C section

[SpoonyMember]

looking for encouragement I think...

recently married and started thinking about the possibility of considering if children might come in the years to come, however it's been praying on my mind... childbirth & elective c sections which has appealed to me because its relatively controlled and from what people say a quick and scheduled experience which is something i vibe with lol... however probably a very very nieve question but does your body recover, whats the impact, is there a huge scar, can you make it fade, at the moment thats the thing i have most anxiety about, changes to my body is it realistic to think you can actually get back to your old self and body. As you can tell I'm anxious about any change but yaknow.... advice help appreciated xox

I had an planned section & had such a rough experience. The surgery itself was horrible- shaking, throwing up etc. but natural birth isn't a walk in the park so I wouldn't compare the 2.

The recovery was brutal. If you want to breastfeed, IME pain relief is limited and I really struggled to cope with the pain. Couldn't walk more than a few steps very hunched over for 2 weeks and it was agony. 5 months pp I'm back to walking & gentle Pilates but I haven't been able to return to running at all. It feels like all my organs are bouncing around inside me if I run even 2 steps.

Had multiple scar infections, the overhang is horrific despite doing everything I can.

I wish I had been able to have a natural birth. Everyone on social media & MN seems to have really positive experiences with elective section but 5 months on I'm only just feeling more like myself. It seems that I'm a fringe case but I was fit and healthy & took good care of myself (didn't lift baby without help, mobilised early despite excruciating pain etc, had MIL to stay for 2 weeks to help) but for some reason, I had a bad experience.

If I were choosing again, I'd go for a natural birth over section unless some medical intervention. But take with pinch of salt as I've never had a natural!!

You'll end up fine whatever you choose. Make sure you have a good support system xx

My second child was a planned section due to babies size. I’ve felt like the section has fundamentally changed my body shape more so than with my first child who was a natural birth. The abdominal cut creates an overhang which is prominent no matter how you dress it up unless you have a completely flat stomach. I feel very self conscious about it even though objectively I can see it’s not that big. It’s just not something I’m used to and clothes fit differently on me.

The thing is, I definitely needed a section with DC2 and I don’t regret it for a minute. The procedure itself was scary but ok. Recovery took a full 6 weeks before I could comfortably do “normal” things and that was frustrating sometimes.

Birth is a very personal thing though, it is not for me to say what is the right or wrong way to go about it, you will have an instinct when you are pregnant that guides you and it’s really tricky to know where that will be before you find yourself in that position.

I had an unplanned, but not emergency, c section and as PP said and I echo.. my body will never be the same again. The scar isn't hip to hip or anything like it used to be, but still decent in size. Scars often fade but there's no getting rid of them. A lot depends on your genetics with scarring. My lower stomach now folds in a way it never did before and the bit of fatty tissue feels hard/solid and I doubt it'll ever go. I still get infections on the scar due to an area that broke down repeatedly and have issues with the skin there now. All of this is in the long term and not even to mention the immediate aftermath. Amongst a high level of pain from the actual c section I was left with fractured ribs from the brute force needed to get my baby out. He wasn't a big baby but in an awful position and they admitted afterwards they really didn't know what to do to get him out and were panicking.

None of this is pleasant to read but if anything I would like people to realise that not every section is straightforward, calm and controlled. Many are, but when they're not they can be utterly traumatising. You'll read plenty of stories on here about lovely c sections as I have seen many so its certainly possible. This is just my experience. I have never had a vaginal birth so can't say what my body would be like after one.

It all comes down to individual experiences and circumstances on the day so I'm not sure reading here will do anything for your worries. I would urge you to read the evidence. Actual stats, what the research says. Medically there are many pros and cons with all modes of birth that are important to be aware of. That will help you come to an informed decision when the time comes.

I wanted a vaginal birth first time and had an emergency c section. I tried for a vaginal birth second time and had an awfully traumatic emergency c section.

so not it wouldn’t ever be my first choice or my choice to birth like that unless a medical emergency

Both modes of delivery can change your body - I had a vaginal birth and it now looks and feels completely different down there, ongoing pelvic floor issues and my episiotomy scar took a very long time to heal.

Just to balance PPs experiences with something more positive..,my body shape is still different 5 months post section but I see improvements. Scar also starts to fade. Pain wise I never was in any significant pain, but you have to request proper pain killers. Dihydrocodeine is ok to take while breast feeding and took the pain away completely for me. I was very worried about pain and the recovery after reading so many negative experiences but this wasn’t an issue for me. I went back to exercising after my 6 weeks check where I was cleared to do so.

Having had an (emergency) c-section and a natural birth, my preference would be natural every time. So much calmer and less stressful, and my body more or less went back to how it was before. As others have said, I’m not sure your body can ever fully return to normal after a section. I’m not large by any means, but the area above my scar is always going to stick out just a little bit, no matter how much weight I lose.

I had 4 sections in 6 six years. I wanted a vaginal birth desperately. Sections are major surgeries. They carry risks you need to consider.

There’s a big mix of experiences with it!

Planned section with my first and it was a wonderful experience. Everything was very calm and controlled, I was walking within a couple of hours and home 24 hours after. We are still nursing 16 months later and didn’t find it affected our ability to. I always knew I didn’t want a vaginal delivery and was preparing for section from finding out I was pregnant. I wouldn’t change that birthing experience for anything. It really set me up for a wonderful postpartum experience where I was well-rested and calm.

Healing takes a little while and you will likely have to self-administer anti-clot injections at home for the next week or two, so if you are scared of needles that’s worth considering. My scar doesn’t bother me but it’s definitely there, and my lower abdomen does overhang. Now that I’m pregnant again, it does affect what my birth plan looks like for this baby.

There are going to be pros and cons with whatever birth you choose and your mileage will vary. Know that there isn’t a correct answer and no matter what you choose your birth experience is valid and uniquely yours.