If you could choose natural vs c-section what would you go with?

[Lea_photo]

We are TTC baby 2 and I had a crash section at 8-9cm (still not sure why) I would like to try naturally if poss next time. It was a slow recovery and had some catty comments from people like "ah yeah you did it the easy way didn't you?" and "lucky you!" annoying!!

I also didn't get the initial skin to skin with my little boy so struggled a bit and think that contributed to my PND, determined I will hold the next straight away providing they are ok.

 

[Lyllian]

We are TTC baby 2 and I had a crash section at 8-9cm (still not sure why) I would like to try naturally if poss next time. It was a slow recovery and had some catty comments from people like "ah yeah you did it the easy way didn't you?" and "lucky you!" annoying!!

I also didn't get the initial skin to skin with my little boy so struggled a bit and think that contributed to my PND, determined I will hold the next straight away providing they are ok.

If one more person tells me I'm lucky I swear I may hit them xx

 

[Lea_photo]

We are TTC baby 2 and I had a crash section at 8-9cm (still not sure why) I would like to try naturally if poss next time. It was a slow recovery and had some catty comments from people like "ah yeah you did it the easy way didn't you?" and "lucky you!" annoying!!

I also didn't get the initial skin to skin with my little boy so struggled a bit and think that contributed to my PND, determined I will hold the next straight away providing they are ok.

If one more person tells me I'm lucky I swear I may hit them xx

Yup!! Had that a lot, well you're lucky aren't you cos you didn't have to go through labour... Ermmm.... Haha. I got 'best of both worlds' labouring to that point then the section, also three weeks early so was all a bit of a blur!!

 

[Lyllian]

I got to.do natural labour first too, pushed for over an hour. Have to say it wasn't bad at all! Ill be more than happy to.go natural if.I ever have another (though just now I'm very much set on her being my The one and only...)

 

[Jolly81]

We are TTC baby 2 and I had a crash section at 8-9cm (still not sure why) I would like to try naturally if poss next time. It was a slow recovery and had some catty comments from people like "ah yeah you did it the easy way didn't you?" and "lucky you!" annoying!!



I also didn't get the initial skin to skin with my little boy so struggled a bit and think that contributed to my PND, determined I will hold the next straight away providing they are ok.

If one more person tells me I'm lucky I swear I may hit them xx

It shocks me how many people I know of that had crash sections. In my counselling sessions after birth I was told the time between the decision to deliver and delivery of my son was 13 mins. I was fully clothed at that point and had just gone in to get checked out because my bubba had stopped responding. Staff also had to rush over to the maternity hospital from the main hospital and there were buzzers and alarms going off left right and centre. If anyone ever dared to tell me that was the easy option I would throttle them. 18months later and getting ever closer to the birth of my daughter I still have nightmares about that timeframe.

That said, a friend of mine had an extremely traumatic natural labour, then 15months later had to have a crash section- she said physically she recovered much quicker after the section than her natural labour, but then she's still coming to deal with the "what ifs" around the terrifying decision to get baby out as quickly as possible.

I really think neither way is the easy option, I wish people wouldn't say unhelpful things like that- like I said if anyone ever hinted at that to me I would have to throw something at them!!!

So although I answered "natural" before, I think my actual honest answer is whichever turns out to be the least traumatic!! X

 

[Chg1982]

I had a natural birth with my first and tore inside, she decided to come out waving! Lol! It wasn't a very nice recovery but I'd still choose natural over a c section mainly because of the recovery time and trying to manage with a newborn. X

 

[Kiagirl]

I had an induction and it took 18 hours for her to come out. I did have a small tear and a couple of stitches as we were both tired and midwife said if she didn't come out with next contraction she would have to cut me, I panicked and fired her out too quick lol. I had an epidural but had worn off when time to push lol. Midwife starting stitching without realising too but it wasn't too bad. I bled a lot and was stiff after for a few days but it was fine I'd def go natural again!

 

[gemmylou]

What an interesting thread! I've enjoyed reading all the various responses.

With my first, I ended up with an emergency c section after my induction of labour failed. I found the recovery really difficult and the stay in hospital desperately lonely.

When I was pregnant with number 2, I was determined to experience a natural labour and opted to have a HBAC in a birthing pool. I was so determined that at 42 weeks when baby still wasn't here, I asked for active management and had observations on me and baby everyday. My waters broke at 42+6 and contractions started. However, over the next 48 hours they got stronger but no closer together, so at 43+2 I had a "planned" emergency c section.

I would choose natural birth over a section every time, but my body just likes to keep hold of the babies it makes, so a natural has never happened for me.

And here I am, 3 days after a section with a toddler and a newborn, wondering how on earth I'll cope when hubby's paternity leave is over....

 

[Lyllian]

I feel for you gemmylou. My hubby goes back tomorrow, no toddler and im panicking also. I didn't realise the recovery would be so long!3 months apparently until your.completely healed xx

 

[dannih94]

I would opt for natural every time. I've had two children, my first was natural, got through with with completely no pain relief, pushed for three hours and I was 16 years old. My second was a c section because she was breech at 40 weeks. it was the worst experience of my life to date. I was booked in in the morning, but because of so many emergencies that day, I didn't end up going through until the early evening, they had me all geared up to go, about to put the needle in my back and another emergency came in, so I had to wait another two hours. It was the first surgery of any kind I had ever had, they made me go nil by mouth for 24 hours and when she was born, she didn't have enough oxygen and spent the whole night in the special baby unit, I couldn't breast feed her or bond with her like I could my first, they put me on a ward surrounded by new mothers and their new babies and I didn't have mine. I had to lay in a bed, completely numb all night, not knowing whether my baby was dead or alive as every time I rang the bell, nobody came. They made my OH go home as soon as the section was done, and I was alone all night. Recovery was 3 months, and I will never do it again. I was treated horribly and the recovery was simply too much for me.

 

[Jolly81]

Wow dannih that's just awful so many errors on their part it's untrue! I don't blame you for never wanting to do that again x

 

[Ella1979]

It shocks and angers me that people can say any kind of emergency/crash section is the "easy way" or that you could ever be "lucky" to have that. They've obviously had zero experience of it. I guess sometimes planned sections could be called the "easy way", certainly that was my thought when I was offered induction or section for my second baby, as the induction with my first baby almost resulted in her not making it.

gemmylou - I'm sure you'll be fine. Sometimes it's the thought of doing it all by yourself that's worse than the reality. My OH went back to work after 3 weeks (had an extra week as I ended up back in hospital) and I didn't find it too bad looking after my newborn and my 21 month old. The key is trying to get your newborn to sleep as much as possible! We got a swing that almost laid him completely flat. I used it a lot! Also involving your toddler can help too. I used to get my daughter to help me by bringing a nappy across or opening the nappy sack or getting a bib etc. They usually love being useful and it helps you too.

 

[SpinSugar]

Natural. .. Yeah it's a bit hard but when it's done it's done. A section is a major operation and healing doesn't always go to plan.

Interestingly I bet if thus was asked on American forum the responses would be very different!

 

[Bethyboo87]

I've had big abdo surgery before so already have the scar, but a bigger version which is a nice wonky T shape that goes all the way up to my belly button - looked like Frankenstein for a while lol! The thought of having my scar cut into again.... I cannot bare to even think about it, so am praying it'll be natural. Although I suppose if it had to be an emergency C-section I wouldn't care... Urrgh the thought of cutting that scar again.... arrrghhh makes me feel all horrible lol! xx