I think c sections should only happen for medical reasons and not set at a certain date. My eldest daughter was born in a birthing pool and my 2nd had to be helped by sucktion , I also think the recovery time is quicker from a natural, what are your opinions?

I don't understand those who would want to have major surgery if not needed !!! surely looking after a new born is hard enough work when your fit .. I guess it's ok for posh spice but not for me ..although wish my hubby looked like becks :)

From personal experience after 2 c-sections I would not wish that on anyone! Why anyone would choose to have one is beyond me. :)

I had my first naturally, and my second by C-section.
With James I was out of hospital iin just over 24 hours post birth. Was walking into town when he was 2 days old!!!!!! took me about a week to fully recover.
I went into labour with Sam, at 3 am, I was told he was an undiagnosed footling breech. Straight into surgery.
In hospital for 5 days. Not able to do what I wanted for 6 weeks. I hated the fact I didnt 'give birth' to him. I was in pain for a couple of weeks. And even now if I catch my scar 'wrong' it hurts (even tho my midwife said it was the neatest scar she had ever seen!!!!!!!!!!)
So in all in all. give me 6 hours of pain and exhaustion over 2 hour surgery anyday!!!!!!!
I believe C-sections should only be used for medical reasons!!!!!!!!!!
NOT because they want to have your child on a day to suit you.
Sorry just the way I think.
Lea :)

I've had two natural births and 2 c sections..........1 emergency as our daughter decided to arrive 9 weeks early, 1 planned as our son was 10lb 5oz :(  give me natural birth any day!!  It might not be very comfortable at the time, but the recovery process is lots quicker!

totally agree with Smudgley

i have had 1 normal birth and 3 c-sections (2 emergence and 1 planned).
if i was asked what was the best i would say the normal. i was up and in the shower within the hour, then the next was the planned 1 as i had no contractions (SP??) and got over it very well until i got home and was on pain killers for 4 weeks and should of been on them longer.  after the 2 emergence once i tried to get back to normal as soon as i got home (after being in hospital for 3 days) and i nearly killed my self lol

when i was having my last and was in clinic, all the other mother's to be said i was lucky to know what day i was having my son and to be having no pain. i soon said that i would have no pain on the 22nd but would have it for the next 4+ weeks they soon changed there minds

I have had 5 ...all naturally and I have been up and about within a few hours of birth. I think C Sections should only be given when absolutely neccessary for the health of both mother and child

I agree with you Melodysk,I have had 3 natural births with no pain relief, first birth lasted 36 hours from start to finish, the second only lasted 6 hours in total and the third was only 4 hours and I was home within four and a half hours after delivery..All were delivered in German hospitals with not much english being spoken..

People who want c-sections(with no medical reason) and can't be bothered to push should not bother getting pregnant in the first place as the womans body is designed to have babies...

Jane....

My first was a "natural" birth - 36 hours, baby in distress, countless requests for help and midwives warning me that by "asking for help i would get a rough doctor".  forceps, blood, a lot of pain and indignity - a 9lb 3oz baby - not to mention they couldnt give me any more anaesthetic when stitching me up and I felt every single stitch. My 2nd - a calm c-section that I recovered from very quickly and was out of hospital in 24hours. I know which I would choose.

elective c-secs for vanity reasons - no...but it a mum to be is suffering and has been for hours then help her out!!!

Chloe I found your post extremely interesting. Do you think if you had been given access to effective pain relieve and nice friendly midwives that you would feel different about a c-section?

Just curious because Ive listened to lots of people with different experiences and reading between the lines the problem is often that we arent given the right options and choices.

To be honest with you, had they LISTENED to me, things might have been different. I was 21 at the time and they just didn't listen - they talked over me to each other I had an epidural and gas and air...but the problem wasn't the pain for me - the labour wasn't progressing - my contractions weren't strong enough (even though very painful) - but would they listen??! My mum, cousins, everyone in my family has suffered the same problem and it happened again on my second. Even the IV drugs they give you and inducing my second didn't work.... I had no urge to push either because they killed that with the bl**dy epidural - from which my back has suffered with since.

I was exhausted, baby was in distress, and STILL they wouldn't do anything. I had to demand help - at which point in came the doctor with bloodied wellington boots and forceps and the rest is history. I have to say it severley affected my relationship with my daughter, whereas even with an emergency C section I had absolutely no problems and I was up in 2 hours and walking around.

Mine was a bit similar - except that they decided, after inducing me (he was nearly 3 weeks late), that nothing was happening and told hubby to go home and gave me a sleeping pill. Fortunately I didn't have an epidural, had to have the forceps etc like you, due to me just wanting to go to sleep when it was time to push :( I also, like someone else, had to be restitched about 4 days later etc . It just made me more determined that the next time I was not taking ANYTHING and fortunately, despite being 2 weeks late, she arrived naturally without any problems (they had booked me in the next day to be induced again - not that I was going to go down that route again). The problem is, with a first baby, it is very easy to agree to anything when you are in labour and then regret it later :( First and last time that I take a sleeping pill :D

Daisy

Wow it is almost excatly the same for me word for word apart from I was 25 ! Forceps the lot ! Dd they try the ventouse as well ? I remember shouting at them something about sink plungers and no way ! Didn't stop them trying though ! :)

I wasn't walking around after my CS for 36 hours but that was due to my SPD rather than the CS.

No, they didn't try the sink plunger... but they tried everything else...! I would NEVER let anyone put me through a forceps delivery ever again - the brusing and the pain from the stitches was far, far worse than my CS. I had a spinal block for that and it wore off quickly. I made them take the catheter out an hour after and got up myself. It was great! I was driving in a week and moved house 4 weeks after the CS!! :)

I have had one natural and one C section.

I had the C section for medical reasons but would have opted for one as had a very bad VB.

My experience of teh CS was wonderful and found it a very positive experience. The recovery time yes maybe longer but I had support from my husband at home so was able to put my feet up for a lot of the time :)

I personally would definately choose a CS over a long and painful VB.

It believe if somebody has a fear of VB then that is a valid reason as well but definately not for convenience !

Lucy

I gave birth naturally once and had 3 emergancy c-sections,
i would rather give birth than have a c-section any day not that i can and would have more kids
Mandy

<<<<<<<<<<It believe if somebody has a fear of VB then that is a valid reason as well but definately not for convenience ! >>>>>>>>>>>>
Oh yes, I agree there Lucy. A TRUE fear of VB is classed as a medical reason. But as you say, for convenience!!!!!! No way.
Lea :)

Both my babies were home deliveries, but the first was very mis-managed and I ended up with a 3rd degree tear - don't ask! I've never felt so weak and ill and in such pain, from the stitches. So vaginal delivery isn't always hunky-dory afterwards. My son was 10lb 2 ozs....:D :D :D.....no gas and air because it had run out... ouch...but no stitches, and I was absolutely fine post-natally...apart from coping with 2 small children in a one-bedroom flat in Hackney...but that's another story..
Cathy.

Sounds a bit like my first experience - they gave me a sleeping tablet in the middle of labour and then were surprised when I wasn't too awake at the final push  - so had to have forceps :( It made me determined that I would push my second out by myself, without help :D

Daisy

I had forceps with my first and stitches galore. :(  I was determined to have my second at home but my GP wasn't keen so I arranged it with my midwife. It was brilliant, no pain relief at all apart from a couple of whiffs of gas and air (mine ran out too, right after hubby and the midwife had tested it!) I did have a few stitches but being at home was lovely.

There's no way I'd have a CS unless it was neccessary. The woman in the bed next to me when I had my first could hardly move after having hers by CS. Poor woman looked miserable. :(

Kath.

There is definately a difference between a planned CS and a emergency CS for post OP recovery rates.

There is a pshycological barrier to get over with the emergency CS as it is taken out of your hands and is often rushed for obvious reasons and so things are not explained which could be very very frightening for all concerned. There is often more bruising as well as sometimes it is critical to get the baby out and so extra force is often needed.

With a planned CS it is all very calm and well managed and you (father and mother) are involved every step of the way and are given choices throughout :) It was a very positive experience for me which I am grateful for as it was a terrible pregnancy :)

I do think VB is the best way but CS can be a good alternative in certain situations :)

LJS ~ personally, I had 1 elective c/s & 1 emergency (with comlpications & blood transfusion)
My first one was planned - which I didn't recover well from.
My 2nd was an emergency & I was up on my feet much quicker & feeling better much sooner (2 different hospitals & I think that has a lot to do with it too)

Cathy - Ouch, you reminded me of my first sons birth - I also had a third degree tear (also due to incompetant midwives who PULLED out my 9lb 11oz baby without a contraction!), had to have a general anaesthetic to be stitched up it was so bad, couldn't sit down for WEEKS, stitches got infected (I have never known pain like that, when going to toilet I needed support from other half and was crying with pain each time!) due to retained placenta and so had to go back into hospital to be cleaned out (another general anaesthetic when my baby was about 10 days old and I was still breastfeeding) - then had to go back in when baby was seven weeks old to have another problem sorted out!  A completely horrible experience with all my worst fears coming true!

I have had major surgery, very similar operation to CS and compared to my first birth, I would choose CS any day.  HOWEVER, my second son, who was 10lb came out in 6 hours (after they tried to force me to have a CS because of his size - told me he would get stuck and they would have to BREAK his bones to get him out!)  They got me to agree to being started off early, although once inside the hospital, I held out until my due day and despite a VERY large CUT had him no problem.  My third son, I went into labour naturally, overdue he was 9lb 3oz and from the start of the first contraction to him arriving was about 2 hours.  For the last two all I had was gas and air.

I would say that Natural childbirth with midwives who are experienced and comfortable with that (they are not in my area) is definitely the best, but in hospital, they cannot help themselves but interfere.  I still believe that I wasn't ready to have my first son, but instead of sending me home, they kept me in and wore me down until I was so weak after two days I agreed to things I had never wanted and the result was a disaster.  By the time you get to your third, they show you a bit more respect and realise you know what you are doing.

Sorry, another long post, but to this day I am angry about my experience

Fiona

I find it rich that after decades of promoting ever more interference with nature and destroying the confidence of women and midwives in the birth process, the medical profession is concerned about women CHOOSING c section. So its not about rediscovering natural birth, its the old story of domination and cut costs, oh unles youre a posh private hospital where they all have sections for convenience and revenue. Having said that and watched an agonising programme about fistula repair in Africa, I am grateful for the easy access to surgery in this country.

First labour had 24 hour labour , because I was induced,(big mistake) and ended up needing forceps, second labour only 9 hours and just pethidine and tore badly, and then had to have a caesar as I was having twins and one was lying transverse. I still suffer from the caesar today, four years after. It affected my back where the epidural needle went in, and I still find it hard to stand straight as my stomach's still sore.  They also left some of the placenta in and I bled for 3 months after, whilst having my stupid doctor telling me not to worry, and stop being neurotic and he was sure it would eventually stop( yeah after more surgery!!) Yes labour is agony, but usually it 's over when it's over, whilst a caesar is , like said before, major surgery, and can have lasting effects...

72 hours of labour and a natural delivery. I wouldn't of wanted it any other way. I had similar problems to most my contractions went in waves.  I had no help either even though I did have an epidural. I woke up at 6.50am and Leanne was born at 7.04am. It was a beautiful day.

I personally can't imagine why a woman would choose a CS purely for convenience without good medical reason.  I had an emergency CS under GA and the experience of what lead to it and the CS itself left me deeply traumatised, so much so that I only had the one child.  I didn't see my daughter until more than a day later and I had post operative complications which led to me being unable to feed her myself, nor properly bond  with her.  It is a great sadness in my life that what should have been a truly joyful occasion turned out to be a horrible experience.  On the plus side, I was in a little room with other mums in the same boat, so we were all upset together :)

Lesley

PS The nurses all came and ooed and ahhed at my scar too (stitched by a female obstetrician)  and said it was the neatest they had ever seen; I wonder if they get taught to do it in midwifery school to make the new mum feel better about it :D

makes me glad i never had any!

:-D  :-D

Don't get me wrong - I'd go through it all again, and ten times worse, for my kids. I love babies and I want another!! :D :D :D

Hi Everyone,as i sit here reading your posts my youngest daughter was massaging my neck & also reading over my shoulder ,she is studying to be a Nursery Nurse,& then wants to train to be a Midwife (or did want to !she has turned a very strange shade of green after reading some of your posts LOL,) i had both of my girls by elec,c ,My first daughter was breach ,& after trying to turn her (not for the faint hearted !!!!!!!) they decided on the C,section ,my obstetrician gave us no choice ,my husband was not allowed in with me & i was under general anasthetic,Luisa was given to John immediatly  which,i will allways be grateful for as it took me days to come around properly ,second time i was pregnant the same obstetrician booked me in for a C,section "as i had allready had one " & to be on the safe side !! again i was told no husband allowed ,when i tried to question this i was told in no uncertain terms that if i wanted John with me i would have to find another doctor as he would not do it !!,i had been to natural childbirth classes both times hoping for a natural birth ,and felt as though some how i had failed not being able to deliver myself ,John was just relieved we were o.k. & i guess they were right we were all fit & healthy ,& i have, & allways have had a wonderful relationship with our girls as does John ,he was the first to cuddle them both ,but it took me literally years not to cry when ever i saw a natural birth ,i used to feel so daft just bursting into tears ,but it did leave me feeling very emotional for a very long time ,i agree a C,section only when absolutly needed!! Bye Sue & two very grown up baby girls(they are allways our baby's are they not lol )  

My C-section was lovely. My husband was with me, the doctors and the surgeon were lovely...they had Boyzone (!) gently playing in the background, my midwife was with me...I was awake and not at all scared... it was just blissful. The brought zack out (strange feeling - the rummaging!!) and he was yelling and peed all over the midwife, the scales and the wall.. he went straight to his dad who was really emotional and I was able to look at him and touch him... then I was stitched up and everyone was chatting and congratulating us... then I was taken back up to the ward and got myself sorted out. It was the best experience of my life :)

I ended up glad I had a C-section because the Boy was in about the most awkward position imaginable, being full-breech with his feet by his ears and facing forwards, and got totally and utterly wedged. If he'd been co-operative he'd have been born naturally within 6 hours of my noticing I was in labour (I was fully dilated after 5 hours). As it turned out, if I didn't have a section one of us (if not both) certainly weren't going to survive intact, if at all. The epidural was a total disaster - only my legs went numb (for 2 days) but every contraction was just as painful - I just couldn't move into a more comfortable position.

So a GA was needed for the surgery, and as I was wheeled into the theatre my uterus ruptured. Boy was given to his Dad (shut out in the corridor) as soon as he was cleaned up (apparently it took 2 people to deliver him - one pulling him through the incision, and another pushing 'from below') while they spent another 2 hours patching me up. The 21 stitches were a nightmare being removed 8 days later.

It wasn't the way I would have chosen - I certainly hated being so weak after the surgery for so many weeks - but even so I started thinking of names for Number 2 (still waiting :( ) after three days ...

I think it depends when and where you have babies.  My first was a big breech and when they xrayed me (would never be allowed these days) they discovered I also had a tilted pelvis so I had a planned CS under GA which took a while to recover from but the scar was a lovely bikini one with beads so you can't see it.  First baby was 10lb and 1/2 oz even though they had guestimated a weight of about 8 and 1/2 pounds so pleased I didn't have to do it the hard way.  With second, five and a half years later, they decided that a spinal block epidural would be the best way to try for a natural birth as this baby was much smaller but I wold be prepared if I needed a CS.  Waters broke 2am, fully dilated 9am.  Episiotomy,  forceps, ventouse, back end prolapse and three faints later baby still not born.  They started talking about emergency CS when I broke down then a change of shift at 3pm brought a new set of staff and a 5ft female doctor who couldn't speak English.  As a final resort they pushed the bottom of the bed back, another episiotomy and forceps for the final time and my daughter was born weighing 9lb 12oz at 3.25pm.  Give me a CS anytime because the trauma and the 48 stitches front and back took a lot lomger to get over I can tell you!

No totally put off having anymore children (until men can give birth lol). Ones enough,  reading through the posts its makng my eyes water.

JG ~ just read your post about c/s & it was very similar to me.
My first was breeched with her legs wraped around her neck! Did your boy stay in this position after birth?
Luckily I had been pre-warned that she would have strange legs for a while & boy they were! She used to lie with her legs up in the air & wide open & changing her nappy, was a case of holding them down as opposed to lifting them up. I had an elective CS with her.
My 2nd I wanted to try for a VD or trial of scar as it's called, but i went overdue, went to be induced & suddenly I was in pain, no heartbeat could be found & I was rushed to theatre,like you my uterus ruptured, the pain was awful. My hubby had an awful time, waiting, but luckily little Lucy was fine & so was I.
I was told that because I had a senior midwife who took it upon herself to get me to theatre whilst calling the doctors, she saved vital time. :)
Needless to say we ended with 2. -- I would have loved a 3rd, but hubby~ no way!

Hi Smudgley - yes! It took Boy about three days before his legs came down from his hairpin position! When he was strightened out to have his nappy changed his legs would spring back when released! He was the shortest bundle on the ward!

Had both my babies natural.

My first was 5 weeks premature and she weighed 5 pounds 14 and a half ounces, 19 and a quarter inches long and I had to be cut for her I was 18 years old. She hurt but was easy. No pain killers at all.

My second well he was a day late he weighed 6 and a half pounds 19 and a quarter inches too. The doctor was getting mad at me and telling me to hurry up and to push all ready, well I was doing what I could, he just was not coming. They offered me gas and that made me feel ill so after too breaths I didn't want it and no other pain killers either. Finally they cut me and realized he was facing the ceiling instead of the floor, during a contraction they decided to push him back up (hubby said he couldn't even see my eye's they rolled back so far) and turn him. That delivery was hell and hurt so much think the doctor could of been nicer but he wasn't very patient at all :( That one was very painful.

With my daughters birth I needed a wheel chair the next day cause I lost so much blood, but by late after noon walking fine a little shakey that was all. My son not a problem walking the next day. I was sore down there but can't expect to feel no pain after you have been split open and then stitched....I too think CS should only be used for medical reason's.

Had my daughter by emergency cs as she had got stuck and the Doctors did not realise it and then rushed me into theatre to do the CS, did not top up the epidural properly so I felt everything, then they knocked me out and I was in bed for two days after on a drip as I lost so much blood. 

Later on because they had misdiagnosed her presentation she had damged me internally I bled severely 3 weeks after having her and ended up in intensive care and had to have a hysterectomy at 21 to save me bleeding to death.

So Posh having to pick a CS barmy........   I would have given by right arm to have had  natural birth and the choice to be able to have children later on.  Both taken away from me by the incompetent doctors, needless to say I sued the hell out of the hospital and won.

Oh my god that what an awfull experience. I  imagine the money means little considering your situation. What an incompitent Dr. Im sat here shocked!