Having a Caesarean is not an easy option

Sharon Leifer

When she was having her second child, Sharon had endured 16-hours of labour, when her baby again showed signs of distress.

Her daughter Zoe, now 3, was delivered by emergency Caesarean.

When she became pregnant for the third time, she decided to choose an elective Caesarean.

"By the third time, I felt I didn't want to try again.

"Each of the previous children had been in a posterior position [where the back of the baby's head towards the mother's spine], which means a far more difficult and a longer labour.

"This one was in a posterior position too."

'Cut to the chase'

Although Sharon, 37 of north London, had an elective Caesarean booked, she had to rethink her plans when her waters broke four days before the planned operation.

She was taken into hospital and given the choice of attempting natural labour or having an emergency Caesarean.

"It was my decision. But the baby was in the posterior position and I knew the baby was a good size, and there were chances of complications.

"I decided to cut to the chase".

From my experience, I think natural labour is best

Sharon Leifer

She had a spinal epidural during the procedure, but says she was in a great deal of discomfort afterwards.

Three weeks after the birth of her son Joel, she says: "Having a Caesarean is not an easy option.

"It hurts like hell, and takes a long time to recover from.

"I couldn't manage on my own at all for the first week or so.

"And I can't lift my other children. They still want to be picked up and cuddled."

After having both natural labour and Caesareans, she says: "From my experience, I think natural labour is best, even though mine were long and hard because you recover so much quicker."

But she added Caesareans could be the best option if there were likely to be problems: "If you're going to face complications, I would rather they were for me, and the baby was safe."