Cesarean Sections

[tigercub]

Hi

I am looking for any information or accounts people have of cesarean section births. I know there is heaps of info online but I'd like to hear stuff from people on here Also some personal accounts if anyone wants to share.

Thanks

Please note I am not currently pregnant.

 

[lin1235]

Well my daughter was born by emergency c-section, unfortunately. I sooooooo wanted a natural birth! My water broke at 37 weeks and I was in labor for 18 hours but made no progress, because she was lying posterior (facing the wrong way, but head down). So my gynae suggested a c-section, and I agreed. They did a spinal block which didn't work, I could still feel everything, so I ended up getting the c-section under general anaesthetic. Very disappointing!

Having experienced it, I don't really know why women choose a c-section as the "easier" option. It was almost 24 hours before I was able to walk again, and 3 days before I could walk without pain. I couldn't hold my baby without feeling the incision. I'm not feeling sorry for myself at all (I'm so happy that she was healthy!) but I would not choose this route again if I had the option of a vaginal birth. Of course, I don't yet know what a vaginal birth is like, so maybe I would wish for a c-section if I had one!

 

[£amb]

My oldest son was a C-section baby. During my labor, his heart beat went way down. My doctor told me that I could continue this way until I gave birth naturally or I could have a C-section for the safety of the baby. My husband and myself agreed to opt for the C-section.

I healed rather quickly. It did hurt alittle bit when I had to get up and stuff like that, but overall (for me) it was pretty okay. I gave birth with my second son naturally. To be very honest, I healed quicker with the C-section than I did with the natural birth. I had that incision made for the baby to pass through without tearing your vaginal skin, and it took awhile to heal. It also took awhile for me to enjoy sex without it hurting. Of course we don't have that problem now...

 

[Mayzoo]

I have a friend who had two c-sections due to lack of progress in labor. I will ask her more about them and get back to you--

 

[Singin4Him]

I had a c-section in December with my son. It was much better than I expected. I healed in no time and was in very little pain, I never took any pain meds stronger than Motrin. I was up and around the very next day and getting around very well a week afterwards. The incision healed just fine and it's barely noticeable.

 

[icbeckyc]

My first was born c-section. I had wanted natural, but daughter decided to not turn the right direction. So when I went into the hospital and she was still breech we decided on a c-section. The spinal didn't work real well. I could feel quite a bit, but it wasn't so intense I couldn't make it through and didn't want a general. So I sucked it up. Felt very gross and kinda painful. After that I told my doctor I was not having a c-section with my second. Luckily everything went fairly smoothly and she was born natural. It was much easier and less painful.

Oh yea, and the incesion is barely noticeable. Even when I was thinner and wore a bikinni noone could tell.

 

[CrystalBrooke]

Emily was born via cesarian section (a year ago yesterday) because I stopped dialating. It was hard to walk for a few days, I was terribly sore the day after I had her, but in a few days walking was plenty barable, but I didn't walk without any pain at all for probably around a week or so. My incision healed up fairly quickly, you can't see it because my underwear covers it (it's almost right about my pubic hairline). All in all it wasn't a horrible experience, I would have liked to have had her naturally, hopefully I'll get to next time. But I will say that no mother should be made to feel badly because she didn't have her baby naturally, as long as the baby comes out healthy it doesn't matter how they got here.

 

[seamonster]

Having experienced it, I don't really know why women choose a c-section as the "easier" option. It was almost 24 hours before I was able to walk again, and 3 days before I could walk without pain. I couldn't hold my baby without feeling the incision. I'm not feeling sorry for myself at all (I'm so happy that she was healthy!) but I would not choose this route again if I had the option of a vaginal birth.

Same.

I was in the hospital for four days and couldn't even roll over for the first week without help because my incision hurt so badly. I have a pretty high pain tolerance -- I labored naturally without an epi for 18 hours on pitocin -- but nobody warned me how much a c-section just sucked.

My c-section was emergency because my son's heart rate was dropping with each contraction and I stopped dialating. If I was allowed to keep laboring, they believed he would die because his heart rate dropped too low. I am definitely trying for a VBAC with my next birth.

 

[~Nikki~]

I had an emergency c-section with my son.

I had been induced and had a couple of hours of strong contractions, and then his heartbeat kept dropping waaaay down, to about half what it should have been.

So the consultant thought it'd be best to get him out as quickly as possible.

After the c-section I found it incredibly hard to roll over or go from a lying to a sitting position for the first few days...and had to walk around ever so gingerly, lol...I was like an old woman.

But after the first few days, it healed pretty quickly. It was just over 7 months ago now, and the incision is still a purpley sort of colour, though it has faded a lot.

I was disappointed to have a c-section, though I'm just glad my son was born safely. I will try for a VBAC next time...

 

[ufonium2]

My son was born via emergency c-section at 37 weeks. I had never considered that I might need a c-section (I was 25 and in good shape with no known complications) so I hadn't read anything or talked to anyone about it. Now I know that I have a defect in my uterus that will require any future babies to be born by c-section a few weeks early.

Overall, my c-section experience was pretty negative. But mine was done in a very rushed manner, so the scar is bigger and very crooked. I'm confident that future c-sections, since they will be planned, will be better.

I wouldn't recommend a c-section as easier or less painful. There's a reason that maternity leave is extended by three weeks if you have a c-section.

All of that being said, I'm very grateful for the option of a c-section, and I get really mad when people (almost always women who have never been in that situation) feel compelled to tell me how unnatural and wrong c-sections are (because the natural and right thing would be for my son and I to be dead?) or assume that I had one for convenience (because Saturday night is such a convenient time to have surgery?).

 

[Singin4Him]

For those with emergency c-sections there may be more pain because you labored first for a while...?

 

[beccasmommy]

The C-section that I had was absolutely HORRIBLE! I was in SOOOOO much pain that they sent me to a more specialized hospital for tests to see if ther were internal injuries, I had a huge tube shoved down my nose because my intestines stopped working, I was seperated from my son for 2 weeks because he was in the NICU and I was at a hospital across town. I lost 1/2 of my total blood volume and needed 2 transfusions, I didn't walk for two weeks and then when I did I passed out, NOT FUN!

 

[CrystalBrooke]

For those with emergency c-sections there may be more pain because you labored first for a while...?

I don't really see what all those hours of contractions would have to do with the pain I felt around my incision when I tried to walk again...of course now that I think about it, all the contractions could have made the muscles in my abdomen sore on top of being cut open...so yeah, that does make sense. I was in labor for 16 or 17 hours with pitocin

 

[tigercub]

Thanks for all the input so far ladies

 

[GolfingMom]

I labored for 12 hours with my first and ended with a c-section. I ELECTED to have one with my second and it was an easier recovery all together.

 

[tigercub]

Another question...how did c-sec mum's go with things like bonding? Breastfeeding?

 

[seamonster]

Another question...how did c-sec mum's go with things like bonding? Breastfeeding?

I breast fed in the recovery room and haven't had any issues with breastfeeding at all.

For those with emergency c-sections there may be more pain because you labored first for a while...?

Huh. I've never heard that before. ?

Everyone I know who has done c-section and then VBAC says the recovery with the natural birth was far easier because the woman's body is designed to give birth vaginally.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

I had an emergency c-section with my daughter because of 44 hours of labor and pretty much stopping at 43 hours and 9 cm. My body gave up, I was ready to get up by that afternoon, had the c-section at 11:55 PM. Saved both me and my daughter.

With this baby I was determined to have a VBAC, but am now going with a repeat c-section. I am terrified of going through the same thing and also this baby is already quite large. So to prevent uterine rupture I have elected to go through surgery again.

 

[CrystalBrooke]

Another question...how did c-sec mum's go with things like bonding? Breastfeeding?

They put me to sleep for my c-section and I was in and out of it all day..I remember holding Emily and seeing 2 of her, I was in no condition to breastfeed I can assure you so I told them to go ahead and give her a bottle. I tried to get her to latch on til she was about 2 or 3 weeks old and she refused, it also broke my heart for her to refuse me so she was formula fed and I don't really regret it, she's a happy and healthy one year old now

 

[£amb]

For those with emergency c-sections there may be more pain because you labored first for a while...?

Not for me. Everybody is different, but for me it really wasn't that painful.