Is a C-section really that bad?

Well said Nelria. I feel EXACTLY like you. My c-section was the most horrible, embarrassing thing I've been through. And I still say I've never heard from someone who had both natural and c-section that c-section is not horrible. I really find it hard to believe that some women don't have pain after a c-section, but then again, my one friend had her son's 2nd b/day party when her daughter was 5 days old - and at the time I didn't think anything about it, but jeez after I had my c-section I keep thinking - how the hell did she do it??!! But she didn't seem in pain that day. Me on the other hand on day 5 was so swollen I could barely walk and my wound area was freaking sore. I think I only felt human again after about 5 weeks. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one that had so much pain.

my kind of thread lol

o button crapy so leaving them out

ok so i will just jump in C-sec is HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wow man cant tell u how much they suck, hurt, degraded, embarras etc

just my opinion though LMAO

ok so here is it:

1st kid - water broke at 11.30 contractions started 1.30 endured contractions 4min apart for 1 min long FREAKIN SORE but do-able and fun as me and hubby laughed and joked all the way through and u get to pee, jump etc

at 3 was dilated enough for epidural AHHHH BLISS so laid in bed, chatted, snoozed - just 2 of us, darkened private room, no noise, interuptions etc NO PAIN!!!!!! so at 7 fully dilated only nurse and dr came in nice dark room so 6 pushes later lea slips out AMAZING wow seeing and experiencing that is undescribible so personel, surreal, amazing PAIN FREE

so no tear whooooooooohooooooooo at 10 had shower, washed hair etc at 12 had lunch downstairs with buddies feeling awsome

3 days later drove self home had 1st playdate at 1 week ever since then no stopping us

oh oh and flat flat belly back in 1mnth AWSOME

2nd kid here is where the shit hit the fan grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

cord around his neck twice man worst news of my life - got so peeved of didnt even plan ahead anymore etc

so get up at 4 get to hospital at 5 check in about 1hrs of paperwork BORING then get dressed in bed speak to million peeps re everything

get wheeled of to slabroom ok so like 5 people work n u at once - get given foul meds so u dont puke from anestesia, blood drawn, more meds, needles, probs, probed, paperwrk all under hars lights with millions coming going

get this catheder put in outside theatre (me to stupid to insist inside) ok so embarrisisng and SORE all while people chatting, prepping etc

so get to slab now for spinal to get moved over bed etc - no underpants, catheder dangling MORE STRaNGERS prepping - SPINAL OUCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

ok so back on slab both arms pinned dwn one with anestesia, other with drip your dress gets lifted up over your chest onto this frame thing so now u sprawled naked under harsh lights with million strangers looking

ok so like 3 min later they hand me a baby WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!! i am feeling crap, embarrased over lights and nudity, pinned down, nauseous now this kid apears from nowhere and I am suppose to OOH an AAH - cant even see hubby's face!! so xen gets lied on my chest and i am like ok whatever cant cuddle, feed even see properly

ok so he is off i am prepped

so back in room - they come wash me?????? wtf so wipe my privates, INSERT A SETPIL so freaking embarrasing (with natural my hubby helped me wipe and change bedsaver - i showered 100% alone

this is repeated whole day - I am bound to bed with drip, my wound regaining feeling WOW SO MUCH PAIN ITS RIDICULOUS, my tummy wants to go get this refused to get up before 24hrs so they bring me freakin BEDPAN!!!!!!!!!! wow enough to shut any bowels down luckily

so next day take drip off now to get out of bed????????? my tummy is gaping wound i need this to roll over????/ so lady next to me show me how to grab handles of bed and kind of flop over and use legs and arms to get up - i mena seriously cant even get out of bed - after natural i was climbing stairs in 4 hrs

ok so finally out of bed got to pee?????????? wtf once again need tummy muscles to lower on toilet seat

ok u get the picture PAIN AND MORE PAIN just to move, pee, change nappy, breastfeed, roll over

had todler at home this didnt help coudlnt pick her up for 6 wks man was she peeved and felt derserted

couldnt drive for 6 wks - boredom!!!!!!!!!!!!!

getting in and out of bed for quick dummy run OUCH!!!!!!!!

couldnt bath in forever wound could get septic, wore tummy belt for 8 wks otherwise pain from zips, buttons etc

itched like a bitch and if u scratch scar has no feeling and feel like dead flesh super gross

no monkey business to sore, embarrassed, discusted and horrible wobbly fat tummy

after 4 mnths kind of resembling flat tummy again (natural 1 mnths) but ruined for good which reallly PEEVES ME off

if u dont have choice i understand c-sec and even would recomend it for baby

but if u do have choice - NOBODY on this gods green earth can convince me its worth it as i had BOTH and man u cant compare a divine experience to plain butchery

btw - i speak on behalf of 2 other mummies that had misfortune of having both and they mirror my tale

Julz I agree, its really not fair to judge as some of us werent given the luxury of choice and at the end of the day the health of bubs and you need to be the most important thing. Joli, you were not a sissy-having a c section is a huge surgery and people forget that. Though I had an amazing experience, it was still extremely scary.

Although I ended up having an emergency c-section (general anaesthetic) I also experienced full blown labour without meds. I can honestly say that I found the latter more painful than the c-section. Consider that the latter scenario was under very atypical circumstances and not what the average person would experience. Memories of both have faded with time as they are meant to and the jury is still out as to whether I will have a VBAC or c-section for my next.

I gave birth at 2:30 am and got up later that morning. It was very painful but still not quite as bad as I had expected it would be. Don’t get me wrong I relied very heavily on pain meds for those first few days and remember asking for a heavier dose! The healing process kicked in very quickly though and I walked out of hospital carrying baby 4 days later still pretty uncomfortable but not in pain as such. I was somewhat uncomfortable for the next week or so and was driving without much discomfort by 2 weeks.

The recovery process was tedious and uncomfortable but the worst was over within a week so was bearable enough. In total I would say it took about a month for me to start feeling myself. I started gentle exercise at about the same time and started easing into work 2 weeks later.

I was back to my pre pregnancy weight within 2 weeks. Fitness was never affected as I kept fit and ate well during the pregnancy. Oh and I'm still not happy with my stomach but then I never have been =) I still have a degree of numbness around the scar which I don't beleive will ever completely go away.

Just be comfortable in the decision you make and you will be just fine. Let us know =)

I have chronic high blood pressure and developed group B strep infection whilst pregnant. Because of these and other factors my baby needed to be born on 38 weeks. My gynea wanted to do induction but I decided on an c-section. My husband and I felt that was the safer option for our baby (our opinion!!). Before my c-sec I heard a lot of horror stories about c-sections and when I was lying in my hospital room waiting for them to take me to theatre I was crying because I was so scared! I had a wonderful c-sec experience. Maybe it was the adrenalien pumping! The only thing I struggled with was getting out of bed. It was way too painful and I did take my meds as prescribed. When we were at home, my hubby had to lift me out of bed everythime baby cries. But that was just the first 2 weeks, after that I could do everything myself. I also drived after 2 weeks, had no other choice! But I was fine.

All in all, I would do it the same. But yes, it is a very personal choice and you should do what you think is best. My personal opinion is as long as baby is fine, it doesn't matter how baby enters the world!

Good luck

Haha Jo. A morphine doggy bag. Now THAT is what I needed. I like the way you think!

I'm going to reply before I read the other responses so that I'm not distracted by what other people have said. So I apologise if I repeat stuff that others have said.

Did you ladies that had a c-section really find it that sore and bad?

Yes it was extremely painful and uncomfortable. The painkillers helped but I ran out after a week and then it got really tough.

Was the recovery process difficult?

I'd say that the first 4 weeks were difficult. The wound itself healed nicely and quicker than I expected. But the discomfort took a while to ease.

How long did it take for you to recover?

I'd say it took about 6 weeks to feel normal again. I still have twinges here and there and the scar is numb which is weird.

How soon were you on your feet?

Less than 24 hours. But 'back on your feet' is a broad term. I was hobbling to the bathroom and back. Luckily I have a wrought iron bed at home so I could pull myself up out of bed.

Does it really interfere with getting back into shape after the birth?

I can't answer that one because first of all I lost weight during my pregnancy and secondly I'm so outta shape already (unless round is a shape?).

I must just say that I had an emergency c-section and I believe that that is more painful. I suspect that if I had a scheduled one next time it would be easier, but probably mostly because I would know what to expect. I also wanted to add that I think your age and level of fitness contributes greatly. I am 33 and overweight (very).

Good luck!
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