Need help from those who had c-sections!?

Question

I have a 2 yr old, and trying tryng for a second, With my first I had a vaginal birth, everything was pretty good, I was in labor for only 5 hrs., the contractions were unbearable but I didn't get epidural. Im not worried about that, what concerns me is afterwards. My doctor cut me to almost half my rectum. The recovery from that was horrific,for about 9 months after my son was born everytime I had a bowl movement I couldn't sit for 1/2 a day and it was excrutiating to pass. Sex was just as bad. I am terrified of going through it again. Please share your experiences of a c-section, I'm not sure if I should have an elective c-section?

Answer 1

My first two were born vaginally. No drugs. My recovery time was very quick. I had midwives for both.
My 3rd pregnancy, twins, was both. Baby A came vaginally. Baby B would not drop into the birth canal. I had a C-section. It was horrible! I had to have an epidural, which I hated. I had no control over what was happening. The pain was surprising. I was so doped up on pain killers, I couldn't even help care for my new babies. I couldn't stand up straight for two days. I walked like an old lady for a week. No lifting more than 9 lbs for 6 weeks. I'm just not used to being helpless. If you don't have help lined up after delivery, it's really hard at home. Bad experience. Sorry.

Answer 2

Personally I wouldn't have an "elective" c-section. I've had two c-sections because my first child was frank breech and my OB/GYN felt there was no way to safely deliver him natural although I went into labor and moved along very rapidly. My second child was born c-section only because where I am from the hospital has chosen to discontinue VBACs because of increased risk. I understand your worry though, your experience sounds terrible. My c-sections were not terrible nor was the recovery. I would wonder why your doctor made and incision so deep? That doesn't sound like a normal episiotomy incision. A friend of mine just delivered a 10 pound baby natural. She had a 3rd degree tear into the rectal muscle, but within 3 weeks has healed completely. I would question your doctor's judgement and consult a different OB/GYN before I would make any decision to have an elective c-section. Good luck!

Answer 3

wow ,I feel so fortunate for my experience. I had a c-section, and was wonderful in every sense of the word. this was not my first option on my birth plan it was actually to go vaginaly, partly because everyone kept asking me "your doing it vaginally right?" In my heart I felt that was the right answer but I was afraid of the pain of labor. Well it was 2 weeks before my due date and I started to get toximea so I was sent to the hospital to be induce for 3 days mind you. I had no luck I just was not dialating, so the doctor told me that he needed to do a c-section I was so releived..I was nervouse due to all the unknowns I told my nurse that I was getting nervous so as we were entering the operating room the nurse and the anathesiologist went over all my concerns and what to expext. The one thing I was so happy he told me is that I will feel short of breath and that it is nothing to be alarmed about, when you hear the doctor say "ok your going to feel some pressure"thats when you feel short of breath if they hadnt of told me to expect that I would have been a bit scared because it is very noticeable, I was lucky by the grace of god my obgyn was my delivering doctor who is also a surgyne. It took about 20 min. After the fact my recovery was quick, I had no problems caring for my son I was up walking around ,straight. The next day when the drugs wore off I took a shower it was very tender not unbearable but tender ,the nurse took off the staples she was surprise how well I was moving around as was my family. It was my first so I dont have anything to compare it to but my opinion is knowledge is power if you decided to do it do your homework on the process and ask the doctors as many questions you can to put you at ease. Im really sorry for the others who didnt have the same experience. So for me I wouldnt have done it any other way. I hope this helps to let you know there is always going to be a good and a bad side to everything we face in life. "different strokes,for different folks" take care. Jennifer Durham (Evans Mommy)

Answer 4

I've had two c-sections and one vbac(they went section, vaginal birth and then section again.) the section isn't bad, you just feel more pain in your stomach area for longer, and you are a bit more restricted in what you can do after wards, basically you can't lift anything heavier then your baby for about 6 - 8 weeks. They will give you pain meds to help with that, and showering everyday helps relieve itching from the incision healing and also it pretty much wipes out any chance of infection. Your scar will "shrink" in time and as long as you aren't vain enough to be worried about the scar you will be fine after. With the section, depending on the hospital, you may have to have a spinal block instead of the epidural, but I've had both and the spinal is better for blocking pain.
Even if I didn't have to have sections because of a medical problem I have, I would elect to have them anyway.

Answer 5

My first son was born vaginally (induced 3 weeks early due to preeclampsia), then my second son was a scheduled C-section due to placenta previa (I know, no luck with the boys, ha ha). My third (daughter) was deliverd by my choice, doctor said I could go vbac or another c-section. I chose the c-section. Basically, I knew what to expect, I could schedule it when I wanted to, and I had much less pain and complications than I did with the vaginal birth. Yes, the first day was a bit painful, but I remember thinking that the pain in my gut was nothing compared to the pain between my legs! The gut pain lasted about 10 days, while the other pain and inconvenience (no baths, waaaay more discharge than with a c-section), was almost constant for the 6 weeks following birth.

Whatever you decide, best of luck,

Barb

Answer 6

first of all maybe you should fined a new doctor. I'm not trying to be mean. I never heard of a doctor cutting so badly that it is painful to have a bowel for nine months. you poor thing. At any rate I have had both natural birth and a c section. the good part of the c section was that i felt no pain. I think the healing process was worse, but it really wasn't that bad. Then again I would rather take the discomfort from a c section rather then my rectum hurting like that for nine months. good luck

Answer 7

Don't have an elective c-section, please. I had to have one under emergency circumstances, and it was hellish. The surgery itself was fine...I was numb from the chest down, but the recovery...oh God.

What you went through with your first sounds horrible, and I can't imagine the pain. However, how often do you have a bm...once a day? With a c-section, you're cut open with a 6" wide incision through your skin and fat, abdominal muscles and your uterus. For some reason, many people seem to take c-sections lightly, forgetting that it IS a major surgery.

I had the worst time...I couldn't sit down, I couldn't stand up, forget trying to lie down, getting in the shower was painful, sitting on or standing up from the toilet was painful, bending over was painful...it was horrible. It's amazing how much your abdominal muscles are responsible for, LOL! This lasted (the worst of it) for two weeks, then gradually got better, but it was just a pain in the @ss. You can't drive, you can't just get up and leave to take your baby for a walk outside if the weather is nice...you can't do anything!

Is it possible to ask your doctor NOT to cut you this time? Most doctors don't do that anyway...they let the body tear naturally.

Answer 8

when i was pregnant i actually did hope and pray for a c-section. I know may sound odd to some people but i just didn't want to have anything coming out of me down there like that.

I had my son at 36 weeks cause i had pre-eclampsia and he was breech. (They couldn't stop my labor)

They took me into the operating room and i can remember them asking me if i wanted an epidural and i said no i wanna be knocked out cause i didn't wanna be laying there knowing i was being cut wide open.
I woke up after and i was in a great deal of pain and i was a bit drugged up.
I was so sore that i could not get out of bed on the first day, i had a catherter in me.
I was on a pain pump but i didn't like how that morphine made me feel so i was switched from that to 2 percocet 5mg's every 4 hours.
I will be honest with you nothing helps the pain not even morphine.
In all i had 17 staples and before i left the hospital they took them out and out some kind of glue strips on me.
That ride home was awful i mean every bump in the road will jar you.
The more you do get up though the more you will get that soreness out of you.
They sent me home on lortab 7.5mg's which sord of helped in a way but like i said nothing helps after having surgery.
I have had other surgeries (for endometriosis,cysts)

I was 21 at the time when i had my son and even if i could go back i would still have a c-section if i had the chose to.

I wasn't scared to be cut or nothing like that. I stayed in the hospital for 3 days.

I hurt for like 2 weeks if i recall and i did bleed for 6 weeks. If you have one then have help at home for about a week afterwards and please sleep when your baby does.

Good luck

Answer 9

I was 18 when I had my C section. My son was breech and would not move. I was laying there awake when they cut and mind you I was also strapped down. I did not feel them cutting until the end. The put me to sleep lol I can not remember much that day. I do know they had to give me Morphine in my IV. I hurt so bad I had to have this meds that make you contract. OMG did that hurt after being cut. lol I was in the hospital 3 day when I gout home I could not move at night I had spinal headaches I was so stiff I could not take care of my son. my friend had a baby vaginally and she was up moving around that night. I wish I had the chance to have a natural birth

Answer 10

At least the Dr. did not let you rip! If you think the first delivery was bad, how easy do you think it will be to have your gut cut open and stitched and stapled??? It is difficult to get up or down or stand up straight, I've had two with an ectopic pregnancy in between and the same place was cut into each time. Sounds like you are a real trooper 5hrs. you go girl, happy delivery!