Cesarean Section vs. Natural Childbirth

I was chatting w/ another member tonight, talking about the birth of my, now teenage, daughter. Oh, what a night. My water broke at about 8:00 pm and by 8:00 pm the following night there was still no baby. UG

So I was rushed off for a c-section and finally, there she was. And all of you moms know that feeling of absolute elation and happiness. Wow! And until the epidural wore off I really didn't think about how she got here.

Well, when it was time for my son's birth there was no guessing game, I couldn't experience the natural birthing process so the c-section was scheduled well in advance.

Did I ever fell that I missed out on anything becuase I couldn't have a child naturally? Nope. Now, I didn't care for the increased pain and longer recovery, but never felt that I wish it could have been different.

So I guess my question is:

If you had a c-section(s) did you feel like you missed out on the whole natural birth process? And even if you haven't, do you think it would be more or less fulfilling either way?

Rush

My sister-in-law had natural the first time and had like a 48 hour delivery due to the idiot doctor, not wanting to call of his golf tourney, and no that's not a joke lol...was the truth...and then had a c-section the 2nd time due to the problems resulting from the first natural childbirth and what all went wrong etc...

I asked her which one she would do over...she said for SURE the C-section She liked that you could schedule it, have the house all ready, etc...and said what you did, she didn't mind the recovery time that was a little longer.

OMG and ugh, pleaseeeee parents....if you must take photos of the birth Warn your family members first, so we can take certain ones out...I was flipping through the pics of the c-section, of my niece...and all of a sudden, you guessed it, a pic of her abdomen open lawdy I about hurled lol.

reply to post by LateApexer313


Hey LA. Wow, I'm so sorry that her first delivery was so traumatic. What an moron of a doctor. I wonder if her water broke. I was told that after the water breaks they will not let the baby stay in longer than 24 hrs after losing all the fluid.

And that was great, being able to schedule it the 2nd time. I understand. And you would think that with all the planning ahead we did for child #2 that we wouldn't have been 1 1/2 hrs. late for surgery. Oops. It took all of like 30 mintues start to finish.

Hubby did good until they pulled out my uterus, hehe, but he said that he just concentrated on the fact that it looked like a football and that the doctor was just getting ready to go long and wide with it. LMAO

For my mom's first three deliveries they still didn't let dads into the delivery room. My mom had very quick labors, boom boom, out pops the baby. Well, for the birth of my little sister the dads were finally allowed in, so she goes in labor, dad drops her off with the nurse at the hospital doors, he parks the car, runs in.......little sis is already born. I am still sad for him to this day.

Rush

reply to post by hsur2112


That's what happened, her water broke 3 days before this, she went to him and said I think my water broke, he said no it didn't, and apparently there wasn't much water so she wasn't sure, so he sent her home without even CHECKING...then 2 or 3 days later she went into labor, but never got fully dialated...so was in agony for two days...and finally, his golf tourney was over...and the nurses kept calling other doctors in the same group of doctors and they kept saying, she's not dialated enough, and not one would come...

So she had some bacteria I think that got into something, and had a lot of trouble healing well etc etc and they said, she was lucky to even have anymore kids and I said sue his arse lol you know me lol...but they wouldn't, so anyway, yeah 2nd one was c-section. And luckily no health problems with the baby from the first one!!

LOL at pull out the uterus ugh ya making me sick lol

Hey Rush.
I never had a c-section.
8 deliveries, all natural, no drugs, no pain killers no inducing.
Not bragging, that's just the way my body is.
My very first baby, I was in labor only 6 1/2 hours. With each one after that the time decreased.
My last one, 3 hours from water break to delivery.
I almost had her on the way to the hospital. I was in the room ten minutes when she popped out. And I walked into the hospital that night on my own accord too.
I'm very stubborn when it comes to medical procedures.
I have never had an IV. Don't want one. And cutting me open??? FORGET IT!
I'm one of the lucky ones I know.
I hope I stay that way.

reply to post by AccessDenied


Hi AD and thanks for posting. You should be bragging. I was still amazed after I read in LA's thread that you have eight children, and now to hear that you delivered them all naturally and with no drugs.......I'm even more amazed. My best friend has two kids and her deliveries were very similiar, walks in the hospital, pushed for 5 minutes and out they come.

My sister and I both have the same problem with such badly tilted uterus that neither one of us could have natural deliveries (but of course we didn't know that until our first attempts). And the funny thing is we both had to have bed rest because we started contractions so early on.

The babies didn't want to stay in......then they couldn't get out. But all went well for both of us and we each have two beautiful children. It's confusing because like I said, childbirth was so easy for our mom. But my sister feels the same way, by the time we went through the months of bed rest, drugs to to calm contractions, and the constant fear that the babies wouldn't make it full term...we didn't care how they came out at that point.

You are a very strong person, AD. Eight children and no delivery drugs....amazing.

Rush

[edit on 17-7-2008 by hsur2112]

Im petite and had a 10 lb baby. You bet Id do the c section again if I had to do it all over. I did have 14 hours of labor after being induced. I told them it wasnt going to fit, but noooooooo... They tthought I was just fat,lol

reply to post by hsur2112


Hey Rush, my cervix is tilted to the back. Only comes forward right at delivery.
Literally all the pain is in my back for every labor.
Total hell.
If I had to go for more than the few hours that I did, I might have changed my mind and been screaming for painkillers!

Originally posted by raven bombshell
Im petite and had a 10 lb baby. You bet Id do the c section again if I had to do it all over. I did have 14 hours of labor after being induced. I told them it wasnt going to fit, but noooooooo... They tthought I was just fat,lol

I'm 5'5, 120 pounds. My biggest was 9pounds 15 ounces. Almost a ten pounder.
I couldn't believe it.

I had three c-sections!

The first one; my son got stuck because of a fibroid and I was contracting him to death.
I had been in labor 24 hours and started passing out from the pain and they gave me pain killers and ran a monitor up there attached to his head to check vitals.
They finally did a c-section. After knocking me out.
My second; I was GOING to have him natural, if I could, but, still had fibroids!
So, they ONLY did a epidural.
It was hard, because I was awake and ..............

My last; I knew it was going to be hard, because of the last time ('helping' them pull him out, seeing the whiffs of smoke as they cauterized my veins), and I asked them for a mild sedative, but, no.
So, as the epidural took effect it went WAY too far up and I couldn't breathe.
I thought the baby and I might die.
My tubes are now cut, tied and burnt, so I never have to do it again.
I love my children, but, my body is too old to handle another birth.

Originally posted by raven bombshell
I told them it wasnt going to fit, but noooooooo...

That's exactly what I told them! lol There was absolutely NO progression, I wouldn't dialate, nothin. Everyone kept calling me, is she there yet...is she there yet...is she there yet. And 10 lbs, huh? Wow, that's a big baby. It's just a wonder the things that our bodies can handle. I am tiny as well and never, ever thought that I could have kids, I don't know, just a feeling that I had all of my life, but I decided to take that chance and just knew that it wouldn't be easy for me, I felt prepared. Thanks for posting, raven.

Originally posted by AccessDenied

Hey Rush, my cervix is tilted to the back. Only comes forward right at delivery.

Why wouldn't mine do that? lol

If I had to go for more than the few hours that I did, I might have changed my mind and been screaming for painkillers!

Amen girlfriend! That's the spirit. lol

reply to post by Clearskies


Aw, Clearskies. I'm sorry that you had such traumatic deliveries. How scary that must have been, especially the circumstances with your last child. It just never ceases to amaze me how advanced medicine, especially in this area, has become.

And I hear ya about not having anymore. Woohoo! Bet yep, it certainly played havoc on my body. I'm just now getting back to the shape I was in before I ever got pregnant.

And look at the results, ladies. We have beautiful children. It was all so worth it!!!



Rush

Awesome thread and I am gonna flag and star it!!

Both of my sons were born c-section. The first due to some problems and the second cause he came 14 months after the first. To close together for me to have him natural.

I use to think I might have missed something, but I didn't, and I know why. When my niece Angel had her second one she asked me to be there with her, and I was. Dang, there is no way I would have survived, LOL. Talk about pain, wow, I don't think I missed a thing except to say "Do you know what I went through to have you"?

Honestly though my sons and I could not possibly have been closer ever if they had been born natural. As far as the surgery is concerned, but the time I had my first son I was on my third abdominal surgery. Once you have a major surgery (my first was gallbladder) each time it gets easier. I have now had seven surgeries. I'll tell you what those were easier than when my back broke in the car wreck.

I can say that sometimes I wish I had had a labor pain or something. Two pregnancies and not one single labor pain. Oh well, from what I have seen it was probably for the best in the long run.

The second c-section we tried and epidural but it didn't take, so I was totally out both times. That's one think I would have like, is to have been awake one way or another, but it didn't happen.

I must be one of the lucky ones. Both of mine were natural...get this girls...2 hrs of hard labor with both of mine But it was back labor, talk about painful :w: Feels like someone is bending your spine back and forth non stop to the breaking point.

There are women that would rather have the c-section, not me. The recovery process is much longer.

*Edit to add....Boy AD...big babies...my son was 9 lbs 9 oz. he was the most cuddly, but god damn that hurt!

[edit on 7/17/2008 by jensouth31]

reply to post by Zaimless


Hi Zaimless and thank you for posting as well. Children so close together, how fun for them, but I bet you are busy. I'm with you though, the thought of natural childbirth always scared me. I can and have handled numerous surgeries as well, that doesn't scare me, but a natural birth......(runs and hides).

I'm curious, how long were you out after your children was born? I'm sure that couldn't have been easy, but better to keep you and the babies safe.

Rush

I have had two fairly big babies, one 8 pounds and one 11 pounds both vaginally and I am glad that I didn't have to have a C-Section. I can't imagine anyone cutting my stomach open without being knocked out first.

My fiance's best friend keeps telling his 7 month pregnant girlfriend that he will not allow her t have a C-section. I hate to tell him but when the labor reaches that stage where it becomes dangerous to both mom and baby, there will be no choice.

Originally posted by jensouth31
Both of mine were natural...get this girls...2 hrs of hard labor with both of mine

Hi Jen. Good for you! That kind of delivery would certainly have been ideal if I had my choice. My girlfriend's first delivery...she slept through what few contractions she had, then they had to wake her up to push, a whole three times.

But it was back labor, talk about painful :w: Feels like someone is bending your spine back and forth non stop to the breaking point.

Ooooooh, sounds painful. My contractions weren't really too bad, just exhausting after the first ten hours. It's only now that my back hurts. LOL

There are women that would rather have the c-section, not me.

What does concern me are the c-sections that are performed needlessly because it's 'more convenient'. That worries me. I don't know anyone myself who had a section and didn't need it, the ones I know of have all been necessasry. Anyone know of any 'needless' c-sections?

Rush

Originally posted by snowflake_obsidian
I can't imagine anyone cutting my stomach open without being knocked out first.

Hi snowflake. Thank goodness for the epidural. And to me, that was the absolute worse part of both deliveries. It almost killed me....not really, but it sure felt like it. I've never felt such agony when it hit my nerve or whatever it did. Fleeting as it was it is something that I will never forget.

My daughter was almost 8 lbs, my son almost 7 lbs. The smallest baby in our family was my neice, barely 5 lbs.

My fiance's best friend keeps telling his 7 month pregnant girlfriend that he will not allow her t have a C-section. I hate to tell him but when the labor reaches that stage where it becomes dangerous to both mom and baby, there will be no choice.

You are absolutely right and I think it's very important for every expecting mother to be fully aware of that possibiltiy and what to expect. Because uness it is planned ahead of time which most aren't, once the doctors make that decision they move fast and waste no time.

Rush

BTW, all of you moms get a star from me!

[edit on 17-7-2008 by hsur2112]

Originally posted by jensouth31
I must be one of the lucky ones. Both of mine were natural...get this girls...2 hrs of hard labor with both of mine

But it was back labor, talk about painful :w: Feels like someone is bending your spine back and forth non stop to the breaking point.

There are women that would rather have the c-section, not me. The recovery process is much longer.

*Edit to add....Boy AD...big babies...my son was 9 lbs 9 oz. he was the most cuddly, but god damn that hurt!

[edit on 7/17/2008 by jensouth31]

The way you described the back labor was perfect. I couldn't have said it better myself.
My son was the biggest by far. Normal for me was between 6-8pounds.
The funny thing is, he's a skinny little string bean at age 7 right now.
It was hard to deliver him. He really was too big and his shoulders got stuck for a bit. That was the most brutal thing I went through.
I wouldn't have wanted the recovery time of a C-section either.
I pop one out and go home in 36 hours time.
I hate hospitals.
My kudos go to the ladies who had an epidural. You'd have to shoot me before coming near me with that thing.

Originally posted by AccessDenied
My kudos go to the ladies who had an epidural. You'd have to shoot me before coming near me with that thing.

Me too AD!! I hate needles, I did the both of mine without pain meds.
My son was really hard to get out too, I had broken blood vessels all over my body from pushing with that one, and he had two black eyes from being so squished coming out. Poor little guy, but when he was out he looked back and forth around the room...never cried once...just looked around...he was super strong too, never needed his head supported.

My daughter was just a few pushes and out she came...she was 6 lbs 15 oz. much smaller....still hurt though, also back labor

Originally posted by AccessDenied
My kudos go to the ladies who had an epidural. You'd have to shoot me before coming near me with that thing.

Aw, forget shooting you first because that's how it felt...like I got shot in the back. lol And by that point I just wanted to have a baby, I was beat after 24 hrs.. And I remember begging them to take her out....well, not that nicely. I was about to give the doctors and nurses two black eyes each.


Hey Jen, that's how much my son weighed. 6 lbs 15 oz.

But those c-section babies sure come out pretty. I remember in my twenties my first nephew was born. It took him awhile to come out, then I screamed when I saw him (I didn't know any better then, hehe) because he looked like a little cone-head, ok, not a little cone-head....he had a big cone-head. Talk about being stretched. lol

Rush