I also think sometimes, that some Dr's encourage their private patients to opt for a c-s. Means the Dr has them pencilled in for the surgery and can go out and play 9-holes of golf before everyone is due in theatre! It's for their convenience. I know of a few Dr's who do this and it's just not right.

I had an emergency C/S due to pre-eclampsia and being in Hospital for 2 weeks before having DS, they tried inducing me but nothing happened (partly due to me being bedridden for the entire time). Anyway I'd also been blacking in and out and was getting the same feeling I get before a seizure so I was TOLD I was having a C/S.

It was HORRIBLE! I only remember the first five minutes of DS's life and then nothing until the next day (born at 12midday). DH and the MWs took lots of photos so I can look at them atleast, but I was also bed ridden for the first three days of his life so DH got to do all the "firsts", which helped with their bonding but did nothing for mine. I was able to BF him straight away, even in recovery.

I lost 2.5lt blood and had a seizure too and felt like CR*P for a long time. I feel ripped off that I didn't get to feel that "euphoric" feeling that people talk about when having a VB birth. DH and I are discussing having a VBAC for #2 but my GP and OB have strongly advised against it. In fact the only positive things I have heard about VBACs are from this forum.

Who really cares?? - if people are happy to make a decision to birth in that way then good for them!! It's not affecting anyone else and I never hear in the news about babies dying because they have been born by c-section....

I have had two the first was an emergency after 13 hours of intense labour and having a failed venthouse and forceps. I had a topped up epidural and was awake for the entire thing and DH was with me the whole time. But I didn't hold my baby until he was about 6hours old due to the pain killers and been exhausted and generally out of it. Recovery was slowish and I swelled like a balloon.

The second was classes as a medically nessecary elective as the doctor who did the first one also did a D&C on me a year later and she said due to the way my body was I had a 90% chance of having to have an emergency one again if I tried a VBAC. The spinal failed so it was a general which freaked me out and I was all alone. It worried me and at times still does that we might of got the wrong baby. Recovery has been hard and has taken a long time. I was not allowed to give the baby a bottle until the next morning and I was able to get myself out of bed and showered - hospital policy. The general took a few days to wear off.

I went through the public system who don't like to do c-sections at the best of times so I know mine were both needed and not wanted.

DH's family all made rude comments about me been too posh and too much of a princess to push even after the emergency and having been explained the medical reasons for it. No one else made any comments about them

I have not had a VBAC but from what I hear and have seen the recovery in most people is much quicker, far less painful and far less invasive than c-sections.

Anyone who thinks it is the easy way out needs to have major abdominal surgery, that might make them realise it is no walk in the park.

I've had three varieties of c/s.

My first was an emergency after failing to progress. What sweet releif! I was induced 5 days previously. Nothing happened until day 5. 6 hours of labour with cyntocin still didn't get us there. And he was becoming distressed. Evidentally, his head was not engaged. My pelvis was too small for a normal sized newborns head to pass, by something like 2cm diametre. (And my kids all have big heads anyway) My Dr refused to let me try a VBAC with #2 for this reason. We are in rural NSW, so our hospital would not cope with the potential complications. If I went private, I may have been able to go to a bigger regional hospital.
So for DS2 we had an 'elective' c/s. I got over the whole 'dissapointment' of not labouring naturally when my mother pointed out to me how many babies my age died from complicated labours in the '70's. I was happy to have a healthy baby. My spinal block didn't work, so this one was a general. It was a bit dissapointing, but it just made DS3 even sweeter, because I WENT INTO LABOUR MYSELF WITH HIM!! * gloat gloat*
With DS3 I had a spinal block at about 3 in the morning after going into labour. We were rediculously thrilled! We had photos in theater and everything. For us it was just perfect!!!! And the clostest thing to a 'natural' delivery that I will get to have.
I'm 38 and have never successfully delivered naturally, so it's just never going to happen.
There are worse things happening in the world to get my knickers in a knot about. I have 3 healthy children. I'm luckier than so many other people.

Me too.. After my first one that went wrong my biggest fear is a c-section..if we have another baby and I need a c section for any reason I refuse to be awake.