Debating Planned C-Section v. Vaginal Birth (1st child)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's a major surgery op why would you put yourself through that if you don't have to? Lots of scar tissue can form too. No way.

Lol said the poster who didn’t read the previous post. A bad vaginal birth can cause tons of scar tissue. I tore my cervix. That can cause issues getting pregnant again. My good friend had horrible tearing and needed over 50 stitches.

You also really can’t prevent yourself from tearing or getting scar tissue in a vaginal birth, despite the bull about doing perineal massage ahead of time. It’s a roll of the dice! Consider where you’d prefer to risk having scar tissue. Inside your area where you pee and poop and have sex and wear tampons? Or on your lower abdomen and on your uterus?

Also, plenty of women who have to have emergency C sections don’t get to choose to avoid major surgery. There’s often not a lot of choice in a complicated birth, and when baby is not coming moms often do not have any say if they are having a vacuum, forceps, episiotomy, or a C if they want their child to arrive safely and healthy.

DP. I'm really sorry your delivery was so rough and has caused such lasting damage. But that level of difficulty isn't the norm for a vaginal birth, just like the more severe risks of c-section (adhesions, hemorrhage, infection) aren't common, either.
Women should understand the risks of both forms of delivery, but they should also understand that such extreme complications aren't common.
I do agree that prolonged pushing, forceps, vacuum, etc has a much higher potential for lasting damage, though.

It is this kind of dismissiveness that perpetuates women going into birth blind and thinking that these kind of injuries are rare. It perpetuates shame among women who experience such injuries and then are told when they share their experience and try to warn others of what they were not warned about and felt blindsided by that their experience was a blip, an anomaly, and that they are some rare freak who just got really unlucky (versus being a part of a community of women worldwide that are millions strong.)

Incidence of 4th degree tears: 3 percent
Incidence of 3rd degree tears: 6 percent
Incidence of levator ani avulsion: 10-40 percent
Incidence of prolapse: 40 percent
Incidence of obstetric anal sphincter injury: 6 percent
Etc etc

I’m sorry but 1 in 20, 1 in 10, 4 in 10, means these injuries are in fact common. However they are shrouded in secrecy and I’m tired of women like you trying to stop these conversations and dismiss other women’s actual experiences. The full spectrum of outcomes needs to be shared with expectant moms so they can make informed choices. It’s not an informed choice to only hear how great vaginal
Birth is and how bad C sections are. C section surgery is major abdominal surgery, but so is pelvic floor reconstructive surgery, fistula repair surgery, bladder slings, posterior and anterior repairs, hysterectomies, and all the other corrective surgeries women suffer through in an attempt to repair injuries from vaginal delivery.

[Anonymous]

I had a medicated vaginal birth for my first and a c section for my 2nd. Neither was easy but the recovery with the c section was much more difficult and I still hate the scar (which they objectively did a great job on!). And I still have weird numbness around the site 4 years later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's a major surgery op why would you put yourself through that if you don't have to? Lots of scar tissue can form too. No way.

Lol said the poster who didn’t read the previous post. A bad vaginal birth can cause tons of scar tissue. I tore my cervix. That can cause issues getting pregnant again. My good friend had horrible tearing and needed over 50 stitches.

You also really can’t prevent yourself from tearing or getting scar tissue in a vaginal birth, despite the bull about doing perineal massage ahead of time. It’s a roll of the dice! Consider where you’d prefer to risk having scar tissue. Inside your area where you pee and poop and have sex and wear tampons? Or on your lower abdomen and on your uterus?

Also, plenty of women who have to have emergency C sections don’t get to choose to avoid major surgery. There’s often not a lot of choice in a complicated birth, and when baby is not coming moms often do not have any say if they are having a vacuum, forceps, episiotomy, or a C if they want their child to arrive safely and healthy.

DP. I'm really sorry your delivery was so rough and has caused such lasting damage. But that level of difficulty isn't the norm for a vaginal birth, just like the more severe risks of c-section (adhesions, hemorrhage, infection) aren't common, either.
Women should understand the risks of both forms of delivery, but they should also understand that such extreme complications aren't common.
I do agree that prolonged pushing, forceps, vacuum, etc has a much higher potential for lasting damage, though.

It is this kind of dismissiveness that perpetuates women going into birth blind and thinking that these kind of injuries are rare. It perpetuates shame among women who experience such injuries and then are told when they share their experience and try to warn others of what they were not warned about and felt blindsided by that their experience was a blip, an anomaly, and that they are some rare freak who just got really unlucky (versus being a part of a community of women worldwide that are millions strong.)

Incidence of 4th degree tears: 3 percent
Incidence of 3rd degree tears: 6 percent
Incidence of levator ani avulsion: 10-40 percent
Incidence of prolapse: 40 percent
Incidence of obstetric anal sphincter injury: 6 percent
Etc etc

I’m sorry but 1 in 20, 1 in 10, 4 in 10, means these injuries are in fact common. However they are shrouded in secrecy and I’m tired of women like you trying to stop these conversations and dismiss other women’s actual experiences. The full spectrum of outcomes needs to be shared with expectant moms so they can make informed choices. It’s not an informed choice to only hear how great vaginal
Birth is and how bad C sections are. C section surgery is major abdominal surgery, but so is pelvic floor reconstructive surgery, fistula repair surgery, bladder slings, posterior and anterior repairs, hysterectomies, and all the other corrective surgeries women suffer through in an attempt to repair injuries from vaginal delivery.

I don't think I was dismissive. Im sorry if you feel that way. But the MAJORITY of vaginal and Caesarian births do not result in major complications. Majority, as in more than 50%. Women need to understand the risks of BOTH. Pretty sure I said exactly that in my previous comment.
I don't care how someone gives birth. The goal is both a healthy baby AND a healthy mom. I had 2 vaginal deliveries and got lucky that I had no issues. But I certainly don't hold vaginal deliveries up as the gold standard way of doing it, just like I assume you can accept that C section isn't necessarily a perfect, risk-free method, either. Right? There's no easy way of getting another human being out of your body. Period.

[Anonymous]

Have a little more empathy PP. 50 percent is a roll of the dice. You got lucky with your births. “I’m sorry if you feel that way” is not an apology, and it’s rude.

You are right, there is no easy way to birth a child. However, at 40 years old the OP is much more likely to end up having a C section even if she wanted a vaginal birth, she’s at a much greater risk of levator ani avulsion than if she were at a younger age, and she’s at a greater risk for complications. If it’s a pretty high likelihood that your birth may end up with an emergency C section, it’s a reasonable choice for her to decide to avoid a trial of labor and just have a scheduled C. The risks for a planned C are far less than an emergency C.

[Anonymous]

PP here. OP sharing this article for you, it’s what I wish I had known before I had a vaginal delivery. Obviously there are many factors to consider here but having a functional pelvic floor for the rest of your life should be one of them.

https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/vaginal-delivery-and-pelvic-floor-outcomes-levator-ani-injury

“The likelihood of levator ani trauma during delivery is also strongly related to advanced maternal age at first vaginal delivery. Levator ani injury occurrence increases with increasing maternal age at first vaginal delivery.1 Studies documented a 15% probability for levator ani injury in women at age 20 compared to a 50% probability at age 40.”

[Anonymous]

Nature came up with a way to do this that is best for you and the baby. Why mess with it??
I don’t believe in using modern medicine unless absolutely necessary, because there are no free lunches in life. My best friend had C-sections and both of her kids have developmental issues. I believe here babies were taken out too early, and anyway it’s a rough way for a baby to enter the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks for all of this feedback. My OB said she would schedule a C-section if I want one. Curious to hear more from women who had planned c’s on recovery time, level of pain, complications, etc.

I am not wrapped up in the “v birth” badge of honor or “natural way,” really I just want the best long term outcome for my pelvic floor and sex life after delivery.

Me, me, me. I pity your child…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nature came up with a way to do this that is best for you and the baby. Why mess with it??
I don’t believe in using modern medicine unless absolutely necessary, because there are no free lunches in life. My best friend had C-sections and both of her kids have developmental issues. I believe here babies were taken out too early, and anyway it’s a rough way for a baby to enter the world.

Since we are dealing in anecdotes, both of my C section babies hit all the milestones early. I don’t think delivery method impacts developmental issues.

[Anonymous]

LOVED my c-section. No regrets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a little more empathy PP. 50 percent is a roll of the dice. You got lucky with your births. “I’m sorry if you feel that way” is not an apology, and it’s rude.

You are right, there is no easy way to birth a child. However, at 40 years old the OP is much more likely to end up having a C section even if she wanted a vaginal birth, she’s at a much greater risk of levator ani avulsion than if she were at a younger age, and she’s at a greater risk for complications. If it’s a pretty high likelihood that your birth may end up with an emergency C section, it’s a reasonable choice for her to decide to avoid a trial of labor and just have a scheduled C. The risks for a planned C are far less than an emergency C.

No, it really was an honest apology. I'm not some "vaginal birth only" nutcase.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks for all of this feedback. My OB said she would schedule a C-section if I want one. Curious to hear more from women who had planned c’s on recovery time, level of pain, complications, etc.

I am not wrapped up in the “v birth” badge of honor or “natural way,” really I just want the best long term outcome for my pelvic floor and sex life after delivery.

Then don’t nurse either. You sound incredibly selfish and not worthy of being a mother.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thanks for all of this feedback. My OB said she would schedule a C-section if I want one. Curious to hear more from women who had planned c’s on recovery time, level of pain, complications, etc.

I am not wrapped up in the “v birth” badge of honor or “natural way,” really I just want the best long term outcome for my pelvic floor and sex life after delivery.

Then don’t nurse either. You sound incredibly selfish and not worthy of being a mother.

Just stop. Ffs.

[Anonymous]

I read that a large number of ob-gyns have planned c-sections when delivering their own kids, for the exact same reason your friend wants to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read that a large number of ob-gyns have planned c-sections when delivering their own kids, for the exact same reason your friend wants to.

I can also think of two physicians that had scheduled C sections too.

[Anonymous]

Hospitals get a compliance ding for C sessions performed without a valid reason.
I had both and agree- C section was easier recovery, certainly a shorter recovery.