C section or vaginal birth?

Vaginal birth.. with both my babies, all natural- no epidural or any pain meds. I wanted a natural birth without pain meds or epidural because of what i heard about them.. so i sucked it up and honestly it wasn’t even that bad. My second labor was kicking my ass though 😂 i almost cracked but it ended up being too late to get anything even if i had gave in.

With my first is had a vaginal, no medication. I've heard of pain for years after getting an epidural so I did NOT wanna go that route plus I broke my back 2 years ago and it just makes me nervous. It was honestly hell cause I had back labour, it hurt so bad lol. It was all worth it though and I plan to do the same with my next baby :)

2 vaginal births and one more expected in a few weeks. The first was a hospital birth, eventually induced, waters broken, epidural and episiotomy even though he was 6 lbs. The second I chose to have at home to have the experience I wanted not what the doctor wanted. This baby will also be born at home. C-section is great when absolutely necessary but pushed far too much these days. Babies benefit from the flora in the mother’s birth canal all of their life. And a c-section is basically surgery. Your recovery will be far more intense than a vaginal birth.

Thankyou this is my first baby and I have chosen a vaginally birth, my husband said he would rather I had a c section as I've been through alot medically and he is worried about how much pain I will be in and if that will effect the baby. So just looking for opinions. Xx

I had a vaginal birth for my first and aiming for one for my second. Nothing wrong with having a c section I just don’t want one unless it’s life or death situation. Some health professionals keep trying to push me into being induced or a c - section this time round because of a medical condition. Which hasn’t changed since my first pregnancy 5yrs ago where they didn’t want me to be induced or a c-Section. What your husband might not think about is that a c - section is a major surgery so it will take a lot longer to recover and may take more of a toll on your body. If you think about it a vaginal birth is natural. Your body knows what its doing when giving birth x

I chose a vaginal birth, but when it came time to push after 12 hours of labor my son turned face up, was having decels with every push and not descending so I ended up having a c-section. TTC now 2 years later and I’m hoping to have a V-BAC this time around. I would only get C-section if it’s absolutely necessary.

I picked vaginal, but had to have a c section. My baby wouldn't come out. Like legit didn't want too. Lodged himself into my ribs. C section is still a lot of pain and a lot to recover from. Honestly I was in so much pain I was unable to function fully. I couldn't get in and out of bed without horrible pain. Had to have nurses hand me my baby and put him back in bassinet because I was in too much pain even with stronger medication. I felt like I basically learned how to walk again. It didn't get easier until a month postpartum. Couldnt laugh, sneeze, cough without feeling like my inner organs were about to become outer organs 😭🤣 oh and I couldn't dress myself x

I would Not choose to have a c section. It's painful recovery. I had vaginal then followed by a medical c section... I'm pregnant again and have to get c section again and ughh! I would choose vaginal all day! So much easier

C-section because my first was an emergency c-section and the 5 day labor was horrific but the actual procedure and recovery were completely fine! I was sooo happy I chose the elective c-section for my second. It was a great experience and another perfectly fine recovery.

I originally wanted an all natural vaginal birth but unfortunately it wasn’t on the cards for me due to being high risk. But had a healthy baby boy via elective c section. Though I wished I had the option to have a water birth. X

I had a vaginal birth then an elective C section. Opting for a C for my next without question.

I'd never choose a c section over natural birth. How REDICULOUS. I've had natural births and honestly my emergency C-section felt like I was robbed of that but I'm glad he was ok. There's nothing natural about major surgery. Vaginal birth all the way 👍

3 vaginal births here and I'd do the same again in a heartbeat!

Some of you have had both vaginal birth and c sections and would either choose to have another vaginal birth or would stick with a c section. I've read alot emergency c sections are alot worse than elective c sections so I'm curious.. The women that have done both the c section being elective.. why would you go back to a vaginal birth or choose a c section again.

Because my vaginal birth lasted 36 hours, it was a forceps delivery, I had an episiotomy, I had a retained placenta and then caught sepsis. My baby also had to stay in hospital due to complications with the birth and I felt like it really impacted my bond with him as a newborn. My planned C section for my second was incredible and I have no hesitation in opting for it the 3rd time round. My experience is just that though. Lots of women have amazing natural births, I just wasn’t one of them! To add, my recovery with a C section was so much easier than my vaginal birth. I was in agony for weeks. Out and about after 3 days with my C section. Everyone is different and unless you have experienced both, you can’t really pass judgement.

I wanted to add, my c section was not considered an emergency one.

Even an elective C-section, best case scenario and recovery - it's still a MAJOR surgery and recovery will always be longer and more intensive than the worst vaginal births. It kind of irks me "iM afRaiD oF puShInG". I'm afraid of cutting through 7 layers of tissues, organ tissue and muscle but ok.

I had a c section due to pre eclampsia but this time round I’m having an elective c section…. My close friends have had some pretty horrific vaginal birth experiences and it’s something I just personally don’t want to go through, I feel more comfortable with a c section and the c section recovery having gone through it before too

Vaginal. I had no reason to choose a c-section.

I wasn’t aware we had a choice?! I had a vaginal birth and it was good 👍

I chose to have a c section because I wasn't going to go through labor and pushing only for my son to get stuck and possibly get hurt on the way out or end up with an emergency c section on top of recovering from labor. My son was measuring full term +2 days at 36 weeks plus his head was measuring 44 weeks. My mother-in-law was barely able to deliver my husband vaginally because his head was so big and my son weighed 2lbs more than he did. She was given one last push before they were going to take her for a c section, she got him out but she also hemorrhaged badly, almost died, and didn't get to see him for hours after delivery. She said she was still in excruciating pain 3 weeks later, I was just fine walking around Walmart a week after my c section. I will be having another elective c section in less than two months, I'm having twins but I had already decided before finding that out. Elective c sections definitely aren't for everyone, but I honestly hate it when people act like it shouldn't be a choice.

Thanks so much for sharing your stories with me its very much appreciated... i have a disease where I have no cortisol in my body.. therefore excessive amounts of stress ny body can't cope with physically it could kill me. Ill be monitored very closely during birth and on a steriod drip that replaces my cortisol.i was surprised they have given me a choice as to how to ha e baby so I really do appreciate hearing everyone's experiences to help me decide what's best for me. Thankyou.

Vaginal birth because I am terrified to go through a major surgery like that 😫😫

Vaginal birth with both and no pain relief with both but that’s because I have precipitous labours that last 2 hours and under from start of contractions to birth so by the time I get to hospital it’s too late for anything anyway and my waters break then they’re out in the next 10 mins 😅

I had a c section as my baby was still breech at the end. Yes it was major surgery and I was pretty sore for a week after, but it was actually such a lovely experience. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong so there should never be judgement. The majority of women I know who have given birth have had to have emergency c sections after a long and tough labour so I do see the pros in an elected one, personally. Equally I know a couple (not many) of friends who had quick and easy natural births!