c/section vs vag (VBACs come in too!)

amiamish

With the c/s i had weight lifting restrictions, and had a lot of pain when trying to sit up. Plus I had staples in and my pants would rub on the incision and it hurt.

So, what was it like (recovery) if you had a vag or a VBAC?

KoriBrett

I had a c/s both times but -

With a C you can't drive for 2 weeks and have a sore incision  (I had glue, so no staples, thankgod for that), lift nothing heavier than baby, 6w checkup, etc.

With vaginal if you have an episiotomy or tear, there's stitches that hurt and/or a bruised hoohoo, and you can drive whenever.  Otherwise, same.

And, sometimes it just depends on the doc.

amiamish

Oh sorry, I guess I didn't make that clear. My staples were out before I left, but the insicion was still really tender for a few days/weeks (?)

brightning

scubawife:

I've only had c-sections, so I can't answer but thought it was odd that you had staples in while recovering.  Mine were removed before I left the hospital both times.  Is that not normal?

Mine were, too. And I was so numb down there, I couldn't even feel them.

Jelliebean1982

I had a vaginal delivery and as soon as the epi wore off I was walking around and I felt better than I had in 9 months.  I had to sit on the boppy for about two weeks though because I tore and it hurt.  Nothing a few Motrin couldn't handle though. 

xbrooklyngrl

I was scared to death to pee or poop, I was sore and scared to even see what my vag looked like for like a year. Other than that, it was awesome.

ilovemygirls

I had 2 very quick & easy vaginal deliveries.  The first time I did have a bit of a tear, so while I was up feeling great the night of the delivery, once the numbing wore off from getting stitches I was pretty sore down south for a few days.  Made it uncomfortable to bf because my bum was so sore & I couldn't stay in one position long.  With DD#2, however, I had no tearing or anything, so honestly I felt great afterwards.  It was weird, I wasn't sore at all, but I wasn't complaining. 

j-w

To add to everyone else's....With a vag, I had a one week driving restriction.

jorie

I had 2 vag's.  I had stitches with the first, but never remember much pain, other than the first few BM's.  No stitches with #2 and recovery was fine.

MegGary

With mine it didn't feel that bad. The worst part was my tailbone. I bruised it in delivery so that hurt to sit on. A few Motrin & I was fine though. I pooped the next day with no problems. I was afraid it'd hurt but it didn't. The hospital kept offereing me a laxative too. lol

DH kept yelling at me to take it easy after DD was born. He's like you have stitches you need to rest. It really wasn't that bad though.

katie277s

I had a vaginal birth and had stitches.  My recovery was fine.  It hurt to sit at certain angels because of the stitches, but I had no restrictions other than no sex for 6 weeks

eshaffer

I had a c/s after 12 hours of labor (I guess that part doesn't really matter, lol.) But 2 days after I left the hospital, my incision split open, and I had to go back to the hospital. I then had to have a visiting nurse come to my house twice a day to pack the wound...which was about 1" across and 2" deep.  Yeah, that sucked. And it took me out of commission for quite some time.

amiamish

Dang, vag deliveries sound so much easier then a c/s!! I would love a VBAC, but I'm not sure yet...still weighing it out (and plenty of time to think about it LOL)

Kapalua

so far vag has been easier than csection.  I have some stitches and am sore, but other than that no major restrictions.  I was able to get up right away, eat right away, go home sooner, etc. 

Starr_Mom

I was up and walking within 3 or 4 hours of giving birth vaginally. I won't lie and say that my crotch didn't hurt for awhile, but I didn't have the whole fear of pooping thing that some women do. In fact, I went the same day and it was fine. I used A LOT of the ice pack pad things that my hospital gave me and the water bottle squirty thing was really useful. After having my gallbladder removed at 3 mo PP, I would never opt to have a csection. Abdominal surgery sucks, and I just had laproscopic surgery.

triplea1819

I had a c-section.  i had no problems at all.  I drove at about 9/10 days.  i had DS at 3:30 and I was walking at 11pm that night.  it was really easy.  the easiest part of my pg.

 I am so glad I had it as well without going into labor and trying to push.  as they pulled DS out the dr immediately said, man this kid has a BIG head. 

lsufan

I'm a little late on this... ?I had one vaginal delivery with a 2nd degree tear and stitches, and with my second baby I had a c-section. ?Despite being sore down there for about a week, I was definitely moving around easier after the vaginal delivery. ?I didn't feel like myself for a month after the c-section. ?I'm hoping for a VBAC this time around.

Sunrise77

Replying to this super late....

 - Had a c/s for DS#1....recovery wasn't so bad. Was mostly annoyed by not being able to eat real food for 24 hrs after (I had labored the full day before, so I was starving!), the lifting restrictions, the uncomfortable incision...

- VBAC for DS#2.....recovery was soooooo easy. Loved that I could eat normal right away; was up and walking around immediately; could pick up my toddler, etc. I also had a 3rd degree tear, but didn't find that to be very painful at all. A little Motrin for a few days, but that's all.

So, in a nutshell, I preferred the 2nd birth experience. However, in the end, all I care is that I have two wonderful little boys to love