[Open] Poll: C-sections and vaginal births

[Leanna]

Do you lose weight faster if you have had natural birth rather than c-section?

Well, I don't know now that you mention it, but you do lose weight faster if you breastfeed.

 

[GolfingMom]

Well, I don't know now that you mention it, but you do lose weight faster if you breastfeed.

I lost more weight when I didn't nurse. Most moms I know say the same thing. I guess it all depends on the person but from the people I've spoken to regarding that - most say they lost more weight once they weened (4 months to almost 2 years range)...

 

[Leanna]

I lost more weight when I didn't nurse. Most moms I know say the same thing. I guess it all depends on the person but from the people I've spoken to regarding that - most say they lost more weight once they weened (4 months to almost 2 years range)...

Well, either way, breastfeeding burns 500 calories a day. Of course I hope you are right that I have no trouble next time because after my last two experiences with breastfeeding I suspect I may not try with the third baby. None the less, 500 calories a day..... if you're not breastfeeding you have to decrease your intake.

 

[GolfingMom]

Well, either way, breastfeeding burns 500 calories a day. Of course I hope you are right that I have no trouble next time because after my last two experiences with breastfeeding I suspect I may not try with the third baby. None the less, 500 calories a day..... if you're not breastfeeding you have to decrease your intake.

My sister lost all her weight with her first child when she weened (6 months) and lost the remainder weight with her second when she weened (1 1/2). My friend is currently losing weight and she just weened (almost 2 years of BF) etc. All my S's-I-L lost weight after they weened etc. Whereas my friends who FF lost the weight RIGHT AFTER birth. I guess b/c you eat less? I don't know. Just what I've found. All the BF moms I know say "I thought it would help me lose weight - it's so not true" I guess everyone's different though...

 

[Leanna]

Yeah I only breastfed David for 3-4 days and it took me 12 weeks to look like myself again, I breastfed Maya for 3 1/2 weeks and by the end of the first week I didn't look like I had a baby. In fact, I gained 3-4 pounds after I quit. Breastfeeding also causes uterine contractions that makes the uterus shrink faster.

 

[LovesEnduringPromise]

Wow!!! You lost it fast Leanna.

 

[teishpriest]

Two at home. Obviously they were vaginal deliveries with no intervention or drugs, since you only get those at the hospital. I hope to have my third at home as well. One of the biggest advantages is choosing the position I wish to give birth in. I can't imagine being on my back or semi-reclined while I'm in labor. I'm only comfortable if I'm upright and leaning on something/someone, especially during transition! My grandmother couldn't believe that I gave birth to my son standing up, LOL! It was the only comfortable (as much as can be in labor) position.

It is also nice being able to take a shower in my own bathroom and climb into my own pjs in my own comfortable bed to snuggle with my little one! My DH loves the fact that he held both kids for quite some time right after they were born. I think he would miss that if they had to go to a hospital nursery.

Still, homebirth, as much as I love it, is definately NOT for everyone! Whatever works best for you, and keeps you and baby safe and healthy!

 

[teishpriest]

You know I must have had the strangest experience with pushing. I did not have the urge to push, and it didn't feel good. It didn't feel bad either, but the contractions were hitting me like a freight truck and I finally decided I could either sit there whining about it all evening (I was at 10 for a while before I came to this conclusion) or I could push the baby out-- so push I did. I did NOT feel the ring of fire although at one point she told me not to push and so I didn't (which I found not to be a problem because I had no urge) ..... I had enough of a tear to get one stitch, which is far better than my first birth's 4th degree tear. I noticed nothing about the pushing but the contractions continued to be overwhelming until the end..... and then some (after pains).

That is so weird. I didn't have the urge to push at first with my daughter, and trying to once the midwife said go for it REALLY hurt! I had to push quite a bit and when they told me not to push it was really hard to stop, LOL!

I didn't push with my son, just kind of let him be born, but I was standing up and had already had one baby.

My doula told us that when you push for your first, you are pushing for all of your babies. It was true in my case!

Changing positions helped me the most with pain, just could NOT lie down or even really sit the whole time, whew!

 

[-~Truth_N_Trust~-]

I have to say that the induction wasn't that bad for me either, but I was almost going on my own, just the hospital time frame so they needed to give me a push along to really get going, and I'm happy they did. Hopefully this time i won't need it so i can compare for you all!
I felt the ring of fire too, lately i've been having vivid recollections of that feeling...

 

[Sign Of The Fish Burger]

Umm... what's the ring of fire? It sounds dreadful....

 

[Leanna]

Umm... what's the ring of fire? It sounds dreadful....

Its crowning, or the point where the widest part of the head is passing through... thats when you tear, if you tear....

 

[Sign Of The Fish Burger]

I think I just cried a little...

Soooo.... maybe I don't want kids after all

 

[Linnis]

I told the doctor I needed to push so to stop talking incase the baby falls out. It felt good to push but then I had the local shot for my episiotomy.

I am still nursing my son and by 6 weeks, I was back in my bigger pants. Now that six months, I'm back in the skinny pants I wore before I was pregnant. My tops forget it, my boobs are too big. Although I am about 5 lbs above my old pre-pregnancy weight, maybe it's boobs, I don't know.

 

[BananaCake]

Ina May's guide to childbirth is at the library waiting for me, and I've been reading The Bradley book. I have some concerns about natural childbirth due to some physical health and fitness issues. First, the position the Bradley book says to lie in for the first stage of labor is impossible for me. I have torn muscles in my chest, so I can't lie on my side and lean forward because it burns like mad. It also hurts to sit upright or to drive, but not as badly I'm pretty much constantly clutching my chest these days.

For those of you who know about the labor stages and did natural childbirth, what positions did you use for the first stage?

 

[sparassidae]

First stage is best spent active. Do whatever you would normally do for the day, eg housework, don't go to the hospital until towards the end of the first stage.

Once the contractions get too hard to ignore, I walk, rock, swivel hips during contractions, then rest (sitting) between contractions. For me I just need to get in a certain rhythm and focus on the contraction at hand.

The key is to stay upright (standing or walking if possible) to keep even pressure of the baby's head (or bottom ) on the cervix. This helps dilation. Do whatever is comfortable, but keep moving!

 

[Linnis]

I have physical limitations due to RA and FMS. The first six hours(before heading to the hospital) I walked around, laid in bed, sat on the sofa, on the floor, took a walk, lean against the wall, stood in the shower. Once at the hospital, I sat in the bed rocking side to side, walked around some, but then my legs started to go numb during contractions so I stayed in bed. Not long after that my son's heart rate started to drop and my natural labor was over (as they started an IV, gave me a shot and oxygen).

 

[BananaCake]

First stage is best spent active. Do whatever you would normally do for the day, eg housework, don't go to the hospital until towards the end of the first stage.

I have Group B Strep and plan on taking antibiotics, so I was under the impression I need to go to the hospital relatively early?

 

[Linnis]

You'll have to ask your doctor/midwife that.

I spent the first six hours at home, went to the hospital when my contractions were every 5 minutes apart and still had 5-6 hours before I pushed.

The only thing I'd worry about is if you go too early, they make you sit attached to machines and that can slow down or stop labor. I went in the Friday with strong contractions but they wouldn't let me move for 5 hours and they stopped and I ended up coming back the next day. Also, if the hospital feels you are 'taking too long' or not 'progessing' they can start wanting to do things like start pitocin, break your water etc...any of those could lead to pain medication, epidural and those lead to more likely needing a C-Section.

 

[RedTulipMom]

Induction is bad. Say no to induction!

i wish i could..but i have no choice. And yes..pitocin is awful..and yet again i must have it..sigh..now im freaking out after reading these past few posts..the memories of all the pain is coming back..and ill experience it all again in a week..an induction, pitocin...but maybe THIS time my epidural will work..we'll see...

 

[Leanna]

Ina May's guide to childbirth is at the library waiting for me, and I've been reading The Bradley book. I have some concerns about natural childbirth due to some physical health and fitness issues. First, the position the Bradley book says to lie in for the first stage of labor is impossible for me. I have torn muscles in my chest, so I can't lie on my side and lean forward because it burns like mad. It also hurts to sit upright or to drive, but not as badly I'm pretty much constantly clutching my chest these days.

For those of you who know about the labor stages and did natural childbirth, what positions did you use for the first stage?

I couldn't get in that position either because it hurt my arm bad!! I actually liked that book mainly for the chapter called Emotional Signposts in Labor -- invaluable.

I didn't use their positions I just did what came to me. The two positions that worked the best was on my knees leaning on a couch (they had one in the hospital room as well) and walking back and forth.

I have Group B Strep and plan on taking antibiotics, so I was under the impression I need to go to the hospital relatively early?

I didn't get there early, I didn't plan to get there early either. I needed only one dose of the antibiotics for the baby to be safe (I asked different midwives at like every appointment about this and read about it on the internet) and so my plan was to get there well into the 2nd emotional sign post. It only takes 30 minutes to get the antibiotics. I figured if I happened to get there soon enough for the second dose then so be it, but since being at the hospital had more potential to disrupt my natural birth hopes than anything I didn't want to plan to get there early.... let's see so I was in labor and DH and I were trying to decide whether to go to the hospital or go watch a movie but then I felt it shift into high gear so we went to the hospital, waited for AN HOUR for them to check me and had bloody show while waiting, at 7:30 they checked me and I was at 4, with contractions longer than one minute and 2 minutes apart and demanding my attention, she was born at 10:13pm. Plenty of time to get the antibiotics. In fact they clearly weren't concerned because I didn't get them until 8:30 even though it was clear I wasn't going to be there for enough time to get the second dose.