Why are people so opposed to c-sections?

[horse_mad]

I have had both- emergency section with ds1 and vbac with ds2. I am not opposed to a cs however I have to admit that I would opt for a normal delivery due to the ease of recovery in comparison to the recovery after c section. With that said if there was any fear of any complications or risks I would rather get baby out healthy and happy by section if needs be. So this time I am aiming for a natural birth but if it doesn't happen so long as all is ok i will be happy, my bump is also oblique at the mo but so was ds2 until 36 wks then he turned and came straight out at 37 wks with no problems.
Hope baby turns for u, x

 

[amjon]

I mainly don't want the recovery from major abdominal surgery while trying to learn to feed and care for two infants. Plus it means drugs MUST be used and I won't be awake to see them born and won't be able to hold them for several hours and babies will likely be groggy for awhile. I actually enjoyed labor in a way and won't get that at all with a csection.

Why wouldn't you be able to be awake? Is there a special reason? Many women are wide awake during their sections hon. Xx

I'm not getting an epidural for any reason.

 

[d_b]

I used to think csections were no big deal until I watched a full video of one online. Wow - it sure is scary what they do to your body.

Obviously I'd have one in an emergency. I'm not opposed to them but I do think doctors go to the section decision too often/quickly. VBAC is uncommon where I am. Here csections acount for 1 in 3 births.

 

[Sara00]

I used to think csections were no big deal until I watched a full video of one online. Wow - it sure is scary what they do to your body.

Obviously I'd have one in an emergency. I'm not opposed to them but I do think doctors go to the section decision too often/quickly. VBAC is uncommon where I am. Here csections acount for 1 in 3 births.

I am in Ontario Canada, where in Canada do you live? just curious since you said c-sections are 1 in 3 births.

 

[Powell130]

I mainly don't want the recovery from major abdominal surgery while trying to learn to feed and care for two infants. Plus it means drugs MUST be used and I won't be awake to see them born and won't be able to hold them for several hours and babies will likely be groggy for awhile. I actually enjoyed labor in a way and won't get that at all with a csection.

Why wouldn't you be able to be awake? Is there a special reason? Many women are wide awake during their sections hon. Xx

I'm not getting an epidural for any reason.

Just outta curiosity - why not

 

[Thurinius]

My first birth was an emergency section after a frankly horrible labour that went on for 88 hours. This time round I went in open minded. I chatted with the VBAC midwife and listened to the pro's and con's of both sides.
In the end after much consideration I'm going for an elective caesarian. What put me off the VBAC was the fact I'd have to be monitored and tied to an IV drip, which would mean not moving about and stuck on a bed. Also though 75% of C section mothers can have VBAC's I had four out of five of the complications that would make it less likely. Really I think it comes down to my experience of birth the first time round. Going through all that again terrifies me. I was so utterly exhausted I just fell asleep after the birth and barely even noticed when they came and took my LO off to neonatal - where he spent 6 days.
This time round i want to be alert, I want my baby not to be made poorly by labour and I want to be in a fit state to care for him. If that's too posh to push - then so be it.

 

[summer rain]

I personally wouldn't choose to have a c-section for elective reasons, though if it was a medical necessity I would of course have no other option. It is major surgery something I have never had to have in my life, also I have inherited a tendency towards weak stomach muscles from my dad's side of the family so I would worry that any type of abdominal surgery wouldn't heal well and there may be complications such as abdominal hernia. For psychological reasons I would really struggle to deal with having to have spinal anaesthesia and having a c-section under a GA is more risky xx

 

[xsadiex]

I dont really believe in the " its what our bodies are meant to do" argument ... I mean yeah its the way oit goes naturally BUT we tend to forget how often the woman and babies used to die because of labour and delivery even 100 years ago .... 1/100 women would die in child birth on average... take all of us in third tri and imagine how real the possibility of death would be, how many of us would die from child birth ... im one of those women and difficult deliveries / serious injuries during delivery runs in my family . I dont think unnecessary c sections should be performed but I disagree with the notion that all pregnant women should be able to give birth vaginally when it wasnt all that long ago death was a very real possibility that we (thankfully) no longer have to really worry about.

Lots of women died from other conplications such as infection too, not just the actual birth.
I do think a lot of problems in labour came be overcome quite easily though. If you are stressed then its less likely to go well, if you're lying on your back on a bed its less likely to go well, if you have an epidural you have less chance of pushing them out etc etc.

 

[Piper84]

My cheeky little monkey is in an oblique position but as it's so early, I'm hopeful she'll change to head-down, most babies do by birth. However, when I tell people this, there's this look of horror usually followed by 'oh no, you might need a c-section'. When I google it, there are also lots of worried threads from people expressing similar horror with desperate (and occasionally painful, risky) attempts to turn baby before they go full-term.

I'm intrigued by this horror at the thought of c-sections. I know a lot of it is down to personal preference (eg fear of being cut into, fear of having an op, fear of missing out on the 'beauty' of natural childbirth, fears that don't outweigh the fears of natural birth complications for me personally but each person is different).

No, what confuses me is the argument that a natural birth is 'safer'. Hasn't it been accepted now that c-sections are no more risky to the baby and mother than natural births (eg, The National Institute for Clinical Excellence recently revised its judgement and now says that, overall, cesareans are no more risky than vaginal deliveries)?

So essentially, this fear of c-sections being 'bad for baby' is based on old research (yes, more babies born by c-section go into special care but a lot of high risk pregnancies are delivered by c-section so not a reflection on the procedure itself).

Or am I missing something here?

Because of the horrible complications that a lot of women have from them, the risks involved for the mother and the baby including being cut in the wrong place, hospital-borne infections like MRSA, haemhorraging, BFing problems?

Don't get me wrong, they're wonderful when they're needed, but I can't think why anyone would rather have a CS than a vaginal delivery if it's not required.

 

[DLA]

I know some women that opt for c sections because they had such a traumatic birth before and this I could not blame them. I was lucky with my birth and feel grateful for that. Like I said before, I personally do not want a c section but there are many women that have very real and valid reasons for wanting one.

 

[Rozz1e1]

I would never judge anyone for electing to have a cs...the only time I have disagreed with someone wanting a cs was going private to have a cs for their first baby because they simply did not want to push...so i did judge then lol!
CS have there place as of course do vaginal births, personally Im fearful of having a cs atm because of the thought of not being able to feel anything down there and Im frightened of panicking, but i know that if push came to shove (pardon the pun) Id want me and my baby to be safe and if that meant emcs then so be it, im sure that adrenaline and need for baby and me to be safe would take over in that situation xxx

 

[TrixieLox]

Thanks, girls, SO much info here and we're really quite an intelligent and informed bunch, aren't we?

I do want to 'go natural' as first option. But won't hesitate if they recommend I have a c-section. I was surprised to see one woman on a birthing programme I watch refuse to have a c-section, even when her baby was in distress. Madness!

I think baby moved a bit today as feeling SO much pressure in pelvic area. Got another growth scan at 32 weeks so we'll see!

 

[Sarahrei]

Thats the thing, I don't want a CS. They scare the shit out of me and look so painful.

If Zoe needs one though, I'll do it no questions asked.

 

[amjon]

I mainly don't want the recovery from major abdominal surgery while trying to learn to feed and care for two infants. Plus it means drugs MUST be used and I won't be awake to see them born and won't be able to hold them for several hours and babies will likely be groggy for awhile. I actually enjoyed labor in a way and won't get that at all with a csection.

Why wouldn't you be able to be awake? Is there a special reason? Many women are wide awake during their sections hon. Xx

I'm not getting an epidural for any reason.

Just outta curiosity - why not

I won't accept the risks (plus I'm at increased risk of paralysis) and the thought of having a needle in my back is one of my biggest fears. I'm not willing to not be able to walk just because they want to shove a needle in my spine.

 

[hulagirl]

I had an emcs with my son after a 4 day labour, meconium, being induced and still not getting past 7cm.
I was up and about within 12hrs and would of been discharged from hospital within 18 hrs but lo was ill so had to stay in. I was hoovering, cooking etc within 3 days, driving (with docs say so) at 2 weeks. I now have a little scar and no complications
.
I am choosing another c section this time round as I am not prepared to have the same traumatic birth as last time. Yes I have a toddler to run around after but I will cope. My risk factors mean my chance of a vbac are mmmm maybe ( vbac midwifes words)

As long as baby is here safe and well that's my main concern.
X

 

[Annie77]

I have attracted some negative comments re my elective sections. My first was emergency & due to placenta praevia which everyone seemed to think was excusable.

I opted for VBAC with 2nd but my body wouldn't go into labour at all & so I opted for an elective at 41+2. It was great, was discharged 48 hours later & had no breast feeding problems.

My hospital policy is that after 2 sections, you can't try natural birth and I am happy with this but about 4 women have tried to get me to push for VBAC, even though I've made it clear I am happy to have a section.

I'm no expert but I think the longer recovery & problems feeding occur more after emergencies where mum has had prolonged labour and/or excess blood loss. When I had my elective, I was in better shape and mobilising around better than the 3 natural birthers in my room who couldn't pee without crying etc.

 

[Annie77]

I mainly don't want the recovery from major abdominal surgery while trying to learn to feed and care for two infants. Plus it means drugs MUST be used and I won't be awake to see them born and won't be able to hold them for several hours and babies will likely be groggy for awhile. I actually enjoyed labor in a way and won't get that at all with a csection.

Why wouldn't you be able to be awake? Is there a special reason? Many women are wide awake during their sections hon. Xx

I'm not getting an epidural for any reason.

Just outta curiosity - why not

I won't accept the risks (plus I'm at increased risk of paralysis) and the thought of having a needle in my back is one of my biggest fears. I'm not willing to not be able to walk just because they want to shove a needle in my spine.

My hospital always refer me to anaesthetist prior to 36 weeks as I broke my lumbar spine years ago - despite this i have never had problems with the spinal block not even increased parasthesia in my legs ( the outside if thighs has always been numb since accident) Still its not pleasant getting jabbed in the back, even when u can't feel it properly

 

[d_b]

I used to think csections were no big deal until I watched a full video of one online. Wow - it sure is scary what they do to your body.

Obviously I'd have one in an emergency. I'm not opposed to them but I do think doctors go to the section decision too often/quickly. VBAC is uncommon where I am. Here csections acount for 1 in 3 births.

I am in Ontario Canada, where in Canada do you live? just curious since you said c-sections are 1 in 3 births.

I'm in Ontario too.. the 1 in 3 rate was for the hospital I ended up going to. I think at my prenatal course last time they said the c section rate is an average of 28% in Ontario.. that seems crazy high!