Emergency vs Elective C-Section: Two Very Different Births with Anita

In this episode of Raising with the Village, we sit down with Anita, a mum of two, to talk candidly about her experiences of both an emergency C-section and a planned (elective) C-section — and how different those two births felt physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Anita shares her first pregnancy journey, which was complicated by a lung defect diagnosed at the 20-week scan. With close monitoring and a planned induction at 38 weeks, she hoped for a vaginal birth — but after six long days of induction, her labour stalled, her waters broke, and signs of infection led to a fast-moving emergency C-section.

She walks us through what it’s really like when a birth plan changes suddenly: the speed, the sensory overload, the number of medical staff in theatre, and the surreal feeling of meeting your baby while still trying to process what just happened. Anita also shares what recovery looked like after an emergency C-section, including pain management, mobility, antibiotics, and the emotional impact of focusing entirely on her baby’s health.

A few years later, Anita found herself pregnant again — this time facing a different decision: VBAC or planned C-section. Drawing on her first experience, plus new factors like gestational diabetes, baby’s size, age, and childcare logistics, she chose an elective C-section.

In contrast to the emergency birth, Anita describes the second C-section as calm, controlled, and predictable — but not without its own challenges. She talks honestly about anxiety before planned surgery, the physical sensations of a spinal block, longer operating time due to scar tissue, and recovery while caring for a newborn and a toddler.

Throughout the conversation, Anita reflects on:

• How expectations shape our birth experiences
• The reality of C-section recovery (both times)
• What surprised her most about planned surgery
• Why there’s no “easy” or “right” way to give birth
• Practical advice she wishes she’d known sooner

This episode is a compassionate, realistic look at C-sections without judgement — ideal for anyone preparing for a Caesarean, considering their options after a previous C-section, or wanting to better understand what recovery can truly involve.

Topics We Cover:

• Emergency C-section after prolonged induction
• Planned vs emergency C-sections: key differences
• Induction, stalled labour, and infection risk
• Theatre experience and medical teams
• Skin-to-skin after C-section
• Pain management and mobility after surgery
• VBAC vs elective C-section decision-making
• Gestational diabetes and birth planning
• Recovering with a toddler at home
• Honest C-section recovery tips and preparation

Anita’s Top Advice for C-Section Recovery:

• Stock up on pain relief before going to hospital
• Keep track of medication timings
• Prepare meals, snacks, and easy food in advance
• Set expectations — recovery takes time
• Prep older children so they know not to jump or climb
• Take pain relief even on “good” days

💛 Raising with the Village

This podcast is about real parents sharing real stories — because no one should feel alone in parenthood.
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🌐 Website: https://raisingwith.co.uk/
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