Controversial Subject!

Hi MammaLala, its funny that one of the reasons you like csection (the ability to schedule/arrange) is the very reason i dont.
Just goes to show how different every woman is and how vital it is that we should be able to choose the birth option that suits us individually.

Memo, the painful sex does not last forever. I also experienced this and somewhere between 18 - 2 years after the pain eased away and sex is enjoyable now, except for doggie style, that still hurts. I assume that you have told your gynae this and he has checked that you don't have a collapsed pelvic floor (that does happen), although most of the time its the scar tissue that hurts. (I only tore 2nd degree, but I also tore my internal vaginal wall and I think that is why it hurt/hurts)

I am ALL for c/section - less stressful for baby and mommy and everything can be 'arranged' until the last minute!

The last thing you said is very true. RM also once mentioned that she CHOSE a ceaser and then realized that for her next two births there was no choice anymore.
My only thing is the fact that I tore so bad. So I would defnitely suggest an epi-no as part of your antinatal prep. It's pricey but this is worse.

Hi Tanz,

I was also super stressed about the poo bit! my widwife told me that the worry about pooing actually makes many woman hold back a bit in pushing.

I had a private midwife assisted delivery in a hospital (so that if things turned badly there'd be people in white coats around to help). Ben was born 3.5 hours after I arrived at the hospital. I had ~1 hour of absolutley excruciating labour (though climbing in their water bath did help) and ~20 mins of pushing. My midwife encouraged me not to yell, and to rather channel that energy into the push... she was amazing. she told me exactly when to push hard, when to stop and when i was threatening to walk out (or kill myself! haha) she read me the riot act! its funny, Ive never ever hear any stern words out of her mouth but in that moment i clearly remember her sternly telling me (after my wails of 'i just cannnnttt')... "well, you just have to!"

I didnt tear at all. and no poo
I'd love to say I felt super strong and invincable, but when i think back the biggest feelings were HUGE relief that it was over and complete exhaustion. Ben was born at 9:15 pm, I fed him immediately, the nurses took him to the nursery and brought him back to me every ~4 hours to feed through that first night. I actually got a lot of sleep and felt almost like my old self the next day. actually... the next day is when i started to feel very proud of myself, that i managed it without any pain meds (I did try the gas, but it just made me vomit).

To me the best bit about natural child birth is that your baby gets to pick his/her birthday. They arrive in this world when they are completely ready and not a moment sooner. I just find that so much more exciting that scheduling something. (maby is the drama queen in me!)

anyway, just wanted to share that natural birth does not need to end in tears and stitches. for me though it was indescribably sore. i wont lie... the idea of that pain ahead of me now is making me quake in fear. but at least it was over quickly and other than the 3 weeks of bleeding (which no-one told me about, and which i hated)... it was all over in an eye-blink.

Hope you get the birth you are wanting Tanz

Thanks Memo! I enjoyd reading your story! Ouch on the painful sex!

I guess my mind is about 90% made up.

Everyone that has given birth naturally has spoken about this amazing feeling of climbing everest, or being so proud of themselves! I think that giveing birth naturally is the ultimate feeling of womanhood! (or something to that effect haha). I want to feel that! I want to feel what it feels like to do something you never thought you could!

And at least if I try this now, and can still decide afterwards that I would not want it again. But if I opt for CS, I can't try giving birth naturally again, without complications.

But just so we are all clear, the poo thing still scares the crap out of me!

I haven't read all the posts, so I'll comment first.

I had a home birth (which is always natural with no pain relief) I did tear really badly and still struggle with painfull sex. I did not expect this and there are ways to avoid it, like epino and a slower 2nd phase.
I ended up giving birth standing upright though.

Natural birth IS best for baby, it just is. I dont want to offend anyone and everyone usually gets very excited about this topic. So my advise is to google natural vs ceaser and there is a ton of info. I also struggled with this choice (I can hardly believe it) when I first found out I was preggies and decided to look into why there is a common believe that csec is bad and natural is good. I went from what kind of birth, to must birth naturally, to must birth at home. The evidence for me was overwhelming. My main reason in the end was due to wanting to have sucess breastfeeding. At home your baby latches immediately and your milk comes in on day two.

I was also super worried about the poo thing, lol. But that didn't happen.
I must say though, save the beaver have a ceaser does hold true for me.