New mom...c-section first time?

jashikcrib

Hi I'm still debating on whether I'm going to have a c-section or natural birth for our first child...any thoughts if you chose to have an elective c-section for your first?

harmonicbabe26

Not a specialist here but I'm pretty sure you can't just choose to have a cs over vaginal if there is not a medical reason for it.... Mine was due to breech and even though on all paperwork it was called 'elective' there was nothing elective about it really. It is called that to distinguish from 'emergency' ones which are done when vaginal birth labor fails.

zbeesma86

it wasn't elective. she was breech.

do you want a c-section?

PRKate

Your doctor is going to let you choose to have a c-section for no medical reason??

jashikcrib

My doctor is actually talking me into an elective c-section for a number of reasons: 1. he says it's safer for the baby, 2. he is concerned that it will be too difficult for me considering I gained 24lbs and only in month 7 and my mother has had both and said that she'd recommend a c-section vs. vaginal.

harmonicbabe26

@hls19‌ I agree that I didn't have a choice but for insurance purposes it was called 'elective' on my paperwork. Who cares. It's just words. @jashikcrib‌ so it sounds like there are some medical reasons for the c/s. You just have to weigh all the risks of not getting one and decide. Other than longer recovery a cs is really not much different from a vaginal - IMO - the result is a healthy baby on the outside. So you have to thoroughly understand what's at stake and make a decision. My personal experience with a cs was wonderful and I. Have no regrets about not having a vag birth.

zbeesma86

@harmonicbabe26

what? I was answering OP. Not you.

I had a c-section. It wasn't elective. MY DD was breech.

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mysticl

harmonicbabe26 said:

Not a specialist here but I'm pretty sure you can't just choose to have a cs over vaginal if there is not a medical reason for it.... Mine was due to breech and even though on all paperwork it was called 'elective' there was nothing elective about it really. It is called that to distinguish from 'emergency' ones which are done when vaginal birth labor fails.

I have heard of people opting for a c-section just because they didn't want a vaginal birth and doctors agreeing to it.  I'm not sure how they handle it with the insurance company though.  

jashikcrib

JandACoffee said:

But back to my original point. I don't know your medical history and I don't have a medical degree, so you need to weigh the pros and cons yourself.

 

Nope no other medical issues other than being "heavy"...just doctor saying in general that it's safer for baby b/c he wouldn't have to travel through birth canal.  Not to mention being a man I think he was trying to appeal to my vanity stating how "it wouldn't feel the same after".

 

 

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capulet

jashikcrib said:

JandACoffee said:

But back to my original point. I don't know your medical history and I don't have a medical degree, so you need to weigh the pros and cons yourself.

 

Nope no other medical issues other than being "heavy"...just doctor saying in general that it's safer for baby b/c he wouldn't have to travel through birth canal.  Not to mention being a man I think he was trying to appeal to my vanity stating how "it wouldn't feel the same after".

 

 

Well, for one thing, I don't know where you started out your pregnancy, but I hardly think 25 lb. weight gain at seven months makes you "heavy."  Total weight gain for women at normal weight is supposed to be in the range of 25-35 lb., but it can vary a lot and I know women of all sizes who gained more than that, had normal weight babies with vaginal births, and lost all the pregnancy weight.

I had an unplanned c/s with DD and chose a repeat c/s with DS because the risks of an RCS are roughly equal to a VBAC and my first one had gone well, so I felt more comfortable with a c/s at that point.  But I am skeptical that the risks of a primary elective c/s are lower for your baby than a vaginal birth if you have no other medical reason.  They're not lower for you.  While most c-sections go well, there are inherent risks to surgery and the recovery time is longer than with an uncomplicated vaginal birth.  You need to be well informed of the risks either way.

Justabean3

harmonicbabe26 said:

Not a specialist here but I'm pretty sure you can't just choose to have a cs over vaginal if there is not a medical reason for it.... Mine was due to breech and even though on all paperwork it was called 'elective' there was nothing elective about it really. It is called that to distinguish from 'emergency' ones which are done when vaginal birth labor fails.

You can actually. I have a coworker that did on both her kids.

Justabean3

I gained 50 with my first. I'm 5'2. He was 7 pounds 2 oz

My second I gained 27,
He was 7 pounds even

My 3rd. I have gestational diabetes and I have gained so far the same as #2

Your weight doesn't equate to c-section

However I had them with both mine for medical need. I think it's your choice but by asking others you are gaurenteed to give yourself a hard time around here.

HotChocolate79

Mine wasn't elective but i seriously considered it and for the record my doctor was fine with it, as was my insurance. Regardless of what anyone tells you, it is your decision and you owe it to yourself to find a doctor who supports you in choosing what's best for you and your baby. Ultimately what a bunch of strangers here think doesn't matter. That said, the reasons you mention don't make a lot of sense to me. These reasons alone wouldn't be convincing enough for me. Then again, my crippling anxiety about natural birth didn't resonate with many people either. Again, it's all up to you. Personally I was happy enough with my CS and subsequent recovery that I am going straight for repeat in 3 weeks when I have DS2.