c section

misty7281

My ob gave me a choice to have a c section if baby is measuring really large, mainly because of past complications of vaginal births. Can anyone tell me their personal experience? How long will it be before I can go back to work at a very strenuous job? Will I need the same things in the hospital bag? Does your vagina hurt like crazy like with a vb?

ann_jeremiah

My experience.... I had attempted to deliver my almost 10 pound baby vaginally, with no pain meds. He wasn't coming out and showing signs of distress... they went the emergency c-section route and discovered he was face up and trying to come out crooked... in addition to just being large too. Due to his size and my size, the doctor is pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to deliver him vaginally had the rest of the stars aligned. 

Even all that pushing and such...I had no vaginal pain afterwards.

I had less bleeding afterwards, maybe bled a few days and only needed a thin panty liner, where with my previous vaginal delivery I bled for 8 weeks straight and needed thick pads.

The first two weeks were the toughest for me with the incision healing and abdominal trauma of the csection.... You don't fully realize how much you use your core until you've had a csection - every cough, sneeze, hiccup, movement.. ugh!  They sent me home with some pretty great pain meds, which would make me fall asleep in the middle of whatever I was doing! I stopped taking those as soon as I could tolerate the pain without it. 

I think I was really feeling a lot better by a month or so.. for several months after though anything that would rub on my incision would be uncomfortable - mostly an "itchy" feeling. 

The entire experience was traumatic for me, I think mainly because it was a "surprise." If this were to happen to me again, as much as I would be nervous about it, I think I'd emotionally cope better with it, having experienced it already... or even it was a scheduled csection. I have the option this time of scheduled or trying for the VBAC. I'm opting for the VBAC, at this point, but I fully expect that I may change my mind if they start talking about this baby being large.

prhernandez09

I had a c section and i bled for only about 3 day, i didnt need pain meds because i didnt feel any pain maybe something mild but nothing to take meds. after 3 weeks and i was doing a lot of the things i would normaly do. pack the same things you would for a natural birth you need nothing different, everything is going to be alright, i will be having my second c section in august and i cant wait to be my baby

sjra1028

With my first, I had a c-section. Went in for a natural delivery, had to be induced, then ended up with a c-section. Thanks cervix! Lol
I bled for a few weeks afterwards. I didn't need anything extra at the hospital as far as packing goes. I didn't feel the epidural(probably bc of the killer contractions) but I did hear the pop when it was inserted. I was up and back to normal within a couple of weeks. My OB at the time used a dissolving glue to close me up and it itched like crazy, but was numb at the same time. I'll be having a c-section this time too on August 7th. The only thing I'm dreading is that he uses staples.

misty7281

Thank you ladies! You are making me feel more at ease

daniellepanda

I had a c/s with my son and the recovery really wasn't bad. No vaginal pain. The first 24 hours after the c/s are pretty blurry to me I just remember being very itchy! I wish I had a really good face cream and Chapstick because it was so dry, and the meds were making me itch so bad. I took 800mg Motrin for a week or 2 and demmorol if I knew I would be walking a lot. I was out doing normal things within 1 week.

Brookebu313

I had an emergency c-section with my first baby after 26 hrs in labor and 3 hrs of pushing. He was just to big and wasnt moving. I heard alot of bad things about c-sections so I was terrified. I have to say the recovery was easy. I was up and moving around the next day walking the halls of the hospital. My doctor used staples which were removed before I left the hospital. I had no complications. When I got home the only thing that hurt was walking upstairs which you are supposed to keep to a minimum after a c-section anyway. We set up our pack n play on the first floor of our house so I wouldn't have to use the stairs everytime my lo needed changed. I would pack all of the same things as with a vaginal birth. I am currently pregnant with my second child and have been given the option to have a scheduled c-section or VBAC. I may attempt a VBAC and the only reason I am leaning towards that is because I have a toddler at home who will want to be picked up etc.....other than that in my experience c-section was not that bad

kcollins78

Same here! I've had two c sections and will have another with this Bebe. I also had the itcy reaction (rubbed the skin off my nose) so I requested Benedryl with the second and had no issues. Bleeding was heavy for 4 days and then I was able to downgrade to a liner. I only took the prescription pain meds in the hospital and my first day home because they're really strong and I was so fuzzy on them. Advil covered it pretty well though. I was doing stairs my first day home which you're not supposed to but I needed to sleep in my bed so badly! :} All in all, it's not bad, no vaginal pain. Just keep the end goal in mind. Healthy baby, healthy momma!

laurasuzanne2006

It's rough. But also remember there are lots of variables. My friends hbac baby was larger than her c section baby but had no issues delivering him

desertmama2

I had an emergent c section after 24+ hours of labor (10lbs 12oz). I had relatively light bleeding for 6 weeks but had a very, very painful recovery and took 100% of the powerful meds they gave me. My son was almost six months old before I could even stomach trying to run. I'm not trying to scare you but every single experience is different and if it would be wise to try to emotionally prepare for the worst situation in the event that you have a c section.

ann_jeremiah

The emotional healing of what happened was truly the hardest part for me... The panic of the emergency c section... Explaining to family what had happened, being in the hospital for 4 days away from DS1. Our bodies are made to have babies... That's what I always told myself.

fowlerpfs

I had a c-section with my first after 24 hours of labor. I didn't have as much vaginal bleeding, but the pain from the incision was awful, especially trying to get in and out of bed. I had the shakes for a few days and couldn't regulate my body temperature. I also hated that I didn't get to see him for about 4 hours after he was born other than just a minute right after. We also had a really hard time breastfeeding. I had a VBAC with my 2nd, and yes, there was more vaginal bleeding and some pain, but the recovery was much easier for me. I was able to get up and get out of bed right away, as well as I was able to breastfeed right away and was much more successful. I am opting for a repeat VBAC this time.

Katbuss

Everyone is very different Im booked in for a 2nd c section August 13 after my first labour went very wrong and had emergency c section after 3 days of labour and I'm so glad to not have the extra stress, by this one being all booked in. Recovery yes is longer but I didn't get a lot of pain and only light bleeding. I was back to normal after a few weeks. I spent 5 days post in hospital and I set a no visitors to give us some good rest and recovery time and had visitors once home. Good luck I'm sure you will be fine and remember no 2 people are the same and everyone recovers differently.

SassetteSmurfling

I've had an emergency csection as well as a scheduled c section and I really can't complain about either. I've never had a vaginal birth so I have nothing to compare it too, but it wasn't as bad as some of the horror stories that I've heard.

perky8304

I had a c-section with my first because she was breech.  I was off the pain meds by the second day in the hospital and I was up walking the next day.  The only time I really had pain was getting in and out of the bed.  Before my c-section I was terrified because of some of the stories I had heard but it really wasn't bad at all.  I didnt pack anything out of the ordinary in my hospital bag.  I will be having a repeat c-section with this baby too.