Would you schedule a C-section if you technically don't need to (health-wise)?

[iamgr8tful]

Background: With my first, my water broke (3 days before my due date) but even with a bunch of drugs, I wasn't progressing (barely dilated at 30 hours) so got an epidural and emergency C-section, esp after my baby's HR dropped dangerously.

Being my second, I was thinking of trying for natural v delivery again, but my OB/GYN office (different MD/NP) seems pretty nonchalant this round and recommended to schedule a C-section. So I did, which is scheduled 4 days from now (or 3 days before my due date). Besides being a lot more prone to sickness this time around with my first tracking germs all over and being over the maternity hill myself, I haven't really got a real reason to need a C-section. Don't get me wrong, I'm ready for this baby to pop out but now that the feeling I'd be early is dwindling, I keep wondering if I should wait a bit more.

There's plenty of science for C-section being more last resort but I'm curious to hear real stories if they were glad they did C-section without waiting for the body's signal.

The main reason I'm doing C-section now seems to be that I feel locked in and a bit silly for getting cold feet. 2 concerns I have is whether healing is worse after 2nd C-section and if this may mean harder to sustain milk supply when starting to breastfeed.

Thanks, all!

 

[jessero]

@iamgr8tful Trust your intuition mama!! If there is no medical need for major abdominal surgery then you and baby are both better off opting for a physiological (ie vaginal) birth

 

[bearpat]

@iamgr8tful Something similar happened to me. The doctor recommended a scheduled C-section for the second time around because less than a year had passed since the prior. It was apparently lower risk this way. I wasn't keen on it but took his professional recommendation.

With the first birth I was in labor for over 30 hours until baby's heart rate dropped and I was taken to an emergency C-section. Recovery was terribly difficult because of the entire experience.

Now with the scheduled C-section, recovery was infinitely easier. I was mentally ready for it this time which helped significantly, and it helped to not be overly drained and exhausted from a long labor.

I think it was the right choice for this second birth and I'm glad I did it.

 

[netwaxer]

@iamgr8tful I opted for vbac because my cs recovery was shit, I didn't want the repeat of that with toddler in mix and I wanted more babies (each cs makes pregnancy and birth more risky). If you want the baby out, you can try asking for induction instead of straight to cs (and hopefully will have successful vbac). However from other peoples experiences, planned second cs is usually better than their first emergency one (calm and you know what to expect afterwards).