I read Daily Mail Online (for my sins) and one article caught my eye. The headline was: "Pregnant women opt for Caesareans because 'they are afraid of poor care' during natural birth, says leading midwife".
This really upset me. The fact that people are worried about the care that they are going to receive in a hospital. Surely they'll get the best treatment?
I fell pregnant totally by surprise and I'll admit, I didn't give a Caesarean section a second thought. I thought "I'll go into labour, have the baby (via water birth) and go home" but that didn't happen. I did need an emergency section and it wasn't the best experience I've ever had. The staff were amazing though. I was in hospital for 10 days post-birth and I never had a negative encounter with a member of staff.
After my Caesarean, I was very sore afterwards and struggled to do anything. Showering in hospital was the worst. A midwife kindly offered to help me shower but I politely declined out of pride (she did have to help me put my knickers on though!). I couldn't move about in bed to get comfortable, walking was a chore and bending down to deal with C was awful. I sometimes even felt that I didn't even give birth to C and that it was 'cheating'.
I think some people forget that a Caesarean section is major abdominal surgery and it does take a long time to recover. Knowing the recovery time and pain, I cannot fathom why someone would opt for that without a medical reason. I understand that some people may be totally against me on that and if you are, please leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts.
In any subsequent pregnancy that I have, I will probably need another Caesarean unless every little aspect of the pregnancy is 100% perfect and that really upsets me. There's nothing I want more than to give birth to a child naturally and to experience that feeling. I'll probably never get my water birth but I do hope I get my natural delivery next time.
This really upset me. The fact that people are worried about the care that they are going to receive in a hospital. Surely they'll get the best treatment?
I fell pregnant totally by surprise and I'll admit, I didn't give a Caesarean section a second thought. I thought "I'll go into labour, have the baby (via water birth) and go home" but that didn't happen. I did need an emergency section and it wasn't the best experience I've ever had. The staff were amazing though. I was in hospital for 10 days post-birth and I never had a negative encounter with a member of staff.
After my Caesarean, I was very sore afterwards and struggled to do anything. Showering in hospital was the worst. A midwife kindly offered to help me shower but I politely declined out of pride (she did have to help me put my knickers on though!). I couldn't move about in bed to get comfortable, walking was a chore and bending down to deal with C was awful. I sometimes even felt that I didn't even give birth to C and that it was 'cheating'.
I think some people forget that a Caesarean section is major abdominal surgery and it does take a long time to recover. Knowing the recovery time and pain, I cannot fathom why someone would opt for that without a medical reason. I understand that some people may be totally against me on that and if you are, please leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts.
In any subsequent pregnancy that I have, I will probably need another Caesarean unless every little aspect of the pregnancy is 100% perfect and that really upsets me. There's nothing I want more than to give birth to a child naturally and to experience that feeling. I'll probably never get my water birth but I do hope I get my natural delivery next time.
Oh honey I can totally relate. The same thing happened to me. Emergency csecton as Ted wouldnt turn and his shoulders were locked. spent weeks after feeling like I hadnt given birth, couldnt connect Ted as being the same baby I had in my tummy. Sobbed my heart out when a friend posted a quote about hee sons first breath taking hers away as Ted was whisked into a corner while I was sewn up. I was only in for 2 days as I couldn't sleep in the hospital with screaming babies...Ted barely cried but man did the other babies. I wrote a post about my experience..http://late-for-reality.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/if-only-id-knownwhat-could-go-wrong.html?m=1
ReplyDeleteI opted for a c-section.
ReplyDeleteMy reasons were completely nothing to do with care in the NHS though!!! I don't really understand how that midwife can state that's the reason as regardless of whether you have a c section or a natural birth - you're still going to be receiving hospital care?! In fact, as you know, you're more likely to need MORE care in hospital after a c-section - so that reasoning makes no sense to me.
Anyway! I opted for a c-section because I have major anxiety and a crippling phobia of death (bizzare, I know) and in my mind a c-section felt far more controlled and safe because I was in the hands of capable surgeons and I knew exactly what would be involved - whereas the unknown-ness of natural birth (not knowing when it would be, not knowing whether or not it would end up in emergency c-section, ventrousse, forceps, etc) was too much for me and the thought of it gave me huge panic attacks.
I also have a medical condition which I stupidly googled early on in pregnancy, and read that the risk of death during natural birth was higher for people with the condition - so once that thought had been implanted in my mind I was convinced I would die during childbirth!
I had to REALLY fight to be allowed to have an elective c-section but I'm so glad I did - from speaking to different people, I think the experience of a planned section is a million miles away from an emergency section.
Obviously an emergency section is done in much more of a hurry, in pressured circumstances where something has already gone wrong - the patient isn't mentally prepared for it either.
With my planned section, the whole experience was really relaxed and went so smoothly - I couldnt quite believe it!
I was up and walking around the next morning, and was home the following day - I never had much pain at all, I was doing a grocery shop after 3 days post-op. 11 weeks on I haven't had any problems with recovery at all, its been so much better than I expected from reading up on it.
Obviously the experience will be different for everybody, but for me personally a c-section was 100% the right option.
Hayley
Sparkles &
Stretchmarks
xxx
Late for Reality, I'll pop over and read yours now! Yes, the surgeons held him up briefly and he was straight to NICU and I couldn't get to see him for 2 days as I was on a drip and couldn't get upstairs! I think that made me feel more like I hadn't given birth. I didn't spend a night with him until he was 3 weeks old x
ReplyDeleteHayley, thank you for your comment! I hope I didn't come across as though I was attacking you for your choice! I just have never spoken to a woman who has opted for it with no medical reason so thank you for letting me have some insight! I'm really glad that everything went smoothly for you! Amazing that you were up and about so soon (I'm jealous!) took me ages but then again, I was sick myself x
ReplyDeleteWith Annabelle I also opted for a c-section. However, I'm with Hayley with regards to my reasoning had nothing to do with the NHS either.
ReplyDeleteMine was for practicality reasons {as much as I hate to admit that}. And also with 4 previous children I've experienced the premature labours, normal deliveries, emergency c-sections, complications and more. So really another reason alongside the elective c-section was I really didn't need to put my body through all of that again.
In agreement with Hayley again, a planned c-section is soooo much more relaxed an being rushed into theatre {which I experienced twice}. I rememeber being asked to change into a backless gown {classy!} and to just relax...as if you can knowing your about to be open on a table and have your baby born that very day!! But other couples came in and we just chatted away...and then it was my turn!
However with my other c-sections I never got to hold my boys. Ethan was put into an incubator as he was 6wk early and then Jacob just had a few breathing issues. However with Belle they put her onto me until I started to go downhill.
But I have to admit, the planned c-section worked for us, as we didn't have anyone to take the other kids on you know. Was the right decision for us also. xx