C-sections versus Natural Birth

[leeanne]

Do you think that giving birth via a C-section is easier than natural birth?

Why do women feel that it is?

 

[aliss]

I don't!!

I had a very problematic labour and vaginal birth. 3 days, 4 hours pushing, fetal distress, shoulder dystocia, baby received multiple fractures.

I still think a C section is worse. It's a major abdominal surgery - it has long lasting affects. The complication risk is higher.

I will be getting a C section next time because of #1, but I would rather have a low risk vaginal birth! Unfortunately, that is not what nature has in store for me

I don't think most women, who are aware of the risks/complications of a C section, would prefer one! But for some women, it is the safer option

 

[marley2580]

No, I think it's a much harder birth. I feel that I missed out on so much with both my births because they were sections. I was not the first person to see or touch my baby, I wasn't able to hold her straight away, I couldn't see to her beyond feeding her for the first 12 hours etc. I'd give anything for a natural birth, but it's not to be.

You hear a lot of women say they wish they'd had a natural birth, you don't see many women saying they wish they'd had a section.

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

I think c-sections are much harder tbh. I had a natural birth but I have friends who ahve had c-secs and seen posts on here. The recovery time is longer, mums don't always get that immediate skin to skin and it's an operation so there are increased risks of infection etc

Yes natural birthing is physically demanding during the birth, coping with contractions (although some c-sec mums go through labour and it ends in a c-sec) and pushing the out the baby is exhausting. I tore etc but I recovered quickly and teh pain was minimal.

So yeah I have rambled a bit. But I think c-secs are harder phsyically due to recovery and mentally due to nothing having teh birth they planned or not getting the skin to skin etc
xx

 

[aob1013]

I'm actually really happy i had a section. Recovered so well, hardly bled, all intact downstairs, got skin to skin, not much pain, scar healed well. Don't feel upset that i didn't have a 'natural' birth. If i have the option for a section next time, i will have one!

 

[bluebaby]

I think that a natural birth is more painful at the time, if your like me i only had gas and air and found the birth itself very sore whereas with a c-section you have pain relief and don't really feel the pain i would think as you will be numb. (not from personal experience just my opinion)

I think they are both equal on the pain factor for after the birth as with a natural birth they are problems with you 'area' and with a section there are problems with the surgery.

Neither are pain free or better than the other

 

[Dragonfly]

I am glad to read a section is harder to be honest as I never had a natural birth I got t the end and had to get an emergency c section. The c section was the easy bit as I felt nothing but I cant really answer this as I havnt had both but I do wish it was a natural one first time.

 

[coccyx]

have had 4 sections so can't compare with a natural. Don't feel I missed out. Did have skin to skin and certainly don't feel less of a MUm. Would not have opted for sections if they had not been advised for medical reasons. Did what was safest for my babies and me, not because I didn't want to push a baby out!
My Sil has had both vaginal and c section. Vaginal delivery was 'easier' option she said

 

[fantastica]

Guess it depends on what happened during you birth. For me, a section would've probably been 'easier'...he was too big, had shoulder dystocia and I ended up bursting blood vessels and had a hematoma (which was about 10x more painful than any part of the labour or delivery...I was nearly passing out and having panic attacks at how bad it was), this was then followed by surgery to drain everything and I wasn't allowed to move from my bed for 3 days. So a c-section would've avoided all the aftermath.

That said, I'm glad I delivered him naturally as things worked out ok for him in the end (shoulder dystocia can cause brain damage/death etc.) and I would probably go for natural next time as long as I wasn't expecting another big baby!

 

[kirmal12]

I was induced it took 5 days to get 1cm dilated, i then had my waters broke and wham i was having contactions full on every 3 mins for 12 hours. I had pethadine and a epidural and neither worked. I stayed on Gas and Air for the 12 hours. I got to 7cm dilated and didn't progress, LO got distressed so it ended in a c section. I don't remember LO being born really as i was so out of it (not because of the c section). I was seriously dehydrated and had to be put on a drip because i didn't drink for 12 hours. My first day was destroyed because of my "natural induced labour", if i had a c section straight away it would have been easier and i would have had memories of the birth, skin to skin contact and perhaps the ability to BF. I was up and about, walking to town 4 days later, with only minimal pain. I do still get the odd ache and soreness on my scar but nothing that bothers me.

Everyone is different though and every Labour/birth is different. If i have another i will be having a c section no way would i have a natural "induced" labour again so i could enjoy my LO even if i'm tied to a bed for 24 hours.

 

[JASMAK]

I have had only sections, and not a vag birth. I cannot speak for myself. I do, however, feel offended when people say that I had it "easy" for having a section. Maybe physically it was easier (although I have been in labour with all three of my kids, so I have experienced the pain), but emotionally, it isn't. With my daughter I was put to sleep, and I missed her birth entirely. I suffered for years because of it. I had one thoughtless lady say "lucky you..I wish I was...it hurt so bad." I would experience ANY KIND of pain to see my daughter come into this world, hear her first cry, and see her first moments...but they are gone, forever. That being said, who cares which one is harder or easier anyways??? Why compare?

 

[RainbowDrop_x]

I had a natural vaginal birth. Luckily it was very straight forward & no complications..However..In terms of getting the baby out I think c-section is easier..Where it can take hours to push a baby out it takes minutes to pull a baby out from the tummy.

Having said that I don't think a c-section is actually "easier". The actual delivery yes but the recovery no. I would much rather spend 4 hours pushing and a couple of weeks recovering that spend 2 minutes on a bed having baby pulled out and 6 weeks of not being able to do anything strenuous!

 

[aob1013]

Didn't take me 6 weeks to recover, i was fine in a week! Guess i am a lucky one.

 

[PeanutBean]

Well this is very intetesting! When I was first pregnant I very much appreciated that a section is surgery and comes with all the complications and recovery issues associated with surgery. I had a very long and traumatic labour and birth with all bets on an emergency section but in the end we managed with a ventouse. I felt lucky to have escaped. At first... It took me 8 months to feel anything like normal, 8 months before I was capable of bd, weeks before I could walk without pain and not much less time til I could sit without a cushion. I met quite a few section mums at baby groups and also read people's stories on here and I repeatedly saw women up and about in a few days and active quickly, certainly long before me. So now I am torn between the hope that the 2nd time will be easier and maybe I'll get my waterbirth this time or maybe I should have an elective section.

 

[dani_tinks]

I think it's down to each individual experience.
I gave birth vaginally after being induced at 42 weeks, it took me 3 hours of pushing and I was catheterized after the birth for two days as I couldn't move or walk due to my pelvis being inflamed/clicky (spd). I was then on crutches for a month and it took me about two months to recover. I was in so much pain I still sometimes have nightmares.

So next time if we ever have anymore kids I'll be having a C section!

 

[Justagirlxx]

I had a vaginal delivery after 16 hours of labor. It was very long and the hardest most painful thing I've ever been through. I cant see how laying on a table numbed from the waist down and being handed a baby half hour later is not easier than that. Granted the recovery time is way easier for a vaginal delivery, but the actual delivery itself is much harder.

 

[sophie c]

i had a vaginal delivery after 17 hours of lonngg labour and slow dilation put on the inducement drip, and had retained placenta so needed to go to theatre after too and have cathetar.....my personal opinion is that i didnt envy any of the women on the ward who had sections as they looked in so much pain after and i felt ok....i think initially a c section seems the easy way out and then u think of the recovery time and not being able to see the birth sometimes its alot harder


xxx

 

[RainbowDrop_x]

Didn't take me 6 weeks to recover, i was fine in a week! Guess i am a lucky one.

Recommended recovery for a c-section is normally 6 weeks. Including no driving, no heavy lifting, I've even heard it be said not to lift a kettle if it's full!!!

 

[sophie c]

i was also under this impression ^^^

xx

 

[Missy86]

I had a natural vaginal birth. Luckily it was very straight forward & no complications..However..In terms of getting the baby out I think c-section is easier..Where it can take hours to push a baby out it takes minutes to pull a baby out from the tummy.

Having said that I don't think a c-section is actually "easier". The actual delivery yes but the recovery no. I would much rather spend 4 hours pushing and a couple of weeks recovering that spend 2 minutes on a bed having baby pulled out and 6 weeks of not being able to do anything strenuous!

Its not true in all cases that a c section means the baby will come out quicker
Rhys was very far down and in a very badly stuck so it took them ages to get him out.

The only good thing bout having a c section is having my bits intact, I think it took me longer to bond though