C-Section or Not

[Savanphil 3]

Before I had my son I was gung-ho about going natural, until...my doctors got me to agree to get a c-section, due to the nature of my Asthma. The ironic thing is I had a severe asthma attack waaaay before the planned c-section.

So I ended up having an emergency c-section to save us both. The healing was terrible because I had a hematoma and take lots of steroids for asthma which slows healing.

But in the end it was all worth it!

[Krikit 1,164]

While caesarian intervention is obviously a good thing when used for preventative measures and life-threatening emergencies, the benefits of vaginal delivery for newborns are measurable. Not only does the natural birthing process prepare the lungs for breathing by squeezing out the liquid, the baby develops increased immunities from beneficial bacteria as they pass through the birth canal. Not to mention the many benefits to the mother.... including natural contracting to help the uterus return to its previous state. (Again, we are speaking in terms of risk-free deliveries here.) Count me in as a C-section-NOT advocate.

[Eveline 9]

I had a c/s with No1, after 24+ hours of labor and a 6hours pushing stage. He was posterior and he wouldn't budge past the 0 station. I was exhausted and didn't even remember my name. Now, I don't know if I ever signed a consent form or not, I just wanted that baby out of me. After I felt bad. I cried a lot cause I thought my body had failed me, I was wondering if the C/s was the right choice but I guess it was. They gave me the option to keep pushing but I was so swollen down there...I didn't know female 'parts' can swell like that. I couldn't really walk for a week because of the swelling and I hated my scar. All that only got better when I got pregnant again. My doctor is supportive of a VBAC but only until I hit 40 weeks. If baby is not here until then, I will have to have another C/S. Believe me, I'm trying to avoid it and hope that she'll start labor before that 'deadline'. There's two other mommies in my playgroup, they didn't have an option. the doctor told them right away when their repeat C/S wuold be.

I don't understand why yuo would chose a (repeat) c/s. I honestly don't know how I could care for my 18 months old (he will be 18 month then) if I cannot even get in and out of the bathtub. Who is going to buckle him in his carseat, change his diapers etc??? when I'm trying to recover from MAJOR abdominal surgery and my husband is offshore working??? I don't think docs think about that, really. A C/S is never 'less dangerous' than a vaginal delivery, although people try to scare you with all those horror stories about uterine scar rupture etc. The risk for that is around 1% and it can even happen if you have never had a C/S so basically...every woman should have a c/s to start with just to minimize the risks of scar rupture (JUST KIDDING).

[Zee Bee 61]

After watching "The Business of Being Born" (which was excellent) it reaffirmed my decision not have a C-Section unless it was medically necessary.

A friend of mine had a baby a couple of weeks ago. She needed to have a C-section because she was a high risk pregnancy. After she was discharged from the hospital she was readmitted 2 days later because of an infection at the incision. She spent a few more days in the hospital and is now back home.

PS: I don't have kids.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Having witnessed 2 C-sections I would say that they are not as bad as they appear. But the decision vs natural should be your doctor's call. If you have a C-section, every pregnancy after will need to be handled by C-section.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Having witnessed 2 C-sections I would say that they are not as bad as they appear. But the decision vs natural should be your doctor's call. If you have a C-section, every pregnancy after will need to be handled by C-section.

lots of posts on "Baby Corner" thread about VBAC's!

[tmma 467]

Having witnessed 2 C-sections I would say that they are not as bad as they appear. But the decision vs natural should be your doctor's call. If you have a C-section, every pregnancy after will need to be handled by C-section.

You know what hurt me the most? People whom knew nothing about my circumstances pulling the pucker faced guilt trip on me.

This was my first and only pregnancy. I HAD to have a c-section and some people were actually going on at me with the guilt thing.... " Oh, you will lose some of the maternal bonding--your baby will not be healthy because he is not getting 'the natural start', your recovery will be terrible, your son will resent you later......."blah blah blah".....

I got worried and upset about it. But my doctor told me that the result of an attempted natural birth would either result in my son with no mother or myself with no son.

So-either way I feel lucky that after a high risk pregnancy, I actually have my son alive and well. THAT'S what counts...Nothing else. It was a rough experience ( the C/S) but totally worth it! People make their OWN decisions based on doctor's advice and the health of the baby and themselves. I wouldn't try and frighten someone with horror stories or upset them with guilt if they had to have the CS proceedure.

Edited July 2, 2008 by tmma

[apricot 0]

I think that having a c-section is a very personal decision - for whatever reason. I had two natural births by choice and both were the most incredible experiences of my life. I learned that if you 'listen' to your body, and do what it tells you to do, the end result is a wonderful memory (my first labour was six hours and the second two - I totally believe it was because I remained calm and let my instinct lead me). I understand that my experiences are not universal and I know that moms do whatever they feel most comfortable with - and whatever gives them the sense of 'I can do this and get through it'.

[Eveline 9]

Having witnessed 2 C-sections I would say that they are not as bad as they appear. But the decision vs natural should be your doctor's call. If you have a C-section, every pregnancy after will need to be handled by C-section.

You know what hurt me the most? People whom knew nothing about my circumstances pulling the pucker faced guilt trip on me.

This was my first and only pregnancy. I HAD to have a c-section and some people were actually going on at me with the guilt thing.... " Oh, you will lose some of the maternal bonding--your baby will not be healthy because he is not getting 'the natural start', your recovery will be terrible, your son will resent you later......."blah blah blah".....

I got worried and upset about it. But my doctor told me that the result of an attempted natural birth would either result in my son with no mother or myself with no son.

So-either way I feel lucky that after a high risk pregnancy, I actually have my son alive and well. THAT'S what counts...Nothing else. It was a rough experience ( the C/S) but totally worth it! People make their OWN decisions based on doctor's advice and the health of the baby and themselves. I wouldn't try and frighten someone with horror stories or upset them with guilt if they had to have the CS proceedure.

BONDING is a lifelong process. Sure, there are hormones send you by your body during labor which make you fly high after birth but that doesn't mean that you have a superdooper relationship with your child. I didn't care for my son in the beginning. I didn't want to see him cause I was so exhausted and apparently "Wacken" kinda had the same experience, although she had a vaginal delivery. In the end, every mommy loves their child no matter how it came into this world.

[tmma 467]

Having witnessed 2 C-sections I would say that they are not as bad as they appear. But the decision vs natural should be your doctor's call. If you have a C-section, every pregnancy after will need to be handled by C-section.

You know what hurt me the most? People whom knew nothing about my circumstances pulling the pucker faced guilt trip on me.

This was my first and only pregnancy. I HAD to have a c-section and some people were actually going on at me with the guilt thing.... " Oh, you will lose some of the maternal bonding--your baby will not be healthy because he is not getting 'the natural start', your recovery will be terrible, your son will resent you later......."blah blah blah".....

I got worried and upset about it. But my doctor told me that the result of an attempted natural birth would either result in my son with no mother or myself with no son.

So-either way I feel lucky that after a high risk pregnancy, I actually have my son alive and well. THAT'S what counts...Nothing else. It was a rough experience ( the C/S) but totally worth it! People make their OWN decisions based on doctor's advice and the health of the baby and themselves. I wouldn't try and frighten someone with horror stories or upset them with guilt if they had to have the CS proceedure.

BONDING is a lifelong process. Sure, there are hormones send you by your body during labor which make you fly high after birth but that doesn't mean that you have a superdooper relationship with your child. I didn't care for my son in the beginning. I didn't want to see him cause I was so exhausted and apparently "Wacken" kinda had the same experience, although she had a vaginal delivery. In the end, every mommy loves their child no matter how it came into this world.

[Cécy 44]

If I have the choice, I would like a natural delivery as much as possible. But if the baby's or the mom's life is at risk then I say discuss with the Dr and make the safe decision.

I can't imagine myself choosing to have C-section.

[sara535 15]

I've had one of each and as Wacken said, no birth is a picnic (looks like a couple of you had good experiences).. My son I had vaginally 12 years ago after 55 hours of labor. It was hideous. by the last day I didnt care at all what happened, I wanted the jaws of life to get him out of me but the nurses kept saying 'oh you dont want a c-section, its so hard to recover from'. Well, after they dragged my 10 pound boy out of me with forceps I couldnt sit down comfortable for more than a month and my back had spasms for about 4 or 5 months. I had my daughter last year with an unplanned emergency c-section. when they told me I had to do it I had a complete meltdown (plus I think my husband almost passed out at the idea of having to be in the OR with me lol). and recovery WAS hard. But my lesson from all of this is that SOME women are just born to shoot babies out and others need help. its a fact that childbirth has historically been the number one cause of death by far for women and personally I would have been one of them with each of my kids if it wasnt for modern medicine.

As far as doing a C-section by choice, I wouldnt choose it but to each his own.....

[nannygirl82 0]

if i have another child...i will not have a choice...i have to have a c-section because of the cut that was made to get baby girl out...

[Nessa 23]

traditional. I don't see why anybody would choose a c-section to have a huge scar. I couldn't possibly have a traditional though because I fractured my hips when I was 20, so I have no choice.

[sara535 15]

these days the scars are not huge at all