C section or natural birth

[LisaSs]

Hi,

just from your own experience, what would you pick? what worked better for you?

no negative comments, please :)

Thank you x

I planned for natural but they had to bring baby out early and induction made me ill so I had to have emergency C-section. My recovery was slow but at least didn't have any complications.

Everyone's experience will be different, and if you're terrified, I'd go for the c section. I don't think it's worth the stress and worry it's causing you. I'd personally have been more scared of a c section, but only because that's my particular feeling, it's not right or wrong.

I had two vaginal births, they were fine. One was an induction at 37 weeks because my waters broke at 34. I didn't have any pain relief for either because the gas and air didn't seem to make much difference and I was fine without having anything stronger. I needed stitches both times, which were sore for a few days after but fine with painkillers.

I have a choice? I had no idea

Watching with interest here too as we’re starting to TTC and an elective C-section is my preference. An easy, straightforward vaginal birth would be the ideal but there’s no way of guaranteeing one of those and I’ve read too many stories of lifelong birth injuries to want to risk it.

My own DM also had horrendous struggles with PND following my birth, which seriously affected our relationship (and has done my whole life). So to my mind, by making the birth at least as much of a known quantity as possible, I can take away some of those unknowns which might impact on my MH. I know there’ll be lots of other aspects of new motherhood which could/will impact it, but an elective section seems sensible to me in those circumstances. Does that make sense at all?

I’m not sure if the family mental health concerns will fly with consultants or not, but it is one of my main concerns around birth and becoming a mum (as well as my relationship with my own mum overall, but that’s a whole other thread!)

Hi Op. I’m not sure responses like this that just refer to emergency c sections are that helpful to your question.

From what i’ve heard, planned c sections are different from emergencies. Many emergency ones happen after hours/days of labour when the mother is already stressed and exhausted, and therefore recovery is likely to be harder and more painful.

If it helps your mental health to feel in control, then go for an elective section. But also make a careful plan with your consultant about what would happen if you go into labour before the date.

My personal experience is that I had to be induced with my first as I never went into labour even at nearly 42 weeks. The induction didn’t work and I ended up with an emergency c section due to failure to dialate and baby’s heartrate dipping.

The recovery was horrendous but this was partly due to crap nhs care (especially during lockdown). However, i’m pregnant again, and have still opted for an elective c section as my chance of having a successful vbac is only 50/50.

It all depends on whether you want to go for a vaginal birth and risk emergency c section but also possibly have a smoother birth, or if you want an elective section to avoid uncertainty.

Anecdonatally, a couple of my friends who gave birth for the first time had smooth vaginal births. The rest of us needed some kind of intervention eg induction, forceps, ventouse or emergency c section.

If I could be guaranteed a vaginal birth with no instrumental assistance or emergency section, I'd go natural. Obviously no one can guarantee that.
Otherwise I'd go elective all day long.

I laboured for 2 days, had drip, sooooo many vaginal examinations (worst bit imo) got to pushing, baby got v distressed, forceps failed, emergency section.

I'd never risk having that experience again!

Being realistic there is always some degree of pain involved vaginal birth, but post surgery you are not without pain either. While in labour adrenaline kicks in and honestly you forget the pain so quickly. I also had secondary tear twice, was stitched well, didn't feel midwife stitching me at all and no negative impact on my sex life etc in future. Recovery was fast , a bit of stinging on stitches for week or so that's it. Now nearly due date with third and hope to go into labour spontaneously again. Yes there is uncertainty but it all makes giving birth exciting experience.

I would pick natural because the birth canal loosens the baby up and then they are able to get an easy latch onto the breast. It also provides immunity via the vaginal fluids.

It's objectively better, but if there's reasons to have the C section then do that.

I could have been awake for my C section which would have been better for the baby too but I couldn't take it, so I went under.

If you're looking for reasons to do natural birth then they do exist. But if you're looking to be let off deciding on a C section then you need to do that for yourself.

End of the day it's your life and no one here giving advice has to live it.

Three different births here... an EMCS, an assisted vaginal delivery and then finally a completely natural vaginal homebirth. The vaginal birth was by far the best both for me and for baby.

Having a C section is a big operation. It's not without complications (both for mother and for baby) and it takes far longer to recover afterwards. You are left with a scar and many people with struggle with an overhang too.

I understand that people want to have control and certainty but unfortunately life (and particularly parenthood!) is just not like that.

That’s a tough one. My natural births were all straightforward and uncomplicated and quite quick and the pain manageable for me, had gas and air only, and recovery after was fast. But even though not awful, I still find natural births really traumatic. My c section was an emergency but I felt no pain, which was nice. But then the recovery was tough for me. But was nice to not have to go through labour. I’m glad I’m done with babies because I don’t know what id opt to do if there were a next time

Why do you assume natural birth has to come with pain, scarring and tearing? Have you looked into hynobirthing? Might help you change your mindset and see birth as something that doesn't need to be feared.
A C section is major abdominal surgery. The healing process will involve pain and as for scarring, you're guaranteed to have one with that.

I've had 5 babies and done all the different ways of giving birth. Personally I find the pain fairly similar for c-section and vaginal births but with a c-section the pain is afterwards when you also have a baby to look after. I much preferred to do the painful bit before the baby is born and I find there is a lot more sympathy on offer during Labour than after a c-section. However if I needed to be induced I would opt for elective section because I found induction absolutely horrific.

I don't really understand why women opt for c-section to have a guaranteed date or to be in control. With my elective section I had to wait all gowned up and nil by mouth from 9am to 11pm and then I was told I could eat for an hour and then nil by mouth again as the operation had been moved to the next day. Being numb from the chest down and not being able to see anything really freaked me out too. I was convinced my legs had disappeared completely, it was a horrible feeling and I definitely didn't feel in control. I felt a lot calmer during my vaginal births.

so many mixed opinions. I do indeed know what side effects a C-section comes with. I also know everybody is different and I may have the smoothest natural birth ever. It's just the anxiety of it. I obviously want the best for my baby and do not want to harm it in any way.
in terms of longer recovery- I have my partner to help me, and my family is around too all happy to help.
my thoughts have nothing to do with 'planning the date and having control' I don't really care about it.
It's all about my anxiety and potential scare of it all, maybe it's pregnancy hormones but since last night I just can't stop thinking about it!

I totally get that and actually had similar myself. I wish I had done things so differently and would not have ended up having to have an emergency C-section. Now, the C-section was brilliant because it took the effort out of birth (but I could have known what I know now beforehand which would have done the same thing)

I literally closed my legs during my birth because I was so unprepared for the pain that I became extremely panicked.

I ended up so swollen I could not give birth so had to have a C-section.

I was upset by the C-section because it hindered breastfeeding, which caused me a huge amount of emotional upset as I had my heart set on this.

Here’s what I wish I had known earlier.

It does hurt, a lot, and nothing’s wrong if you feel like you’re being split in half.

What you want is to get it over as quickly as possible.

Lying down is absolute madness. Gravity is real, and we are best to squat.

As soon as labour begins start walking around. Do not sit still and do not lie down.

Go to youtube and watch some hippies birth in streams. Don’t do that but do mimic their position.

Once baby is out, like down, and allow them to do the breastcrawl. Once baby is born ignore every single person and respond to one person alone; the baby. Feed them, cuddle them, sleep by them.

labour, birth, and child rearing is something incredibly simple that we over-complicate as a society.

I was induced and when that failed I had a c section. I'm having a planned section next time

I'm 32 weeks pregnant with my first child and I'm having an elective c section.

The consultant I met with to discuss my birth choices (NHS) told me that in his opinion, a straight forward vaginal birth without assistance is the best option for mum. A planned c section is best for baby (no risk of getting stuck). An EMCS can be a very difficult thing to navigate for mum and baby but can work out okay. An assisted or complicated vaginal birth is the worst outcome for mum and baby too.

The problem is, there's no way to guarantee the first outcome - ELCS seems like the best way forward for me, personally, though it doesn't come without risks. Good luck!

My consultant said the same. Planned section best for baby but not for me and after 7 miscarriages all I wanted was what was best for the baby. As it turned out it wasn’t bad for me, I had an easy recovery and excellent postnatal care. My milk came in on day 3 and we’re still breastfeeding 17 months later.

Hi

i only have experience of labour up until 6cm dilated as I didn’t progress past then and had to have an emergency c section but from my experience of the contractions before my op in comparison to the op itself and the pain afterwards I’d pick a c section personally.

im having another baby and am opting for an elective c section x

One emergency and one elective after the fact that I had no memories of my first child after they had been born for the first day or so. I never wanted a vaginal birth and was miffed that they made me try it...anyway all went not to plan and now I have particularly crap or no memories of first dc. Far better with elective, calm, smooth process that I can remember.

No problems with feeding (aside from tongue tie) or recovery (driving within a matter of days) hardly a scar (thanks excellent consultant!)

You also get scarring and pain with a section! It's major surgery!

Everyone’s experience is different. I’m sure labour can be very painful whereas I’ve had 2 elective sections and didn’t at any point ever feel in pain. The scar is so low, skip your waxing appointment and you can’t even see it, so it really isn’t a big deal especially as it’s childbirth so chances are you’re getting stitched up somewhere afterwards!

Does stop them trying to push you out of hospital within a day 😂

thank you all for sharing your experiences. :)