Pros / Cons of Vaginal Birth or C-Section

[Amby99]

Since I found out that in the UK you can legally request a C-section, it’s become very appealing. I have a cousin that has had 2 C sections and never gave birth and she found it great.

I don’t have any issues or health reasons to not have a ‘natural birth’ but if I’m brutally honest, I’m just very concerned about what my vagina might become after giving birth.

Sorry to sound so crass but I’ve heard all these stories about your vagina feeling like ‘a hot dog in a corridor’…. And it might sound incredibly selfish but I’m worried I just won’t feel glamorous or sexy ever again. I’ll probably already need to lose weight PP and I just can’t find a clear cut answer as to whether your sex life can return back to normal if you have a vaginal birth. Is it enough that your partner notices? Is sex still enjoyable?? Do you ‘feel’ anything?

My partner actually wants and encourages me to have a natural birth so these insecurities aren’t coming from him but throughout my whole life you hear women joke about ‘once you give birth XYZ changes’ so I’m really worried about the lasting damage it will do. On the other hand, since I’ve been watching one born every minute, it seems like the most wholesome thing to give birth naturally and I’m not opposed to it at all. I’m not worried about the pain or the mess I’m just scared of the after effects.

when I told my midwife at my first antenatal appointment that I was considering C section she said there are risks and a lot of women change their mind. She did say if I want more children (which I do) then sometimes C section can pose a small risk or delay to that being possible

I guess I would like some genuine answers on how a vaginal birth altered your life in terms of sex. Sex of course isn’t our number one priority in life (especially now I’m pregnant) and I’m sure we will be ‘jigging ’ even less when baby is born but I guess it’ll still be nice to feel sexy. I’m 27 and so still feel like I want to be energetic and attractive post partum

Top tip: don’t go around saying women who have c-sections ‘haven’t given birth’

Sorry, I obviously didn’t mean it like that!

Firstly, women who have had C Sections HAVE given birth and it’s incredibly offensive to say they haven’t. A baby was born and it was born from their body. Ergo, they have given birth.

Secondly don’t underestimate C Section recovery. It’s major surgery, and by no means the easy way out.

I think you should educate yourself more on C Sections before making the choice.

Your body changes as a result of pregnancy. Regardless of how you give birth.

Both abdominal shape and structure, and vagina/perineum/pelvic floor.

Obviously one type of birth is more likely to impact one aspect and the other the other. But pregnancy has a big impact.

Your body won’t be the same post pregnancy regardless of how you give birth. And that’s well worth getting your head round. It will need to recover and find its new normal.

I believe the one that has the most common long term impact on mother day to day life potential is forceps. But never quite found research to back that up. On a small sample group based on my friends, it’s definitely the one to avoid.

Yes I know they have and I’m so sorry if it’s offended you. I was referring to my own cousin and meant to say a ‘natural birth’… or however you want to differentiate it. I clearly didn’t mean to offend anyone.

yes I’m aware of a longer recovery time with a C section, my question is more what are the cons and lasting effects of a vaginal birth. Thanks so much

You're going to get absolutely pasted for this post, I suspect. FWIW, I had a planned C-section for medical reasons. It was a lovely birth and recovery was OK for me, but you are completely ruling yourself out of being able to get up, move around, lift your baby and position them to feed, lift their car seat in and out, without help for at least a couple of weeks. Some mums are able to go home the day they've had their baby: that will not be you if you choose a C-section. I tend to recover well from surgery but a friend of mine had a difficult time of it as her incision became infected. It's not an easy option. I wouldn't rule it out but I would think carefully about what the pros and cons are for you beyond keeping your vajayjay nice and springy.

I've had two babies and I haven't noticed any difference post birth. I thought the vagina is a muscle that shrinks back to normal after birth?

I wouldnt hesitate to have a C-section if it was medically recommended, but otherwise I'll take the less invasive, faster recovery option

I just want to add here that I didn’t mean in any way shape or form, that women who have C sections ‘haven’t given birth’ … very sorry if I’ve offended anyone.

Thank you so much, that’s interesting to know. My cousin said the same thing, hers was great but like you say, there is a longer recovery etc. it’s definitely something to think about

By way of perspective, OP, of the 8 women in our NCT group, I had a C section (positive experience but longer after effects due to recovery), one of us had a very difficult birth with vaginal injuries requiring significant treatment over the year or so after birth, and the other six were all variants of "that wasn't much fun but it was doable and I am relatively unscathed"

I agree with the comments above. Your body won’t be the same no matter how you give birth. Make sure you do pelvic floor exercises. I had 2 C sections and recovery was fairly straightforward forward however I’m left with a little tummy pouch due to the incisions. I hate it and wish I could have had a vaginal birth. As far as I’m aware pretty much all women have a pouch after the c section.

Unfortunately pregnancy alone can damage your pelvic floor...

My aunt only had CS but still had a prolapse.

I have had one VB and a CS, my pelvic floor was weaker after my CS.

Personally I preferred the VB

I will add that I do have mild stress incontinence just from the weight of the baby on my bladder. Not a prolapse, no injury as such, but I wouldn't say it feels the same down there as it did beforehand.

I had a grade 2 tear and stitches and funnily enough looked in the mirror just today and thought, my vagina is literally back to what it was. Also not sure how pregnant you are, but the end of pregnancy makes it look wild due to pressure and extra blood flow which will take time to go down either way.

My recovery was so quick, was out and about within days, my friend who had an elective section could barely move for 6 weeks. For me the recovery was the main benefit, although the ability to plan with a section was really appealing.

I wouldn’t personally opt for a section if I wanted another baby as I wouldn’t want to recover from a section a second time and have a baby and toddler to look after. But that’s personal choice and millions of women do it and manage. I think both have negatives and positives really so not very helpful!

I can’t speak for a section but my experience of a vaginal delivery is that birth was a lot, but I did feel really empowered by it after the event.

I actually can't believe you have written what you have

I stupidly thought after my CS (breech baby) that I would feel exactly like my VB. Err that would be no, it is definitely not the easy option!

For fuck’s sake, there is nothing wrong with wanting to keep your vagina nice and springy!

OP, that is a TOTALLY VALID concern and desire, and I am speaking as somebody who has had two vaginal births, luckily for me without any serious complications or injuries.

To answer your question directly - your vagina WILL be stretched if a baby passes through it and it will NOT ever be the same (or as tight) ever again. However, it is possible that you can still have vaginal sex which feels great for both parties - this is the case for me! Penetration actually feels better for me - for whatever reason, it’s more sensitive down there.

Why, what about it is offensive or unbelievable to you?

There are risks and benefits to both ELCS and attempted VB. Every woman needs to weigh those up for herself.

I'd start by reading the NICE guidance on the subject and go from there.

Thank you so much for answering with kindness. It was a genuine question, and yes a real fear because of all the stories I’ve heard. But it’s great to hear from the replies that generally people seem to have a positive experience. And I really truly hope I didn’t offend anyone with the typo about people who have c sections don’t give birth because that’s not what I think at all! In anyway, shape or form.

I didn't say there was and I don't think there is. But OP has put this up here for discussion and to my mind hadn't obviously considered the fact that this is major abdominal surgery which would significantly affect her ability to be mobile in various ways for at least a couple of weeks after birth, whilst not actually guaranteeing an unscathed vagina, and which carries different risks that aren't necessarily less important than a VB. And with respect, that's not something that someone who hasn't had a C section would know because of this pervasive myth that all vaginal changes in pregnancy are due to pushing in labour. No one warned me that my vagina would feel different after a C section or that I might have stress incontinence as a result of it.

For fuck’s sake, there is nothing wrong with wanting to keep your vagina nice and springy!

Best not have dc then 😆

But ageing will change it too so Ive been told!

Yes of course, so true! It’s inevitable I suppose. I just wanted to gather some pros and cons. I was only immediately attracted to CS because a close relative has a great experience twice but have to remember that the wider population may not have done.

It’s also better to refer to a vaginal birth, rather than natural. Equally irritating to suggest a CS is unnatural . I had an emergency CS after a failed forceps, then an elective. Recovery was fairly straightforward, although quicker after the elective.