what's better

[munchiess]

Hey guys whats better on giving birth .. C-section or vaginal?

[hopefulLady]

I had a c/s with my first as my cervix would not dilate, I had huge fibroids sitting on the cervix.  But a lot depends on your obg/surgeon. I have heard that the longer you take to move after a c-section, the longer and painful recovery is.
In my case, I had the c/s at 9 am, woke up at 1 pm and at 5 pm, my doctor made me walk 3 rounds of the hospital dorm and climb a flight of stairs followed by a hot shower at night!! It was painful as hell, but women who labour also have a few hours of pain.
The next day post-op was not bad, i was walking about freely and only had trouble turning in bed. 10 days after my c/s, I was driving my own car, able to bend my waist to pick up stuff off the floor( my doc forced to bend my waist and not to bed at knees).

I did have sharp pains at these times:
1) turning in bed
2) coughing
3) sneezing
4) laughing too much

I also wore a post natal belt after 3 months and that helped tone the muscles( used to wear it for about 4-5 hours a day). And I started doing abs when my baby was 6 months old, and also going for a 20 min morning run + pilates. I was back to my pre-baby weight.

My recovery from c-section wasnt bad and I considered myself fitter than most women ( even who havent had babies yet).

But, But but!!! - you cant stop exercising. I stopped exercising when my baby was a year and a half ( demanding career) and gained 4 pounds, mostly around my middle. C-section scars that are internal, tend to accumulate fat if you do not exercise.

I am pregnant again now, 15 weeks along and discovered I have fibroids again. If I am able to have a VBAC, I will definitely try for it. If not, I am going to go in for a quick c-section and immediate movement post-c/s.

[chicanomom08]

But just as you have stated your opinion, so have i. I did not say my experience was perfect. No major surgery is going to give you a perfect experience. And i did not say that all c/s are like mine, nor did i refer to anyone as "weak". I said what i said because i feel that there are people who have to have a c/s and all of the comments about all of the pain are just going to worry, scare, and stress those poor people out. I did not say that people are lieing about the pain i just said it depends on the person. I have 3 sisters who also had to have c/s and we are at an equal split...two of us did have a...for the lack of a better word...good c/s experience amd the other 2 absolutely hated it. But i have also had to be in the room and translate for women who have done a vaginal birth and ripped from the v to the a and have been in some serious pain afterwards.  I just feel that maybe if some of the people who need a c/s maybe get to see that there are people who had a...again for the lack of a better word...good experience, then just maybe they might have a little bit of positive hope for their outcome. And from the way i see it there is more of a "downplay" comeing from the vag. Birth side of this post than what i said. I stated that i was not by any means trying to talk anyone into getting one...i just want people to see that not all of the experiences were bad. I am sory if you ASSUMED from what i said that i was refering to you or anyone else as "weak".And obviously me saying bogus did not come out the way i meant it. I just meant if this girl or any other is curious at the possibility of needing a c/s they need some positive feedback also. Us mothers who did have a "good" experience need to be on here helping with our opinion also.

[mommy_to_beauties]

Just to put any bad vibes to bed... i didn't mean at all that having a baby any other way than vaginally is not an achievement at all... I just stated my own opinion that is all. I haven't had a c-section so I can not comment on whether the pain is worse either way but I have had 2 natural births with babies over 9 pound lol with no pain relief and so it was a personal achievement of my own that is all. My main point was that in a lot of places they don't just give c-sections cause people want them. As stated above it is major surgery. Here in the UK after a normal vaginal birth you normally stay in hospital over night and with a section it's maybe between 3 and 5 days xx

[KieaRai]

I may not have had a c section but I know several who have and in my area, their hospital stays were long and painful. I know not every woman has a bad experience but not every woman has a good one either. So to say that the advice we're giving is bogus just bc you had a perfect c section is a bit hypocritical. It could go either way, we're just telling her what we know. If you had a perfect one then great. Good for you. But try not to downplay others as weak or wrong just bc they didn't have the experience that you had.

[Momtothesecondpower]

I also had to have a c-section with my first and also felt like crap bc I could not do it vaginally to be honest I still feel like crap to the point where I get ****** with my doctor if they even mention a c section for this one! The healing process is not that bad for a c-section I had no problems at all but I am pushing really hard for vaginal this time! I felt like I was ripped off of a wonderful exspeareance the first time

[mama_muth]

Trying not to bash but to what @mommy_to_beauties had to say, but really,  it's an achievement to deliver vaginally??  Just pointing out you get the best prize any way you have that child/ren. There is no perfect way to have a baby. I tried naturally for 25+ hours of back labor and still ended up having an emergency c-section. Crazy as it sounds, I delt with depression for months after having my achievement. Constantly putting myself down because I couldn't have my child the "right"way. Women have been doing this natural and beautiful act for centuries,  why couldn't I?? I finally came to my senses and realized, there is no perfect way to have that babe! Each story is unique and different.  I'm now 6wk+6 with our second child. I want to try vbac if it is possible when it gets closer to time. But hey, if I have to have another c-section,  so what?! I'll know my child had to come into this crazy world one way or another!! Sorry for taking up so much space. Alot was just venting. Have a blessed day yall!!

[smileymonn89]

It all depends if its a planned csec or a emergency

I had to have an emergency and i would not recommend it i was not numbed fully and felt it all it was not a fun recovery and i hated not being able to bath my little boy. Through the grace of God the recovery was quick and i had 2oish hours of natural birth befor that and it wasnt that bad :)

[cecepretty]

I live in Merced, California and out here they wont just give u a c section just kus u want one....theyll give it to u if its an emergency or if u have a medical condition or of course its a repeat c section....I had 2 c sections and im pregnant now so ill b having another one....I personally think c sections are better even tho yess they hurt when u come off all the medicine and your in pain for 2 months and u cant walk up straight....I rather have a baby come out my stomach instead of my vagina.

[speck2677]

I've had two c sections and the first one was alot harder to get over then the second. But if I had a choice because I dont due to medical reasons I would want the experience of a natural birth.

[Butterball66]

I agree with chicanomom08 if you haven't been through it you cant comment on it. Also everyone is different so just because you or someone you know had a hard time doesn't mean the next woman will. I had a c section last Monday and was home on Wednesday. When i got my staples out my doctor told me to slow down cause even though i was feeling great my staples were coming out way to easily. It all depends on you and how you personally heal. BTW I've also had an all natural birth with my first and an emergency c section with my second.

[chicanomom08]

Meant hospital...and to specify it only took me a week to get back to my normal life because the doctors tild me to take it easy for a week and i did because i was afraid to rip my stitches.

[chicanomom08]

I had a c/s and all of this talk about how bad the pain was and a week or more in the hospital and it taking a long time to heal is bogus. I think it all depends on the person. I was up walking after the numbing wore off...only stayed in the gospital for 2 days...i was not in any major pain...refused pain meds...and was back to my normal life (with my new baby) in a week. Due to his size my son was in the nicu for a while but i was there at his side...and breastfeeding all of the time. I am not trying to talk anyone into doing it and i do believe you should only do it if medically needed...but i think the horror stories are just a bit much. I would think having my who-who ripped apart would be more painful.

[KieaRai]

@Kimbo they only make you stay til you bm if you've had a c section here plus for whatever they do with those after. I made sure to put in my birth plan that if me and baby are fine then I'd like to go home instead of staying. They'll let the vaginal birthers stay if they want to but it's not required which is great for me because the noise in hospitals makes me edgy and twitchy.

[sjpolo]

I haven't had a c section only vaginal but I hear c section has a longer healing process and is painful after while healing

[machieal]

C-section aren't bad u can get up and walk the same day I had my twins at 1:30 in the afternoon and was
Up walking before 8 that night. U only stay three days in the hospital and with new insurance laws they really only want u to stay two days if all is good. I will say this as soon as u can get up and walk start walking it helps out with recovery time...

Good luck  

[KimboLynne19]

@kiearai awesome! They make you stay for 24hrs after natural here. But both you and baby have to make a bm before they let you go.  

[KieaRai]

I'm in Louisville,  KY, Kimbo. They do all the stuff they need for baby as quickly as possible and if you're able to walk and nothing is wrong with you and baby, they'll wheel you out and let you go on your way. If something is wrong they'll make you stay but otherwise you can do what you want. And the c section ladies are typically in the hospital here for 4-5 days but a lot end up staying a whole week.

[garlinmommy]

I live in Arkansas. And with my first I had him at 303 I'm afternoon even had a apesiotomy with stiches and I left 8:00 next morning. It was quick. Not so lucky with second bc he was 6 weeks early.  But here they only do csection if medically ness.. and if u previous had one. I had both with no epi just stadol and it was a breeze!! Vag is def way to go recovery is quick

[KimboLynne19]

They let you leave the same day after vaginal birth? @KieaRai where are you? Wish they did that here in VA. And you have to stay for a week after c section? 3 days here, unless there were complications. But to answer the original question. I never had a c section but have had 2 vaginal births and this one will be number 3. But I know people that had both and say natural is better hands down. I wouldn't opt for a c section though if it weren't medically necessary. It is a major surgery. And if you want a vbac later you have to worry about a ruptured uterus.

[Jaci1024]

I'm not sure how a c section is but I have had to2 vaginal deliveries so far and I can tell you the recovery is a piece of cake.

[elvendork]

your insurance won't cover a c-section if it is not medically necessary

[kprince2]

Put it this way. I have had two umbilical hernia surgeries and I cannot imagine how painful a c section is if my little ole hernia surgeries made me cry.  I also gave birth via vag and it was special but not horrible. And like mommytobeauties said they dont give you a choice it is based off medical needs in most states as far as I know.

[KieaRai]

They both hurt like all get out but with vahinal at least you walk out the same day if you want to unless you need to stay for tests or something. With c section you're in the hospital for up to a week or more sometimes. It takes a lot longer to heal and it's really hard to train those muscles back to how they used to be. Unless my baby is suffering and I need a c section I won't do it. It's too dangerous otherwise. It's a major surgery and they offer it here in the states as if they're offering to clip your fingernails. Unless it's medically necessary,  vaginal is better. If your life or the baby is in danger or if you have complications and need it then go for it. But don't think that getting a c section will save you pain because theybusually hurt more and for a lot longer than delivering vaginally.

[mommy_to_beauties]

I don't know what it's like where you are from but in the UK c-sections are not just given out to every one. You only have one if medically necessary, if there is an emergency and if you have had previous c-sections. Vaginal birth is the best way anyway. It's an achievement.