Page 7 | Women that had elective C-sections. Any regrets?

BellaRosex · 2025-08-02T07:54:35+00:00

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

Jennielouises · 04/08/2025 12:52

Not in the slightest. I had the easiest recovery of my NCT friends. Three had vaginal births, one had an emergency C and the other had twins, delivering one each way. Yes it was painful but so is a vaginal birth. Yes it takes time to recover but it does from a vaginal birth too. For me, I wanted some control over it as it can end in a C anyway.

Nimnuan · 04/08/2025 13:30

MNpenisadvisor · 03/08/2025 21:52

I'm a ftm and I'm opting for ELCS due to previous sexual trauma. Is that wild?

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It seems wild to me that as a society we've done such a poor job of maternity care that major surgery seems to many women like a safer option than a normal physiological process that we are literally made for.
I appreciate that even with good support from a known and trusted midwife there will be a small number of women who need medical intervention to keep them/their babies safe. There will be a smaller number who are physically or psychologically injured despite having the best possible care. Those are not the cases making women feel unsafe going into birth.
The vast majority of women who have bad experiences were not well supported. They felt pressured into things, they had things done to them that are not supported by evidence, they had things done to them without being told or after they'd said "no", they were with multiple midwives/doctors, none of whom they had any relationship with, they weren't listened to.
It's wild that we get told the hospital is the safest place to be, but they won't let you in in early labour. How are you supposed to settle in and feel safe and progress while trying to decide whether you've done "well enough" to deserve admission to the "safe place"? It's wild that women think they aren't allowed to give birth without letting a complete stranger carry out an invasive exam. It's wild that women are denied pain relief or a c-section when they ask for it during labour.
We're being harmed by the medical system. We get told it's because of our bodies, and most of us wind up believing it. Even if we don't believe it, must of us don't have the resources to protect ourselves. Continuity of care isn't available on the NHS. Choice of provider isn't available on the NHS.

Neurodiversitydoctor · 04/08/2025 13:55

Nimnuan · 04/08/2025 13:30

It seems wild to me that as a society we've done such a poor job of maternity care that major surgery seems to many women like a safer option than a normal physiological process that we are literally made for.
I appreciate that even with good support from a known and trusted midwife there will be a small number of women who need medical intervention to keep them/their babies safe. There will be a smaller number who are physically or psychologically injured despite having the best possible care. Those are not the cases making women feel unsafe going into birth.
The vast majority of women who have bad experiences were not well supported. They felt pressured into things, they had things done to them that are not supported by evidence, they had things done to them without being told or after they'd said "no", they were with multiple midwives/doctors, none of whom they had any relationship with, they weren't listened to.
It's wild that we get told the hospital is the safest place to be, but they won't let you in in early labour. How are you supposed to settle in and feel safe and progress while trying to decide whether you've done "well enough" to deserve admission to the "safe place"? It's wild that women think they aren't allowed to give birth without letting a complete stranger carry out an invasive exam. It's wild that women are denied pain relief or a c-section when they ask for it during labour.
We're being harmed by the medical system. We get told it's because of our bodies, and most of us wind up believing it. Even if we don't believe it, must of us don't have the resources to protect ourselves. Continuity of care isn't available on the NHS. Choice of provider isn't available on the NHS.

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My friends and I had our babies in the noughties - mostly in London intervention free vaginal births were the norm- many at home. 1 out of my NCT class of 8 had a ventous and one a C-section, really strange it has changed so much.

mummybear35 · 04/08/2025 14:07

Both mine were c sections, easy and no
complications, quicker recovery than some of my friends who had vaginal births and tears etc. I thought it is important for women to have a choice? Our bodies, our choice…isn’t that what it’s all about? Some prefer vaginal births, some would rather not, why shame anyone for their choice? The end (safe and healthy baby) justifies the means surely?

SchnizelVonKrumm · 04/08/2025 14:09

thatsthatsaidthemayor · 04/08/2025 09:11

Maybe I am wrong. Just my opinion.

How much do C-sections cost the NHS?

A CS costs hospitals an average £1,701 while a vaginal delivery costs an average £749. The Audit Commission has estimated that a 1% rise in CS rates costs the NHS an extra £5million/year4.

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I've just had a text reminder about a hospital appointment tomorrow. It includes a reminder that missed appointments cost the NHS £1 billion last year. I'd wager that very few of those missed appointments were for planned C sections...

Neurodiversitydoctor · 04/08/2025 14:16

SchnizelVonKrumm · 04/08/2025 14:09

I've just had a text reminder about a hospital appointment tomorrow. It includes a reminder that missed appointments cost the NHS £1 billion last year. I'd wager that very few of those missed appointments were for planned C sections...

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That does seem very good value ( £1,700) for a c-section.

Nimnuan · 04/08/2025 14:16

Neurodiversitydoctor · 04/08/2025 13:55

My friends and I had our babies in the noughties - mostly in London intervention free vaginal births were the norm- many at home. 1 out of my NCT class of 8 had a ventous and one a C-section, really strange it has changed so much.

Show quote history

To be honest it's not just the surgical deliveries, it's all the other stuff. I had a spontaneous vaginal delivery but I also had a vaginal exam I wish I'd never been offered, several hours feeling really guilty for calling the midwives too soon and wasting their time (they didn't say it but I could tell they were thinking it), mid-contraction sweep with dubious consent which broke my waters, transfer to hospital I shouldn't have accepted, physically forced into lithotomy, directed pushing without consent, hands in my vagina without my consent, most of which I'm firmly convinced contributed to the hemorrhage, shoulder dystocia, trouble breastfeeding, jaundice, extended hospital stay. It definitely contributed to my total lack of trust in the NHS this time around.

Lafufufu · 04/08/2025 14:19

(minus the eyebrows) this sums it up for me

WTF987 · 04/08/2025 15:30

Nimnuan · 04/08/2025 13:30

It seems wild to me that as a society we've done such a poor job of maternity care that major surgery seems to many women like a safer option than a normal physiological process that we are literally made for.
I appreciate that even with good support from a known and trusted midwife there will be a small number of women who need medical intervention to keep them/their babies safe. There will be a smaller number who are physically or psychologically injured despite having the best possible care. Those are not the cases making women feel unsafe going into birth.
The vast majority of women who have bad experiences were not well supported. They felt pressured into things, they had things done to them that are not supported by evidence, they had things done to them without being told or after they'd said "no", they were with multiple midwives/doctors, none of whom they had any relationship with, they weren't listened to.
It's wild that we get told the hospital is the safest place to be, but they won't let you in in early labour. How are you supposed to settle in and feel safe and progress while trying to decide whether you've done "well enough" to deserve admission to the "safe place"? It's wild that women think they aren't allowed to give birth without letting a complete stranger carry out an invasive exam. It's wild that women are denied pain relief or a c-section when they ask for it during labour.
We're being harmed by the medical system. We get told it's because of our bodies, and most of us wind up believing it. Even if we don't believe it, must of us don't have the resources to protect ourselves. Continuity of care isn't available on the NHS. Choice of provider isn't available on the NHS.

Show quote history

Actually, it's a really shit design! So much so that attempting vaginal birth has been a leading cause of female death for centuries. Just look back at royal lineages (as they're often best preserved) and you'll see death in childbirth is very prevalent.

Death during childbirth got much better with the proper implementation of c sections. But, that has meant that certain pressures are no longer there. Genetics that produce babies with bigger heads? In the past those babies would die in childbirth and take mum with them. Now they survive and go on to produce similarly large headed babies.

Do I agree NHS maternity health care is shit? Yes. Is that the reason people need/want c sections? No. In fact the only reason I'd have gone for a VBAC would be to avoid staying on the postnatal ward 😂

Lillabet · 04/08/2025 15:48

I've had two vaginal deliveries, an emergency section and an elective section. I was induced with the first 3 and only the second one was even vaguely in the region of what I'd wanted from my deliveries. Nearly losing both myself and DS2, having to have an emergency section (under GA) and the trauma it caused my DH had a massive influence on whether I tried for VBAC with my last. I was insistent that should I go into labour naturally, I would try for VBAC otherwise it was an elective section. My consultant was fabulous and understood where I was coming from. As it happens, DD2 had other ideas and appeared to stop growing at 38 weeks and as I refused to be induced, section it was. Honestly, even that didn't go to plan as I had to have it under GA again (unusual spinal structure meant the spinal block couldn't be sited). My recoveries were reasonably similar with all four in terms of being up and about and breast feeding. My pain management was absolutely on point post both sections and I had a vacuum dressing both times which massively improved healing and recovery time. It is major abdominal surgery and it does have a massive impact on your body. There are risks with both vaginal and C-section births and honestly only you can make the decision as to what is right for you. I would personally suggest vaginal as your first option, a birth plan that is flexible and allows for a section if the vaginal option isn't working for you. Ultimately, only you can decide what you want to do.

toastofthetown · 04/08/2025 15:57

Nimnuan · 04/08/2025 13:30

It seems wild to me that as a society we've done such a poor job of maternity care that major surgery seems to many women like a safer option than a normal physiological process that we are literally made for.
I appreciate that even with good support from a known and trusted midwife there will be a small number of women who need medical intervention to keep them/their babies safe. There will be a smaller number who are physically or psychologically injured despite having the best possible care. Those are not the cases making women feel unsafe going into birth.
The vast majority of women who have bad experiences were not well supported. They felt pressured into things, they had things done to them that are not supported by evidence, they had things done to them without being told or after they'd said "no", they were with multiple midwives/doctors, none of whom they had any relationship with, they weren't listened to.
It's wild that we get told the hospital is the safest place to be, but they won't let you in in early labour. How are you supposed to settle in and feel safe and progress while trying to decide whether you've done "well enough" to deserve admission to the "safe place"? It's wild that women think they aren't allowed to give birth without letting a complete stranger carry out an invasive exam. It's wild that women are denied pain relief or a c-section when they ask for it during labour.
We're being harmed by the medical system. We get told it's because of our bodies, and most of us wind up believing it. Even if we don't believe it, must of us don't have the resources to protect ourselves. Continuity of care isn't available on the NHS. Choice of provider isn't available on the NHS.

Show quote history

Women aren’t made in a way so that every birth results in a healthy mother and child. Women evolved and evolution doesn’t care if some women and babies are killed or injured in this process as long as enough survive to the next generation. In today’s society though we care about the survival of every woman and baby and so have medical interventions to ensure this.

Nimnuan · 04/08/2025 16:07

WTF987 · 04/08/2025 15:30

Actually, it's a really shit design! So much so that attempting vaginal birth has been a leading cause of female death for centuries. Just look back at royal lineages (as they're often best preserved) and you'll see death in childbirth is very prevalent.

Death during childbirth got much better with the proper implementation of c sections. But, that has meant that certain pressures are no longer there. Genetics that produce babies with bigger heads? In the past those babies would die in childbirth and take mum with them. Now they survive and go on to produce similarly large headed babies.

Do I agree NHS maternity health care is shit? Yes. Is that the reason people need/want c sections? No. In fact the only reason I'd have gone for a VBAC would be to avoid staying on the postnatal ward 😂

Show quote history

I'm going to disagree with you a bit on this one for two reasons.
First, much of the high maternal mortality in the last few centuries is down to malnutrition, polio, rickets, bacterial infection. Perinatal mortality was higher for similar reasons and also regular alcohol consumption and smoking, air pollution and domestic/industrial toxins (particularly in 20th century), etc.
Second, yes we definitely need c-sections! They are life-saving for some women and babies. But the c-section rate is now around 30-40% of pregnancies. There is no reason to think 30-40% of us would always have had serious problems birthing or babies.
It's a good design which sometimes fails, just like some otherwise healthy people will have a heart attack running a marathon. With proper care, most of time, everything will be okay. When it doesn't, we need medical intervention. Intervening ahead of time does not help. Listening to women helps. Continuity of care helps. Treating us like human beings helps.

Summer2025gal · 04/08/2025 16:10

Nimnuan · 04/08/2025 16:07

I'm going to disagree with you a bit on this one for two reasons.
First, much of the high maternal mortality in the last few centuries is down to malnutrition, polio, rickets, bacterial infection. Perinatal mortality was higher for similar reasons and also regular alcohol consumption and smoking, air pollution and domestic/industrial toxins (particularly in 20th century), etc.
Second, yes we definitely need c-sections! They are life-saving for some women and babies. But the c-section rate is now around 30-40% of pregnancies. There is no reason to think 30-40% of us would always have had serious problems birthing or babies.
It's a good design which sometimes fails, just like some otherwise healthy people will have a heart attack running a marathon. With proper care, most of time, everything will be okay. When it doesn't, we need medical intervention. Intervening ahead of time does not help. Listening to women helps. Continuity of care helps. Treating us like human beings helps.

Show quote history

You mentioned about listening to woman but isn’t that true about elective c sections. A woman has a right to choose and sometimes would prefer a c section for their own reasons. By removing the choice I don’t see how that would benefit anyone.

Nimnuan · 04/08/2025 16:20

toastofthetown · 04/08/2025 15:57

Women aren’t made in a way so that every birth results in a healthy mother and child. Women evolved and evolution doesn’t care if some women and babies are killed or injured in this process as long as enough survive to the next generation. In today’s society though we care about the survival of every woman and baby and so have medical interventions to ensure this.

Show quote history

Not every, but most. I am very very glad we have modern medicine when we need it. Using it when it's not needed causes harm.

Nimnuan · 04/08/2025 16:23

Summer2025gal · 04/08/2025 16:10

You mentioned about listening to woman but isn’t that true about elective c sections. A woman has a right to choose and sometimes would prefer a c section for their own reasons. By removing the choice I don’t see how that would benefit anyone.

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If a woman wants a C-section, she should have it. Whatever her reasons.

Disturbia81 · 04/08/2025 16:36

Best three choices I’ve made! I thought that before birth, after birth and decades later. My female family and friends ranging from young to old have all had lasting injuries, psychological trauma, pee themselves etc from vaginal birth.

SchnizelVonKrumm · 04/08/2025 16:44

WTF987 · 04/08/2025 15:30

Actually, it's a really shit design! So much so that attempting vaginal birth has been a leading cause of female death for centuries. Just look back at royal lineages (as they're often best preserved) and you'll see death in childbirth is very prevalent.

Death during childbirth got much better with the proper implementation of c sections. But, that has meant that certain pressures are no longer there. Genetics that produce babies with bigger heads? In the past those babies would die in childbirth and take mum with them. Now they survive and go on to produce similarly large headed babies.

Do I agree NHS maternity health care is shit? Yes. Is that the reason people need/want c sections? No. In fact the only reason I'd have gone for a VBAC would be to avoid staying on the postnatal ward 😂

Show quote history

Exactly! The "it's what our bodies are made for" line is such a cop out. Biology needs enough women and babies to survive to continue the species. That's all. Fortunately we are now able to do rather better than that - just like we can deal with other elements of the "natural" status quo (funny old thing, you don't get men pressured to have a "natural" experience of prostate cancer*, do you? Wonder why...).

*I'm not comparing a C-section to cancer treatment for avoidance of doubt. It's just an obvious example of something only men get and where the right to treatment choices, pain relief etc is never called into question.

InvisibleDragon · 04/08/2025 16:46

No regrets here about my ELCS.

Straightforward process and straightforward recovery.

As with a couple of other posters, I have a history of sexual trauma and I really did not want to have certain interventions as part of a difficult vaginal birth, and also did not want to be put on a situation where I was unable to say no to those procedures because it was an emergency situation and needed for the baby's wellbeing.

I also researched the statistics for labour outcomes in my trust and nationally. For women my age (early 30s), about 65% of women who went into labour ended up with either an instrumental delivery or EMCS, so it was odds on I was either going to have a c section anyway or exactly the kind of experience I didn't want to have.

I think having had the experience of a previous trauma, I was also just really keen to avoid a traumatic birth experience. Because getting through daily life when you have experienced something traumatic is exhausting and getting to the point where something really awful doesn't affect your daily life any more is really really hard work. And I didn't want to have to do that work (again) at the same time as getting to grips with caring for a newborn.

Nimnuan · 04/08/2025 16:49

WTF987 · 04/08/2025 15:30

Actually, it's a really shit design! So much so that attempting vaginal birth has been a leading cause of female death for centuries. Just look back at royal lineages (as they're often best preserved) and you'll see death in childbirth is very prevalent.

Death during childbirth got much better with the proper implementation of c sections. But, that has meant that certain pressures are no longer there. Genetics that produce babies with bigger heads? In the past those babies would die in childbirth and take mum with them. Now they survive and go on to produce similarly large headed babies.

Do I agree NHS maternity health care is shit? Yes. Is that the reason people need/want c sections? No. In fact the only reason I'd have gone for a VBAC would be to avoid staying on the postnatal ward 😂

Show quote history

Ps, really glad you had a positive CS and I sincerely hope you weren't pressured to try a vbac or anything like that.
I'm very judgemental of maternity care in general, but I'd never judge another mother for her choices.

Nimnuan · 04/08/2025 17:02

SchnizelVonKrumm · 04/08/2025 16:44

Exactly! The "it's what our bodies are made for" line is such a cop out. Biology needs enough women and babies to survive to continue the species. That's all. Fortunately we are now able to do rather better than that - just like we can deal with other elements of the "natural" status quo (funny old thing, you don't get men pressured to have a "natural" experience of prostate cancer*, do you? Wonder why...).

*I'm not comparing a C-section to cancer treatment for avoidance of doubt. It's just an obvious example of something only men get and where the right to treatment choices, pain relief etc is never called into question.

Edited

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If I've got cancer I want cancer treatment. If my risk of having cancer has gone from 0.04% to 0.08% then I don't want cancer treatment.
In oncology, I wouldn't be told I need treatment. The same odds in maternity care, I would be told I need treatment, and the treatment probably wouldn't be based on evidence.

Underthemoon1 · 04/08/2025 17:10

I had a horrendous elective C-section due a breech baby. I lost a lot of blood so became very confused, baby was wrapped up in a bundle so I couldn't hold him to have early skin-skin and found the whole process unpleasant and violating. It unfortunately had a major impact on my bonding with the baby and I'm pretty sure it was behind my PND - some of the damage has been repaired by therapy but the guilt and shame are still there. I had a spontaneous labour before that and an induced vbac for my 3rd both of which were gruelling but wonderful. I know I got unlucky with my C-section but there are risks that shouldn't be ignored! There are studies about the higher risks of PND and bonding issues from C-sections - I don't know what the latest research is saying about that.

SchnizelVonKrumm · 04/08/2025 17:23

Nimnuan · 04/08/2025 17:02

If I've got cancer I want cancer treatment. If my risk of having cancer has gone from 0.04% to 0.08% then I don't want cancer treatment.
In oncology, I wouldn't be told I need treatment. The same odds in maternity care, I would be told I need treatment, and the treatment probably wouldn't be based on evidence.

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Point taken - what I was trying to get at (with an imperfect analogy, I will readily admit! Feel free to substitute something else that only applies to men) is that a lot of people's objections to women having the choice of a ELCS are rooted in misogyny. Some people expect women to go through the trauma of a natural birth unless they meet certain arbitrary criteria (there is at least one example of that in this thread), and those same people are often against things like epidurals too. Those people don't expect men to forego treatment options/pain relief or to justify why they deserve NHS resources for that treatment.

Nimnuan · 04/08/2025 17:38

SchnizelVonKrumm · 04/08/2025 17:23

Point taken - what I was trying to get at (with an imperfect analogy, I will readily admit! Feel free to substitute something else that only applies to men) is that a lot of people's objections to women having the choice of a ELCS are rooted in misogyny. Some people expect women to go through the trauma of a natural birth unless they meet certain arbitrary criteria (there is at least one example of that in this thread), and those same people are often against things like epidurals too. Those people don't expect men to forego treatment options/pain relief or to justify why they deserve NHS resources for that treatment.

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Totally agree. 100%.

PocketSand · 04/08/2025 17:39

Ive had 2 electives. The first was under GA and I woke up in such horrendous and agonising pain that I didn’t care about the baby I had just birthed. I still feel guilty about that 25 years later. The 2nd was epidural. Much better.

Neurodiversitydoctor · 04/08/2025 17:55

SchnizelVonKrumm · 04/08/2025 17:23

Point taken - what I was trying to get at (with an imperfect analogy, I will readily admit! Feel free to substitute something else that only applies to men) is that a lot of people's objections to women having the choice of a ELCS are rooted in misogyny. Some people expect women to go through the trauma of a natural birth unless they meet certain arbitrary criteria (there is at least one example of that in this thread), and those same people are often against things like epidurals too. Those people don't expect men to forego treatment options/pain relief or to justify why they deserve NHS resources for that treatment.

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Look I will defend any women's right to have an elective c- section, but vaginal birth does not have to be traumatic, even instrumental deliveries can be a positive experience. A poster upthread quote a ftm having a 40% chance of having a straightforward VB, that still 4/10 and I suspect the figures are much higher for 2nd babies. The birth of DD (DC2) was honestly fantastic ( VB 3 hours from start to finish and a single stitch). There is still a 50:50 chance of that outcome.