Who here has had a C section?

[Blue_star]

What was the C section like? is it easier less painful then vaginal birth?

I'm thinking about getting an elective C section I have too much anxiety about natural birth..Kind of silly but i'm afraid i'll die from the pain or something and I know labor can last hours and hours it sounds horrible to be in such pain for so long. I will surely convince them to give it to me as i'v already been on anxiety meds.

 

[crazylilth1ng]

I've had both. And believe me the recovery pain from a section is far worse in my opinion than labour pains ( which do hurt don't get me wrong).

A section is not a get out of labour free card! Honestly! It's so painful and un dignified after! I'm not saying YOU see it that way but many people do.

I'd choose vaginal over section any time unless the section is necessary.

Oh... And your fears are not silly. It's a very real worry!

 

[Taramuppet]

hiya ive had C section and having another this time round, but only cos im high risk, dont think they give you option of a c section for 1st? like crazy said recovery is painful 6 weeks average but c section its self is fine, if i could go natural id love to just to say ive done it if you know what i mean lol hope this helps good luck xx

 

[ems]

Ive experienced both and Id say a section isn't the easy way. Our body is designed to labour and deliver rather than go through a major operation.

Good luck in your choice

 

[DJ987]

Yes I've had one. Would I choose to have another if I had the choice? No.

It's major surgery, and I'd rather have hours of labour pain than weeks of pain from a c section. The worst part for me was lying in bed unable to move whilst my baby was crying to be fed, it was horrible. I'd much rather have a natural delivery.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[amipregnant]

i had a c section and it was terrifying, i kind of feel sad i didnt get to experience a contraction and i feel my baby was made to be born too early. my recovery was ok and i kind felt a bit blazay about it, since mine i have watched a c section on the link that was posted on here and it is so much more serious than i kind of thought. i would recommend counselling rather than trying to convince them to let you have a section. You have to remember it is natural and what your body is designed, think how amazing you would feel knowing that not only did you make the life of your child but you delivered it!!! thats something i missed out on.

 

[Annie77]

I had two sections; one was 'elective turned emergency' due to placenta praevia and haemorrhaging, then my 2nd one because I went over my dates, 17 days of contractions but no dilation.

I will have to have sections for any future births and I am not too bothered. I guess it is familiar to me now but I would say that it should not be an option unless there is some reason a natural birth is advised against.

Maybe try hypnotherapy and then work with midwife/obstetrician to formulate a really good birth plan which covers as much pain relief etc as possible. I had a friend who was very anxious and her midwife let her try gas and air (entonox) before labour so that she could experience sensation before she actually needed it - I thought this was a stroke of genius on midwife's part

 

[Babydance]

I had a vaginal delivery with LO which ended with me now having a section for this baby. My "natural" birth ended up in 11 months of recovery, my bowel and uterus were exposed to one another and i had 3 lots of anti biotics in the first week! I still tear during sex 3 years on!
So both have risks but it really is a gamble as noone knows how they will recover from either birth. My friend got to hospital, pushed for 30 mins had her baby with no stitches. Another friend had a section and was out walking and shopping before i could and her LO was born 8 weeks after mine! i think "typically" a vaginal birth is the safest option. I also have a fear of death in labour but surprisingly when in labour i actually forgot about it?!
All the best xx

 

[cassarita]

I had a c-section but I wouldn't electivly have a c-section unless there was a medical reason.

 

[AnonymousMoi]

What was the C section like? is it easier less painful then vaginal birth?

I'm thinking about getting an elective C section I have too much anxiety about natural birth..Kind of silly but i'm afraid i'll die from the pain or something and I know labor can last hours and hours it sounds horrible to be in such pain for so long. I will surely convince them to give it to me as i'v already been on anxiety meds.

I went in wanting an all natural, no meds birth and for several reasons ended up having a c-section (which I'm actually totally okay with, it was a great experience!) I'd say if you did elective it's probably less painful because you're not dealing with hours of contractions, but the afterwards can be very painful even with meds and you aren't allowed to do a lot of normal things (like vaccuming) for the first month, which can be frustrating.


WARNING: Graphic!

I went in at midnight the morning of my sons due date because I was leaking amniotic fluiod but I was still only dilated to a 1. They said if I didn't start dilating they were going to induce... well 3 hours later I wasn't dilating so they gave me pitocin which makes your contractions 10x more painful (I was having back labor which is excruciating, I'm not sure what the regular, more common stomach contractions feel like) so since they gave me pitocin I was hooked up to fetal and contraction monitor, a saline to keep me hydrated, and the pitdrip. It's not fun trying to sleep with all those damn cords in you and the beds in the birthing room sucked! So after 3 hours I asked for something to help me sleep... it was something they put in my drip and made me drousy...I'm not sure exactly what it was but I fell asleep almost instantly. Finally my doctor came in around 10am and had a look at me. I had slept maybe 5 hours tops in the last 48 and was pretty out of it and in pain so he encouraged me to get an epidural (I was totally against them before, but OMG as soon as the anesthesiologist gave it to me I was SO relaxed... I wish I'd gotten it earlier.) Around 4pm my doctor comes in and says that I've only dilated to 4cm after 12 hours on Pitocin (when I should have been dilating .5cm every hour on pit) and there was meconium now so it'd be best to do a C-Section.
They wheeled me into the room, gave me the other numbing drug, again I can't stress how compassionate and awesome the anesthesiologist was. They tested to make sure I couldn't feel anything, put up a "privacy" shield so we couldn't see them cut me open, straped both my arms down in a "jesus" like pose... then doc. came in and began the procedure. Warning: when they cut you open they have some sort of "run off catch" for all the blood and amniotic fluid, well mine over filled and ran on the floor which freaked my husband out because he thought I was bleeding out, so warn whoever is in the room with you. It didn't hurt, obviously because of the drug, but you feel a tug/pulling sensation when they try and pull baby out. Mine was so deep down in my pelvis they had to use the vaccume. When they pulled him out I felt my body kind of arch up and then relax and I felt so light. They stitched me back up (takes about 20 minutes) and we oohed and awed over our son then they wheeled me into the recovery room where they weighed and measured him and gave me morphine and icechips. Then I was wheeled into my room to which I stayed for 3 days (this bed was sooo much more comfortable than the birthing room beds) I wasn't allowed to get out of bed for the rest of the day and they had legs compressors on my calves to stop me from getting blood clots which I had to keep on.) Having a cathider (sp?) is kinda nasty having everyone see your pee but nice not having to get out of bed
The next day my nurse came in, took the cathider out, wiped my vaginal area (you start bleeding, a lot!) and told me that I was allowed to get out of bed and encouraged me to walk around my room a bit but take it easy. They also have you pee 3 times and have them check to see how much you peed. Okay, when you first get up you will HURT. Take it slow and easy, I had my hubby stand on the side of my bed and slowly pull my legs to the side (again, very painful because when you move your legs it uses your stomach muscles) and then once my feet were on the ground I slowly leaned forward and put all my weight on him. The moment I stood up, even though I had a large industrial sized hospital pad I bled so bad it gushed onto the floor (nurse said it was normal.) Then I passed a large clot (the size of a large pad) which the doctor said was normal. The first few days I took pain meds every 4 hours (even through the night which seemed to be more painful. I slept sitting up with pillows all around me and either an ice or hot pack on my stitches... (they put a retractor on one side to hold open the cut when they deliever your baby and you tend to have more pain on that side) by the 4th day I was taking pain meds just during the day and right before bed. After 1 week I was off pain meds completely and even though you're not suppose to do pretty much anything I was cleaning and lifting around 1.5 weeks, with mild painful twinges on the right side (where they had the retractor.) By a month I felt completely healed.
They only thing I regretted was that I was stuck in bed for the first day so I wasn't able to get out of bed to change my baby (my husband did that) and when he cried I had to have someone bring him to me so that I could hold him (with the support of many pillows. Get a boppy it's amazing! Helps keep baby's weight off your tummy and scar)
Either way the pain is worth it... Do what feels right to you.

 

[hulahoop09]

I had an elective c-section for tokophobia and it was AMAZING! I had no problems and I have had worse period pain. I didnt experience what I would call pain, a bit of pulling for a couple of days, sometimes stingy but nothing painful, more uncomfortable. The day after the c-section I was left 11 hours without pain relief and I was discharged 2 days after c-section and didnt take regular pain relief as it made me feel drowsy.

Good luck!!!

 

[biliboi2]

Amazinghow some people dont feel pain afterwards. Ihave a high pain threshold and was in agony after emcs and still tender 5 weeks on.

 

[Jadey121]

ive had two sections... first was an emegency it was horrendous after as i was pumped full of drugs but i wasnt in much pain afterwards. 2nd was an elective and was much better.. again hardly any pain afterwards just a tad uncomfy a few days later. I guess everyone is different though

 

[Mummythree]

Ive had 2 vaginal births and 1 section. no way is a section easy, its not classed as major op for nothing!

labour is sore, but the recovery from a section is not easy, its long, hard painfull recov ery esp when you have kids already.

for me labour was for short time, section has been hard recovering from for months!

 

[Liesje]

Mine was an elective c-section as a "get out of labor free card" and it was great and painless. If I ever have another baby, it will definitly be via CS.
There is nothing to be afraid of. Mine was a "natural c-section" so I was able to have my baby immediately and had him with me in the recovery room, so I could breasfeed within about 30 minutes.
I know people call it a "major abdominal surgery" but it's really not that bad. They don't even cut your muscles anymore.
One of the best parts for me (besides having my baby within 15 minutes!) was that they cleaned me out so well I only had bleeding for about 2 days. I was out of the hospital within 48 hours of checking in and it gave me an excellent excuse to stay in bed with my baby for 2 weeks and just focus on breasfeeding... Otherwise I would have been out and about showing him off

 

[Mummythree]

they do cut through abdominal muscles. and it is not an easy recovery!
certainly isnt easier than labour.

whats a natural section? :s

 

[Liesje]

mine was, and I've heard a lot of positive opinions from other people also, but I guess everyone is different.
My OB told me none of my abdominal muscles were cut and that cutting them is the old way of doing it... My internal incision doesn't match the scar on the outside, the outside is a "bikini cut" and the internal one is off to the side.
A natural c-section is when there is no curtain near your face and the baby is given to you the same way it would be if it were born vaginaly, I think that's only an option with elective c-sections though. Not sure.

 

[Gunnhilde]

mine was, and I've heard a lot of positive opinions from other people also, but I guess everyone is different.
My OB told me none of my abdominal muscles were cut and that cutting them is the old way of doing it... My internal incision doesn't match the scar on the outside, the outside is a "bikini cut" and the internal one is off to the side.
A natural c-section is when there is no curtain near your face and the baby is given to you the same way it would be if it were born vaginaly, I think that's only an option with elective c-sections though. Not sure.

My c-section was magical as well. I didn't feel much pain at all afterwards and refused the narcotics. I've also got the bikini cut and at almost 4 years on - I had to really convince OH that I had one when he first saw it (which was at the 3 year point). The scar almost doesn't exist versus my plate surgery scar which is still angry and bitter at 8 years.

I needed the curtain. It was kind of unsettling feeling them move my internal organs and they had to keep me awake with smelling salts. I think I might have thrown up when my stomach got bumped (or felt like it did).

They did put DD on me as soon as they could. I didn't want to because I was feeling too faint to hold her, but they insisted that she take to the breast right away and the nurse held her there until I felt less shakey.

I'll be trying to do a HBAC next time, but only because I'm too tight down there and I'd like to have at least 4 more pregnancies.

 

[Srrme]

I have had a vaginal birth and a c-section. I gave birth to a 2 pound 11 ounce baby naturally, so I can't really stand here and boast about it. I didn't want a c-section with my second, but my baby was breech, and premature, so I had no choice. The c-section itself was a breeze, but afterwards was painful (I managed with taking Ibuprofen alone though, so not too bad). I nearly passed out when I stood up for the first time (I don't know why). It was a pain in the butt having to hold my stomach every time I coughed or laughed because it hurt so bad, and the gas pains afterwards are ridiculous!

I had a 12 month old at the time too so I HAD to get up and continue my daily routine once I got home (and in the hospital too for that matter). That was no fun, and again, painful.

I will not choose a c-section over a vaginal birth any day, and will only go through with one if absolutely necessary (which it was at the time).

 

[miss cakes]

i dont mean to be harsh but having a baby is an amazing thing whatever pain you have to go through is worth it your going to be a mother now and you gotta take one on the chin to get it natural or csection its painful either way but the pain dosent last forever and its a good pain it has a purpose if you really anxious why not just go for an epidural then your labour will be painless but you wont have to go through surgery also if you suffer anxiety do you think your be any less anxious walking into a theatre and being cut open while you are awake? its damn nerve wracking let me tell you xx