Yes, the statistics really don't tell you much other than that there are risks on both sides. Like how do you really compare maternal death to infant death to HIE? How do you really compare someone's actual grief to someone's potential for grief? Especially without getting freaked out (at least for me) and very emotional just thinking about it? Sometimes I think it just comes down to making a decision - any decision and feeling o.k., at least in the meantime, living with that decision.
I have a friend who had 3 beautiful, natural births (2 HBs) with 3 healthy children. And she spent her third pregnancy convinced, worried, and distressed that something horrible would happen - breaking down in tears frequently. For me, I can't live like that. It's like I have to hope for the best, while acknowledging that horrible things may happen, whether I plan for a VBAC or plan for a cesarean.
I'm not trying to discount anyone's experiences, truly. My decision boils down to which decision can I be less stressed about in the meantime. Which one can I wrap my brain around the best? Which one makes my stomach turn or which one make me feel more hopeful and peaceful? Which one could I live with if something catastrophic happened? For me, it's VBAC. For someone else, they feel safer with a scheduled cesarean, which is o.k. too. We can go around and around about statistics, but I think it just depends on the mom and their comfort level more than the actual statistics.
I have a friend who had 3 beautiful, natural births (2 HBs) with 3 healthy children. And she spent her third pregnancy convinced, worried, and distressed that something horrible would happen - breaking down in tears frequently. For me, I can't live like that. It's like I have to hope for the best, while acknowledging that horrible things may happen, whether I plan for a VBAC or plan for a cesarean.
I'm not trying to discount anyone's experiences, truly. My decision boils down to which decision can I be less stressed about in the meantime. Which one can I wrap my brain around the best? Which one makes my stomach turn or which one make me feel more hopeful and peaceful? Which one could I live with if something catastrophic happened? For me, it's VBAC. For someone else, they feel safer with a scheduled cesarean, which is o.k. too. We can go around and around about statistics, but I think it just depends on the mom and their comfort level more than the actual statistics.
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