my mum is insistent on a c section...

[hopefulfor1st]

I had no choice with mine. My blood pressure spiked, pushed clots behind the placenta which started breaking up and I was passing larger pieces and clots. Tirns out my placenta had also come very close to expiration too, at 38 weeks it resembled one mormally at 42+ weeks, white with spots of calcification. I live 7 minutes from a major hospital and my husband was defintely not doing the speed limit...the doctors said if he was I wouldn't be here today. I was bleeding out and baby was oxygen deprived, I was put on a bed and wheeled straight into OR signing the c section waiver as doctors were running down the hall. I don't regret my cs, or am I upset I had it. There was no other viable option, it saved me and my baby and I'm not going to dwell on what I can't control.
And yes although it was much harder recovery I will be having a 2nd cs next baby- my anxiety levels could not handle waiting around to go naturally knowing last time my placenta was overlooked at 38wks!

 

[SIEGAL]

I didn't have a c-section but had some tearing after a regular birth. It hurt to sit up and get my baby - I had my husband do it. If I was alone I probably could have done it myself. I visited a friend a few days after he section and she was hunched over barely able to walk. Another friend said how she cried for the nurses to take her to the bathroom after her c-section. I didn't need any help.

In the US you can request a section to avoid the whole laboring process if you want - but usually after labor and birth the pain is mostly over and you are in relatively good shape to take care of your newborn. I would prefer the "suffering" before the baby then after.

 

[OmiOmen]

I am a get on with it type of person and doctors told me I recovered unbelievable quick after my first c-section also I have been told many times I have a high pain threshold and even so it hurt like hell so saying it is the easy option is just laughable. I attempted a VBAC with my second and had complete uterine rupture thankfully we made it in for an EMCS with minutes to spare for us to live. If I am lucky I will be discharged as a outpatient at around 9 months pp if those test go well (but it could be later). My husband was diagnosed with PTSD from just watching it happen! Does that sound easy?

I am so glad that c-sections exist or people like me and my son would be dead but it makes me angry that people want them for no valid medical reason.

What your mum is saying is wrong. Please do not let her bully you.

 

[wookie130]

Omi, I do understand what you're saying about people wanting them for NO medical reason. I do tend to disagree with this, however. I think women have the right to made educated choices on how they birth, and some choose c-section for psychological reasons, as much as anything medical. Every type of birth carries risks, and c-section is no exception, of course, but in the majority of incidences, it is a safe option, no matter what the reason.

 

[jenmcn1]

I had a vaginal birth with my son (baby#1), and a csection with my daughter (baby#2). Having been through both...I strongly urge you to the advice and insight from a midwife!! I would NEVER recommend a csection, puts mom at risk for complications. Its a major surgery, and should only be used in emergency situations. What a lot of women don't realize is that going into labour, and getting stuck at a 2cm is usually(not always) because of an epidural or other drugs. It actually slows the process down. They put you in a bed laying flat on your back, which also slows down the natural progression of child birth. My goodness...a csection is MAJOR surgery...it is NOT the easy way out, I was in recovery for 3hrs after I had my daughter, and didn't see her at all during that time. I had such a bad reaction to the spinal tap(slightly stronger than an epi), and the first 6 weeks of recovery were hell...I had a 105 fever for 5 days straight while trying to breastfeed a newborn and take care of a 3yr old. So what I would suggest is speak with a midwife. It doesn't mean you have to have a homebirth. It means you can have a natural birth at a hospital, and incase there is an emergency than you are right there, and the midwives can alert the doctors. Do not get a c section by choice!!!!! Unfortunately for me, i won't be allowed a VBAC because I ended up with a vertical csection, I'm at twice the risk for uterine rupture now. And if I HAD gone with a midwife for my daughters birth, than I wouldn't be in this position with baby #3.

 

[jenmcn1]

Watch 'the business of being born', and check our Ina May's info. She talks about how us women (in our generation) have grown up with lack of encourgement from our elders regarding birth. We were born to do this. Its natural and our bodies already know what to do in the process. That being said there are situations where a csection is needed to save mom and baby's life, but csections are done WAY too frequently...and for no reason. Or for insurance purposes, easier for the doctor. Just do your research .... Its something I wish with all my heart that I had known, before my other 2 kids were born.