XP: planned vs unplanned ?

cg0112358

Ok, so I read a lot about people saying that planned c/s are an easier recovery than unplanned. Most people state that this is because those who have planned c/s do not have to go through a lengthy, difficult labor prior to their c/s. I guess my question is would those who have an unplanned c/s with no labor be grouped with those who had planned c/s in terms of recovery?For DS's birth, I went into the hospital on a Monday night and was monitored due to elevated BP and protein in my urine. The next day my doctor convinced me to let him break my water to get labor started so I didn't develop preeclampsia. When he broke my water he realized DS was breech and I was in the OR two hours later. I never experienced a single contraction (not even BH) yet my c/s recovery was hellish. I was in incredible pain for weeks and it hurt to hold my son for months after. I think it was finally around the 9-month mark when I finally felt mostly normal. I still experience pain if I have any sharp impacts on my abdomen (such as my cat's jumping on my lap or DS accidentally kicking me). At an appointment in July, my new OB did say I had much more scar tissue than he would have expected for someone one year out from their c/s. Anyway, the difficult recovery definitely wasn't b/c my body had been put under any undo strain beforehand so what gives?I will definitely be attempting a VBAC with my next LO but am nervous b/c I know things don't always turn out the way we plan. How can I improve my next experience if I have to have another c/s? I don't want my next LO's birth to affect me as negatively as DS's did.

iris427

It's important to remember those are just generalizations.  Some people will have easier recoveries than average and some, unfortunately, will have harder ones and there may not be an explanation.  Surgery affects everyone differently, just like some people will react to a certain drug while other people won't.

I'm glad to read that you have a different doctor now.  Hopefully you won't need another c/s, but if you do maybe things will go better with a different doctor.  Talk to your doctor about your last c/s and what can be done differently this time--e.g. better pain management options.  You might want to write a "just in case" c/s birth plan too.

cchill01

I think the second c-section would probably be easier emotionally and physically than the first in most cases.  I'm not sure it matters if it's planned or unplanned.  I now know that there's a distinct possibility that I could end up in the OR.  With my first, I never really considered that I could be part of that 30%.  I always just assumed I would be part of the 70%. 

I am 100% planning for a VBAC, but I will also have a backup c-section plan and requests to make the process a little more friendly.   And at least with an unplanned RCS, I won't have to dread a specific day for months and months.

I was also in a lot of pain during recovery - and still have occasional "stabbings" almost 2 years later.  If I have an RCS, at least I won't be surprised by the lingering issues. 

BlinkingLight1

As much as I wanted and planned for a VBAC, I also realized there was a chance I could end up with a c/s. I wanted the experience of a c/s to be as natural as possible. You should google "natural c-section." There are lots of good ideas.