Well, I'm typing one-handed as I nurse my 3-day-old UC daughter (fifth birth, first UC).
Baby 1 (38 weeks, 7lb3oz) was an induced hospital vaginal birth with epidural. Dr let Daddy catch her. Not a bad experience, all-in-all.
Baby 2 (39 weeks, 5lb4oz) was a spontaneous hospital vaginal birth with no meds. The experience of actually *feeling* his birth was wonderful, but my OB nurse was a bitch (I worked at that hospital as a CNA, knew her, and we didn't like each other at all, but she was the one on call at the time), and Daddy and "labor support person" (yeah right!) joked, laughed and totally ignored and annoyed me throughout my labor.
Baby 3 (33 weeks, 4lb1oz) was intented to be a UC, but when my water broke at 33 weeks, we headed to the hospital. He was breech, and they bullied me into the most scary thing in my life, my first c-section. 6 hours after his birth, he was airlifted 300 miles away to Denver, and 3 days later I was released and drove a stick-shift pickup out to meet him and his daddy in Denver. C-section recovery was AWFUL!!!!!!! Swore I'd NEVER go through that again!
So, Baby 4 (35 weeks, 4lb15oz) was another UC attempt. But after hours of hard labor with no progression, I gave up, and went to the hospital. I was so panicked they had to give me a general for the c-section, and Daddy wasn't allowed in the OR. I ended up with a uterine infection, and again, recovery was AWFUL!
Baby 5 (38 weeks, 6lb) I finally got my UC!!!!!
http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1384270/faythe-marie-5-29-2013-6-28am
Now, having experienced the spectrum, I KNOW that if I ever have another baby, it'll be another UC. The biggest thing for me was being able to have a VBAC when otherwise I wouldn't have been able to. Second to that was the fact that ME MYSELF AND I were in control of what happened. *I* did this, and I did a damn good job of it, and didn't need outside help. I did give up toward the end (its all in that link), but she knew what mama needed, and showed up before we could get to the hospital. <3 It's very empowering, to know that she and I did this, all by ourselves! I truly believe she's healthier for the lack of stress, poking, and prodding. And for the fact that she got ALL her umbilical cord blood. It was also a very spiritual thing, largely because of what she and I have been through in the last 9 months, we've been all each other had. (quick run-down, lost custody of my other four before I found out I was preg with her. Sperm donor left me in a homeless shelter at 8 weeks preg. Then an ultrasound [falsely] indicated she had no arms. The ONLY friends that stepped up to help, rescued me and I went to live with them 700 miles away, lost all my ID in the move and it took 3 months before I got enough of it replaced to get another u/s which showed her gorgeous perfect arms!!! Labor was just her and me, my fiance (first time dad) was NOT helpful at ALL during labor (slept through most of my hard labor, and everything before that, and is now proud as a peacock that he delivered her [no, Honey, *I* delivered her, you *finally* tuned in during the last 5 seconds of it]). But it was fitting too. For the whole 9 months, others have come and gone, but her and me, we have always had each other, and it was just "right" that we did this on our own.
My bond with her is absolutely incredible, and she's my miracle baby in SO many ways!
Whew! Typed all that one-handed! Now I'm going to walk up to Pizza Hut (fiance's work) and eat supper with him and let him show off his new daughter to his impatiently waiting co-workers. I hope we don't get rained on, lol! Peace!!!