How was your experience at the hospital with elective c section?

I haven’t had natural so I can’t compare but I had a great experience with my c section. Everyone was so lovely, even held my hand while I had the spinal. Took photos for us of baby arriving and after. Got to listen to some music. Speaking throughout to me which really helped keep me calm as it is easy to get in your head. X

I have to admit I didn’t enjoy mine. I only read good stories so went in feeling really positive, not saying all are like this but I wasn’t a fan. It wasn’t terrible but I didn’t like it. I could feel alot, no pain but I could tell everything they were doing, and also went through every single emotion I could within the space of 10 minutes so it was very overwhelming. I hope all goes well for you x

@Rheo sorry to hear that was your experience. Do you mind if I ask why you had a C-section? No worries if you’d rather not say I know it’s a personal question xx

@Jess that’s great you had a lot of support from the midwives! I have mostly only really heard good things. Do you mind if I ask why you had a C-section? Xx

Absolutely loved mine loved knowing the date and knowing to an extent what the healing process would be like. Totally took away the fear of the unknown! I healed really quick except some nerve pain (just bad luck) and the midwives/surgeons/nurses were spectacular with me even though I was a ball of nerves the day of!! Xx

The actual csection was the best part. I was in 24 hours labour prior to it so it was a HEAVEN SENT I think had I had some sleep and felt like normal me I wouldn’t have been so calm for it. But when I got to 8cm with no pain relief sleep or food in 24 hours my csection felt like a miracle

@Beth the after care was also amazing and cannot fault it. I was lucky to have a smooth/ uncomplicated recovery. Yes sure. My daughter was measuring big (although came out 50th centile). I also had a large cyst on my ovary so they didn’t want me going past 41 weeks, had to be induced or have c section. I was comfortable with an induction

@Jess that’s great sounds like overall your experience was good. I’m hoping for the same I just need to really take it easy especially as I have a nearly 2 year old daughter too xx

@Tabitha my first labour was like this but mine ended in a bad tear. I think recover will be completely different with a C-section but I have so much trauma from my first I just couldn’t bare to go through that again

@Beth recovery is very hard but with help totally manageable just keep on top of pain meds is so important or u end up paying for it 😭

@Tabitha I have heard this from sooo many people so I’ll definitely keep on top of them. Did the hospital send you home with anything or just paracetamol/ibuprofen? X

After a 3rd degree tear and pph with daughter number 1 I opted for elective with daughter number 2 and honestly I had a lovely experience. My first daughter's birth was stressful and there was a lot going on at once and to take in where as with my section it was calm the team explained what was going to happen and I got to spend an hour cuddling my daughter straight away. I couldn't do that with my first due to the bleed x

I had an emergency c-section

Just had my elective two weeks ago. Buuuttt, I went into labor the night before, so that sucked! I was planning to have a full night's sleep and walk into the hospital the next morning like I was checking into a hotel. My first was an emergency c-section, so I opted for an elective this time. They were able to push up the c-section, but it still wasn't a good experience. The spinal hurt bad and I kept vomiting. Baby's heartrate dropped, and they rushed to get him out. He spent 12hrs in the NICU. One difference that was positive this time, was they were able to hold him up for us to see. With my first, they needed to revive her so I didn't get to see her. Also with my first, I labored at the hospital for like 13 hours. It's nice with an elective, not to go through that.

I had an emergency c section after being in labour all day. Spinal didn’t hurt but just felt odd … procedure was totally pain free but I felt a crushing feeling in my chest .. baby was delivered in less than 2 minutes and my recovery was far better than I thought! I’d do it again x

@Samantha so sorry you had a bad experience with the spinal and with your first. It’s so hard cause I guess as in control as you feel anything can happen really. How are you healing? C

@Amanda I had a spinal block after my first as I had to go straight to surgery to have my stitches as my tear was so bad - I barely remember I was so out of it and exhausted! What was the crushing feeling in your chest? From the pressure of getting the baby out? X

Mine was a emergency c section so I think my experience was different to what a planned section would be like, mine was mainly awful due to the hospital I was in they were really rude and not considerate to me at all, wanted me out the next day even making a comment of why are you still here 🙃 but my friend who had a planned one said it was amazing and she’d do it all over again x

@Ellie that’s awful that happened to you, some people are just horrible!

I didn’t have an elective c section I had an emergency one with my first and they done amazing, they got him out and me sewn back up within 20-30 minutes if that but the pain that I felt after when the numbness wears off I couldn’t move without wanting to throw up. The staff was so supportive and gave me good pain meds to help me get through it all and I healed up with in 12 weeks

@Shauna I think it’ll definitely be a more painful and longer recovery compared to vaginal birth but honestly the trauma I have still gets to me now whereas the healing won’t last forever with C-section if that makes sense. I feel like this time I’ll be able to enjoy my baby after birth rather than being prepped and taken to theatre after birth x

With my emergency c-section my daughter rupture my placenta so the morning we had it but they put me to sleep

loved mine, staff were all lovely, the operation went really smooth & recovery wasnt too bad either. im not cut out for natural labour

@Beth i had the similar experience you had. my son will be 1 year old this month and the delivery trauma still haunts me lol. i had third degree tear and the healing process was terrible. washing and cleaning the stitches everytime you pee and changing pad horrible shit ever for 3 months . it’s more painful than c sec. it’s so bad and painful down there. i had a really long labour and the baby was not coming out due to his position and i was almost so close to being unconscious and we had to opt for emergency forceps delivery which caused the episiotomy. nobody can understand this except the one who has experienced this. i am also planning to elective c sec but i get very anxious when it’s surgery. after 9 days i had passed really big clots over bleeding and end up getting surgery to remove all the blood through vaccum. which i think was because of the long labour. i got the worse anxiety at that time coz they wouldn’t let my husband come for the support.

@MrsB you’re right unless you’ve had a traumatic birth you wouldn’t understand just so sad so many women have to go through it. I feel much calmer at the thought of a C-section compared to when I think about going through my first labour/delivery again. I was say my healing process after could have been worse BUT mentally I took a long time to get over it all x

@Beth yeah same! did you breastfeed your baby after delivery? that’s even more painful to sit with those stitches down there and feed the whole night

@MrsB I didn’t. I decided before I had her to formula feed and looking back I think that was probably best. This time I am planning on breastfeeding. I had a little blow up cushion that was like a doughnut I would sit on to relieve any pressure x

@Beth Recovery for me was not bad! My incision opened up this time a little over a week later, but the surgeon cleaned it up and put me on antibiotics. Both times, I was back to driving pretty quick and could move around well. Breastfeeding also wasn't affected.

I loved my elective c section. My first was an emergency one so we did an elective with the second and it was totally different. Such a great experience

@Beth okay.. i wish i had brought that donut cushion but i didn’t know about it that time

@Beth yeah sure, I asked for a c section my self as I became quite unwell at 35 weeks and spent some time in hospital. I had a blood issue and it really exhausted me, so that along side a broken rib I got I decided I had nothing left in me for a natural birth as I felt very weak, plus with the blood issue I felt more confident knowing it was in control of the professionals if anything was to go wrong x

@Beth but I would definitely do it again, I just think personally it wasn’t as enjoyable as most were saying. And to not feel guilty if it gets a lot for you mentally as there is soo much going on in the room it’s normal x

Had an elective c-section with my first and it was alright. It was during covid so there was a staff shortage and the aftercare was bad. Had an emergency c-section 6 weeks ago (was hoping for a vbac 😞) due to having low amniotic fluids and the section and aftercare this time was amazing. Recovering is a bit more painful but nothing painkillers won't be able to get rid off.

@Beth good luck! ❤️ I’m in the same position. 🤞

@Rheo aw bless you that doesn’t sound nice at all! I thankfully had no issues before birth but I can definitely see why you would opt for the C-section x