Can I have an elective CS just because I want one?

[Selmaandpatty]

Sorry if this sounds very naive, don't have any children yet and don't know of many women who've had a CS.
I have been doing a lot of reading but the answers seem to vary. I personally would like to have a CS rather than a natural birth, I know the recovery will be harder, but the thought of being in labour for 36 hours and the pain terrifies me.
However I'm not sure if they would do it without a valid reason? Or do they?

Sadly it is quite common for especially first time mothers who chose elective sections to lie about why they had the section because of... well, the obvious internalised misogynistic mentality displayed on this very thread by some posters.
So it is very possible that you don't know exactly why someone had a section.

YAWN

I had one Cz I wanted one I had to fight for it. But it was due to mental health illness

I've recently had an elective c-section (6 months ago) - main reason was worry over something going wrong with a natural birth (and yes, I'm well aware things can go wrong with a c-section - but having weighed everything up I came to the conclusion that the risks with a natural birth far outweighed those of a section). Anyway, I had to have a detailed conversation with a specialist midwife - she was pushing for me to opt for a natural birth, but by the end of the conversation she knew I wouldn't be swayed and it was all approved. Not as much of a fight as I was expecting tbh.
The c-section experience was absolutely amazing and I was so relaxed and reassured that everything was as controlled as it could possibly be.
Recovery has been a lot better than expected - I am a wimp and was really nervous about the recovery. A few days of being uncomfortable/pain when standing, turning in bed etc, but after that, fine!

@TomatoSandwiches I can only comment with regards to the individuals I personally know who have had c-sections, 2 of those had severe pre-eclampsia, and the 3rd the baby had some fetal heart rate issue and it was deemed better a c-section in the end. All of these were initially thinking they would be having a vaginal birth.

Yes this is true. I always say breech to ppl. I only tell close ppl that I just wanted one.

At my recent growth scan I was told my baby is measuring above the 100th centile. After this, I spoke to my midwife about elective cs - I categorically do not want an instrumental delivery. She even agreed with me that if it came down to picking between ventouse/forceps and CS she would opt for a c section. I haven’t made my decision yet but so far my concerns have been taken seriously - will see what the consultant says.

Ultimately, it’s really weird to have such strong opinions about how other women give birth, as some posters have had on here. It’s really none of your business. 🙄

My elective c section was glorious, removed all the panic about not knowing when it would happen. I was walking around within 6 hours maximum and barely asked anyone for anything. As I recall, I was drinking coffee in my local cafe within 72 hours.

This is reassuring to hear, thank you. Can I ask why many doctors try to push women into having natural births instead?

With my first I was in labour for 21 hours, I hated it! Then I had an emergency c-section anyway and found it so relatively easy that I said straight away for another I would want one so I had a planned section second time round. The recovery from the planned section was so much easier. After one my scar was almost invisible and my tummy really flat again but after two, not so great a bit of a lopsided shelf, but I'm not too fussed about it!

Where I am you can just request one. You won’t face much, if any resistance, because the NICE guidelines are that you can choose one and my trust seems to respect that.

Re the injections after, not everyone has to have them, I didn’t.

LOL @BluNomad your posts are ridiculous. What makes you so annoyed about women choosing how they give birth?

@Mumtothreegirlies sorry you were misinformed and didn't have your choice respected. I'd say most trusts now do follow the NICE guidelines.

Even with a couple of complications I would still choose my elective CS. I chose it due to previous childbirth injury.

Yeah you're talking shit now. 😂

You have no idea about the person you're quoting. She said her child needs 24hr care. Not exactly a walk in the park is it?

But please, continue with your weird benefit bash on a thread about elective c-sections.

For balance, I've had three vaginal births, two with ventouse (and the first of those with other stuff, episiotomy, PPH), two without any pain relief whatsoever, and recovery was incredibly quick all three times - they kept me in for a few days after the first but I was actually fine to do stuff the next morning (gave birth in the evening). I walked home from the hospital 4 hours after having my third, with her in a sling. I'm not your typical earth mother either. This said, I actively didn't want a section, so was going into it with a different attitude, and (sadly this may be crucial) I didn't give birth in the UK - not sure how my first birth would have gone in the NHS as it currently is. Just wanted to give a positive account of vaginal (hate the word 'natural' in this context( birth.

It's not the case they're trying to 'push' women into a vaginal birth, it's more because once you have had a LSCS, there is a permanent scar on your uterus. For women who want to have more than one child, there needs to be the understanding that with a scar on the uterus, the risk of uterine rupture during the subsequent pregnancy or birth is a risk. This will then get worse with every subsequent C section.

I requested one with no reason other than I'd prefer it and they allowed it. I had to see perinatal mental health to talk it through, and had to explain my reasons to the consultant (I guess so they could check I was making an informed decision). It was very easy.

Apologies @BluNomad I got you confused with @Totaly

I still think your benefit bash is weird though, especially given the fact the poster you quoted stated she had quite a seriously disabled child.

I have previously posted about electivre Csections but you haven’t read them obviously & my comment was in response to someone else’s & the reason you claim I’m talking shit is because you are likely one of those ‘types’ of people. I’m not getting into it with some random on MN I have better things to do with my time

Yes, you can have a c section just because you want one! It's on the NICE guidelines that you have the right to request one and if your consultant won't sign off on it, they

I had a c section "just because I wanted one" and it was the best decision I ever made. I've never heard a "natural" birth story that sounded nicer than mine, recovery included. It was so calm and pleasant, I was home 36 hours after the birth and my pain was entirely manageable using paracetamol and ibuprofen (although they did give me morphine to take home initially, I never used it). I was back doing everything except heavy lifting within a few days, I walked a 3 mile round trip within a week.

Ignore any input from people who had emergency c sections, by the way. The experiences aren't comparable for obvious reasons, but still people who had them insist on trying to scare off other people.

Are we truly getting posts like this about a woman with a seriously disabled child? Seriously??

Hmm I could be, or I could just think you're an idiot for saying what you said to someone who stated their child needed constant care.

Still, off you go.

Yours
Mumsnet Random

To add, yes I did have to have the compression stockings and the injections. The injections were maybe the worst thing about the c section, but they were still not really bad at all. My husband did them for me and at worst they stung a little. The stockings I wore for about two weeks I think, they just went under my trousers or leggings and I didn't think about them.

I have friends who have had both emergency and planned c sections and they definitely say the experiences are incomparable.

It was me who said it was excruciating, it really was (for me). Please don’t diminish my experience because yours was different.

I’ve never been in so much pain, it was awful.