Pro natural birth (with drugs)...or am I?

Just quickly because I'm on my way to bed and it's already late!

I had a c-sec with my first and natural drug free with my second.
Yes, my first would be classified as an emergency c-sec but there was no imminent danger so it's actually classified as a unscheduled c-sec.

I look at the pictures of my first born and the c-sec. That picture where the gynea holds up a screaming baby and you only see 4 peoples eyes and nothing else except the blue doctors mask and coat thingies and this bright red screaming baby, it breaks my heart. Or the photo of her laying on the table before (or after - not quite sure) the pead did his 100 point check up as if she's a car coming in for a service. Or the photo where the nurse holds her to my face and I look like I just smoked some dope or something. At least 6 other people in a cold, brightly lit room with blood dripping from the table. The fact that nurses in after care 'admired' my scar and how well the doctor sewed me back up...I didn't see her again for over an hour. She spent the night in the nursery being bottle fed as I couldn't move, I nearly killed the breastfeeding consultant on the day I was discharged - 4 days, 3 nights

Compared to me, my husband, doula and midwife, calm waterbirth, no screaming (perhaps some grunting) dimmed lights. She came out and I helped to place her on my chest, I was allowed to feel the cord pulsating for the last time, the first thing she did was look up into my eyes. Everyone spoke in hushed tones and just sat around smiling at her. She never left my side, all checks where done in my arms or next to me on the bed, she breastfed almost immediately, I gave birth the morning and went home the afternoon.

For me, personally, I feel like I did nothing for my first. Yes, I grew her for 9 months, but a doctor got a pat on the back for the great job she did in sewing me back up, she was surgically removed. Whereas for my second, wow, the feeling as she left my body, that "I did it! I actually did it" such an amazing feeling and a high that makes even a tear down there feel like nothing. I birthed her.

I chose to do whatever I could to have a natural birth after a c-sec because after my eldest was born I started actually reading up on the benefits/dangers of both. And I did it because if it worked, I would be home quicker and in better shape (than I would have been after a c-sec) to look after both my kids on my own as my husband couldn't stay home and I had no one else to help. Because having my 3 year old on my lap or picking her up and holding her, as she needed during the process of adjustment would have been much harder and she wouldn't have understood.

It took nearly 2 years before the scar was at a point where I felt okay to have another baby. I was ready to have a 3rd right after birthing the placenta.

So far in my life I have come across 1 person who opted for a c-sec after natural, there's a whole thread for hopeful vbac's....

Huggles, i think you've made an important point. most of us will be led in our choice by our past experiences with doctors/medicine/hospitals (videos watched) etc. I can certainly relate to your stress. Equally, if you've never had any bad experiences or had any related to you, you tend to approach labour and birth a bit more optimistically. I was one such person who actually looked forward to the whole experience (I actually wanted to know what it felt like sans-drugs... madness i tell you! ).

but going back the visual Carien... I never actually saw either of my boys being born. both times my midwife has asked me if i want to feel his head while birthing... and both times ive recoiled in horror *no thanks- not for me*, closed my eyes and pushed like my life depended on it. see i think we all have our own way...

the absolutely most important thing you can do at 11 weeks is to choose the 'service provider' who is most likely to support your choice. If its an elective C-section, chose the gynae that does a whole load of them (you should have quite a choice)... if you do choose natural, chose a professional midwife who does loads of them. and be happy and positive about your choice.

I used to think that the actual birth was such a big deal... but the further I get from it, the more I realise that its just a starting point. the far bigger deal is the amazing experience of loving and raising a child.

I had a natural drug free birth. I used hypnobirthing to help me.
I chose that as I am absolutely terrified of having an epidural / spinal block. The thought of not being in control really freaks me out. Now I know many people choose a c-section precisely because they feel that gives them control, but for me that meant losing control. I've had a bad experience with anaesthetic not working properly and was terrified of that happening again, which is why I chose drug free. I was open to using gas & air, but honestly never felt like I needed it. The hypnobirthing helped me stay focussed and really made me feel empowered.

Also, the thought of them cutting through layers and layers of fat and skin and muscle whilst I was awake, and with the anaesthetic *possibly* not working 100% (happened to my mother) was just far too much for me.

I would 100 000% give birth naturally without drugs again.
If for some medical reason it landed up being necessary for me to have a c-section I would actually request a full general anaesthetic as I am THAT scared of the partial anaesthetics.

Thanks for that, I though posting to a forum might not be the best choice because I will get soo many replies, but maybe that will help me!

This show actually had two c-cetions on it as well. The show was about natural occurances of twins, triplets and quads (for the quads it was actually one egg that split once and then each of them split again - apparently this happens almost less frequently than time standing still!). The triplets and quads were born via c-cetion. I have to agree, it really was not pretty, but given the choice, I really dont know that I will choose differently!

Thanks for your reply

wait for it... you're going lots and lots of heated advice.
funny how important it is for people to defend their choices (me included i guess).

I have just one suggestion, why dont you watch a movie of a C-section birth?
That way you'll have a complete mental image of both your options.
I dont blame you for being terrified at what you saw. its not pretty. but then no way of birthing a baby is.

I honestly think they should show these videos to teenage girls. It would seriously make a dent in the unplanned pregnancy rate!

Hello Everyone,

I would like to get some opinions. I am very much a planner so even at only 11 weeks I am already looking at my options for how to have this baby. Now I am all for the "beem me out Scotty" approach, but since that one has yet to be "discovered" that is not an option.

I have always been of the opinion that I will have a natural birth with drugs (just my choice, no offence to the ladies who want to do it completely naturally) but after seeing a birth this weekend, I have to say that I have really changed my mind completely to have an elective c-section.

My dear husband is very sweet and recorded something on National Geographic for me. I have seen these shows before but this specific episode was new to me. The show is called In the Womb, and generally is very interesting, this one specifically was about multiple births - again very interesting. Now I know we are just having one, so the multiple birth thing was not really what scared me. What did scare me was actually seeing the baby being born, seeing its head come out, being 'stuck' there for a little bit and then seeing the rest of the body coming out. It only took a few minutes for the baby to be born but enough to convert me!

Now I know many many women have done this for centuries and that this is the way nature intended for babies to be born, but in all honesty, it scared the living day-lights out of me!! It was only a couple of seconds of the show but enough to convert me almost completely to the c-section side!

I would like to get some opinions of ladies on both sides of the fence, if you have already had a baby a specific way, why did you choose to have the baby that way? And if you could do it over, would you stick to that specific way? What was your experience?

Would really appreciate some feedback

Thanks everyone!