Vaginal vs C-section

alcarc · April 2009

Hello. I'm a 1st tri girl and I have a question I hope isn't offensive but I'm just really curious about. I watch a lot of pregnancy shows and alot of women are just adamant about NOT having a c-section. DH and I are just wondering why that is? I know people have different reasons for it. I would prefer to give birth vaginally but if something doesn't go right and they have to do a c-section, I don't think I would be heartbroken. I'd rather have the baby be healthy either way. So I just wanted to get some of your thoughts. If this isn't the right board, will someone lead me to the right one? TIA.

LilMissLadybug · April 2009

I had 2 c/s. With DD it was because she was breech, then just had a repeat with DS. I think the biggest thing is people feel like they're missing out. I went through a tough time after DD because people made so many rude comments about it.

margarita1365 · April 2009

My view was that I didn't want a c-section unless it was medically necessary, but if it was what was best for the baby I wouldn't have argued with it. I ended up delivering vaginally though. I really don't know why anyone would be against having a c/s even if it was necessary.

EveryNameIWantIsTaken · April 2009

The only reason I didn't like my c-section was because I labored for hours and hours first and then had to have one. Then things went wrong and I didn't really get a good look at ds for 2-3 hours after he was born. Now that I have had one c, if I am pregnant again I will go straight for it and not mess with labor.

Temp856430000003146 · April 2009

A c/s is surgery and takes a long time to recover from. At least, for me it did. I couldn't sit or stand for about 2 weeks without help and I was unable to care for my son without help. There is a higher risk of complications with a c/s than vaginal birth.

**MrsD** · April 2009

I tried to keep a very open mind and educate myself on both natural deliveries and c-sections just in case. I was glad that I did this, because after being in labor and pushing, I found out my baby was breech. I ended up needing an emergency c-section. It was not bad at all, by the way!

Temp552270562505132 · April 2009

weeeeeelllllll....... personally, I didn't have a preference either. I knew I would go for the "vaginal" birth (p.s. natural is not the correct term- all childbirth is technically natural)- but also I felt that if I had a c-section I would not be heartbroken either.

I ended up with an emergency c-section after pushing for three hours. I didn't care. The recovery sucks though. I mean, it's not like HORRIBLE, you are pretty swollen for longer, bc you have an IV for a few days. They give you painkillers so you are comfortable. IMO, it wasn't the worst thing in the world. I was fine.

Some people want to experience vaginal birth because it is just their preference and like all important things in life, you get your heart set on one thing and sometimes when that doesn't happen, people get upset.

JARbaby · April 2009

I had 2 c/s.

1st had a natural water birth planned. I had a 96 hour failed induction.

2nd planned because VBAC not advised under 2 years.

iris427 · April 2009

Well obviously we'd all rather have the baby be healthy either way.

But many women want to avoid a c-section--it is major surgery. C-sections carry higher risks of complications, infections and even death for the mother and baby. Moms who have a c-section typically have a longer recovery and are at higher risk for postpartum depression. Babies who are born by c-section may have more trouble breathing at birth. C-sections increase the risk in future pregnancies of things like placenta accreta and uterine rupture. If you have a c-section with your first, your odds of having a c-section with your next greatly increase, and each subsequent c-section carries more risk.

Also, please don't assume you will know how you will feel if you end up with a c-section. And it's a "vaginal" delivery, not a "natural" delivery.

eminbmore · April 2009

I had a c/s after a long failed induction and 3.5 hours of pushing. I'm glad I got the experience of labor and was able to push - but in the end, don't really care that I had to have a c/s. I've had abdominal surgery twice before, and my recovery from my c/s was actually a hell of a lot easier than either of those. All in all, my recovery was pretty much a breeze, and I think I may have had an easier time than some people who had rough vaginal deliveries (with tears, etc.). I had wanted a vaginal delivery to begin with, just because I felt like that's the way it's "supposed to" happen - but in the end, I'm completely happy with my c/s and will happily schedule a repeat one for any subsequent children.

DG1 · April 2009

tavia_martin:
There is a higher risk of complications with a c/s than vaginal birth.

This is not true.

There are *different* risks with c-sections, but there are also risks with vaginal birth. In my view, the risks were different but equivalent, and when my baby's estimated size and my medical history were taken into account, the c/s edged out the vag birth. There was definitely a recovery period, but a vag birth has recovery issues, too. They're just different.

Sometimes I wonder what L&D would be like, but I certainly don't wonder what it's like to be torn from my anus to my urethra. I had a few "real" contractions, and I guess that'll have to be good enough for me. I don't regret my c/s at all.

alcarc · April 2009

It's been changed from "natural" to "vaginal". Sorry to have offended people but seeing as I'm new to all of this, I don't know all the proper terms.

mieuxmieux · April 2009

I really didn't want a cs because it is major surgery. I had also heard that babies don't breathe as well because of the fluid in their lungs. I had to have one because K's heart rate was decelerating and we found out her cord was wrapped around her chest. I would not recommend getting one unless medically necessary, but I now realize it isn't as bad as I thought. And K has had no problems since birth, so it seems it hasn't really affected her either.

htomeo · April 2009

I had an emergency c/s, and though I sometimes feel like I missed out, I would not have given it a second thought. The health and safety of my son was the most important thing to me. It is un-real for women to be adamant about not having a c/s, because you never know what is going to happen. It should at least be in the back of your mind, that for some reason or another it may be necessary. What really matters is your child.

Amymichelle925 · April 2009

After a failed induction I had to have an emergency c-section. Other than the medical reasons pp had mentioned the thing that upset me the most was that I did not get to hold or touch my son immediately after he was born, I had to wait until they stiched me up and went to the recovery room about an hour later.

jay.otter · April 2009

Iris pretty much covered all the reasons for not wanting a c-section. Often there isn't a choice. I had a craptacular pregnancy near the end, and the morning of my induction I was positive I was going to end up needing a c-section. I was too miserable to care. I found out later my OB thought I would end up with a c-section too. Thankfully that was not the case. My labor was swift and easy. I can't imagine dealing with pp pre-e while recovering from a c-section.

noimnotmarried · April 2009

everyone else covered the reasons people don't want a c/s. i didn't mind having a c/s and i don't regret it. i recovered fairly quickly, although that part was tough. fwiw, though, i had a c/s and got to hold my baby within 15 minutes of his birth. unless there is some issue with mom or baby, most hospitals will let you hold your baby right away.

JessiRaye · April 2009

Personally, I didn't want a c-section because I had hoped to avoid surgery and wanted to push out the baby, hold him right away and hopefully enjoy my labor experience! I did go into L&D with an open mind fully knowing that the baby might not be born the way I had hoped.

When I had a c-section, I was disappointed but happy that he was delivered safely and that he and I were both healthy! I struggled making the decision to have a repeat c-section. Ultimately, it was the right decision for us.

GL to you!

PD's_Momma · April 2009

I was deathly afraid of having a c/s and even told my Dr on my first appt that I want to do everything possiable not to have one. I was in labor for 20 hours and pushed for 3. My Dr decided to do a c/s and by the time she called it I didn't care I was so tired and out of it. The recovery to me was pretty easy. My Dr. told me that there is an 80% chance that I will always have to have a c/s because of the problems I had delivering DS (I have a very low small public bone and his head was getting caught on it which cause him to have a skull fracture).

I have already decided that if I have another baby I will let the labor come naturaly and get the c/s then. I don't want to sch one, from what I understand that is what causes most of the problems. My main fear is that if we move or my Dr moves I will have one that forces me thru a vag labor and something worse happens to my DC.

alcarc · April 2009

I heard once you have one, you can try for vaginal on your second but if you have 2 c-sections, it'd be too dangerous to try a 3rd time and you'd have to get c-sections for everytime after that. Don't know how accurate that is.

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