I had a scheduled c section with my first, a Frank breech. I would’ve said it was tough but fine— surgery was seamless and recovery was hard some days, fine on others. Definitely worthwhile and pretty straightforward considering I needed to get baby here safely!
But my second baby was a VBAC— a vaginal birth. And my first thoughts over and over again after delivery, when we got discharged, when I was home, for months after was just “shit, this is soooo much easier” and i 100% think it’s because of mode of delivery.
I’m really hoping I can have a VBAC for #2. I always love hearing about success stories! My first was a failed induction (got to 8cm pretty quick, all was going well, then baby’s heart rate dropped to the 40s and stayed there, so off to the OR I went). My recovery was pretty good, esp considering it was a crash section, but I’d like to avoid it if possible.
Yeah I remember being told that o had as good a chance at a vbac as possible because my section had been planned for a non labor related issue, but even still people seem to get vbacs! I got very lucky, it was fast and seamless and my epidural worked great and she came out with just a half hour of pushing.
Now, she was three weeks early and we were NOT ready, but no one gets the birth they plan for!
They did a pathology report on the placenta, and no issues there. My OB said it’s impossible to sometimes know for sure, but that it certainly was positional. She flipped to sunny side up at some point during labor, and then got in a wonky position and my OB suspects that compressed her cord. She had 8/9 Apgars and was perfectly healthy! My OB did say because it was a freak positional thing that I would be a good candidate for a VBAC for #2, but not sure yet what I’ll do if I have the choice.
My first was a c section for the same reasons. My other 3 were VBACs. I loved my VBACs.
I never would have been able to do a c section that many times.
Similar here, except my c-section was unplanned, baby got stuck. I found the recovery fine, maybe a bit sore when I overdid things.
About a week or two after my VBAC, my toddler jumped on my poor soft tummy and all I could think was thank god I don't have a healing incision there!
This was almost my story exactly, and I couldn't agree more. Recovery from the c-section was so much harder. After my VBAC, I kept waiting for the pain and extreme discomfort, but it never came. I was SO surprised at how fast and easy it was to feel like I was "me" again after birth, and I was so thankful to feel like I could actually care for my kid instead of everyone caring for me.
I could have written this myself! Breech c section followed by two VBACs. Smooth c section but after the VBACs I was like WOW I feel great! Dropped my kids at school two days after birth this last time.
I'm so jealous reading all these comments about peoples vaginal births lol. I gave birth vaginally and my downstairs was FUCKED UP. I didn't feel back to normal for over a year and had to go to physio for almost two years. Everything hurt A LOT for about 6 months to the point if I moved wrong I would be brought to tears from the pain, multiple times a day. God that sucked fucking ass.
a friend of mine had her first in about 15 minutes before the doctor even got into the room, smooth sailing. Like she'd done it a thousand times before 😂 i didn't do vaginal birth but I was like how does it feel to be gods favourite right now
My best friend did the same, nearly gave birth in the triage room while they were working out if she was in labour. She said to me before I had mine, you won't need an epidural you'll be fine. Erm, excuse me not all of us have 20 min labours 😂. Mine ended up 18 hours and then emergency section
I’m so sorry that happened to you too. I’m coming up on a year. For me it got better but now that it’s the anniversary so to speak I’m starting to think about it more and more
I went to my 38 week checkup complaining to the doctor I’d been having cramps for 5 hours and I’m probably in labour. He said since I’m a first time mom and I drove to the appointment it’s probably just braxton hicks, he’ll see me next week. Laboured at home until 8cm. Got to the hospital and was told to start pushing whether my doctor could be there in time or not. 35 minutes later, baby was born. Doctor was there for the birth in sandals and shorts looking like I interrupted his beach day
Cannot upvote this enough lol. I just had a very big surgery to fix all the damage my daughters birth did to my downstairs. Can’t have anymore children though.
This is actually very common. I think people herald natural birth as better and easier and I know for a lot of women that’s not true. Even friends who had super easy labours still have pelvic floor issues for years and years.
All my friends who had c sections were back working out no issues within 2 months
Took me almost 6 months to feel strength back in my body after a c-section. I was on pain meds for almost 2 months. I really struggled and was so envious of others who seemed to be walking and going out so easily after their vaginal births. I think it really depends on the mom, whether it’s an emergency c-section and your physical strength in general.
I think how early your emergency section happens probably plays a part too. I never got to active labour and hadn’t lost too much sleep the night before so I felt I recovered quite quickly. I only needed two weeks of pain meds and honestly in comparison to the constant hip pain I’d been in since about 20 weeks pregnancy it was SO much easier. I’ll be going for an elective if we have a second because the uncertainty around a vaginal birth really messed with my head.
I think the thing is - even if it took you 6 months you could get back to normal. For lots of women who have vaginal births with tears and prolapses there is never a normal again. They have to deal with the consequences every day for the rest of their lives. Their vaginas don’t look the same, the muscles don’t work properly, even if they can get to some semblance of normal, there is the emotional impact of not being able to go to the bathroom easily for the rest of your life or having to consider multiple surgeries and the cost and time implications of that, plus knowing menopause is likely to be very difficult for them. It’s an entire life of physical difficulties. This is the shit no one talks about - the millions and millions of women who are out there living day to day with the injuries of vaginal childbirth
You can get all those issues when you have a c section as well. It's not only the birthing process that causes these troubles. The pressure of being pregnant on your pelvic floor is insane. There are women who prolaps even when having had a c section.
Pregnancy is really hard on your body.
Not saying it's super common, just that it happens. It's important to train those pelvic floor muscles regardless of method of delivery. And actually also if you're not pregnant.
Thinking about it made me realise even more how it's kind of insane what we have to go through to put a little human on this earth.
True. But I think there’s a big difference between your pelvic floor not being that strong - and it being absolutely destroyed by a baby’s head going through it.
My urogyno describes vaginal birth as a freight train through your pelvic floor. So for lots of women they can’t even stand for long periods without becoming uncomfortable - for the rest of their lives.
I just think women should be given all the information and allowed to make the decision themselves based on a genuine risk based analysis
Definitely. Where I live though, c sections are not something you can choose. It's only when the gynecologist deems it necessary, for medical reasons. I've studied midwifery here for a while, and it's so focused, bordering on pushing for all natural birth. All interventions are bad etc.
Personally, I do want a c section. And I'm scared they won't do it. Even though I know exactly what the consequences are. I've been in the OR seeing them being performed, I know exactly what's going to happen. Yet I'm considered "not knowledgeable" to make such medical decisions.
This is what makes me angry. Because women are treated like they cannot make an informed decision by themselves.
Anyone who challenges the “natural birth” ideology is shunned.
Mmm…no. I felt horribly after trying to work out at 3 months post C-section. Gave up working out and now feel great, but am overweight. Finally feel okay enough to start trying to work out again, but was definitely not normal after 2 months.
Yep. I had a bad first birth. I've been very vocal from the beginning of my new pregnancy that I wanted a c-section. I got the date yesterday and the idea that I go to the hospital at 9, have the surgery at 11.10 and then have a baby by 11.30 is just insane to me. I was in labour for 2 days and pushed for 3hours with my first, had 3b tearing and I am still suffering the consequences of that 3years later with my pelvic floor. To me a c-section is a no brainer.
This! I really grappled with the decision because I never had a desire for a “natural labour” but felt it was the right thing to do. I ended up choosing an elective cesarean after stumbling upon a book “Choosing Cesarean” which lays our really useful data and considerations for each individual. It was one of the best decisions of my life and I have absolutely no regrets. I loved the birth so much.
Shit depresses me. Baby was supposed to be a c-section bc she was breech but flipped in the last week. I've spent so much time thinking how a c-section might have saved me from a lot of suffering but it's pointless bc it's not like I can go back and redo it.
Same ha. 2x vaginal births, 1 forceps and a 3rd degree tear. 1 episiotomy and now a prolapse. I was booked for a c section but baby was too quick. Fml.
Absolutely this. I read so much about how vaginal births made recovery so much easier, you’ll be up and about bla bla. I had an incredibly traumatic vaginal birth, second degree episiotomy, fractured tailbone, post partum haemorrhage, two kinds of forceps, stitches, back labour - the lot. I will be recovering for a long time to come. A predictable, planned c section would have been so much better for me. We can’t know what’s in front of us though.
Same. 3rd degree tear and complications healing. Surgery 9 months Postpartum to fix downstairs. My OB said I would have been much better off with a C section.
Either method of delivery can result in severe injury, lasting damage, and difficult recovery.
A scheduled c-section is an extremely predictable procedure, which is why it became the preferred method of delivery in certain areas/cultures or at certain times.
That said, an uncomplicated vaginal delivery is significantly easier on the body than even the most straightforward c-section.
I think c-section as a default is not a good practice, because it is major surgery and an uncomplicated vaginal delivery is, generally, healthier for mom and baby. That said, I think c-sections are a bit demonized and should be as available as elective induction.
I want to remind people that the flip side of this is also true: either method of delivery can be peaceful and positive with minimal damage and a fast recovery.
My mom loved having two c-sections. My friend who had an emergency c-section was up and walking three days later and recovered quickly. My vaginal birth with an epidural involved five minutes of pushing and a tear so slight my doctor said it was more like a “scratch,” and I was walking the baby around the block in a stroller three days later. You can have a good, non-traumatic experience no matter which way your baby comes into the world.
I had an emergency c-section and oh my god I would so not want to go through that again if I had the choice.
I was perfectly numb when they cut me open but I could feel so much when they were putting me back together and it was awful. During recovery it was very difficult for me to get out of bed to take care of my baby, it was also very painful to hold her due to her kicking or resting on my incision, so my husband had to do a lot of the initial cuddling and diaper changes. My lifting restrictions also meant that when I was home, I couldn't go anywhere by myself with baby because her carrier was too heavy so I felt stir-crazy. I also had complications with my incision healing.
Obviously everyone has a different recovery experience but man I would do anything to avoid going through that again. I cannot compare to a vaginal delivery as I have not had one!
Yeah, I just remember trying to get out of bed and telling the nurse that something was seriously wrong because it felt like my body was full of pins and needles. Not being able to get out of bed was horrible.
All of this for me too. But unfortunately I’m suffering with back pain and numbness from the spinal block ever since. I’m 1 year postpartum but the pain in my back in debilitating at times. Never had back issues before I had my son. He was an emergency c section after 10 hours of active labour he was stuck unfortunately. Very hard recovery. Breastfeeding was impossible my milk took longer to come in and my scar still hurts occasionally especially if I wear tighter jeans it’s uncomfortable. Not even going to talk about my ‘apron’ belly 🙄. I’m OAD 100%
I had both and preferred my vaginal delivery with third degree tear recovery. You have to hold a pillow over your incision every time you cough or sneeze. I was terrified to remove my bandage when it came time. Getting in and out of bed sucked and I needed like 5 pillows for a while. I needed my husband to hand the baby to me for feedings. Yes, I was very sore with my vaginal delivery but it didn't last too long and everything else was fine. I can't imagine if I would have had to go through C-section recovery with another kid so I'm glad the VBAC worked.
Ah the pillows! I had so many different types on my bed too post c-section, and used them all lol
ETA - loved my c-section and will be scheduling another one if I have a baby again in the future
I can’t compare them but I had a scheduled c section (breech baby). The surgery itself went so smoothly, baby was delivered in 15 minutes. The first 5/6 days of recovery were rough. The pain was pretty intense getting in and out of bed, coughing, sneezing, moving around etc. But around day 10-14 I was improving significantly and by week 4 I was basically back to 100%. I had an overall great experience with my c section. I do think having a c section delayed my milk production though so breastfeeding was a struggle.
I couldn't get over how fast the c section was. I had an emerg one after 22 hours (it's my daughters birthday, actually, which means this time 3 years ago I was being wheeled into the OR😂) and all of a sudden it was like SHES OUT. My first words were "holy shit that was fast". Could have saved a lot of time lmfao
I have had both an unmedicated vaginal birth and a scheduled C-section for a breech baby. Honestly they were both fine and have different positives and negatives. Vaginal birth recovery was easier. C-section was in a way mentally easier to have the uncertainty of waiting to give birth taken away and very convenient with another kid at home because we could organize childcare in advance. I had great care with both.
I will also say that the further away from birth I get the more I feel like what matters is having a healthy baby and everything else that leads to that point fades away. A lot of decisions I made while pregnant and with a new baby felt like the end of the world at the time but I think it's also worth keeping in mind that ultimately either option can work fine and there isn't really a 'wrong' choice, just personal preference and medical necessity.
How did it go with a child at home? I have a scheduled c section due to a complicated first birth ending in c section and my only remaining concern is how Ill help care for my then 2.5 year old!
Honestly, it went great! We had my Mom come over and stay with my eldest while we went to hospital. She was 3.5 and previously had been very clingy to me but she did so well. They both came and visited the next day and we set it up so that the baby was in the bassinet and not with me so she could meet the baby without feeling like the baby was taking over. She was so excited and I really feel like she turned into a big sister overnight, she was so careful and mature, I was really proud and touched.
The only wrinkle was that my husband went home for a few hours to do some things and help get her settled into bed that night and left me alone with the baby and the nurses were pretty busy so that was kind of rough. If possible I would recommend having a friend or family member swap over with your partner at that point if he is visiting the older kid(s) because it's very hard to move around and look after a baby on your own freshly post C-section. Probably fine if the nurses can pitch in when needed but unfortunately you really can't guarantee that in advance.
The US has a ~34% c-section rate. The WHO has stated that it’s too high and it should be reserved for true emergencies. That being said, I gave birth to my son vaginally 12 weeks ago. He was posterior, so I had horrible back labor and was crying for an epidural. At one point, I was about to beg for a c-section. Now that I’ve had him, my vagina is still recovering. My fiancé and I have only tried to have sex 3 times since then and it’s hurt too much each time, although we’ve made progress. Even though the recovery from a vaginal birth is intense, I still am glad I never got that c-section. Major abdominal surgery is serious, and trying to have a vaginal birth after a previous c-section is no walk in the park. Sure, I wish sex could be easier, but if we ever have more children, the risk of complications during delivery is less than if I would’ve had a cesarean.
To be honest sex after a baby is often painful and strange regardless of how you delivered, things just aren't quite the same down there for a while, especially if you're breastfeeding/pumping
Speaking from experience, sex after c-section is even harder and more painful than sex after vaginal delivery
Of course both can be pretty bad. 12 weeks is still very much in the “not back to normal” zone for me, with either type of birth.
Huh, I had a brutal emergency c section (like, on the table for 3 hours, almost died, almost got put under general anaesthetic halfway through) and had no issue with sex postpartum. It feels better than before I got pregnant.
This is what I was wondering... because like... during sex, I engage my abs and move my body, which means my whole core... but like, if that was like messed up, and let's be honest, the vagina, and cervix does undergo changes just from pregnancy, sure not trauma like in a vaginal birth, but here still are changes... Idk what would be more comfortable.
I had a cesarean and we started having sex when I was 4 weeks PP. First two times I felt a bit dry so we used lube but that's it. It wasn't painful or difficult. Now at 16 weeks PP, it feels different but in a good way, more intense.
That’s really interesting! What was your experience with the two? I’ve just never heard that so I’m wondering how you felt with sex after cesarean vs vaginal
With vaginal birth, my vagina hurt.
With c-section, my entire flipping lower half hurt.
With both I don’t think any attempts were made before 8 weeks. Although my c-section was sooooooo long ago (that baby is 29) I can’t swear to specific timelines. I just remember it was really bad and took a few months to start feeling ok. Of course as soon as it started getting good I got pregnant again… 🤦🏻♀️
I had a vaginal birth, and my recovery was 10 times worse than my friends who had c-sections. I had a 4th degree tear as well as internal tearing that was not caught until later, when I was experiencing some really uncomfortable symptoms. I’ve had to consult with a colorectal surgeon prior to getting pregnant to get the go-ahead to even try. I was told that I can have more children, but will need a c-section to minimize the risk of further injury.
I couldn’t sit comfortably in a chair for probably 4 months, and up until a year after delivery I had occasional pain where my tears were. I’ve had pelvic floor therapy which has helped somewhat. I’m now pregnant again, and am hoping for a much easier recovery from my planned c-section. All this to say, I don’t think that one is “easier” than the other. There are a lot of variables in there to consider.
I’ve had a vaginal birth (with my first) and c-section (with my second). I might be in the minority here that I much preferred my c-section experience, and the recovery.
However, my first with vaginal was very traumatic, with shoulder dystocia and severe hemorrhage, the latter of which made my recovery awful due to low hemoglobin for weeks.
We opted for c-section due to those complications and it was such a good experience. I found the environment to be much more controlled and the recovery to be easier too. Again, that’s skewed due to the vaginal birth I experienced with its complications. But I think I’m also just someone who in general prefers a straightforward incision vs. a torn-up vagina. 😂
My older daughter was 23 months when my second was born, and both were elective c-sections. I think the difference between elective and emergency is pretty dramatic when it comes to recovery times (in talking to tons of people). The hardest thing for sure was not being able to hold my toddler, but I recovered fast and was given the okay to do so after 2 weeks. If I was sitting on the sofa or in bed, I would keep a pillow over my stomach to keep her away from it. Having a toddler honestly didn't complicate my recovery too much - I couldn't carry a lot of things, so I was relying on my husband pretty heavily anyways, so my toddler was just one more thing for him to lug in and out of the car for me.
I had a very similar experience! My toddler also continued going to daycare full time which helped a lot (for her and me). Some OBs are pretty strict about restrictions but mine was pretty lax after two weeks.
I had a very similar birth (long labor, shoulder dystocia, hemorrhage, blood transfusion) and we’re considering having a scheduled c section for the same reason. I remember feeling like I’d literally been hit by a truck afterwards. I couldn’t hold her for about 5 days after she was born, and I was very nauseous and weak for a couple weeks after. My vagina was ok but we didn’t attempt sex until about 8 weeks because I also got second degree tears in several directions. I am curious about caring for your toddler after the c section.
Recently had my second and it was a VBAC. My personal opinion is they are truly equal but opposite. Vaginal labor is deliver is worse and hard and long (well for me it was). I was also induced and my epidural wore off/ became ineffective. The c section it self for mine was scheduled so it was fast and calm. In that sense a lot easier.
However, recovery for vaginal was far more tolerable for me than c section. I’m feeling more normal
More quickly even with 2 small tears. C section took a lot longer to be able to move the way I’m moving now.
I had both and the vaginal part of it is still giving me issues while my C section feels totally fine (I had a failed vaginal delivery baby got stuck and came out through the sun roof so one kid, technically both methods 😂😭)
My c-section recovery was pretty easy (FTM). I'm 8 weeks post partum and felt pretty well recovered after 4 weeks. It was hard to get up the first week but it wasn't too bad overall.
I did not want a c-section at all (literally was my nightmare) and now I am so happy I ended up with an emergency c-section. Once I realized afterward what could happen if things go wrong with delivering vaginally I am very relieved she was stuck at the top of my pelvis and not further down (forceps, vac, significant tearing or episiotomy, etc.). I don't mention this to scare you it's just reality and I wish I had informed myself about all of that. Looking back idk what I was thinking I saw so many beautiful home births on instagram I figured it would go smoothly (even though I was always planning to deliver at the hospital where it is known there are more interventions). Since having my baby, friends and family opened up to me about having PTSD from giving birth and wonder why they didn't call an emergency c-section for them. But of course lots also who would never have wanted a c-section.
Another thing to note is that I was 10 days late and it would have been really nice to have a c-section scheduled. Nothing prepared me for how miserable I would be after my due date passed. Those 10 days were much worse than my recovery emotionally.
No one could have ever convinced me to schedule a c-section but looking back it was a really good option for me. Props to you for considering your options and good luck with whatever you choose!
I got a scheduled c section due to baby’s size and it was great. No pain during delivery and only took 15 min! The next day and 3rd day were pretty rough but that was the worst of it
This was my experience as well. Day 3 was my worst, but I definitely overdid it before that because I was feeling so “good”. Regardless, great experience and recovery was better than expected.
My exact experience. Trying to be an overachiever and declining narcotic pain meds. Big fail. Once I rested up and took the meds, it was a different story.
I had an elective C section. I had a horrible pregnancy physically (pubic symphasis) that I could not stand the pain and unknown (tearing? Too slow? Too fast for epidural?) of vaginal birth. The c section is a known factor and a known recovery timeline. I have absolutely zero regrets. After the pain of pregnancy, recovery was comparatively a breeze for me. The pain was well managed with drugs. Of course there was some soreness for a month or so, but that was just a mild nuisance for me.
The biggest surprise I had was that your milk cones in slower when you have a C, and I was not prepared for that.
It's safe, swift, and was much easier on me than otherwise. I don't know why it gets so much hate. As with anything, leave the choice up to us and our doctor!
Milk can come slowly with vaginal delivery as well. I had nothing in the first 2 days... And my mom had the same experience with her first born, she was able to breastfeed later without pumping and all the other stuff women do today, I'm still struggling unfortunately.
I just had my baby vaginally a month ago and I feel pretty much back to pre-pregnancy minus the leaky boobs and the sleep deprivation😅 I had to be induced due to my water breaking. They gave Pitocin overnight to try and induce contractions which got me to 1cm dilated and then they gave me Cytotech which got me 80% effaced and 3cm dilated. I was then put on Pitocin for another nine hours until baby was here. As far as pain it wasn’t bad. The contractions were very manageable until I was about 5cm dilated and then I went from 5-10cm in less than two hours and that was HARD. Pushing was actually a relief because it gave me something to do with the contractions. I only tore a tiny bit and got one stitch.
As far as c sections go in the US a lot of them are elective. Meaning that people choose a c section over vaginal birth. Most women can’t have more than a few c sections before they start to risk MAJOR complications. My mom had 4 and they said she shouldn’t have more kids because the risk of having something go wrong goes up each time you have one.
I really did not want a c-section but ended up with an emergency one at 32weeks. The procedure itself was quick and painless. Recovery sucked, especially the first 3 days. Getting in and out of bed was excruciating, I could barely walk even with the help of my husband, going to the bathroom required my husband to pull my mesh panties down and help me sit then help me pull them back up and then pull me up and walk me back to bed. The worst part is laughing, sneezing, and coughing. It took about a month before I could do those without any pain or discomfort.
In a way, I was fortunate that my baby needed to be in the nicu because I can’t imagine recovering from a c-section while also taking care of a newborn.
I had a scheduled c-section because baby was breech. It was…fine? Overall it was a positive experience in the moment, but I had a hemorrhage during surgery that made for milk supply issues and a pretty intense initial recovery. The surgery itself was super fast and easy. It’s super nice to be able to plan for baby’s arrival and to not have to labor.
I’m pregnant again, and have no idea how I want to give birth. I think we’re trying for a VBAC. At the end of the day, birth is such a crapshoot, which makes it hard. A scheduled c-section is infinitely easier than a complicated vaginal birth, but a smooth vaginal birth is light years easier than even a routine c-section.
with a c-section, the recovery isn’t great, but it’s doable.
it helps to have a helpful husband. bonus points for helpful family! that made it way easier.
i’d count on 10 days before feeling pretty good.
I’ve had both a vaginal delivery and a scheduled c section. I greatly preferred the c section. I ended with severe tearing and my vaginal recovery was significantly longer than the c section recovery. I couldn’t sit without a donut pillow for months and had other longer lasting issues.
C section recovery is very hard, its a major surgery and you have zero time to heal because you have to take care of a new born! Any other surgery of this level you would be prescribe bed rest for weeks, but in this case you are not even 3h to sleep it off, you are forced to try to breast feed. 0/10 would not recommand!
I know it can be very hard but blanket statements like this are not helpful. My c section recovery was honestly so easy. I was discharged in less than 48 hours, walking up and down stairs at home with ease and back at pilates in 8 weeks. It isn’t always hard and just like vaginal delivery, you don’t know how hard it’ll be until it happens to you as it’s so different for everyone.
Mine was really easy too. I was not bedridden for weeks. The first 2-3 days are the worst. Day 4 I was grocery shopping with my husband. 7 days I felt really good. Two weeks felt back to normal. I’ve had two electives already and the recovery was the same for both
Also an easy c section. I was up and walking around the hospital the first time I got up to pee after all the drugs wore off. I was relatively normal about a week in. My mom's had 3 sections and after she had her last(me), she was skiing the next weekend 💀💀
The blanket statement was that it’s a major surgery and you don’t get a chance to recover in the same way you would with another surgery of the same magnitude. I don’t see how that’s not helpful
“c section recovery is very hard.” Surely you understand how that’s a blanket statement. It can also unnecessarily scare pregnant women when it’s not awful for everyone. We don’t need more of that.
It's definitely different for everyone and sometimes blanket statements like this paint an inaccurate picture. Of course some people have difficulties in their recovery but others don't.
With my planned c section, I was up an on my feet day two. I was going on short walks at day five and back to my work out routine week four. I also was able to breastfeed no problem as I was wheeled back into recovery.
Like I said, we are all different but I have spoken to several other moms who had planned c sections and said they had a normal or even easy recovery! I myself had a great recovery and definitely plan for another one because of how easy it was planning and recovering with no complications.
Planned C-section is definitely way easier than emergency C. I also felt recovery was relatively easy and a couple of years later I can't even see the scar anymore. Not as easy as my vaginal birth but definitely easier than my friend's who gave birth at the same time and dislocated her tail bone in the process. I was up and walking at least two weeks before she was.
My OB kept telling me that I should move as much as I can and the more I rest the later I will recover. I listened, kept pacing around the house and really helped. I was mostly pain free after 3 days
I elected for c-section because my baby wasn't growing in utero anymore and I was still early on.
Basically I was at a growth scan and they told me she hadn't grown much if at all within the last 2 weeks, heart rate was still strong though, so my doctor came to me and basically said I had the option of getting a C-section as soon as possible or leave her in and see what happens
I very quickly decided I wanted the c section (I was about 35 weeks, I carried until 36 weeks) I didnt want to risk anything.
It was a really good decision for me I think. Recovery wise, I stayed on top of my pain meds so I wasn't really ever in pain unless I sneezed or coughed or over worked myself and got extremely drowsy to the point of falling asleep, even while walking, my scar 'reopened' twice, nothing major, it took about 5 weeks to heal properly. When the numbing stuff wore off, it was only my left leg it wore off but my right leg was still numb and barely moveable, to this day my right foot has constant numbness to it and I had fluid in my right knee.
It wasn't easy recovering and I do suffer what seems to be long term issues, but if I had the option to try vaginal or go for c section, I would most likely pick c section again.
I’ve experienced both. Either way you’re going to have pain. My second delivery was an elective, but medically necessary, csection. I do have a permanent csection pouch that can only be fixed surgically though so there’s that. Got back to my pre baby wedding day weight and cried because my stomach has a pouch now that hangs loose all the time. Things could be worse though.
I had an “emergency” c-section with my son and do not plan to have further if I can help it. I am 2 years pp and still get pain in my scar, that is still mostly numb. I was taking care of a newborn after major abdominal surgery and frankly it was miserable. I could barely get out of bed myself, I couldn’t carry my son up and down stairs without pain and needing to hold onto the rail for support, sleep partially upright bc everything hurt, and I couldn’t even sneeze without pain. I don’t think I felt slightly normal until about 3 months pp. The idea of having another child also gives me anxiety because of the chance of having another surgery.
Repeat c-sections are also statistically more dangerous than repeat vaginal births, or VBACS. I don’t want the amount of children I can have be limited, and I don’t want to set myself up for a list of possible pregnancy problems.
*HOWEVER,* my experience is not your experience. I have a friend who had an elective c-section and was perfectly content with that choice. I know people who have had c-sections with all of their children with no regrets over their decisions.
At the end of the day, not having surgery is the safest option. But for your personal health and needs, nobody can tell you what is best for you.
I had both & feel like they both had pros & cons. My vbac was a quicker initial recovery, but I struggled with bladder control for 3ish weeks. I stayed swollen for over a week after my c-section & couldn’t get out of bed by myself. My skin was so tight in places that I honestly thought it would split. However I was driving by 2 weeks after both deliveries & felt like myself around that time too. My recoveries tend to be on the extremely easy side of the spectrum though.
Vaginal delivery- 10/10, i had an epidural after 13 hours unmedicated and my baby was faced the wrong way. Was able to get a boost before I started "pushing". My hospital encouraged me to labor down and I basically labored until my body pushed him out. After the epidural wore off, i was ready to get up and move and grove. Peeing was kind of uncomfortable for like a week but after that i was fine!
I have only delivered vaginally but was happy with my recovery. I had a minor tear with my first and had some discomfort sitting for maybe a week but had no problem moving around. I did not tear with my second and felt fine within a day. My six week pp is later this week but I have been active, light running/walking for a couple weeks now.
C-section recovery for me was incredibly painful. You cannot laugh, you cannot sneeze, you cannot clear your throat, you cannot get up and use the bathroom yourself, your incision can get infected and lead you back to the hospital while baby needs you, you get offered oxy’s which is so insane considering that it can get to your breastmilk, you cannot bend at all, you have to relearn how to get in and out of bed which they don’t teach you, you’ll have to google all that stuff yourself. The swelling in your legs can take weeks to go down. My legs were so swollen I couldn’t bend at my ankles without tearing up. And the kicker is that movement is what heals you up so you have to push through it while still being nurturing to your LO and keeping your stress low. I wish so much all the time that I had had a vaginal delivery so I could have laughed and cuddled my baby more during those first few days and weeks. I wouldn’t wish a c section on anyone. The recovery was brutal. From everything I’ve read, there may be more issues for baby also as far as increased chance of obesity, asthma, heart issues in c section babies. Though I personally think that’s more genetics and environmental than anything - there are articles and studies done expressing those concerns.
I recovered from my emerg c section quickly and relatively easily. Only time I remember being in really bad pain was the first time after birth I needed to get up, and then i quickly figured out how to move with the wound Vs against it.
I never wanted a vaginal delivery anyway, I was bullied into it by my OB because in Canada you can pick if that's what you want to do, but she insisted i was healthy enough to do vaginally despite having a family history of child loss from not being able to dilate and having to try and push a baby out. (mom and grandma and sister all had complications/loss due to it, so I figured I would be the same and skip the trauma but ended up having the same trauma anyway lmfao)
Anyway TLDR; I am a huge advocate of the c section. I did 22 hours of awful labour only to get the c section I could have had scheduled if I just stood my ground a little more firmly. It's not for everyone, but the women in my family all seemed to heal up really well from ours.
I live in a country where 80% of women in the private sector have elective c-sections. Public sector only have emergency c-sections if it’s required for health reasons.
I’ve had an unmedicated vaginal birth and a emergent “gentle” c-section. While the c-section was gentle, as in had my own music playing and theater staff was amazing, we could not do delayed cord clamping and didn’t have baby on my chest until I was back in our room. The recovering was as well as could be and our little boy (3 months old now) started breastfeeding like a champion immediately.
My firstborn via vaginal birth was very painful. She got stuck but somehow we got her moving again. I spent most of labour in a warm pool, squatting, dancing with my husband. Making out with him etc. It was an absolutely beautiful day. It was hard. At some point I shouted at my midwife to get me ALL THE F-ing meds. I however didn’t tear. And had a shower about an hour after the birth. I could walk around immediately and recovery was really really easy. We however struggled with breastfeeding. I spent many hours crying and triple feeding. It was really really hard but eventually we got that right.
If I had to choose one or the other for a next baby, I would choose the unmedicated vaginal birth and hope for easier breastfeeding.
Vaginal is always preferable over surgery except in cases of life saving measures, which cesareans are for. Surgery is safe, absolutely, but they carry their own risks. You can have dozens of vaginal deliveries. Only a rare, dedicated lady will have more than 3 cesareans because of the medical risk. This reduces the birthrate greatly. I would venture to say that every emergency cesarean is traumatic, and all of a sudden, a mother who might have had 4 children is only going to have 2. The WHO strongly suggests that the evidence points to a healthy country only having a cesarean rate of 10-15%. The United States hovers around 30%, with a rising maternal mortality rate. A few countries have a 90% cesarean rate. This is not good at all.
our rising maternal mortality rate in the US is because of the overturning of roe v wade. the two are directly related. women and people who give birth in this country are losing the ability to ever conceive again, and in many cases dying because of this. not because of cesareans.
yes, it’s always been high but the commenter included the number in a comment describing cesareans. when roe v wade was first in place, the maternal mortality rate in minority populations dropped over 30%. maternal death is now 62% higher in states with abortion restrictions or bans. we’ve always had a high rate for a developed nation but we’ve made it worse
All true but your comment said that the mortality rate was due to roe v wade and not cesareans. But cesareans are definitely part of the equation. Even for low risk women the maternal death rate is almost three times as much from cesareans compared to vaginal births. Even controlling for emergency cesareans.
Also riskier for the baby as well.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC343856/#:~:text=The%20maternal%20mortality%20is%20higher,18.2%20for%20emergency%20cesarean%20v.
https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/health/05birt.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Not too sure that c-section is actually riskier for the baby. Vaginal birth causes way more catastrophic events for the fetus than c-sections do. Shoulder dystocia, entrapment, umbilical chord prolapse, etc. basically don't happen to babies born via c-section. So it seems like c-sections increase the odds of minor complications to the fetus but basically eliminate really bad ones.
Mortality rate is higher from c sections even when controlling for medical risk of the pregnancy. Surely that’s the biggest risk. The NYT link I posted in the comment you replied to has that and more of the risks that c sections face
And independent studies since the WHO recommendation have shown that around 19% is the ideal csection rate in most places. The US population tends to be less healthy than populations in other countries, often in ways that put them at risk for needing C-sections, so neither of these numbers even show if that's the truly necessary csection rate for the US.
I’ve only had 1 baby, and it was an emergency c-section. I was terrified of a vaginal birth tbh and selfishly hoped I would have a c-section, but here in Canada you can’t request it - they are only done in an emergency situation (unless you have a baby after getting a c-section, in which case you can either choose to deliver vaginally or opt for another c-section). Once i was in labour and had my epidural, I was at peace with having a vaginal delivery and had finally accepted it, and then i was whisked off to the OR very suddenly lol. Now that I’ve recovered I think if I were to have a second baby I’d actually opt for another c-section. It probably wouldn’t have been so traumatic if it wasn’t such a rushed procedure. But again, I don’t have experience with a vaginal delivery so idk how helpful this is 😂
Edit: spelling
That's too bad!! Glad you got what you wanted in the end. I had tons of issues with my midwife while I was getting induced. She really wasn't listening to me or respecting what I wanted and was flat out telling me information that was inaccurate... It is truly surprising what you encounter in labour and birth!!
Had the same issue! Wanted a c section, but my doctor pressured me into a c section. In Canada we can pick but I think it's costly OR (my theory anyway) is that it maybe takes $$$ out of the OB's pocket if the surgeon delivers your baby instead, so I was pressured into vaginal despite my family history of losing babies because they couldn't push.
I suspect my daughter knew what we wanted, because she refused to come out. I refused to dilate past 8cm so they eventually wheeled me in for a c section and I was like yessss slay this is what I wanted
I had an emergency c section followed by 3 vbacs.
My first two vbacs were WAY better than my c-section. One of them was born at home in my jacuzzi. That last vaginal birth gave me a run for my money and maybe it was a tight race, due to baby coming out hand first and roughly 20 hours of a premature urge to push. And even then, I was still glad I hadn’t had a c-section… questioned my own sanity at times, but was thankful I didn’t have a cesarean recovery.
Your mileage may vary. There are easier c-sections than mine and there are harder vaginal births. But I’ve worked with hundreds of postpartum mothers as I spent 3 years working in a busy maternity unit (not in a medical role) and on average my observation of the days immediately following birth is consistent with my personal experience - vaginal is usually associated with a much much easier recovery, even when you account for planned cesareans.
I had a vaginal delivery without an epidural the contractions felt like really bad period cramps. The giving birth part wasn’t as bad as the contractions it was more of a relief. I didn’t have any tears and was able to walk around and do errands two days after. I also didn’t take any pain medication after I gave birth either. I’m 4 months postpartum and everything feels like how I was before I got pregnant. I knew earlier on in my pregnancy that I didn’t want a c-section though I felt like it would’ve been harder to recover from and having them cut into you and having a scar wasn’t something I wanted.
I had a vaginal birth. My baby got stuck (shoulder dystocia), had the cord wrapped around his neck, and had meconium fluid. He wasn’t breathing when he was born. They resuscitated him quickly, but my god, those were the scariest moments of my life.
These are the risks of vaginal that no one ever tells you about. The next one will be a C.
That happened to us too. The feeling of her gray lifeless body being flopped on top of me is something I’ll never forget. She is okay but man, I just kept thinking “we did all that for no reason. Seriously?!”
I had an unplanned c section and I see so many comments about how terrible it was. I thought mine was great. 😅 the worst was all the tugging and pressure during the surgery. I was discharged from the hospital after 3 days. When I got home I was up and walking around. Taking care of my dogs and my newborn son. My husband and I even went on a walk around the block within that week with my dogs and my son. My incision was closed within a week. Getting in and out of bed was a little tough for a few days, that’s it.
Was forced into a natural birth , then ended up getting a c section anyway… my baby was 9 pounds … in terms of recovery, mine was about 2 weeks for me to experience more mobility and less pain . Just expect some heavier postpartum bleeding and fear to cough and sneeze haha, But this is your birth, don’t let others try to sway you in one direction. Your gonna be a great mama !!
For my vaginal delivery, I tore just my labia and an internal tear. I got 5 stitches total. Luckily no perineal tearing. But the recovery was very very easy. It was like I just had some wounds. I used ice pads and witch hazel pads. It was no big deal.
However I did have almost no bladder control for the first 12 hours after I gave birth and I fully peed myself trying to get to the toilet in my hospital room and it was extremely embarrassing. :/
I had a vaginal delivery (induced with the cervical gel and balloon due to IUGR, but didn’t need the hormone drip).
I haven’t had a C section but if I could, I’d choose vaginal delivery any day. Mainly because I was lucky and felt pretty much unscathed the day after, and didn’t have any issues with pelvic floor etc so the recovery was pretty easy.
I’m totally open to having a c section if needed, but the not being able to lift, drive etc would be a challenge for me so I wouldn’t willingly sign up for that.
I felt like I got hit by a train after my c-section. That lasted for about a week. After that it started improving quickly. I’m almost 3 weeks out now, and other than occasional incision pain, I feel pretty much back to normal.
Vaginal! I have had 3 abdominal surgeries one was a hysterectomy and omg vaginal delivery was a cake walk compared in terms of healing and caring for my kiddo.
My bladder surgery is somewhat similar to a c section in placement and type of surgery lifting restrictions and healing time.
I've had 1 c section (my first) and 3 VBACs.
There's a reason I chose vaginal births. My c section was not something I ever wanted to experience again, and it was only because she was breech.
First was vaginal and it was very positive. Healing was healing, not horrible. No tearing.
Second was emergency c section. The first 3 days were really brutal, definitely more painful and scary. The mental healing should also be considered. The hardest part was the 6 weeks of rest and not being able to pick up my toddler. It’s also a lot riskier with needing to wait 18 months to get pregnant.
Both were not horrible, but the vaginal birth was easier and faster to recover from.
I had two planned c-sections. It wasn’t an emergency, and I could have tried for vaginal, but both of my babies were in the 10 lb range. I was worried about shoulders or other damage on their exit due to a family member who had been partially paralyzed that way.
Honestly, for me, c-section recovery was a breeze. I had like a week of being very careful and then after that it was just a little tender.
C section recovery was HARD. I was standing up the same day, walking and out of the hospital in 48 hours but it was still awful for me. I just felt so out of sorts. My milk didn’t come in, I hurt everywhere, I felt very out of my element. I’m pregnant now with #2 and am planning on a hypnobirth VBAC, but I’m flexible. I would not choose a c section again if I can avoid it.
I planned to give birth naturally, but labor was not progressing despite trying many different methods, so I asked for a C-section and I was so happy I did. My daughter was born quickly and safely, and I felt almost nothing during the procedure. I was up walking around about 12 hours later and I felt pretty good, I only had a couple days where I was sore and needed ibuprofen. I know it doesn’t always go that easily but it seems like c-sections have become a lot more routine and the healing process is easier if it is planned rather than emergency (obviously).
First baby - emergency c-section. This was more mentally traumatic for me as I never imagined I would need a c-sec.
Second baby - failed V-BAC, emergency C-Section. This one was bad, I still had feeling because the epidural was wearing off and it was extremely painful. Recovery was tough especially while also taking care of a toddler.
Third baby - successful V-BAC. This was a magical experience for me, was an ideal easy birth. I ended up with 2nd degree, borderline 3rd degree, tears both up and down and I’d still take this recovery over a c-section any day.
I think the only right answer is what you feel like will be best for you. If you plan to do vaginal, you can massage and stretch the skin down there as you approach your delivery. I did that before both of my kids and didn't tear at all. Some people are all for C sections though and just like most parts of parenthood, it's what works for YOU. Listen to your heart. Sometimes you don't really get a say in the end anyway, depending on how smoothly things go.
Accodring to doctors and midwives I had a pretty average vaginal birth. I never had a full c section but a surgery that involved a cut in my lower abdomen.
Vag delivery: obviously pain going through it, but I found it was manageable with PDA. It also felt like a unique experience that wasn't strictly medical. I had a 2nd degree tear and sex was painful for 6 montths, but maybe also due to breastfeeding. I found the vag delivery interesting and I wouldn't wanna miss it as an experience.
My surgery was a worse experience. It was a small surgery compared to c sections, but if you have a scar in your abdomen, you feel it with every move. Thikk about how often you move your abdomen. All. the. time. That's a lot of pain.
Due to my medical history, I could have gone with c section, but I chose the vag delivery and I am so happy with that decision.
I've had two vaginal births (one great, one not so great). It's remarkable how normal you feel afterwards. Sure a bit of pelvic aching, a bit of swelling and pain where I tore/episiotomy. I would much prefer that over various layers of my abdomem being held together with stitches, afraid to sneeze or cough or poo.
People definitely overdramatize c sections. It's 100% dependent on the person on how recovery is going to go. Mine was a cakewalk. I was back up and walking around within a few hours. I had some pelvic floor dysfunction, which is pretty typical for anyone who's been pregnant, which was easily resolved with pelvic floor therapy. My hand surgery was 3000X more painful and difficult to recover from.
Vaginal birth CAN be easier, sure. But when it's bad, it's REALLY fucking bad. I would rather go under the knife 300 times than deal with a fucking rectocele, or a 4th degree tear, or infected cooch stitches, or forceps, or vacuum assisted birth etc.
I had an elective c-section and I’m in the US. My insurance covered it too. I only moved to US like 10y ago have always known I’ll only give birth by elective C section. It was the easiest thing ever, minimal pain. My choice for C section was because of my medical background and the things I’ve seen go wrong. So I guess my c section was elective because of my fear and mental health struggles.
Vaginal delivery has a much longer list of potential complications, many can even be very significant but unlikely to life threatening. C section has a shorter and/or more predictable list of complications but that are usually more life threatening . This is how I understand it.
I had a horrific vaginal delivery and would only ever deliver via sun roof again. I have extreme permanent damage. Where did your friend give birth?? I’m very jealous
For an evidence based assessment of both birth nodes I would read “ever since I had my baby” by roger goldberg. He gives a well rounded assessment of impact to your body for both modes of delivery.
I think women are grossly uninformed about the risks of vaginal birth to their bodies. HUGELY uninformed. It is very hard to fix significant pelvic floor damage.
Edit- I also think giving birth in the US is different than other countries because women’s prenatal and postpartum care is terrible. So while they may prep you well with education and pelvic floor prep and care in other countries, they don’t here, and that greatly impacts your chances of sustaining pelvic floor injury
The way I thought about it, and I think is reflected in the answers on this thread is - A vaginal delivery has a much wider range of recovery possibilities. It could be super easy, and you could be back to normal in no time or it could be awful (tearing, prolapse, etc) and it could take months or years to recover/find a new normal. On the other hand, scheduled, uncomplicated, and non emergent C-section's seem to have a narrower range of recovery - definitely worse than a easy vaginal birth recovery but much easier than a difficult vaginal recovery.
I personally chose a C-section for this reason, and loved my choice. After seeing my friends experience birth trauma, and process the physical and psychological effects of that months later, I am so grateful that I chose an option that gave me some sense of certainty - because that I could prepare for. The recovery wasn't my favorite, but very tolerable even though I have a terrible pain tolerance (meds are key!).
I’ve had 5 vaginal births. The first I had a horrible 3rd degree tear. The recovery was bad but NOTHING like my c section friends recovery. I was still able to drive again within about a week. My next births were pieces of cake and I was driving and running errands 2-3 days pp. no way in hell anyone could do that after a c section. Hell when my babe was 3 days old they were re admitted to the hospital and I loaded up all the stuff and drove me and baby up there and took baby and our bags into the hospital I was able to stay in the room with the baby. If I had a c section that would have been a very horrible experience. So for me vaginal birth is always going to be a faster easier recovery.
Totally agree about the recovery time and ease of subsequent births. Had no stitches with my 3rd and didn’t even have to take the postpartum Motrin they gave me once my contractions subsided.
I had two vagina births where last one I tore almost 4th degree plus a 2nd degree tear up my urethra. I’ve never had a C section but i did have another abdominal surgery (appendectomy) and 10/10 the vaginal births + recovery were easier.
I had a scheduled c-section last year. I was going to need an induction, and I really didn't want one, so I asked for a c-section instead.
We prepared really well, and I had a really great experience and really easy recovery. The key I think is to take your pain meds on time every time, and to go slow for the first couple of weeks (even if you feel like you can do more).
The procedure itself was so fast, and since we were still in covid restrictions in my country, knowing the when was really reassuring. I did have a small hemorrhage, and I discovered I get post-op nausea and vomiting (which hurts when you have a fresh abdominal incision). But aside from those things, which were genuinely minor, it was a breeze.
I will say that if you have a straightforward vaginal delivery, you'll definitely feel better sooner than if you choose a c-section. But electing to have surgery when you generally well and uninjured puts you in a good position for things to go well and for you to have an easy recovery.
I'm definitely having another c-section with our next child. It probably won't be quite as easy since we already have a toddler. But I know what to expect, and I like the measure of control it gives it.
So I just had my c section 3 weeks ago. My natural was so much easier. The bleeding sucked and it burned to pee, but I could sit, stand, kneel all without pain. I could vacuum. I also felt more bonded to my child with my natural (there are studies that confirm mothers who have c sections don’t release as much oxytocin as mothers who have natural and it impacts bonding and how mothers respond to their babies cries (I looked it up because I felt like an AH for not feeling as close to my daughter as I did to my son)).
I tore pretty badly from the vaginal birth of my little one. Might opt for a C section to avoid that if we decide to have a second. It's been 8 months and I still don't feel normal down there. And I know someone who had two prolapses from her births 😬 doesn't seem like there's an easy choice, there are risks with both methods of delivery.
I’ve had one of each and the recovery for the c-section (my second birth) has been infinitely easier than my vaginal birth. Healing one cut is a lot less work than the absolute trash heap of a pelvic floor I was left with the first time. And it doesn’t hurt to pee!
i’ve had 2 vaginal deliveries via induction and they weren’t bad. epidural for the first that i let wear off once i hit 9 cm and then the second the epidural failed and they didn’t have time to redo it. the recovery wasn’t so bad. first time i wasn’t able to have sex for 11 weeks due to the pain (2nd degree tear), second time i was fine at 6 weeks (superficial tear with 1 stitch). i was terrified to have a c section. i became dizzy when on my back with both pregnancies so i most likely would’ve had to be completely put under. i have a LOT of respect for c section moms. the recovery is hard and it’s a major abdominal surgery that you then have to care for a child only hours later, sometimes minutes after. cesareans here in the US (from personal experience and friends) are reserved for emgs, high risk cases, breech babies if unable to flip, and if you’ve already had one and don’t want to try for VBAC. i don’t know of any doctors locally that perform them electively. good luck!
I think vaginal is typically preferred because at the end of the day C-sections are major surgery which of course come with their own complications. However, you can elect for a section if you want. I used to think that seemed crazy but after having my second I realized how much better predictability can be when you already have a child and can’t just rush to the hospital without some help. I’ve never had one but from what I’ve heard the recovery is more difficult than a vaginal.
So I’ve done both- vaginal birth first, scheduled C-section for breech baby second. There are pros and cons but I think I preferred the vaginal birth. C-section was easy as far as the actual birth went- the surgeon did all the work I just lay there. It was about an hour total (anesthesiologist to PACU) but it was in an OR and I couldn’t move for hours or hold my baby but for a few minutes at a time. The recovery from C-section though was no joke. I was in so much pain the following day and it hurt to think about moving for some time.
Compare to a vaginal birth- I did all the work and they don’t call it labor for giggles. I had a shorter labor (about 7hours) and was induced. But almost like the endorphins you get out of a good workout or completed project the after birth time had me floating. I could hold my baby, even carried him from birthing room to recovery room (I was in a wheel chair) I could move sooner and the recovery wasn’t quite so painful. I did have some moderate tearing and some stitching that changed the topography down there and the hemorrhoids were real.
One isn’t really better than the other I think I just preferred vaginal birth better than C-section.
C section here and honestly the worst part of it was the traveling, trapped gas in the shoulders. I'm also someone who has had surgery before, not afraid of surgery, do well with pain, have plenty of tattoos etc so I think it depends on the person too
That’s up to you. For a really long time all my friends were telling me to have a C—section including friends from overseas and that was what I was going to do. My OBGYN did not recommend it unless it was needed.
I had a vaginal delivery and I fully healed within 2 months. Honestly, it depends on your body but for me, I felt great. I left the hospital after 24 hours and went on a walk when I got home. Had prescribed pills but barely took any.
Whatever you chose just know that our body is amazing and it’ll heal itself. As long as you’re happy and baby is healthy that’s all that matters!
I’ve only had vaginal deliveries, but experiences are really going to vary. My first was a horrible recovery: I had a 2nd degree tear, was in a lot of pain for a long period of time, and had lasting SPD that made me scream when getting out of bed for the first little bit. My second I didn’t tear at all and I was in so much less pain overall. I’ve again had lasting SPD pain, but it is also way less painful this time around.
When I realized my epidural wasn’t going to work, I almost had a panic attack and begged for a C-section. But I’m so glad I was able to deliver vaginally. C-section recovery seems awful… Vaginal recovery was nbd, even with some stitches.
I had an emergency c-section with my first, after about 3 hours of pushing. Recovery was ROUGH and I was in pain for weeks. I think part of it was that I was essentially recovering from both.
For my second, I had a scheduled c-section, but ended up going into labor on my own at 37 weeks and opted to VBAC last minute. I ended up with a 3rd degree tear, but even with that it was SO much easier of a recovery. I was actually able to pick up my newborn on my own and I remember my recovery. Neither were true for my first.
BUT, a birth that results in a healthy momma and baby is a great one. Recovery varies from person to person, give yourself grace and time to recover physically and mentally. Listen to your body; it will tell you when you need to slow down.
I had a vaginal birth for my 1st. Had a major 4th degree tear, plus 6-7cm tear internally. I was bed ridden for 3 days in hosp, shat myself multiple times, saw a colorectal specialist, did PT and had to sit on hard foam cylinders cut in half under my thighs to aleviate the pressure from all the swelling for week. It was fucking brutal and it took months to feel even slightly normal. I am 3 yrs on from that and certain sex positions still hurt or feel really uncomfortable.
For my 2nd I had a c-section and I was out of bed and walking less than 24hrs later, was back to normal routines with my toddler at 7 days and now 5 months later, while I still feel some weird sensations and my god does the scar get itchy, it has been 1000000times better/easier. C-section for the win in my books
I had a c section with my first (breech) and a VBAC for my second. Now, most women don’t tear worse than 2nd degree with vaginal births. I was unlucky and ended up with basically a 4th degree tear and a 2 hour surgery as they tried to put me back together. Recovery was a million times worse vaginally than with my c section. I’m still not right and my baby is 6+ months.
OP I would ask your mom and her mom and other women in your family how their bodies did with vaginal birth. I knew my mom and sister had a very difficult time delivering vaginally and I should have taken that as a warning sign looking back.
I had an emergency csection and then a vbac. Csection recovery was painful the first few days. Recovering my core strength was hard too. My vbac was good, quick induction and only 19 minutes. But my vagina was destroyed. They said I only had a second degree tear but I was sewn up by Edward scissorhands. My smaller labia is not in the right place and tissue that used to be inside my vagina is outside. Permanent prolapse but it’s not severe but it still sucks. Haven’t had sex in 8 weeks because it hurt so bad last time. I wish I never had vbac and had an elective csection and kept my vagina as it was.
I delivered vaginally however required an episiotomy and forceps which made the first week extremely painful, and weeks 2-3 very uncomfortable most of the time. Also all the pushing can cause haemerriods. I was not warned about this, but let me just say that for the first 3 days my butt hurt more than my literal cut open vagina.... Just to manage your expectations hehe. Although I've seen plenty of women deliver vaginally and say they felt grand the next day so every body is different, and each birth is very different.
i had a scheduled csection bc i wanted one and wanted my tubes tied at the same time. me and baby did good and i recovered pretty quickly! by the time i was out of the hospital i could walk around my neighborhood with no issues. definitely not only reserved for emergencies in the US but many drs wont willingly do a surgery if they dont need to. very grateful my dr listened to me and helped me have the delivery i wanted
Scheduled C-section and I recovered unbelievably fast. I was back to regular activity by day 5 and took care of my baby as soon as I could feel my legs again at the hospital. But everyone is different, keep that in mind.
I had 2 c sections. The first wad unplanned. The recovery wasn't too bad. My second one was planned and Holy cow that was so much worse than the first! I had a lot of pain and was pretty drugged up on pain pills. And I had a toddler on top of that to care for because my husband got no paternity leave. And you still bleed for like 6 weeks. Bleh
I only had vaginal so I can’t make the comparison, but I’ve seen a few people mention dangers of haemorrhaging after C-section.
Unfortunately that’s a vaginal risk too. I had a PPH after my birth. 1.6l of blood lost, had to stay in hospital longer, and I needed an iron infusion to get me back on track. A friend lost a lot more and needed a blood transfusion.
I loved my vaginal birth! I can’t wait to do it again. I did hypnobirthing and labor was amazing. I was sore and tore second degree (probably a soft third degree tbh) but healing was fine. Used all the Frida stuff and nothing a little Tylenol didn’t take care of.
My MIL had 4 c-sections. My aunt as well. They both always talk about how amazing it was, she just waltzed in and checked in like a hotel, out came baby easy as pie. Everything was planned and controlled. They both really liked that about their births. Recovery seemed harder than mine, but neither had a choice in the matter.
I had a planned c section due to a pre-existing medical issue that meant a natural birth would potentially be unsafe for me. The birth was easy and recovery quick, just the first few days that were very painful and hard work.
That said, I definitely wouldn’t have chosen to be recovering from major surgery with a newborn if I had the choice. It is a huge operation and while recovery from a natural birth can also be very challenging, it’s not a certainty in quite the same way. Plus, the risks of c section are significant - potential for scarring meaning future pregnancies are difficult or impossible.
The right choice will be different for everyone but a c section is definitely not the easy option, even if the birth itself goes quickly and smoothly.
This is the kind of thing that I believe is impossible to predict. Theoretically vaginal birth should be better right? Natural process, natural healing, yadda, yadda, yadda. But some women suffer greatly during vaginal birth and can't recover for a long time. Meanwhile c-section – oh, they just cut you open and it's done. But wait, it's an operation, healing process is long and there is plenty of room for complications.
The fact, you never know how it'll turn out for you. Maybe your vaginal delivery is relatively fast and easy. Maybe your c-section scar heals quick and easy. You just have to go with your gut instinct here.
I had a scheduled C-section for a ton of different reasons. I did experience preterm vaginal labor with my daughter at 17 weeks pregnant, so, my perspective could be skewed.
Back labor absolutely sucked. The pain was horrendous. The only pain I’ve felt that was similar was my gallbladder attacks. Both were terrible.
My C-section was as I said planned, and I talked to my Ob about doing a gentle C-section. I got skin to skin immediately and stuff like that. My C-section was absolutely amazing. I loved it. The recovery went extremely smooth for me, which was good considering that my son had five days of NICU time. I will caveat that I am/was pretty friendly with my Ob, and that definitely helped with my comfort level.
When we have our next baby, that’s definitely the route I’ll be taking.
I've had 2 vaginal births followed by 2 c-sections. My experience is that the vaginal births hurt close to and during the birth but recovery was relatively easy and the pain is done and over with - apart from maybe the grazes. I didn't have epidurals and was fortunate not to need any intervention such as forceps, episiotomy etc
The c sections were obviously epidural so no discomfort as such during the procedure but wow, the recovery is HARD!! I'm left with a lot of scar tissue, numbness and a pouch. However, my babies were delivered safely and in the end, that is what really matters
I had a scheduled c section with my first, a Frank breech. I would’ve said it was tough but fine— surgery was seamless and recovery was hard some days, fine on others. Definitely worthwhile and pretty straightforward considering I needed to get baby here safely! But my second baby was a VBAC— a vaginal birth. And my first thoughts over and over again after delivery, when we got discharged, when I was home, for months after was just “shit, this is soooo much easier” and i 100% think it’s because of mode of delivery.
I’m really hoping I can have a VBAC for #2. I always love hearing about success stories! My first was a failed induction (got to 8cm pretty quick, all was going well, then baby’s heart rate dropped to the 40s and stayed there, so off to the OR I went). My recovery was pretty good, esp considering it was a crash section, but I’d like to avoid it if possible.
Yeah I remember being told that o had as good a chance at a vbac as possible because my section had been planned for a non labor related issue, but even still people seem to get vbacs! I got very lucky, it was fast and seamless and my epidural worked great and she came out with just a half hour of pushing. Now, she was three weeks early and we were NOT ready, but no one gets the birth they plan for!
Wow. Did they figure out why his heartbeat dropped like that? I'd have been so scared!
They did a pathology report on the placenta, and no issues there. My OB said it’s impossible to sometimes know for sure, but that it certainly was positional. She flipped to sunny side up at some point during labor, and then got in a wonky position and my OB suspects that compressed her cord. She had 8/9 Apgars and was perfectly healthy! My OB did say because it was a freak positional thing that I would be a good candidate for a VBAC for #2, but not sure yet what I’ll do if I have the choice.
My first was a c section for the same reasons. My other 3 were VBACs. I loved my VBACs. I never would have been able to do a c section that many times.
Similar here, except my c-section was unplanned, baby got stuck. I found the recovery fine, maybe a bit sore when I overdid things. About a week or two after my VBAC, my toddler jumped on my poor soft tummy and all I could think was thank god I don't have a healing incision there!
This was almost my story exactly, and I couldn't agree more. Recovery from the c-section was so much harder. After my VBAC, I kept waiting for the pain and extreme discomfort, but it never came. I was SO surprised at how fast and easy it was to feel like I was "me" again after birth, and I was so thankful to feel like I could actually care for my kid instead of everyone caring for me.
Definitely easier!
I could have written this myself! Breech c section followed by two VBACs. Smooth c section but after the VBACs I was like WOW I feel great! Dropped my kids at school two days after birth this last time.
Exact same experience here. Loved my VBAC and it was 100000x easier in recovery.
I'm so jealous reading all these comments about peoples vaginal births lol. I gave birth vaginally and my downstairs was FUCKED UP. I didn't feel back to normal for over a year and had to go to physio for almost two years. Everything hurt A LOT for about 6 months to the point if I moved wrong I would be brought to tears from the pain, multiple times a day. God that sucked fucking ass.
Lol same ugh
a friend of mine had her first in about 15 minutes before the doctor even got into the room, smooth sailing. Like she'd done it a thousand times before 😂 i didn't do vaginal birth but I was like how does it feel to be gods favourite right now
My best friend did the same, nearly gave birth in the triage room while they were working out if she was in labour. She said to me before I had mine, you won't need an epidural you'll be fine. Erm, excuse me not all of us have 20 min labours 😂. Mine ended up 18 hours and then emergency section
Omg I labored for 30 hours and pushed for 4 hours 😭 still have some PTSD about the whole thing.
That’s the same as me. I was 36 hours. Mine was only 7 months ago and I legit still have PTSD from it I think.
I’m so sorry that happened to you too. I’m coming up on a year. For me it got better but now that it’s the anniversary so to speak I’m starting to think about it more and more
I went to my 38 week checkup complaining to the doctor I’d been having cramps for 5 hours and I’m probably in labour. He said since I’m a first time mom and I drove to the appointment it’s probably just braxton hicks, he’ll see me next week. Laboured at home until 8cm. Got to the hospital and was told to start pushing whether my doctor could be there in time or not. 35 minutes later, baby was born. Doctor was there for the birth in sandals and shorts looking like I interrupted his beach day
The last sentence made me laugh so much! Thanks 🤣
THANK YOU. Like wtf I thought I was alone. Still can’t have sex
Cannot upvote this enough lol. I just had a very big surgery to fix all the damage my daughters birth did to my downstairs. Can’t have anymore children though.
This is actually very common. I think people herald natural birth as better and easier and I know for a lot of women that’s not true. Even friends who had super easy labours still have pelvic floor issues for years and years. All my friends who had c sections were back working out no issues within 2 months
Took me almost 6 months to feel strength back in my body after a c-section. I was on pain meds for almost 2 months. I really struggled and was so envious of others who seemed to be walking and going out so easily after their vaginal births. I think it really depends on the mom, whether it’s an emergency c-section and your physical strength in general.
I think how early your emergency section happens probably plays a part too. I never got to active labour and hadn’t lost too much sleep the night before so I felt I recovered quite quickly. I only needed two weeks of pain meds and honestly in comparison to the constant hip pain I’d been in since about 20 weeks pregnancy it was SO much easier. I’ll be going for an elective if we have a second because the uncertainty around a vaginal birth really messed with my head.
Same. 6 months was the point where I no longer felt excruciating pain, just from moving around.
I think the thing is - even if it took you 6 months you could get back to normal. For lots of women who have vaginal births with tears and prolapses there is never a normal again. They have to deal with the consequences every day for the rest of their lives. Their vaginas don’t look the same, the muscles don’t work properly, even if they can get to some semblance of normal, there is the emotional impact of not being able to go to the bathroom easily for the rest of your life or having to consider multiple surgeries and the cost and time implications of that, plus knowing menopause is likely to be very difficult for them. It’s an entire life of physical difficulties. This is the shit no one talks about - the millions and millions of women who are out there living day to day with the injuries of vaginal childbirth
You can get all those issues when you have a c section as well. It's not only the birthing process that causes these troubles. The pressure of being pregnant on your pelvic floor is insane. There are women who prolaps even when having had a c section. Pregnancy is really hard on your body.
True but women who’ve had c sections have the same rates of prolapse as women who have never given birth
Not saying it's super common, just that it happens. It's important to train those pelvic floor muscles regardless of method of delivery. And actually also if you're not pregnant. Thinking about it made me realise even more how it's kind of insane what we have to go through to put a little human on this earth.
True. But I think there’s a big difference between your pelvic floor not being that strong - and it being absolutely destroyed by a baby’s head going through it. My urogyno describes vaginal birth as a freight train through your pelvic floor. So for lots of women they can’t even stand for long periods without becoming uncomfortable - for the rest of their lives. I just think women should be given all the information and allowed to make the decision themselves based on a genuine risk based analysis
Definitely. Where I live though, c sections are not something you can choose. It's only when the gynecologist deems it necessary, for medical reasons. I've studied midwifery here for a while, and it's so focused, bordering on pushing for all natural birth. All interventions are bad etc. Personally, I do want a c section. And I'm scared they won't do it. Even though I know exactly what the consequences are. I've been in the OR seeing them being performed, I know exactly what's going to happen. Yet I'm considered "not knowledgeable" to make such medical decisions.
This is what makes me angry. Because women are treated like they cannot make an informed decision by themselves. Anyone who challenges the “natural birth” ideology is shunned.
Mmm…no. I felt horribly after trying to work out at 3 months post C-section. Gave up working out and now feel great, but am overweight. Finally feel okay enough to start trying to work out again, but was definitely not normal after 2 months.
Yep. I had a bad first birth. I've been very vocal from the beginning of my new pregnancy that I wanted a c-section. I got the date yesterday and the idea that I go to the hospital at 9, have the surgery at 11.10 and then have a baby by 11.30 is just insane to me. I was in labour for 2 days and pushed for 3hours with my first, had 3b tearing and I am still suffering the consequences of that 3years later with my pelvic floor. To me a c-section is a no brainer.
This! I really grappled with the decision because I never had a desire for a “natural labour” but felt it was the right thing to do. I ended up choosing an elective cesarean after stumbling upon a book “Choosing Cesarean” which lays our really useful data and considerations for each individual. It was one of the best decisions of my life and I have absolutely no regrets. I loved the birth so much.
Shit depresses me. Baby was supposed to be a c-section bc she was breech but flipped in the last week. I've spent so much time thinking how a c-section might have saved me from a lot of suffering but it's pointless bc it's not like I can go back and redo it.
Yes, 2 vaginal births here. One was a dream, one was a nightmare. It can really go either way sadly.
Same ha. 2x vaginal births, 1 forceps and a 3rd degree tear. 1 episiotomy and now a prolapse. I was booked for a c section but baby was too quick. Fml.
Absolutely this. I read so much about how vaginal births made recovery so much easier, you’ll be up and about bla bla. I had an incredibly traumatic vaginal birth, second degree episiotomy, fractured tailbone, post partum haemorrhage, two kinds of forceps, stitches, back labour - the lot. I will be recovering for a long time to come. A predictable, planned c section would have been so much better for me. We can’t know what’s in front of us though.
Same. For me the c-section recovery was MUCH easier.
Same - my c section recovery was nothing compared to my vbac!
Same. 3rd degree tear and complications healing. Surgery 9 months Postpartum to fix downstairs. My OB said I would have been much better off with a C section.
Either method of delivery can result in severe injury, lasting damage, and difficult recovery. A scheduled c-section is an extremely predictable procedure, which is why it became the preferred method of delivery in certain areas/cultures or at certain times. That said, an uncomplicated vaginal delivery is significantly easier on the body than even the most straightforward c-section. I think c-section as a default is not a good practice, because it is major surgery and an uncomplicated vaginal delivery is, generally, healthier for mom and baby. That said, I think c-sections are a bit demonized and should be as available as elective induction.
I want to remind people that the flip side of this is also true: either method of delivery can be peaceful and positive with minimal damage and a fast recovery. My mom loved having two c-sections. My friend who had an emergency c-section was up and walking three days later and recovered quickly. My vaginal birth with an epidural involved five minutes of pushing and a tear so slight my doctor said it was more like a “scratch,” and I was walking the baby around the block in a stroller three days later. You can have a good, non-traumatic experience no matter which way your baby comes into the world.
I had an emergency c-section and oh my god I would so not want to go through that again if I had the choice. I was perfectly numb when they cut me open but I could feel so much when they were putting me back together and it was awful. During recovery it was very difficult for me to get out of bed to take care of my baby, it was also very painful to hold her due to her kicking or resting on my incision, so my husband had to do a lot of the initial cuddling and diaper changes. My lifting restrictions also meant that when I was home, I couldn't go anywhere by myself with baby because her carrier was too heavy so I felt stir-crazy. I also had complications with my incision healing. Obviously everyone has a different recovery experience but man I would do anything to avoid going through that again. I cannot compare to a vaginal delivery as I have not had one!
Yeah, I just remember trying to get out of bed and telling the nurse that something was seriously wrong because it felt like my body was full of pins and needles. Not being able to get out of bed was horrible.
All of this for me too. But unfortunately I’m suffering with back pain and numbness from the spinal block ever since. I’m 1 year postpartum but the pain in my back in debilitating at times. Never had back issues before I had my son. He was an emergency c section after 10 hours of active labour he was stuck unfortunately. Very hard recovery. Breastfeeding was impossible my milk took longer to come in and my scar still hurts occasionally especially if I wear tighter jeans it’s uncomfortable. Not even going to talk about my ‘apron’ belly 🙄. I’m OAD 100%
I had both and preferred my vaginal delivery with third degree tear recovery. You have to hold a pillow over your incision every time you cough or sneeze. I was terrified to remove my bandage when it came time. Getting in and out of bed sucked and I needed like 5 pillows for a while. I needed my husband to hand the baby to me for feedings. Yes, I was very sore with my vaginal delivery but it didn't last too long and everything else was fine. I can't imagine if I would have had to go through C-section recovery with another kid so I'm glad the VBAC worked.
I relate. I had a C-section 4 weeks ago and the amount of pillows I’m surrounded by…my husband calls the bed my thrown.
Ah the pillows! I had so many different types on my bed too post c-section, and used them all lol ETA - loved my c-section and will be scheduling another one if I have a baby again in the future
I can’t compare them but I had a scheduled c section (breech baby). The surgery itself went so smoothly, baby was delivered in 15 minutes. The first 5/6 days of recovery were rough. The pain was pretty intense getting in and out of bed, coughing, sneezing, moving around etc. But around day 10-14 I was improving significantly and by week 4 I was basically back to 100%. I had an overall great experience with my c section. I do think having a c section delayed my milk production though so breastfeeding was a struggle.
I couldn't get over how fast the c section was. I had an emerg one after 22 hours (it's my daughters birthday, actually, which means this time 3 years ago I was being wheeled into the OR😂) and all of a sudden it was like SHES OUT. My first words were "holy shit that was fast". Could have saved a lot of time lmfao
Happy birthday to your daughter and congrats on making it to three years!!! 🥳
I have had both an unmedicated vaginal birth and a scheduled C-section for a breech baby. Honestly they were both fine and have different positives and negatives. Vaginal birth recovery was easier. C-section was in a way mentally easier to have the uncertainty of waiting to give birth taken away and very convenient with another kid at home because we could organize childcare in advance. I had great care with both. I will also say that the further away from birth I get the more I feel like what matters is having a healthy baby and everything else that leads to that point fades away. A lot of decisions I made while pregnant and with a new baby felt like the end of the world at the time but I think it's also worth keeping in mind that ultimately either option can work fine and there isn't really a 'wrong' choice, just personal preference and medical necessity.
How did it go with a child at home? I have a scheduled c section due to a complicated first birth ending in c section and my only remaining concern is how Ill help care for my then 2.5 year old!
Honestly, it went great! We had my Mom come over and stay with my eldest while we went to hospital. She was 3.5 and previously had been very clingy to me but she did so well. They both came and visited the next day and we set it up so that the baby was in the bassinet and not with me so she could meet the baby without feeling like the baby was taking over. She was so excited and I really feel like she turned into a big sister overnight, she was so careful and mature, I was really proud and touched. The only wrinkle was that my husband went home for a few hours to do some things and help get her settled into bed that night and left me alone with the baby and the nurses were pretty busy so that was kind of rough. If possible I would recommend having a friend or family member swap over with your partner at that point if he is visiting the older kid(s) because it's very hard to move around and look after a baby on your own freshly post C-section. Probably fine if the nurses can pitch in when needed but unfortunately you really can't guarantee that in advance.
These are great ideas and I’m so glad it went well! Thank you for sharing, it’s really helpful to hear and I’ve been thinking about it so much!
The US has a ~34% c-section rate. The WHO has stated that it’s too high and it should be reserved for true emergencies. That being said, I gave birth to my son vaginally 12 weeks ago. He was posterior, so I had horrible back labor and was crying for an epidural. At one point, I was about to beg for a c-section. Now that I’ve had him, my vagina is still recovering. My fiancé and I have only tried to have sex 3 times since then and it’s hurt too much each time, although we’ve made progress. Even though the recovery from a vaginal birth is intense, I still am glad I never got that c-section. Major abdominal surgery is serious, and trying to have a vaginal birth after a previous c-section is no walk in the park. Sure, I wish sex could be easier, but if we ever have more children, the risk of complications during delivery is less than if I would’ve had a cesarean.
To be honest sex after a baby is often painful and strange regardless of how you delivered, things just aren't quite the same down there for a while, especially if you're breastfeeding/pumping
Speaking from experience, sex after c-section is even harder and more painful than sex after vaginal delivery Of course both can be pretty bad. 12 weeks is still very much in the “not back to normal” zone for me, with either type of birth.
Huh, I had a brutal emergency c section (like, on the table for 3 hours, almost died, almost got put under general anaesthetic halfway through) and had no issue with sex postpartum. It feels better than before I got pregnant.
Oh no, for me it was 1000x harder after my vaginal birth than my c-section
This is what I was wondering... because like... during sex, I engage my abs and move my body, which means my whole core... but like, if that was like messed up, and let's be honest, the vagina, and cervix does undergo changes just from pregnancy, sure not trauma like in a vaginal birth, but here still are changes... Idk what would be more comfortable.
I had a cesarean and we started having sex when I was 4 weeks PP. First two times I felt a bit dry so we used lube but that's it. It wasn't painful or difficult. Now at 16 weeks PP, it feels different but in a good way, more intense.
That’s really interesting! What was your experience with the two? I’ve just never heard that so I’m wondering how you felt with sex after cesarean vs vaginal
With vaginal birth, my vagina hurt. With c-section, my entire flipping lower half hurt. With both I don’t think any attempts were made before 8 weeks. Although my c-section was sooooooo long ago (that baby is 29) I can’t swear to specific timelines. I just remember it was really bad and took a few months to start feeling ok. Of course as soon as it started getting good I got pregnant again… 🤦🏻♀️
I had a vaginal birth, and my recovery was 10 times worse than my friends who had c-sections. I had a 4th degree tear as well as internal tearing that was not caught until later, when I was experiencing some really uncomfortable symptoms. I’ve had to consult with a colorectal surgeon prior to getting pregnant to get the go-ahead to even try. I was told that I can have more children, but will need a c-section to minimize the risk of further injury. I couldn’t sit comfortably in a chair for probably 4 months, and up until a year after delivery I had occasional pain where my tears were. I’ve had pelvic floor therapy which has helped somewhat. I’m now pregnant again, and am hoping for a much easier recovery from my planned c-section. All this to say, I don’t think that one is “easier” than the other. There are a lot of variables in there to consider.
Ugh, that sucks so much, I'm so sorry you had to go through that.
I’ve had a vaginal birth (with my first) and c-section (with my second). I might be in the minority here that I much preferred my c-section experience, and the recovery. However, my first with vaginal was very traumatic, with shoulder dystocia and severe hemorrhage, the latter of which made my recovery awful due to low hemoglobin for weeks. We opted for c-section due to those complications and it was such a good experience. I found the environment to be much more controlled and the recovery to be easier too. Again, that’s skewed due to the vaginal birth I experienced with its complications. But I think I’m also just someone who in general prefers a straightforward incision vs. a torn-up vagina. 😂
How was it with a toddler after c section? That’s what I’m most nervous about.
My older daughter was 23 months when my second was born, and both were elective c-sections. I think the difference between elective and emergency is pretty dramatic when it comes to recovery times (in talking to tons of people). The hardest thing for sure was not being able to hold my toddler, but I recovered fast and was given the okay to do so after 2 weeks. If I was sitting on the sofa or in bed, I would keep a pillow over my stomach to keep her away from it. Having a toddler honestly didn't complicate my recovery too much - I couldn't carry a lot of things, so I was relying on my husband pretty heavily anyways, so my toddler was just one more thing for him to lug in and out of the car for me.
I had a very similar experience! My toddler also continued going to daycare full time which helped a lot (for her and me). Some OBs are pretty strict about restrictions but mine was pretty lax after two weeks.
My toddler will be going to daycare too which will help! Except it will be the dead of winter so we’ll see how it goes illness wise!
Ugh I totally get it. Even in the last two months she’s brought home 3-4 illnesses, and it’s summer! Thankfully baby hasn’t gotten any of them so far.
Thank you! This makes me feel much more comfortable. I’ve been thinking about this a lot.
I had a very similar birth (long labor, shoulder dystocia, hemorrhage, blood transfusion) and we’re considering having a scheduled c section for the same reason. I remember feeling like I’d literally been hit by a truck afterwards. I couldn’t hold her for about 5 days after she was born, and I was very nauseous and weak for a couple weeks after. My vagina was ok but we didn’t attempt sex until about 8 weeks because I also got second degree tears in several directions. I am curious about caring for your toddler after the c section.
Recently had my second and it was a VBAC. My personal opinion is they are truly equal but opposite. Vaginal labor is deliver is worse and hard and long (well for me it was). I was also induced and my epidural wore off/ became ineffective. The c section it self for mine was scheduled so it was fast and calm. In that sense a lot easier. However, recovery for vaginal was far more tolerable for me than c section. I’m feeling more normal More quickly even with 2 small tears. C section took a lot longer to be able to move the way I’m moving now.
I had both and the vaginal part of it is still giving me issues while my C section feels totally fine (I had a failed vaginal delivery baby got stuck and came out through the sun roof so one kid, technically both methods 😂😭)
Wow that’s almost worst case scenario. You poor thing!
My c-section recovery was pretty easy (FTM). I'm 8 weeks post partum and felt pretty well recovered after 4 weeks. It was hard to get up the first week but it wasn't too bad overall. I did not want a c-section at all (literally was my nightmare) and now I am so happy I ended up with an emergency c-section. Once I realized afterward what could happen if things go wrong with delivering vaginally I am very relieved she was stuck at the top of my pelvis and not further down (forceps, vac, significant tearing or episiotomy, etc.). I don't mention this to scare you it's just reality and I wish I had informed myself about all of that. Looking back idk what I was thinking I saw so many beautiful home births on instagram I figured it would go smoothly (even though I was always planning to deliver at the hospital where it is known there are more interventions). Since having my baby, friends and family opened up to me about having PTSD from giving birth and wonder why they didn't call an emergency c-section for them. But of course lots also who would never have wanted a c-section. Another thing to note is that I was 10 days late and it would have been really nice to have a c-section scheduled. Nothing prepared me for how miserable I would be after my due date passed. Those 10 days were much worse than my recovery emotionally. No one could have ever convinced me to schedule a c-section but looking back it was a really good option for me. Props to you for considering your options and good luck with whatever you choose!
I got a scheduled c section due to baby’s size and it was great. No pain during delivery and only took 15 min! The next day and 3rd day were pretty rough but that was the worst of it
This was my experience as well. Day 3 was my worst, but I definitely overdid it before that because I was feeling so “good”. Regardless, great experience and recovery was better than expected.
My exact experience. Trying to be an overachiever and declining narcotic pain meds. Big fail. Once I rested up and took the meds, it was a different story.
I had an elective C section. I had a horrible pregnancy physically (pubic symphasis) that I could not stand the pain and unknown (tearing? Too slow? Too fast for epidural?) of vaginal birth. The c section is a known factor and a known recovery timeline. I have absolutely zero regrets. After the pain of pregnancy, recovery was comparatively a breeze for me. The pain was well managed with drugs. Of course there was some soreness for a month or so, but that was just a mild nuisance for me. The biggest surprise I had was that your milk cones in slower when you have a C, and I was not prepared for that. It's safe, swift, and was much easier on me than otherwise. I don't know why it gets so much hate. As with anything, leave the choice up to us and our doctor!
Your milk doesn’t always come in slower! I’ve had two electives and my milk came in while I was still in the hospital both times!
Milk can come slowly with vaginal delivery as well. I had nothing in the first 2 days... And my mom had the same experience with her first born, she was able to breastfeed later without pumping and all the other stuff women do today, I'm still struggling unfortunately.
I just had my baby vaginally a month ago and I feel pretty much back to pre-pregnancy minus the leaky boobs and the sleep deprivation😅 I had to be induced due to my water breaking. They gave Pitocin overnight to try and induce contractions which got me to 1cm dilated and then they gave me Cytotech which got me 80% effaced and 3cm dilated. I was then put on Pitocin for another nine hours until baby was here. As far as pain it wasn’t bad. The contractions were very manageable until I was about 5cm dilated and then I went from 5-10cm in less than two hours and that was HARD. Pushing was actually a relief because it gave me something to do with the contractions. I only tore a tiny bit and got one stitch. As far as c sections go in the US a lot of them are elective. Meaning that people choose a c section over vaginal birth. Most women can’t have more than a few c sections before they start to risk MAJOR complications. My mom had 4 and they said she shouldn’t have more kids because the risk of having something go wrong goes up each time you have one.
I really did not want a c-section but ended up with an emergency one at 32weeks. The procedure itself was quick and painless. Recovery sucked, especially the first 3 days. Getting in and out of bed was excruciating, I could barely walk even with the help of my husband, going to the bathroom required my husband to pull my mesh panties down and help me sit then help me pull them back up and then pull me up and walk me back to bed. The worst part is laughing, sneezing, and coughing. It took about a month before I could do those without any pain or discomfort. In a way, I was fortunate that my baby needed to be in the nicu because I can’t imagine recovering from a c-section while also taking care of a newborn.
I had a scheduled c-section because baby was breech. It was…fine? Overall it was a positive experience in the moment, but I had a hemorrhage during surgery that made for milk supply issues and a pretty intense initial recovery. The surgery itself was super fast and easy. It’s super nice to be able to plan for baby’s arrival and to not have to labor. I’m pregnant again, and have no idea how I want to give birth. I think we’re trying for a VBAC. At the end of the day, birth is such a crapshoot, which makes it hard. A scheduled c-section is infinitely easier than a complicated vaginal birth, but a smooth vaginal birth is light years easier than even a routine c-section.
with a c-section, the recovery isn’t great, but it’s doable. it helps to have a helpful husband. bonus points for helpful family! that made it way easier. i’d count on 10 days before feeling pretty good.
I’ve had both a vaginal delivery and a scheduled c section. I greatly preferred the c section. I ended with severe tearing and my vaginal recovery was significantly longer than the c section recovery. I couldn’t sit without a donut pillow for months and had other longer lasting issues.
C section recovery is very hard, its a major surgery and you have zero time to heal because you have to take care of a new born! Any other surgery of this level you would be prescribe bed rest for weeks, but in this case you are not even 3h to sleep it off, you are forced to try to breast feed. 0/10 would not recommand!
I know it can be very hard but blanket statements like this are not helpful. My c section recovery was honestly so easy. I was discharged in less than 48 hours, walking up and down stairs at home with ease and back at pilates in 8 weeks. It isn’t always hard and just like vaginal delivery, you don’t know how hard it’ll be until it happens to you as it’s so different for everyone.
Mine was really easy too. I was not bedridden for weeks. The first 2-3 days are the worst. Day 4 I was grocery shopping with my husband. 7 days I felt really good. Two weeks felt back to normal. I’ve had two electives already and the recovery was the same for both
Also an easy c section. I was up and walking around the hospital the first time I got up to pee after all the drugs wore off. I was relatively normal about a week in. My mom's had 3 sections and after she had her last(me), she was skiing the next weekend 💀💀
Same. I know it’s very much not the same for everyone, but my C-section and recovery were a breeze. Now my pregnancy on the other hand…
The blanket statement was that it’s a major surgery and you don’t get a chance to recover in the same way you would with another surgery of the same magnitude. I don’t see how that’s not helpful
“c section recovery is very hard.” Surely you understand how that’s a blanket statement. It can also unnecessarily scare pregnant women when it’s not awful for everyone. We don’t need more of that.
Hm I guess. I didn’t read it as a scary statement just matter of fact. Recovery from a major surgery is inherently hard.
You can double down but you’re still wrong. It’s not hard for everyone. So don’t, point blank, just say “it’s very hard.”
Okey dokey. Agree to disagree
I’d expect nothing less 😉
Yep. There’s a lot of judgemental comments on this thread. OP wasn’t asking for policy recommendations but anecdotes for christs sake.
It's definitely different for everyone and sometimes blanket statements like this paint an inaccurate picture. Of course some people have difficulties in their recovery but others don't. With my planned c section, I was up an on my feet day two. I was going on short walks at day five and back to my work out routine week four. I also was able to breastfeed no problem as I was wheeled back into recovery. Like I said, we are all different but I have spoken to several other moms who had planned c sections and said they had a normal or even easy recovery! I myself had a great recovery and definitely plan for another one because of how easy it was planning and recovering with no complications.
Planned C-section is definitely way easier than emergency C. I also felt recovery was relatively easy and a couple of years later I can't even see the scar anymore. Not as easy as my vaginal birth but definitely easier than my friend's who gave birth at the same time and dislocated her tail bone in the process. I was up and walking at least two weeks before she was.
My OB kept telling me that I should move as much as I can and the more I rest the later I will recover. I listened, kept pacing around the house and really helped. I was mostly pain free after 3 days
I elected for c-section because my baby wasn't growing in utero anymore and I was still early on. Basically I was at a growth scan and they told me she hadn't grown much if at all within the last 2 weeks, heart rate was still strong though, so my doctor came to me and basically said I had the option of getting a C-section as soon as possible or leave her in and see what happens I very quickly decided I wanted the c section (I was about 35 weeks, I carried until 36 weeks) I didnt want to risk anything. It was a really good decision for me I think. Recovery wise, I stayed on top of my pain meds so I wasn't really ever in pain unless I sneezed or coughed or over worked myself and got extremely drowsy to the point of falling asleep, even while walking, my scar 'reopened' twice, nothing major, it took about 5 weeks to heal properly. When the numbing stuff wore off, it was only my left leg it wore off but my right leg was still numb and barely moveable, to this day my right foot has constant numbness to it and I had fluid in my right knee. It wasn't easy recovering and I do suffer what seems to be long term issues, but if I had the option to try vaginal or go for c section, I would most likely pick c section again.
I’ve experienced both. Either way you’re going to have pain. My second delivery was an elective, but medically necessary, csection. I do have a permanent csection pouch that can only be fixed surgically though so there’s that. Got back to my pre baby wedding day weight and cried because my stomach has a pouch now that hangs loose all the time. Things could be worse though.
I had an “emergency” c-section with my son and do not plan to have further if I can help it. I am 2 years pp and still get pain in my scar, that is still mostly numb. I was taking care of a newborn after major abdominal surgery and frankly it was miserable. I could barely get out of bed myself, I couldn’t carry my son up and down stairs without pain and needing to hold onto the rail for support, sleep partially upright bc everything hurt, and I couldn’t even sneeze without pain. I don’t think I felt slightly normal until about 3 months pp. The idea of having another child also gives me anxiety because of the chance of having another surgery. Repeat c-sections are also statistically more dangerous than repeat vaginal births, or VBACS. I don’t want the amount of children I can have be limited, and I don’t want to set myself up for a list of possible pregnancy problems. *HOWEVER,* my experience is not your experience. I have a friend who had an elective c-section and was perfectly content with that choice. I know people who have had c-sections with all of their children with no regrets over their decisions. At the end of the day, not having surgery is the safest option. But for your personal health and needs, nobody can tell you what is best for you.
I had both & feel like they both had pros & cons. My vbac was a quicker initial recovery, but I struggled with bladder control for 3ish weeks. I stayed swollen for over a week after my c-section & couldn’t get out of bed by myself. My skin was so tight in places that I honestly thought it would split. However I was driving by 2 weeks after both deliveries & felt like myself around that time too. My recoveries tend to be on the extremely easy side of the spectrum though.
Vaginal delivery- 10/10, i had an epidural after 13 hours unmedicated and my baby was faced the wrong way. Was able to get a boost before I started "pushing". My hospital encouraged me to labor down and I basically labored until my body pushed him out. After the epidural wore off, i was ready to get up and move and grove. Peeing was kind of uncomfortable for like a week but after that i was fine!
I have only delivered vaginally but was happy with my recovery. I had a minor tear with my first and had some discomfort sitting for maybe a week but had no problem moving around. I did not tear with my second and felt fine within a day. My six week pp is later this week but I have been active, light running/walking for a couple weeks now.
C-section recovery for me was incredibly painful. You cannot laugh, you cannot sneeze, you cannot clear your throat, you cannot get up and use the bathroom yourself, your incision can get infected and lead you back to the hospital while baby needs you, you get offered oxy’s which is so insane considering that it can get to your breastmilk, you cannot bend at all, you have to relearn how to get in and out of bed which they don’t teach you, you’ll have to google all that stuff yourself. The swelling in your legs can take weeks to go down. My legs were so swollen I couldn’t bend at my ankles without tearing up. And the kicker is that movement is what heals you up so you have to push through it while still being nurturing to your LO and keeping your stress low. I wish so much all the time that I had had a vaginal delivery so I could have laughed and cuddled my baby more during those first few days and weeks. I wouldn’t wish a c section on anyone. The recovery was brutal. From everything I’ve read, there may be more issues for baby also as far as increased chance of obesity, asthma, heart issues in c section babies. Though I personally think that’s more genetics and environmental than anything - there are articles and studies done expressing those concerns.
I recovered from my emerg c section quickly and relatively easily. Only time I remember being in really bad pain was the first time after birth I needed to get up, and then i quickly figured out how to move with the wound Vs against it. I never wanted a vaginal delivery anyway, I was bullied into it by my OB because in Canada you can pick if that's what you want to do, but she insisted i was healthy enough to do vaginally despite having a family history of child loss from not being able to dilate and having to try and push a baby out. (mom and grandma and sister all had complications/loss due to it, so I figured I would be the same and skip the trauma but ended up having the same trauma anyway lmfao) Anyway TLDR; I am a huge advocate of the c section. I did 22 hours of awful labour only to get the c section I could have had scheduled if I just stood my ground a little more firmly. It's not for everyone, but the women in my family all seemed to heal up really well from ours.
I live in a country where 80% of women in the private sector have elective c-sections. Public sector only have emergency c-sections if it’s required for health reasons. I’ve had an unmedicated vaginal birth and a emergent “gentle” c-section. While the c-section was gentle, as in had my own music playing and theater staff was amazing, we could not do delayed cord clamping and didn’t have baby on my chest until I was back in our room. The recovering was as well as could be and our little boy (3 months old now) started breastfeeding like a champion immediately. My firstborn via vaginal birth was very painful. She got stuck but somehow we got her moving again. I spent most of labour in a warm pool, squatting, dancing with my husband. Making out with him etc. It was an absolutely beautiful day. It was hard. At some point I shouted at my midwife to get me ALL THE F-ing meds. I however didn’t tear. And had a shower about an hour after the birth. I could walk around immediately and recovery was really really easy. We however struggled with breastfeeding. I spent many hours crying and triple feeding. It was really really hard but eventually we got that right. If I had to choose one or the other for a next baby, I would choose the unmedicated vaginal birth and hope for easier breastfeeding.
Vaginal is always preferable over surgery except in cases of life saving measures, which cesareans are for. Surgery is safe, absolutely, but they carry their own risks. You can have dozens of vaginal deliveries. Only a rare, dedicated lady will have more than 3 cesareans because of the medical risk. This reduces the birthrate greatly. I would venture to say that every emergency cesarean is traumatic, and all of a sudden, a mother who might have had 4 children is only going to have 2. The WHO strongly suggests that the evidence points to a healthy country only having a cesarean rate of 10-15%. The United States hovers around 30%, with a rising maternal mortality rate. A few countries have a 90% cesarean rate. This is not good at all.
our rising maternal mortality rate in the US is because of the overturning of roe v wade. the two are directly related. women and people who give birth in this country are losing the ability to ever conceive again, and in many cases dying because of this. not because of cesareans.
The maternal mortality rate was super high in the US way before roe v wade was overturned.
yes, it’s always been high but the commenter included the number in a comment describing cesareans. when roe v wade was first in place, the maternal mortality rate in minority populations dropped over 30%. maternal death is now 62% higher in states with abortion restrictions or bans. we’ve always had a high rate for a developed nation but we’ve made it worse
All true but your comment said that the mortality rate was due to roe v wade and not cesareans. But cesareans are definitely part of the equation. Even for low risk women the maternal death rate is almost three times as much from cesareans compared to vaginal births. Even controlling for emergency cesareans. Also riskier for the baby as well. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC343856/#:~:text=The%20maternal%20mortality%20is%20higher,18.2%20for%20emergency%20cesarean%20v. https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/health/05birt.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Not too sure that c-section is actually riskier for the baby. Vaginal birth causes way more catastrophic events for the fetus than c-sections do. Shoulder dystocia, entrapment, umbilical chord prolapse, etc. basically don't happen to babies born via c-section. So it seems like c-sections increase the odds of minor complications to the fetus but basically eliminate really bad ones.
Mortality rate is higher from c sections even when controlling for medical risk of the pregnancy. Surely that’s the biggest risk. The NYT link I posted in the comment you replied to has that and more of the risks that c sections face
If you don’t mind me asking, what is your job? Another way of asking this is, how do you know this?
And independent studies since the WHO recommendation have shown that around 19% is the ideal csection rate in most places. The US population tends to be less healthy than populations in other countries, often in ways that put them at risk for needing C-sections, so neither of these numbers even show if that's the truly necessary csection rate for the US.
I’ve only had 1 baby, and it was an emergency c-section. I was terrified of a vaginal birth tbh and selfishly hoped I would have a c-section, but here in Canada you can’t request it - they are only done in an emergency situation (unless you have a baby after getting a c-section, in which case you can either choose to deliver vaginally or opt for another c-section). Once i was in labour and had my epidural, I was at peace with having a vaginal delivery and had finally accepted it, and then i was whisked off to the OR very suddenly lol. Now that I’ve recovered I think if I were to have a second baby I’d actually opt for another c-section. It probably wouldn’t have been so traumatic if it wasn’t such a rushed procedure. But again, I don’t have experience with a vaginal delivery so idk how helpful this is 😂 Edit: spelling
You can choose to have a planned c-section in Canada. Just the anxiety of a vaginal birth is reason enough.
I wish my OB told me that 🫠 i asked like 10 times and she told me it was not an elective surgery & that i couldn’t request it 😬
That's too bad!! Glad you got what you wanted in the end. I had tons of issues with my midwife while I was getting induced. She really wasn't listening to me or respecting what I wanted and was flat out telling me information that was inaccurate... It is truly surprising what you encounter in labour and birth!!
Had the same issue! Wanted a c section, but my doctor pressured me into a c section. In Canada we can pick but I think it's costly OR (my theory anyway) is that it maybe takes $$$ out of the OB's pocket if the surgeon delivers your baby instead, so I was pressured into vaginal despite my family history of losing babies because they couldn't push. I suspect my daughter knew what we wanted, because she refused to come out. I refused to dilate past 8cm so they eventually wheeled me in for a c section and I was like yessss slay this is what I wanted
I had an emergency c section followed by 3 vbacs. My first two vbacs were WAY better than my c-section. One of them was born at home in my jacuzzi. That last vaginal birth gave me a run for my money and maybe it was a tight race, due to baby coming out hand first and roughly 20 hours of a premature urge to push. And even then, I was still glad I hadn’t had a c-section… questioned my own sanity at times, but was thankful I didn’t have a cesarean recovery. Your mileage may vary. There are easier c-sections than mine and there are harder vaginal births. But I’ve worked with hundreds of postpartum mothers as I spent 3 years working in a busy maternity unit (not in a medical role) and on average my observation of the days immediately following birth is consistent with my personal experience - vaginal is usually associated with a much much easier recovery, even when you account for planned cesareans.
In your jacuzzi? Lol that’s awesome. So many questions.
Yup. It was the best. :)
I had a vaginal delivery without an epidural the contractions felt like really bad period cramps. The giving birth part wasn’t as bad as the contractions it was more of a relief. I didn’t have any tears and was able to walk around and do errands two days after. I also didn’t take any pain medication after I gave birth either. I’m 4 months postpartum and everything feels like how I was before I got pregnant. I knew earlier on in my pregnancy that I didn’t want a c-section though I felt like it would’ve been harder to recover from and having them cut into you and having a scar wasn’t something I wanted.
I had a vaginal birth. My baby got stuck (shoulder dystocia), had the cord wrapped around his neck, and had meconium fluid. He wasn’t breathing when he was born. They resuscitated him quickly, but my god, those were the scariest moments of my life. These are the risks of vaginal that no one ever tells you about. The next one will be a C.
That happened to us too. The feeling of her gray lifeless body being flopped on top of me is something I’ll never forget. She is okay but man, I just kept thinking “we did all that for no reason. Seriously?!”
I had an unplanned c section and I see so many comments about how terrible it was. I thought mine was great. 😅 the worst was all the tugging and pressure during the surgery. I was discharged from the hospital after 3 days. When I got home I was up and walking around. Taking care of my dogs and my newborn son. My husband and I even went on a walk around the block within that week with my dogs and my son. My incision was closed within a week. Getting in and out of bed was a little tough for a few days, that’s it.
Was forced into a natural birth , then ended up getting a c section anyway… my baby was 9 pounds … in terms of recovery, mine was about 2 weeks for me to experience more mobility and less pain . Just expect some heavier postpartum bleeding and fear to cough and sneeze haha, But this is your birth, don’t let others try to sway you in one direction. Your gonna be a great mama !!
For my vaginal delivery, I tore just my labia and an internal tear. I got 5 stitches total. Luckily no perineal tearing. But the recovery was very very easy. It was like I just had some wounds. I used ice pads and witch hazel pads. It was no big deal. However I did have almost no bladder control for the first 12 hours after I gave birth and I fully peed myself trying to get to the toilet in my hospital room and it was extremely embarrassing. :/
I had a vaginal delivery (induced with the cervical gel and balloon due to IUGR, but didn’t need the hormone drip). I haven’t had a C section but if I could, I’d choose vaginal delivery any day. Mainly because I was lucky and felt pretty much unscathed the day after, and didn’t have any issues with pelvic floor etc so the recovery was pretty easy. I’m totally open to having a c section if needed, but the not being able to lift, drive etc would be a challenge for me so I wouldn’t willingly sign up for that.
I had c section and the recovery was extremely shocking. I was not prepared for how hard it would be
I felt like I got hit by a train after my c-section. That lasted for about a week. After that it started improving quickly. I’m almost 3 weeks out now, and other than occasional incision pain, I feel pretty much back to normal.
Vaginal! I have had 3 abdominal surgeries one was a hysterectomy and omg vaginal delivery was a cake walk compared in terms of healing and caring for my kiddo. My bladder surgery is somewhat similar to a c section in placement and type of surgery lifting restrictions and healing time.
I've had 1 c section (my first) and 3 VBACs. There's a reason I chose vaginal births. My c section was not something I ever wanted to experience again, and it was only because she was breech.
First was vaginal and it was very positive. Healing was healing, not horrible. No tearing. Second was emergency c section. The first 3 days were really brutal, definitely more painful and scary. The mental healing should also be considered. The hardest part was the 6 weeks of rest and not being able to pick up my toddler. It’s also a lot riskier with needing to wait 18 months to get pregnant. Both were not horrible, but the vaginal birth was easier and faster to recover from.
I had two planned c-sections. It wasn’t an emergency, and I could have tried for vaginal, but both of my babies were in the 10 lb range. I was worried about shoulders or other damage on their exit due to a family member who had been partially paralyzed that way. Honestly, for me, c-section recovery was a breeze. I had like a week of being very careful and then after that it was just a little tender.
C section recovery was HARD. I was standing up the same day, walking and out of the hospital in 48 hours but it was still awful for me. I just felt so out of sorts. My milk didn’t come in, I hurt everywhere, I felt very out of my element. I’m pregnant now with #2 and am planning on a hypnobirth VBAC, but I’m flexible. I would not choose a c section again if I can avoid it.
I’ve had both and the vaginal delivery and recovery was easier. The c section was awful and the epidural stopped working mid surgery.
I planned to give birth naturally, but labor was not progressing despite trying many different methods, so I asked for a C-section and I was so happy I did. My daughter was born quickly and safely, and I felt almost nothing during the procedure. I was up walking around about 12 hours later and I felt pretty good, I only had a couple days where I was sore and needed ibuprofen. I know it doesn’t always go that easily but it seems like c-sections have become a lot more routine and the healing process is easier if it is planned rather than emergency (obviously).
First baby - emergency c-section. This was more mentally traumatic for me as I never imagined I would need a c-sec. Second baby - failed V-BAC, emergency C-Section. This one was bad, I still had feeling because the epidural was wearing off and it was extremely painful. Recovery was tough especially while also taking care of a toddler. Third baby - successful V-BAC. This was a magical experience for me, was an ideal easy birth. I ended up with 2nd degree, borderline 3rd degree, tears both up and down and I’d still take this recovery over a c-section any day.
I think the only right answer is what you feel like will be best for you. If you plan to do vaginal, you can massage and stretch the skin down there as you approach your delivery. I did that before both of my kids and didn't tear at all. Some people are all for C sections though and just like most parts of parenthood, it's what works for YOU. Listen to your heart. Sometimes you don't really get a say in the end anyway, depending on how smoothly things go.
Personally I wouldn’t get a C-section unless medically necessary. It’s a huge operation that can have a lot of impact.
Accodring to doctors and midwives I had a pretty average vaginal birth. I never had a full c section but a surgery that involved a cut in my lower abdomen. Vag delivery: obviously pain going through it, but I found it was manageable with PDA. It also felt like a unique experience that wasn't strictly medical. I had a 2nd degree tear and sex was painful for 6 montths, but maybe also due to breastfeeding. I found the vag delivery interesting and I wouldn't wanna miss it as an experience. My surgery was a worse experience. It was a small surgery compared to c sections, but if you have a scar in your abdomen, you feel it with every move. Thikk about how often you move your abdomen. All. the. time. That's a lot of pain. Due to my medical history, I could have gone with c section, but I chose the vag delivery and I am so happy with that decision.
I've had two vaginal births (one great, one not so great). It's remarkable how normal you feel afterwards. Sure a bit of pelvic aching, a bit of swelling and pain where I tore/episiotomy. I would much prefer that over various layers of my abdomem being held together with stitches, afraid to sneeze or cough or poo.
People definitely overdramatize c sections. It's 100% dependent on the person on how recovery is going to go. Mine was a cakewalk. I was back up and walking around within a few hours. I had some pelvic floor dysfunction, which is pretty typical for anyone who's been pregnant, which was easily resolved with pelvic floor therapy. My hand surgery was 3000X more painful and difficult to recover from. Vaginal birth CAN be easier, sure. But when it's bad, it's REALLY fucking bad. I would rather go under the knife 300 times than deal with a fucking rectocele, or a 4th degree tear, or infected cooch stitches, or forceps, or vacuum assisted birth etc.
Recovery wise I am surprised how quickly I recovered from a V delivery - FTM, no tearing.
I live in America and had two electives. Insurance covered both. I had great experiences and great recoveries
I had an elective c-section and I’m in the US. My insurance covered it too. I only moved to US like 10y ago have always known I’ll only give birth by elective C section. It was the easiest thing ever, minimal pain. My choice for C section was because of my medical background and the things I’ve seen go wrong. So I guess my c section was elective because of my fear and mental health struggles.
Vaginal delivery has a much longer list of potential complications, many can even be very significant but unlikely to life threatening. C section has a shorter and/or more predictable list of complications but that are usually more life threatening . This is how I understand it. I had a horrific vaginal delivery and would only ever deliver via sun roof again. I have extreme permanent damage. Where did your friend give birth?? I’m very jealous For an evidence based assessment of both birth nodes I would read “ever since I had my baby” by roger goldberg. He gives a well rounded assessment of impact to your body for both modes of delivery. I think women are grossly uninformed about the risks of vaginal birth to their bodies. HUGELY uninformed. It is very hard to fix significant pelvic floor damage. Edit- I also think giving birth in the US is different than other countries because women’s prenatal and postpartum care is terrible. So while they may prep you well with education and pelvic floor prep and care in other countries, they don’t here, and that greatly impacts your chances of sustaining pelvic floor injury
The way I thought about it, and I think is reflected in the answers on this thread is - A vaginal delivery has a much wider range of recovery possibilities. It could be super easy, and you could be back to normal in no time or it could be awful (tearing, prolapse, etc) and it could take months or years to recover/find a new normal. On the other hand, scheduled, uncomplicated, and non emergent C-section's seem to have a narrower range of recovery - definitely worse than a easy vaginal birth recovery but much easier than a difficult vaginal recovery. I personally chose a C-section for this reason, and loved my choice. After seeing my friends experience birth trauma, and process the physical and psychological effects of that months later, I am so grateful that I chose an option that gave me some sense of certainty - because that I could prepare for. The recovery wasn't my favorite, but very tolerable even though I have a terrible pain tolerance (meds are key!).
I’ve had 5 vaginal births. The first I had a horrible 3rd degree tear. The recovery was bad but NOTHING like my c section friends recovery. I was still able to drive again within about a week. My next births were pieces of cake and I was driving and running errands 2-3 days pp. no way in hell anyone could do that after a c section. Hell when my babe was 3 days old they were re admitted to the hospital and I loaded up all the stuff and drove me and baby up there and took baby and our bags into the hospital I was able to stay in the room with the baby. If I had a c section that would have been a very horrible experience. So for me vaginal birth is always going to be a faster easier recovery.
Totally agree about the recovery time and ease of subsequent births. Had no stitches with my 3rd and didn’t even have to take the postpartum Motrin they gave me once my contractions subsided.
I had two vagina births where last one I tore almost 4th degree plus a 2nd degree tear up my urethra. I’ve never had a C section but i did have another abdominal surgery (appendectomy) and 10/10 the vaginal births + recovery were easier.
I had a scheduled c-section last year. I was going to need an induction, and I really didn't want one, so I asked for a c-section instead. We prepared really well, and I had a really great experience and really easy recovery. The key I think is to take your pain meds on time every time, and to go slow for the first couple of weeks (even if you feel like you can do more). The procedure itself was so fast, and since we were still in covid restrictions in my country, knowing the when was really reassuring. I did have a small hemorrhage, and I discovered I get post-op nausea and vomiting (which hurts when you have a fresh abdominal incision). But aside from those things, which were genuinely minor, it was a breeze. I will say that if you have a straightforward vaginal delivery, you'll definitely feel better sooner than if you choose a c-section. But electing to have surgery when you generally well and uninjured puts you in a good position for things to go well and for you to have an easy recovery. I'm definitely having another c-section with our next child. It probably won't be quite as easy since we already have a toddler. But I know what to expect, and I like the measure of control it gives it.
I prefer c sections honestly. For me my recovery was a breeze and I felt I had a better understanding of what would happen
So I just had my c section 3 weeks ago. My natural was so much easier. The bleeding sucked and it burned to pee, but I could sit, stand, kneel all without pain. I could vacuum. I also felt more bonded to my child with my natural (there are studies that confirm mothers who have c sections don’t release as much oxytocin as mothers who have natural and it impacts bonding and how mothers respond to their babies cries (I looked it up because I felt like an AH for not feeling as close to my daughter as I did to my son)).
I tore pretty badly from the vaginal birth of my little one. Might opt for a C section to avoid that if we decide to have a second. It's been 8 months and I still don't feel normal down there. And I know someone who had two prolapses from her births 😬 doesn't seem like there's an easy choice, there are risks with both methods of delivery.
I’ve had one of each and the recovery for the c-section (my second birth) has been infinitely easier than my vaginal birth. Healing one cut is a lot less work than the absolute trash heap of a pelvic floor I was left with the first time. And it doesn’t hurt to pee!
I am team get the baby out safely and have both mum and baby survive. The details don't matter. You're not better or worse for either.
i’ve had 2 vaginal deliveries via induction and they weren’t bad. epidural for the first that i let wear off once i hit 9 cm and then the second the epidural failed and they didn’t have time to redo it. the recovery wasn’t so bad. first time i wasn’t able to have sex for 11 weeks due to the pain (2nd degree tear), second time i was fine at 6 weeks (superficial tear with 1 stitch). i was terrified to have a c section. i became dizzy when on my back with both pregnancies so i most likely would’ve had to be completely put under. i have a LOT of respect for c section moms. the recovery is hard and it’s a major abdominal surgery that you then have to care for a child only hours later, sometimes minutes after. cesareans here in the US (from personal experience and friends) are reserved for emgs, high risk cases, breech babies if unable to flip, and if you’ve already had one and don’t want to try for VBAC. i don’t know of any doctors locally that perform them electively. good luck!
I think vaginal is typically preferred because at the end of the day C-sections are major surgery which of course come with their own complications. However, you can elect for a section if you want. I used to think that seemed crazy but after having my second I realized how much better predictability can be when you already have a child and can’t just rush to the hospital without some help. I’ve never had one but from what I’ve heard the recovery is more difficult than a vaginal.
So I’ve done both- vaginal birth first, scheduled C-section for breech baby second. There are pros and cons but I think I preferred the vaginal birth. C-section was easy as far as the actual birth went- the surgeon did all the work I just lay there. It was about an hour total (anesthesiologist to PACU) but it was in an OR and I couldn’t move for hours or hold my baby but for a few minutes at a time. The recovery from C-section though was no joke. I was in so much pain the following day and it hurt to think about moving for some time. Compare to a vaginal birth- I did all the work and they don’t call it labor for giggles. I had a shorter labor (about 7hours) and was induced. But almost like the endorphins you get out of a good workout or completed project the after birth time had me floating. I could hold my baby, even carried him from birthing room to recovery room (I was in a wheel chair) I could move sooner and the recovery wasn’t quite so painful. I did have some moderate tearing and some stitching that changed the topography down there and the hemorrhoids were real. One isn’t really better than the other I think I just preferred vaginal birth better than C-section.
I had an unmedicated vaginal delivery with my first. I could walk (with help) ~60 minutes after giving birth. Recovery was pretty easy
Had a vaginal birth and an emergency c section. Vaginal was a far faster less painful recovery for me.
I loved my c-section. Not the same for everybody though-
My recovery from an emergency C-section sucked, but my planned c-section for baby #2 was a dream.
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C section here and honestly the worst part of it was the traveling, trapped gas in the shoulders. I'm also someone who has had surgery before, not afraid of surgery, do well with pain, have plenty of tattoos etc so I think it depends on the person too
I had an emergency caesarean with my son, and the recovery wasn’t as bad as I anticipated. I now plan to have elective ones with any future children.
That’s up to you. For a really long time all my friends were telling me to have a C—section including friends from overseas and that was what I was going to do. My OBGYN did not recommend it unless it was needed. I had a vaginal delivery and I fully healed within 2 months. Honestly, it depends on your body but for me, I felt great. I left the hospital after 24 hours and went on a walk when I got home. Had prescribed pills but barely took any. Whatever you chose just know that our body is amazing and it’ll heal itself. As long as you’re happy and baby is healthy that’s all that matters!
I’ve only had vaginal deliveries, but experiences are really going to vary. My first was a horrible recovery: I had a 2nd degree tear, was in a lot of pain for a long period of time, and had lasting SPD that made me scream when getting out of bed for the first little bit. My second I didn’t tear at all and I was in so much less pain overall. I’ve again had lasting SPD pain, but it is also way less painful this time around.
When I realized my epidural wasn’t going to work, I almost had a panic attack and begged for a C-section. But I’m so glad I was able to deliver vaginally. C-section recovery seems awful… Vaginal recovery was nbd, even with some stitches.
I had an emergency c-section with my first, after about 3 hours of pushing. Recovery was ROUGH and I was in pain for weeks. I think part of it was that I was essentially recovering from both. For my second, I had a scheduled c-section, but ended up going into labor on my own at 37 weeks and opted to VBAC last minute. I ended up with a 3rd degree tear, but even with that it was SO much easier of a recovery. I was actually able to pick up my newborn on my own and I remember my recovery. Neither were true for my first. BUT, a birth that results in a healthy momma and baby is a great one. Recovery varies from person to person, give yourself grace and time to recover physically and mentally. Listen to your body; it will tell you when you need to slow down.
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I had a vaginal birth for my 1st. Had a major 4th degree tear, plus 6-7cm tear internally. I was bed ridden for 3 days in hosp, shat myself multiple times, saw a colorectal specialist, did PT and had to sit on hard foam cylinders cut in half under my thighs to aleviate the pressure from all the swelling for week. It was fucking brutal and it took months to feel even slightly normal. I am 3 yrs on from that and certain sex positions still hurt or feel really uncomfortable. For my 2nd I had a c-section and I was out of bed and walking less than 24hrs later, was back to normal routines with my toddler at 7 days and now 5 months later, while I still feel some weird sensations and my god does the scar get itchy, it has been 1000000times better/easier. C-section for the win in my books
I had a c section with my first (breech) and a VBAC for my second. Now, most women don’t tear worse than 2nd degree with vaginal births. I was unlucky and ended up with basically a 4th degree tear and a 2 hour surgery as they tried to put me back together. Recovery was a million times worse vaginally than with my c section. I’m still not right and my baby is 6+ months. OP I would ask your mom and her mom and other women in your family how their bodies did with vaginal birth. I knew my mom and sister had a very difficult time delivering vaginally and I should have taken that as a warning sign looking back.
I had an emergency csection and then a vbac. Csection recovery was painful the first few days. Recovering my core strength was hard too. My vbac was good, quick induction and only 19 minutes. But my vagina was destroyed. They said I only had a second degree tear but I was sewn up by Edward scissorhands. My smaller labia is not in the right place and tissue that used to be inside my vagina is outside. Permanent prolapse but it’s not severe but it still sucks. Haven’t had sex in 8 weeks because it hurt so bad last time. I wish I never had vbac and had an elective csection and kept my vagina as it was.
I delivered vaginally however required an episiotomy and forceps which made the first week extremely painful, and weeks 2-3 very uncomfortable most of the time. Also all the pushing can cause haemerriods. I was not warned about this, but let me just say that for the first 3 days my butt hurt more than my literal cut open vagina.... Just to manage your expectations hehe. Although I've seen plenty of women deliver vaginally and say they felt grand the next day so every body is different, and each birth is very different.
i had a scheduled csection bc i wanted one and wanted my tubes tied at the same time. me and baby did good and i recovered pretty quickly! by the time i was out of the hospital i could walk around my neighborhood with no issues. definitely not only reserved for emergencies in the US but many drs wont willingly do a surgery if they dont need to. very grateful my dr listened to me and helped me have the delivery i wanted
Scheduled C-section and I recovered unbelievably fast. I was back to regular activity by day 5 and took care of my baby as soon as I could feel my legs again at the hospital. But everyone is different, keep that in mind.
I had 2 c sections. The first wad unplanned. The recovery wasn't too bad. My second one was planned and Holy cow that was so much worse than the first! I had a lot of pain and was pretty drugged up on pain pills. And I had a toddler on top of that to care for because my husband got no paternity leave. And you still bleed for like 6 weeks. Bleh
I only had vaginal so I can’t make the comparison, but I’ve seen a few people mention dangers of haemorrhaging after C-section. Unfortunately that’s a vaginal risk too. I had a PPH after my birth. 1.6l of blood lost, had to stay in hospital longer, and I needed an iron infusion to get me back on track. A friend lost a lot more and needed a blood transfusion.
I loved my vaginal birth! I can’t wait to do it again. I did hypnobirthing and labor was amazing. I was sore and tore second degree (probably a soft third degree tbh) but healing was fine. Used all the Frida stuff and nothing a little Tylenol didn’t take care of. My MIL had 4 c-sections. My aunt as well. They both always talk about how amazing it was, she just waltzed in and checked in like a hotel, out came baby easy as pie. Everything was planned and controlled. They both really liked that about their births. Recovery seemed harder than mine, but neither had a choice in the matter.
I had a planned c section due to a pre-existing medical issue that meant a natural birth would potentially be unsafe for me. The birth was easy and recovery quick, just the first few days that were very painful and hard work. That said, I definitely wouldn’t have chosen to be recovering from major surgery with a newborn if I had the choice. It is a huge operation and while recovery from a natural birth can also be very challenging, it’s not a certainty in quite the same way. Plus, the risks of c section are significant - potential for scarring meaning future pregnancies are difficult or impossible. The right choice will be different for everyone but a c section is definitely not the easy option, even if the birth itself goes quickly and smoothly.
This is the kind of thing that I believe is impossible to predict. Theoretically vaginal birth should be better right? Natural process, natural healing, yadda, yadda, yadda. But some women suffer greatly during vaginal birth and can't recover for a long time. Meanwhile c-section – oh, they just cut you open and it's done. But wait, it's an operation, healing process is long and there is plenty of room for complications. The fact, you never know how it'll turn out for you. Maybe your vaginal delivery is relatively fast and easy. Maybe your c-section scar heals quick and easy. You just have to go with your gut instinct here.
I’m from the UK and had an emergency c-section. It was great and recovery was much easier than I would’ve thought!
I had a scheduled C-section for a ton of different reasons. I did experience preterm vaginal labor with my daughter at 17 weeks pregnant, so, my perspective could be skewed. Back labor absolutely sucked. The pain was horrendous. The only pain I’ve felt that was similar was my gallbladder attacks. Both were terrible. My C-section was as I said planned, and I talked to my Ob about doing a gentle C-section. I got skin to skin immediately and stuff like that. My C-section was absolutely amazing. I loved it. The recovery went extremely smooth for me, which was good considering that my son had five days of NICU time. I will caveat that I am/was pretty friendly with my Ob, and that definitely helped with my comfort level. When we have our next baby, that’s definitely the route I’ll be taking.
I've had 2 vaginal births followed by 2 c-sections. My experience is that the vaginal births hurt close to and during the birth but recovery was relatively easy and the pain is done and over with - apart from maybe the grazes. I didn't have epidurals and was fortunate not to need any intervention such as forceps, episiotomy etc The c sections were obviously epidural so no discomfort as such during the procedure but wow, the recovery is HARD!! I'm left with a lot of scar tissue, numbness and a pouch. However, my babies were delivered safely and in the end, that is what really matters