Considering a scheduled c section..

stever

elmoali:

All I'm going to say (and I TRULY mean this in all seriousness and not in a snappy, snarky way), if the amount of stress/lack of control surrounding the birth of a baby is freaking you out, you are going to lose your mind when the baby actually gets here.  It's 24/7 concern, stress and learning to give over control to something uncontrollable.

Five_letter

I loved my scheduled c/s. I feel that I was lucky to be offered one for what was basically a fluke.

I was up walking the day after my c/s and felt great within 4 days. 

Do what's right for you. 

sarahandeddiejune212008

I had a scheduled c/s with DD due to breech positioning.  There are complications that can come from a c/s, such as fluid in baby's lungs (its normally squeezed out) and infection for mom.  I've been told that c/s recovery is much easier if it was scheduled vs. laboring and having an emergency c/s.  With that said, I would have preferred to have a vaginal delivery.  A c/s is major abnominal surgery.  There are a lot more risks involved than a typical vaginal birth.  My recovery went very well, but it was painful.  I also have to have a c/s with #2 because of having one with #1.

rels09

While c-sections are generally safe and definitely sometimes needed, the risk of the mother dying is 4 times higher than with a vaginal birth, as cited below. For this reason, I would never elect it for no medical reason.

 https://pregnancy.about.com/od/cesareansection/a/csectionrisks.htm

 

Twizzle

mlf625:

Gee, I'm so shocked this turned into a shitstorm.

I've had two scheduled c/s and am gladly having a 3rd with this baby.  I recovered just as fast, if not faster than, my vaginally birthing friends.

I also find it curious that the two of my close friends who are married to doctors both had/are having a scheduled c-section.  

I don't find it curious at all that a doctor would want his wife to have a c/s.  Doctors LOVE c/s.  It's easy for them, they can plan their golf game around it, and all they see of their patient is a few square inches of lower abdomen.  The reason the c/s rate is over 30% in the US, when it should only be about 15% for truly medical reasons, is because c/s are easier for doctors, NOT for women giving birth.

I had a c/s and it was not a "dream", it was closer to a nightmare.  I don't know why anyone would think that you can escape pain by having a c/s.  Even the most ideal c/s has some pain associated with it, it's a major surgery.

Another thing that no one has mentioned is that having a c/s can affect future pregnancies and births.  If you ever want to have another child, once you have had a c/s, you are at higher risk of placental problems like accreta and previa.  Most doctors place a limit on the number of c/s you can have, so if you want several children you might not be able to if you keep having c/s.  The risk of adverse events increases with each c/s. 

judahsmommy1

It sounds like you've decided on a vaginal birth as opposed to requesting a c-section. I just wanted to add that I would really encourage you to look into a Bradley method or Hypnobabies course. Not because I think you should go epidural free (that's your own decision!) but because you'll head into your delivery with a lot more confidence and feeling more comfortable with the amount of control you have in the process. Giving birth can be an overwhelming experience and can be intimidating. But I really don't think that there is anything to be afraid of. (This comes out of the woman who was in labor with her son for over 30 hours and had back labor.) It isn't something to be afraid of. As long as people have been around, birth has been too and up until very recently in history, surgery and even pain medication wasn't an option. This is something that is DOABLE. I really recommend that you don't rely on your hospital's course. At least in my experience they give you just enough information to scare you, and not enough to give you confidence in your body's ability to give birth to your baby.

missy999999

I highly reccomend that you watch the "The Business of Being Born" and/or "More of The Business of Being Born", by Ricki Lake. A c-section is major surgery, remember that.

Sweets11

ADub09:

I am not sure where you live, but where Iive scheduling a c-section isn't an option.  So I wouldn't even consider it. 

Ugh, sadly it is Adub. 

I was mortified when my friend asked me if I was scheduling a c/s.  I told him it wouldn't be happening unless medically necessary and that it's illegal for doctors here to book them by request. He told me, "my wife's obgyn did it, he just put in the paperwork that it was for medical reasons".  I gave him a serious side-eye in my head. 

My obgyn told me right away that, unless medically necessary, there is no reason to schedule a c/s.  

Whittyone12

merri25:

Wow!  I didn't know there are so many doctors on this board! 

 As,  many people seem to preach on this board, you should do what you and your doctor think is right for you and your baby.

Good Luck either way.

 

I am no doc but I'm a surgical tech and I have seen many surgeries. I would avoid abdominal surgery ( of any kind) if at all possible.  There are so many layers of tissue to go through and and any kind of abdominal surgery can create adhesions that could cause problems in the future. 

Twizzle

nola78:

Twizzle:

mlf625:

Gee, I'm so shocked this turned into a shitstorm.

I've had two scheduled c/s and am gladly having a 3rd with this baby.  I recovered just as fast, if not faster than, my vaginally birthing friends.

I also find it curious that the two of my close friends who are married to doctors both had/are having a scheduled c-section.  

I don't find it curious at all that a doctor would want his wife to have a c/s.  Doctors LOVE c/s.  It's easy for them, they can plan their golf game around it, and all they see of their patient is a few square inches of lower abdomen.  The reason the c/s rate is over 30% in the US, when it should only be about 15% for truly medical reasons, is because c/s are easier for doctors, NOT for women giving birth.

I had a c/s and it was not a "dream", it was closer to a nightmare.  I don't know why anyone would think that you can escape pain by having a c/s.  Even the most ideal c/s has some pain associated with it, it's a major surgery.

Another thing that no one has mentioned is that having a c/s can affect future pregnancies and births.  If you ever want to have another child, once you have had a c/s, you are at higher risk of placental problems like accreta and previa.  Most doctors place a limit on the number of c/s you can have, so if you want several children you might not be able to if you keep having c/s.  The risk of adverse events increases with each c/s. 

Wow.  Really?  All the doctors I know work 60-80 hours per week.  And those who don't want to talk to their patients (or only want to see a few square inches of skin) don't choose a specialty like OB. 

You kind of just proved my point.  Doctors are working tons of hours, so which is easier for them--scheduling a c/s that takes 45 minutes, or hours of waiting for a woman to fully dilate or push a baby out, never knowing when it will actually happen?

I wasn't specifically referring to OBs since the post I quoted didn't specify what kind of doctors she was talking about.  But as for OBs, they are trained as surgeons and their training focuses on how to fix problems that come up in pregnancy and birth.  Very necessary, of course, when there are problems.  But for low risk pregnancies, often not necessary.  The OB is trained to look for problems and surgery is often one of the top solutions for OBs.   It's just how OBs are trained.  I was trying to point out that doctors are trained to treat problems and surgery is often the solution, so doctors are pro-surgery.  However, in most cases pregnancy and birth is a natural process, not something abnormal that needs to be treated with surgery.