Deciding between a natural birth or planned c-section: Pros & cons?

R

RileyC

Registered User
Hi

I'm pregnant with my first child and I'm feeling rather overwhelmed by all the decisions that have to be made (like choosing an OB-GYN) and planning that needs to be done (booking hospitals etc.)

I always imagined that I'd go with a natural birth, but now that I'm actually pregnant, I'm not so sure anymore. As far as I know, there's nothing about my current health or medical condition which requires me to have a C-section, but the idea of being able to "plan" the delivery date and have some control over the length of the "delivery" is kind of reassuring.

My mother had a natural delivery and from the stories she's told me (with me she was in labour for 17 hours and lost a lot of blood), I'm pretty frightened with the idea of giving birth naturally. I also know another person who had a natural delivery and now suffers from permanent urinary incontinence meaning that she sometimes wets the bed at night. Although I'm not sure what causes urinary incontinence, the idea that it may somehow be linked to natural births freaks me out.

What have been your thoughts and experiences for natural birth/ C-sections? If you have a C-section, what healing time is required for the scar? Is the scar small? Is the scar hidden from view if you wear a bikini?

Thanks in advance for sharing!
 
c-sections ARE routine, but there is nothing about them that makes them anything other than a MAJOR surgery. there is nothing comforting about being strapped "christ-like" to the table, with IV's, BP monitors, medication tubes etc connected to you, not to mention the catheter... you are splayed open in front of an entire operating room full of doctors and nurses. there is nothing soothing about the array of lights shining down on you, it actually reminded me of being abducted by aliens having them experimenting on you... and to top it all off...you cannot hold your child immediately afterwards as you are strapped down and medicated.

incisions can get infected and be extraordinarily painful. it is difficult to move the day afterward. it's uncomfortable to even roll over in bed. you often end up resorting to using a bed pan. you can't bend down and often need the nurses to help you with picking up your baby.

not only that, but epidurals, which is commonly used for c-sections, do not always affect people the same way. for my first c-section, i COULD FEEL what was happening. it felt like they were trying to touch my belly button to the ceiling! it was excruciating!

i had 2 c-sections: the first was an emergency. the second was planned (didn't have any choice of a vaginal/natural birth as there were too many complications).

PLEASE do NOT think of a c-section as being an EASY solution... it is NOT! it is a complicated MEDICAL SURGERY and should be thought of as such.
 
Definitely the decision to have a c-section should not be taken lightly. There can be complications with c-sections too. One of my friends collapsed several years after her c-section and had to have an operation to remove surgical adhesions. Here is some further info on adhesions: http://www.pregnancy-info.net/c-section_adhesions.html. I had a natural delivery (although with epidural) and am really happy with the choice. I was up and about within hours. The actual delivery was a bit painful, but most of labour was not due to the epidural.

By the way, some incontinence issues are related not to the birth, but the pelvic floor getting stretched due to pregnancy itself.
 
Carang and Portia, thanks for sharing your experiences with me. I find it more helpful and insightful to get first-hand info from other mothers.

Carang, wow your first C-section sounds scary! I realise that C-sections are not to be taken lightly and that's why I wanted to hear what other people have to say so that I can make an informed decision. In fact, I'm generally against having surgery unless it's medically indicated. Maybe the pregnancy hormones are making me freak out about a natural birth! LOL

And Portia, I haven't heard about adhesions before until you brought it up, so thanks for that. Interesting article.
 
You're welcome. I just think that sometimes the OBs here don't give full information out. My cousin had on OBs who told her that if she did not plan to have a c-section then he would not take her on as a patient as he does not delivery babies naturally! It's really shocking that she was made to choose this at the first visit. I would have found another doctor, but she went along with it and I'm sure she was never told the pros and cons.
 
I had a c-section, and in addition to what Carang experienced, I felt a little bit like cheated and didn't feel any bonding toward my baby after born.... I mean, I was on the table feeling nothing, seeing nothing (because of the curtain). When my doctor told me that my baby was born, I was like "hhhmmmm...... ok, how come I don't hear him cry?".. Actually they were sucking his mocus, but even when he started crying, I felt nothing. When they showed him to me, I wasn't excited either... I mean, it could have been someone's else baby!!! he was like a total stranger to me.

After few pictures, they took the baby away from me and I didn't get to see him again till the next day.... I didn't miss him at all!.. I started breastfeeding him on the next day, and did as long as I could... but I really got bonded to him much later.
 
Apart from getting views on here, do as much research as possible about both natural and c sections so that you are fully informed before you make a decision. I'm guessing you are only just pregnant if you haven't chosen an Ob yet so you have plenty of time. There is heaps available, including many past posts with links on this site. As Portia said you sadly won't always get full or accurate information even from OBs as they all have their own biases.
I was the complete opposite to you, I wanted to avoid a c section if i possible as I hated the idea of major surgery. Luckily I managed to do this, but I hadn't realised how important it was to research my ob (luckily i picked one who was very supportive of natural birth but i didn't realise that at the time) and the hospital policies in particular and it think it is even more critical in Hong Kong where some of the hospitals seem to have very different policies to Western hospitals.
 
RileyC, I had a c-section and it was absolutely fine. Very straightforward. I had no choice as I broke my pelvis and one of my hips in a car accident many years ago so couldn't deliver naturally. I was really worried about it but actually it went very well. You are strapped down and it is quite clinical but I didn't have any problems during the procedure (it is all over with very quickly) and no problems at all bonding with my baby. They brought my baby straight over to my husband and I. My husband held him though I could not - could only see him, but as soon as I was in the recovery room they brought him to me. In terms of recovery, I had a lot of pain at first but it only lasted for the first 24 hours - I had morphine for the first 24 hours but not even oral pain killers after that - and I discharged from hospital after two days as I was up and about and fit to leave already. It is major surgery though and it takes 6 weeks before you are healed completely. Unfortunately I didn't have the choice of a natural birth, but I just wanted to give you another perspective on c-section because it isn't always that terrible.
 
Maybe make an appointment with Hulda at Annerley or Yvonne Heavyside at Family Zone. They will be able to tell you about hospitals, doctors, birthing, etc. We made an initial appointment with Hulda and she is a midwife/doula. She is soooo knowledgeable. I wanted to have natural, but knew if there were complications, I would trust the doctors in charge. We went public and had regular appointments with a private doctor. A lot of is also involves you and your belief in yourself as having babies is a natural and beautiful thing and c-sections are there for a reason. They shouldn't be routine unless medically indicated. The WHO recommends c-section rates should be 10% and in HK and most western countries, it's closer to 45%. Just be knowledgeable before you decide anything. A really great documentary is the Business of Being Born...it gives you some good information and that you do have choice...maybe not exactly the same in HK, but at least you can see what the system does that might not always be in the best interests of you and your baby. HOpe that makes sense.
 
no, c-sections are not terrible.

BUT there seems, in hk especially, to be this idea that it's the "easy" way to have a baby without pain. that is NOT the case. it is a MAJOR surgery that should NOT be entered into lightly... which, to me, seems to escape many women in hk... and the doctors, too!

of course, there are c-sections that have no complications and where the mother is fine the day afterwards. the same can be said for natural/vaginal childbirth.

it really irks me when people choose a c-section because they are afraid of the pain or because they can choose the date. c-sections should be used when medically necessary, like for you and for me....

and yes, i DID feel a little jipped by the fact that i have NEVER even felt a single contraction , have since gotten over this feeling!LOL!

anyway, there are horror stories about both forms of child birth. there are also wonderful stories about both kinds of childbirth. canvasing for others' experience may not be the way to go if you want to make an informed decision... and it's a decision that does NOT need to be made immediately anyway. you have months ahead of you!

in the end, the ONLY thing that matters is that your child and you survive the experience, what ever form of birth, happy or at least, healthy!
 
my 2 cents. I think alot of women make child birth stories almost like war stories... everything gets amplified as time goes by... if you can have a natural delivery, why not? here's another great reason... ITS SOO MUCH CHEAPER esp at private hospitals.

I wanted to have a natural delivery right up till wk 38 but baby was breech and these days most doctors would rather not deliver naturally in that situation (lack of experience on their part, higher risk involved)

My c section was very uneventful and but I think recovery was harder as you have to be so mindful of infections and the like. and I second the other mums; at the end of the day, the little one in your arms is really all that matters.
 
If you do decide to go natural, I can highly recommend doing a hypnobirthing course to help calm your fears about natural childbirth. Even if you don't fully subscribe to the hypnobirthing model (which advocates completely intervention-free, calm childbirth), it may help you to address some of your fears surrounding the idea of vaginal birth & it gives you some very good coping techniques (breathing etc.). I'm sure there are other things out there that teach you similarly, but this is the one i have experience with!
 
there was NOTHING amplified about what i wrote... actually, i toned it down, didn't mention the terrible infection that set in afterwards... i remember it like it was yesterday. i cried through the entire operation. the anesthetist's assistant spent the entire operation drying my eyes and wiping my nose.

for my second, i delivered under general anesthesia and slept through the entire process. it was by far the easier of the two births. however, there are more possibilities of complications etc under general anesthesia. it's also more difficult on the baby. my daughter had to be put into special care for 24 hours because her reaction times were delayed due to anesthesia. it also took me A LOT longer, read: months, to bond with her....

i REALLY don't think that women exaggerate their birth stories, even when they're not good stories. that is doing those of us that experienced bad deliveries a MAJOR disservice and i think it is uncalled for.
 
I had 2 c-sections and thought the second has been much better in terms of recovery, I have to say that they ARE terrible. After my first, I was in shock at how much pain I was in and how so many women chose this as a preferred method of delivery. With my second it was better, maybe bc it was planned and I was expecting it, but those first 24 hours were pretty bad. I was so jealous of the natural delivery women who just sprung back to life just hours after having a baby.
 
Try to surround yourself with positive birth stories, but also be informed. C-sections are major abdominal surgeries so to have one just because you want your baby on a certain date or you think it will be too painful to push, may not be the best reason to have a c-section. They are there for medical reasons and doctors that have to perform it are good at their jobs. The most important thing is having a healthy baby whether or not you do it naturally or you end up having to have a c-section. WATCH THE BUSINESS OF BEING BORN!
 
To be perfectly honest... I really don't understand why Dr's give us the option of how we want our babies to be born, unless of course it's medically necessary.

Our bodies were created to give birth the natural way... and our babies will come when they are ready (granted I know some come too early), so to me a scheduled c-section just seems like it's all about the convenience for the parents and Dr's and not what's best for the baby. And while c-sections are a routine surgery, they are still a major surgery but that side of the details never seem to be discussed by the Dr's/nurse's here but maybe that's just my experience.

I have 3 children. The first natural with epidural, the second was a planned c-section though it wasn't planned until 36wks when the nurses were convinced I couldn't deliver him because of his size (4.5k), and my third was a VBAC with gas. Of all the issues I had with all 3 deliveries, the only one I would do-over is his. The process was scary to me and the recovery was much more painful, harder, much longer and after my 3rd (who also was about 4.3k) I realize was unnecessary.

The benefit to me for my son was I thought i wouldn't have to deal with labor but lucky me went into labor 3hrs before my surgery so I still dealt with labor pains.

I do know that planned c-sections usually mean a delivery 1/2wks before you expected due date but I think you need to be cautious with that as well because due dates are just that... expected. I know a few moms who planned c-sections and the babies were very obviously not ready for birth but again I'm sure that's not the norm.

There's no guarantees for any delivery. And as everyone has said, what matters most is that you and baby are healthy. And if you want natural, there's a lot of help/support out there to help you cope and make it a wonderful experience. It's normal to worry about the delivery but don't let it consume you... especially at this point. You've got a lot of wonderful moments ahead to experience!
 
I've had two babies naturally - and by naturally, I mean induced with epidurals (some people only use the term "natural" to mean "with no drugs/intervention" - I don't mean it like that). Both experiences were bearable, pain-wise - and I recovered quickly. I was up and walking soon after, with my second, I was discharged just about 15-18 hours after she was born. The first time I had an episiotomy which was the hardest part of my recovery as it was quite painful - so the second time I opted not to have that done. I did have a second degree tear but it wasn't very painful at all, and it healed up very quickly. Even after just two weeks, it was just about back to normal.

I personally can NOT understand why people would choose to have an elective C-section. Even if you don't want the pain, you have the option of an epidural and can have the best of both worlds - a relatively painless delivery AND a fast recovery. And if you REALLY want to plan the date, you can even schedule an induction (although I wouldn't recommend that - it does make the early stages of labour more painful and has a higher chance of needing an emergency C section).

Just my 2c
 
One thing that women who had c-sections talk about is not being able to hold thier baby just after birth and someone above mentioned not feeling anything while the baby was out. I had a natural delivery and really, I felt nothing either, even when the baby was placed on my chest. I remember thinking - this is strange, I should be feeling something but all I felt was mild curiosity. I felt that rush of bonding when they brought the baby to me four hours later after I had had some sleep and he latched on to my breast.

I had an epistiomy and I also had pain rolling over, moving etc. It's been nearly three months, and I still have pain! I've heard women with c-sections recover faster.

I am also slightly amused when women say they felt regret having not experienced labour pains. Really, they are horrific! In my opinion, the whole experience of natural birth is the most violent and painful experience one would ever volunteer for.

HOWEVER, even though I sometimes say "if there's ever a second baby, I'll have a c-sec", I know I wouldn't. Not unless it was medically necessary. The natural way was how it was intended, and been perfected over years of evolution. So unless there is some danger to mother or baby, I think its the way to go. And as Nicole pointed out, there's always epidurals. Though even epidurals have there effects, and you should be aware of them. Halfway during labour I was screaming for an epirdural, which being a public hospital they didn't give me. In the end, I'm glad I managed without (the nurses were very motherly and kept up these delaying tactics) but next time around, I will plan it so that I have the option of it if it gets too bad. I was induced so don't know if that had something to do with the intensity of pain.

My advice would be - go natural, unless your doctor advices a c-section for medical reasons - and have an epidural on standby.
 
i've had 2 natural births and for my 3rd will have a natural too - to be honest, i've never quite experienced something so painful BUT luckily for us, there is epidural...really no shame in using it! i had my 1st one at matilda and the anesthesiologist there (dr Ooi? - he's in house) was great - you felt the urge to pushm but didn't feel so much pain. i had 2 top ups before i actually had the baby - no problem there!

if you're physically unable to have a natural birth, then there's nothing wrong with a c-section, but sometimes i wonder why doctors even allow one to have electie c-sections if it is not medically necessary. the recovery time (from what I've heard) is about 2mths for c-section but for natural it's within a week. i was up and about 4 hours after giving birth to take a shower (yes - against the will of my MIL!!! :) ) but, hey, I NEEDED my shower!
 
I had both of my girls at the public hospital too and I asked for an epidural AS SOON AS I got into the delivery ward. With my first, I had very little pain and probably could have managed NOT getting an epidural - I more got it because I felt like my labour would progress better if I was more rested and relaxed - and that WAS the case for me. With my second, I had to wait a little longer and was quite uncomfortable - particularly because I wasn't able to change position at ALL due to them wanting to closely monitor my baby and there was only ONE spot where they could get her heartbeat.

There will be people who have fast recoveries from C section and people who have slow recoveries from natural births - but in GENERAL, a natural birth will normally have an easier recovery than a C section.
 
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