Broken tailbone vs C-section

[mfayb]

Hey ladies, I am 13 weeks with baby number 2! My daughter is two and when she was born she had a hard time coming through the birth canal.  She was off to the side of my belly and never dropped.  At 38 weeks my water broke and after being in labor for a good 20hrs or so my doctor made me start pushing at 8 cm. After 2 1/2 hours of pushing she finally made it here. But when she came out her right side of her collar bone broke. My current ob is blaming this on a long tailbone and says with this baby she may have to brake my tailbone to allow baby through easier. Or I could elect to have a c-section. I have read about healing from both and the common consensus is that a tailbone brake is much worse. Has anyone gone through this situation?  

[BrittV11]

Having a C-section is likely better than breaking your trail bone. I've never had a either but just thinking about it...it takes bones easy longer to heal and you'll likely have problems with it even after healing. You won't be able to sit for weeks, maybe months which would be very difficult with a toddler & a Nb (I'm not supposed to b sit for longer than 15 min due to back problems in this pregnancy) I'm told by my Dr to lie down or stand up most of the time. Granted I have heard of ppl having lasting problems from C-sections but they're still only flesh deep. Broken bones can cause serious life long effects especially an overused bone as the tailbone is. I'd opt for a c section. But that's just me.

[saraceee]

No, it's actually very possible. Happened to 2 mothers I know, unfortunately. They said it was the most painful feeling when their tailbone broke during vaginal birth

[MrsC17]

I know this post is a few months old but thought I would add some info. I have had 2 vaginal deliveries and a c section. My second vaginal delivery was a 9 lb 15 oz girl and she broke my tailbone. She was overdue and I was induced. I had an epidural and didn't feel the break, but everyone in the delivery room heard it. I have since been x-rayed and indeed fractured my coccyx. It has now reattached.

The recovery was awful. I could not sit normally for 8 months. Standing up and sitting down was incredibly painful and required a deep breath to take the pain. 3 years later I am mostly ok, though surfaces like concrete cause pain if I sit for more than a few minutes. Getting up and down while holding your baby is difficult and painful and driving is hard as you must sit on one side of your bottom or the other. Long trips can get uncomfortable. There are cases of people with chronic pain from coccydinia.

My c section was not painful. I recovered ok, although developed post partum pre eclampsia. Not sure if it was related to the c section or not. But while pain wasn't an issue, I hated the c section. It felt so unnatural and scary and I cried through the whole thing, not in joy, but terrified and upset. Mine was scheduled so I didn't have the experience of a rushed c section. I hate the scar on my body, clothing hurt for a while, and my stomach did not go back to normal until months of hard exercise. My other two deliveries saw me leave the hospital at almost pre-pregnancy weight. For me, the experience just couldn't compare to the vaginal deliveries. They don't place your baby on you as soon as he or she is delivered and you have to wait about half an hour to hold the baby. Not terrible, but after my vaginal deliveries, just not the same special experience. And if I have more children, I now have risk factors pertaining to the c section in addition to the tailbone issue.

I cannot tell you what to do and am not a doctor. But I would suggest a second and third opinion. You can labor, even with epidural, on your hands and knees or lying on your side. This places less pressure on the tailbone and allows it to flex out of the way more. Find a doctor that will support what makes you comfortable. You can't have an x-Ray, but ask if they can see the position of your coccyx in a safe manner to better evaluate your situation. While I would elect a vaginal delivery over cesarean in most cases, if my baby's well being was at risk, I would take being cut open over putting my child at risk. But I would not let the doctor actually break your coccyx. There is no way to know if it's necessary or not. If your only options are manual fracture of the tailbone vs a cesarean, I would take the c section. If you have a chance to deliver in an alternative position to being on your back, I would try.

Not sure if this will help you or not. But in both scenarios, I am mostly recovered from the coccyx fracture as well as the c section. I am sure you will be able to go about your life mostly normally either way. Whatever you decide will have pros and cons and is a personal choice of what you are more comfortable with, or what risk you are more comfortable with. There is no way of knowing what would happen either way. Birth is the most incredible experience, so I hope you are able to enjoy the moment whichever choice you make and I wish you a speedy recovery.

[mummainoz]

My friend had ger tailbone broken and was in a lot of pain and had physio for months afterwards whereas I was over my csection full by 4wks. She has also needed a lot of physio in her 2nd pregnancy and is having an elective csection due to her experience with her first. So I tend to lean towards csection, however I don't know anyone else who has had their tailbone broken so not sure if she just had a horrible experience or thats the norm.

[mfayb]

Weigh*

[mfayb]

Thank you for all your opinions.  I am actually very educated in child birth per Bradley Method.  Just wanted the experience of those who have gone through either of these to way my options

[Daniellerene]

With my first son 8 yrs ago I had the same problem .. and all the docs on call let me sit for 19 hrs with my water broke and I got sick and finally a doc on late night call pulled me into the ER and was like WTF ??? .. When I went for my check up with my actual doc I told her what happend and she was like WTF as well ... (now) with this pregnancy my new doc saw my info and everything and said let's schedule another C-Section so that way you don't wait and don't get sick again ... I was so happy she said that .. I'm only 4'6 and my pelvic bones have not separated (just like the first pregnacy) so even if I tryed to give natural my son's would break my pelvis  ..

[Emilee99]

My sister in law broke her tailbone while pushing the baby out. I also fell down the stairs and broke my tail bone. For both of us it took a good 6 months to be able to sit on a firm surface without it hurting. Now it's been a year after for me and it still hurts if I'm sitting for a long period of time. I've never had a c section though so I can't compare but from what I understand after a couple weeks you feel better.

[toriajane2]

Agree with texxan. I've never heard of getting your tailbone broken during birth.  Isn't it normally see how labour is going and if it's not progressing as it should then c section will be done.  Im from nz and a lady who moved here from america mentioned that 1 in 3 births in America are via c section and the doctors encourage patients because it's something predictable where as normal labour is not.  Some of the posts I see I just think wow what are your doctors up to!  Anyway, good luck :)

[texxan]

I highly recommend getying a second opinion! Please please just talk to another dr. Many drs will give you a free first consultation. Surgery and broken bones are very drastic measures for childbirth. Please just ask what another Dr thinks.

[mfayb]

My Ob isn't forcing the issue she just wants me to know what could happen if the baby gets stuck. I am going for a natural delivery were I can move around and help the process along.  With my first they kept me strapped to the damn monitor and I couldn't take the pain of sitting still.  This time around my hospital has wireless fetal monitoring so I am very hopefull

[expectingsoon]

I would also consider getting a second opinion from another doctor.  Both options seem drastic.

[mfayb]

Thank you ladies.  I am going to play ot by ear. If the baby is on a good position when i am close to the due date I will definitely be trying for a vaginal delivery.  However of there is any doubt after hearing about the tailbone brakes I am going to opt for the cesarean.

[mrsgrimstone]

I bruised my tailbone delivering my first, took months for it to not hurt if I sat or stood too long. I'd go for the section

[amethyst1103]

Break my tail bone? Heck no! I had a c section with my first and happy to have another one. The first couple days suck trying to get up and move around cuz ur abdomen was just opened up, but to me...not as bad as alot of ppl think it is. Sounds like a longer recovery from the tailbone...ouch!

[mamacastro]

I broke my tailbone playing roller derby. It was the worse pain I had ever felt at the time. It took months to stop hurting and still aches occasionally even after a year. I also had a c-section and healed after a week. I think it would be better to have the c-section but ultimately you have to decide what your body can handle

[ash060115]

@leesha - I'm still numb around my section scar - I'd My section in 2009 !!

[LeeshaMiranda]

I've never broken my tailbone, but I hated my csection. It took me a lot longer than a week to feel heal and not in pain. Plus, I still have what feel like stretching pains, "ghost pains" are what they're termed, from where the staples on the ends pulled. I couldn't carry anything over 10lbs for over a month. My doctor also informed me that it's possible that the nerves at the incision may never grow back together when I still complained of a tingling sensation 6 months postpartum. Maybe, wait it out until you know for sure if you need to make the decision...

[chloegc1023]

I would opt for the c section.  Having an injured tailbone is bad, and take a long time to heal, the slightest bump to it can reinjure it and cause healing to take longer so I imagine breaking the tailbone all together will be much MUCH worse.  I've never had a c section before, but I have had an injured tailbone and the pain from it was excruciating at times especially when sitting or if anything bumps it and it took over 2-3 months to heal.  

[ash060115]

And this may be tmi but going poop absolutely kills with a broken tailbone.

[ash060115]

I've a broken tailbone now its called a coccyx - I fell downstairs and broke it.

Its painful but bearable but if I sit a certain way or move a certain position it really hurts like a nerve pain. But again very bearable.

However I was running around after emergency section and healed fine then too.

Its a difficult decision x

[libellula]

I don't know if this helps but my friend had her daughter, broke her tail bone. 2 years later had a normal vaginal birth to a 10lb boy. I think every pregnancy is different. Hopefully you could try and do a c section if necessary? Not sure :(

[cecilia_morgan]

Id be along a second opinion for start. And second there's no saying that, with this baby things could be totally different! This baby may drop and go into position and push you apart better. Plus it was funny to have to pushing at 8cm bc that meant even less room for baby. I definitely wouldn't jump to the csection. And I seriously doubt it will be necessary to break your tailbone. Im Sry but your doctor sOunds very backwards to me. Good luck in whatever you decide hun. I hope for the best for you abd your little one :-)

[Lainny06]

Of course the decision is up to you, but if it were me I'd pick the c-section. You don't realize how much you need/use your tailbone until you can't. Both options aren't the best but I think a c-section is the lesser of the two bad options.