Which is easier? Vaginal birth or a C section?

Question

Ive heard if you tear and need stitches during vaginal birth (or get an Episiotomy) the healing period can be about the same as it would if you got a C section. With an epidural how bad do Episiotomys hurt? Whats the healing period? How long after do you feel pain? Thanks!!

Answer 1

EPISIOTOMY:
PAIN: With an Epidural you will be fine until the anesthesia wears off and then it will be painful until the incision heals. Sometimes it takes a few weeks for it to heal.
HOWEVER: Research has shown that if you tear naturally during birth, the recovery is a lot quicker and less painful than if the doctor actually takes a pair of scissors and cuts into your perineum, making more room for the baby. Putting off allowing the doctor the doctor to do an Episiotomy and allowing yourself to tear a bit is better, in the long run, for you. Button-holing is a procedure where a cut would be performed to direct 3rd degree tearing away from the anus and rectum. You could tell your doctor ahead of time that you would prefer this to be used as a last resort. It will most likely be better than a full Episiotomy.
PREVENTION:
There are ways to prevent having either the natural tears or an Episiotomy. Your doctor probably hasn't told you about this because he is more concerned about getting the baby out than about your comfort. But you can have both. The most important aspect is to deliver slowly. Doctors who are in a hurry to get the baby out will resort to Episiotomy at the mother's expense, when gentle pushing and patience would provide for both ends-delivery of baby and intact perineum. As a first step, during the last couple of months of your pregnancy, gently massage your perineum (the skin between your vagina and your anus) daily with VITAMIN E OIL. (Getting your partner to help can be an added benefit.) You can find this oil at Walmart. Then, during the pushing stage of labor, warm oil (my midwife used OLIVE OIL) should be massaged onto the perineum. This helps the blood vessels to constrict, thus allowing for more elasticity. I found the warm oil massage a bit distracting, so with this baby I am going to try WARM COMPRESSES. Keep a crockpot with water and bath cloths on "warm" in your labor room. Have your labor assistant (friend, husband, etc.) hold a warm cloth on your perineum until it cools, then switch it out with a fresh cloth. You may wish to include this in your birth plan so that your doctor will know that someone will be helping you. They will usually allow many beneficial procedures (baby never leaving your sight, Vitamin K by mouth instead of injection, umbilical cord not cut until it finishes pulsating, etc) if you ask. But you have to ask because otherwise they just do what is most convenient for them.

VAGINAL or C-SECTION?
Although I have never had an Episiotomy, I can tell you that C-Section pain is totally different than Episiotomy. I would venture to tell you that C-section is worse, but I don't know that for sure. Here is what I do know. You can avoid intercourse (you probably won't want it anyway, but you can use alternative measures to please your partner) and all other situations that would increase the pain at your Episiotomy site. On the other hand, sneezing, coughing, laughing, and moving (maybe even severe hiccups) are all very painful during a C-section recovery and they can rarely be stopped at will. These occurances can make life miserable and dangerous if you were to tear open your incision. One thing that doctors don't usually tell you is that you will come out of the surgery with a deep cough because of the breathing tube that is inserted into your esophagus (whether you have an epidural or a general anesthesia). So you start out in pain because you have to cough and you can not help it. You don't always have time to grab the pillow and put it over your belly before you cough-which can help if you put enough pressure on your belly. Not to mention that nursing your baby is painful on your incision site, unless you learn how to lie on your side and nurse your baby while he is lying down. Then you still have to manage the pain while turning and positioning the baby.

There are many other benefits of a vaginal birth that are best for you and baby. Personally, I think that the decision to have a c-section that is not 100% necessary is a selfish decision because the mother wants to avoid pain. In the long-run, the natural way is best for everyone involved. And only a few cases really require C-section.

I can give you more information on this if you would like. Feel free to email me if you are interested.

Answer 2

Well--the bottom line is this--a vaginal birth is natural--even if you get an epsiotomy, etc..it is the way you are meant to give birth--so teh body is prepared for it adn can cope with it--now a c-section is an invasive surgical procedure--it is NOT nautral--the body is being invaded and sliced open--yes--it can be a safe procedure and it is sometimes necessary--but I don't think it should be anyone's first choice..It takes much longer to recover from a c-section than from a vaginal delvery (which often requires no recovery time--as it is--again--a natural process--if you use an epidural or get an episiotomy--that changes things--but still--it is not as invasive as getting cut open) I ahve heard taht peole get tremendous gas pains for about a week after a c-section-it sounds like a nightmare..but I was pretty sore from my episiotomy too--and the place where they cut me stillaches sometimes--so-I'd say--try for a natural vaginal delivery--it seems safest..Good Luck:)

Answer 3

No one can really answer this question for you. It all depends on you. There's a girl I work with who swears by C-sections, but she's never had a vaginal birth. I had a vaginal birth with an epidural and for me, it was the easiest part of the whole pregnancy, I felt nothing, after I had the baby, I wanted to walk from labor and delivery to the postpartum room. And I didn't need any Rx's after I went home. But I have a friend who had a baby vaginally and had the epidural and had so much back pain there after. SO that all depends on you, how big you are, how big the baby is, what your pain tolerance is.

Answer 4

With all due respect to Colleen, it does not take a yr. to heal from a section. Healing time is about 8 weeks. It is major surgery, and with it comes risks that you do not have with a vaginal birth. A c-section should not be used as a convenience tool. The pain afterwards is pretty intense for most people, simple walking is difficult. Now imagine taking care of a newborn when you are in pain and not able to stand up straight. Just know what your options are and take whatever comes.

Answer 5

For me it was the C-Section. LOL I had to have a general anesthic so I was out during it, as opposed to my late term abortion where labor was induced and I had to deliver the pregnancy. The healing period for a C-section is actually about a year or more because it is major abdominal surgery. The healing period for an epi is a much shorter period of time.

Answer 6

Im not exactly 100 % sure.. but my 1st doctor wanted me to get a C-Section ( im only 19 ) at first i was so excited, thinking to myself no pain no pain! haha well, in my lamaze classes i seen how disgusting it is to get a c-section compared to vaginal birth!! you can't really do much that night after your baby is born cause your going to be sore and bunch of other stuff. maybe you should watch a tape on it.!! Sooo I got a new doctor, and she doesnt think i need one! which im very excited about. A lot of people say you actually forget about all that labor pain we think yeah right, but my sister who just had a baby in october said she really did!! Plus you wouldnt want to miss out on the experience of real labor! :-)

Good Luck!

Answer 7

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