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Yes, elective or planned can be less difficult and i am glad for you. However, many women do not have easy c-sections and it is not related to pain tolerance or whether it is chosen or not. But I am glad you had no complications and congrats to you. Always nice to hear of a good experience via either v____al or uncomplicated c-section.

Hi Sarah, I am glad you had two good experiences. I posted on the Why do people think c-sections are so much easier thread. If you would like to see why you are lucky, read my post. I do feel you were lucky and I am glad for you. My circle of friends has not been so fortunate and we all delivered at a major medical center so it wasn't the care we received. I do not feel lucky I missed out on labor for that was the easy part for me.

My second c-section was a piece of cake also. Nothing like my first. Makes it not so bad.

Congrats. My first c-section was a piece of cake. That is why I was not too nervous about having another. But my 2nd was bad because my incision did not close for 7 weeks. It's not always so easy.

Why are you posting the word EASY? It may have been and I am glad for you, but it is a rather inflammatory term when discussing childbirth. Easy compared to what? You can't say compared to v____al delivery as you didn't have one. I had both and neither was great and both had plusses and drawbacks. I just find it interesting when people say they had their abdomins cut open and internal organs moved and they didn't feel pain. If you cut your finger with a piece of paper you feel SOMETHING. Anyhow, it does a disservice to other women when some go around saying c-sections are easy, a great many times they are anything but.

Sarah, it is so refreshing to hear someone have something other than a horror story. Women around this forum LOVE to scare and intimidate other women. Some of us have to have c-sections and it is nice to hear that there is hope. Birth is not easy any way you go. You just opt for a healthy baby and a healthy mom. Shame on you Melanie for your pessimism. All women have different experiences and just because you felt yours wasn't that positive doesnt give you the right to terrify other first time moms. If you go in with the expectation that it is going to be miserable, it probably will be. That is why you carefully chose your dr. and let nature take its course whether it be v____ally or by c-section. The end goal is a healthy baby, so how you get it here really shouldn't matter.

Shame on me? Yes, we should all hope for the best, but there are some people who read a post such as Sarah's, again, I am very happy for her, and take that to be the norm and say the stupidest things to those of us who HAD to have a c-section You didn't read my post completely, I had to have one as well and after reading how "easy" they were supposed to be I felt bushwacked by the amount of post-operative pain and having a v____al birth to compare it to gave me a newfound respect for c-section moms. The other day a woman said that very thing to me, that at least my second child was born the "easy" way and I about fainted. Who spreads this stuff? The few fortunate women who had unusually easy c-section experiences. Just as it is refreshing to hear good birth stories of either method, there are those of us who are compelled to tell BOTH sides of the story so others aren't the recipients of moronic comments from uniformed myth-mongers. Jump me all you want, I don't want to terrify first time moms, but the truth is there are many who have never had that great experience, just look at the other posters on this thread alone.

Sarah,I am glad you had a good experience,like I did,and others I know.Melanie I do understand that many women cannot appreciate others electing to be cut open,with all the complications that can arise,and the longer recovery period,however,I would opt to take longer to recover,than go through agony,which it was for me,having a normal delivery,plus the section,for me,was manageable I repeat what I have been saying over and over,and that is nowadays it is likely that you would know someone who had a section,they are alive and well,and so is the baby.Some mothers may feel like they missd out,not wanting a section,and then feel robbed in recovery.I went in with a different att_tude,which I think helps too....By the way,I have been away from my desk again,but back now to join in!

Many of us have read and can appreciate that you felt your c-section was less traumatic for you in regards to birth. Yes, we all know women who survived c-sections. I wish to point out that it is not just delivery and the weeks or months after that count as the c-section experience, however. There are many many women out there that have uncomplicated c-sections who then develop odd, or seeminly unrelated female problems that no one connects to these "good" c-sections. I was one. I did have significant pain with recovery, and it did take much longer to recover from, but I did. 3 Years later my menstrual cycles became so awful that my life was totally disrupted and the periods themselves were more unbearable than labor! I ended up have 2 more surgeries just to fix my bladder and uterus from those "easy" c-sections. So in the end, 3 surgeries for ONE baby was definately not as easy as one long labor and pain with a v____al delivery. My problems continue and will for life. Check back with us in 5-10 years and we shall see if these elective c-sections were worth it after all. I do not believe they are and several women I know do not think so either. Hopefully, Sarah, you will be one of the luckier ones.

Aside from a few other posters on these particular threads, I can honestly say you are the only person I have ever heard say their c-section was "easy". Glad you have healthy children and have recovered well. I had a fairly routine c-section with my first child because she was facing sideways in the birth ca___l and while painful, it was okay. I then went on to have a VBAC with my larger son last month and I hate to tell you this, but the VBAC was MUCH easier than the c-section. So while you are happy with your c's, you may have indeed "missed" an experience that makes c-sections suck by comparison. Glad 2 U however!

I appreciate there are women out there,as the post below mine points out that do have a difficult time,and I am sorry to hear that.I accept that any operation is a risk,things can go wrong,others heal quicker than others.Having a baby is a risk,and although a v____al delivery is natures way,it is also true to say that complications can arise,and result in problems long term for them,or start labour,and end up with a section.I am all for anyone having the birth of their choice,lets face it,Sarah says it was "easy"but carrying a baby for 9 months,and enduring whichever method of birth is far from having a great time,mixed emotions yes.Personnally for me,I would have,not that it happened,but I would have prefered to have taken 8mths to recover from my operation,than go through a birth again,just wish I had elected that methood to start.We must remain focussed,for a moment forget our own experiences and think generally,ideally the natural way,but if a woman for whatever reason is too scared to attempt a v____al birth then I believe she should be justified in elective c-section.A mother that is not relaxed going into labour can cause more problems for herself,and as others know,it is difficult to keep relaxed,and keep up.I just do not want a women to worry or suffer unduly,and believe that ladies choosing an operation does so with deep thought.It is a commen operation,and one that you are expected to make a full recovery from,and one that even though major,is regarded as "safe".However,I agree with other comments that on these birthing T.V shows,they show a natural delivery throughout,(which is enough to scare ladies beyond their natural worries,)and show a lady having a c-section and her going home,they do not ask how she is in recovery or whatever,so it does give this impression that you will be fine.sarah is testomy to when things go right,and I am too,and am sure many,many others are,then there are those who did suffer complications,but on the whole you should have a natural birth,which was unlike mine,you should have a c-section in todays world which you will recover from,but either way when you start a pregnancy,you open your body up to potential complications,but we would all agree the end result you would put yourself through again to have that bundle of life to call your own.

Hey all, why I am on the just say "no" side to uneccesary c-sections, I must say to Marcie you have become much more fair and even-handed in your responses of late. When I first read your posts of how wonderful your c-section was I thought you were suggesting all women would have a better birth experience via surgery. You have since conceded that it is not always ideal or easier and for that I commend you. :-)

the post aimed at myself, yes, I had an easy birth. I do not regret never attempting a natural delivery. People told me the pain of childbirth is the worst pain they ever felt I did not feel much pain at all. The recovery was easy as well. I just wanted to post this thread to others mine was a breeze.

I know women who didn't feel much pain at all before during or after their v____al births too. It just depends on the woman and the pregnancy. The same woman can have an awful v____al and a relatively "easy" c-section and then go on to have the exact opposite the next time. I have heard women say the same thing about c-sections, that it was the worst pain they have ever felt in their lives. Roll of the dice, pure and simple.

thank you for those words.I have never wanted every woman to have a c-section.I have always stressed that there should be choice. The majority of women I'm sure reads this section because they have either had a difficult c-section,or the possibility of recieving one. Women go on about having a hard recovery,its a "major"operation,never want that again etc,it must scare these women I just wanted to put things into perspective.Yes,as you know I had a difficult v____al birth,one I would not wish on my worst enemy,the reason I tell people that,is so they are aware that v____al births can have drawbacks.Also,even though I just said women maybe scared they should know the truth.My c-section was great,I do not regret it. The decision was made and I went in with a positive mind. As I said,even though people say its serious,as any operation is,the operation is done so often and considered "safe"this again made me feel more confident.There was a post a while back where a lady said she went home and did her vac_mning after a c-section.I was among those who said that it was crazy,I even queried whether she was making it all up. With mine,I was careful what I did,but the pain was not unbearable,just sore really. The thing this really comes down to is not each one of us,but the question as a whole.That is,yes v____al births should be easier to recover from afterwards,and that c-sections you should also recover from given a longer period of time,but I am not going to critisize a lady if she elects to have a c-section, just help, as we all know giving birth is far from easy, even when things go right .For a first time mother especially is can be scary. When a woman gets pregnant her body goes through drastic changes,this alone is a risk, so whichever a mother decides is the best birthing experience for her,then so be it,and I will try and help and support if that makes it easier for them.

you tell her marcie...good on ya!