Natural birth vs caesarian

Kynthia

barbiedoll wrote: »

I've worked in a maternity department for almost ten years and apart from women who have suffered from 3rd degree tears, almost everyone else with experience of both, would choose a vaginal birth over a CS, given a choice.

Some things need to be cleared up though. You won't be in hospital any longer than necessary after a CS, the average is 3 days. Most women who are kept in longer, have other issues (raised BP, infections, sick baby, etc)

After a CS, you will be given a course of anti-coagulation meds, to prevent blood clots. You will have to inject these yourself (or get partner/relative/friend to do it) it's highly unlikely that you will be able to get a nurse or midwife in every day to do it.

Scar infections aren't rare but they're not inevitable. If you do get one though, it's not (necessarily) because of your hygiene routine, or because you were discharged too early. It's just that as soon as any surgical instruments are introduced to the body, the risk of infections rises. That's why episiotomy scars will get infected more often than natural vaginal tears.

The recovery time tends to be longer with CS, it is major surgery after all! Driving can be started again as soon as you feel ready but it's not recommended before 3 weeks.

Epidurals are wonderful and having a CS with an epidural is much safer than GA. But there can be side-effects, which can sometimes require a return to hospital, or an extended stay.

Surprisingly enough, you can get a CS on the NHS just by asking. It's not spoken about routinely as a choice, as the risks are higher, and obviously, it costs more. But if you make enough fuss, or if you tell your midwife that you have an irrational (or maybe not so irrational!) fear of childbirth (tocophobia) it's perfectly possible to get the birth that you want. You would have to see a consultant who would have to agree, but in my experience, if this applies to you, ask to see a male consultant, they're much more likely to agree without too much argument.

If you're planning to BF, it can take a little longer for your milk to come in after a CS, especially if it's an elective one. So you may have to rely on formula for a day or two, which is not a big deal for everyone but it can upset some women enormously at the time.

CS babies tend to be much more congested and "snotty" after the birth and for longer, simply because they're still full of amniotic fluid which would normally be "squeezed" out of them on the way down the birth canal. This is one of the reasons that CS scars are often very small now, it's so that the surgeon can squeeze the baby through the opening to emulate the passage through the pelvis.

Sitting down after a CS may be more comfortable. But getting up, sneezing, coughing, laughing, lifting anything at all and turning over in bed, definitely is not!

OP....Good luck with whatever you decide, hope the birth goes well!

Your experience is of the short term differences. How many people do you get to compare the difference long term? Out of my NCT group I know the two that had cesareans had sex quicker than those who didn't as they needed longer to recover down there even though they were able to lift their child and drive immediately (so it was just a less obvious recovery time needed compared to CS). Out of the five who gave birth vaginally one had an infected episotomy and was in lots of pain, another who tore (second degree) also said how agonising the stitches were and is having severe urinary incontinence two years later and will need surgery after she's finished having children, and another had such a traumatic birth she will only have cesareans in future. I think two of the five maybe had no trouble during the labour and since but who knows long term as prolapse and incontinence issues after the menopause are quite common because women aren't given proper pelvic floor care by women's health pysios routinely in this country.

It's so difficult to say though as many people find they incur the most damage from their first natural labour and the future ones are better. However that's not always the case as I know a friend's second labour was as horrendous as her first. I also have talked to lots of people who've had an emergency and an elective cesarean and they say they are nothing like each other and that the elective one was an easy recovery. I've met some people who've had a vaginal delivery and an elective cesareans and they differ on which they prefer and which has caused them issues. They are probably the best to speak to in your situation as there's no point comparing it to an emergency cesarean as that's not what you'll be choosing.

pandora205

I had a c-section then two natural births (no drugs apart from TENS machine). My first was a breech baby and I had a trial of labour but as my waters had broken and leaking meconium, and labour progressed very slowly after 18 hours I was given a choice between being accelerated via a drip or a caesarean. I chose the later and unfortunately had a general anaesthetic (as it was a busy saturday and the anaesthetist couldn't spare the time for an epidural). It was fine but a major operation. In those days it was usually a week in hospital - I stayed for 5 days, no driving for 6 weeks and take it easy for a while. I recovered well but it is a major operation, and despite the surgeon's skill I do have a scar and less flat tummy than I'd like. The baby was very sleepy for 24 hours due to the anaesthetic but was beautifully round headed and perfect looking at birth.

Second and third babies were straight forward natural births. I did not want any intervention, drips or drugs if I could manage it. It all went smoothly both times - I was offered a c-section but refused. It was lovely to see how alert and responsive the babies were, and I went home very quickly too (next morning baby no2 and same day baby 3).

Jagraf

time2deal wrote: »

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)

What an excellent post :T

fierystormcloud

time2deal wrote: »

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)

Jagraf wrote: »

What an excellent post :T

I second that. :T

Also agree that it's utter tripe that you don't connect or 'bond' with a baby as much when you have a section. Several people I know who had sections, bonded better than several people I know who had natural births. They all bonded after a few weeks, but initially, the women who had sections bonded quicker.

moomoomama27

fierystormcloud wrote: »

I second that. :T

Also agree that it's utter tripe that you don't connect or 'bond' with a baby as much when you have a section. Several people I know who had sections, bonded better than several people I know who had natural births. They all bonded after a few weeks, but initially, the women who had sections bonded quicker.

It's not utter tripe at all! What you are saying is anecdotal opinion only!

mumps

ringo_24601 wrote: »

Natural birth almost killed my wife, so the second time she went for a planned c-section. Sure, it meant she was off her feet for a little while, but there was a lot less aftermath of problems. We don't think they did an awesome job of stitching her up though.

That reminded me of one day when I was in the waiting room at the vets. One woman was saying to her friend that the vet had done such a lovely job of stitching her dog she wanted him to do her next c-section because she felt she would get a better result. :rotfl:The awful thing was I knew just what she meant, my dog had also been beautifully stitched after his op and of course then his fur grew in and you couldn't even see it whereas my c section scar left alot to be desired.

Eventually I had a hysterectomy and they tidied it up beautifully. Not sure your wife would want that particular cure though.

mumps

Lily-Rose wrote: »

I'm not sure that many women have experienced both. Every woman I know who has had C-sections, had one for their first, because it was an emergency one. And then they had emergency C-sections for the next one, and the next, because the doctors (usually) recommended it.

As far as I know, they didn't have had C-sections by choice. And as Judi said, many women were not even aware they had a choice when they were pregnant. Certainly no-one I know.

Similarly, every woman I know who had a natural birth, went on to have natural births after. I am sure there are women who have had both; I just don't know any. Maybe there are some on here who will come onto the thread later.

Basically, unless you have any problems, there's no medical need to have it, and unless you are prepared to pay for it, it's unlikely you will get one. They cost a lot more than many people think.

Some famous people do it because they don't want to go through childbirth, and they have the money to do it.

Do it if you want, but I think you will get a lot of negative responses for it. I think the saying for people who have an elective childbirth is 'too posh to push.'

I know a number of women who have had emergency C-sections, but not one who chose to have it. Even in this day and age, it seems a little strange.

Good luck to you though, if it's what you want. As I said though, you will more than likely have to go private, unless you have to have a C-section for some medical reason.

Well I have had 4, first, second and fourth natural and number three was emergency c-section so a bit unusual I think.

Personally I would go for a natural birth every time, I could have had an elective for number 4, as you say it is often recommended for subsequent births and in my case in nearly did happen as an emergency but I really didn't want another section.

I know people who have had electives and prefer them but not alot of fun to have an emergency one. I did hate that I didn't see her for a while as I had to have a general and when I did see her I was woozy so did spoil it for me. I think if you can be awake it makes a big difference.

mumps

I don't know if anyone on here is medically qualified to confirm this but I was told by a doctor that if you can give birth naturally (and obviously not everyone can) then it is physically better for the baby. She might have been trying to reassure me as baby 4 had a difficult journey into the world and I was wondering if I should have gone for the elective section after all.

mumps

Mrshaworth2b wrote: »

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

I think second births are often the best. Good luck I hope everything goes well, I hope you come back and tell us how it went.

davetrousers

You want to be in hospital for as short a period of time* as possible. Parking charges at hospitals are horrendous

*as is deemed appropriate by the healthcare professionals