Considering a planned C-section?

[bells2810]

I’m 28 weeks pregnant and have been doing a lot of thinking about how I’d like to give birth. I’m so so excited to become a mum but for as long as I can remember, I’ve always been afraid of the idea of a natural/vaginal birth. I know it’s the most natural thing in the world, but the thought of it really worries me.

I’m not afraid of the pain, it’s more the idea of the unknown and potential complications that really makes me anxious. Along with the thought of tearing or having an episiotomy which freaks me out!
In comparison, the idea of a planned C-section and knowing that it will be carried out in a controlled environment and just knowing that it’s under control is much more appealing to me, although I do appreciate the recovery would be difficult as my mum had a c-section with me and says she found it very hard (however she also had a toddler at the time, and this is my first baby).

i’ve been doing some research on here and a lot of ladies who had planned c-sections seem to say that the recovery wasn’t that bad and some people have said it was better than their experiences of a vaginal birth.

My DP isn’t keen on me having a c section as he thinks I will struggle afterwards when he returns to work. But I have seen a lot of stories about ladies who struggled equally after a natural labour!

Experiences/opinions welcome :)

Hey there @bells2810 no experience of a c section myself but like you my mum had one.

She said it was tough but she had one for all 3 of me and my siblings and is now trying to encourage me to have one with my baby.

I think in all honesty you need to do what you feel comfortable with. Sure the recovery time is a little longer but it's your body and you're the one having to go through it all.

I think as long as you have a plan you're comfortable with it will be fine. I understand your DP concerns but they're not the one giving birth and honestly I'm sure you'll make it work whatever you decide.

Just make sure you are 100% comfortable with the decision you make. Good luck OP

I had an emergency c section and the recovery was awful, but almost every story I hear of a planned c section involves words like lovely, calm, relatively quick recovery. I understand your fears about complications as I had them - hence the emcs, and given how stretched hospitals are at the moment I think there is probably a bit more weight to making that choice, if you can. The down sides to c section as I see them are it can (not always) make feeding harder, the first bowel movement is awful, you aren't as mobile for a while and can't drive for a few weeks. Plus can end up with a little belly overhang over the scar. The other down, is that you may miss a good vaginal birth if it all went very smoothly, but I can't comment on that! Good luck with whatever you decide

I had a c section with my first for various reasons. I am booked in for one with my second. It was honestly a great experience and I didn't have much trouble with the recovery (and less long yerm complications than my friends who had vaginally births, although we are all older mums).

I’m having a planned section for my second and just having the plan in hand feels like a relief. Can’t comment on recovery yet but certainly recovery after an EMCS with my first was horrific: if you end up with one after a long labour you’ve essentially got to recover from the worst of both worlds, completely exhausted, and caring for a newborn.

My recovery tips for what it’s worth: keep up with the painkiller regime ruthlessly – pain is tiring. Make sure you’ve got the kind of headboard on your bed you can hoist yourself up on. Bedside crib attached to the bed. Partner does all the nighttime nappies and hands baby to you to. Minimise stairs at first: make sure you have everything you need both upstairs and downstairs. Getting in the shower was tricky as it was over our bath.

Also the first poo! Yes it’s awful but: hold a pillow against your tummy, and also throw all you’ve got at it – Lactulose, Movicol, glycerin suppository. Peppermint tea for trapped wind though my problem was more uncontrollable wind – they jiggle everything around in there. Hydrate hydrate hydrate.

I’ve had an EMCS and an ELCS. It’s major abdominal surgery, they cut through 7 layers of tissue. The skin heals fairly quickly, but internally it takes a lot longer, so you have to take it easy with housework, exercise etc

Keep an open mind about the birth - the decision may well be out of your hands if your baby is breech, overdue etc
By the time of your due date you’ll feel so tired and fed up, you’ll just want the baby out any way possible.

I’m having a section tomorrow as it’s the only option available medically. I’m really pro women working out what is right for them, but if you haven’t, I’d really recommend booking in to ante natal classes. We did NCT and I found that really helpful for discussing all the options available. The Is it Normal? podcast is really good too as they talk to midwives and obstetricians about the pros and cons of it all

I had an elective CS for exactly the reasons you describe, although it turned out my baby was breech so I needed it anyway. It was a great experience (although I went private so can't speak for the NHS) and I did the same for my second.

I found the recovery fine - not as easy as a good vaginal birth but a lot easier than a bad vaginal birth. Recovering from surgery meant I could rest and feed/bond with the baby rather than trying to rush around doing everything.

My DH took 2 weeks off work but I could have coped after 1 if I'd needed to.

I had a c section 16 days ago following an 18 hour labour and it was great- really calm in theatre, really quick and a bloody relief after a long day... In terms of recovery, the first week I had pain, so would agree that you have to be on top of your pain relief. Week two I was much more mobile and now I'm feeling pretty ok, bowels not quite back to normal but I'm able to go for walks/hoist myself up in bed etc. Not taking any pain relief. I had some issues feeding but unsure if it was the C-section or the section plus long labour so can't comment on whether that would be the case with an ELCS. I think next time around I'll go for an ELCS.

I had an elective C section and I’d definitely have another with my next. Birth was very calm and recovery was hard but not as bad as I thought it’d be. Best decision I made and no regrets. As long as you don’t mind the huge scar you’re left with afterwards

I've had three sections

1 emergency ga baby 5 weeks prem
1 planned but in labour
1 planned but baby was 5 weeks prem

My middle planned section on the date we had booked was the best thing ever

I have no problems with my bladder or bowel

I have no faith in just one midwife delivering a baby they are all so over worked and have too many patients

I would always choose a c section for a birth I think they are safer and more controlled

I recovered quickly enough from all three

Most recent section this year was harder I was very sore for about 1 week and sore for 2

My middle one I came home the next day and I went to the beach the day after and cooked etc

I was driving two weeks after my last two sections

Fully recommend having them there are more people there for all eventualities and you're already in theatre etc

I originally wanted a home birth btw

Now a total total convert and don't know why anyone would be brave enough to have a vaginal delivery

I've named changed but im one of the posters on this thread
I do not have an over hang and never did

I've had three sections

My scar is quite big as I had two premature babies so they were up higher and it was a bit harder to get to

I don't have any numbness or pain

I second some ante natal classes and/or hypnobirthing.

Birth, however it happens, is full of unknowns. Even planned sections can't be fully controlled. It's major surgery that carries risks and it's important you know these and can accept them.

A friend of mine who had a planned section found it a lot harder than her emergency one. She found the reality of being awake during an operation really mentally hard. She had a GA for her emergency one.

Hypnobirthing isn't just about hippy low lights vaginal births. You can use the techniques to manage any anxiety during birth.

@Twizbe I’m sure hypnobirthing is great for some people. However, no amount of hypnobirthing could have saved me from the trauma of my labour (which was not in my control).

I had a cat 1 emcs and that was the least terrible part of the birth. The recovery was difficult for the 1st week, but it was absolutely nothing compared to the hell of labour. I will have an elective next time.

I’ve had 3 elective csections and will be having my 4th next year with this baby. All absolutely amazing births, I don’t have an overhang or a “shelf” or whatever else people call them, my recoveries have all been absolutely fine, no numbness with my scar and you can’t even see it in swimwear as it’s quite low.
My births have been incredible, controlled, calm & beautiful experiences. No way I’d risk a vaginal birth.

I was very much in the same boat as you. Then at 36 weeks it was actually recommended I have a C Section for medical reasons and I was so relieved that it was then just a given it would happen like that!

It was unnerving in theatre, I really just found it odd to be awake having such major surgery and felt anxious but it's over so quickly.

Recovery wise, it was ok, first few days were rough but it really is just a case of taking it slow and steady.
Unfortunately I did end up with sepsis was a pretty awful situation but that was bad luck.

I would have an elective again.

To add; I have breastfed all 3 of mine following my csections with absolutely no issues. Was at the zoo for the day 6 days after my 3rd csection and also had a 5 & 1yo at that point. Recovery has always been fine, no paracetamol needed after the first week.

I've had two C-sections, the first an emergency and the second planned although i didn't have any choice as I was told I could not give birth naturally. The first time I had been through labour, had an episiotomy and then a c-section. Afterwards it was actually the episiotomy that was far more painful than the c-section! I was careful as I had been through a lot physically but I really felt that I could have been as active as I wanted. I had no problem lifting the baby etc, making sure you don't strain your stomach of course. The recovery was pretty quick and I had no problems afterward. A scar of course but it's pretty neat. The second planned c-section was lovely! I knew exactly when the baby was coming and that I would be a lot safer than the first time. Being awake during the procedure was also fine and you get to see the baby straight away, which is lovely. Again the recovery was straightforward with no complications at all and very little pain. The only problem I had, which I was told was likely to be due to the c-section, is that my milk took a few days to come in properly, which was a huge worry as the baby would not take a bottle. If you plan a c-section perhaps talk to your midwife about this possibility to be prepared. Good luck!

Which ever way you choose it can’t be predicted whether you’ll get straightforward or complications.

My ELCS wasn’t straightforward, and the recovery was pretty grim. I actually preferred the EMCS as it was done and over quickly.

I actually found out I had scoliosis when they tried to place the spinal for the Elcs, it took an hour of shooting pains down my legs while they repeatedly stabbed me with the needle and kept hitting nerve and bone. Not pleasant. My back was a mess of scabs and I have scarring.

i also react to the anaesthetic which was pretty horrible, my blood pressure tanked and they delivers with me pretty much upside down..I couldn’t hold the baby until it had worn off and I was more confident I was going to stay conscious.

then I found I reacted to opioid painkillers and spent the day vomiting every time they gave me pain relief. Try vomiting with a brand new section wound, I ended up refusing pain relief and felt much better.

none of this was predictable or within my control. You just don’t know. Another relative had a straightforward delivery, but was 6 months in and out of hospital with wound infections. Her dh was off work for that 6 months as she couldn’t care for the baby.

think long and hard about your choices, and talk it through with your midwife.

I wanted a natural birth although I was terrified. Ended up being induced at 41+1 weeks, it all went wrong and I got an emergency c section. Now my scar is botched and I had to take tummy injections for 6 weeks with excruciating pain. Go natural.

You’ve never heard any vaginal birth complication stories then?

I don’t have any experiences of a C section but thought I’d just give an alternative experience. I like you was terrified of vaginal birth but decided not to go for a c section. Those 7 days leading up to my dues days though, I was so worried about what was to come.

with my first, early labour started at 1pm but until 9pm was akin only to mild period pains. In that time I did a big shop, ate dinner (that my husband cooked) had a nap and did some
gaming.
At 9pm the pain started getting more intense so we called the hospital- they said bath and paracetamol which I did but by 11pm was on my way to hospital. They put me in a room in the birth centre but said that they really thought looking at me it was too early to be there as I wasn’t showing enough outwards signs of pain. They examined me anyway (husband had to wait in the car as it was Covid times and partners were only allowed in after 4cm dilated) I was 5 cm. Labour progressed for 3 hours until 3am and then DS heart rate dropped so I got whisked next door with a doctor and team. In the end I needed an episiotomy and the ventouse cup for son to be born. Honestly the most painful part was being stitched back up and I healed very well and actually felt able to be intimate again 12 weeks later.

With my second, I was induced due to high blood pressure. Once they had broken my waters it was a super quick process, to the point where the arrival of DD took the midwife by surprise. I went from 2cm to 8cm in 15 mins and she arrived in two pushes. I felt absolutely fine after the birth which was handy as DS was only 21 months so I had my hands full. I felt fully fine down there within 7 days.

Personally I would have taken my pain and recovery over a c section any day but I am aware that I was lucky to have two positive vaginal births even if the first was a little more complicated.

I’ve had an emcs and an unplanned vbac. Vaginal is easier, it’s not easier whilst you’re doing it but it is easier overall and I had an easy recovery from my emcs.
You can’t say how either birth will go and what complications you may have. Moving round is harder after a CS, there was a thread a few weeks back about the pain levels people suffered after a straight forward CS.
I think if you ask women who have had long labours how the CS at the end was they are going to say it was wonderful because of the pain, exhaustion and hunger. By the time I had my emcs I wouldn’t have cared if they hadn’t bothered with anaesthetic as I just needed it to end and without the emcs neither of us would have survived.
If I were to have a third ( very unlikely) I would aim for a vbac again.

Hi op, I just had a planned section last week due to similar reasons. It was absolutely the right decision for me.

It's very clinical by comparison. There were at least 10 people in the room although all extremely attentive and very reassuring as I was super nervous. I couldn't fault them in terms of care. I was brought in first thing for a covid test. Then the doctors decided who would be taken first. I was first of the day because I have diabetes and needed to limit fasting. We got to the hospital at 7am and baby was here by 9.30am. After the covid test we were down to labor and delivery where all risks were explained by the anesthetist and I got into my gown and stockings. We met our midwife who would be with us to get ready, in surgery and monitor me after. Then it was straight down to the room (bring a dressing gown and slippers for this the robes they give you are see through and open at the back). I went in first and my dh waited outside. That was nerve wracking tbh but the team were very supportive. I sat up in the bed and the anesthetist numbed my back which was a little stingy but not too bad. Then he went in with the spinal block and it wasn't actually sore because I was already numb. It did take a few goes for him to get the right place and initially I got some electric shock flashes in my back but I knew that could happen and tried to stay still. When he got the right place it didn't hurt at all. I felt a heat spread over my body from chest to toes and they lay me back. The anesthetist then used ice to check I was properly numbed. I could feel pressure on the skin from the cube touching me but not the sharp coldness. They put a screen up high enough my dh couldn't see over when standing. I started feeling a little queasy which is common and the anesthetist was right at my head the entire time to adjust everything as needed and he was great, explained what I would feel/hear and what they were doing. It was 7 minutes from first cut ( I didn't know they'd started) until baby was out. It feels strange like you feel movement and pressure and tugging in your abdomen but no pain. I used all my breathing techniques to stay calm. Then heard lots of suction which was my waters and then baby was out. It was amazing in all honesty. They checked him over then put him straight on my chest for skin to skin and that was a great distraction. My dh brought him out until the recovery room just as they finished up and then they wheeled me in. The midwife stayed with us in recovery with tea and toast, and checked our vitals, helped me get the hang of feeding baby and it was lovely. Then after an hour or so we were brought into the ward and dh was limited to visiting hours. I got itchy at this point due to the opiods wearing off but nothing major, they have meds for relief if it annoys you. You can't twist bend or stand so you need to buzz when baby needs lifted or changed etc but I found the midwives on the ward so lovely and helpful. I got dh to set everything out on my table that I'd need overnight so I could reach it easily. I got catheter out about 6pm (painless) got of bed about 8pm. Just take your time I was dizzy initially but just go slow. They'll want to see you pass urine in 3 big goes so drink lots. Recovery has been very smooth for me, I get tired easily but as long as I stay on top of my meds and rest regularly I feel fine. Dressing didn't hurt coming off at all which I'd been nervous about. It's been a really positive experience for me.

Things to consider are: you can't ttc again for minimum 1 year following a section. You're also more likely to need a section with subsequent births but not always. You can't do much at home so my advice is rest up and strictly limit visitors in that first week especially to give yourself the chance. If you try to do too much you're risking getting an infection or reopening your wound. So just take it slow and heal right.

midwife stayed with us in recovery with tea and toast, and checked our vitals, helped me get the hang of feeding baby and it was lovely. Then after an hour or so we were brought into the ward and dh was limited to visiting hours. I got itchy at this point due to the opiods wearing off but nothing major, they have meds for relief if it annoys you. You can't twist bend or stand so you need to buzz when baby needs lifted or changed etc but I found the midwives on the ward so lovely and helpful

are you in the UK? (Us spellings.. of labour and anesthetist)

generally m/w are so understaffed “lovely and helpful” is not the way I’d describe them! Tea and toast you got your own the following day, help with feeding meant being asked if I wanted to give formula, and as for responding to the buzzer 😂😂😂.

I’m the UK and all 3 of my csections were as the above PP stated. Lovely and helpful are definitely words I would use to describe my midwives and no, I wasn’t offered formula and “help”
I definitely did not have to get my own tea and toast! Was brought to me in bed and was delicious! Did you have c sections??