I had an emergency c/s the first time. After 12 hours of excrutiating labour and intentions of VB... my DS's back was on my back, and he wasn't turning. I was also a 'high risk' and both DS & I were in distress during labour.

So I was raced into surgery, and in minutes DS had popped out and after a cuddle, he and DH went off to get cleaned up and weighed etc. I stayed on the table to have a cyst cut off my ovary. I had a brilliant ob, and my recovery was incredibly fast. Next day I was up and walking around; and I never took any pain meds because I never felt any pain. So my cs went perfectly. Great recovery, invisible stitches (I think they were staples as I never had to go back for removal ??), and no pain afterwards.

On the other side; my friend had a VB and they had to use forceps. She had 30 stitches "down there"... and was not able to walk for 2 weeks!! She was very fit & 26yo (I was 38yo and nowhere near as fit as she). Not trying to scare you from VB - as 99% of VB's go perfectly well and there can be complications whichever method you choose.

But I'm pregnant again... and my ob said I could do a VBAC. But I'm not so keen on it. I'm scared of the pain. I'm scared of the stitches (down there). And at 40yo, I'm not worried about the little scar in my pubes! My first appointment with my ob is in 2 weeks and I will discuss it with him. But I think the memories of my first labour (which was numbed with 2 epidurals eventually)... and the women who are honest and say how painful VB really is... is enough for me to consider CS again.

I find more people "judge" me because I wasn't able to breastfeed. I had absolutely no milk... and still total strangers give their 2 cents worth and suggest what I should have done!

At the end of the day - it's YOUR choice. It's YOUR body. You shouldn't be judged by other people - and if anyone judges you in any way - blow them off. Don't EVER worry what other peoples opinions of you are.

Try to talk to as many people as possible, particularly your doctor or Ob or midwife who you are seeing. There are people who have extremely painful VB's and CS's. Other people breeze through VB or CS. Recovery differs for everyone too. So there is no guarantee on either.