Mums who have had both vaginal delivery & a c section?

[unsurebear]

So during my last (2nd) pregnancy I suffered from a UTI which resulted in my waters breaking at 36 weeks, getting infection upon infection, and also requiring a blood transfusion following a PPH.

We are now trying for a 3rd baby.

I spoke a midwife at the Birth After Thoughts team about the whole experience and she advised me I would be able to ask the consultant about a c section due to the complications with my last pregnancy.

Both births were vaginal and I find the idea of a c section quite scary and I know the recovery tends to be longer.

I know I must sound so shallow but I don't really want a scar on my belly, I have really bad stretch marks from my last 2 pregnancies.

I just wanted thoughts from mum's who have experienced both vaginal and c sections.

TIA

I know I must sound so shallow but I don't really want a scar on my belly, I have really bad stretch marks from my last 2 pregnancies.

it isn’t shallow. It’s your body and it’s been through enough already.

I can't comment on the uterus shrinking cramps, as I was totally out of it after my EMCS, but yes the night sweats and other recovery was the same (or worse with the Caesarian, in my experience, I had a VBAC with my second).

I think planned C-section is a totally different ball game. I'd still prefer a VBAC over section personally though. Recovery was miles better.

I had a VB that was horrific and wouldn't have had another baby if I couldn't have a CS. CS recovery was far easier and I really can barely see the scar. The VB scarring is worse and more annoying - I can't really ride a bike.

@ColossalTit thanks for the reply! The cramps lasted for days after my second. Ugh that the sweats were worse for you. You have my sympathy!

Midwife keeps kinda mentioning c sections with this baby as I'm classed as geriatric 🙄 and it hasn't been an easy ride so far. But after two complication free home births I'm not that keen to jump into surgery.

I've had 1 VB and 3 C-sections. Hardly any scar, no over hang. It's also so low that only your partner would ever see it.

Practically need a magnifying glass to find my scar now. And zero overhang.

This isn't an AIBU question. It really would be so much more helpful if it were in the childbirth topic.

I had vb followed by cs which was classed as emergency due to failed induction- but it didn't feel like an emergency- my first words to my friend who visited the next day were, ' how anyone elects to go through that is beyond me'!

hated the whole thing - but I have been told that electives are better ( although part of me thinks 'they would say that' - I didn't find the recovery too bad after the first 49 hours.

My first was vaginal with induction which was truly awful, painful and traumatic.
My second was a planned c-section which was an absolute dream. I just loved the certainty of it, no hanging around or being left in pain for hours. I was well cared for, in and out in 24 hours, up and about after 6 hours, and I'd say back to normal with in 7 days. I took my pain relief regularly and followed the recovery booklet to the letter so I never felt any pain. DD is 5 and my scar isn't even noticeable, I don't have an overhang or anything.
I'd recommend it without hesitation.

Had a planned section and a VBAC. Both fine. With the VBAC it hurt a lot more during (just had gas and air) but once it was done that was it pain wise (although pelvic floor took a while to recover). No scars. With c section the pain management afterwards was a lot more difficult - had to really keep on top of it. You can still see my scar but it’s very low down so only visible when I’m naked!

First birth planned section due to breech, scar hardly noticeable, no overhang. 2nd birth went for vbac, ended up with forceps due to being back to back, in an awkward position and stuck, still dealing with the damage 10 years later - large episiotomy scar which is painful at times, a tear that healed tightly, double incontinence, and pudendal neuralgia. I can no longer sit comfortably, riding a bike is never going to happen again.

I wish I had had a second planned section but felt pressured to try vbac. In reality, you will never know what will happen, if i was ever pregnant again i would choose the calm controlled planned section. I think it is about making peace with the decision you make as there will be pros and cons of each decision. Unfortunately for me the cons of my decsion won.

First was a forceps delivery after far too bloody long, almost had to go to theatre.
Second was EMCS with GA after I got all the way through labour to the point of pushing.
Both recoveries were tough. I'm never having another but if I did I'd take an elective section. The scar is minimal and honestly needed a few days management while the rest lingered for some time!

Elective CS and VBAC
Recovery after VBAC is way quicker and better.
Would choose VBAC every time.

(And uterus shrinking cramps after both)

Just think what matters for you (assuming your medical team think either is safe). Some women hate the idea of a spinal, and like being able to move around straight after birth. Some women, as you say applies to you, don't like the idea of a scar, or the apron skin some people get. I didn't care about those things, but all that matters here is your choice-we're all different. I definitely wouldn't choose a CS if I had older kids to look after, but again, only you know how much support you have, and how your own kids would feel about things.

1st birth was c-section, 2nd was VBAC.

Very painful and slow recovery from c-section although it was emergency not planned. Still have overhang from the scar despite not being overweight. I had an infection in the scar and really struggled.

Vaginal birth and recovery was much easier. I was up and showering within an hour and at home within 6 hours, park the next day. I’d take a vaginal delivery any day, as long as it wasn’t deemed risky for baby.

Yep, all of it!! You forgot the bleeding for 6 weeks there too!

It's nothing to do with baby coming out the vagina, it's to do with the baby coming out and the resulting hormone changes etc.

Had both. First VBAC, ended up with third degree tear. Second was elective c section. I have a small flat scar under bikini line. C section recovery was easier.
I would choose elective c section every time.

I've had four caesarean sections.

They're extremely painful and take ages to recover from.

I wouldn't recommend them to anyone, especially as pain relief is so poor nowadays.

Go for a vaginal delivery. Two of mine were emergencies and two were planned, and it made no difference whatsoever in recovery time. None at all. It's major abdominal surgery, after all - not just another way of giving birth.

It’s not on your belly, it’s on your pubic bone. You can’t see it with knickers or a bikini on.

The recovery for my planned section was easier than my vaginal birth and I drove after 3 weeks. Stayed very hydrated and made sure I was up and walking around the house or down the road daily and that really helped. Didn’t have any scar problems no infections etc. if I knew what it would have been like I would have opted for one the first time!

Vaginal first birth was horrific and traumatic. Planned c section for the second birth (due to previous trauma) was just wonderful. Calm, relatively relaxed, felt so much better much sooner, bonded faster etc and no trauma. Recovery was the same for both V and section but as the whole section experience was so much lovelier overall I would choose that every single time.

the scar is on your bikini line crease anyway- who’s looking lol?

I had a really awful vaginal birth with my first. It took me a long time to get over both mentally and physically. I lost sensation of my bladder for around 4 months and had no sensation to wee so ended up having to self catherise. I also ended up with a 3rd degree tear and episiotomy which were very painful.

My second was a planned c section (due to my first birth) and was a complete dream. I was so well looked after throughout the process and the pain was completely manageable as long as I stayed on top of the painkillers. I recovered signifcantly quicker then I did with my first. I do unfortunately have a red bumpy scar (2 years on) but its beneath the bikini line and really doesn't bother me.

I had 2 completely natural home births and I didn’t experience any of this, so I definitely don’t think it’s a universal experience.

I've had both. Csection recovery was far easier! Scar is non existent 7 years later

In my experience, my slowest recovery was after my vaginal birth. I was the only woman on my ward who delivered vaginally and every single one of them were up walking before me, even the ones who had had their sections after I delivered my baby. I tore so badly and really felt that I'd been sold a lie about v births being faster to recover from!

1 Crash section and 1 elective. Hated the elective, I felt very scared after a very difficult pregnancy and secondary infertility. I was very disappointed in myself after the first section, I had been taught by NCT that if you only relax and know all about the stages of birth it will all be fine. Nope.

Now it doesn't matter any longer, mine are teens and their method of birth is irrelevant. I was happy enough to be able to EBF both babies, which made me feel my body wasn't letting me completely down.