C-section Vs Vaginal labour?

[maldives]

My last pregnancy I delivered normally (vaginal) but had an epidural as the pain was too much, epidural was great as there was no pain but I hardly coped with the pushing stage it wass soooo hard and draining. it lasted about 50 minutes and was soo difficult really but with no major pain.
This time I am thinking maybe a c-section would be easier?! my only concern is how bad it is during recovery time? will there be any major pain? I don't drive and will have help with my baby so what would be ur advice to me?
I hated the recovery time for my episitomey to heal, it was awful and painful.

 

[mum2A&L]

i would choose a vaginal birth over a c section... but then ive not had a c section to compare it too..


my opinion is your body is designed to give birth that way and then look after a newborn. its going to recover quicker than having a hole made in your belly where there isn't normally one....

 

[EllieBelle]

Unless you go privately or there is a medical reason why you shouldnt deliver vaginally I have been told you dont get a choice!!

I have been reading a great deal about c-sections recently as I am booked in to have one - my baby is breech - even though I am scheduled to have one, if my baby turns head down just before the operation I will be sent home and made to deliver normally - I cant just choose to have a c-section!

Its not just the recovery time, which can be very lengthy, I am told even holding your baby in the first 24/48 hours is very difficult, plus its the complications that can occur as its major abdominal surgery (go and have a look on u-tube at the various c-section videos). Finally there is a risk of infections, having to have a blood transfusion etc!

 

[Sherlock]

As has been said, elective C sections are not available on the NHS. Its a major operation and unless there is a medical reason its better to deliver naturally.

I'd think you should try to have your baby naturally and know that if there are complications you will be offered a C section.

50 minutes pushing second stage for a first baby is really good. Not long at all on the scale of things.

Also consider that your next labour may be very different from the first and you may have an easier time pushing and not get so tired. Also remember you were induced and that in itself can make a labour harder. If you allow yourself to go into labour naturally and your body is ready then all being well your baby will do just fine coming in to the world naturally.

EllieBelle has given all the reasons to not have a C section unless there is a medical reason. It really isn't the kind of operation you should take so lightly and consider an 'easier' option.

Regardless of you not driving and having help, I'd still say to go for a natural birth. Your body is designed to cope with labour and having a baby. If and when you and your baby need help in labour then the Doctors can decide and tell you.

 

[kathmac]

I have had two normal deliveries and a section in between them and can honestly say the recovery from the section was long and sore, especially when you have older children to look after, I remember having to drag myself into a sitting postition by using my arms and the headboard as I could not do it any other way. I would definently recoment a normal one through choice and hopefully that is what i will get this time.

 

[Sherlock]

Also maldives please remember that once you have a C section that it is often the case that following births are also C sections (especially if you have babies close together). This is because of the strain/pressure pregnancy and labour put on your uterus. Then having more C sections will also place a strain on your body and make consecutive pregnancies higher risk due to possibility of rupturing the old incision scar (which is recut each C section). Your uterus wall weakens each time due to the surgery etc. Hence elective C sections not being done on the NHS. However, just because people can pay to have one privately doesn't mean its a good idea in the long term. Its not just the implications for the one baby but any to follow and also the mothers health and well being.

Some women do deliver following babies vaginally but they are usually closely monitored under Consultant care during pregnancy and delivery. Also other intervention is often used to help baby out.

If you hope to have a larger number of children (I recall you saying this in the past) I'd say go with natural birth unless there is a genuine medical reason to have a C section.

 

[Lisamj]

As others have said, unless there is good reason you don't get the choice on the NHS. (At Poole hospital close to where I live, they are even stopping handing out epidurals willy nilly from 2009! )

Anyway, back to your question. I had a c-section with Sam in June (first baby). He was breech and my waters went unexpectedly at 8 months, so there was little choice and it was too late to try an ECV.

I can't compare it to a vaginal birth obviously, but my c-section experience was surprisingly good. I will add that I was at the higher end of fitness scale (was in the gym the day I gave birth!), and I was up and about the following day, after having him at 11.09pm the night before. The catheter they automatically insert is a godsend for the following 12 hours so you don't have to get up to pee. But by the afternoon I was tottering about, albeit a bit hunched over for a fear of the stitches popping. I was out after 3 days and back in the gym doing gentle exercise after 4 weeks.

So my recovery was remarkably good considering the circumstances, even better than some episiotomy (sp?) patients from what my NCT friends tell me. My scar is hardly visible - I wouldn't look at it for days until my husband convinced me too as he assured me it wasn't too bad, which it really wasn't.

Don't get me wrong, I had plans of an all natural, pain-relief free water birth - did hypnobirthing, pregnancy yoga etc etc and I got pretty much the exact opposite, but overall my birth experience was still very good. Next time I am opting for an elective, most likely at 39 weeks, but will be doing everything I can beforehand like reflexology etc to try and go into labour naturally and give birth vaginally before 39 weeks. After alot of research, it seems (in summary) that VBAC is more likely to end in emergency repeat c-section the later into the pregnancy you get, hence my decision. I guess what I'm saying is that my c-section experience hasn't left me fearing another whatsoever.

hth

Lisa

 

[Becky]

I've had two sections, both emergency and given the choice I'd have gone for Vaginal. I know that a section seems like the easier and perhaps less scary option but it isn't really. OK so I can't say about the pain etc. from a natural birth but with a section you have so many more potential complications not to mention that you have a longer stay in hospital and with a LO already that's a pain. It was the worst bit from my daughter's point of view that as a family we were separated for the first few days. Instead of my OH being able to spend all the time he wanted with the baby he had to take DD back and forth from the hospital.

 

[charlotte_]

as the others have said, you can't have elective c-sections on the NHS.
and i don't know why you'd want to! i feel like my right as a woman was completely taken away from me because i had a c-section.

but anyway, it's been just over three weeks since mine & i'm completely back to normal. still a little bit sore where my stitches are anchored, but i felt fine after about a week, and stopped taking my painkillers then. getting out of bed for the first time is horrible though, although once i'd got up i was fine & able to hop in & out of bed and have a shower.
also, bare in mind if you were to have an elective c-section and your spinal/epidural failed (like it did with me) you'll completely miss the birth of your child.

 

[LaineyG]

I didn't have a choice, I was booked in for a c-section because of the strain my lungs were under. It would have been bad for me and the baby to go through labour and birth as my sats were not stable enough.

I would ALWAYS try to go for a natural, Sherlock is right, they won't give you a c-section on the NHS just because you want one.

I've decided that if I have another baby I'm going to push as far as I can for a natural, although I know that if it comes to the wellbeing of my baby or myself a c-section will be the only option.

 

[maldives]

Thanx ladies, I completely changed my mind about thinking of a c-section after reading ur posts. I really thought it was an easy option as I know many women are choosing to have elective c-section even close relatives for the reasons: 1-it's quicker. 2-it's easier. 3-It's painless. 4-and it doesn't damage ur private areas!

But given that I have in mind to have more kids and perhaps close in age gaps it won't be a good choice for me! I made it the first time so i can do it again! I will try my best to think positive about birth as what's making me so scared is me being really ill and tired all the time from being pregnant again this soon and I really need my body to rest.

I dont want any complications and I want to be home asap so I hope things will go well and have a normal vaginal delivery.

Thanx agains wonderful Mums

 

[maldives]

I forgot to mention, during my last labour, my LO's heart rate was fluctuating so the Dr talked to me in a very serious way that I might end up in an emergency section and tbh I was dreading it!! maybe coz I was already in labour and wanted it to end that way!
any way I don't think it's a good way to choose whether to have a c-section or not unless it was necessary in a medical way.