C-section vs. vaginal birth

[Marisa]

Hello. I'm wondering what are the pros and cons and risks of each method of delivery. Having a c-section hadn't even occurred to me, until I started reading about all the women having elective c-sections. My main concern about hvaing a vaginal delivery is that I definitely want an epideral , but am quite concerned with the risks.

Thanks for any advice or personal experiences.

 

[HappyV]

Marisa,
If you have a CS, you will also need an epidural, using a much higher amount of anaesthetic than for a vaginal birth.
Please read all you can about CS - the recovery takes longer, you and your baby are more at risk of needing further medical intervention, and apart from anything else, it's much more expensive! Every choice carries a responsibility and it's important to be as well informed as you can be.
Unless you need a CS for medical reasons, please try to consider a VB - yor body is designed to perform this act of giving birth, and I think it's really sad that so many women who don;t need CS do it bc it's somehow seen to be 'easier'. I can never understand when I hear women call a CS 'easier' - you donl;t have to go through labour, but they cut through layers of skin and muscle to get to the baby, and a CS is still considered to be major, although routine, surgery. And just when you think the worst is over, you have to have your stitches out - OUCH!
Having said all that, I had an emergency CS to have my baby, and I still wish I could have had a normal delivery, but then we could have lost him. I belive strongly that CS have their place, but only when medically necessary.
Hope this doesn't offend - I am sure others will have strong opinions too.
Good Luck with your choice.
HappyV

 

[carang]

i had a c section and it was truly AWEFUL!!!

i found it excruciatingly PAINFUL! THE ACTUAL SURGERY, NOT THE RECOVERY!

i was screaming in agony during the proceedure.. they had me so full of epi that i could barely turn my head...they even gave me gas, and i was still screaming... i can only describe the feeling as...it felt like they were taking my belly button and trying to touch the ceiling with it!!!

the recovery was not nice either... i developed a blood clot just below the incision that got infected (i did everything they told me to!!!) and i ended up having to go to the clinic everyday for a week so they could flush it clean...

this involved sticking a long cotton bud into the would and swirling it around, then inserting a VERY long thin tube that they flushed saline through... then they swirled THAT around to make sure that they got it all!!!!

when it is all said and done... that was a year ago(almost exacctly), and i want to have another baby around christmas this year....

and the thing is, due to medical reasons, i had no choice and again will have no choice.... c section is the only possiblity for me....

i didn't write this to scare you, just to let you know that it is NOT painless for all!!!:gl:

 

[Lylah]

I had a C section for medical reasons. It was an emergency one. But i tried to labour for 14 hours before giving up. C-section was never my primary option. Agree with all that Happyv said.

 

[ramkiranju]

I had 2 normal deliveries.Believe me the recovery is very fast and you can adapt yourself with the baby faster.With C section as I have heard from most of my friends that does not happen ..ie what they call room in the baby and the mother as the mother has undergone a major surgery and so she has to lok after herself really well.So unless its a medical need do not go in for..I am not imposing myself..But this what I too have learnt fromothers

 

[tarakoo]

i chose c section and it wasn't that bad. epidural worked really well, so no pain at all...when i tried to walk a day after surgery, it was painful, but not too bad. my recovery wasn't that fast, but i manage to breasfeed...i breastfed almost for 11months. the thing i don't like about c section is the SCAR on my lower tummy...looks scary...

 

[rani]

From my pregnancy group (7 in total) only 2 of us had v deliveries. For me the recovery from a v-birth was quick. I had an episitomy and was sore for the first 48 hrs. But I remember the c-section woman recovered really quickly too. Ok, a couple even made love to their husbands after 2 weeks. :haha:

 

[VegemiteKid]

I was quite concerned about the uncertainty of natural (vaginal) birth, not wanting to deal with hours of labor and pain for a 'faster recovery' and then having an episiotomy or C section anyway. I also had a good friend who had almost lost her baby after a long difficult birth. Luckily for me I had a great & sympathetic dr who convinced me to 'give it a go' and if we were not happy with the progress after a few hours of labor - it was my decision and we could go the C section. She also agreed if she had any concerns re the baby to immediately perform a C section - not wait to see if it would be okay.
I am so glad my Drs sensible advice led me to not have an elective C section. I did have an epidural - which caused me no problem whatsoever - i could still feel my legs and participate in the birth (ie push). And I would recommend an epidural - why go through the pain if you don't have to? A natural birth was definitely the right thing for me to do. I was able to immediately care for my baby and didn't have the pain and trauma of major surgery to recover from while adapting to being a Mum for the first time.
Of course, every single birth is different - whatever 'type' you have. You have to do what is right for you. My recommendation would be to try and have a vaginal birth so long as it is safe for you and your baby. I am glad I did. :gl:

 

[Tong Tong]

C-section or not.. are purely personal preferenc.. can't say which is right or wrong.
but I strongly disagree some woman insist on VB just becuase they want to FEEL like a REAL WOMAN.... to me... it sounds like ...once you own a sport car... must go 100m/hr.
You own the machine ... doesn't mean to have to USE it to be meaningful!!!!
I had a CS and my 2nd child was VB... kinda regret it... it was MUCH easier to have CS.....
YEaH... EASIER!!!!　I was up and running on the 2nd day.. breastfeed . no problem.... it doesn't really hurt that much!
Life is full of trouble... babies are full of trouble... let's make delievery EASIER!!!!

 

[zaitsa]

Hi,

I had a c-section myself 6 months ago, it was for medical reasons. I personnaly think that unless you need it for medical reasons it is better to have normal delivery. It takes time to recover from it of course vaginal birth as well but not in the same way.
It is still a surgery even if doctors improve a lot their technic. If you prefer c-section to avoid the pain, think you will have pain anyway, not during delivery but few days after. Not too strong of course but still.
They normally make you walk on the first day but it takes approximately 3 months to walk and stand without any problem. you need help at home because it is forbidden to carry anything and practice sport for about 4 or 5 months.
For feeling or not the baby, you feel it when they take the baby out of tommy but don't feel the pain. You still see the baby right away like for vaginal delivery.
Afterwards, it is up to you. Good luck anyway for both ways. Enjoy time with your babies that is the most important thing.:bounce: