Natural birth vs caesarian

duchy

I agree with this
I read a LOT of advice when I was pregnant - and realized I had to pick and mix and work out what felt right for me.

Like every expectant Mum I had people tell me their birth horror stories (WHY the heck do people do this ????) and it drove me nuts.

All my carefully laid plans about the sort of birth I was going to have got thrown out the window in the last month when I was hospitalized and my birth plan ripped up ! That's when my research really came in handy as I was able to make considered decisions and was aware of the issues. I expected to have issues with a natural birth with tearing (which didn't happen) with a breech but my research still told me that *for me* a trial labour was preferable to just accepting an elective CS as inevitable. I do believe some woman aren't given the choices they should. I was one of the fortunate ones. There are no black and white choices for most pregnant women -just an awful lot of grey areas and maybes.

Jagraf wrote: »

I was equipped with so much information about what was the 'best' way that it completely stressed me out.

Do this, don't do that, advice from other mothers who knew everything. Advice about pregnancy, birth, breast feeding, potty training, types of nappy, weaning, staying at home v returning to work, sleep patterns, night feeding. You name it, the more I researched, the more confused I got.

People's experiences are individual, some of us are great at singing, some of us are tone deaf. Some of us are artistic, some of us don't have a clue. Some of us run marathons, some would definitely struggle.

I struggled with the whole of childbirth (not the pain, just everything about pregnancy, birth and young years). It didn't make me more or less knowledgeable, or a better or worse mother. I really wish I had has the confidence to just do everything my way, it would have been so much less stressful, for me. I think most mothers do know what they want, but feel they have to justify it.

I am much better at maths than pregnancy

duchy

Mrshaworth2b wrote: »

Just want to say thank you to all the ladies that have said about incontinence and prolapse because you have made me squeeze like never before.

Has the op even come back to the bomb that she dropped a few days ago?

Good luck with it all.....and keep squeezing !!!

(I suspect this thread has got a lot of us squeezing !! )

merrydance

Well if I had my time again I'd go for a c section. Had my 3 all naturally,that was fine recovered ok. Then because of a prolapse had to have a hysterectomy and repair. That lasted 14 years and I'm now waiting to have another repair as I have prolapsed again, though without any incontinence. Spoke to the physio she said this is a very common problem.

If I had been advised that these problems could occur, would I have definitely gone for a c section. My niece had one and recovered more quickly than my daughter who had a natural birth (forceps where used and she had a third degree tear.

anon123456

My wife is due to have an elective C section on monday as baby is breached and has her buttock wedged in the pelvis so don't think a V birth would succeed

The thing she is most worried with is she is a large lady who has a stomach roll/ fold over where the cut/ scar will be. She's extremely concerned about infections

Could any lady of plus size who has had a C section over any comfort or advice?

Thanks
Paul

madmae

pollypenny wrote: »

Thank your lucky stars that you didn't have to sit on your stitches!

I've done that as well. He was number 6 so I've had some varied experiences but that was most definitely the worst.

DevilsAdvocate1

cookiecrumbs wrote: »

Hi

Just wanted to ask any ladies who have had experience of both types of birth what their opinions were.

I have one child who was born naturally - although I was induced early due to high blood pressure and am now pregnant again and due to see my consultant in the next 2 weeks to discuss options for this birth.

I am tempted by a c-section because it is more planned but I do understand the recovery time is longer afterwards. Having said that though, I had an episiotomy last time and it took a while to get back to 'normal' (whatever that is.)

I know people will have had horror stories with one or the other method and every birth is different but I was just interested in hearing opinions on whether you found the natural birth or the c-section 'better'.

Thanks

I had a natural birth for my first two children and then a planned c-section for my third because he was breech.

I would go for natural every time. My youngest is now 10 and I still have a numb patch around the scar. Though the scar itself is neat, I have what they charmingly call a large overhang. This is an area of skin which hangs down over the scar. Guess its due to them cutting through the muscle. My belly button looks odd too. I look about 6 months pregnant and often get people asking when the baby is due.

With the natural birth, once the birth is over you can get back to normal. It took a good few months after my c-section. Standing up or sitting up from a lying down position was very painful for weeks after. I remember going shopping just 2 days after my second son was born. With my third, it was weeks after.

Also, due to scar tissue, my cervix is pointing the wrong way. This makes smear tests difficult as they have to have 2 nurses to do it (one to pull the cervix forward and the other to do the smear). Ouch.

Personally, I think there is more pain with the c-section, but the pain is after the birth.

Sorry if this is not what you want to hear.

DevilsAdvocate1

Petra_70 wrote: »

It's not true that women will 'automatically have incontinence issues after a birth,' like it's not true that a mother won't bond with a baby after a C-section.

I'd forgotten about the bonding. I did have problems bonding with my youngest who was born via a c-section. When I held him, I felt like I was holding someone else's baby. I think part of the problem was that I lost a lot of blood during the operation and this made me very cold and shaky. I was unable to hold my baby for several hours after the birth because of this.

Then, when I was able to hold him, they moved me straight onto the ward. Because they didn't want me carrying him while we were moved, he was placed into a crib on wheels. After I was settled in, my husband was told to leave. I repeatedly asked to be handed my baby, but the midwife refused, telling me that as my baby was sleeping I should get some rest. Unfortunately, I was still quite numb and had a drip in place, so couldn't get him for myself.

He was probably nearly 24 hours old before I got to hold him properly. It took months before he felt like mine.

duchy

Ultimately either can go really well or go badly .......and the same with recovery times so there's no "right" answer -just if in a situation where you do have a choice importance that you are aware of all possible outcomes before deciding.

Perhaps those who don't have a choice are the fortunate ones in some ways

pollypenny

I'd say that natural is best, if all is well. However, if there is any chance of things going wrong and there having to be a rushed intervention, a caesarean will be safer for mother and baby.

Thankful third degree tears are rare, but can have consequences way beyond childbearing years.

carolan0_0

The

anon123456 wrote: »

My wife is due to have an elective C section on monday as baby is breached and has her buttock wedged in the pelvis so don't think a V birth would succeed

The thing she is most worried with is she is a large lady who has a stomach roll/ fold over where the cut/ scar will be. She's extremely concerned about infections

Could any lady of plus size who has had a C section over any comfort or advice?

Thanks
Paul

Hi Paul,
My personal experience is to just keep the area clean - I have problems in hot weather or getting sweaty, but as long as I keep the area clean and dry, it's fine x