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I had an interesting conversation today that when they have a baby (years away) they are going to have a c section because they can't handle pain and a vag birth wrecks your body?!?!
I was a little gobsmacked.
I would have thought it would be the other way around!!
Love MN ;-)
Well fingers crossed they'll get an OB or get some education to advise them of the pros and cons of both situations so that they can make an informed choice
lol totally!
I think its very different / personal for each woman.
Depends on the 'circumstances on the day' lol (a term I've heard of a lot lately lol).
I've had 2 x c/s's and have been lucky to recover well on both occasions - however not everyone is so lucky. No doubt the same story exists with VB's too?
My sister has the same thoughts and its the only reason she had 2 c/sections! Unreal isnt it!
I think its really sad that people think like this, and that its even sadder that most OBs dont even seem to argue - or educate people on the facts.
I think it has alot to do with confidence and information.
When you don't understand something its natural to fear it. I found educating women about what labour pain actually is does immense things for the confidence they have in their bodies, in themselves and in their birthing ability.
On the other hand- if shes informed and confident in her decision then thats that hey :)
oh wow! well i guess every woman is different.....i just know that with DS i had a c/s and was on morhpine for the first 2 days (which made me soooo sick) and was also stuck in bed for 2 days cause i couldn't move and then couldn't walk properly for weeks afterwards cause i was in so much pain from the major abdominal surgery....with DD had a VBAC and stitches, but as soon as the epidural wore off i was walking around, i couldn't believe the difference!!....and with J well.....no stitches at all, perfect birth and within a few days didn't even know i'd had a baby.......personally vaginal delivery is sooooo much better....but each to their own :dunno:
Interesting but a thought that many women may have? My gf was discussing the same thing with another friend of hers - first bubs was emerg. c-sect and she wanted a vbac. Friend suggested she just have a vbac so she not 'wreak' down there as well as her tummy.....
my DH wanted me to have a c-section with our first baby cause he thought he was quick and painless until he went to antenatal classes and realised how much more recovery is involved
i had 2 easy natural births with stitches and was bouncing around the ward only hrs after i had my 2nd
different story with my 3rd as currently ill need a c-section
Most people my age (early 20's) have that view. Scares the crap out of me and makes me so frustrated when I hear it. All we can do is provide the correct info I guess.
I've had two c-sections, one went to plan and the other didn't... unfortunately it's almost like luck of the draw on the outcome in regards to pain... fingers crossed this one will be positive...
My situation is a bit unusual because I had SPD. I had a VB first time around because everyone told me that SPD did not mean I would need a caesar. Worst thing I ever did. An 18-month recovery and for the first six months I was basically housebound. Also meant I delayed having no. 2.
Opted for a caesar the second time around, despite many well-meaning people on here again telling me that I needn't have one. THE best thing I ever did. I was better after six days than I was after six months after the VB and immediately contemplated no. 3, the recovery was that good.
I agree that some people are misinformed and seem to think that a caesar is an easier option but I also think that some people put a VB on a pedestal that is not always useful for people like me who face a unique set of circumstances that make it totally advisable.
There are a lot of myths out there about birth and it can be hard for someone to stand up and say "no, that's not the way it is" to people who've had this stuff ingrained in them for generations.
I'm not ttc yet but I've already had people in my family say to me:
"You should have a caesar because you have a very low pain threshold and would never handle the pain of a natural birth."
"You won't be able to have a natural birth because your Mum had to have caesars. She would have died if she'd tried a natural birth and so would have you and your siblings."
I've read a lot on childbirth but it's still going to be an uphill battle for me to get support for a natural/vaginal birth. It would be even harder for someone who might not be educated on the subject. Especially when all you ever hear are the horror stories and that normal natural births are the exception.
completely understand that as well. i also had a friend who has had 2 c/s with her kids, and had staples (i had stitches) and i couldnt get over how quickly she recovered as well!! i was a wreck after my c/s, but she seemed to bounce back great. also, if i were to have another baby.....i reckon i would choose to have an elective c/s at 37 weeks just because of my situation......so like i said, each to their own......:
I think until you have been through a traumatic painful vag birth you can't say its better than a c/section. The pain and issues that I had were far worse and went on for far longer than my twin sis who had a emergency c/section. I was on pain meds for a whole lot longer and I KNOW I don't have a low pain threshold - I have endometriosis!!! My sis has since had a vbac and wishes she opted for c/section again.
Yes I hear about the quick recovery peeps make after vag, but that didn't happen for me! just my opinion though :)
I completly understand for different circumstances. and I understand the differnce of opinions and beliefs.
But with a routine Vag and a routine csection. wouldn't the healing be better for the Vag.
and as far as wounds/stretching/tearing etc, the csection is more invasive and damaging? I am correct in thinking that yes?
I'm not pro-c-section MN but I am anti-demonising c-sections if that makes sense. My c-section was an absolute walk in the park. ESPECIALLY compared to my VB (which was not a routine one though). Much easier recovery.
I had a traumatic induced vaginal birth with DD1. Even 6 months later I was still experiencing pain. I was absolutely dreading birthing DS. His induced birth turned into an emergency csection but even with staples in my belly, I couldn't believe that I felt less pain afterwards. DD2 was born by elective csection and again I had absolutely no problems with the recovery. I wouldn't hesitate to have another csection. Just me though :)
Brilliant c section here as well, despite a bleed and subsequent transfusion. I was out walking around town with the pram and my shopping just 5 days post op and never had a single problem with my recovery,yet my friend had a vaginal birth and was laid up with terrible pain for about 6 weeks after birth, despite no tearing or stitches.
Every experience is completely different.
IMO it's not about VB vs c-section. It's about education. Clearly the person MN had this conversation with is uninformed. Hopefully they can make use of the years before giving birth to learn more about it.
Sex After Childbirth - Will It Ever Feel The Same Again?
There's something for the birth and it's effects on sex/vaginas.
Thanks Kelly for putting up that article I read it with interest. However that was not the case for me. My 1st birth was horrendous. I ended up under a GA with the episiotomy from hell. It would have been easier and kinder to do a c/s. I ended up having repair surgery (that I'm not sure even worked) in 2005 as when they sewed me back up from the epi they didn't sew my pelvic floor muscles back together :o . I felt then, and still do, the after effects from that 1st birth. I used to have great control of my p/f muscles and now there is nothing, also I have numb patches from the mega scarring that occurred. I'm sure a c/s would have caused much less problems for me. In saying that I went on to have 3 vag births after my 1st (no noticable difference to the sex angle though) and then a c/s due to PE. My c/s was good. Not much pain afterward and I did take it easy for the next 6 weeks but after that i was fine. I'm very well educated on v/b v's c/s but I'm still tossing up what to do with this next birth. Have many aspects to consider and not much time left lol.
I do think it depends on the person, the situation and the trauma suffered...from either VB or C/S.
I have had 5 natural, drug free VB and two emergency c-sections (one classical) I recovered quickly from my c-section but I would have a VB over a c-section any day.
I think it is about a fully imformed birth...knowing the pros and cons and making the choice for your situation.
But for me I have to agree that the recovery from a VB is much quicker and less painful (I was up showering with in 20min) then from my c-sections.
It's like anything really, there will always be anecdotes that buck the trend and personal circumstances that must be considered when deciding to have a vaginal birth over a CS. Ultimately the statistics speak for themselves. At a population level, women recover better from vaginal births than CS's and have less complications and long lasting pain. But we are not populations, we are individuals and that is why it is so great to live in a place where our informed choices are respected (hopefully) and we can make these very personal decisions for ourselves.
That's beautifully said trav!!!!
Love MN ;-)
^^ That's the exact reason you can't make blanket statements. It's all about the individual.:
Unfortunately there is no real way of knowing how any labour or birth will go. I know of one woman whose relative had an experience so bad, she chose a CS thinking to avoid the same thing happening. I know someone who had a CS, loved it, had another & the recovery was horrific. She said if she'd known the second time was going to be like that, she would have considered a VBAC.
My own VBAC was born originally, from the fact that I found my own CS so horrible, and I had had a previous VB which was quick & easy.
There are so many different stories, so many different scenarios, the only thing I wish is that women would be informed. When I was 16 & pregnant with my first I was terrified of giving birth & would happily have accpeted a CS, had one been offered :dunno:
Traveller :clap: that was beautifully said.