Natural birth vs caesarian

Corelli

Mrshaworth2b wrote: »

38 weeks pregnant with my second and wish I hadn't read this thread for all the horror stories

Congratulations! I'll give you some happy birthing stories then. I've had three births, all at home with the support of my husband and a good friend who being an experienced mother and masseuse was actually more useful than my husband. Fortunately he doesn't read this forum as he has no idea ... he was good to hold hands with later and letting midwives in and out and mkaing tea etc

I had no pain relief except for my third when my friend couldn't be there for a few hours, healed quickly and had extraordinarily short second stages. No 1 was eleven minutes, No 2 was 8 and No 3 was so fast - I got out of the bath and felt very different, obvious transistion. I had an internal and the midwife said I was 10cms dilated and could start pushing. So I did. She was turned away, sitting on the end of the bed whilst I was on hands and knees at the other end. Two pushes later out popped the baby. I've never known exactly what happened, I think he landed on the bed.

None of this pushing and dilating for days. Personally, I put it down to being in my own home and feeling sufficiently in control to choose whatever positions felt best. Janet Baleskas and the Active Birth Movement are very worth reading on this.

However and wherever you have your labour I wish you well. Sending you strong birthing mamma vibes

GwylimT

pelirocco wrote: »

Are your sure your memories havent been exaggerated?
Ive had 4 , pretty easy and straightforward , but would guess I may have forgotten any bad bits .
I was with my daughter when she had hers , and the first thing she said just after the birth of the first was why didnt you tell me that as soon as they are born the pain goes away , she had a fairly long and painful labour but it was all forgotten

I don't think being left doubly incontinent is a particular exaggeration.

Jagraf

indsty wrote: »

Clearly a c-section when necessary can be a life saver for both baby and mother. However, to have a major operation as a "choice" seems to me to be ridiculous. The dangers of a major operation far outweigh any possible problems with a natural delivery. Women's bodies are made and designed for natural childbirth. The process has gone on for hundreds of thousands of years. I believe that we should not interfere with that process. Yes, you will unfortunately hear "horror" stories of each kind of delivery. But personally, the act of as natural a childbirth as possible gives so much satisfaction to both mother and baby that it is well worth it (unless medically discouraged).

I would choose a c section out of choice, my natural childbirth tooka long long time for me to come to terms with. So, for me, it wouldn't be ridiculous. Again, its people's choices. Saying womens bodies are designed for natural childbirth is a bit of a cliche, we as humans are also designed to make medical progress.

None of my satisfaction of having my daughter was due to the birthing process. But I can't speak for all women, only my own very real experiences.

As I've said before, we all make our own choices and that should be the whole point, that there are choices,which is fabulous. And giving birth is so subjective, no one can advise anyone else on how they would feel about their own decisions.

moomoomama27

I've had three different types of birth.

A highly medicated, assisted natural delivery.
A straightforward easy pain relief free natural birth
An emergency c section after a normal drug free labour to the point of c section.

I wouldn't pick a c section any day, unless I had absolutely no choice. Not to mention the fact it took several months to recover, as opposed to a few days, I really did not feel like I had given birth! I was glad my daughter was safe and well following the section, but it was a very clinical experience and affected the bonding process for a time.

olgadapolga

I'd choose a natural birth over a section any day of the week. I've had four natural births, three at home, none with pain relief. Tore badly with the first, no damage with the others. Very easy recoveries as well.

The reason why I'd not have a section (although they were pushing for me to have one with my third who was a breech presentation up until the day before I had him) is that there is way too much risk of "collateral damage". I've worked with newly-delivered mums and babies and have seen some awful damage done to both mums and babies - from bowel perforations to cuts on babies and everything in between. And yes, I know that the risk of anything horrible happening is small but the risk is still there. Too big a risk for me to take.

To the OP, you need to get some facts about sections and chat with your consultant about it. You need all of the facts so that you can make an informed choice.

And to those who think that you cannot choose a section on the NHS, I've known a lot of women who have demanded a section via the NHS and got one. The consultants will urge otherwise, especially if a section is not indicated but these women were quite persuasive.

Hard_Up_Hester

Another one here who'd choose natural birth over a c-section, I've had 1 c-section and 3 natural deliveries.
I found the recovery time so much slower after the c-section.
Hester

jenijen27

Wow - there's nothing like a childbirth thread to bring out all the horror stories!
Personally, I've had 2 straight forward, easy, relatively painless home births. I put my experiences down to research - knowledge is power! If you know exactly what to expect, know the NORMAL process of childbirth and how hormones work, then the whole process becomes fear free, and therefore pain free (that isn't hippy talk either, fear releases adrenaline, which makes contractions more painful, the more pain you feel, the more frightened you become and the cycle continues).
I expect if you really delved into the background of many horror stories, most of them would have started with an intervention, which leads to further interventions which eventually leads to an emergency c-section or instrumental birth.

Have a look into hypnobirthing techniques

Good luck with whatever you decide

susancs

I had both my children by emergency c-section, but had wanted a "natural birth". I would have loved to be out of hospital within 24 hours like most of my friends who had natural births and getting my baby into a routinue. Instead on both occassions I was in hospital for 5 days and took a few weeks to recover, couldn't drive and couldn't even turn over in bed easily. Still I was happy to have my children but would have liked a natural birth.

time2deal

A planned section is different to an emergency one. I had a planned section and it was a great experience. Calm and pain free. Honestly i don't remember the recovery! I was walking around the hospital the next day, and totally focussed on my baby, so I didnt have time to wallow. I breastfed for a year with no problems.

This idea that you don't feel like you 'properly' had your baby is self indulgent imo. The baby is certainly here! And the birth itself is nowhere near as important as the child. I simply don't get why people are so worked up about how the baby arrives. Worry much more about all the bits after that!

(My section was medically necessary due to cancer damage, but that's not really important. I think everyone should feel free to choose what works for them)

Nicki

I've had two planned c sections (for medical reasons) and one natural delivery in between. My recovery from the c sections was far quicker than from the natural birth (I haemorrhaged after the natural which is not that unusual and was in hospital recovering from the blood loss for 10 days!) and I had no problems at all looking after the two younger children when I came out of hospital 3 days after having number 3 by planned section other than the usual being pinned to a sofa with a newborn on my boob when they wanted attention.

Honestly, if you fit the criteria for being offered a section for medical reasons then ignore the guff about woman's bodies being designed to give birth naturally, as obviously in your case (and mine) that design isn't always perfect and a section is the better way to go. And having done it both ways, I can definitely tell you the method of delivery makes no difference to the kind of mother you will be, nor does it make you a coward or taking the easy way out or unnatural or any of the other nasty rubbish that some people like to spout to undermine pregnant women at their most vulnerable.

Whichever way you choose I wish you well.