Elective C-sections

I had an elective c section. I was very fit, it was my first baby, but I did NOT want to have a vaginal birth. And I would have another in a heartbeat.

How do you guys feel about opting to have a cesarian section and bypassing the whole labour thing?

I would much rather have a vaginal birth. It seems terrible but once its over its not that bad. Even if you tear or are cut the healing process probably isn't as bad. Don't you get scars from having a c-section? i wouldn't want that either.

I dont have any real feelings about it, because I have been through all of those (vaginal birth, an emergency c section, and an elective c section) and to tell the truth, you suffer either way. Whether it is a long and painful recovery or a day or two of hard labor and delivery.
I would prefer the shorter recovery period that a vaginal birth has to offer, but I chose a c section this last time around because I didnt want to risk anything going wrong since I had a c section with my delivery before this last one.
I think its insane to request a c section for the first time around, because you give up more than you think with a c section. Your abs might look good afterwards (lots of work) but they will never be the same. the recovery time varies for each person, but it was still longer for me that after a vaginal birth. I hate being stuck indoors for long periods of time, and not being able to function without strong pain meds.
I wouldnt judge anyone who chooses a c section and say that they are taking the easy way out (although I would have said that before I ever had any kids). I know that it is not the easy way out. Like I said though, I dont care either way. Its cool that we all have those choices to make, and we choose what works best for us.

sratrat wrote: I would much rather have a vaginal birth. It seems terrible but once its over its not that bad. Even if you tear or are cut the healing process probably isn't as bad. Don't you get scars from having a c-section? i wouldn't want that either.

yep. scars and bumps above and below the incision scar (mine is anyway) from scar tissue. My abs just wont bounce back easily like they did after a vaginal birth. I hate it. Its a stomach that sticks out no matter how many sit ups i do and it doesnt matter that I stay away from beer either.  

Just wanted to mention that yes, you have a scar but it lightens up a lot, mine is hardly visible! And yeah, my stomach isn't perfect anymore, but do I care? Nope.

I am married, I have a gorgious child...am I going to model bikinis? Nope. I honestly do not care that my stomach isn't flat anymore

1hotmamma wrote: Just wanted to mention that yes, you have a scar but it lightens up a lot, mine is hardly visible! And yeah, my stomach isn't perfect anymore, but do I care? Nope.

I am married, I have a gorgious child...am I going to model bikinis? Nope. I honestly do not care that my stomach isn't flat anymore

I too am married, my kids are gorgeous and healthy (they would be if they were all born vaginally as well) and I am not going to model bikinis either.
But I DO care about my appearance, and my confidence was affected by the fact that my stomach didnt bounce back. (Im not talking about this time, because I just gave birth a month ago, and it still is puffy). I already have small saggy boobs, so my body is pretty scary looking now. Yes, it did affect how I feel.
I do care that my stomach didnt bounce back, but that doesnt make me vain. The scar does fade, but how much depends on the person. Mine stayed purple for almost two years and is unmistakable.
I do care about the long term affects something has on my body. Since the damage was already done the first c section, I figured, oh hell it doesnt matter and scheduled a c section with this one. I recovered way faster this time around.

Well my daughter was an emergency c-section and I had a pretty bad experience...it doesn't seem that bad to me, looking back on it...but even the hospital staff thought I had a hard time...and gave me a private room, woo. lol I wouldn't have wanted a c-section if I didn't have to...and that was what I went into labor saying...Only if it was necessary and then I wouldn't fight it....Well it was definitely necessary. I'm looking forward to a (hopefully) better experience next time...not being in labor for 19 hrs, not dilating to a 10 and pushing and waiting and baby still not budging....not having my c-section meds stop working right after they cut me open......

I know that not everyone has such a bad experience, but I know I'm not the only one on BG who had the experience with the meds not working...there are actually quite a few of us...Things can go wrong. My daughter was worth every second of it, but I'd have never chosen a c-section if I hadn't had to have one.

HOWEVER, it's your choice. I have nothing against anyone choosing to go that way. I certainly think it's the most painful approach. Granted I didn't actually push her out and didn't tear or get cut, but I still had to recover vaginally as well...and I recovered there so much quicker and it hurt so much less.

I do like the idea of being able to pick my babies birthday next time around though. ^_^

I could never opt to have major abdominal surgery done when my body is perfectly capable of giving birth on its own.

I am not against c-sections. They have saved the lives of so many children, but I don't see the point of getting one when there is no medical reason. Sometimes they are necessary, and truly the best road to take.

I have been through a very long vaginal delivery, and a long recovery period from an episiotomy. I can't imagine taking care of an infant after surgery. It would be very hard.

I know that medical scinece is improving all the time, but it seems a little rediculous to me to opt for a c-section when you and your baby are healthy enough for a natural birth. C-sections are not bad for a baby, but there are advantages to giving birth vaginally, for the mother and the baby.

In my opinion c-sections should be for emergencies, and for people who have no choice (like when you have already had a c-section, or when your baby is breach, or not healthy enough for delivery)

For me the vaginal recovery was way worse than the c-section.

I had a massive episiotomy that eventually tore and got infected, it never healed properly and I will have to undergo vaginal surgery to repair what it did. Sex is painful for me now, and it will sometimes rip. No fun at all. My c-section healed just fine and I was walking around with no worries after the first 24 hours. The scar is minimal compared to what the vaginal birth did. Also, with my vaginal birth my son had what is called a shoulder dystocia, he got stuck and almost had to have his collar bone broke. Luckily it wasnt that severe, and only ended in a massive episiotomy.

Plurpixie wrote: For me the vaginal recovery was way worse than the c-section.

I had a massive episiotomy that eventually tore and got infected, it never healed properly and I will have to undergo vaginal surgery to repair what it did. Sex is painful for me now, and it will sometimes rip. No fun at all. My c-section healed just fine and I was walking around with no worries after the first 24 hours. The scar is minimal compared to what the vaginal birth did. Also, with my vaginal birth my son had what is called a shoulder dystocia, he got stuck and almost had to have his collar bone broke. Luckily it wasnt that severe, and only ended in a massive episiotomy.

My good friend agrees that sex is STILL painful after she had a 3rd degree tear 6 months ago. God, I cannot imagine.

I think if a woman chooses an elective c-section, that's her choice.

Considering that it's major surgery, I'd advise against it personally though.

I had a c-section because of failure for my labor to progress, I would have preferred to deliver vaginally had I been able to. I don't like any kind of surgery that's unnecessary.

C.

I had a vaginal delivery and only wanted a c-section if neccessary because I figured my body was made to deliver a baby, not for surgery and surgery scared me lol!! I had a pretty bad tear (3rd degree) but mine healed just fine...I'm almost 6 months PP and sex doesn't hurt anymore and hasn't for awhile...it's different for every woman and if she wants an elective c-section, she needs to do some serious research before making a decision...

I say...to each his own....different strokes for different folks!

i'm just curious-- why would someone elect to have a c-section if it's not necessary?

is it fear or pain? or tearing?

Mara wrote: i'm just curious-- why would someone elect to have a c-section if it's not necessary?

is it fear or pain? or tearing?

Cause I didn't want a vaginal birth, plain and simple. I didn't want to go through a horrible labour just to have a c section anyways....or have a horrible labour in general.

It wasn't my cup of tea. There was no other reasons then that.