caesarean or vaginal birth?

[mountainboo]

I would be really interested to know the thoughts and views of anyone from mothers to mothers to be or fathers, or anyone who is interested. I have read some conflicting articles about the pro's and con's of both and the rights and the worngs of both. I have 5 months to go until my first baby is born but I will undoubtedly be thinking of the birth in the near future.
Deep down I know I would rather a Caesarean birth as I know it will be relatively pain free, but both mrmountainboo and I feel that I should go through with the pain and have a vaginal birth. Anyway, let me know what you all think?

[JonnyBoy12]

Glad to be of help, mountainboo. Just to finish up some people say "Childbirth is one pain the body forgets", but I can't remember if that was a man or a woman. I suppose there must be some truth in that as many women give more than once. Hope you don't mind male non-parental input, after all we get the easy part don't we. Just to avoid the bricks and stones I will get for answering as a man without children I do give blood, and am an Organ Donor, so we do really all care about you, mountainboo!

[pastafreak]

I had an emeergency c-section and I wouldn't reccomend it to anyone......I would have given anything for a normal birth but it just wasn't going to happen. No labour pains,no nothing....I had her at 7.30pm but did not get to see her til the following morning ....she was all cleaned up-just as chinadoll would like hers to be. But that just isn't natural!..luckily I had no trouble bonding with her( yes you feel like it is all a dream cos you weren't there!). I hate to refer to chinadolls comments again...but why have a baby if you are not willing to put up with the mess...there's gonna be a lot more of it!!! lol

[China Doll]

It's just my way pasta Lol!

Let me explain a little more...

I've a real fear of ever giving birth. And indeed breast feeding and all things related to it. So rather than face it head on so to speak I make jokes about it!

I'm also incredibly (irrationally) squemish... I've actually gagged over some of my clinical friends just mentioning bodily fluids in the operating room.

And then at the end of it there's this helpless little thing that's going to depend on me... me?! I have 3 bruises on my leg and no idea how they got there FFS... and I've not been out this weekend!

So there is a slight method to my madness.... there usually is!

My mother says I'll change if I ever get pregnant but I'm not entirely convinced.

That said... I'm still awaiting the body clock to kick in so who knows.

But at the moment, the whole idea... Too scary for words!

[pastafreak]

To chinadoll-if you are that scared then you probably are not ready-don't worry too much about your body clock or not being maternal. You may be like me-I never really gave it a thought,became pregnant when I was 38 and then the maternal feelings kicked in!

[China Doll]

Don't worry pasta.... I'm a long way from even contemplating it as an idea!

[Pippa68]

Wardy ~ the Lithotomy position (bird on back, legs in the air) was insisted upon by a voyeuristic french king who wanted to witness his mistresses giving birth in all it's detail.

I don't know why it was ever considered a good way to give birth centuries later ~ but it isn't! all fours, standing or laying on your side is the more natural way..and by all accounts far more productive. I know because I have tried them all ;o)

mountainboo ~ a vaginal birth is still the best way, however as has been mentioned a C section is vital on some occasions. % wise, very few women actually need a C section..and speaking about it with my sister in law who has had to have 3 C sections, she would much rather have had a vaginal birth as she witnessed my recovery..up and about within an hour of the birth, while she was suffering with post operative pain and troublesome scar.