Stomach muscles are not generally 'cut' during a c-section. Have a look at these links:

http://americanpregnancy.org/labor-and- ... procedure/

http://www.caesarean.org.uk/FAQ.html

NICE guidelines on how to perform a c-section:

http://pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/ca ... he-surgery

Relevant extract here with my emphasis: Use the Joel Cohen incision as the transverse incision of choice (a straight skin incision, 3 cm above the symphysis pubis; subsequent tissue layers are opened bluntly and, if necessary, extended with scissors and not a knife), because it is associated with shorter operating times and reduced postoperative febrile morbidity.

SO, as I'm sure you're realising there is no definitive answer because none of us could ever predict (mystic Mog/Meg/whoever included!) how things for you will definitively turn out. I note your references to physical 'ability'.... I have x2 other female siblings.... Let's just say that in general it's fair to say I was the 'sporty one'!...one of those siblings has given birth to x3 extreme bigguns (I'm talking near on 10lbs & plus!!) with not a nick or whimper & the remaining two (obvs me included) were not so 'gifted'! My birth experiences first x2 were pretty unpleasant (understatement) in the birth injury department (full on 3rd degrees +..) but to be honest the post c-section recovery (x3) was probably significantly longer & more limiting. I also have a sis in law who's done x4 c-sections and thinks nothing of it..... My very basic advice (& I ain't an expert!) is, unless you have a major phobia, try vaginal birth first..... If it goes perfectly/vaguely good/or not at all you're still in with a better recovery time scale than if your stomach muscles have been cut in half! Best advice for a parent/parent to be is.... Whatever decision you make at the time is the RIGHT one - you made it for a reason at that precise moment. Let us know how it all goes!x

Hi
I had two extreme opposites - the first was water birth with just gas and the second was crash section with General, the works! Both had their positives actually! The first was a dream delivery for my son and he had a very relaxed start to life! I however was pushing for a long time and although I coped ok my pelvic floor took some hammering! My body bounced back pretty quick though and no tears (I'd done perineal massage)
My second was showing big so I'd been told not to even attempt a water birth and thank God for that as although I got to 10 cms they had him out within 45 mins on general due to his heart rate dropping. At the time I was just relieved my pelvic floor was going to be saved this time round! The pain immediately after was unbelievable but after those initial few days I probably actually recovered more quickly. A BIG negative though is it's taking MUCH longer to get my stomach back due to the muscles being cut.
I still wouldn't change any of it though and NHS we're amazing.
Good luck!
Xx

Good luck working through all this OP! I hope you and your child have a safe delivery, and if possible, you enjoy the experience! I just felt the need to post how upsetting it still is for me after a very traumatic first birth years ago ending in an emergency CS, to read about how yoga or some other health or lifestyle choice "led to" a straightforward "natural" birth. We will never know what would have happened or what was important in leading to our own outcome or anyone else's. In my humble opinion, luckily having 3 healthy children now, we can't plan to have a "natural birth" and I kind of wonder who wouldn't want a water birth with no stitches??!!! Sadly that can't be pre-booked!!! Obviously it is advisable to try to be healthy and informed going into motherhood, and I think it is best to be open minded about how the birth might go, despite your plans and hopes.

I just feel I need to put a brief health professional's opinion here. I have seen about 700 deliveries and attended probably 300 C sections as a paediatrician ( the very fact that I was there meant the delivery was complicated) I now am out of neonatal practice but I did do this for 10 years. y

All modes of delivery have their risks. You will to be guided by what happens by the following. Maternal height, fitness and age, size of baby, duration of pregnancy (post term a risk factor for slow labour). You will need to go with what happens natural birth plans nearly always don't happen but instrumental delivery isn't inevitable neither are 4th degree tears? (I never saw one in my practice repaired endless 2nd degree ones, but they are described) Baby birth injuries are not that common and most like fractures resolve. Asphyxia yes is a tragic consequence of mismanaged labour/issues in foetus and would seem more common in vaginal deliveries but remember the quickest way to get a baby in distress out is emergency section these days so it may seem safer in that way.
Elective section not routine on NHS unless medical reasons. You can get it privately but remember what you want as a consumer may not be always the best way. The poster who described squeezing in vaginal delivery is right. Respiratory distress is common in babies delivered by elective sections I have seen that and wouldn't want that for a baby. remember also a section in an operation cutting through abdominal wall and muscle so you will have pain after it lifting your baby. Vaginal delivery of course is painfull but healing is much quicker.

Good luck. Stay with the NHS. Go for a big unit better neonatal units just grin and bear the wards, you can spend your money on a single amenity room many places offer these and they are worth it.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! This really is a special moment of your life. It is also a moment when suddenly people offer uninvited advice and stories of their past experiences. And it doesn't stop after the baby comes! I am sorry the story of your pole teacher scared you.

Funnily enough I had a similar experience. I cousin of mine thought it le cas to describe in great detail her traumatic natural birth. It churned my stomach.

My elder sister had three c-sections, and I guess for me it seemed like the way to go.

After five months if pregnancy, on the recommendation of a colleague I started pregnancy yoga. It was the beginning of a turning point. The empowerment, the positivity, the confidence it gave was nothing I could have foreseen. (The yogi was fantastic)

Over the course of a few months I was transformed from the thinking of going for a c-section to definitely going for a natural birth (as much as possible). I was no longer this person who was terrified about the pain, the birth and everything that could go wrong. Instead I was positive and confident I could do it (even with a severe case of spd) but was still open enough to think about the eventuality of a c-section should things not go my way.

In the end I had a wonderful home birth (un-planned, but taking it in my stride)

The midwife is crucial in this and I went for a private one so that she knew me well and I her. She was wonderful.

I read up on the statistics and made my decision from how I felt and how the pregnancy was going. There are so many cases where a c-section is so important. I think it is wise to keep an open mind, so as not to be disappointed. However, I am now tilted towards a natural birth (at home even better!) Having said that, I have no experience of a hospital stay.

Once you've made your decision, do spend some time reading about when your baby actually comes! The hardest part for me was not the birth, but the sleepless nights, the painful feeding and the constant flow of unwanted visitors!

I was lucky enough to have enjoyed the birth of my baby (and yes, it wasn't as bad as I initially thought!) but there was a great deal of preparation (yoga, meditation, posture awareness in everyday life, midwife tips, birth position etc) that went into it.

I hope something in this (long!) post is helpful to you, or anyone else who reads this.

Personally in terms of recovery I tend to think that it's a bit of a sliding scale. A straight forward natural birth without complications, an elective cs, an emergency cs then a natural birth with complications. Unfortunately you obviously don't know how it will go for you until the day and much as being fit, healthy and low risk obviously puts you in the best possible position for the fewest complications it does not necessarily seem to correlate that high levels of physical fitness contribute to an "easier" birth.
If you are going privately and are able to choose then all you can do is ensure you make the best decision and inform yourself accordingly. If you are on the NHS then I suspect that you may have a hard time getting an elective cs unless there is a medical need.
It is a shame that one person has caused you this stress and nerves about your upcoming birth, I would suggest seeking out friends or other sources who have positive birth stories to tell to address the balance.
Good luck.

federica, we are going to have to agree to disagree.

I'm afraid my experience and that of my friends doesn't in any way resemble what you describe. We certainly weren't "always surrounded by negative ones" and I cannot disagree more that "Reality is much less negative than you think".

Like others here, we were bombarded (and yes, I do think that is the fair word to use) with stories about how birth is natural, normal, easy. My favourites 'women have been doing this forver' and 'women in Africa just give birth in a field and carry on', which totally overlook the grim realities for women without access to proper medical help AND patronise women who feel they will need some help. The NCT and Hypnobirthing movements seem to be the worst for this, and while you might think it is lovely that women go into it with no fear, there are an awful lot of women who come out of it upset, angry or feeling like a failure.
I know lots of women who will say birth is worse than they expected (Hands up who else believed it when they were told it is 'no worse than bad period pains'!), but I've never met a single one who said it wasn't as bad as they expected.

You made some pretty inaccurate statements about risks to babies which I felt needed addressing, and I'm not going to apologise for that. To leave things like that to stand is patronising to all our intelligence, not to mention downright rude to those who did their research and chose a c-section.

I do find it strange that 'natural' and 'nature' is often used as a synonym for 'good' when it comes to discussing birth.

Disease is natural. Genetic abnormalities are natural. My eldest had the cord wrapped twice around his neck. That was also natural and would have resulted in his death had I not been having an ELCS.

Hi OP, congratulations. Again, I can only share my experience and hope it helps. I've had three c-sections, two emergency (we tried for natural the second time and ended with another emergency) and the third was elective. In terms of recovery I stayed in hospital for three nights, two nights and one night respectively. I was up and about within a few hours of the birth and was able to hold and lift all babies straight after the birth. I've had no post birth complications and was back out and about within a few days, albeit slowly!

I think at the end of the day it's what works for you and your baby and not ignoring medical advice. We tried for a natural birth second time around but were advised mid labour by the consultant to stop and have a c-section. Nature didn't intend me to go naturally.

Good luck with whatever you decide and enjoy being a mummy.

This is always such a controversial issue! Everyone's experience of birth is different, and after reading up on the pros and cons, you can only go with what you feel in your gut is right for you.

I was very keen to have a natural water birth at home with my first baby. I'd heard a lot from NCT, midwives etc about how great that would be. Unfortunately I had to be induced and had a very long and traumatic labour in hospital. I felt afterwards quite angry that so many people had presented birth in such a rosy light ('it doesn't really hurt', 'everyone can do it', 'it's a beautiful experience' etc) when the reality for me was so shocking and horrible.

Second time round I had an elective c section and it was wonderful! So straightforward, so dignified, so lovely to start out my relationship with my daughter without all that psychological trauma. And the physical trauma was also better - I recovered much more quickly than the last time after my 'natural' delivery.

That is of course just my experience. I know that many women have straightforward natural births and are delighted with them. But I think that there's a strong cultural bias in this country against elective c sections and so it's worth sharing the other side of the story.

Best of luck to you, whatever you choose!

Hi op. Always an emotive subject.. I think most people would fall into three camps,
-those what want a pain relief free vaginal birth,
-those that want a vaginal birth with varying degrees of pain relief, be it gas and air or epi/spinal etc
-those that opt for an ELCS.

None is the right or wrong choice. The bottom line is that most people just want a healthy baby and to avoid a traumatic delivery or an emergency c section.
You have to decide by doing your research, NICE guidelines, speaking to healthcare professionals etc which of the three methods above will most likely guarantee a healthy baby and no traumatic delivery. For me there was no question about which choice was right for me. But others make different, equally rational choices based on their own circumstances. There are risks to all. Recovery in all situations depends on the individual. Every option will have a horror story but equally more often than not, every option will have an abundance of wonderful, positive birth stories. Don't let people in general, not just here, sway you with what has been a personal decision based on personal circumstances with an outcome unique to that individual, because plenty of people will try. Do your research and go with your gut instinct. Whatever it is, you won't be a failure. Good luck and pm me if you'd like to chat.

Hi Cat,

I re read your comments about my posts and I should have not said sorry actually. Maybe you should read carefully what I said before saying I am am sugarcoating an awful reality. You have been rather offensive.I was just trying to give some support and share a positive point of view. There are a lots of natural births but we do not hear about as it is always negative news that is spread. This does not mean sugarcoating! Reality is much less negative than you think.
I had a 24 hours labour and a tear during my homebirth, does it make you feel better? But I was calm, positive and confident throughout labour and I am sure that without preparing for borth the way I did, my birth experience would not have been as good to remember.
I wish more women could have a better birth experience. That is all.

Hi Cat,

Sorry if my posts did not seem mindful of other mother's bad experiences. Mine was the personal answer to the post that started this discussion and wanted advice on natural birth against cesarian. This was my point of view and II simply wanted to pass on a good birth story as we are always surrounded by negative ones ( that of course occur). .I have no commercial interested in posting this. In fact I was not advertising anything, but giving my personal point of view and advice as I believe we all , as women,have right to hear more positive stories a d build trust and confidence so that we do not approach that day with fear. Hypnobirthing helped me to let go of these fears. Of course there are risks, as there are risks with medical interventions ( and I also said we need to thank that these are available if a real reasons al reason is behind it).And as you said,everyone needs to understand what is best for them. But fear a d negativity does not help.
Need to go now...

If you opt for a natural birth then get the epi-no and do perineal massage, I did both and didn't tear for either baby. It's also very important to choose the right midwife, I believe that they play a major role in how your natural birth plays out. I know it's hard to choose one but if you don't feel comfortable with one then ask for another one. My first labour I had the best midwife, my second I had the worst. I wish I had had another one. Your could always get a doula though as they will ensure you are 100% looked after.