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?

[B00]

Hiya mountainboo, congratulations!

I can't speak personally for the pros of a cesarean as I had two vaginal births. However my friends who have had cesareans have been alot slower in recovery than what I were,and in more pain afterwards.

Also- can you elect to have a cesarean rather than vaginal? I presumed (wrongly?) that they only performed this for medical reasons, unless you paid privately?

[redcrx]

ive only had a vaginal birth and i can tell you it wasnt because I thought c-sect to be pain free lol

6 weeks of not being able to drive, a few weeks of no real lifting, pain when trying to cuddle baby unless you get position right, cathetas in hospital, drips, 3 days on a ward of mums and babies crying, needles, possible side effects from an epidural or from a general etc etc etc

given the choice id go for the vaginal. but everyones different. For me it was 6 hours established labour, 2 hours of that pushing, no tears, no pain relief, no stitches and discharged same day.

Of course we dont always get want we want from our birth plans so just go with the flow and see what happens on the day :)

[redcrx]

and yes B00 is of course right, you cant elect for a c-sect without medical reason, its a major operation

[Psychick]

As daunting as it seems now, a vaginal birth give you the chance to experience it all from start to finish. I had a vaginal birth with my daughter and its my first choice with this one ( but at home this time)
At the end of the day it is entirely up to you.......... or nature!
Like BOO though, I didnt think you can choose to have a c-section unless you go private?

[mountainboo]

When you put it like that redcrx, a natural birth seems much more appealing. I knew that the recovery time was alot longer with c-sec but I didnt realise there were cathetas and drips involved. Plus, having to spend a further 3 days in hospital, I hate hospitals. Your births sound almost ideal (as far as births go), I can only hope that I have a short labour, but like you say we dont always get what we want from a birth. It is totally in the lap of the gods and thats a frigtening prospect.
Boo, thanks, what were your births like?

[mountainboo]

Psychick - apparantly you can opt for a c-sec but it costs the nhs far more than a natural birth and so they try to advise against it if you havent a medical reason.

[Taran]

What makes you think a C section is relatively painless, ok you dont have the pain while giving birth but you get pain afterwards . I have had two C sections and two normal deliveries,would recommend normal delivery as you are up and about alot quicker afterwards :-)

[Octavius]

Oh yes, catheters, drips, morphine (wife spent the whole day following, in a daze anbd gabbling about carpets), bandages for the stitches, a lifelong scar etc etc. Also the process is quite rigorous - they really do pull you around as they need everything outta the way - then not being able to hold the baby for about 10-20 minutes whilst they realign, reattach and sew everything up, then the 6 week recovery time and a vague sense that its al a dream, and then (for someone women) the regret and disappointment of not having had the baby 'naturally'.

My wife had to have a c-sec because the baby was back to back, it was an emergency since she had been trying for vaginal birth for about 27 hours, but fortunately not an emergency as such so she was able to be conscious and I was able to be there, have a peek at what was going on down there and cut the chord.

[B00]

I hate to sound smug mountainboo but my deliveries, both of them, were a doddle. With Mini Boo I was in my bed on the ward two hours after arriving there. Mr Boo brought himself sandwiches and his book to read expecting to be there for the long haul and he never got to see them, never mind enjoy them......lol

Based on my own experience, I'd honestly rethink the C Section option, I was home the following day, albeit still in pain but i imagine nowhere near what i'd have been had it been anything other than a vaginal birth.

[mountainboo]

Sorry taran, I read the information incorrectly. I didnt realise you get lots of pain afterwards.

[China Doll]

I want to be too posh to push!

I don't care that it's not natural, I don't care that I won't be able to hold the child. Something that large should not be coming out of something that small. If one more person tells me it's natural I'll lump them! I want to be asleep. I want the baby cleaned up, shoved in a nappy, smelling ot talc and in a babygro by the time I wake up.

However I do have a slight hysteria when it comes to pain. (Not so's anyone would notice).

Some people may have also commented on my lack of maternal instinct in the past too. Personally I don't see how they can say that.

And don't even get me started on breast feeding....

[4getmenot]

Ii've always thought vaginal birth is all about nature and bonding with baby. If they just pulled it out of me i'd feel in someway a failure

[mountainboo]

Wow octavius, it sounds like your wife went through quite an ordeal. Well I can tell you now my mind is made up. Provided there are no complications I'm electing for a natural birth.

[Psychick]

My first labour was a grand total of 4 hours 19 minutes (established labour, I was having mild contractions all night leading up to it). I did have an epidural but only after the midwife talked me into it as everything was progressing so slow, she said it would give me a chance to rest! Was told nothing would happen til about 6pm that evening.......... my daughter was born at 2:19 pm! Nearly 4 hours earlier than expected! lol
This time round Im planning a home birth, and the midwife agrees considering how quick it all happened last time! lol

[redcrx]

a c-sect is never a failure 4get. Many women feel that way though. But just think what your body will have done, for 9 months its been busy making a little mini-you. Just because your body cant manage the last few hours hard slog does not mean failure. i think after 9 months the body is entitled to a little rest if needs be :)

[Lindylou]

Look at the 'audience' at a footie/rugby match. The VAST majority arrived via an SVD. Women have been doing it for ever such a long time. Forget C sections. Unless there's a really strong medical reason. Let your body lead the way! It knows what it's doing. Relax and think positive. Painful it maybe - but also, maybe not. No-one knows until its all over. But its a good deal - a few hours pain for an entire lifetime....

[dwaty]

hi! i had 2 c- sections, first time was an emergency as i had an abrupt-ion ( part of the placenta came away ) and i started bleeding a lot ... although i never realized how serious it was at the time. i recovered well only a tiny scar and I'm like you was afraid of the thought of pain. so second time round i choose an elective c-section but now regret it as the didn't do a very good job with sewing me up in fact they used staples i looked a but like frankenstein and now my scar is still tender and ugly i could never ware a two piece swimsuit ( not that i ever did). but if i could choose again i would opt for a vaginal birth you can get a few good pain relief now.
any way good luck hope this helps. x

[Shadow Man]

I hear the 70's birth style, i.e bird on her back, legs akimbo is not the norm nowadays. Women, I understand, are having sproggs like bloody cows. On all fours, arse in the air as such.

Since when was this fashionable?

[cazzz1975]

I had 2 natural births with no pain relief (not even gas n air) I can highly recommend it, it wasnt as bad as you think its going to be, I know people who had c-sections and its no easier option, one friends c-section became infected and she almost died, most people who have them take much longer getting back to normal..

I had bags of energy after the birth and I went back to normal pretty quickly..

[redcrx]

Some even mooo like a cow too SM