[Joza]

Hey all,
So I have made the hard decision to have this baby via elective c-section, after a really traumatic birth with my little boy, that ended in an emergency ceaser.
I have been reading all types of birth stories and I haven't found many positive elective c-sec stories. The majority are all vag births.
I am hoping for skin to skin with bub, and baby not leaving me. Am hoping for DH to get to cut the cord and announce the sex. Am hoping for first BF within a short time, not hours later. We didn't get ANY of this with my Son
I am copping flak from everyone that I am not giving my body a chance and I am taking the 'easy' option, so I would love some reassurance that there are great elective c-sec birth stories out there!
So, please share if you would!!
Jo x

[Hooray Henry]

Yes, I've had 2 c sections, my 2nd in particular was a really positive experience. I had a fantastic OB who encouraged me to write a birth plan/list of requests. I was able to discover my baby's sex myself, have skin to skin contact in theatre, and keep her with me until I was taken to recovery (sadly my hospital wouldn't allow her to stay with me there)

It's definitely possible to have a wonderful c section birth!

[almostfamous]

Hi OP, I've had 3 CSecs and they were all fantastic! My first 2 were breech babies and my 3rd, transverse.

Only on the birth of my 1st child were they taken away from me (in nsw) however in QLD with my 2nd and 3rd births, they didn't leave me and I was able to have skin-skin contact etc. My DH cut all of their cords. One of the nurses took photos when they pulled No 3 out, which was great, we didnt have the option with the first 2.

All 3 of my births went smoothly, and I enjoyed it all! All the best with your upcoming birth!

[mintpatty]

After an emergency caesar with my daughter (pre-eclampsia), I was planning to go vaginal with my son.

Due to blood pressure issues again I had been in hospital for 4 days before being discharged. The day after I was discharged I had to go back to the hospital for monitoring. While being monitored, I started contracting and was told to head up to maternity. When I got there, my ob happened to be standing at the desk. She asked me what I wanted to do. There and then I opted for a caesar. I had already spent 4 days in hospital, I didn't want to be messed around any more if the labour stopped. An hour and a half later my son was born.

The intersting twist was, that when my son was born he had alread passed meconium. In light of that my doctor told me that having the caesar was probably a very good decision.

Good luck!

[Emily Thorne]

Hi, I haven't had one, but a lot of my friends have had emergency C sections the first time and then electives the second time. They have only had good tales to tell, particularly in that the recovery is better because you haven't been through (in lots of cases) almost a full exhausting labour first.

You'll get better first hand accounts than this, but I just wanted to add that aspect too. All the best with the birth x

[Klinkalink]

I had an elective C/S with DS, and it was a great experience for me. The theatre staff put on a party-like atmosphere and even sang 'Happy Birthday' when DS came out. I think it helped that I had a very jovial Ob and I was lucky to have no complications from the op or the recovery. I wasn't looking forward to having a Caesar, but looking back it was a really fun day.

This post has been edited by Klinkalink: 15/01/2012, 03:19 PM

[kh79]

After a very stressful and co located pregnancy I decided to elect to have a csection.

I have a private ob in a public hospital. It was the most fantastic experience an i would do it all over again the same if I ever have another child.

Bub was with me the entire time except when he was weighed (took only 2 mins and I could see him and dh was with him there) other than that we were together the whole time. I took him to recovery and breastfed him.

I was very worried about feeling high after given so many drugs for pain relief but it wasn't at all the case. I was completely alert and able to really be wiith my son.

There was no stress because it was a planned csection. The medical team chatted and joked with me as they were preparing and although there were a team of people there, it felt very private and intimate.

It is not for everyone but I really did love my csection and please know it doesn't have to bea second rate birth...mine was perfect:)

[nlman]

I had an emergency c-section with DD.

I didn't even consider a VBAC I elected to have another c-section for DS. Loved it. At about 35 weeks a date was picked which made arranging for care for DD easier.

Both times DH discovered the gender and cut the cord. Both times the children were given skin to skin contact. I never asked for them to stay with me in recovery. I was happy for them to go and be weighed etc with DH. I thought it was important that he have some time with them.

The recovery from my first was fine. The recovery from my second was amazing!!

The main thing I found was that the whole thing was very relaxed and calm. If we have another baby, I will be having another one.

ETA - No problems establishing breastfeeding either time

I definitely don't find giving birth / labour liberating etc. I just want my baby out so that I can cuddle them!

This post has been edited by nlman: 15/01/2012, 03:25 PM

[almostfamous]

Just thought I'd add, having the time and date - was excellent for me! I could plan around the other child/ren, it went great. All the staff were absolutely lovely and took excellent care of me before, during and after the births. It was quite a relaxed atmosphere and they quite often popped in to offer to make me tea/coffee, see how baby was, offer pain meds etc. It also allowed us to make arrangements with visitors.

I was first on the list each time, so was prepped and in surgery at 9am so was okay for visitors by the afternoon and had a few hours bonding time in between. The first afternoon/night we requested only immediate family to visist - (our parents and siblings) then let every else know they were welcome to visit the following day or wait till we returned home

[threelittlegems]

Hi OP,

I've had 3 elective c sections.

The first wasn't really elective. DS1 was unwell and he was delivered at 32 weeks via elective c section to try and save his kidney function. Due to DS1's health, I got to hold him briefly and the next time I saw him he was in an humidicrib. I recovered really well from that C Section and was sitting at the hospital by DS1's bed side, all day, by about Day 5 or 6.

As I had such a good recovery from the first C Section, I decided to do it again. With DD she never left me from the moment she was born. I got to hold her, then DH held her while they closed me up. She came with me into recovery and then up to the ward. I found the recovery more difficult - it is hard to look after a new born baby after major surgery I was in pain for two weeks, but the hospital didn't give good pain relief from the start which delayed my recovery. I went home on Day 3, which the hospital was not happy about and didn't give me any pain relief out of spite. They said and I quote, 'if you need Panadeine Forte you are not ready to go home'.

After that experience, with DS2, I would have been happy to try for a VBAC, but the drs were really against it after two c sections. I wasn't that desperate for VBAC and didn't push it, so went in for the third c section. Again, DS2 stayed in the room while I was closed up, and came with me into recovery (lots of skin to skin contact) and then onto the ward. They gave me lots of pain relief (different hospital). Because of the pain relief I was able to get out of bed and get moving much quicker, and the recovery was much better. Like with DD, I went home on Day 3, and the hospital sent me home with some panadiene forte.