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

@Bitofachinwag that’s true, it really is hard to decide. DD was back to back and I didn’t dilate, went on drip for ages. It ended well but there was no other twin to get out then! Twin 1 isn’t back to back but with twin 2 being transverse I’m just worried we won’t get them both out!

don't regret mine at all and actively looking forward to my second!

I don’t have a c section experience but you mentioned you are nervous about induction and intervention. I was induced for my DD at 37 weeks (pre eclampsia) and delivered 10 hours after the pessary was inserted, with no assistance and no tearing. Recovery was really quick. Just wanted to say not all inductions are bad!!

@cindarellasbelly stats www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hsdr/hsdr03360#/s4
Table 21
Study by uk government researcher on 60,000 women who attempted a vaginal birth with their first child.

For women over 35 who intended to have a vaginal birth, and were having a first baby, 47% have a "straightforward birth" defined as no forceps, ventouse, cs, 3/4 th degree tear or blood transfusion. So more than half of those women had one or more of those events :-(

Worth noting that the risk of those outcomes is lower for younger women (25% for under 25s) and goes right down below 10% for 2nd babies if you have had a vaginal birth for your first (whereas for cs, the risk of complications goes up with each a baby)

No, never once regretted my decision.

Read that 90% of FTMs have tearing and a third need forceps. Those odds just didn’t sound good to me 🙈

I’ve had 1 csection (for breech) and 2 vbac.
I have to admit I hated the experience of the elcs. Like pp said I felt like birth was done to me and I wasn’t an active participant. I hated the way none of the pain was beforehand and it was all after. I found recovery extremely painful, although I did lose a lot of blood which I think was the main issue. I found it far more painful than vaginal births. That said I recovered well in the end and had no pelvic floor issues at all. I did find I found it hard to bond with my baby and definitely had some form of pnd after.

My first vbac I was induced for with the balloon and although it sounds weird I loved the whole experience. I did hypno birthing and actually felt way more in control of my birth that I had during csection as I was making the decisions on how to breathe / positions etc. I was on a high for weeks and was so so thrilled it had worked out. My recovery I found that immediately after I was so much more mobile than csection which was incredibly helpful with toddler! But to feel 100% normal took longer than csection. That said I definitely had / have pelvic floor issues now and can’t really run at the moment still without leaking.
My second vbac was spontaneous and so quick. The whole experience was so intense I definitely didn’t feel in control! But I was up walking and showering straight after even with 2nd degree tear and never needed pain killers.

For me I couldn’t have another csection knowing how tough I found the recovery and I don’t know how I’d cope with existing kids. But equally, the intensity and speed of my second vaginal birth would make me scared for another like that! Luckily I am done with kids so never have to make that decision!

@sarah13xx

Read that 90% of FTMs have tearing and a third need forceps. Those odds just didn’t sound good to me 🙈

@sarah13xx Surely it’s not correct that a THIRD need forceps?! But even if so, the majority still don’t! And as for tearing, I’m sure a high percentage of all mums tear - large thing exiting from small place 🤣 it’s just what happens! The majority heal with no issues!

I don't regret it as best for my dc but I would have much preferred to have another VB. If I had any more I would chose VB. Nothing wrong with my CS but I was surprised at the pain & recovery ( I was very lucky with my VB). Incredibly vain but I hate the way my stomach doesn't lie the same due to the scar.

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 the next day with a pack of paracetamol. I was like hang on, the last time I had an operation I was in for 5 days on morphine!

I’ve had 4 births, 2 csections and 2 vaginal involving ventouse. Recovered better from the vaginal births tbh. My tummy is not what it used to be. My pelvic floor seems ok though miraculously , hopefully it will stay that way. None of my births were particularly nice though even the csections.

@malteserheist lovely post

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.

I find this terrifying too, I hated the numb feeling & never felt more out of control. But many don't seem to mind that.

I had to have a c section second time but I really regret it. I felt like I didn’t bond with my 2nd at all

not everyone gets an overhang. I’ve had 3 and don’t have a “pouch”

I don't either but there is an indent, it doesn't lie completely flat like it used too which I know it can't because scar but it annoys me.

Elective section was the best thing I have ever had.

I attempted a natural birth with my first. The pain was excruciating. The contractions were just absolutely fucking awful. I would have let them chop my legs off to stop the pain. Fortunately it ended in an emergency c section. I recovered brilliantly and was walking around like normal 4 days after. I was genuinely traumatised by the experience of trying to give birth. I also didn't bond with my baby and I think this had a lot to do with how traumatising I found the experience.

2nd time round, no way was I going to try and give birth naturally. I had a planned c section and it was so nice having my Daughter in a lovely, calm environment. I bonded immediately. I was elated for months. The pain of the c section was worse second time round, and it really was quite painful trying to get out of bed throughout the night to feed my baby, but 100% worth it.

I would recommend an elective section to anyone that will listen!!

They needed to use a ventouse during my CS which is not uncommon.

My contractions with VB were horrific but I had no time for pain relief & actual giving birth was less painful. Then the pain just went whereas it comes after with a CS.

Not in the slightest
I desperately wish I had a planned c section with DS1 (emergency c section)
(Awful experience. Long labor + infection+ blood transfusion)

DS2 was planned c section. Very civilized. No anxiety or panic. Recovered in 7 days. No birthing injuries. Can bounce on a trampoline until my heart's content.

@moovinon this sounds like everything I imagine it to feel like, hence why I’m going straight for the section 🙈 saw one post where someone said they wanted to jump out the hospital window to make it stop 😐 glad you had a better experience second time!

I wouldn't say I regret it however i was naive and underestimated just how big a deal it was.

Dd1 was born 12 years ago, i needed an episiotomy and found the whole process very difficult so opted for an elcs this time (baby is 3 weeks).

I was overwhelmed when i entered the theatre, so many different staff from midwives to surgeons. It was also incredibly uncomfortable getting the needle into my spine. At one point my back was pouring with blood and my full body shaking. My canula kept falling out and I had to have a blood pressure cuff on the whole time.

The operation itself was fine, I was completely numb and didn't even feel the 'washing up' some say they experience.

The first few hours after delivery were ok, I was still numb from the pain relief and immobile.

After a few hours my catheter was removed and I was helped to stand by the nurse and walk a few feet. It was uncomfortable but bearable.

The next day I was on regular painkillers and sent home. Walking to the car was agony, it was far from the ward and I wasn't offered a wheelchair.

Getting into the car was the most painful experience, it took me a good twenty minutes, it was excruciating. So much so dh was almost running back to the hospital.

Driving home i felt every bump on the way and it took me a long time to actually get into the house.

The first week the pain was horrible although manageable with the strong painkillers. What i wasn't prepared for was how hard it would be to move. DH had to lift me up of the couch, help me to shower and physically wash and dry me for the first week.

I'm now almost 4 weeks postpartum and I honestly feel fine, my wound is healing well and I can do most daily activities. For me week 2 was when I started to feel better.

I'm not sure if I would have another section tbh. In retrospect another episiotomy would have been much easier!

@tiredmama2020 From the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists:
"In the UK, approximately 1 in 8 women have an assisted vaginal birth and this is more likely (1 in 3) for women having their first baby. "

www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/assisted-vaginal-birth-ventouse-or-forceps/

Be careful to distinguish people’s experiences of emergency c-sections, and ELCS. The former have worse stats for pain and outcomes.

@bubblebath62636 what does the spinal actually feel like? Was it the first infection or the big one that was uncomfortable? Having one in 3 weeks and this and the cannula is all I keep thinking about 🙈 Feel like no matter how bad the pain after is, I’ll already be in that position by then but just so worried about the needles (and needles don’t normally bother me). Glad you said about the car, we have a jeep and I’m struggling a bit to get in it while heavily pregnant because of the step up. I should maybe take one of those wee steps toddlers use 😂

You also might want to consider what would happen if you went into labour before the csection date. If they are busy and thereisn’t a clinical need it can be hard to get the Csection if you labour quickly as this happened to me despite a clinical need. Weekday mornings are a bad time to go into labour as they are busy doing the elective then.