giving birth dillema?

Question

i want to have c section but my hsuband thinks natural birth is the way to go....but i am very tight down there so i dont know the idea of pushing a baby out..scary..so i was thinking of c section...what are the down sides of c section? the scar? i am petite woman so i am not worried about the stomach pouch cuz ihave never gained weight on my tummy ...for some reason the fat doesnt stick there

Answer 1

Your doctor won't do a c/s just because you want one. It is major surgery and they will only do it if there is a medical indication that it is necessary.

There is a greater risk of infection with a c/s.
Women who have a c/s lose about 2x more blood than women who have a vaginal birth.
Possible respiratory complications due to anesthesia.
Other reactions to anesthesia, such as blood pressure problems.
Longer hospital stay.
Longer recovery time.....less mobility post-partum.
Mom's bowel function may be slow for a while post-partum after a c/s.
Risk of maternal death increases by 3x for a c/s!
Babies born by c/s are more likely to have breathing problems.
With a scheduled c/s, baby may just not be ready to be born.
Baby may be sleepy from the meds they give mom.
Rarely, there can be fetal injury such as baby being nicked when the uterine incision is made.
Post-partum antibiotics increases risk of thrush for mom and baby.

I am a tiny person too. I've only ever weighed over 100 lbs when I have been pregnant. I've had three spontaniously occuring, unmedicated vaginal births. Babies were boy 7 lbs 13 oz, girl 7 lbs 7 oz and girl 8 lbs. You CAN do this. Your body was designed to do this.

There are hormones that your body will release leading up to labor and during labor that will loosed up things in your pelvic region. DO NOT push flat onyour back with your feet in stirrups. This is the WORST position to push out a baby. Get gravity on your side! Squatting opens up the pelvic outlet wider and makes things easier!

Have hubby help you to do perineal massage prior to the birth to help prepare your body.

Have good prenatal nutrition. This will make your skin more elastic and help you stretch more.

You can use warm compresses, massage or have a waterbirth to help you stretch better during labor as well.

Take a childbirth class and do some reading so that you can make informed decisions. Also, learning more will help you deal with your fears.

Birthing From Within by England is a GREAT book for dealing with birth fears. Other good books are The Birth Book by Dr. Sears, The Birth Partner by Simkin and Husband Coached Childbirth by Dr. Bradley.

Answer 2

Dear Pocahontas,

Giving birth can be very scary sometimes but as a mother of two, I would recommend going natural for the reasons the women mentioned. I gave birth both times vaginally but have had to have abdominal surgery twice (hysterectomy and ovarectomy) and the pain from the abdominal incision lasts a lot longer than the pain from the labor and delivery. Besides, it will be difficult to hold the baby after a c-section birth or you will have a lot more medical expenses as well.

You will be able to move around a lot more quickly with a vaginal delivery. Sure the delivery may be more painful, but with breathing and other techniques, it may not be too bad.

If you are worried about the pain and tightness, there are some exercises that can be done to help with the stretching in your opening so you can give birth more easily. Ask your doctor about it.

It sounds like you are really worried about the pain. I had just a half-dose of pain medication on my second delivery and did fine. But my doctor allowed me to sit in a tub during my labor. My hubby used the Water Pik to run water over my painful contractions while I sat in a small tub of water. It dropped the pain of the contractions down to very little pain and the labor move a lot faster. The only problem is that you have to convince the nurses not to keep you on the monitors all the time.

UPDATE: Besides, if you are worried about getting a flat belly back. I can never wear a bare abdomen swimsuit ever again. I have a permanent pouch where the muscles were cut to get to the uterus and it is an unsightly pouch that probably will take plastic surgery to get rid of.

Answer 3

You will be amazed at how much you can stretch down there! Try perineal massage with a bit of vegetable oil every night. During labor, have hubby hold warm compresses on your perineal area. This softens and relaxes it. When I had my first I was only sixteen years old, and was only 5'3''. (Did an adoption)I also only weighed 125 at the last appointment before I gave birth! You can do just fine and give birth vaginally without a problem. A cesarean really does carry a lot of risk for both you and your baby, and if you want to keep a nice flat tummy, severing those muscles with a cesarean sometimes ruins that for good for many women! Your husband has the best interests of both you and your baby at heart. Unless the doctor feels it is medically necessary, avoid a cesarean like the plague! I am sure you would be very pleased with your experience if you received an epidural. It is very safe.

Answer 4

My good friend is 4'11" and probably doesn't weigh more than 97 lbs.... her husband is 6'2" and she had two boys naturally with no problems.

Generally, C-sections are only performed if, after examination, the doctor determines that a vaginal birth will somehow be dangerous to either the mother, the baby or both. I've also heard that once you've had a C-section, you are strongly encouraged to have only C-section births after that because of the concern that during pushing the uterus will rupture at the point of scarring from previous operation(s).

If you DO have a C-section, talk extensively with your doctor about this detail and whether or not he/she would be willing to let you consider a vaginal birth further on down the road should your change your mind with a future pregnancy. Also, be sure you discuss with your doctor that you want a LATERAL Cesarean: a C-section that is cut across the grain of the uterine muscles. You are more likely to be able to have a vaginal birth later on than with a c-section that is cut WITH the grain of your uterine muscle. My understanding is that this second type of surgery is rarely, if ever, performed anymore... but it doesn't hurt to clarify.

I have also read that when you have birthed your baby via cesarean, you have little or no time to hold your baby immediately after it is born, because the doctor is more focused on sewing you back up. This may or may not be true, so again you might want to ask your doctor what his/her procedures are in a surgery like that.

Lastly, abdominal surgery can be extremely challenging to heal from. Not only are your uterine muscles traumatized, but your stomach muscles as well. And you have NO idea how much you use those muscles until they're in pain. You use them to sit down, stand up, laugh, lay down, rise, turn your torso.... and you'll have a new born baby that you'll be having to get up and down to care for every two to three hours. If you're breastfeeding, you'll need to get specific guidance as to how you are going to feed your baby, because you won't be able to set him/her on your belly while they feed.

Mind you, I'm not sharing all of this because I think vaginal births are any better or worse that C-sections... but you asked what all is involved and this is what I have come across in my readings and inquiries. Hopefully other moms out there, who have actually HAD a C-section, will be able to share their experiences with you.

Lastly, I recommend reading "The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy" which was very humorous yet informative reading and had, I think, some very interesting insights into the Cesarean procedure.

Good luck and congratulations on your baby!

Answer 5

A woman's body is made to push a baby out naturally. That's how most of us got here!
I had all 3 of my babies via Cesarean, because two were buttocks breech and large. I would've preferred a vaginal delivery. They're easier on your system at a time when you most need your physical strength--after all, you will be taking care of a newborn right after the birth--adding in major surgery only makes the challenge greater!
C-Sections ARE major surgery! Many bodily organs are removed and manipulated prior to the opening of the uterus to deliver the baby. You will bleed much more, and you may experience gas, reactions to the anesthetic, etc, etc. Those are some of the risks involved. Why choose them, when they may not be necessary? Isn't the idea here to have a healthy child?
I think most of us, if we're honest, would admit to wondering how on earth we would push that huge baby out of that tiny opening, but I hope your delivery will be easy, and all goes well for you. Best wishes with your new baby!

Answer 6

Do you just feel tight down there, or have you been told by your doctor that your anatomy doesnt allow for vaginal birth?

Everyone is tight down there, but our bodies grow babies in relation to our size, except in very rare circumstances where a c-section is the only way for mother and child to survive.

Generally though, a normal vaginal delivery is safer for mother and baby. The baby's scull and sinuses are shaped better when birthed naturally. Most c-section babies end up with sinus issues.

There is a greater chance of infection with a c-section, and youre recovery time is much longer, and you cant do even the most basic of things, such as hauling a carrier around with the baby in it. Plus, nursing and holding the baby really makes your incision site incredibly sore and irritated.

You can choose any way you want. Some women just dont like the idea of laboring and giving birth, others live for it.

Answer 7

Ok, i did have one and the pain afterward lasts much longer than the pain during. True there is a permanent scar and there are always possibilities of complications. Think about it they are cutting your stomach open, through muscle-which you will have to rebuild all over again, and moving things around. Personally i have a high pain tolerance so the stomach staples wasn't that big of a problem but not having any stomach muscles took time to get used to. Plus i am pretty sure there are different results for the different kinds of c-sections. i would say check out all options first. If you say you are as small as you think you are you may end up having a c-section anyways because you won't dilate enough. i would say explore all options and make a decision.

Answer 8

You'll still have a stomach pouch after giving birth...trust me. If they cut into those muscles, it does make it more difficult to bring them back to tone after being stretched the way they are. The scar is usually along the bikini line and easily hidden. However, the recovery time after a C-section is a lot longer than a vaginal birth.

Your doctor is your best decision-maker when it comes to deciding what is right for you. I would definitely go the natural route, so I agree with your husband. Your body will know what to do. If it doesn't work, you can always have the C-section. But you'll never know unless you try!

Answer 9

Women, even petite ones, are naturally made for childbirth. Granted, there are some women who have a small pelvis that will not allow for natural childbirth, but most women can. Your body naturally accomadates childbirth as well. The pelvis widens and the muscles loosen to allow for passage of the baby through the birth canal. This is all a process that occurs naturally. Unless the OBGYN or midwife thinks that you cannot have a natural birth, there is no reason not to try. Often times a C-section is a result of other complications besides the woman being too small. I would consult your OBGYN or midwife.

Answer 10

After a natural delivery, your are back to normal in a couple of days, as far as getting up and down and doing light house work and all of that. Also, childbirth is natural for your body. It shouldn't really matter how petite you are. I weighed 100 lbs when I got pregnant and delivered fine! Let your doc decide. If he thinks you physically cannot deliver, he'll let you know. If he thinks you can, natural is the way to go. It is a lot less painful afterwards, and you can get pain medication during labor and delivery. After the delivery of both of my kids, I was walking around within a couple of hours just fine, but my sister had a c section and couldn't do anything for a couple of weeks!