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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

VBACH vs C-section - share your experiences

5 replies

Mamabear04 · 09/01/2022 07:41

Please can you tell me your experiences of birth and how quickly you recovered? I had a c-section with my first and wondering if VBACH would be better for recovery with a toddler....stories with warts and all please!

OP posts:
Onehotmessiah · 09/01/2022 07:54

I had c sec followed by VBAC and found the VBAC recovery much easier. I was out of hospital the same day and apart from feeling a bit sore I could carry on with life. After c sec I was sore and couldn’t bend/lift, was on strong pain killers so felt out of it for about a week. Then I still struggled to breast feed as I couldn’t get comfy x

cloverleafy · 09/01/2022 08:20

The not driving after CS is a big thing for me. I'd already had one very positive VB, then emergency CS which I hated on lots of levels, so was aways clear I wanted a VBAC. It went well, recovery was much easier and I was more able to be involved with my older children sooner. I've only experienced straightforward VB though - no complications and both home births.

GrendelsGrandma · 09/01/2022 08:31

You'll get anecdotes both ways op, look at stats to make an informed decision! It also helps if you understand more about why you needed CS first time and the likelihood of that recurring.

I needed CS as DD has her head wodged at an angle in my pelvis - obstructed labour. Deciding on vbac, I didn't know if I had an odd shaped pelvis that would make the same thing happen again.

Vbac turned out to be much better, even with an episiotomy that healed weirdly and slowly. Four hours of established labour and I couldn't believe that I could just get up and walk around compared to being stuck in bed seemingly forever with CS.

However, I did decide that it anything happened that made vbac more complex, like needing induction etc, I'd opt for CS instead. I wanted a straightforward birth or CS, as far as I was able to choose.

You might want to check what conditions are like for vbac at your local hospital, traditionally it's been constant monitoring and they don't always have wireless monitors so you can end up on your back in bed, which I wanted to avoid. (Ended up giving birth like that, but that's another story).

DD was 2.5 when I had my vbac, I was v glad I didn't have to manage lifting her, having her jump on my lap etc.

AnnaCos · 09/01/2022 18:29

I had a natural birth with my first and a planned c-section with my second. Hands down the c-section recovery was far better than natural birth for me personally. I had 5+ months of issues after natural birth, felt completely back to normal within 10 days of my section and was discharged from the hospital 24 hours afterwards. It’s up to you though, if I were to have a third I would have an elective section (bonus that it helps with the planning of childcare too!)

Moonbabysmum · 10/01/2022 18:50

Only planned sections here, but I was out and about as soon as I came home, had a pretty much pain free recovery and was changing nappies on the floor by day 4. The driving thing is a bit of a myth - there's no ban, you can do it when you feel able (I have even heard of people driving themselves home). I wasnt a driver when I had my sections, but would have certainly have been well enough after a week at the most

Im very glad I didn't have to go through vaginal birth personally.

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