Caesarean vs natural - Real Mum story on MoM

8 Comments

I am unsure as to why anyone would choose to have a caesarean over a natural birth. I have experienced it both ways and let me assure you- the pain free part of the labour isn’t worth the pain that follows!
Both of my labours were completely different. My first lasted an eternity! My water broke on the Thursday night and my daughter wasn’t born until the Sunday morning! I guess she just decided that she didn’t want to come in the end (after labour pains all Friday night) and then I had to be induced. So I have experienced probably the worst of labour pains by actually being induced (it is a lot more intense) and trying to do it drug free (which I managed for 5 hours and then after only being 3cm dilated after all that and they were going to up the intensity, I opted to get the epidural). I can tell you that nothing beats the sensation of pushing your baby out into the world, as hard as it is, and then the great sense of accomplishment that goes along with it. As much as you have still accomplished something with having a caesarean (after all, you have just endured 9 months of don’ts!), the feeling of birth is completely different.
My second labour ended with a caesarean and it was about the most traumatic experience of my life to date. My labour started naturally, but despite the pain, just didn’t seem to be progressing, and then, like my first, it just slackened off. Then Pow! It was back with a vengeance and I decided to have a shower again. I had a student midwife as well as a fully qualified midwife and the student decided that it was time to check on heart rates, etc. She read them out and then the midwife asked her to check again. Things didn’t seem quite right so I was asked to get on the bed and that was when the pains really struck me. The heart rate of my baby was too low and I was asked to roll this way and that on the bed as they tried to figure out if it was the contractions causing it. I was in agony. After seeking a few opinions, it was decided that I needed to have an emergency caesarean. Disappointment didn’t even come into it at that stage, all I wanted was to get the baby out! Finally I was given the drugs and all was quiet, peaceful and pain free.
It was very surreal when my son was actually born. It was too quiet and for a moment there we feared that we had lost him. Then, we heard that beautiful little cry that brought tears to our eyes. I had done it! However, what was to follow was weeks of needing help, not being able to pick my daughter up, drive or do anything.
I must say that the 8 weeks following a caesarean are very boring – not to mention the 3 days that I spent in hospital listening to babies cry all night.
Having a caesarean is no less of an achievement, but I must say after having it both ways I must say that I would rather a little pain now, than weeks of not being my full self. A caesarean in my opinion should always be a last resort.

Posted by sars_angelchik, 29th June 2016

8 Comments

- - mom93821 said
  - 03 Aug 2016
    6:25 pm
Thanks for sharing your story – Obstetrics and Midwifery has progressed through the ages. Many women and babies suffered and died during childbirth. I am immensely grateful for modern medical intervention.

- - mom70876 said
  - 10 Jul 2016
    3:16 pm
My doctor decided that she was having a Caesarean. I can not possibly fathom elective Caesareans, but perhaps she had a good reason (she was thin, so may have been worried about her hips/pelvis) and who am I to judge really as I don’t know her circumstances.

- - june11 said
  - 08 Jul 2016
    10:39 pm
I know a Mum who had to have an emergency c-section as her pelvis was too narrow to allow a natural delivery for her baby boy. Her body went into shock, and she simply produced no milk. She had a lot of experts helping her, including trying to express. Examinations and tests proved she had made no milk after the colustrom. She knew the birth of her 2nd baby (also a boy) 4 years later would have to be a c-section. With some assistance she was able to successfully breastfeed her 2nd baby. The midwives checked her previous notes afterwards and said it proved that it was probably shock the 1st time.

- - nealsq said
  - 04 Jul 2016
    2:17 pm
there are four stages of emergency caesareans, the mega emergency hurts like hell because they have to get bub out fast so everything is cut, with the lesser of emergency caesars, they don’t cut through everything but ease things out of the way with their fingers, it is better for healing and much much less painful of a recovery. I have had both of these done and 2 natural births (natural wins by far!) I couldn’t understand why I had so much pain after my first caesar when my friends had it so easy, then my second caesar came along and the doctors explained the differences to me. I would never choose to have a caesar but I believe in what ever is safest for mum and bub at the time is always best

- - mom176887 said
  - 04 Jul 2016
    9:36 am
Also experienced an emergency c-section after failing to progress and I must say I’m rather glad it was done in the end. While there were weeks of recovering, lingering scars and discomfort and other disappointments for me (combined with it possibly not being the best for the child without a vaginal entrance to world) I think there would have been more long term problems in my case with a natural delivery. Every case is probably different but I’m glad of the months of pain and scarring compared to what might have been with natural birth.

- - BellaB said
  - 30 Jun 2016
    5:54 pm
I think you may inadvertently make women who have a c section feel bad. I don’t know anyone who had one because they thought it would be less painful.

- - Lilly&Chelsea's-mummy said
  - 29 Jun 2016
    9:23 pm
I have had both and definitely prefer natural. My last pregnancy ended in emergency c section and the pain before hand and afterwards was unbearable. They tried turning my daughter with forceps and I had the epidural and could feel everything they tried twice and decided because I was in so much pain and Bub was too big that c section was the only way after 12 hours of labour after being induced.

- - mom90758 said
  - 29 Jun 2016
    9:02 pm
I just had a natural birth. But I can imagine that a caesarean can be a lot harder on a woman. Being obliged to stay in bed so long must be so incredibly frustrating.