Elective C-section Versus Natural Birth Pros and Cons

[Jayfer]

Just wanted to get peoples opinions. I have medical conditions which although would not stop me giving birth naturally but may cause problems during and after labour. I'm trying to analyse my options and just wanted to get the pros and cons of both a c-section and natural birth.

It depends what your medical problems and the risks are.

I had a CS with DS and a natural birth with DD.

I felt emotionally and physically much much better after DD. The experience of giving birth naturally is amazing and if you can avoid a CS it is so worth experiencing it.

I hate watching birth videos - yuck. Im no tree hugger but I felt like the cleverist girl in the world pushing my DD into the world and watching her slowly emerge and when she was lying there you could have scraped me off the ceiling.

Yes, there was points I would have liked someone to shoot me before she arrived as contractions are, ahem, intense near the end to say the least. The second they are here there's no pain and all forgotten and so worth it.

My CS was not painful, very easy from that point of view. Its scary though but the scary part is all in your mind. Its just a bit of an intense situation, like your the main character in ER or Casualty.
I felt like the doc just produced my DS from a box under the bed! I didnt feel part of it at all. Its starange after it too. I felt a bit traumatised. One minute your PG then your holding a baby but nothing inbetween. Your body and mind feel a bit disconnected.

Having now experienced natural I kind of get what was missing.

Having said all that. CS is not a BAD experience, just having done both I know what id choose again if I could.

I still bonded exactly the same with both so no difference there.

I still found BF a struggle with both!

The hardest thing about CS is not being able to reach over and pick your baby up yourself for a bit. As long as you stay on top of the painkillers the after math is totally fine too.

Thats my honest opinion on both. Hope it helps.

This is a bit of an inbetween message. I had an unplanned (emergency) CS with my DD, and afterwards my midwife said that babies born by CS after labour has started do better than when the CS is elective, as the hormones that prepare your baby for breathing etc have not kicked in. For that reason maybe it's worth giving labour a try, even if you end up with a CS. I really wanted a natural birth, and will try for one this time. Also I hated feeling so medicalised, and the pain in my incision site was quite bad for a while. Also not allowed to drive for 6 weeks after one.

Thanks for your messages. I keep swinging between the two.
The reasons for even considering an elective are because my medical conditions cause me a huge amount of pain, I get tired incredibly easily (half an hr of shopping and I spent 4 days recovering) so I don't want to start of motherhood not being able to care for the baby or myself.

I am worried that the midwives and docs won't listen if I say I need help, especially as this is my first. I've previously raised the subject with my doc and it was dismissed. Think I have to be more assertive. I just want the best start for my baby boy.