What really happens during a C-Section or Natural Delivery?

Question

I visit my doctor tomorrow to detemine whether or not if i will be about to deliver Vaginal or through a C-Section. I need to know the procedures and and the feelings of pains and the delivery itself.

Answer 1

I've had 3 c-sections. My first was emergency (cephalo-pelvic disproportion) and the other 2 were by choice. The operation itself is not painful, and your recovery should be well-managed by your doctors and nurses. I was up on my feet the same evening after having each child. The only drawback could be that you don't hold your baby immediately and you can't view the birth. There's also a possibility that your partner may not be able to be in the room with you if it's an emergency - that's something you'd need to ask your ob/gyn about. Either way, the important thing is that you get a healthy baby - the method shouldn't matter. Good luck!

Answer 2

My first baby was born via C section because she was breech. She was the 7 pounder, I had a V-BAC (vaginal birth after cesearean) the second time -- with a 9 pounder. Ugh. Anyway, after I recovered from the c-section I felt it was the greatest thing ever that is until I delivered naturally. The c-section took a lot out of me physically of course. The recovery wasn't bad, just slow. The worst part really was right after. I felt groggy for a bit. Then I had to be on a liquid diet for a bit until my insides returned to normal.
With the second baby the labor and delivery were the hard part but the recovery was a piece of cake. I was up immediately and while they were cleaning him up I was ordering food. I was starving! I was much more in tune and alert. I felt like a true cave woman and am so grateful for the experience.
I will never be one of those woman who thinks that everyone should enjoy pushing a baby out. I always got annoyed at those who said I really didn't "give birth" since I had a C. Bull. The end result is the same for both, all you want is a healthy baby and a healthy recovery.
C-sections though very common are still major surgery. My advice is to talk things through very well with your doctor. Personally I would try the vaginal route first and see what happens. You could go easily or you could end up with a C, you just never know. I wouldn't trade my experience of a vaginal birth for anything. It was wonderful, sure it was hard, but it was amazing.
Also remember, every woman that has given birth has a story. Some are good and some are bad. Make sure you do a wide poll before making a decision. People love to tell the horror stories from either way of having a baby. Don't let those scare you.
Good luck to you and congratulations on your pregnancy.

Answer 3

I don't know anything about natural delivery, but I have had two c-sections in the last 2 years. The last one being a month ago. During a c-section they are going to first numb you from the upper-mid back down. Usually using a spinal or an epidural. Then they are going to strap you down to an operating table with your arms out. A curtian will be up so that you cant see anything that is happening. If you have some one with you in the operating room they will be sitting up by your head. They will then procede to cut open your lower abdomen usually its about 4-6 inches of a cut. The baby will be taken out along with the afterbirth and what not. They will take the baby and get him or her cleaned up enough and let you see him or her really quick then finish what they need to do with the baby. Next they will start to sew you back up and you will have staples put in. After that you will be taken to recovery to regain feeling from your anistetic. They may bring in the baby for you to hold and see. Then your sent to your room to start the recovery process.

It really isnt all that bad. This was my experience with it, some hospitals may differ but probably not by much. Good luck if you go this way! And congratulations on your soon to be new arrival!

Answer 4

what really happens is that yes you guessed it you have a baby lol
please dont get the c section if medicaly possible as its major abdominal surgery you can bleed to death ect there are way less risks involved with a vaginal delivery you will be up and walking with in hours with a c section its not usually untill the next day and its so incredible painful to laugh sneeze caough talk ect
please take my advice go the vaginal i am from australia and you americans have such a high c section rate its unbeleivable why is this?
the reason i no all this is because i am a midwife i see tons of ladies go through deleveries everyday the vaginal is an alround best dont take the easy way out you wil regret it
goodluck

Answer 5

If you can deliver natural, i say GO FOR IT! I went 19hrs into labor, then rushed c-section...my son just wasn't descending. Not only that, my epidural wore off the last 4 hrs of that labor... not a very good feeling, I've never cried harder in my life! The spinal epidural didn't work either when they went to do my c-section, so they had to put me under... it was my first experience with all of this, and very scary. When I woke up, I had to have an oxygen mask on me- which I am claustrophobic, so it was frightening for me- which I think is weird...but being woken up to a mask on me felt weird, and I also felt like I couldn't breathe... anyways, when they moved me to my room, and when I actually had to move to the other bed, I felt like I had been cut in half!!!! OH MY GOODNESS the pain was horrible! The very next day, they expected me to get up and walk- which made me very dizzy- had to have water and ice chips at all times.... also, if you do have a c-section, roll up the white hospital blanket, and use that for pressure on your incision... especially when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or even walk... it helps! But yes, it was terrible pains for the first 2 months.... now I still get pains here and there where my incision is, but it's not nearly as bad... but it reminds me of that pain I was in. So I'm scared, and pray I can have a natural birth next time. My baby weighed 9lbs 10oz, and I'm smaller, so he just didn't fit resulting in my c-section...they said next time at 36 weeks they will give me an ultrasound to see where I'm at and then go from there.

Goodluck, i really advise on natural if you can. If you get the epidural and it works the entire time, you won't feel too much- just pressure.... I was giggling with my dad- he made me laugh a lot during my labor when the epidural was working.

Answer 6

Ive had 3 natural births and It was great because afterwards I was fine again and able to move around immediatley. With my first 2 it was a little more difficult because Ihad to have the episiotomy, but with the 3rd I didnt have one and I was in no pain afterwards at all. With a C section you have to heal and it just seems like a pain to have that and take care of a baby. If you have to have it then fine, you cant help that, but if you are looking for an elective C section, I wouldnt do that.

Answer 7

go natural if you can (i mean if there are no health risks involved in using that method). I've done it twice and the 2nd one was so easy. Baby is born, couple hours later I'm walking around the recuperation room waiting to be discharged. And like the other girl said, you dont want to be taking care of the scar of c section, your baby, and you super sore chapped nipples from breastfeeding. One less thing to worry about.

Answer 8

after I had my first toddler, I had to have an emergency c-section after about 12 hours of exertions! They knocked me out at 8:40 5 am and that i got here to about 11:30 am yet did not get to depart fix till about a million:00 pm. So my son replaced into various hours previous earlier I were given to ascertain him. With my second toddler, i opt for to have a scheduled c-section so as that i did not could do the entire exertions project and then finally end up with a c-section besides. This time I had an epidural and it replaced right into much better. All I felt replaced right into a touch pulling and tugging. I were given to carry my toddler proper after she replaced into born. i replaced into really in fix for variety of an hour after the surgical procedure. I looked as if it would recuperate fantastically quickly when I were given living house from the well being facility. the hardest area replaced into getting up the first time after surgical procedure. yet each and each and every time you do it, the better it receives. Congratulations on your toddler and powerful good fortune.

Answer 9

wow, at least you get to prepare yourself!! I've had 3 babies, and I'm due again in 3 weeks. 2 vaginal, 1 emergency c-section.

every pregnancy, every birth is different, so you're likely to get a lot of different answers here. there is no right or wrong.

With a vaginal delivery, there is a lot of poking and prodding before you even get in the delivery room. Personally, i found that when the midwife was feeling my belly to check if the baby was engaged or not, that hurt the most, even more than the actual birthgiving! what they do is lie you on a bed and press REALLY hard around your lower abdomen and pelvis. You will need to hold someone's hand for this. The best thing to do is breathe out as they begin, take long deep breaths, and try to keep your lower half relaxed. easier said than done though.
They may have to hook you up to an IV for fluids.
They keep a monitor belt on you to keep track of how baby is doing, this is a traumatic time for bub as well, and can become distressed.
when they FINALLY take you to the delivery room, they will be doing internal examinations pretty often, to see how much you've dilated, and also to keep on top of any nasty surprises. Like feet instead of a head, that happened to me. Anyway, if you need or want anything, like pain relief, a shower to help ease the pain, a heat pack, some water, or just want to walk around a bit, all you have to do is ask. Be aware that not everything will be possible, it could be too late for certain pain relieving drugs. That sucks! Labour pains are sort of like your worst period cramps ever, then multiply that by a thousand. The thing to remember is that it is pain with a purpose, and that it does end. You will come to a point where you swear you need to go do a poo. they will not let you anywhere near a toilet, because it's just baby's head pressing on your bowels, and if you did try to poo, you could end up pushing your baby into the toilet!! But birth is not very far away at all, when you feel like this, it's time to push! It's difficult to describe HOW to push, i guess it's kinda like pushing out the biggest crap of your life. when baby starts to crown, it feels like a stretching, burning sensation. I found this to be less painful than contractions, but that's just me. getting the head out is definitely the hardest bit, followed by the shoulders, but then bub just slides right out. You will feel soooo relieved after all that. But it doesn't end there, you still have a placenta to get out. you'll still be contracting, but nowhere near as intensely. It pretty much slides out too, with very little pushing. It feels kind of like a large blood clot. (With my first, the placenta didn't come out on its own, even with drugs to make it come out, they had to take me in to theatre and get it out manually. They knocked me out completely for this)

As for a c-section, this is often portrayed as being the easy option, but the reality is so far from that it's not funny. If it's a scheduled c-section, they'll take you in and prep you for surgery. then they'll pop an epidural in your back, which can hurt, but after that you don't feel a thing for about 3-4 hours. they put a screen up across your belly, so you can't see the gory stuff. They rub ice over you to make sure you can't feel anything, and paint your belly with some sort of anti-bacterial cleanser. They won't say when they're about put the scalpel in or anything, but they will let you know that they've already started. The whole procedure seems a lot more civilized and orderly than a vaginal birth.

In the event of an emergency c-section... welcome to hell. You will be contracting away, already in the worst pain you're ever likely to experience, then some unfeeling doctor will be trying to get you to keep still while they stick an epidural in your back. Yeah, right! After they get the epidural in, you can't feel a thing. It's pure bliss, until the anaesthetic wears off.

The difference is that with a c-section you won't be able to hold your baby straight away. You will itch something chronic. and when the anaesthetic wears off, it will HURT. The midwives on the ward will try and get you to sit up as soon as possible. For me, this was the most excruciating pain i have ever endured, even worse than childbirth. I was too scared to stand up, i honestly felt like my wound was going to come open and all my insides were gonna fall out onto the floor. That can't happen though. You will need help to shower for at least the first 2 days after a c-section. it's pretty difficult to walk about too, i had to be wheeled everywhere for 5 days. I then found out that my pain was due to an infection in my wound!! it was pretty much non-stop drama for me, but not everyone goes through that much pain.

Personally, i much prefer a vaginal birth over a c-section. The only real discomforts after a vaginal birth are afterpains, which feel pretty much like bad period cramps, but they're bearable, and you should be offered painkillers for that. Also going to the toilet the first few days, it will probably sting a little, due to grazes on baby's way out, but these are unavoidable. Drink LOTS of water, to dilute your urine. The midwives can also give you a urine neutralizing drink, which will help. c-sections are difficult to recover from. it takes at least 6 weeks to fully recover. You won't be able to drive for a few weeks either. In hospital, they will offer you LOTS of strong painkillers. TAKE THEM!!!!

Please remember that these have been my personal experiences only, for you it may be better, or it could be worse (let's hope not though!!) I hope i didn't scare you too much. i wish you all the best, and good luck!!

Answer 10

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