C-sections

Opinions on my situation please

Hi ladies, I know there are questions on here about which is easier vaginal vs C-section and I have read through a ton of answers, I am just hoping for some fresh opinions and advice on our situation.

Our first DD was delivered vaginally but I had fourth degree tearing and a HORRIBLE recovery that took months. My doctor is concerned about the scar tissue tearing if I try for a vaginal delivery with this LO. The thought of 8 months of healing scares the crap out of me but the thought of a c-section does too. This LO is already measuring large and the doctor is not pressuring me but is certainly asking me to strongly consider the C/S. Do any of you have experience with horrible tearing and then an easier second labor or opting for the C/S?

Is it harder to nurse after a C/S, harder to lose the pooch? I feel like an emotional mess right now trying to make this decision. I know that I will do whatever is best for me and baby and I keep telling myself that having a c-section is not "failing" like some people think but my emotions are all over the place. How did you handle the emotional aspect of it?

Thanks in advance~

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Re: Opinions on my situation please

  • Nursing was very difficult after my unscheduled c-section, as I was wacked out and didn't see DS for an hour after I delivered. My pooch is still in full effect 10 months later, even though I'm only 5 pounds about my pre-preg weight.
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  • As far as nursing after a c-section the only issue I had was the whole bending and turning, this was painful. It wasn't an issue when DH or a nurse was around to place my son on my lap so I could feed him, but when I had to bend and twist to pick him up from this bassinet it was pretty painful for the first week or so. I will say my incision was much higher this time (just below my belly button) then it was last time and my recovery a bit longer, I'm 2 weeks PO tomorrow and I'm almost back to normal. To me a few weeks sounds WAY better than a few months of recovery like you experienced last time. 
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  • I am 10 days out from a RCS. I had no issues breastfeeding from shortly after delivery. Was it hard? Sure. I'd just had major abdominal surgery. But if you stay up on the meds, it is manageable. Getting out of bed is harder than the actual breastfeeding so if you have someone with you during your stay, it helps. At this point, however, I am not taking any pain meds (and haven't for a few days) and am getting around just fine. So far as a pooch, I don't remember at what point I got my body totally back last time -- maybe 10/11 months?  Every body is different in that regard, tho, and I don't think that is so much dependent on the type of delivery. So far as the emotional part of it, sounds like your first recovery was pretty traumatic and I can't really address that. Getting thru my recovery with this csection, which was definitely made harder by having a toddler at home, I just muddled thru and remembered that every day would be a little better.  With a csection, I think you can count on a few rough days that will require you to be gentle with yourself and patient with recovery. I would try not to stress about it tho. GL. 
  • I think everyones experience with a CS is different, but I wouldn't want to go through that intense healing.  Breastfeeding went really well for me, but they made me wait about 3 hours before trying it.  I got really sick from the spinal, so they were just being cautious.  Having a CS is not failing, it's doing whats best for you and the baby.  People make such a big deal about c-sections but most of them really have no clue what they're talking about!  GL
  • I'm about 6.5 months out and I haven't had any problems besides some odd pain here and there.  I had no problem nursing lo, I recommend the football hold for a few days.  As pp said, getting up or twisting is the worst of it.
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  • My LO is 7 1/2 mo old, so I'm quite a ways away from the experience...and it was my first so I don't have anything previous to compare it to...but here's my experience...

    As PP said, everyone's body does different things...and everyone handles different things.  I had an emergency c-section, but was awake for it, so not knocked out completely.  I immediately started nursing, in the recovery room.  I had some pretty bad pain at the very first, but once they got that under control, I didn't have any further issues.  That happened at 4:36p and by the same time the next day I was up and moving.  I had no complications and no problem after my c-section.  Which would be worse, in my opinion?  The tearing.  So, if your dr is encouraging you to go the c-section route...I'd say do it.  It's more controlled.  I wished I'd been able to deliver, but after my LOs heart rate dropping twice, and them saying they had to get him out...I knew they were doing what was best and I was ok with that!  Yeah, I would've like the experience but know in the end, it doesn't really matter how they "get here" as long as baby and mama are both happy and healthy.

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  • imagemabenner1:
    Nursing was very difficult after my unscheduled csection, as I was wacked out and didn't see DS for an hour after I delivered. My pooch is still in full effect 10 months later, even though I'm only 5 pounds about my prepreg weight.


    This is me exactly except I'm nearly 10lbs under my pre preg weight. I'm not sold that the pooch is strictly c section related I kind of feel like its just a pregnancy thing..but who knows!
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  • I had no problems nursing either of my kids (DD was unplanned, DS was planned but came earlier than planned).  I really cant answer about the pooch cuz I never went vaginally and I'm an older mom (38 when DD was born, 40 with DS) and things dont bounce back like in your 20s/30s.  I didnt even consider VBAC I loved my CS so much.  I never thought I failed at anything--the end result is supposed to be healthy baby and healthy mommy and I def had both of those.  There are many ways to do something--child birth included.
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  • I had emergency csection but nothing traumatic. I was not knocked out and my hands were not tied down. I felt pressure but no pain. She was born I heard her cry they had to suction some meconium out and then DH brought her to me laid her on my chest and I somewhat held her. They took our picture and then she left for the nursery while I was stapled up. I was in recovery for about 20 min when they brought her back to me. 30min total from when she left me. We BF'd right then and there and we did just fine. We had visitors right away. I felt great. The next day I was def sore and getting up was painful but once up I showered and shuffled around and went home within two days and never took pain meds once home. I recovered great.
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  • I haven't had a vaginal birth to compare my c-sections to, but I do feel like the way women describe difficult vaginal births, I'd rather have my c-sections (though I'd prefer the first one without the scary labor).  I got a slow start to nursing DD, probably because it was an emergency c/s and it zonked us both out, but once we got going it went really well and I nursed her until 21 months.  Since DS was a planned RCS I knew what to expect as far as BFing and nursed him in recovery an hour after he was born.  My recovery from both c-sections was pretty easy - the first week was kind of rough but then I felt nearly normal after that and totally fine by a month out.

    As for the pooch, I can't speak to that because I always have a belly, but I am in better shape now than I was when I got pregnant with DD.

    DD born 10/10/07 * DS born 11/25/11 * #3 due 3/9/2015
  • If you've successfully nursed one baby, then you have really good odds of nursing another, even if they are a CS.

    Can you get a second opinion? I would want to see what someone else says before deciding. 

    DS1 - Feb 2008

    DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)

  • My scheduled c-section recovery was amazing. I doubt a vaginal would have been easier. I literally walked home from the hospital with my LO after 48 hours (granted, it was only 10 minutes away). Breastfeeding went great. 
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