Piggybacking off of previous post. How do you feel about C sections? What about elective C sections?

I’ve noticed many people advocate for vaginal births and they think c sections are so dangerous. I’ve read so much conflicting information about c sections vs vaginal births in regards to which is safer. BOTH have risks and benefits.

I feel like some people go so far to avoid having a c section that they put baby at risk. This is coming from my own experience. I was 38+6 when I went in for my regular ob appointment. I was sent to labor and delivery for protein in my urine, decreased fetal movement, swelling, and blood pressure 150ish/100ish. For those that don’t know these are signs of pre eclampsia and if not dealt with can be dangerous for mom and baby. There is no cure. Only thing that can be done is getting the baby out if you are close to your due date or bed rest and trying to control the symptoms until you’re able to deliver. Long story short my labs came back okay but my blood pressure wasn’t coming down. I asked my doctor if I could be induced because I was concerned about the risks continuing to carry. He told me he wouldn’t induce because I was risking a c section because my body wasn’t ready for labor. They sent me home after monitoring me for about 2 hours with my blood pressure still high, still swollen, still decreased movement, and protein in my urine. The next morning I took my blood pressure at work (thank goodness I was able to do that because who knows what could’ve happened) and it was now 187/124. Hypertensive crisis. I could’ve had a stroke from that. I went back to labor and delivery and my ob had left that night to go out of town so I seen another on call doctor who made the decision to induce.

I did end up having a c section because baby went into distress. That probably wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t have to be induced. BUT I was in the hospital where my nurses/doctor had baby hooked up and monitored her 24/7. If I had continued to carry and baby would’ve went into distress because of pre eclampsia I might’ve not known or caught it in time. Baby girl is here and is just fine and completely healthy. The whole process for me was really easy and the recovery wasn’t bad at all. I felt completely normal after 2 weeks and stopped taking pain medication after 1 week.

I know many women who have had c sections, now including myself, and their babies are completely healthy. Many also went on to have subsequent pregnancies all completely fine and had healthy babies.

How do you feel about C sections? Do you think we should be doing everything we can to avoid them? Do you think they may sometimes be necessary? What about elective C sections?

*Note however you had your babies is completely fine and I’m not judging one way or the other. This was just my experience