The Choice
This tool can help you to understand your options, recognising that birth does not always turn out as expected. You can take your time during pregnancy to learn about different events that can happen during childbirth.
This tool is for most pregnant women in the UK. Your midwife or doctor should explain any personal issues in your pregnancy and how these may affect your birth.
How will you decide?
Choosing between planning a vaginal or caesarean birth often involves weighing up what matters most to you:
- Your health and wellbeing in the short & long-term
- Your baby’s health and wellbeing in the short & long-term
- How you and your family, friends or community feel about birth itself
- The practicalities of giving birth and the post-birth period
- The experience of giving birth
Where to start?
This tool will guide you to consider these issues. When using the tool, you are encouraged to take notes for yourself on what is important to you so that you can discuss these in more detail with your midwife or doctor.
Choose one of the following topics to find out more about planning for vaginal or caesarean birth:
Planning a vaginal or caesarean birth may each lead to changes in your health and wellbeing. These changes may or may not happen. They may be more or less likely when you plan a vaginal or a caesarean birth.
Planning a vaginal or caesarean birth may each lead to changes in your baby’s health and wellbeing. These changes may or may not happen. They may be more or less likely when you plan a vaginal or a caesarean birth.
Giving birth is an important topic in many cultures. You may have strong feelings on how you want to give birth, and you might be influenced by how people around you feel about birth. Your birth plan should be your own, but your social network may help you understand what is important to you.
Where and when you give birth will differ depending on if you plan a vaginal or caesarean birth. Some aspects of each can be predicted in advance e.g. the type of care offered during labour, and what will happen during a planned caesarean.
You may want to read or hear about birth experiences from other women. If you have given birth before, you may also consider how your own birth experiences may or may not impact on your next birth.
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