[Humphrey2011]

Curiosity question....

If you have private health insurance, can you elect to have a c-section even if their is no medical reason why you would need one. My friend is trying to fall pregnant and is under the impression that as she will be having the baby through a private hospital, she will be able to ask for a c-section just because she wants one. Is this the case? I always thought that you would still need a darn good reason to elect to have a c-section, not just because you don't want to go through the pain of labour. I went through the public system with my bub so I really don't know the ins and outs of the private system.

[3_for_me]

Yep, find an ob who is happy to do an elective caesar and shes in.

[Mumof32b!]

Yep my SIL did twice.

[*bibs*]

Yes, I had an elective c/s after two natural births in a public hospital.
I did not have it for medical reasons more because of an extremely traumatic previous birth.

Wonderful experience for me.

[jules77]

I believe she would just need to find an OB that would be happy to fulfil her wishes (you need to be under the care of an OB in private hospitals).

At one stage (pre-birth jitters, after remember what it was like with DS1!!) I asked my OB whether an CS would be a better option and he said that I definitely did not 'want' one....as it turned out, I had a super fast ,non-complicated and great labour and birth.

[BeagleBoy]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't recovery from a c-section take a lot longer and is quite painful for quite a while? Does your friend realise it's not just, cut open - get baby out - stitch up, and voila! no pain, no tenderness, no restrictions??

I understand some women have a genuine, crippling fear of childbirth, but there's got to be a bit more perspective for those who just 'dont want to deal with labour'

[Azadel]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't recovery from a c-section take a lot longer and is quite painful for quite a while? Does your friend realise it's not just, cut open - get baby out - stitch up, and voila! no pain, no tenderness, no restrictions??

I understand some women have a genuine, crippling fear of childbirth, but there's got to be a bit more perspective for those who just 'dont want to deal with labour'

That's true, but I had an instrumental c-section four months ago where they broke one of my ribs trying to get DS's 39cm head out. Very sore recovery, but now I'm running several times a week, I'd never know anything had happened if not for my scar.

There are women who still have problems with stitches six months, a year after vaginal delivery. It's not always black and white, c-section bad, vaginal birth easy.

[mudder]

Yes you most certainly can.

[Humphrey2011]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't recovery from a c-section take a lot longer and is quite painful for quite a while? Does your friend realise it's not just, cut open - get baby out - stitch up, and voila! no pain, no tenderness, no restrictions??

I understand some women have a genuine, crippling fear of childbirth, but there's got to be a bit more perspective for those who just 'dont want to deal with labour'

TBH, I don't think she does realise what the recovery of a c-section involves, this will be her first baby. Hopefully she'll do lots of research before she commits to going down that path.

Thanks everyone, you learn something new every day!

[Humphrey2011]

That's true, but I had an instrumental c-section four months ago where they broke one of my ribs trying to get DS's 39cm head out. Very sore recovery, but now I'm running several times a week, I'd never know anything had happened if not for my scar.

There are women who still have problems with stitches six months, a year after vaginal delivery. It's not always black and white, c-section bad, vaginal birth easy.

Ah yes, I thought that because I was having a vaginal birth that my recovery would be quick and easy. How naive was I!