Pregnancy Info HOME

Natural. Inductions usually lead to c-sections, and no matter what anyone tells you, c-sections are NOT the easy way out. Yes, labor hurts. Yes, you might tear. But, the fact is - even if you tear, it still is not as bad as having your stomach sliced open, literally from hip to hip. The scar may sit below your bikini line, but try to do ANYTHING without using your abdominal muscles. You can't even breathe without using them. Recovery from a c-section is harder and longer than it is from a normal, natural delivery.

Thanks jamie.. i am kinda lost between the c-section and natural. I am dead scared of being stiched down there and having to have a hard time to pee for weeks in case i do tear... :-(

I had a c/s 6 weeks ago by choice. I was not sliced hip to hip my cut is 5 inches, ( now it is shrunk to about 3 inches)and I can no longer even see it. I was up walking around less than 24 hours later with very minimal pain. (yes, I was taking pain meds. motrin) I didn;t have any trouble breathing, ever. Only sneezing hurt alittle, I had to hold my tummy. I was home taking care of my lo at 4 days, I even drove myself to my drs appt at 6 days. Everyone is different, but seriously, the c/s was really no big deal for me at all, and I would so do it again. I even went back to work early, I only took 3 weeks off, some women aren't even recovered completely from natural cb at 3 weeks. (I also started walking(exercising) at 3 weeks and painted a bedroom, moved furniture, everything, and no problems. )

This might sound like a dumb question, but why would you opt for a c-section unless it was necessary? I had two (medically necessary) c-sections. One was easy, like DeeJay describes, and one was a total nightmare. So if you have a chance for a v____al birth, I would say to go for it.

I think that if you have a c-section you are just switching perineal st_tches for abdominal st_tches. Also, a c-section doesn't necessarily make it easier to pee afterward. I had a lot of pain when trying to pee after my first and third C's. I think it was from the catheter that is put in during surgery. At least with a v____al birth you have a chance of not getting any st_tches...

Hi, Well I had an emergancy csection with my first that was a total nightmare. The whole thing from start to finish was horrible. However I had a planned csection with my second 10 weeks ago and it was much more like what DeeJay described. IMO planned csections are not that bad, but I can only compare it to my emergancy one as I have never been induced or had natural birth, I have never even been in labor..lol... I will say that I really wanted natural childbirth and was devistated with how my first childs birth went as I was so unprepared for the csection. It is good you are preparing your self for all possible cases. IMO you are better off trying for natural as overall it does seem to be a better easier recovery on average. But if you elect a csection and it is planned, then from my experiance it was overall an easy recovery. good luck to you and your little one...

I'm the opposite to what Gracie said -- My unplanned one (the 1st) was my smooth one, and my planned one (the 2nd) was my nightmare one. So bad that my husband got a vasectomy within a couple of months of our son's birth. LOL!

I would take my 37.5 hour unproductive labor with max intensity contractions (no epi) over a c-section any day. Previous postings on other threads explain why. Please don't do this to yourself. My 26 year old neighbor died a while back from a pt. choice c-section, she had two previous v____al births...that pretty much says enough for me.

Thanks a lot girls... i guess i will wait and see if a c-section is medically neccesary.... If at all it was then it would be that my low placenta never moved up or it would be my high blood pressure which i am controling now with medication.. guess i will wait and c.. thanks again..

Everyone tells me that contractions are more painful when induced then if you go naturally. I know that either way it hurts, but I was induced and I can't imagine going through that again. I will not let any doc induce me unless it was an absolute emergency. I did end up getting a c-section and I was unable to get out of bed alone for 2 weeks, let alone take care of my ds. Then again, every women's body is different and handles things differently. What ever you decide, Good Luck!

It's great that you're thinking about all aspects of labor. I didn't think that about having a c/s at all while I was pregnant and was almost in shock when they told me that I needed one. I was induced bc I was overdue...I had normal contractions..they didn't come really quickly like some people experience while being induced. However....I got to 8cm and didn't progress for hours...hand severe pain on one side of my body and when they broke my water it was green (baby poop...not good at all :( ) so I was cut. My son was 9lbs 9oz and there was just NO way that he was going to fit through the birthing ca___l. So..I say just keep an open mind and try to prepare yourself for any and everything.

I was petrified of a csection and thought i wouldn't be able to hack it...but i had no choice because my baby was transverse..it really wasn't a big deal. Of course i was on great pain killers for 10 days and now 4 weeks pp i still have pains but they are more annoying than painful. My scar is clean, and i cant even see it and I was sliced from hip to hip because the way he was lying..the only thing is the flab that hangs over thats usually a__sociated with csections thats quite annoying and irritates the scar a little. I would opt for natural delivery any day but if you need to go for a cscetion , it was not at all bad for me.

I have had it both ways, for me the csection was easier, but it wasnt by choice. I think personally that the risks vs. benifits, a v____al birth is safer as well as better for the baby, however in some cases a csection is the best option. I think its important to discuss your options with your dr. but make sure you make an informed decision, having a baby is not easy no matter what method of birth is used. Recovery is definitally longer with a csection, as well as the risks for infection. So just take the time to really think about what is in the best interest of you and your baby. Because whats right for one is not always right for another. Goodluck to you

I had birth both ways as well and by far the v____al was way easier than the c-section. In fact, I so hated my c-section that I have not had any more children. So of course I would say don't do it.

there are hundreds of health benefits to both you and the baby for choosing natural over a c-section. moms are 4x more likely to die following a c-section and it can cause breathing problems for the baby-as harmful fluids are expelled from the lungs in a v____al birth, also the contractions help stimulate breathing. I am praying that I don't need one.