Anyone Have Vaginal Birth and Then Cesarean?

With my son I didn't have a choice he was breach so he was a scheduled c-section, but if I had to do it again I think I would go the same. I recovered pretty quickly from the c-section and had no labor pains. Good luck!

Hi it is bether for you and the baby to havea cesarean. That takes less stress of the baby i went trough that my self and there is nothing to be scared about . You tear easy and it buts stress on the babyies heartbeat . So dont be scared you might bea little soare. But i thing you should go this way . Ty
B.

I had my now 11year old vaginally and my now 5 year old c section. The c was soooo much easier. I was up and raring to go in three das with really no side effects! Would do a c again in a second!

Hi M.,
No experience with a C-sect, but I also tore very badly with my first child (I had to be repaired in the OR), but with my second, also a vaginal birth, there was very little tearing. I think there were only about three stitches, and I healed up really fast (I used comfrey tea and comfrey oil on the stitches...I'd highly recommend it).

Hopefully my story can reassure you a little. Good luck with this big decision!

Hi. I never had experience with vaginal delivery and will have vaginal delivery to my baby girl due in July too. I had c section with my 2 yrs old son.. the whole surgery wasnt bad... to me it s not that major and painful and lot of worries.. just a short (not that short but just feel like a short like less than 30 min) surgery process with anxious to meet the baby :o) only pain i have is recovered from c section. took some painkillers med n etc... the c section is quickest way to meet your baby. i prefer vaginal delivery and am hoping to keep that way for my baby girl in july.
it s alright about being scared to have c section. it s not that bad honestly :o) you will just feel the pressure and tugging inside you. after the whole process of surgery.. u may feel bit cold because of surgery and medication start to worn out. they will keep you warm and everything. nurse will take complete care of you.

My first was vaginal, I too tore very badly, in addition to having a epsiotomy (sp?), which was a little late since I had already tore. The baby was over 9lbs. I went on to have my 2nd child, although 6yrs later, and had a vaginal birth, no tearing slight epsiotomy, although the 2nd baby was just 7lbs.

I would think if your doctor is leaving it up to you, then he/she thinks you have a chance at delivering vaginally again. Just make sure you are monitored at the end of the pregnancy to make sure the baby wont be huge. I truely believe the first child does pave the path for the rest to come.

I use to think having a c-section would be the easier way, but I know many people that have had them and it seems as though it is a painful and longer recovery.

About the incontinence, I had a small problem with that after my 2nd child, it was gone in a few weeks after the muscles had a chance to repair themselves.

Best of luck to you......... please keep us posted I love hearing others stories on what their outcome was.

I've had both- my 2nd son was breech and it was too dangerous to try and deliver him. Vaginal births are SO much better. C-sections are the worst. It is major surgery and you are down for a good 3 weeks afterwards. Beyond that it takes a long time for that muscle to heal and you have wierd aches and pains in your abs for a couple months. I hated it even though according to my OB I had a "perfect" C-section and bounced back really quick.
That being said, the important thing is that I have a beautiful little boy who is healthy. Good luck!

I had a vaginal birth with my first child and tore as well. Due to size and position of my second baby, I had to have a C-section. It is major surgery and sets you back. I was in a lot of pain for several weeks after the birth. When I had the second section, the recovery was not as bad because they reopen the same wound. If I did not have to have the surgery, I would not have done it. That is for me personally. Of course, I am over all the pain, and happy to have three beautiful children!
Good luck with your decision. Congratulations on your upcoming arrival!

I feel bad saying this, because I believe we over-use C-sections, but I have had two (scheduled) and they both went very well - so well that I am tempted to believe they must be pretty similar to vaginal in terms of recovery - or at least a vaginal where there was tearing or big hemerroids (my poor sister). Yes, you are sore and have a little trouble getting up and down at first, but you heal fast (usually). It seems like I felt I was moving around pretty normally within two weeks and picking things up as before (like my other kid) within four to six. My mom did come and help me for a week and a half after my husband went back to work - which was necessary at first and just nice at the end. You should take plenty of pain killers to speed the process along (if you stay ahead of the pain you actually heal faster). The pain killers are fine to take while nursing, so no need to worry there. So if you and your doctor feel a C-section would be medically necessary I'd say don't fear it any more than a normal delivery...

Hi,
I had my son 12 years ago vaginally, and my other son 8 mos ago via c-section (breech). Because it was a planned c-section, it was very smooth sailing. No labor, (they scheduled me for 39 weeks - less chance of going into labor) no hysteria, very little post-op pain. The spinal is a beautiful form of anesthesia which allows you to be alert and oriented during the delivery, but experience no pain. The anesthesia team as well as the nursing staff were very much on top of my pain as the spinal wore off. Healing takes a bit longer, but let me tell you, I was happy to recover from c-section pain than the pain of vaginal birth. I relied on narcotic pain medication in the beginning, but weaned down to just ibuprophen (after about 1 week or so). One other difference was the amount of time it took for my milk to come it. It took 1-2 days longer with the c-section, than it did with my first delivery. Good luck.

I had my first 2 vaginally and my third by c-cection for footling breech presentation.

With my first I had a large episiotomy for the vacuum because the placenta was abrupting and they needed her to come out quickly. It took a while to heal, but I kept Kegeling and got my muscle tone back. I had my second vaginally as well. Like his sister, he was posterior (sunny-side-up) and large and just to make it more fun he was asynclitic (head was tilted sideways, too) meaning that the biggest possible aspect was presenting! In spite of all that I pushed slowly and had only slight tears--a few stitches and mostly superficial unlike the epi which cut through all the muscle. Again, I Kegeled afterwards for a few months to regain tone.

The third was footling breech and noone would deliver her vaginally. C-section was the only option. Yes, it was a quick delivery and there were no complications, but recovery was SO much slower and more painful. It was hard to sit up or get out of bed to feed the baby at night, I couldn't drive, I could lift my other children, it hurt to cough, sneeze, even laugh sometimes. This is all completely "normal" recovery for abdominal surgery, but tough to deal with when you're a new mom and have so many other things to worry about.

Seriously speaking, I would have MUCH prefered to recover from another vaginal delivery than from the c-section. If you're concerned about incontinance and tearing I recommend kegeling regularly before and after the birth. Make a habit of doing a few at stoplights, or when you're on the pot, and each night before bed. Increase reps until you're doing 80-100 at a time. Do them at the computer--whenever you think of it. It will help with the final stage of labor and make it easier to resume after birth!

Congratulations and good luck!

I have had both vaginal births and emergency C-sections. Maybe it is just me but I did not have a hard time with the C-sections that you always hear about. I too tore up pretty good with my first but my second was a breeze (he was a vaginal delivery). They say that it is easier the second time around, and so on. While you may have extenuating circumstances where this may not be true, it is something to think about. On the other hand, I had 2 emergency C-sections where I was immediately put out and the babies were born within 5 minutes of me being out. A lot more "aggessive" than a planned C-section. I wasn't sore like they said I would be. I managed with just motrin for any discomfort. I didnt walk around hunched up like you see people. granted, sneezing and laughing were a little tender. but again it all depends on a persons pain tolerance too. i guess what I saying is to think of all the options and don't believe everything you see and hear on TV.

I tore badly with my first son but didnt need a single stitch with my second son and he was Breech! Dont make any hasty decisions. Maybe when its close to your due date you could have an ultrasound done to get an estimate of the baby's size. My oldest was a big baby but my second was itty bitty.

Hi M.,
Everyone person and body is different and this is a personal decision. I have only had a c-section so my perspective is limited. I did not have a choice -- I was pregnant with twins and both were breech. If I did have a choice, I would not have chosen c-section. The day the boys were born is a complete blur --- I was very out of it, throwing up, and having bad shakes throughout the day (of course this could have happened with vaginal birth too). My main concern for you would be the recovery time and having a toddler. My recovery was slow, getting out of bed was a struggle and stairs were a challenge. I can't imagine running after a two year old with how I was feeling. It is a major surgery so there are risks involved.
It is definitely a personal decision, and people have very strong opinions about it; educate yourself and decide what is best for you. Since you tore so badly the first time, could they do an episiotome earlier in the labor?
Best,
C.

Hi M.,

I can understand your concerns about tearing - I had 12 perineal stitches and 8 periclitoral (yes, 20 stitches) after my 1st son was born. I was using a birth stool and pushed him out all at once--head-to-toe--in one push. Gravity is good, but too much gravity and a too-eager mom aren't a good combination! :) So I knew it was my own fault for not listening to my midwife when she said to slow down. However, I was nonetheless concerned about tearing a second time when #2 was born 18 months later. This time it was a home birth instead of at the birth center in Wellesley, so I had a different midwife. She urged me to avoid the birth stool and instead be "very propped up to almost sitting" on my bed. I did, and it worked - I only needed 1 stitch, although she gave me 2 at my request (I blew out some stitches the 1st time due to being sick and coughing too hard when #1 was born and it never healed right).

I don't know whether it's relevant or not, but my second labor was very fast, just under 3 1/2 hours from the very start. A second birth typically is about half as long as the first, so you need to remember that many factors will change in comparison to the first time around. Your body has done this before, for one. You know how to be in control and how to work with your body, too. Trust yourself and get a doula or a midwife whom you trust, who will work with you and help you have as close to a tear-free birth as possible. And it IS possible! Also, I would practice doing my kegels religiously (I think this helped me a lot the second time around, as I peed everytime I puked when I was pregnant, and I now have little to complain about re: incontinence).

My own opinion is that the simple fear of tearing doesn't come even remotely close to justifying having a C-section. There's just so many more worse things that can happen to you, and to the baby (because so many more interventions and drugs are required)... and having major surgery is never an easy thing for the body to recoup from. Plus, you have another child to care for and recovery after a natural child birth is so much faster and easier than after a birth-plus-major-surgery. I have friends who had C-sections (and toddlers to care for) and it was really, really hard for them. Just because it's the most routine surgery does NOT make it a good thing to have done for such a truly minor reason. A breach baby, now that's a better reason. Perhaps talk to a homeopath or a midwife and learn about using mineral oil for perineal massage throughout the rest of your pregnancy as well as during labor and delivery (they can tell you the latest thinking on these techniques) so you can naturally stretch the tissue and lubricate and avoid tearing. (It may feel weird at first, but the perineal massage and similar exercises are things your partner can help with!)

I know the C-section route sounds tempting from the "less stress on baby" point of view, but that neglects understanding how little doctors know or tell you about what the risks are to the baby becuase of the medications involved in doing the required interventions, as well as during your recovery. The drugs you take affect your breastmilk if you're nursing, so you have to be cognizant of that fact and ask LOTS of questions. That's the best advice, really--ASK QUESTIONS--and talk to a doula. Good luck!

I have had 3 vaginal births. I tore during the first 2 births but healed fine. Both of my boys were average size (6lbs, 12oz. and 7 lbs 11 oz.)

My daughter was born at home with wonderful midwives. She was 8lbs 12 oz (huge for me! I'm a petite 5'1" person.) She also got stuck and to get her out both midwives had to put their hands inside me to pop her shoulders. I had no tearing whatsoever with this birth. You'd think that the tearing would have been the worst but it was all about the preparation up to the birth that helped. In the last 2 months before my daughter was born I would rub Arnica Oil on my skin where all the stretching occurs during birth and then slowly stretch the skin around the opening. I would do this daily during my shower while still in the tub. Then on the night of her birth the midwives had a crock pot of warm water with some old wash cloths or cloth diapers soaking. As soon as the head started to move into crowning position they applied that nice warm, damp cloth between my legs. You wouldn't believe how good that felt. And between the pre-stretching exercises and the warmth from the cloth my skin was relaxed and ready to stretch enough so that there was no tearing.

You don't have to have a homebirth or a midwife to do these things. You can talk to your own doctor beforehand and request the warm compresses at birth. They should be happy to accomodate you. You can buy the Arnica Oil at Whole Foods or any other health food store. Arnica is used for bruising and muscle pain. I give my kids homeopathic Arnica pills when they fall or hurt themselves. I also took some after the birth to help heal faster. Please give it a try. I can only imaging that healing from a major incision would be more painful and a longer process. Good luck!

Hi M.,

Congrats on baby #2! I had my first child by vaginal birth, complete with the vacuum and episiotomy. My second child was a scheduled c-section due to complicated medical issues with the baby. The recovery was a bit longer but not as bad as some had warned me about. The key was to get up and moving around as much as possible. Don't lift anything but the baby. I used to sit on the couch, bed or floor to have snuggle time with my toddler. Last year I had my third child. He was also born by c-section. In fact he was taken 3 weeks early because I had to have emergency eye surgery. I had one week between the birth and eye surgery. I was up and moving around that first night and it helped so much. Have help with you for the first few weeks and you can make it through it.

Best wishes,
A.

I had two Vag births and then a C-section due to breach postion. All went well. However somehow during the C-section I picked up infection or maybe my fallopian tubes suffered physical damage. As a result I couldn't get pregnant again for a long time when I did it was an eptopic (stuck in the tube).I lost that tube. Then it happened again the other side but this time it ruptured. I ended up in emergancy surgery. Now I'm a mass of adhesions. I had to do IVF to get my fourth. However that was a mess because the placenta grew through my old C-section scar as a result I had to have a hysterectomy. So my opinion is aviod C-section if you can. It should not be used for convience. However I would do it the same way again to make sure that my third baby would not have problem due to a difficult breach delivery. If this is your last baby maybe c-section is not a bad idea. They should be able to control a vag delivery so you don't tear. They can always cut which is easier to repair. Just know that a c-section is MAJOR abdominal surgery. good luck.

Delivered both my children by c-section and had no major trouble. If you have a c-section, make sure you have help at home for the two weeks after. If your husband can take the time off or a relative come by everyday, because you have to lay low those first two weeks. Can't lift anything but the newborn, no driving, try to avoid stairs as much as possible, that kind of stuff. Good luck!

If you put VBAC in the computer you will come up with alot of infor. ICAN is a great source. many woman who had c/s and later on went to have the natural birth they wanted before. Check it out, there are videos and articles some can get a little emotional.
Good luckand I hope this helps. I am having my 2nd at home no repeat for me.

I've done both....Vbac with my second....very honestly...the c-section was better in the long run as i had lots of problems from pushing for 3 hours...total recovery seemed long with the vaginal (6 weeks to feel better verses 3 for the section) That being said...it was better for my first born that I had vaginal the second time as I was better able to move around and be with him in the first few days I was home.

Hi there..I had my son naturally then 10 years later I ahd to have an emergency c-section with my daughter. Like you I was also scared of another vaginal birth even though mine went smoothly. My c-section was fine...the recovery was not as bad as I thought it would be and w/out it my daughter would not be here...(she was in fetal distress at 36 weeks). What ever decision you make don't feel bad about it. C-sections do seem very scary, but it really isn't as bad as it sounds. Hope this helps.

Hi M.!
Your questions fits me to a "T"! I had a vaginal birth the first time around, and like you tore very badly and actually ended up having surgery to fix what was broken down there. So, another vaginal birth was pretty much out of the question. I had a C-section with my daughter and looking back, I would say the vaginal delivery was so much easier to recover from than my c-section. Every woman is different, however, in terms of pain management and recovery time. But, if I had had the choice, I can say that knowing what I know, I would've had another vaginal birth.
Discuss the pro/cons with your doctor some more, you can even make a list! In the end, you need to go with what you are most comfortable with. Don't be afraid - try to enjoy this time and congratulations on #2!
:-) P.

Hi there-
I had a similar situation. My first child was large (over 9 lbs) and I had a bad tear, then had my stiches fall out 1 week later, and had the whole deal put back in. So with my second child, I had the same option as you, and I decided with my doctor to do an ultrasound for size at 37 weeks. At that time the baby was already over 9 lbs. My doctor recommended a c section, so I did at 38 weeks..he was almost 10 lbs. My recovery from the c section was so much easier than the vaginal birth. I was so glad I had made that decision, even though it was major surgery.
Good luck!

I had a vaginal delivery with our son 2 1/2 years ago, but had to deliver our daughter via C section 5 months ago because she was breech. I had a very quick labor and delivery with our son, no medication and a very slight tear. I was SUPER scared to have the c section...as you stated it, it is a surgery and that freaked me out. It was quick(1/2 hour) and wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I wanted another vaginal delivery. Good luck!

My first baby was an emergency c-section, my second a vaginal birth and my third another c-section. I had the episiotomy with the vag birth, and don't know if I tore or not. Having done both,(if I had a choice)I would take the vaginal birth over the c-section and not just because of the risk factors. Mainly because I (and my body) recovered so much more quickly. I would talk to your dr. in length about the differences between the 2 (risks, etc.), ask about the episiotomy and ask why tearing would affect your "continece". I'm not a dr., but I thought it was the muscle being "stretched out" that caused the incontinence. Not he tearing. That's why women do kegel exercises. Good luck and congrats on your new little one!

Hi M., I had twins via c-section and then a vaginal delivery of my daughter 5 years later. My mother was with me and she screamed without thinking "oh my God- she's torn to shreds!" or something close to that. I wish I had chosen the c-section as I have never gone back to normal. It was so simple and easy to recover from the c-section-much easier than a vaginal delivery and I do have problems with incontinence now.

Hi M., I never got to have a vaginal birth but had 3 cesareans. First was a "emergency c-section" based on failure to progress, the other 2 were scheduled. I can only talk about the recovery for a c-section with a 2 yr old at home. I had good recoveries for my first 2, my oldest as 2 1/2 when I had the second, it was a little tougher with a toddler at home but I found it bearable. I think that you have to weigh the differences and decide what is best for you. Good luck in what ever you decide and enjoy your babies.

I've had TVT surgery to correct incontinence and to repair the damage done from three vaginal deliveries. The 6 week recovery was brutal with three young boys at home. And if you screw up and pick something up over 5 lbs., you ruin the results and have to do it over. Trust me - get the C-section. If I knew then what I know now...

Hi M.,

I completely identify with your experience! I had my first child in 2004, and due to complications he had to be delivered with forceps. My son was fine (Thank God!), but the delivery left me with a 4th degree tear--right through the perineum. The recovery--both physical and emotional--was difficult. So I was more than a little apprehensive during my second pregnancy about the birth. Like you I did not want a repeat experience or any of the awful consequences! At every visit with my OB, I asked lots of questions. I was advised that a Cesarean was unnecessary and could carry more risk than a second vaginal delivery. I was also told that perineal massage during the delivery could prevent another extensive tear. The labor I experienced with my daughter was MUCH different than what I had with my son, so much easier. I was still scared, but I did have perineal massage throughout the entire delivery and I emerged from the birth with a minor tear that required only a few stitches. Since you still have some time before your daughter is born, keep asking questions and see if perineal massage is an option for you. My daughter is almost two now and I have had no incontinence issues at all from her birth. I hope things go well for you!

Hugs,
L.

Hi M.. After 13 hours of labor with contractions 1-2 minutes apart the whole time, I ended up havicng a C-Section to deliver my daughter in October. At that point (after all of that time and lots of pitocin to help) I was so tired that even if I progressed to 10cm, I wouldn't have been able to push. Anyway, it is major surgery and I will admit that it was hard for a while. I had the obvious soreness associated with surgery. Because they cut the abdominal muscles I could not sit up or get up (off the bed or couch) without help for about a week and a half. The pain was bearable in my opinion and every day I felt better, but if I din't have my mother and sister with me for the first 10 days after my daughter was born I would have been in trouble. My boyfriend was a big help, but he had to go to work and I couldn't be feeding the baby on the couch and then stand up with her...I had to give her to someone else and then get up. I had NO complications at all and thinking back it wasn't that bad. I've already decided that if we have another child that I will elect to have another C-section. It's just important to keep in mind that you HAVE to give yourself time to heal and it takes a lot longer that a vaginal birth (in most cases, your's sounds pretty bad). If you do decide on the surgery try to have some people around to help you for the first week or so and get lots of rest. It's frustrating not being able to do all that you want and I imagine it would be hard with a toddler to keep up! Well, I hope that I didn't frighten you more, I just wanted to let you know how I did after my surgery. Good luck and congratulations...let us know how things turn out!

Hi M.,

I, too, tore VERY badly with my first child, and was worried about the same things as you. I actually also had some damage to my rectal area from all the tearing as well. With my second pregnancy, I talked at length with my midwives group about my fears for delivering vaginally again, although I also did NOT want a C-section. My sister-in-law had 5 and her recovery was SO long and painful. Although, my recovery after the horrible tearing wasn't so hot either. :-) Anyway, I wanted to share with you what I did with the delivery of my second and it was AWESOME!!!! My midwife suggested a hands and knees position for delivery. Initially when she said that, I thought, "That is a little out of my comfort zone!" Delivery a baby is "embarrassing enough" when you think about how much of yourself your flashing at strangers, as well as the myriad of gross things that have potential to happen! :-) Now I want to get on my hands and knees, practically naked and push out a baby with my rear in my midwife's face?? Ew. But, during labor (I also decided to go natural for this, since I couldn't very well deliver in that position with an epidural), the embarrassing aspect of it never crossed my mind. I just wanted to get that baby out. The hands and knees position is chosen to take some pressure off the area when you're pushing the little darling out. Also, I requested warm compresses during hard labor and delivery - it helps with the stretching to reduce the chance of tearing. All said and done, it was a PHENOMENAL delivery, and I wished I had been brave enough to do that with my first... Anyway, I was feeling so good after the delivery that I was back to doing more than I should have. I just couldn't believe I had just had a baby. I HIGHLY recommend you consider that option, perhaps talk with your doctor, midwife about it. In my limited knowledge, I tend to disagree with the person who said that the epidural was the answer. You can't feel to push naturally, so you have to do the best you can, and I believe that puts a different kind of pressure on the perineum... But I'm not a medical expert. The epi is nice to be able to relax, but more often than not, your second delivery is faster and although more intense, it's over with a lot faster. But maybe that's just me... Feel free to email and ask any more questions you might have that are maybe "TMI" to post on here. :-)

Good luck!!
S.

Congratulations on your second baby! I never had a c-section, but had two vaginal births. My first was 8lbs 12oz. I did tear a very small amount, but nothing huge at all, and only needed a stitch or two (for extra measure). My second, I didn't tear at all. If you are looking for some ways to avoid having to tear again, you should look into doing perineal massage on a regular basis, from now until you deliver. It has worked great for me both times. Like someone else mentioned, you can also talk with your doctor about them using some mineral oil as your baby is crowning. This is standard at my doctor's office, and the hospital where I deliver, and was also a huge help for me too. Just something you might want to look into doing before you decide not to have another vaginal birth again. If you want more info on the perineal massage, just let me know. Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

Hello and congrats! I have three darlings, 6- 4-19mo. My first was a vaginal delivery and very easy but my second was the complete opposite! She was sunny side up and I tried pushing, 11 hrs hard labor, then they flipped her but after four hours they said c-section. I was scared but I do not feel like her birth was something less or that I was less of a woman/mom because of the c-section. I wasn't fully prepared so I was scared but it was all good. My recovery was tough because of the pushing and then the section. My third bundle of joy was c-section because of his size and there was a chance of my 2nd delivery experince being repeated. This recovery was a thousand times easier, in some ways even easier than my vaginal delivery. Knowing that I was going to have a c-section helped me relax a bit and my son was the calmest infant of all three. Good luck, I hope this helps.

Like you, I had a 3rd degree tear and it was a scary and traumatic birth for both me and my son. It took a long time to recover both emotionally and physically and although I thought I was over it, when I got pregnant with my second, it all came flooding back to me. I decided to do a c-section b/c of that trauma and the fear that came with it. I go in tomorrow morning for the surgery and although I am fearful of the experience, I know it will be better than going through labor, not knowing the outcome, and feeling that pain down there again. I hope it goes well and I assume the recovery will be better with a belly wound than one that is exruciating every time I have to pee in a woman's most sensitive region. Good luck. You will know what is right for you.

Yes, I have and I would have done it again. My first V delivery was a nightmare (26 hour labor, 4 hours pushing and high-forceps delivery) and I still have scars from it. I was advised to have c-sections from then on. I have had 4 c-sections after that and everything went great. It helps to have a very good dr.

Yes, recovery took a week longer-maybe but if you do what the dr tells you and have a good support system, you can be up and ready to take over the world (or at least your home) in a very short time. With my 4th baby (3rd c-cect.)I was up and baking the day I came home from the hospital.

Good luck

M. G,

I have had both a Vaginal delivery with a TON of ripping (I think they consider it a class 4 tear... it was all the way through into my rectum).

Then my second birth was a Cesarean birth.

For the first birth I could not comfortably sit for several weeks (close to 2 mo), but otherwise I felt great.

For the second birth (c-section) I was in horrible pain for MONTHS. I had someone tell me they were jealous of me b/c I had a C-section AND a premature baby. I think it was the worst possible combination. I didn't get to see my baby until she was 2 days old as I couldn't get to the NICU (I was not allowed to leave my bed and she could not leave hers since she was soo premature). I felt so much worse after the C-section than I did after the Vaginal delivery. I also ended up with a lot of complications directly from the C-section.

Now I am wanting to ttc, but am worried... they will only let me delivery via c-section now and I had such a hard time with it previously. I had wanted 8 children but the risks get higher with each c-section so unless I can find a Dr. who will let me deliver VBAC (I had a T inscision so it is unlikely) I might not have anymore children and that is very painful to consider since I did not want the C-section.

Hi M.. Congratulations on your second pregnancy! I, too, had a vaginal birth with my first child. I tore as well but found the recovery tolerable. With my second child I had to have an emergency c-section and had a very tough time recuperating. I found it to be very painful and didn't really feel like myself for almost two months. I had a hard time getting around and cried daily for the first couple months of my son's birth. If you decide to do a c-section be sure to have someone to help you. I don't want to scare you. Everybody responds to surgeries differently. I have spoken with women who have said that their c-sections weren't "a big deal". Many people opt for a c-section. I am not one of those people. If we decide to have another child I am going to beg my doctor to let me deliver vaginally (unless of course the baby is at risk to do so). Good luck to you.

Hey M., Congrats on expecting your second baby!! I had two babies, my first was a natural child birth and everything went normal and fine. (Except for the 12 hours of labor...Ugh!) I had my second baby cesarean because my water broke two weeks before I was due. It was a little more recovery time, but there was no labor pains! Yahooooooo! I had no problems with either delivery. The cesarean was actually pretty wild. You do not feel ANYTHING during surgery and I was awake during the whole operation! I say go for the cesarean.
Best of luck to you and your family!

OK...first we need more info. Why did you tear so much? Didn't they do an episiotomy? My first delivery was very difficult. I wanted to do everything natural. I was afraid of the epidural and didn't want it. Needless to say, I bruised (rather than teared) very badly from all the pushing. My son got stuck...they couldn't suction him out and ended up being a forcep delivery. I couldn't sit for well more than a month, was scratched up inside from the catheter, and couldn't hold my bladder for weeks post partum! Fast-forward 3 1/2 years later to the delivery of my daughter. Super super easy!! I got done delivering her and said "Boy, that was easy. I could do that again!" My first advice, get the epidural and get it early! I can't stress that enough. I actually slept thru most of my labor after I got the epi. Secondly, tell you DR when the time comes to do the episiotomy. 1. you won't feel it with the epidural, 2. there will be far less stress on the perineum making a quicker recovery 3. Use the epifoam on your incision daily and if they don't give it to you at the hospital, ask for it! Wonderful stuff! I wish I had it the first time. Don't opt for the c-section. I think second deliveries are usually much easier because you're body has already done it.

Congrats on baby #2! I feel our society is way over using sections. I have had 3 nearly 9lb. baby vaginal births and I only tore with the first one. Both the M.D. on my 2nd birth, and the midwife on the 3rd, used warm compress and warm oil as the baby was crowning. I was back to somewhat normal activity within 3-4 days of each birth. It totally works! You can also do kegels, and stay active throughout your pregnancy to prevent incontinence. (Which consequently may happen to you no matter what kind of birth you have.) The possibility of having complications with a vaginal birth are much smaller than with a c-section. There are also benefits for the baby to be delivered naturally. To me a C-section isn't an option, but a last resort. Please do some research and consider this decision very seriously. I hate to say it, but, I think M.D.'s like to schedule sections so their golf game isn't interrupted with a delivery.

Hello M., I am a mother of two children, both delivered by C-section. My first child, my son, it was not a planned C-section. I was in labor for 25 hours, pushed for four of those hours. He was just to big to come through the birth canal. He never dropped. It was very painful. I was so scared going into the operating room. I had no idea what to expect or how it was going to happen. yes, it is major surgery, you have staples placed on your stomach. These are taken out before you leave the hospital. The recovery period is much longer then a vaginal. There are more restrictions after surgery, no carrying anything over a certain pound, no stairs, no driving, and of course you have a harder time just getting around. Now my daughter, my husband and I decided that she would be a planned C-section because they could not guarentee that I would be able to give birth to her vaginal. Plus the risks of having a vaginal birth were scarier then going through all that pain again. If you are planning on having more children, a C-section causes risks if going vaginal next. You can tear in the area you have the section, causing the baby distress as well as yourself. The second time around was much easier because I knew what to expect and I was able to bounce back quicker this time. C-section is good in that you can plan it and it is over alot sooner then a vaginal birth. I hope this helps and good luck. Amy

Hi M... I had a vaginal delivery with my first daughter.. a normal delivery, but after a year I developed a collapse of the wall separating the "front" from the "back" so had to get surgery. For my next child, I was told that I had to have a C-section otherwise the surgery repair may come undone.. so I had a c-section (and another one with my third child after that.) Let me put my vaginal delivery into a bit of context.. I was in labor for only 5 hours.. I dilated from a 5 to 15 in something like 15 minutes.. I didn't have time for pain killers, but it was so quick, it wasn't like I was in pain for hours and hours... all in all, I felt very involved in the whole process (I felt nearly everything!) and my recovery wasn't awful. I only had a few stitches and (short of when I sneezed) don't remember having oodles of pain. When I had my c-section, I felt very removed from the process and had blood pressure issues (it kept dropping, so I would feel really faint every few minutes) during the actual procedure. I didn't get to really look at or touch my baby until almost 30min after she was born (though dad did) I felt like I wasn't able to enjoy the process. Afterwards, while in recovery, I was nauseas.. couldn;t move from the waist down and felt pretty horrible. (it was very similar my 2nd time around.. except the blood pressure problem) If I had a choice, I probably would have wanted to do a vaginal again...in fact, I asked my OB doc twice if she was sure I couldn't have one (she flat out told me no vaginal.. it had to be c-section) but everyone's experiences are different. If I had experienced a different vaginal, I may not feel quite to partial to them. And I've heard many woman say how great theirs were. The one really good thing is the "down there" recovery time.. (there really isn't any) You should ultimately consider what you are okay with and what a vaginal delivery would do to your body (more tearing? any risks?) either way, the end result is the same.. a wonderful bundle of love!! Good Luck..

R.

Hi M.,
I had my first baby 6 weeks ago. I had to have a cesarean because I got to 7 centermeters and stopped dialating. I went 5 hrs. and only dialated 1 centermeter. I was so tired that the doctor said it was time to do something else. I am very glad I had the c-section. The pain after was not so bad. I did not take any pain killers only Motrin. The only thing that I didn't like is that I had to be in the hospital longer. I wanted to get home and start the new chapter in my life. Good luck.

Hi,
I completely understand your feelings about having a c-section. Its a scary thing if you haven't gone through it. We found out my daughter was breech at 37 weeks, she wouldn't be flipped, so I had to have a c-section. No one was more nervous/worried/anxious than me!!! I have to say though - it was really easy (in my opinion). The spinal/epidural isn't bad at all - just like any other "giving blood" stick, and you don't feel a thing during the surgery. The recovery for me was quick and believe it or not pretty painless. They gave me medicine through an IV for the first 24 hours after surgery - I was pain free during that time, and was up walking (a little) and took a shower the next morning. Then after that I took percocet and motrin and that really took away most of the pain as well - I only needed it for a few days in the hospital and a few days being home. All of it was safe for breastfeeding - I asked! When my little girl was 2 weeks out we went grocery shopping - I had her in a baby bjorn - I felt great!
My friend had a similar situation to you - incredibly hard vaginal birth and recovery with her first child. She decided, after MUCH deliberation, that she was having a c-section. She didn't regret it.

The entire thing (c-section and recovery) was WAY easier than I expected!! I hope, if you have a section, everything goes as easily for you!!

Best of luck with your decision and congrats on your new little one!