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

We seem to have similar history regarding miscarriages and fears for childbirth.

I know I just posted an absolute horror show BUT I did only need 1 stitch and she was tiny 5lb 15oz so that's probably why and recovery took about 10 days for me to feel "normal" down there and stop stinging.

I know the recovery with C-section will be much worse. Although 3 of my friends are who've had one said they'd do it all over again over a natural birth (2 of them have had a natural and a C-section).

I was swollen, when I got in the shower about 7 hours after having baby, I looked down and couldn't believe how swollen it was! Such a weird feeling, very stingy and sore to touch (peri bottle to rinse after weeing and spritz for bits is your best friend here if you decide vaginal birth).

I had no problems producing milk after either c-section but I'd already been told dc4 wouldn't be able to breastfeed before he was born. Although he did have one brief feed on about day 5 after a midwife pointed out that he was my baby and if I wanted to give it a go then I should, even though the chances of succeeding were non existent. That midwife and the hospital infant feeding specialist were brilliant and tried all sorts to get me breastfeeding. They then put me in touch with the only breastfeeding peer supporter they could find who was also exclusively pumping.

dc5 was too poorly to breastfeed at the beginning and then we struggled with geography as he was in nicu and I struggled to get down from postnatal every time he needed feeding. So he had a mixture of formula and pumped breast milk down his ng tube for the first 5 days with a few bonus breastfeeds from day 3. Then when he came out of nicu we just breastfed and he did brilliantly.

Natural birth for all three. I think that recovery time is easier for natural but I've never had c-section just from what I have seen of my friends my recovery was much easier with my natural births than their sections. But, their sections were medically required. If I had ever medically needed a c section I would have had one.

It really depends on how your body responds to labour. A quick, easy, textbook labour is preferable to an EMCS after a long labour. A calm, controlled elective is better than a brutal labour ending in a bad tear and injuries.

Fiest birth, i had a long labour + EMCS and second birth a vbac (forceps). For the third baby it was my choice. Knowing what I know about myself, I chose a planned c section. Tough recovery but I saved myself what I know would have been an induction, tethered to monitors and hours of endless pain, based on the other two. I was happy ro skip the agony and go straight to the recovery.

Had my other births been easy, I would have had another vb but they weren't so I didn't. You won't know how your body reacts to getting a baby out until you try. Are you open to trying, or do you want to avoid all risk regardless and go straight to CS?

@Barfvader you can't avoid risks no matter what you choose, csection comes with list of possible complications, same as vaginal birth.

Sorry I should have said 'all risk of potentially having a long, drawn out, agonising, and injurious vaginal delivery'

I had c-sections, the first as an emergency the second planned.
Both totally fine, went well, no complications, recovery was also fairly quick and uneventful.
Even though the 1st was an emergency I have no negative memories from either experiences.
I do not plan on having more children but if I did I would like to stay with a c-section.

I’m currently pregnant and opting for elective c section. My first was an emergency one. My recovery was pretty good. I think because I’d read so many horror stories on mumsnet I expected to have to fend for myself and so from the start I forced myself to get up and move around which helped. The midwives though were good and kept telling me they’d help me. I only spent one night after birth and was sent home next day.

Regardless of whether you go for vaginal or section I’d only ever do one round of induction if that. I stupidly just let things go on and on and didn’t speak up for myself and just let them led. It was the worst part of the experience. I had numerous examinations which were so uncomfortable. And in the end was totally pointless as it ended up in a section. I’d also say listen to your body. In those examinations often the midwife would comment that the baby’s head hadn’t dropped down. I wondered if it was stuck and that the induction would likely fail but since no one said that I just continued on trusting they knew best.

I would wait and see.

I was due to have a large baby and was over 40 so they wouldn’t let me go over 39 weeks without inducing me.

I said I would be happy to have a natural birth but refused to be induced and so ended up having a planned C section (she was NOT coming early!)

All midwives and consultants were happy with my choice.

I think natural birth (ie cervix dilated) is much easier than cesarean and even assisted birth if you are younger/small baby/ partially dilated is better. Wait as long as you can. But complications birth/ emergency c section is worse.

I did find though that c section meant I couldn’t get up and hold my baby when I wanted to easily (also true of very bad vaginal birth).

Speak to your midwife about options but you can ask for natural or c section no induction and it’s all sorted a week or so before birth so no need to think too much now.

Sorry- realise I’ve said pretty much what PP said.

I think the problem is is that it’s either hypnobirthing or c section, there seems to be no middle ground.

Look at the options and be clear about what to want/ don’t want. There’s lots of info out there.

For me I would have loved a natural birth but induction/ forceps when cervix not dilated was not what I wanted as I’ve seen friends end up down that route and then be 72 hours later and energy c section anyway.

I've done both. If I was to have a third I'd chose an elective c section x

Poor you! I’m so glad you finally have the lovely baby you have waited for.

I agree inductions are just not comparable to a spontaneous labour. I also felt that my prolonged induction - which still resulted in an EMCS! - was so exhausting physically and emotionally that it had such a knock-on effect on my first days and weeks even as a new mum. Sadly, I don’t look back on those days fondly as the sleep deprivation before my baby even arrived, coupled with the sleep deprivation with a newborn, made everything (especially new mum anxiety and initial regrets about my birth) seem a hundred times worse. My mental health was worse than the physical pain. But I got better in both ways quickly and now I’m at peace with my section as it was incredible seeing my baby being born and she’s healthy and arrived safely in the end. Of course many women have a great induction to, OP. I think I will have to have another CS if I’m lucky enough to have another but I’m at peace with that too and would look forward to it. The recovery was a little painful at the start obviously but nothing pain relief didn’t help with massively.

This thread has been so helpful! I am 13.5 weeks pregnant and anxiety over birth is already looming due to a failed induction and being on that god awful drip for 11 hours and not progressing to even 1cm with baby back to back that led to an EMCS.

this is our 2nd and last baby and id love to experience a vaginal birth but the anxiety around my previous labour made me think ELCS was the way forward but from reading this thread my plan is a VBAC but any mention of induction, then ELCS for me!

Hi :) I also had an emcs last time due to failure to progress after induction. I’m going for elcs this time.

They don’t often recommend induction if you’ve had a previous c section so might be the case to agree a date for a c section if you haven’t gone into labour naturally by then :)

Aw congrats and good luck. Yes, I think if an induction is for, say, 42 weeks and it’s a first baby, it’s more likely to be successful. Same if you’re a second or third etc time mum and you’re around 40 weeks.

Mine was at 38 weeks (first time mum too) and my cervix just wasn’t budging. Sorry if TMI but that’s the nature of childbirth and pregnancy. Same with the many sweep attempts. I should have known the induction wasn’t happening from those actually…

@Stef8 my induction started at 39 weeks - for no reason other than a ‘big baby’ - she was 8lb 5oz born at 39+2. The things you learn as a ftm eh? Lol