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C-sections
marym94
member
pros and cons of c-section
marym94
member
in C-sections
Hi! I am 39 weeks pregnant and was scheduled for vaginal delivery/induction on Tues of next week. Had an unplanned ultrasound the other day bc we needed to check fluid levels and we learned that we had a big (nearly 9 lb) baby on our hands. went to the perinatologis today for a more high tech Ultrasound and better estimates and it looks like baby is upwards of 9.5 lbs - and we are still 6 days away from scheduled induction. Dr wantst to meet with me tomorrow to discuss pros and cons of possible c-section. I have a friend who delivered a 9 lb baby and she has to have a vaginal sling bc of the complications - i know someone else who had a similar experience and i know at least two people who had 4th degree tears that took months of rehab to care for - all with 9-10 lb babies. I never ever thought i wanted a c-section and now i am scared about all of my options! sorry for the long post but i just wanted to get some opinions from those of you who have had c-sections - it always scared me - but so do these other stories about birthing big babies!! thank goodness i am so excited to meet this little nugget! lol!
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Re: pros and cons of c-section
Pros: no risk of shoulder dystocia which can happen with large babies. Get to know the day you're meeting your baby. Avoid labor.
Cons: Ultrasounds can be inaccurate (even high tech ones can be off by 2lbs) and you could really be carrying a 7.5lb baby that you could have easily delivered naturally. You generally will recover from a vaginal delivery quicker and there are less risks to mom/baby involved. Can't hold your baby/breastfeed right way and you are separated while they finish your surgery/you have to be in recovery unlike a vaginal birth.
Hope that helps with your decision. GL!
There were several women on my BMB who had 10lb+ babies and had minimal tearing.
Pros: Your in and out (surgery wise--not hospital wise). Don't have to deal with all the craziness of labor (I was in labor for 16 hours and THEN had a csection).
Cons: Scar. Might not get to hold/see baby right away. Your on medicines so you'll feel...off. I really don't remember much of the day LO was born. Your recovery time could be longer and your more limited.
GL with whatever you choose to do.
Pros: less anxiety ( at least for me). I knew what day the c/s was scheduled and didn't have to worry about false labor, going in to soon, going in to late etc. It was all set out right there and I could prepare myself for what was going to happen
More time at hospital ( again this was a pro for me). I liked having more time to have the nurses help me and the baby and not worry about silly stuff like making sure our toilet was clean enough for guests to come over.
Cons: longer recovery time
scarring from incision
I suppose not being able to hold and breastfeed the baby, but we are taking a difference between no waiting and waiting 45 mintues.
This is a good post to read: https://birthsen.tmdhosting930.com/?p=1531
One of the most interesting studies she cites is one that shows that c/s is more likely if your provider suspects macrosomia than if they don't: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7485323
The biggest cons: Surgery comes with more risk than vaginal birth, you will be a VBAC candidate for any subsequent pregnancies (if you choose that route), the due date could be off (so you give birth to a younger baby than expected), and the weight estimate could be off, too.
You could have a traumatic vaginal birth, but that is less likely, statistically, than complications stemming from a c/s. And not to freak you out more, but a new study just came out showing 1 in 10 women get infections from c-sections (which is higher than previously thought): https://www.medicaldaily.com/news/20120801/11217/cesareans-infections-birth-pregnancy.htm#mDfMD1aVQDH5qKLK.99
I had a 10lb, 10 oz baby vaginally and my only complication was a second-degree tear. It was a faster recovery than my c-section (my big baby was a VBAC), though I still had to recover from it.
The best plan for suspected macrosomia is to go into labor on your own, and stay upright and active in labor as long as you can.
Good luck!
DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)
Good luck with your decision. Just remember that as scary as it all is now, chances are that either route will lead to a happy, healthy baby & mom in the end.
I had a breech baby and was told my LO was 10 lbs at a 37 week ultrasound. 2 weeks later, baby was born at just over 8 lbs. My c-section experience was pretty ideal and I recovered very quickly with no pain. In fact, I'm pretty sure my recovery was easier than most women I know who had vaginal deliveries. However, I still wouldn't choose a c-section because as FTM I really hate that I never experienced labor. I feel cheated, even though a healthy baby is the most important thing. Also, it took me forever to get out of the recovery because my pulse and BP went a little nuts from the anesthesia. While I was able to see my baby when she was born, I wasn't able to hold her or feed her for more than 3 hours despite begging the nurses to let me out of recovery earlier. My DH, while well-meaning, let all the grandparents hold her before me. I'm still incredibly upset about that, even though it didn't interfere with our bonding or feeding.
I'm not upset I had a c-section because it was safest for my LO, but if I have another I will do everything in my power to VBAC, as long as it's safe.
It's a tough decision. I had a c/s because DD was breech, and it was much easier than I anticipated.
I also had a 3rd degree tear with delayed healing after delivering DS, who was 7.5 lbs. He elbowed me on the way out--it had nothing to do with his size.