To ask about your c section experience?

[myfavouritetractor]

Sorry, posting for traffic.. I'm starting to panic because I've got to make a decision soon and either book elective c section or go completely naturally.

Dc1 birth resulted in bad 3rd degree tear, haemorrhage and surgery was required afterwards. I do find myself having less control over bowel movements, I have to rush to the loo ASAP. So I'm worried about long term damage. Friends keep suggesting section but have never had one themselves.

What was your experience? I'm terrified of the recovery and having to stay in hospital away from dc1.

[SirVixofVixHall]

I’ve had two, the second one was a failed vbac . I found the second easier to cope with as I knew what to expect. I came home after two nights, which was a night too soon really but dd1 was really upse without me. Recovery takes time but is fine. I have a horrible c section pouch after the second but I didn’t have it after the first. In your place, given the bowel issue I would have a c section this time. Surgery can be a bit frightening, but I think the risks of damage from another vaginal birth are also a big risk.

[bonnyshide]

I had 2 elective c sections (no experience with natural delivery)

They were great, I had very calm, pain free and special births. My babies were in my arms minutes after delivery and I was breastfeeding them almost immediately.

The pain afterwards was quite bad (but I was so caught up in my new baby it is a distant memory) I also remember being very bloated and full of wind which was painful too for a few days (normal for abdominal surgery) I stayed in hospital for 3 nights and baby stayed with me.

I was up and walking within hours and moving around really helped.

I struggled with bathing the babies as it was just at the wrong height / angle (DH did all bathing duties)

I felt almost normal after a couple of weeks, but was careful with myself and didn't overdo it. I wouldn't change anything about my births, but mostly I felt safe as there were no unknowns during the process.

[boomboom12]

corythatwas Your conflating two issues, of course I’ve read the op & of course a CS is a viable alternative. I meant comparing in terms of modesty. I simply stated I don’t know how anyone can love having an operation, that’s is all.

[Icklepickle101]

Honestly I loved my ELCS with DS. Chatting away to the lovely staff, completely unaware they had started and a few minutes later I’m cuddling my baby while they stitched me up. Breastfed him within an hour once we were in recovery.

Catheter out and in the shower within 6 hours, pain all very under control. Stayed 2 nights (second by choice for help with feeding) and then home. We went to Tesco on our way home, did a full weeks shop and picked up prescription for painkillers although I only actually took paracetamol once home. I got an infection in my wound but even so pain was very bearable and I was driving by 2/3 weeks.

I’ve got another planned in a few weeks for DC2 and no worries at all. I’ve been ‘teaching’ DS (2) to use his step to get in/out of the bath and climb in to his car seat himself so I won’t have to lift him.

Good luck

[corythatwas]

Can't say I go in for modesty much, boomboom, but if I did then I think the scales would have to come down in favour of the team staring at my tummy rather than the team staring at someone trying to stitch together the torn parts of my vulva after they had been staring at its swollen state of it for a couple of hours.

[boomboom12]

That’s your experience though, everyone’s is different.

[Icklepickle101]

Talking modesty, you do have to have a catheter and I had a painkiller inserted in my bottom in recovery so neither option is completely modest

[corythatwas]

I imagine it's quite difficult to give birth vaginally without anyone looking at your private parts at some time, boomboom. Agree that the stitching bit is individual, but the bit where the midwife checks to see if you are crowning- well, it's hard to do that without actually looking.

[LittleMissB83]

Had EMCS about 13 weeks ago under general anaesthetic. The pain was very extreme for me when coming around and on the next two days but I was surprised how quickly it seemed to improve; after about 3-4 weeks I wasn’t really aware of the incision. I did make sure to take all the pain relief, avoid doing any lifting etc for at least 6 weeks, and getting some moderate exercise every day (eg a walk with the pram) also really helped me feel back to normal quickly.

[boomboom12]

corythatwas When did I say VB didn’t involve someone looking at your vag?! During my VB I had 2 midwives max & due to no pain relief (too late) I had other things on my mind re exposing said fanny. However during my semi elective CS there was at least 4 people around me & more milling about the room singing along to heart FM. Granted they were less concerned with my vag but I was acutely aware that randoms were very close to it & I felt tres exposed.

[amysaurus87]

I had a c-section after my induction failed, I was given the option of going into labour naturally or having the c-section, and I chose the surgery (was diagnosed with polyhydramnios at 38 weeks so big risk of cord prolapse, plus little one had an unstable lie)

Surgery was fine, had the spinal as I never went into labour, taken down at 5pm baby born at 520 and I was in recovery and feeding him by 6pm! Back on the ward by 9pm.

Post surgery recovery has been good, was doing short walks a week after surgery. There have been a few days were I've done to much, but mostly it's been easy going.

I made sure I stayed on top of the pain, by taking the painkillers.

[boomboom12]

I just found the whole experience of being awake looking around the room, pondering the gender & name & looking forward to Brie & alcohol whilst people were pushing & pulling a baby out of my insides. I felt very open & exposed! 🤣

[Iwantaunicorn]

I’ve never had a vaginal birth, but my DTs were born by ELCS. I had pre eclampsia, decision was made at 11am to get the babies out, by 2pm we were in surgery. It was absolutely bloody brilliant and I was terrified of the idea of a c section!

Recovery was fab, kept in for 2 days because of my bp, something to do with my iron levels and babies being early, and was out shopping when they were 5 days old, and back driving after 2 weeks.

Admittedly it hurt like hell at times, but I assume a vag birth would hurt like hell afterwards too.

If you do go for one, take all the painkillers offered (I had dihyrdracodeine, paracetamol and ibuprofen) and pop a nice thick maternity pad in your pants to protect your scar, made getting around a bit comfier.

My scar is quite neat and tidy, I had no complications from it, the only side effect I’ve suffered is some numbness going down my thigh which I think was caused by the first spinal not going in properly.

Good luck with the birth whichever way you choose!

[Blondebear123]

Had an elective c section due to the fact I have ulcerative colitis and was worried about tearing and making my colitis relapse. It was a really positive experience. Much better than my friends natural births. The worst bit was u are told to go into hospital at 7am fasting but u don't know when i will be taken. There were 6 elective sections on my day and I was last and not taken til 330pm. I was starving haha. If also rather be the the room with at least 2 doctors there should anything go wrong as opposed to just midwives. Each to there own. Yes it's very clinical but isn't a Labour suite clinical anyway? Yes u have to recover it is an operation however after a week I was out and about, very slowly! I did live on a 3rd floor flat and my partner went back to work and I managed to carry baby and pram carrot cot and bags down 3 flights of stairs to go out for walks. If I have another I'd go elective c section again. Also scar is within bikini so u don't see it on the beach I have no urinary or faecal incompentance which is always a bonus!

[Underworld345]

Sounds horrendous. I would personally go for a c section. I had an emergency one with my DS a year ago. First few days are bad soreness wise but I noticed a difference every day. Within a couple of weeks I felt loads better. First week was actually nice, I just got to sit on the couch while OH did all the cooking, cleaning etc. I just did the breastfeeding!

My advice would be to keep up with the painkillers for a while even if you do feel better.

I stayed for only two full nights then was discharged.

Oh, I also had 10 needles to take home for my OH to inject once a day to stop blood clotting or something. That was the worse bit but not painful - I just don’t like needles!

[CheesecakeAddict]

I had an emergency at 3.36am. By 8.30am I had slept and wandered off to get breakfast. I was discharged the next day. I had no issues carrying, picking up, feeding the baby. In fact I took her Christmas shopping at 4 days old completely solo carrying a pram up and down 3 flights of stairs. I had a few issues with my scar not healing properly and getting infected but my botched natural attempt caused problems for way longer.

[Underworld345]

@cheeseandcakeaddict carrying a pram up and down stairs at 4 days...really??!

[CheesecakeAddict]

@underworld345
In all fairness, that's probably why my scar wasn't healing properly...
But I didn't have a choice, it was either that or stay indoors. And I am a very outdoorsy person

[ggirl]

I had emergency C-section.
minimal pain , don't think i used any pain relief after a few days.
Had no issues with moving around or the wound ..it was bliss compared to my previous vaginal birth that left me with stitches.

[Mybrainisfried]

I've had 3 c sections and a vbac I can honestly say my c section was by far the easiest to recover from after having a 3rd degree tear delivering my 6lb dd . Couldn't walk for days took ages to heal my 3rd c section I was out the nxt day healed well no problems . It's not as scary as you would think I was terrified at my 1st by my 3rd I was just lying their listening to opera music and talking to dp good luck what ever you choose x

[Sparrowlegs248]

How soon you get up will very much depend on the individual. I had my elcs at 12 noon on the Friday. I could stand until about 9 am the following day as I couldn't feel or move my legs. I was starting to worry a bit tbh but all was well!

[BuntyII]

@boomboom12 it's not just an operation. It's childbirth.

[Washpot]

I've had vaginal and elected c-section. Went for elective because my experience and recovery with natural birth. It was awful. I was ill. For 3 months after and I failed to bf. I found all of the difficulties really impacted my bond with my baby and I struggled.

My section was one of the best experiences of my life. I loved it. I got to hold my baby instantly and do skin to skin. I kept him on me in recovery and I was able to bf. I did experience discomfort but it was manageable with pain killers. I also had trouble with dizziness and blood pressure issues when I stood up for a few days but this was nothing compared to the first time. My wound healed brilliantly and I'm proud of my scar. I'd go for a section hands down.

[Awwlookatmybabyspider]

Where you not in so many words forced into having a vback, mybrain or did you want one as it seems a little odd to opt for one after 3 sections

[PandaPieForTea]

I had a bad VB resulting in further surgery and various complications. I then had an ELCS (DD2 wouldn’t exist if that hadn’t been an option). I loved my ELCS and it was much easier to recover from than my VB.

I don’t think that the people who say ‘remember it’s major surgery’ and push towards VB have every spent months recovering from a VB gone wrong. I was back driving 3 weeks after my ELCS, it was more like 3 months after my VB.