Hi all,
I was hoping you could give me your advice.
My wife is 18 weeks pregnant and has decided that she would prefer a c-section rather than medicated or natural birth. We were both on the same page and preferred Medicated or Natural until we brought it up with our obstetrician who basically told us that no option is better than the other, that they both have equal risk and cost and that it just comes down to preference.
I have been doing a lot of research and I feel like C-Section has more risks and obviously the recovery is longer. I don't want to push my wife as I believe it is ultimately her decision.
What do you guys think? Should I push for natural or medicated because I think it is better or should I just back off let us go with C-section?
Thanks in advance
Re: Opting for C-Section
I have also elected a C-section over natural childbirth.
However, if my husband had concerns I would appreciate his honesty and the fact he brought them up to me. It would also be important to know that he would support me in any decision I made knowing the ultimately it is my body- pain, healing and all.
Good luck with working it all out:)
My first labour was long and I had a 3rd degree tear but I still would have the exact labour all over again if it was between that and a C Section.
I was up and walking around easily the next day and if the tear was sore, panadol fixed it.
I had friends who couldn't walk around easily for 6 weeks after a C Section and dealt with things like infection etc all while trying to care for a newborn and get the hang of feeding.
Plus honestly, your wife needs to get used to uncertainty when it comes to kids. They're full of it!
Good luck with whatever you choose but I'd be encouraging her to not let fear make this decision.
And you need a new OB.
As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen - Winnie the Pooh
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Any OB who would say the risks are equal is blatantly ignoring facts for his own benefit. Scheduled sections are easier on HIM/HER, the end. The OB isn't around for the recovery, their job is done in twenty minutes and they can get to their tee time.
The Sears Pregnancy Book is a good one.
It sounds like your wife has a lot of fears around birth and wants to put on blinders and believe that a cesarean would be the easy way out, a way to bypass the difficulty and unknowns of labor. It isn't the easy way, there's more to fear about surgery than a low risk natural birth.
I can't imagine opting for major surgery myself. I am going to a hospital that doesn't even offer C-section, they have to air lift you to a major city centre if you need one.
My friend is horrified that I am going to a non-C-section facility since she had one about 18 hours into labor because she was to exhausted to keep pushing and she couldn't imagine not having one now. I get that there is advantages for some people but for me, I would much rather not be cut open.
I think her concerns and your concerns are both valid, but at the end of the day as long as the baby is born I don't think it matters how it gets out. I would probably get a second opinion though.
Talk to her and try to figure out what she's scared of exactly. I wish you both luck.
And here is my comparison just for fun
It's like needing a colonoscopy and your dr. saying "oh, you are afraid of having a camera shoved up your butt?? Well, if you'd like, I could cut your stomach open and remove your colon and check it that way. How does that sound? I offer both options."
Honest, reputable doctors don't operate that way.
I had an RE tell me I had a 2% chance of getting pregnant and carrying to term without IVF. 2nd RE, 2nd IVF insistance. Some doctors have their own agenda. Your OOP costs are probable about the same either way. His reimbursement is way more for the CS, I get so angry at the money games.... and I am a nurse, if that gives me any additional credibility. Good luck. I wish you both a healthy delivery no matter her decision :-)
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TTC since 11/2011 Me: Hypothyroid & PCOS DH: 0% morphology IVF #1 - transfer on 4/2/14 BFP 4/11/14 beta 161 EDD: 12/19/14 It's a GIRL! AnaSophia (Sophie; Soph the Loaf)