Women that had elective C-sections. Any regrets?

[BellaRosex]

Hi all,

Currently 30 weeks pregnant and trying to decide whether to give birth naturally or have an elective C-section.

Curious to hear of other women's experiences of elective C sections - positive and negative!

TIA x

No regrets at all, although it turned out for at least one of them I'd never have been able to give birth to him naturally anyway. Three calm caesareans with straightforward recoveries afterwards, and as they were planned I could plan for the recovery time too.

2 electives here, both wonderful calm experiences, exactly what I wanted for my births. Recovery was as I expected the first time, tough but manageable. The second time recovery was so quick and easy, with only a day of taking any painkillers.

I would opt for a natural, water birth given the choice.
My child was a natural turned forceps but, if we'd had another child I'd have gone natural again. C-sections have their place but I'd not choose one unless it was advised. This is just my opinion.

Two sections. One emergency, one planned. I was a bit conflicted about having the planned section but decided that it was a more reliable experience than trying labour again.

I had no issues healing, was walking relatively upright by day 3, was driving after two weeks. I breastfed until 2 with both, and bed shared with my youngest (in case you think a section affects this).

10 years on, absolutely no regrets (other than not pushing for a section with #1 after 42 weeks of pregnancy).

Mine was with my second after an EMCS with first. I loved it. Home after 24 hours, back driving after 10 days, very little pain, DD2 latched on and feeding before we even left the operating theatre. I had the numbness but three years on it’s gone now. It was genuinely a healing experience after my first baby.

And I know pelvic floor stuff can still happen with C sections, but it’s very telling to me that I’m one of the few out of my friends who is able to jump on a trampoline without any fear. My pelvic floor has remained unaffected.

I had both my children by elective c/s. First one was scheduled because I had scan at 10 days past due date and he was huge and breech so I was booked in for the next day. And I had such a positive experience that I requested c/s for 2nd. I had to jump through some hoops but I was 42 and didn’t want the risk of vbac going to emergency s section. I was in hospital for 4 days for first and just overnight for second. Made an easy recovery with both and as a bonus I had my tubes tied during the 2nd.

No regrets at all.

I had a natural birth for DD1 (which was bloody awful) and had an elective section for DD2 which was fantastic. I found the recovery after the section a lot easier than after my vaginal birth. I had very little pain. I was up and about with ease. I went on a seven mile walk when DD2 was 10 days old. My scar is fine (no numbness at all).

Sometimes I do regret it, I found the procedure scary and aftermath in the hospital horrible, recovery was also really hard for me. I only really started to feel better around 10-12 weeks pp. Sometimes I think I could have done a vaginal birth but in the end it probably was the right decision to go c sec as my girl was a large baby with a large head and so things could have been worse with a vaginal birth which is why I went with a c sec originally. If I have another baby I'd consider going vbac birth.

I was 4ft 11 and size 3 shoe. I had the xray to check head and pelvic size. Waste of time as they said I would have a trial labour. It was awful, unbelievably painful. Then rushed me in for an emergency cesarean. Too right I asked for an elective for my 2nd one. Epidural, no general, could hold right away. So much better. By

Not a single regret but it was my fourth birth after having two retained placentas and haemorrhages in a row so I felt it was the safer option on balance.

Mine became an emergency as DS decided to come two and a half weeks before the scheduled date but it was still very calm and controlled. Emergency on paper only, basically.

It took 4-5 days to recover from the pain. My only issue is my c section overhang/shelf. Google it to find out what I mean.

I didn’t know about it before the c section.
I’m still trying to deal with it three years later. I always had a slightly rounded tummy and I am unsure if this is the reason why I am struggling with this (and my age maybe if I was younger when I had my baby maybe I would have bounced back faster).

Maybe people who did tons of crunches or focused exercises on that area don’t have the same issue. When I go out I wear body shaping underwear and full briefs to cover it at home.

I had a planned section for a small baby, at the time it was fine but I was surprised afterwards how disappointed I felt that I didn’t get a natural birth. I felt like I had disappointed my DH by not trying although it wasn’t an option for me.

My recovery was straightforward but I was tender in my stomach for months afterwards. I’m pregnant again and will probably have another section. I don’t want another baby. If you want more than a couple of children I would push for a natural birth as risks of csection do increase with each procedure.

no regrets at all , recovery was easier compared to my first birth ( forceps/ episiotomy)

I can understand somebody opting for an elective if they’ve had an emergency section first time round, but not even attempting natural childbirth seem wild to me. I’ve had 3 natural births, gas and air and last one in a birthing pool. But each to their own.

I can see why people choose a section if the other option is induction as the induction process is nothing like a gas and air/water birth at all

Dd1 is a senior gynaecologist and when she was first started out she was adamant she would chose a c section. By the time she had her dd about 8 years later she had changed her mind and was very grateful she was able to have a vaginal delivery.
Dd2 is currently expecting dc2 and had an total emergency c section where both her and her dc1 nearly died. Since then she has had a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. I really hope she is able to have a vbac- i have had 4 c sections - 2 emergency and 2 elective.

My first thoughts on reading this title was HELL NO!! Followed by the realization that I do have regrets, though trivial ones.

I regret not doing the anesthetic assistant to take more photos for my eldest. We have about 60 for my youngest!

I regret not having more snacks because I missed lunch.

As to the actual sections, they were amazing. Pain free childbirth. Recoveries were fine - I had some issues with trapped gas and afterpains, but I find a cold more debilitating. I was back to normal in less than a week. If I poked myself deliberately in my scar it hurt a bit, and I felt bruised when seeing if I could do star jumps (literally trying to see what hurt).

On the day after my first section, I actually googled 'when do c sections start to hurt' because I assumed it would hit me at some stage. I'm lucky because it never did.

No regrets on 2 elective sections after a difficult, physically damaging first vaginal birth.

The first section (2nd baby) was breech and medically recommended (although I also requested), the second was a large, 10lb 6oz baby 15 months later, so also medically recommended.

Recovery from the c-sections was far easier and faster for me than my first, vaginal birth.

I wouldn't have opted for a c-section for my first baby without a medical reason, but after the injuries sustained, I wouldn't have chosen to get pregnant again without reassurance that I could elect a c-section in later pregnancies.

I've had one natural birth and one section. Yes, the natural birth was more difficult but that far outweighed the section. I had a really difficult recovery from my section and still having issues 7 years later. I got an internal ruptured that burst open my stiches. It has totally ruined my core muscles. I still get back pain from the epidural. The recovery time is so much longer. You can't drive legally for 6 weeks after or your insurance is void. You have to wear circulation socks and have injections of blood thinners in your stomach each day for a while afterwards. My natural birth wasn't as bad as I expected and there was lots of options for pain relief. At the end I felt really proud of myself and the environment, atmosphere and emotions just seemed to be so much more amplified once baby was put on my chest. Plus, I was back on my feet withing half an hour, home the next day, and driving within the week.

Everyone's experience is different I suppose. For me, I would 100% have a natural birth over a section.

Ended up with an emergency one at full dilation after a 4 day labour.

Get the C Section. It was hard for a couple of days but honestly recover has been easy. Would be easier still if I'd elected to have one, which I will if I have another baby.

I should say, this is just based on my experience!

My vaginal birth was brutal and lots of trauma. I'm currently 28.5 and think I'm going to do an elective because no one can garentuee it won't happen again and why retraumatise myself if I don't have to?

This thread has been really helpful! Thank you :)

No regrets now.

I did regret my first elective for about 2 weeks after I first did it. Thinking what the fuck did I sign up to here. It bloody hurts. More than you can imagine.

Second c it was expected so just indulged in it and opportunity to lie watching box sets and being weighted on hand and foot.

Healed really well both times. Scar care perfected by section 2 and by 5 months it’s nearly gone. Fully sensitive, no ledges, no scar visible (as some parts are fully healed can see it’s going to disappear entirely).

No regrets.

@mumofamudmagnet just coming back on

"You can't drive legally for 6 weeks after or your insurance is void. You have to wear circulation socks and have injections of blood thinners in your stomach each day for a while afterwards."

The 6 weeks driving ban is a myth. A few insurers insist on on it, but the vast majority do not ban you for 6 weeks. It's either when you feel you can do an emergency stop/feel safe to drive. Some require Dr sign off, which traditionally was done at your 6w check, but you could ask for at any time. Lots of people on here driving within 10ish days.

Circulation socks: depends on the hospital and risk factors. I didn't, despite being quite fat and old. Also, they are a choice.

Injections of blood thinners into your stomach for a while: some women have heparin injections, some don't. I had them for 10 days into my thigh because I was old and fat. Many women don't have them. Again, they are a choice. I stopped taking them early with my second because I was back to full mobility.