If you could just pick would it be vaginal or planned c-section? [Title edited at OP's request]

[Bells3032]

If you could just rock up and choose which would you choose to do? There seem to be massive pros and cons to both.

Thoughts?

Had a horrific natural birth which resulted in massive hemorrhaging and an operation.I couldn't hold my son unaided for nearly a week -I developed PND and didn't want any more children due to the horrifying birth. Then had a c section with my second which to me was the perfect birth-yes afterwards it was painful but I was so happy.I was back to doing everything within 2 weeks including driving. I was absolutely terrified of having to go through another car crash of a natural birth again and felt elation for months after.
However for my third I opted for a VBAC at one of the leading hospitals in London and I was under a consultant the whole time. I was induced under a closely supervised labour and dc3 was born in 4 hours. No horrific pain like my first just very uncomfortable contractions.

I had a failed labour, failure to progress, denied pain relief with the whole you're almost there line, so was just on gas and air only for hours, felt like I was losing my mind with the pain. The minute they decided I needed pitocin for the last 1 cm dilation and a forceps delivery to turn him inside me, I could then have the epidural I asked for hours earlier. Luckily, and I genuinely believe that, luckily Ds1 decided that after 26 hours of labour he had had enough and his dipping heart rate finally crashed out enough that I was rushed for an emergency c section. He is fine.

I then chose an elective section as the EMCS recovery was really straight forward. So no I wouldn't chose a vaginal birth. I have lots of friends who had vaginal birth complications such as post-partum haemorrhage, ripped open stitches, infected stitches, stitched too tight so needed surgery to correct it, unable to walk without leaking urine, or run or bounce on a trampoline without a Tena pad in their knickers, a sling needed to hold up a bladder. I know one person who had the delivery they wanted.

I breastfed both of my children and had very limited help afterwards once Dh had gone back to work. I would choose a section every time.

I really hope that women get the care and support to enable them to have the labour and delivery they want, whether vaginal or c section.

Planned c-section. Had planned for my 2nd after emergency c-section following a far too long induction for my 1st.

It was like chalk and cheese. 1st one took months (physically) and several years (mentally) to recover.

Planned c-section was a breeze compared to that - I was up and dressed after 7 hours, and home the next day after walking from the ward to the car. It was uncomfortable, but manageable - the midwife told me I must be very determined (I was - I wanted home!).

The answer will be different for everyone - some women have easy births (both vaginal and surgical), some have traumatic and peoples experiences and those of friends and family all affect the answer.

There is no right or wrong answer for any mother giving birth.

@Shirleyphallus

The fact that you cannot lift/drive and most cases cannot breastfeed your own baby after for a good few weeks

This is absolute crap, I had a CS and the baby latched immediately. In some cases the hormones that are released during a vaginal birth that stimulate breast milk aren’t there during a csection but it is absolutely not true that in “most cases you cannot breastfeed your baby for a few weeks”

Rubbish like this is one of the reasons why women feel fearful of CS’s when there is no need to be. Of course, for many women a vaginal birth is preferable but CS’s are no way as bad as some people say.

I could have driven about 10 days after mine and could lift my after a few days.

Yes, I had an emergency section and don't recognise any of that! Same with my friends who have had sections. We all breastfed and I was back driving when my husband went back to work Also had no problems carrying baby up and down stairs multiple times a day, into car seat, etc.

Oh and I would have a section again. I was amazed how easy the recovery was and have been left with no issues. If I could be guaranteed a straightforward vaginal birth with no injuries to me or DC I would take that, but no one can guarantee that so I would have a planned section. I had dreaded having a section but actually it was fine.

ELCS all the way for me.

The fact that you cannot lift/drive and most cases cannot breastfeed your own baby after for a good few weeks
Complete rubbish!
After two very quick but excruciatingly painful face-to-pubes deliveries (before epidurals were the norm) that many years later have left me with chronic back pain and no sensation in my thighs, I would opt for elective CS (I’m far too old to be considering pregnancy by the way!)

I was told that if I went for a third baby, that would be the plan.

I sort of wish I’d had C sections because of my prolapse and stress incontinence! That said, my sister had two C sections and had complications both times. First time they damaged her bladder and she was back in hospital for surgery to it days after being discharged. So it is a much riskier procedure.

Curious to know if those of you who haven’t had vaginal births could merrily jump on a trampoline without caution??

I had vaginal then non elective c section.

If I'd had a third, and could have had the choice, I'd have picked section all the way.

I was back to myself so much faster, no pain whatsoever and was driving within 4 weeks.

Recovery from planned c section was WAY quicker and less painful than from vaginal. It was also much calmer and less painful overall.

Oh and BF was fine post c section, better than after vaginal for many many reasons.

@Motherdare

I sort of wish I’d had C sections because of my prolapse and stress incontinence! That said, my sister had two C sections and had complications both times. First time they damaged her bladder and she was back in hospital for surgery to it days after being discharged. So it is a much riskier procedure.

Curious to know if those of you who haven’t had vaginal births could merrily jump on a trampoline without caution??

I have no issues with incontinence/bladder control after my section. It's the same as pre baby for me.

I had a fairly awful first vaginal delivery and then 2 fairly “easy” vaginal births with no injuries.

I would choose vaginal again, ideally getting to choose one of the easier ones! I know so many people that have had awful first deliveries and then no problems for further vaginal deliveries, but if I’d had 2 awful vaginal deliveries then I’d possibly choose planned section for a third!

Section. Way less uncertainty re what could go wrong and the recovery.

And yes I can go on a trampoline without fear my leg muscles give up before anything else!

I had a induced vaginal birth with an episiotomy and forceps and a elcs . The elcs was much calmer , recovery was easier and I was given more help after, even though I was probably in more pain after my vaginal birth. Also milk came in fine after elcs but never did come in after vaginal birth.
I’m sure a complication free vaginal birth is great but I know very few people that have had that. Different experiences for everyone I guess.

The fact that you cannot lift/drive and most cases cannot breastfeed your own baby after for a good few weeks, find it hard to sit up and move... I just would not willingly put myself through that

WTH? You can't breastfeed after a section. What nonsense will people believe next.

Motherdare: "Curious to know if those of you who haven’t had vaginal births could merrily jump on a trampoline without caution??"

Yes, no worries at all. After 2 c-sections (~20 years ago) I have absolutely zero issues with bladder control, but I did have a very scary 6 weeks after the second section where I lost all bladder sensation. They must have damaged some nerve during the op. I had no incontinence even then but I had to make sure to remember to go regularly as I just had no way to tell if I needed to pee or not.

Thankfully it eventually returned to normal, just before my 6 week check-up!

I wanted a natural birth but ended up with an EMCS with DD1 and now pregnant with number 2. I'm leaning towards ELCS just because I know what I'm getting.

Re a PP's comments - I breastfed for 13 months after and whilst getting up and down (sitting and stairs) was harder for the first few days (had quite significant diastasis recti which was more the cause of the problem) I managed it multiple times a day.

Straightforward vaginal birth over csection? Yes

BUT you can't predict if it'll be Straightforward. Forceps, tearing, episiotomy, prolapse, haemorrhage, incontinence, I'd choose a section over those!!

I always though c sections are much safer options which is why a lot of USA women get them as they have to pay anyway for births

And UK don't do it routinely due to cost. C section is more expensive than natural but carries greater risks

I've done both and would choose a section every single time! I found it a doddle compared to the natural birth.

Wow lot more responses than I thought. Thank you lots guys. Think the vast majority who've had both seem to say c section. I have been given the choice due to a number of health issues but was worried in choosing a c section I'd be making my life much harder than a vaginal. Obv vaginal is great if all goes smoothly but doesn't always often go smoothly

Obv it depends on the health issues at play, if it's a first birth etc but my two penny worth is - I have had an induced vaginal birth, an emergency (technically - but not actually traumatic or rushed) c-section and a completely intervention free vaginal birth. The actual birth bit of vaginal birth is harder but it's over within a matter of hours, the recovery bit of c-section was considerably harder for me and continued to be hard for a few weeks.
I chose a vbac for the third birth, which turned out to be the intervention free one, and by far the fastest and easiest all things considered. I didn't know then, but now I would also choose a vaginal birth unless I had a really strong reason not to because of the lifelong benefits for the baby of being exposed to the mothers vaginal and gut flora at birth.

Agree with pp re. Breastfeeding - it's totally doable after a section. I breastfed twins successfully after mine.