Planned C-section vs natural birth - how painful afterwards?

[DeusEx]

Hello

I am keen to have a planned Csection for a number of reasons (including balancing pros and cons from advice on here). My doctor is doing her best as far as I can see to dissuade me and one thing she has said is that the pain form having had surgery is worse than pain after child birth.

Please can you tell me, from either experience, how bad the pain was and for how long? It’s rather worried me now - especially as childbirth sounds so painful anyway and I’m just rubbish at pain.

I had 2 vaginal births and 1 c-section.

I found the c-section so much worse pain wise. I struggled to walk and was in so much pain and was taking painkillers for 2 weeks afterwards. I didn't feel safe to drive for 8 weeks either.

C section was much easier for me. Only had paracetamol and was up and about quickly. Natural birth took me longer to recover (tears, broken coccyx etc)

I’ve had a natural birth and then a planned c section. My recovery from the section took 8 weeks I felt awful not like myself at all. I am going for natural birth next time round for sure.

@PeggyMoo gosh, your situation sounds similar to mine. I was definitely mis-sold an amazing recovery! I would never do it again. I still dont think I've fully recovered, 4 years later 😄😄😄

DS was an emcs after a long labour and I thought I’d recovered really well as I was driving after 2 weeks and managing quite well I thought as long as I took the pain killers.
Had an unplanned vbac for dd and despite an episiotomy recovery was very easy, I could go for quite long walks and actually get in and out of bed without planning it first! They did get a doctor to stitch me up as the midwife, who was fantastic said she was crap at sewing!
My mother had two emcs and had one hell of a wound infection after her second.
Having had an emcs and a vbac, for me it’s a choice between very painful during and fine after or a bit weird during and rely on the painkillers after. It’s down to luck.

1st birth, 3rd degree tear, and major pph, couldn't sit down without painkillers for 3 months afterwards, and it was painful sitting until about six months pp.
2nd birth planned section, like a walk in the park in comparison.
It's so hard to say as it all depends on any complications you may or may not have, although hopefully there will be none.
If I had a third (not planning on) but I'd take an elective everytime.

Just remembered I had to be injected with an anti coagulant for a week after my vbac too, so not just after c sections. My mum had to do it for me too :-D

The recovery after a csection in general is longer than a natural birth. Yes there will be women who were up with lin 24 hours (so was i) but it is major abdominal surgery. Unless you have had a previous traumatic labour, post traumatic stress I cannot fathom why any woman would choose that option. It is most definitely not the easy way out. I had an epidural which took the anaesthetist 17 attempts to get in, my back was bruised black and blue. I was up within 24 hours after both my sections as soon as the catheter was removed. For the first night I had to buzz each time my child cried for her and then again with ds to be passed to me. Couple that with a busy maternity ward and overworked midwives and my dd was left to cry whilst I couldn't move to get to her. I was a first time mum and had never felt so helpless. I couldn't pull my underwear on without being in pain. So many movements come from your core I couldn't sit up in bed by myself, put my bottoms on. In hospital I was given paracetamol and dihydrocodeine if the pain was bad and I had to request it, it wasn't offered to me. I set my phone alarm for every 4 hours and insisted on it. My experience with ds was slightly better in that I knew what to expect and asked for my painkillers and was lucky enough to have the section earlier in in the day so that my mum and dh could look after the baby whilst I rested. My stitches opened 2 weeks after he was born because I was doing too much. I also bled for a long time afterwards even though I didn't have a natural birth. I also had very little milk with dd which I was told is common in mothers that have babies born via section in that often the milk is slow to come in. Ypu get on with it whether in pain or not because you have a newborn to look after and that adrenaline gets you through.

Yes my births themselves weren't painful because once I had the epidural in I couldn't feel pain but you can still very much feel them tugging around with your insides. I couldn't move my arms to hold my own baby when they put them on my chest. I could still hear them stapling me up.

My experience may not be typical and I am clearly a glutton for punishment because I am 16 weeks pregnant with my 3rd and last baby but if this birth has to be via a section I will be arguing for a discharge ASAP if I am not allowed dh on postnatal ward due to covid. I am praying for a natural delivery but am under no illusion that that will be a walk in the park either.

I'm suffering from a rectocele, issues linked fo that and a very injured coccyx after my second (natural) birth. If I had another (not happening, but let's imagine it!) I'd ask for an elective. My friend had an awful natural birth first time round. A few weeks ago she had an elective and is finding the recovery much much easier.

My ‘natural’ birth from failed induction x 3 , induction to finally giving birth took 7 days. My body just didn’t ‘do birth’. I was forced to deliver ‘naturally’ after 6 nights of zero sleep. I was cut 3 times and tried forceps. My son was eventually delivered by ventouse after 2.5 hours of being up in stirrups pushing. I couldn’t walk properly for around 9 months afterwards. I also ended up with infected stitches which were missed multiple times resulting in a kidney and urinary infection which meant that when baby was 10 days old, we had to go back into hospital for a week.

My second child just under 4 years later was delivered by planned c/ section. It was lovely - I felt in complete control, my concerns were listened to and I didn’t get shouted at for not working hard enough! The recovery was a little painful, but nothing near as traumatic as the first.

Both of my vaginal births were fine. Some discomfort sitting and using the toilet but only for a few days. I was out and pushing the pram after two days. Don't do that though, take your time to rest after birth, i was just stir crazy and needed fresh air.

@Handsoffstrikesagain b2b is painful (if no time for relief) but my baby turned just before coming out so fingers x

@Handsoffstrikesagain yes, my DSis saw her GP and she was fobbed off about her discomfort post birth for a long time. It turns out that she had a prolapse. She’s doing much better now thankfully.

This is purely vanity driven & not a given but the main reason I don't like my CS as my stomach/public area skin doesn't lie the same way it did, there's an indent if that makes sense.

I've had both. Couldn't sit down for a fortnight after natural birth. C-section was an absolute breeze. I had zero pain afterwards and was driving in four weeks.
If I was having any more dc, I'd be praying for another breach baby 😂

All births are just so different I’m not sure you can use other people’s experiences to guide your choice. Go with what you’re comfortable with. I’m huge believer in what will be will be with birth- it’s just down to your body, baby, unique circumstances and there’s no way of predicting what will happen. I also think there’s a huge difference in experience between elective and emergency csections.

But for what it’s worth:
1st birth, induction, vaginal birth, baby got stuck + episiotomy and 3rd degree tear. Undoubtedly had the ‘hit by a bus’ experience. Needed a ring cushion to sit down. But I was back in the gym after 2 weeks, although took me 6months to start running.

2nd birth, elective csection. So calm in comparison and was out of hospital 23hrs later. Yes it’s painful surgery and I took paracetamol for 2 weeks after, but I was running at 8wks ppt. If I have a 3rd (50/50) I would have a csection for the (in my view) more ‘calculated’ risks.

3rd degree tear with my first. I had surgery and it was agony to sit for weeks, and I couldn't stand without pain for 7 months. I also had to have follow up surgery. Add to that multiple infections and invasive procedures and tests.

I'd take the section.

I've had a planned section, followed by a VBAC and then an elective c section. Both of my c sections went very smoothly, no pain during the op but yes recovery was sore. My recovery pain really didn't compare to the pain of labour. I won't go into too much detail but I had a traumatic birth that left me swearing never again, hence the elective c section, and if I could go back I would have gone for all c sections

Normal delivery 1 and 2 I was fine afterwards , very little discomfort .
Planned section I also had very little discomfort but I was more disabled by it eg couldn't carry weights , needed a bit of help for the first week or so.

I didn’t find c section recovery at all painful. I was weak and couldn’t move or lift easily but no actual pain at all. My scar healed very quickly which probably helped.

I’m having a planned c section, not for any particular medical reasons but because it’s what feels right for me - and that’s how it should be.

After a lot of research online and reading studies I’ve found that the risks are pretty similar, but with a vaginal birth a lot more is uncertain which worries me. So overall I prefer a planned c section. If it all goes to plan, which most likely it will, they can be really calm and wonderful experiences which I think I would be much more comfortable with. Xxx

Wow, thank you so much for so many comments. This is all incredibly helpful - thank you for taking the time and setting out the good and the bad so honestly.

This has been really, really useful in helping me understand the sheer extent of how much it varies - I know it’s not ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to vaginal birth, but I didn’t realise how much variety of experience and pain and recovery time there could be with C-section. Lots to think about there.

I am I think afraid of natural birth - @Ahbahbahbah you talked about your “episiotomy, stitches, a prolapse that still causes pain 6 years on and will need a surgery to fix”

This is exactly what I’m afraid of - I hope you don’t mind my saying that. I’m so sorry you went through that. Plus I am in a country where English isn’t the first language, although it is very widely spoken, and I’m not sure I can handle being shouted at in a foreign language that I have little understanding of (I am on a posting overseas) to try harder when I’m in enormous pain.

I’ve never had surgery before, I’ve never even broken a bone, so I don’t know what stitches are like to recover or how much a wound hurts after surgery. So lots of fear of the unknown.

Thank you so much, again. Including for your kind congratulations :)

In response to questions about why I am considering elective C-section - for exactly the reasons set out here really, fear of pain and tears and episiotomy or prolapse, and desire to be able to have an element of control.

I understand recovery is difficult from the perspective that you can’t lift anything or drive but I’m in the fortunate position that I will have help at home (my husband and a paid helper on week days) and I don’t drive anyway.

However, vaginal birth is pushed very hard in this country as a ‘better’, more ‘womanly’ experience - I was told by my doctor that my colleagues who had had vaginal births, who she also treated, ‘had done so well, such strong mothers’ - so it’s hard to get unbiased information. I have never had any desire for a vaginal birth, I just want a healthy child with as little lasting/avoidable damage to me as possible.

@DeusEx I had my first child in a foreign country where English was spoken but not the first language and it made the labour much more upsetting, and probably why my labour was so long. I was so stressed out with the staff! They were getting cross with me and huffing with me, then not speaking to me when I asked questions, and also doing weird stuff that would not have happened in the UK (not even sure it's legal!) That would be another reason for me to go for the CS!!

I think if this thread shows anything it is that there is no easy or pain free way of giving birth!!

I have had to vbs. Neither long, first technically a bit complicated and had an episiotomy but honestly mine didn't hurt at all getting it (baby was already crowning and I think they gave me a local). I did have a retained placenta so ended up in theatre for surgical removal and was stiched up there. I have to say my recovery afterwards, including my stiches was a breeze.

I HATE stiches. I was terrified of that bit and of being cut (I don't do well with stingy pain) but it was no problem.

Second birth was an absolute doddle. In the pool, was just contemplating gas and air when my waters broke and baby was born 4 mins later. Tore a bit (probably from the sheer speed and he was 8lb 13oz) but by the time they were going to stich me they decided it wasn't necessary. That was a bit stingier than my episiotomy but totally manageable. The after birth pains on that one, however, were a different story (apparently they get worse with each child). And I'm afraid if you're going to get them you'll get them whatever way you deliver (they are the uterus contracting to shrink down again).

I am pregnant again and may have to have an emergency c section (growth scans, damaged cord etc) and that scares me far more than the pain of labour or the bit afterwards. The idea of being cut open, while awake and the recovery while trying to look after 3 children gives me the shudders.

Like I said, I think some pain is part and parcel and noone can tell you how your body will react to either option. So my best suggestion would be to not think about what will hurt least but which is the safest for you and for baby. As long as the two of you are healthy everything else (even prolapses) can be fixed.