Big Decision
Both my OB and perinatologist say that LO will probably be around 10lbs at birth. I'm only 5'0" and apparently that means I have a 50% chance of needing a c-section for an 8lb baby. My mom was 5'2" and I was 8lb 1oz at birth and required a c-section because I got stuck and then went into distressed. My OB says she doesn't want me to be disappointed if I'm not able to at least try to deliver vaginally. I assured her that I won't. Since my mom had both of us ceserean, I probably feel more comfortable with it than normal. However, I've never had a surgery of any kind and have no idea what I'm in for. Truly, I don't want to go through labor just to have a c-section anyway. While talking to our pediatrician she said that they are now saying that the recovery for a planned c-section is really isn't any longer than for a difficult vaginal delivery, which is what I would probably have if I was able to delivery naturally.
Any words of wisdom?
Re: Big Decision
i have had both - a difficult vaginal delivery recovery- and a c/s... and I LOOOOVED my c/s!
i had a 4th degree tear with my son (who was 7lb 4oz... and I'm 5'8")..... i was in horrible pain for a good 8 weeks- and still have issues that requrie surgery to fix- that i plan to do next year when the twins are 3.
my c/s was cake- i felt fine when i was on meds -and didn't need them after the 2nd week. I LOVED it. I was able to care for twins after a c-s without any problems.... with my vag delivery my ability to care for my ONE baby was not great - b/c of the pain i was in and my ability to stand for more than 20 seconds causing hrorible pain.
i say- go for the c/s.... there is no pain worse than that of a bad tear... really - i have had 2 abdominal surgeries before- and both were nothing compared to that pain. Ugh.
best of luck!!!
I've never had a vaginal delivery but I had a planned c/s and the recovery was better than most of my friends who had vaginal deliveries. I took Motrin for a week after and was walking around 10 hours after surgery. I was able to take care of my DD with no problem (that was my biggest concern pre-surgery). My milk came in after 3 days, so the c/s did not cause issues with BFing for me either. I'm not saying it was all puppies and rainbows - I was in pain for the first week or so but it wasn't unmanageable with medication and it didn't stop me from caring for my child.
Overall, the experience was definitely not as bad as I thought it would be. Good luck with your decision!
I didn't have a vaginal birth, but had bot and unplanned and planned c-section. Since I had a spinal during the planned one, I felt the recovery was a lot easier. I wasn't tired from a long labor and loved my spinal. I had to go to the hospital at 7 and an hour and a half later, my daughter was born. It was fantastic.
I wish you the best.
I partially agree with you.
Your height does have no bearing on your ability to deliver a child.
Some women do have abnormally small pelvic bones which make it extremely difficult (if not impossible) to deliver vaginally. It has nothing to do with size-you could have a wide build but a small pelvic inlet.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16817080
Yeah, I agree with this. There's lots of smaller women who've had 8+ lb babies, so your size shouldn't be the only determining factor for having a c-section.
I've had both, and the recovery from my vaginal birth was faster, though it still took some time. Birth is hard work no matter how it happens. Good luck with whatever you choose!
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
Emergency CS last time with DD. trying for VBAC naturally this time. Cant say which I would do in your place. Perhaps try out a VB and if the pain level or chance of problems rises to high opt out and CS.
Recovery time. Estimated recovery for CS is 8 weeks. VB is 6 weeks. I know ladies who were miserable for 2 weeks after the CS, and some who were off meds the first week. I was in the middle with the Em. CS, meds for about a week, and uncomfortable for several weeks. But up and walking around at the hospital 10 hours after CS.
Breast feeding: I had difficulties BFing, and gave up at 4 months. I will never know if it was due to CS or because of my body. Hopefully this time around no issues. But I again, know women who had no problems BFing after CS. By the same token I know a lady who went natural birth both kids and could not produce milk for either one. go figure.
This may or may not help you. But I wanted a reply on this thread that expressed both sides of the question.
I am one of these women, I have medium build but fairly wide "childbearing" hips. My kiddo was slamming her head into my pelvis during labor, and besides experiencing decels from having the cord wrapped multiple times around her feet, she wasn't coming out because she wasn't going to fit. Her head was in the 50th percentile and she was 7lbs 1 oz.