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Maybe some women push c-sections because they do not want their genitals cut up. The normal stretching to give birth to a baby is fine if that is all that happens but a lot of first time mothers will either tear or have to have an episiotomy to accommodate the baby's head. Just like having a c-section is cutting into healthy tissue and muscle so is having an episiotomy. Isn't the v____a a muscle? It is filled with all kinds of nerves just like the abdominal muscles. If women want to post about their difficult c-section experiences so be it. Go ahead. I know that c-sections are not a walk in the park. But neither birth method is easy or a walk in the park. I happen to know women who had it easier healing from their c-section than with their v____al birth. Just like the surgical site can become infected from a c-section, I know women who ended up with infections down there as well post delivery and had to go back to the doctor. That's just it. Every birth is different.

Thanks for your response. Yes, the v____al is a muscular ca___l with nerves and such. It is also a "targeted" organ that has receptors for certain pregnancy hormones that at the end of a tem pregnancy will be released to increase temporarily, the elasticity and retractability of the organ. The abdomen is not such an organ per those hormones. Yes, episiotomies cut into the preineum and the pelvic floor some. I am not saying that is a good thing either. However, with the 1,000 time or more increase in scheduled inductions (ie. you aren't in labor on your own) for normally progressing pregnancies, the increase in the need for larger episiotomies has occurred. I understand wanting to end a long pregnancy, that because one is 38 weeks or a day late that they want the induction. However, induce a body that hasn't initiated those natural labor hormones and/or use too much epidural medication so the mother can't regulate how hard she pushes and you have the huge tears and the need for interventions on a grander scale. It is so patently obvious to me if a woman REALLY does her research she would come across these reasons for why v____al births have not improved and have really taken a step backwards. Believe me, I understand women and the reasons they want to be induced (or need to be but that is different) and that they don't want huge cuts down below. That is why each woman must be taught to understand what all this medical stuff means. If it is suggested that she be induced a week or two (sometimes even 3 weeks early!) for muddy reasons, she should look up the normal concert involved in real onset labor and see how it works for both mother and baby. I think it is too minimized and a neglected area science that the mothers are being robbed of. As I said, the c-sections have their place, but Ido not believe it wihen most pro-pt. select c-sectioners say they have done all the "research" for obviously they have not. There are ways to avoid v____al trauma and women need to take a hard look at why v____al birth is becoming so difficutl for so many. Fetal size has increased somewhat, bu so has the size and heighth of the average woman. Again, none of this applies to babies truly too large for the mother, mal-presentations or medical conditions. I pose this question: to those who had large episiotomies and/or tears, how many had any labor inducing drugs on board? How many had epidurals that worked so well they had to be told to push? How many were not in labor at all with a normal pregnancy and were totally artificially induced to birth?

I agree with you Jaylen! To hear some people, a c-section is nothing worse than a hang nail, you know, nothing long term or risky and just pop a motrin and you have sucessfully avoided any pain in childbirth. I did not have a great c-section experience. I had a long and difficult labor, pushed for 2 hours and had no epidural, it still was less painful than the first 48 hours after my section. I would rather be in pain for 24-36 hours and deliver v____ally any day! The pain from my c didn't go away for weeks. Never again!

Note: a woman cannot be induced without the approval of her doctor. Most doctors will not induce 3 weeks early unless a baby is big or unless the woman is having a problem pregnancy. Then the doctor may want to induce the woman 1-3 weeks early so the baby will not get any bigger and she can have a v____al birth instead of her ending up with a c-section because if they wait for her due date then they risk the baby ending up being a half a pound to a pound bigger. But despite a woman being induced, having an epidural and not being able to regulate how hard she pushes (thus ending up with v____al intervention - episiotomies, large tears, forceps/vacuum extractors), there are still women out there who will go into labour naturally and not take any drugs and will STILL end up with an episiotomy or tearing. That is a fact. Not all v____as stretch enough to accommodate a baby's head. If they did there wouldn't be any such thing as a woman tearing and the surgical procedure of episiotomy would not have been invented and would not need to be performed on a woman's v____a/perineum. And even if the baby is an average size (not a big baby), the baby may still have a big head and may not be able to fit through the mother's v____a without intervention. Then it is too late for the woman no matter how much research she has done or even if she has gone into labour naturally and not taken any drugs. Out comes the episiotomy scissors and the woman's v____a gets sliced up and sewn back together whether she wants an episiotomy or not. How does a woman end up avoiding such v____al trauma in these instances where she has done everything right? I work in a law firm and I also know of instances where doctors have told women they were having around a 7 pound baby and the women ended up having a 9 pounder or 9 pounder +. Doctors are not perfect. Bottom line is that there is nothing natural about v____al birth and there is definitely nothing normal or natural about c-sections. Both types of birth suck but if a woman wants a baby she has to have the baby by one method or the other.

Re: last poster. Yes, I agree with you on many points, but why are episiotomies referred to as "sliced, and chopped up" and all that, but the c-sections are referred to as "controlled", calm, a small incision (as opposed to "chopped up" or sliced open through SEVEN layers of tissues and an ORGAN???) I am not stupid, of course I know there are reasons for c-sections and said so. I do not wish ill will towards anyone. I also think there are women on here who push c-sections on other women who may be mis-led into believing that a c-section is a panacea to any and all potential birth problems. If you work in a law office, perhaps you have heard of women who are having repeat cesarean sections FORCED on them? How about their situations. I now have to have one for my next child according to the local "authorities" not because of the REAL dangers, but because a few bad outcomes (yes, they are bad, but RARE) have been sucessfully litagated by whom? Law offices. Another thing, why do women think that after all this time and all the "surprises" that have come from birth that doctors can predict things about the unborn baby and the untested pelvises? Everyday babies surprise us and everyday women surprise us. I just don't think people should treat c-sections so lightly, and certainly should not push them to be the first choice in normal, healthy mothers. To follow your logic about doctors always doing the ethical thing and not inducing at 37 weeks? Well, that is not true at all. I know several women who have had, or were offered, the chance to have the baby early due to either their circ_mstances ( plan the time off, etc...) or the doctor's ( going to be out of town, not on call, etc.) and if you don't believe me, that's too bad. These doctors also tend to have a 30% c-section rate which is considered by any reputable organization to be well above what is appropriate even for a high-risk OB office.

Sorry about the tone of my last response, I am upset that I am being forced to have all my other children via c-section, which I detested. I meant no disrespect, but the story I tell is true. Again, I didn't mean the tone, just the content.

You definitely have a chip on your shoulder because of your own personal situation of being forced to have all of your children via c-section. Yes, I know you apologized but I never said that c-sections are controlled, calm, and are a small incision, nor did I promote them. I just answered your post "Why do some women push c-sections"? Well, maybe some women would rather have a c-section than risk having her privates sliced and sewn back together, in the same manner a woman may not mind tearing or having an episiotomy in order to avoid a c-section. Outside of the law firm, I happen to have a lot of friends who had terrible v____al birth experiences where the doctors almost killed the babies (obviously not intentionally) because they did not perform the c-section soon enough or refused the woman the c-section until it became a matter of life and death. But despite that happening to my friends, I know that each individual woman's birth and situation is different and not all v____als will result in such trauma. I do not take your tone personally as people on this forum who attack strangers because of their own personal situation or experiences are just not worth it. Believe me, I know and I believe I said so in my last post that there is nothing natural or normal about either birth method. Now is that pushing a section? If you still think I am pushing c-sections, you are probably confusing me with other women on other threads or are just in the mood for an argument. I will not respond further because I am going to be the bigger person here and walk away. I know the damage that each birth method can cause a woman. And one method is not superior to the other.

So obviously being a big enough person to recognize my tone was rude and owning up isn't good enough. I can't make you accept an apology. Also, I did not attack YOU, you responded to my post directed at the posters on the other threads on this site. They did say those things about c-sections. I understand you have personal experiences with women who have had traumatic v____al births, but slicing is slicing be it abdomen or perineum. Why would one be considered "easier" than the other is my point. My issue is not with necessary c-sections, I will say that again. And why is it a "chip" on my shoulders because my choice has been removed for future children? There are obviously plenty of women with bad v____al experiences who lament their birthing experiences who have not been labled as having chips on their shoulders or bitter or what have you. See, the high road works both ways. So why are you and I having this disagreement? My post was in regards to women who ARE posting such nonsense, not you. Now, is there anything more I can do to let you know that I am not in disagreement with you? I am not in the mood to argue, perhaps looking for someone sensitive enough to realize that me, and others like me would like people to see the necessary c-section mothers as human beings who deserve to be heard, understood and respected for NOT enjoying their experiences and who feel betrayed by people who imply they are wusses because c-sections are supposedly easy and less traumatic than v____al births. I have no beef with you, okay?

I am rather new to this posting stuff, but I can't help but notice on these threads that if you don't think c-sections are the best idea unless someone really needs it people seem to get really p__sed at you. I don't think you did anything wrong, Jaylen. PS I love your name, if my baby was going to be a girl (its my first boy!) I think I would have borrowed your name!

As I have said before, I am grateful for my c-section. I had such a terrible time the natural way,that I promised unless I was able to have a c-section,we would stop at one. I would have kept my promise too. Women say about the c-sections the risk...yes,its an operation so the risk factors are there,having a baby is a risk,although regarded as a safe operation, they say about the recovery yet I have read threads where women are on their third or fourth c-section.

Oh Marcie, Marcie, Marcie! I know you mean well and I truly believe you had a rough v____al delivery and that you want to encourage women with your c-section experience. But to say it can't be that bad to have a c-section because some women have to have their children that way is ridiculous. So what if they are on their 3rd or 10th? If you wanted more than one child so badly that even if they told you you had to have another birth like your first one you would do it. If not you personally, most other women would and I am sure there are women out there with worse births than yours. So your logic is flawed. There are women who not only have difficult deliveries but who react so horrifically to pregnancy hormones that they are hospitalized several times each pregnancy due to constant, 9 month vomiting. They do it again too and that is worse than any birth you or I had by itself. One woman I know literally never stopped puking, would barely gain enough weight to sustain her pregnancy, then had to have c-sections on top of that nearly year-long "illness" and usually required blood transfusions. She still had 3 children because they were THAT worth it to her. Most women do not want or like c-sections, it is that simple.

I am 35 years old, 34 weeks with my first baby and I am having an elective c-section at 38 weeks. My reason to do it was due to fears something would happen to the baby during a v____al birth. I am too old to take any risks and it took too long to get pregnant. The doctor completely agrees.