Who here has had a C section?

[Mummythree]

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.

I had an elective and wasnt given the baby until i was out of theatre, nothing was wrong. baby got passed to dad and they waiting till i was stiched up and going out of theatre to hand me him. i wouldnt want no curtain there though, who would want to watch their stomach being cut open? i didnt even wanna know what they were doing nevermind see it.

you are very very lucky to have an easy recovery cos for many myself y included didnt have an easy recovery...i wish!!!

 

[Liesje]

I didn't think I could handle it either but they told me beforehand if I start to panic they can give me gas, so when they asked me if I wanted the curtain lowere I thought, why not? I'm never going to get to see this again, so I said go for it! Your still pregnant belly is in the way of seeing the incision anyway, so all I saw was my baby and a bunch of cord. It also helped that everyone there was so calm, they had the radio playing and were dancing around and telling me how in a few minutes I would have a baby.

 

[Tor]

I had a c section with my son and although the actual section wasnt painful recovery was AWFUL my incision was still coming open and bleeding and needing to be dressed 4 months afterwards. I would never have a c section if it wasnt medically necessary, sure labour must be realllyyyy painful but generally recovery afterwards is much easier and faster.

I'm going for a natural birth this time and i really hope i manage it as looking after a toddler and newborn after having a section would be a total nightmare.

 

[Mummythree]

oh no i didnt wanna know what they were doing and was hppy the curtain was high up. i was scared as it was. i got to hod ds about half hour after he was born.

 

[tristansmum]

I had EMCS. I had an easy recovery but it was painful for a good week. Certainly not an easy way out. I laboured to 10cm and pushed for 2 hours so i had experience of both and god i wish i'd pushed him out myself. The big problem for me was not being able to look after him so well afterwards as i was so sore and couldn't move around very well.
Some one on here implied its not major abdominal surgery... well i'm a nurse and i will tell you yes it is! You are having you abdomine cut open 3-4 inch incision right into your uterus! If thats not major abdominal surgery i'd ;ike to know what is! The risks are bleeding and infection like any surgery. The reason that someone have an easy recovery and others a hard time is cause we are all individual. The same reason why one woman will push a baby out in 30 mins without so much as a graze and the next lady ends up with an episiotmy. Childbirth is unpredictible reguardless of whichever route you deliver. Good luck with however you have your baby. xxx

 

[chuck]

I had an EMCS but not rushed as neither of us were in danger so the same procedure as and elective I guess except I had been in labour for 24 hours.

I had easy healing i.e. no infections or complications but dang I'd take vaginal birth any day of CS.

I was left feeling like a train wreck for weeks after my CS, a simple trip to asda made me feel like i was going to die.

It really took it out of me being in so much pain and not being able to take decent painkillers because I was trying to BF...I failed miserably at it because i was in so much pain after the surgery and coming down from all the medications they gave me I was not in a good way to deal with the shredded nipples and stress.

It took me months if not over a year to truly bond with my baby - but thats more the circumstances of my surgery - I assumed I would get a certain level of care tht I did not get.

If you opt for CS PLAN IT..you can make it very personal.

I had a VBAC (palnned HBAC) last year and I would do it again in a heartbeat, it still took 9 hours of labour and over an hour of pushing but I was home and able to get up and down the stairs, sit/lie down and get up easily and pick up my toddler less than 12 hours after giving birth and the next day we had 8 people around to celebrate with the vindaloo we were going to cook to smoke the baby out of he wasnt here yet.

Whereas with the CS I was in hospital for a couple days then the birth centre too scared to leave because I was feeling so shocking.

Once I got home I didnt really want to see anyone as I was so rough looking LOL

 

[Airy]

I had a c-section with my daughter after 14 hours of laboring only to get stuck at 6 cm. She was positioned face up and her head wasnt giving my cervix enough pressure to dialate. Before I had her, I was extremely terrified of having a c-section. Kinda think I willed it upon myself lolz. The Dr and Midwife who delivered her were amazing. I was up and walking the next morning. I was off narcotics before I left the hospital and off motrin 1 week postpartum. I only bled for 2 weeks had no problems with my incision as I was stitched closed. I was back to work 6 weeks postpartum. Recovered just fine, but I tend to heal quickly regardless. Everyone is different though. Now that I am ttc #2 I am contemplating getting another csection or trying for a vbac...Kinda of leaning towards the section but letting the baby choose his or her bornday instead of scheduling it.