Elective C section- did you ever regret your choice

[Leaf87]

Hi all,
Just exploring my options, due to give birth later this summer and thinking about options. My question is did anyone every regret having an elective c section and not trying naturally?
I appreciate that a text book natural birth is easier to recover from and has lots of positives. What concerns me is that the majority of women do not experience this. This means induction and assisted births. A tough assisted birth can lead to long term complications and a long recovery.
C section is major surgery and should not be viewed lightly however to me the risk of an elective c section are very well managed vs risk and reactive nature of induction and assistance and possible emergency C
I haven't made any decisions just yet but interested to hear peoples views.
Thanks

Following with interest as I'm a FTM and feeling very similarly

Same as PP, would like to know more too.

I’m a first timer and have opted for a section later this summer. I have an overwhelming fear of the entire thing and lack of control over it all so a c-section was the only option I could handle. From all the research I’ve done over the last few years and all the posts I’ve read on here (in general) people who have a c-section seem to say it was a positive experience and they wouldn’t hesitate to have another. Or course some people do have a positive experience of a vaginal birth but for me that was just too much of a gamble to take

I regretted it. My first was an emergency section. All went fine. Second time I had a big ovarian cyst and I decided to have an elective to remove the cyst at the same time. I have massively regretted it. Baby was unwell (because of the section), I had an internal infection. Took ages to recover, before both of us.

I am expecting my third and I no longer have a choice. So I am dreading it. But I do think most women have positive experiences. I was probably just unlucky.

Added to all this, I would potentially like a fourth but a fourth section is really not advised.

Nooooooo, it was the best birth experience I ever had. I had one natural, one emergency CS and one elective. I had to fight tooth and nail for it though, but it was glorious and calm and all that a birth should be. No regrets at all.

The only reason I wouldn’t is due to overhang afterwards, I have had normal and a section and normal ones I wasn’t left with pouch. Also it was far worse recovery afterwards. I thought it was great I needed a section as then wouldn’t have to squeeze head out myself but when I woke up the pain was awful and couldn’t even hold my baby. However with my normal births I didn’t need intervention

In a word no! I've had 2 elective c sections after an emergency one with my first child. I have absolutely no regrets, they both went very smoothly and calmly and I recovered really well both times. The bonus is that you can plan for it and that you can go in well rested. I definitely think this helps recovery time and I recovered much more quickly with my planned sections than some friends who had had a natural birth.
I think it's a great way to have a baby!

I didn't regret my choice, my baby was big and I have severe keloid scars. I didn't want to tear and risk keloid scars down below. I was aware my csection scar would be really keloided (and it is) but I'd rather that that potentially tearing and being left scarred potentially from my vagina to my anus.

Personal choice, turned out for the best as baby was over 10lb and the consultant said I would never of laboured him naturally as he physically wouldn't of fit.

I'm about to having another ELCS, this time because of placenta previa and baby is breech and also huge

An emergency one is a completely different op in my opinion. I had been in labour for 3 days, pushing for hours, exhausted, contracting while they operated, of course recovery was never going to be an easy task after that.

After an elective there isn’t that same stress. Obviously everyone doesn’t have that experience and I got an infection with both, but the mental scars of birth 1 and the natural half of birth 2 outweighed any fears or pain that I had. I would do it again if I were ever to have children again which I never will

God no.

DD was breach so I didn't have a lot of choice, but my section was amazing. I walked to hospital, hopped onto the table and had her within an hour of leaving home.

Recovery was fine - I was up and about within 12hs and basically back to normal within a fortnight (far easier than friends who have had tears and whatnot).

No overhang (I gather that one is dependent on the skill of your surgeon) and 18 months on the scar is just a faint pink line.

There's no question I'd make the same choice again.

Not for one moment. The vast majority of other FTMs that I know who had vaginal births have been left with long term issues. I was back running after 6 weeks (with GP approval) and wouldn't have known now that I'd ever had a baby.

I had a somewhat elective section, I had been in the hospital for over a week being observed as the baby was in an bad position and if I had gone into labour it would have been an emergency.
I decided to go ahead with the csection rather than waiting to see if he would move into the correct position, I was delighted to have one as I had huge anxiety around the whole giving birth and lack of control process. I was so happy I went with it, on a Tuesday afternoon the nurse came to get me and we walked to the theatre, we passed the induction ward as women screamed their heads off, and I made a joke saying I was glad I wasn't in there! I met my husband down there (he was only allowed in for the operation due to covid) and we chatted until I was brought in, about an hour later my son was born. It was all very calm and chilled in the theatre, I was out of hospital 2 days later, my recovery was fine, painkillers and rest (well as much as you can with a newborn) with a very helpful husband.

How are you calculating that the majority of women have an instrumental delivery or emergency section? That doesn't seem to correlate with the figures I've just quickly googled.

Well my elcs was down to having breech and transverse twins so no regrets at all. I've had 3 vaginal births too. May be going elcs despite baby being head down but I would prefer it to another induction (now that one I regret slightly, but I had high bp).

I hate this feeling like you should regret your birth choices, all that matters is that baby(ies) get out safe.

Yes and No. I had an emergency c section with Dd1. I'd been in labour a long time and things were going downhill very quickly. I recovered well, I struggled to breastfeed but I think that was a separate issue.

My second however I was determined to have a natural delivery. And I cannot recommend enough the positive birth company's digital pack. Even if you are having a planned section, still buy it and watch the videos. It is invaluable in explaining the science behind childbirth, it gives you the tools to have some control over your birth and is not in the slightest a 'hippy dippy' hypnobirthing course. It was extremely informative.

I did the course, was all ready for a natural birth in the midwife led centre. After a scan at 36 weeks though the plans changed and I was booked in for an elective at 39 weeks due to some concerns about DD2.

So although it wasn't what I had planned, my elective was completely different. Very relaxed, not rushed in anyway (which was different to Dd1). I'd asked for a 'gentle' c section where possible, so Dd came out and we left the cord attached so she received as much blood from the placenta as possible. DH was going to cut the cord but changed his mind, which was fine. I was able to watch a lot of it too which you can ask to do. We then had planned skin to skin immediately, I was feeling pretty shakey because my BP dropped, so DH has cuddles. Once we were in recovery I had skin to skin and tried to get Dd to latch.

So it wasn't what I planned but I don't regret it at all.

It's more likely to limit the number of children you can have in the duture.

I'm currently trying to decide between an elective c-section or not on my second, and have been asking lots of friends who have had both.

I had an induced first delivery which ended up due to her heart rate suddenly dropping with ventouse to get her out quickly, and me having a 3rd degree tear. On paper, exactly what I wanted to avoid. However, I had an epidural and absolutely no pain. I had physio follow up to ensure no ongoing issues. I felt like if I had to stay another night in the labour ward, I would have lost my mind, and if I had had a c-section it would have been another three. With my first delivery, I'm happy I chose vaginal rather than c-section even given how things worked out, though if I'd have been given a crystal ball in advance I would have chosen a c-section. Make of that what you will.

With my second, I'm trying to weigh up increased risk of side effects from the tear/getting a tear that bad again.

My pro-section list is: - entirely controlled

• reduced risk of tears/incontinence issues (though tbh not as much difference as you'd expect, it seems most of the 'damage' comes from the pregnancy)
• clarity for my toddler and childcare arrangements about when I'll be gone and how long for (hopefully)
• calm experience

My con list is:

• increased risk of allergies/digestive issues. This is a big thing for us as my first had a dairy allergy which made the first few months hellish, and the only 'factors' you can influence are vaginal delivery (reduces the risk, generally helps gut) and breastfeeding (reduces the risk). I did both, so worried if I go for a c-section second time round it will increase chance of same allergy.
• Reduced mobility with new baby and first few weeks and longer in hospital. With my first delivery I was instantly fine, the niggling hip pain I'd had through third trimester disappeared. Friends who had sections have spoken about not being able to pick up their baby or get nurses to help them, and not being able to drive/move for a few weeks. Its a short time period, but I found those first few weeks lasted an age so not looking forward to it. Even with my assisted delivery that required stitches (I was in surgery for about an hour!) that was the only 'extra' time and I was back to normal much quicker, though I did have follow up appointments.
• Risk of lack of sensation/scar/muscle damage. A few people have said they have a patch on their stomachs with no sensation. That would bug me, but isn't a huge thing

I really struggle with deciding tbh. I would say even though I know a number of people who've had the textbook 'not what you want' vaginal birth, most have been happy enough after. Equally, I only know one friend who says she regrets her elective c-section: she thinks it has somehow not benefited her daughter as much but I'll be honest and say I don't fully understand her logic on that one.

I don't think the 'major surgery' thing is so much a risk: for me its more the longer stay and all the other stuff. I'm still leaning towards a section largely because if I get a similar or worse tear this time I'll feel like an idiot. But, by far, the people I know with the 'best' births and recoveries are ones who were fit and active before and during pregnancy and had vaginal deliveries. So if you've no pre-existing conditions and are in decent shape and on your first pregnancy, I think thats the 'obvious' choice both for your body recovering, benefits to baby and future pregnancies.

After having an emergency c sec with DC1, the elective for DC2 was AMAZING! Such a wonderful, calm, pleasant experience. I'd recommend it to anyone.

I haven't once regretted my c section, it was a very calm and positive experience.

I was told to expect a C-Section due to spinal issues. I'd got my head around it.

Now it seems I have to choose...

A C-section is tempting because it's controllable, and most seem to go well. But the stay in hospital afterwards and the recovery period are big negatives, before you get to any risk of bladder issues/overhang/infections etc.

A vaginal birth seems petrifying... no control over when it happens or how it goes, some risk of birth injuries, but a better recovery and a shorter stay in hospital...

I'm torn, massively. I watched Fatherhood the other day and that's slightly swung me towards trying vaginally, and the midwife centre near me is quite nice, but I'm sure I'll go backwards and forwards a lot before I make a final call. It seems a difficult choice to make!

oh one things I would query though OP - the majority of women not having an unassisted birth. I think you've got those stats wrong. Ditto longer recoveries. I don't know where you are but I was able to see stats for hospitals near me showing rates of c-section (emergency and elective), instrumental delivery and unassisted births. It was nowhere near the majority. Also all the women I know who've had sections have had longer recoveries. I guess it depends what you mean by 'recovery' but even just the fact you can be discharged within 24 hours with vaginal delivery and have to be kept in for days with a section show the recovery is usually quicker.

That's not to say the section is automatically the harder choice, just that I think you can have a v skewed perspective based on the sample set of people you know and its worth looking at statistics, and especially if you can get them stats for your trust.

you can be discharged within 24 hours with vaginal delivery and have to be kept in for days with a section show the recovery is usually quicker.

I was discharged 24 hours after my section, you definitely don't stay in 'for days' unless there's complications.

I’ve had two c-sections (an emergency and a planned section, although it wasn’t really ‘elective’ in so much as I had to have it, but knew that from early on in my pregnancy).

There are pros and cons, as you know. I found my elective section quite calm and straightforward, but that was in comparison to an emergency section.

There are bits of a c-section that are quite terrifying, if I’m truly honest. It’s very strange being in theatre, I was very scared of the spinal and it’s a very odd feeling being completely numb and not being able to feel your legs. It’s not entirely a lovely, serene, in control experience, as afterwards you have to recover from major surgery and it really IS major. I was also quite devastated by my body afterwards and my c-section overhang (I know not all women get this, but many do). Sounds superficial, but i suppose what I mean is you dont ‘escape’ without physical effects and a period of healing, so it’s the same as vagina lol birth I’m that respect.

On balance, I wouldn’t have elected for surgery if natural birth had been a choice. I think I’d have taken my chances, as I found my c-section quite brutal, having never had such a big surgery before.

Honestly, I regret my sections. Both were out of my control. The first was after being in labour for 4 days and it was a very traumatic time. My second child was also an emergency but I hadn't been in labour.

I regret it as I'll never have that natural birth experience which I really wanted. It still upsets me to see vaginal births on the TV and my kids are teenagers now. My recovery was also lengthy which made things harder

I'm very happy that I went for an elective c-section. Mine was for a mix of medical reasons and personal choice (I have too many friends who have birth injuries, including one person who has a mesh). It was calm, peaceful and overall, a good experience.

I know this is my one and only so felt I could go ahead with it without worrying about the impact on future pregnancies.

I know some people have issues with infections and it is definitely something to bear in mind. I was lucky that I healed well and had no issues with stitches etc.

The recovery is quite tough because it is major abdominal surgery - it is again something to bear in mind. I had medical issues which made an emergency c-section likely if I went for the vaginal route and felt the recovery would be even harder after a possible extended labour.