C-section vs. vaginal birth

[spsmok]

Having read all these good and bad experiences mostly on CS, I'd just like to share mine on VB. I have always wanted a VB, just because it's the "natural" way. Personally, I wouldn't worry too much if my doc told me I needed a CS. After all, it's not a new medical procedure and I trusted my doc.

Labor lasted 3.5 hours for me, and it was not as painful as I had expected. Several hours after giving birth, I got out of bed w/o any pain - just a bit sore and fatigue. It was a very good experience for me. I guess I haven't really said much. To me, it just came naturally, and I must be one of the lucky ones.

 

[rads]

2 C-sections

Hello,

First time around I went into labour but had to have an emergency c due to fetal distress..the operation itself was a breeze....but the pain later was pretty bad..now I'm the sort of person who finds a blood test painful so it's all relative I guess....breafeeding was a bit difficult esp. for the first 24 hours as I had to lie in bed & turning from the right to left was very difficult...I had dissolvable stiches..so that was cool


Having said that ..the second time around I had a planned c section...this time around was a very different experience....the operation was a breeze again...I was breastfeeding in 3 hours after the surgery & the next morning was up and walking...did'nt even need painkillers...the pains went down from 7 to 2 after the stiches were removed 6 days later...it's 2 weeks now & I don't belive I had surgery 2 weeks ago.....


just my 2 bits....

all the best for whatever u plan....

 

[kasia]

long term problems

Hi

Alot of my work is with children and adults with learning difficulties and neuro-developmental delays.
Some problems which may arise(does not mean they will) which are associated with C- sections- Retained Spinal Galant Reflex, this reflex develops in utero and is there to get the baby to wriggle down the birthing canal, this reflex should be integrated around 3-9 months after birth, if this reflex remains unintegrated after this time, it has been associated with bed wetting, fidgeting, poor concerntration and poor memory. If it remains present on one side only it may also affect posture, gait and locomotion.
Also the baby coming head first down the birth canal sets the proprioceptors of the skin, if these are not set then the child may not like touch and could be tactile sensitive.

These problems are not associated with all C- sections

 

[carang]

just to remind you... even though i had an epidural with my c-section it was EXCRUCIATINGLY painful!!!!!!!!!!!!
i have talked to other women who have also found the operation horribly painful!

 

[HappyV]

Thank you to all those who pointed out that "up and running" is an expression: I have an honors degree in English Literature.
When I had my CS, there were eight women in my ward - all with C-sections. Not one of us was comfortably out of bed the next day. Two of us were restricted to the bed for 24 hours after the surgery.
I think to describe the aftermath of a CS as 'easy' and to say that you are in any way back to normal after 24 hours is at best, wishful thinking, and at worst, irresponsible when you are trying to give accurate information to someone trying to make the choice between a CS and VB.
Women's bodies are, on the whole and in general, built to give birth. I hear a lor of nonsense in HK about how Chinese women are 'small' and therefore need CS and an episiotemy. Wouldn't common sense along tell you that if Chinese women are 'small' then so are their babies?
There are many reasons why HK has one of the highest CS rates in the world, and I very much doubt it is because women here are 'smaller' or more in danger than their ethnic counterparts in other parts of the world. Why do so many women let the medical profession convince them that their bodies are in some way not innately capable of this natural act?
If you can have a VB, why on earth wouldn't you want to have one? Why would you want layers and layers of medical intervention with all the inherent risks? If you want an easier birth, have gas, massage, and an epidural. (Even an epidural raises the chance of needing a forceps or suction assisted delivery.)
It's easy to talk of CS as a choice, but there are responsibilites that go with that choice - such as a risk of the surgeon scraping the baby, or your uterine/rectal wall, and a much higher risk of infection. Of course there are risks with any birth - but surely the choice should be mostly based on medical reasons, not emotional ones.
And I say all this as a woman who had a very painful CS. If I have another, I will be doing my utmost to have a VB - despite a long history in HK of women being told that VB after CS is 'too difficult.'
I am sorry if any of this offends - perhaps what I find most interesting is that talking amongst friends, I never hear anyone descrive a CS as 'easy' - yet on this site, that word crops up all the time. Is calling a CS 'easy', 'easier' or 'not painful' a way for some women to somehow try and vaildatate the choice they made to have medically unnecessary major surgey?

 

[sunnysideup]

Hi HappyV, you obviously have a very strong opinion on this subject and also because you had a bad CS experience. Personally I appreciate your story. At the same time I appreciate other people's stories too.

You cannot say people are being irresponsible for telling a good story about CS. Please give them the benefit of the doubt that they are telling the truth. They would be irresponsible if they tell a lie about their personal stories and why should they? Why is it so hard to believe that other people could have good experience with CS? Could it be that they had better surgeons whereas you had yours in a public hospital with less experienced doctors (as you mentioned you were in a ward with 8 women)? I sincerely hope there isn't a big difference in the surgeons' ability between public and private hospitals in HK. If so, I shall opt to go private.

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, preferrably in a constructive way ie. not to slag other people off. As I said, it is not a competition. You don't have to go all judgemental on people. We are free to choose what we do to our body. It's our body afterall. We don't need approval from anyone but ourselves.

And by the way, isn't there a big risk associated with VBAC? Are you going to ignore the advice of the medical world? Whatever you decide next time, please take care and try to take advice from others.

Sunny

 

[aldougie]

HappyV I can assure you that it is neither wishful thinking or irresponsible when I say that I was up and about the next day after both my c-sections. I wasn't hopping and skipping but I was certainly not in pain and able to move about as well, if not better, than everyone else that I saw whilst I was there. I drove both times after a week (against advice but without problems) and I breastfed my first daughter until I got pregnant again and am still feeding my 2nd child a year later. Not everyone has bad experiences with c-sections and whilst I wouldn't advocate elective c-sections I wouldn't condone anyone that chose to go down that route. I have friends that had awful vaginal births and friends that didn't recover as quickly as I did with a c-section but ultimately it is down to the individual.

 

[blediting]

Easy c-section

I think to describe the aftermath of a CS as 'easy' and to say that you are in any way back to normal after 24 hours is at best, wishful thinking, and at worst, irresponsible when you are trying to give accurate information to someone trying to make the choice between a CS and VB.

When did anyone say they were back to normal after 24 hours?? Whether you have a VD or c-section I doubt anyone would be "Back to normal" straight away..

I am sorry if any of this offends - perhaps what I find most interesting is that talking amongst friends, I never hear anyone descrive a CS as 'easy' - yet on this site, that word crops up all the time. Is calling a CS 'easy', 'easier' or 'not painful' a way for some women to somehow try and vaildatate the choice they made to have medically unnecessary major surgey?

Well now you've heard more than one person describe the process as "easy" so there you go - you learn something new every day!
Every person has an individual birthing experience - some people's level of pain is better than others and some cope better physically and mentally in various situations - you obviously did not cope with your c-section very well and would opt for a VD in the future - again, a "personal" choice - one which none of us judge you for, so why do you judge others for their decisions - why does it bother you so much?
Is it perhaps because YOU have not been able to deal with your issues of having had a c-section??

 

[rani]

Thanks everyone for particpating in the discussion. I think we've given Marisa enough feedback to make an informed decision.