Completely elective c section. If you've had both VB and a C, which would you do again?

[Soundbathfan]

Hi all
I am fairly sure I want a c section, currently no maternal indication for it and so docs are trying to persuade me into vaginal birth. It's my first pregnancy and I very much do have 'childbearing hips'. Im conscious baby could pop out fairly easily but I hate the unknowns of vaginal birth and almost everyone I speak to including my maternal family had a very rough time with major tears and stitches.

I'm only 20 weeks atm so got loads of time to mull it over.
I would have a skin fold over c section scar due to extra weight im carrying which I understand can affect healing.

My question is, if you've had both which would you have again?
If you've had a totally planned and elective c, what was your experience?
Thank you!

I had a c section last month with my third child and I’ve had two vaginal births before that. I would choose vaginal every time. 5 weeks post section and I’ve not lost my baby belly (it was gone in 2 weeks with both vaginal deliveries). I’ve been in and out of hospital with an infected incision. I’ve been on so many different anti biotics. You can’t leave the hospital after you’ve had them to go to your own bed. For at least a few days just walking is agony and sitting up is a torture I’d wish on no one. The theatre is daunting and you are starving by the time you get there. When I lay my baby on my chest now if he kicks his legs it hurts my stomach so I don’t like having him there even though this is my favourite way to sit with them. You can’t just nip out and do anything as you can’t drive and manoeuvring public transport can’t be done as you can’t lift your pushchair easily. Just pulling down your knickers for a wee will cause you discomfort. With my first birth it was a difficult birth but I felt relatively like myself within 48 hours and with my second I left the hospital 2 hours after they were born and then after lunch that day drove to see my in laws so they could feed me and my oldest and I could sit and cuddle.

as you can see I’m definitely in favour of a vaginal birth, whilst the experience of a section is nice as you can plan the date and time and it’s all calm and you have a nice chit chat etc the recovery has been so not worth it. A million times over I would have a natural birth. My section was elective as my baby was breech and big. Good luck whichever route you choose, only you know what’s best for you and don’t let any doctor tell you otherwise! X

My first was VB, labour was very painful, 11 hours in total, left it too late to go to hospital so only had gas and air for the last 40 minutes no time for anything else. However it was very straightforward, didn't tear and recovery was very easy, home the next day. Second was emc, recovery was awful, I was in a lot of pain for weeks and it took months before I felt anyway normal again. This time I'm hoping for vbac with more drugs. I'd rather endure the pain of VB than go through the painful recovery of a section but that's just me, and I've heard lots of positive stories of people recovering quickly from a section just didn't happen that way for me.

No personal experience of having babies but a few, hopefully helpful, thoughts…

I wouldn’t let things like forceps be the decider - it’s not uncommon to use forceps in c-sections.

one of the big problems with delivering babies by either route is that ‘normal’ is a retrospective diagnosis. You don’t know an elective section is going to be any more straightforward than a vaginal delivery or vice versa until it was straightforward. Have seen plenty of pretty ugly looking c-sections in the past!

also, it’s worth thinking about what you’d want if you did decide to have a section but went into labour before the day.

ELCS and ‘unplanned’ VBAC. If I had another I would go for the VB.

I would wait until later in the pregnancy to decide. By that point you'll have a better sense of the size of the baby, how he/she is positioned, and any other health problems that might arise along the way. A 9lb baby with a transverse lie at 41 weeks with high blood pressure and dodgy blood sugars, and no signs of labour, is different from starting to have contractions with a (supposedly, not entirely accurate, but still worth having scans) 6lb baby at 39 weeks. Both are good choices, but it depends on the situation.

DD was an elective c section at 38 weeks due to low lying placenta. All went well took two weeks to get properly moving around still have a scar and slight overhang.

DS was a vbac at 41 weeks. Waters broke but some low level contractions then a very quick 2 hour labour constant painful contractions and ended up being ventouse due to DS being in distress. Internal ams second degree tear (stitched up with only local anaesthetic), huge blood loss nearly needing transfusion. Scariest and most painful experience of my life but also the most amazingly wonderful empowering one. The endorphin rush when he was born was the most incredible moment.

if I was to have another c section all the way though. Second labours are quicker and my god that is terrifying

I had an EMCS with DC1 and VBAC with DC2. Felt "normal" after my section at about 4 weeks and at about 2 weeks with my VBAC. I had a planned section booked for DC2 because they were measuring big (and I would take a CS over induction) but they came earlier and quickly. I'd have either again. For the next one, I'd try VBAC if no complications because I really appreciated being mobile to look after new baby/house/toddler and to drive. My VB was straightforward with no lasting damage. CS left me with a horrible overhang so saving for a tummy tuck...

Agree with PP that c-sections have an impact on future deliveries so need to consider alongside how many kids you think you might want.

I hate These threads. Everyone has different experiences. I’m a midwife and I see wonderful ELCS and horrific ELCS, complications in future pregnancies due to previous CS. Amazing vaginal births and awful vaginal births. You can never be promised one or the other to be perfect…

maybe ‘bad tearing and stitches’ is better than bowel and bladder damage with extensions at an ELCS, or a placenta acreta/percreta in subsequent pregnancies which risks your life. Or maybe the straight forward ELCS is better than the extensive perineal trauma or prolapse off the back of an instrumental birth…

no one anywhere can predict what your birth will be. And as for only hearing horror stories, women generally don’t like to share the good positive stories. There are plenty of positive ELCS/EMCS/vaginal birth stories and equally that of Horror stories.

good luck on whatever you choose, but don’t make your decision on what friends and family or random internet strangers tell you

I was thinking the same thing. I’m not sure an emergency should be compared with an elective. With my emergency, I was contracting for over 2 days beforehand and my baby was in distress. So not really comparable to an elective section.