Genuine Question - Natural or C-Section & Why??

[manda83]

I honestly don't mean to offend ANYONE. And please do not turn this into a debate.


On my TTC journey I have been doing ALOT of thinking about the type of birth I want and what birth other's have wanted and why.

What I am wanting to know from you is -

What type of labour/delivery did you have?

Was it what you planned? If not, why?

Did you/do you want to - do things differently in subsequent labours/deliveries? Why?

I am VERY interested in those that CHOSE to have c-sections and those that wanted to have a VBAC.

Why did you choose to have a c-section?

Why was a VBAC important to you?

My first pregnancy ended in induction with forceps delivery. Looking back I really had no idea what was going on and next time (if it happens) I would like to be more educated and make the right choices for me and baby.

I also felt very pressured, though I don't know where from, to have a natural birth. I wonder if those who wanted a VBAC also felt this pressure?


Hmm I don't know if all this makes sense... I hope so! Your input is very much appreciated!

[SalSam]

For me I chose:

Natural vaginal birth. I was so empowered with my first birth (drug free VB) I wanted to do it again. Second time around I planned a natural birth, no drugs at all, physiological 3rd stage etc. I am woman hear me roar. I trust my body and want to let my body do what it is designed to do. No rupture of membranes and my DS was born in the caul. I love that fact too. No one touched my and my DH caught our baby. Our bub did the brest crawl and it was just magic.

I feel likw a superwoman after my birth, so proud of myself. I am a birthing champion and I wouldn't give up that feeling for anything.

Birth is beautiful, empowering, life changing and enjoyable for me. I love it and can't wait to do it again. I would have refused induction but that is my choice.

[zesmum]

I had a Birth Plan for DD#1 which involved going into labour naturally, labouring in the Birth Centre, no drugs, no intervention unless absolutely necessary, active labour and spending some time in the bath and generally just a 'natural' and normal birth. The main reasons I wanted those options; better for bub, better recovery for myself and I thought that was the way that everyone gave birth, or should try to anyway. My innocent little dreams and idealistic notions were trashed pretty quickly as I got none of it... Labour was induced at 42 weeks, so no birth centre, with 3x lots of gel, ARM, syntocin drip, almost constant monitoring, an epidural and finally a em c/s.

When I got pg with DD#2, I was very keen for a VBAC. Same ideas as last time, better for me, better for bub but I was also a lot more prepared that things do not go to plan. One of my new reasons was just to avoid another c/s as with a 21 month old, recovering from a c/s was not a great option. Things went a bit better this time; still induced at 42 weeks with ARM but just one shot of pethidine was needed and I gave birth to our lovely 8lb 13oz bub by VBAC.

DS - ahhh! My dream birth... All the things I had dreamed for my birth with DD#1 finally happened; no drugs, no intervention, spontaneous labour, and a beautiful dream VBAC of my 9lb 5oz boy. I didn't have a set birth plan this time but still hoped for a drug-free, VBAC birth.

I never felt any pressure from any one on the type of birth I should have, it was all pressure on myself. I felt so pathetic after my c/s, not that I should have as there were not a lot of other options available, but I just felt so inadequate as a woman and as a mother. Having my VBAC with DD#2 healed most of the wounds and I honestly felt so much happier that things went the way I wanted. And after DS was born, I was just elated!!!

Don't know if that is what you meant or wanted to know, but hope it helps.

[Deadly Nik]

What type of labour/delivery did you have?

I had a vaginal delivery, very long.. but she finally came!, no tears or stitches which is one bonus of a long labour i suppose!... had peth, gas and eventually epi

Was it what you planned? If not, why?

I didnt really go in with a plan.. since it was my first birth i decided to go with the flow and make my decisions as i went along.. i did a lot of reading while pregnant, so i knew my options

Did you/do you want to - do things differently in subsequent labours/deliveries? Why?

DD was a very long labour- started 5pm on the sunday and i had her 8.58am on tues morning... i managed on pethedine and gas for a while before i opted for an epi- which my midwife even agree'd i needed as i was very tired.. (i still hadn't eaten either- i didnt feel like it)

This time round, i want to stay at home as long as humanly possible, as our hospital is so close that if i stood on our roof (don't worry! i'm not going to!) i could see it... i want to see how i go and hopefully not need an epi (but i am scared of tearing when pushing, and since i had the epi last time i could feel what i was doing, a lot of pressure, but not a huge amount of pain- bit worried that if i do it on my own i wont be able to control the push)... i also want to help the bub out once the head is out, but this also depends on the position i'm pushing in, as bub is currently really liking posterior.. and i delivered on hands and knees last time and found that comfortable, so may go for that again.

Of course this could go well and trully out the window as bub and i are now on daily monitoring until he/she decides to arrive, or they decide it NEEDS to come...

I am VERY interested in those that CHOSE to have c-sections and those that wanted to have a VBAC.

Sorry N/A for me...

[manda83]

Originally Posted by SalSam

Birth is beautiful, empowering, life changing and enjoyable for me. I love it and can't wait to do it again. I would have refused induction but that is my choice.

I was 40+2 (I think) and totally over it. I refused to leave the hospital without my baby in my arms. Thinking back, that was a terrible decision. I wish I just had of waited until I went into labour spontaneously. I was talked into having an epidural which I was dead against and therefore never really felt any contractions at all. Just a few little niggles during the day (after 2nd lot of gel). I basically spent my whole birth experience on my back, not feeling a thing.

zesmum - Exactly what I am after. Thankyou!

Deadly Nik - Stay off that roof! I hope you get the birth you want Thanks

Misssy - Thankyou for sharing

[Vanessa84]

OK this is my personal experiences. I’ve had a natural birth (albeit, induced) and an emergency c-section (which I know is not the same as a planned/scheduled/elective c-section).

My VB was so much better than my c-section. I had my waters broken and the drip, and also had an episiotomy, but was lucky enough not to need forceps or vacuum. It was only a 7 hour labour and only 10 mins of pushing I used the gas in the last 3 hours. I felt so empowered and proud of birthing my son, Nikolas. I felt like I was be strongest person in the world. It was the best feeling I’ve ever felt in my life. I really think it helped me bond with him much better and sooner than when I had my daughter, Nadia via c-section. I was able to walk around almost immediately and shower, which is a BIG deal. It felt so good to be clean and refreshed. With my daughter I wasn’t allowed out of bed for 4 days (although for a uncomplicated c-section it’s only 24 hours) and it was disgusting to be lying in blood and other ickyness. Not to mention I couldn’t properly hold Nadia or breastfeed her, or change her or anything. It all had to be done for me. It also didn’t feel real that she was mine. I felt so useless and pathetic. Everything had to be done for me.

With this third baby, I am hoping for a VBAC, but that is assuming I don’t get HELLP Syndrome again. If I do, and I need to have the baby early again, I’ll have no choice but a c-section, as they won’t induce me due to my previous c-section . I’m not feeling any pressure from anyone to have a VB, I just know from my experience it was SOOOOOO much better than my c-section. I would never wish that on anyone. I couldn’t do anything for 6-12 weeks after the birth because of the wound, which also meant I couldn’t lift my son , and I had to be so careful hugging him. I would love this to be a natural/spontaneous labour with no need for continuous monitoring like with my first birth. That was the one thing I didn’t like. It meant I couldn’t move around like I wanted to. Nik was also posterior so my back was killing and I really wanted to try different positions.

My only advice would be to educate yourself on c-sections, and VB’s – especially with interventions. Why were you induced the first time? What methods of induction did they use? I’ve heard gel is bad. Do you think it affected how it ended with forceps? I would never recommend a c-section to anyone who didn’t need it medically, this is both based on my personal experiences and those I know IRL, and the basic fact that it is MAJOR surgery and much harder to recover from than a VB. However, if you feel it is an option for you, I just encourage you to do heaps of reading and ask lots of questions to those who’ve had them (elective ones) and to your doctor.

[manda83]

Thanks Vanessa. I was induced because I wouldn't leave... as I said above, bad choice on my part. I had gel and the drip (I am pretty sure). Thinking about it I honestly think birthing on my back is what caused the episiotomy and forceps. I needed to be in bed (because of the epidural I was talked into), they couldn't get DD's heartbeat on the monitor so they needed to put a trace on her head and even then they kept losing it. Which is why the episi and forceps were needed. She came out crying and apgars were 9 and 9 so I don't think there was anything wrong with her at all. I feel that if I was allowed to birth without the epidural, in any position I was comfortable in, there would have been more chance they could have picked up her HB and I would have birthed without intervention (apart from induction). Another problem is that I am very much so overweight which also why they had trouble getting the HB and which is why they made me have an epidural (they didn't think I would be able to push her out and would need a c-section so they wanted to do the epi while a more experienced doc was there).

[Vanessa84]

Seems like they just wanted it to be easier for them! They tried to talk me into an epidural as well but I told them to get lost. I knew that lead to slower progression and higher chance of other interventions. I'm also very overweight, but that has nothing to do with your ability to birth your baby. The body does what it what designed to do.

[manda83]

That is exactly what I have been thinking! Which is why I want to hear other birth experiences. Now I just have to get UTD!!




Keep the stories coming ladies

[Vanessa84]

Fingers crossed it's this month!!! And you get the birth experience you want!