C section with bad back

[BusyBee86]

I have always suffered with a bad back(lower) and always get sudden sharp shooting pains which causes my leg to give way. I can't lay in one position for too long especially my back. If I do my back stiffens and I get awful pain.
Now with my second birth I'm thinking of having a c section but I'm worried about my back. I'm not sure how ill cope with the recovery with a bad back too. Has anyone else been in the same situation? Bad back then had c section?
If so, what was it like? Was it really awful?

I cant specifically help you, but after my first delivery which was back to back I suffered sore lower back for about 4 years, not crippling but it was alot weaker and ached alot.

I had a section second time and have had no back trouble at all.

I would speak to your doctor about this to see what their advice is. I suspect it depends on your back problem which would be more suitable for you.

I found my recovery from my horrific vaginal birth (bad tearing that means I can't have a vaginal delivery again) much quicker and better than my nice elective c-section in terms of movement and flexibility. I have been shocked at how much worse it is - for me - to recover from the c-section.

I'm recovering from the c-section now and I find that having very weak stomach muscles is really putting pressure on my back (who knew I even HAD stomach muscles?). I am now a week post-section and this is the first day I have been able to - painfully - turn onto one of my sides in bed as previously it has been too difficult to get there from my back. I was able to move around normally, although I was a bit uncomfortable, after the vaginal delivery.

So depending on how your back is affected, it might be worth asking your doctor or seeing if they can put you in touch with a consultant with experience who could give you really good advice.

I have a spinal disability so am asking for a ELCS as of the two sets of risks, I feel more comfortable accepting the risks associated with the c-section. My worst case scenario is my back 'going' during labour, being exhausted and immobile and unable to push and so having to have an EMCS, which comes with greater risks and then being unable to care for my baby due to losing my mobility for a long and unknowable amount of time (I can make plans for the average recovery time for an ELCS and at least I'll be able to lift my baby which I couldn't if my bvack goes). I expected opposition from my MW (I had an irrational fear that they would all be vaginal birth with no exceptions cheerleaders) but she said it was the right way to go so I feel supported.

Just have a think about what is best for you, consider the risks of each delivery type and then ask for what you want.

I had a bad back before pregnancy which then obv didn't help it much, I saw an Osteopath throughout the pregnancy and still do, DD is three now. I Had a C section due to DD being breech - and I have to say the pain was terrible afterwards, I really suffered through having no core strength and having to lay still for so long. I used a tens machine afterwards, which helped, but got blindingly painful back spasms and all sorts of pain at the site of the epidural, even though it was nowhere near the bulging disc I have which has caused the pain in the first place.

However, I was still up and about quickly afterwards, overdid it a bit with the walking, just had to take quite strong painkillers for a while and had some intensive osteopathy to straighten everything out. we are TTC now and it is a worry, but I think I would opt for VBAC only if just to try - but then I didn't enjoy hospital and the whole experience mush anyway, I had wanted to have a waterbirth as the pain was lessened loads in water.

What did help was being as mobile as possible beforehand, antenatal yoga, and now pilates for about the last year or so. I got a good DVD - pilates for mums, that helped as very gentle.

I don't know how much of the pain would have happened anyway - or how much was down to her being breech, as I was very uncomfortable as her head was up in my ribs all the time and was very restricting - it is a tough call but as posters above have said, you just have to weigh it up - and even then, best laid plans and all that....