginally and a much higher chance of instrumental delivery.

I had a failed induction at 34 weeks and an emergency csection for dd1. Dd2 was a planned section, lovely experience even in the height of lockdown.

The only thing I would say is if they want to bring baby earlier than 37/38 weeks and there are any issues do not get bullied into an induction if you do not want one. I was keen to avoid a section so was happy with the plan but speaking to consultants this time around lots of them pulled faces that an induction was even tried on a small 34 week baby 🤷🏻‍♀️

Essentially what I’m saying is advocate for yourself. I know it can be tough but it’s your body and your baby, if needed ask for a second opinion

@schafernaker thanks for sharing! And 100%, I want to avoid an induction/c-section at all costs so don't worry I will be doing my research and advocating for myself, and will only be accepting induction/elective c-section if I feel it's essential for the health of my baby 😊

Just wanted to echo the above. I have heard inductions aren’t as awful post due date, (I was 37 weeks), but I begged for a c section after having had my drip started, and got bullied out of it. Due to the intensity of the drip it’s often the start of intervention after intervention, and a lot of people end up with episiotomies or forceps. I’d prefer a c section to that if i was doing it again.

Also failed induction here. 3 days of nothing then a c section.

I had a failed induction at 39 weeks that ended in an emergency c section. I'd say if you want a c section over induction then definitely push for it as inductions can often lead to emergency c sections x

@BabyG123 @LuluPDB yeah this is part of my thinking. The last thing I want is an emergency c-section after days of labour, waiting until the baby is distressed and I'm highly anxious 😕

I had the same decision to make! I hope I can help.

I had an induction (age 36) with my first because my waters broke first and contractions didn't start quick enough. Overall a great experience. When they inserted the pessary it did hurt (a very sharp stabbing pain) but I didn't have time to worry about it because I wasn't expecting it. The rest of the labour was okay, pretty good in fact. I had an epidural towards the end which I think was the right decision and meant I didn't feel any further examinatins. Quick recovery. I couldn't believe it had gone so well. The midwifes were all really nice, I had my own room and we were home the next day. Lovely experience.

I was scheduled to have an induction with my second baby if I went over my due date because I was 40. After the first time, I was fine with this after my previous experience. I did go over my due date. They kept re-scheduling my induction because the hospital was busy. This was stressful and I wasn't expecting it. When they finally tried to induce me at 3am after making me wait for hours and hours in a very hot waiting room, I couldn't tolerate the procedure. The pain was unbearable. I tried really hard to relax and go with it because I wanted to go into labour, but even with gas and air and another midwife talking to me (at my head end!) to try to distract me, the other midwife couldn't get the pessary in because I was so tense and ahem, 'unripe'. She wanted to leave me for 2 hours until 5am and try again but I could face it. I have no idea why it hurt so much, apparently it shouldn't. I'm usually good with pain. Anyway, I went home and decided to have an elective c-section. Booked to see a consultant the day after that and she agreed to it. I explained the situation and said that I would refuse any further internal procedures and therefore wanted a c-section. The consultant was really good. She explored the pros and cons and tried to find a solution to make the induction less traumatic, but by that time I just couldn't face any more insertions. I think I had PTSD!

The c-section was okay but what I hadn't anticipated was the referred shoulder pain from trapped air when they do the operation. Apparently lots of people have it, but I hadn't heard of it. I was expecting the recovery to be slow and pain in the wound, but the pain in my shoulder meant I could hardly move in bed. It gradually got better with peppermint tea, but for a few days it was really bad. I got stuck in bed and stuck in a chair unable to move! If I hadn't had the shoulder pain, it would have been okay and the right decision. But with the shoulder pain, I'm not sure. There's also a weird bit where after the baby is born they put her/him around your neck a bit like a scarf which was a bit weird and painful. The whole thing is strange and unfamiliar. Surgical I guess.

With hindsight, I think I would have been better off asking for a really experienced midwife to induce me, with a different type of pessary (there are different types apparently) and relaxation/breathing exercises. And I think I could have tolerated the internal examinations if it wasn't 3am in the morning and after 2 days of having my induction re-scheduled and told to come back in 2 hours several times. I was exhausted, frightened and pissed off. The hospital were pretty dreadful overall and so I also wanted the c-section to regain some control and get out of there.

A c-section gives you an element of control and avoids internal examinations but can result in other unplesant things, like shoulder pain and complications. So I think it all depends.

It sounds like you really want to avoid the internal examinations and I absolutely understand this, so an elective c-section might be best for you. Deciding now will give you time to prepare yourself, which is good. Take peppermint tea just in case! They should agree to an elective c-section if you can't tolerate/will refuse any internal examinations. They may try to persuade you otherwise, but stand your ground. It's really good that you are thinking ahead because induction seems to be recommended for all sorts of reasons.

Good luck, I hope this helps.

I second the c section gas. I remember not being able to sit up in bed one nighty crying because it hurt so much. Defo stock up on peppermint tea!!!!

@BabyG123 interesting! How long did that pain last for? My sister had keyhole surgery to remove her appendix and said the same!

Hi @bluemoon2468

I’m 37 weeks and am also hoping for a spontaneous vaginal delivery, but have stated in my birth plan that in the event of labour not progressing/going overdue/any other need for intervention, I do not want induction and instead want a c-section.

My team were completely accepting of this and I’m seeing the consultant next week to book a c section for 41 weeks (also my choice after a recent Scandinavian study showed better outcomes if baby born by 41 weeks - I’m confident of my conception date), but obviously hope I’ve given birth by then!

My reasoning for avoiding induction is the likelihood of increasing interventions once this has started - instrumental deliveries and emergency sections, with distress and physical trauma to myself and the baby. I would also be much less mobile if I were on the drip and hooked up to monitoring and all in all, a nice controlled c section sounds much preferable, even taking the recovery into account!

Hope your team are as supportive as mine have been. Have a read of RCOG guidance for elective c sections so you’re educated on the risks, but you have every right to request a c section as a plan b to avoid induction

I had an elective c-section for a breech baby. I was then induced for a VBAC with my second having gone overdue and showing signs of possible pre-eclampsia. I infinitely preferred the second experience, both the feeling of giving birth and the near instant recovery. The week after the c-section was pretty grim for me. After the induction and VBAC I was raring to go the next day. For me there was no contest, but everyone's experience is different.

Having been induced at 40+3 with ds1 followed by an ELCS with ds2, I can honestly say a c section is a thousand times better. Induction for me was painful, slow and ended up in severe tearing and a hemorrhage. The c section was calm, straightforward and recovery was painful but only the first couple of days and nowhere near as painful as labour. I would definitely opt for an ELCS over induction.