Did you have a c-section?

Question

Let me start by saying that this is not a choice. I have to have a c-section. This is my first baby, and I did get a second (and yes, I’m anal :) and a third opinion. I will definitely need to have one.

With that being said, I was not worried until I started talking to people about it, and doing some research. I’m getting a lot of apologies, “I’m so sorry”, “that stinks”, “you must be disappointed”, “recovery is terrible”, and so on and so forth. Now, I’m nervous. I mean, they are done hundreds of times per day so they can’t be that bad, right??????

I’m just looking for some positive advice and friendly responses re. a c-section. Did you have one? Is it awful? Does it take away from the whole “experience”??? Bottom line, I just want a healthy baby to hold at the end of it all no matter the procedure. My husband is VERY supportive of all of this.

Let me once again say that I do NOT have a choice in the matter. Three different Dr’s, none of whom are affiliated with each other, all said the same thing. It must be done.

Thanks in advance :)

Answer 1

I had to have a c-section with my son in Feb 2008. I am currently pregnant and more than likely, I will have to have another c-Section with this baby. I really was gung ho about delivering vaginally, but when I had to have a c-section, I came to terms with the idea. Honestly, it was that bad. I remember that I couldn't eat anything the morning of my c-section and they gave me an oxygen mask. I already had a catheter in me because I had been in the hospital a few days and I couldn't get up to use the restroom. When they wheeled me back to the OR, they gave me a shot to numb my back so I didn't even feel the spinal when they did that. The c-section started at 12:30 and my son was born at 12:54 PM. I stayed in recovery for about an hour while they monitored my vital signs. I kind of had an adverse reaction to the anesthesia. It made me throw up for a couple hours, but that settled down later on that day. The worse part was that first week at home. I was very very sore. When I looked at my lower abdomen. it looked like I had been beaten, but overall, the experience wasn't as bad as everyone had tried to warn me. Hope this helps! Be blessed!

Answer 2

I had a c/s with my first and am scheduled for my second c/s on May 21st. I never went through any hard labor or even contractions. They gave me the choice to induce or a c/s. They knew my son was going to be right at 9 lbs. (8 lbs. 15 oz. to be exact) and I was not dilating at all. They said I could go through 24 hours worth of labor and still end up having a c/s. I chose the c/s and I would not have had it any other way. I never felt any real pain during the procedure. Just felt some tugging and pulling when they were trying to get the baby out. The cord ended up being around my son's neck twice so had I not chosen the c/s, I would have ended up with an emergency one. Yes, the recovery period is very painful but it gets much better once you get the staples out and are able to get up and move a bit. Yes, there is a very small part of me that felt like it took away from the "experience" of a vaginal delivery but the health of my babies are so much more important than that for me. I'm sure you will do just fine. Best of luck to you.

Answer 3

Let me start by saying a C-section is worth going through to have a healthy baby. I have had 3 C-Sections. My first was not planned and after being in hard labor for 27 hours it was a big relief. My 2nd and 3rd was planned and I was able to plan what day I would like to give birth to my wonderful daughters.



My advice for recovery is this. Don't baby yourself after the procedure is done. You need to move as soon as the doctor and nurses allow you to. The more you move the sooner the sorness goes away. Another think I would not drink milk or eat dairy products for a couple of days because it can give you gas. You should also take the pain killers as directed, they really do help with the discomfort. My first C-section took me a little longer to get over but I didn't know what to expect. Just listen to your doctors and the recovery will be good.



Congratulations on having your first baby.

Answer 4

I have had two. First unplanned. Second one planned. I think in general unplanned ones are much harder to recover from. For one thing you just not prepared mentally at all. And also physically your body goes through the labor and then the surgery. So in some ways the unplanned c-section is almost like giving birth both ways at one time.



My first one was horrible. I could hold her after delivery because I was shaking so bad. The shakes are rather common but even the nurses said mine were really extra bad. I literally couldn't physically hold her for a couple of hours. The recovery was beyond painfuly. I literally thought my guts were going to drop out on the floor every time I tried to walk the first week. And because of the pain I had a hard time bonding and breast feeding my baby. It was just a bad time all over for several weeks.



The second one really wasn't that bad. I held my daughter a few minutes after surgery. She breast feed immediately. And I was walking around 24 hours later. Gingerly walking around but not in near the pain I was in the first time.



I have two major things of advice. 1) hope for the best but plan for the worst. So since your will be a planned c-section you can hope that there will be a rather easy recovery. But plan on it being tough. So make sure you have meals made ahead of time, that someone stays with you for at least 2 weeks afterwards at all times etc. The other bit of advice I got before my second c-section from one of the doctors-2) take more pain medicine if the pain interferes with your sleep. So don't try to say "well it isn't that bad" Take the medicine so that you are comfortable. And if it isn't enough then call your doctor and complain until he/she gives you more. Because if you are comfortable then you can best take care of yourself and your baby.



As for taking away from the experience. I never saw a c-section that way. I gave birth. Just a little differently than others. I told my 3 year old that was "hatched" from mommies tummy. And she looked at my scar and said "sorry, mommy got hurt" And it isn't like you are getting off easy as some think. Even with my second c-section it was major surgery.



So good luck with your c-section. I am sure it will be fine.

Answer 5

I had to have a c-section, it wasn't by choice either. I wasn't scared, I just wanted my baby born healthy. I did have some complications but they are not complications that always happen during c-sections. Recovery was just sore to go from sitting to laying down. I didn't take any of the pain meds though, I did however take the stool softeners, they give them to you so you don't have to flex your muscles so much while pooping. And like you said, c-sections are done everyday, they are not that bad. It beats being in labor for 18 hours, its done quickly! You will be fine. I'm a big baby when it comes to pain and I survived lol

Answer 6

Congrats on having a baby :)



Don't stress about the C-section. I myself havent had one but here is what I have learned from friends and family.



Scheduled C-Sections are ALOT easier to recover from. One of my close friends had a Planned C-Section with her twins, she was nervous but was fine. She said it was not as bad of a recovery as everyone make you think.



Emergency C-Sections....if it is decided to switch to a C-Section after being in labor for a long period of time it is a harder recovery. You are already fatigued from labor and may have been pushing for a long time so you have exhausted both parts of you.



I have a cousin who had a planned one and felt great after 1 week, another friend with a planned one (and she is the biggest dramam queen I know) and she was barely complaining.



A co-worker of mine that had to have an emergency one after pushing for over 3 hours was not in good shape after, had a hard time walking and getting up for about 3 weeks, but she is trying to have another child now and will probably have to have another C-Section so if the pain was really that bad I bet she wouldn't think of another one.



Being that this is your 1st you would be nervous either way, you will be fone, a great Mom and you will recover...Best of luck to you and your little one on the way.

Answer 7

I might have to have one too due to placenta previa and i am hoping it changes and i dont have to



A good friend of mine had to have a c-section last year with her daughter. i've talked to her about it a lot...she said it's not so bad, like i was really nervous about being awake during a surgery and she said you are so focused on meeting your baby at that point that you dont even realize, and she said it was about a half hour from when they first brought her into the OR till the baby was out, and then just another 10 or 15 minutes while they closed her up



her advice to me was get up and get movng and hold the baby as soon as you can, it takes a couple hours for the drugs to wear off so you can walk but do it as soon as possible



and she told me that yeah the healing is sore of course, but it wasn't as bad as she expected, you just have to take it easy, she said she would choose c-section from now on if she gets a choice.



I personally found it very reassuring talking to her, shes the only person i know that had one so i was just glad i had someone to ask. if you know someone who has had one i highly suggest talking to them about it, made me feel so much better

Answer 8

to the girl with a smiley face name..c sections are PAIN FREE???? Are you dumb?! SINCE you havent had one..u wouldnt know..and until you have had one i wouldnt say stupid things like that. O boo hoo..vaginal deliveries hurt..ya they hurt until the baby is born..but c sections hurt a couple weeks or more..u have NO IDEA..so u need to shut ur friggin mouth. im not trying to freak the asker of this question out..but my biggest pet peeve is when ppl say they would rather have a c-section and they have never even experienced one! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Answer 9

I haven't had one but I have had two natural vaginal births and let me tell ya, I'd take a pain free c-section over a vaginal birth in the future if I have the choice. Think about it, sure you will have horrible recovery after but you get to skip horribly painful contractions, and you get to skip having your vagina ripped and sewed. Since most vaginal deliveries end with tearing or episotomies which are horribly painful after the pain medication wears off I say all in all c-sections and vaginal deliveries are pretty much equal in pain in the long run.