what is a c-section like?

Question

I had my daughter vaginally, and have never experienced a c-section. Just out of curiosity, what is the experience of a c-section like? I am terrified of needing one, for both the recovery and the procedure itself. My son is currently breech, and although he has a lot of time to flip, I'm starting to worry about the possibility of needing a c-section.  Was it painful while it was happening? I'm horrified. If you have had both a vaginal delivery and c-section, how do they compare?

Answer

I've had 2 vaginal births and 1 c section. the surgery itself is great. No labor, no waiting around, no pain, within just a few minutes of starting yay baby's here. But the recovery SUCKS. Once the surgery pain meds started to wear off I felt like I got hit by a bus. Even with the meds I couldn't stand long enough to brush my teeth for 2 days,  once I got home I couldn't stand up from the sofa or bed while holding the baby because I needed to push or pull up with my arms for 10 days,  forget laughing or needing to cough. I couldn't lift my toddlers for 3 or 4 weeks. I hated it. I'm almost 6 months pp and my belly is still tender a little. But I had severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome and baby went into distress when trying to induce, so I'm thankful for the c section for those reasons, it saved us.

Answer

I've been told from day 1, that I have to have a planned c-section, and I've been shitting bricks about it!

A lot of these stories are really calming me down though :) Thankyou for sharing :)

Answer

I had an emergency c section with my first. I didn't want it but my baby heart rate wa dropping and I was just ready for my baby to come out. It was a terrible experience for me I'm not going to lie. I was literally walking like an old lady for a week. My stitches was good healed great . But then it start hurting like every time I cough I get this sharp pain and it's like my stomach was tightening up and I couldn't move for like 3 mins. I hate it and I really wanna do natural birth this time

Answer

I e only had an emergency section after going through labour & pushing for over 2 hrs. My epidural only froze my right side so I could feel way too much. My baby was premie so she was rushed into the NICU. I was throwing up in recovery. I'm currently expecting due in April & im having a scheduled section this time. I've been told a planned section is ALOT easier than an emergency one following labour. It will be more relaxed & as long as this little one stays put till at least 37 weeks I should be able to hold & feed my baby right away. Recovery can be long & painful. Make sure you stay on top of your pain meds it's easier to maintain the pain then let it get out of control. I'm just nervous cause I won't be able to chase or pickup my toddler for a few weeks 😬

Answer

I've had one emergency and need planned sections for future babies. The surgery was fine-I didn't feel a thing and was over and done with in next to no time at all.
The recovery, however, wasn't pleasant. It took me 2 days to be able to walk unaided and was constantly on pain relief as was just in so much pain if I didn't keep taking pills on schedule. 
After about 8 weeks I felt back to myself though. Definitely worth it to have my son safe.

Answer

Ive had 2 csections, one emergency and one scheduled. Loved them both. Procedure itself isn't painful at all. First one i was knocked out completely, 2nd i was awake like a normal csection. Recovery sucks but i was back to normal within a week, kind of forgot i had surgery. So much so that i reopened my first incision and it got infected because i wasnt resting and being careful like i was suppose to. Took longer to heal but wasnt painful. My incisions were also glued shut which was awesome,  not painful in the least. Ive heard staples and stitches are super painful. Still super painful when coughing or laughing for a couple days right after but within a week i was feeling great both times.

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Don't YouTube it! During my nursing clinicals, I got to be in the operating room during one. This is why I'm terrified of having one. Trust me, just go in blind about the whole thing Lol.

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I haven't had a vaginal delivery, but my son went breech at 36 weeks and I had to have a c section. The actual procedure wasn't painful, although right after I got to meet my son I started getting real sick and threw up like 7 times on the surgery table. For me, the recovery was brutal. I'm pretty resistant to pain killers, so they didn't really touch me. Laying in bed wasn't that painful, but the moment I stood up holy moly. I would suggest getting a shower chair if you're going to have one. I needed to sit down.
  It's different for everyone though. I had a friend who had a c section and the next 3 kids were vaginal births. She said her vagibal births were way more painful than her c section. Even with me having a not so great c section experience, I'd do it again. Though I'm hoping for a VBAC this time around.

Answer

I was terrified when I needed to get one after being in labor for 24 hrs since baby was sunny side up. She wasn't coming out since she was 9 lbs 13 oz. I had dialated to 5/6 cm. I had what they call a double labor and the recovery was horrible. One because the medicine wasn't working and the nurses were horrible, it wasn't until my doctor came and checked on me and yelled at all of them for not giving me better medecine. For the C-section procedure all you feel is the tugging and pulling pressure but not actual pain and it's really fast but seemed to be a long time. They had her out in like 10 min. When I was finally home I didn't even use the pain medecine they gave me for a whole week. 
One of the nurses told me when she had her first the same thing happened to her where she had double labor and then c section and she had a painful recovery but when she had her other C-section scheduled her recovery and pain was nothing compared to the first. I've decided for my future babies im just going to schedule a C-section so that my recovery won't be bad

Answer

I haven't had either I'm 37 weeks but my cousin. Has 4 kids her first was a c section thst went fine then she had two vaginally then had to get another section cause baby was breech and small they didn't wana risk turning him they stitched her too close to her bladder unstitched her then stitched her again she went home and started bleeding and had to go back to the hospital from her she saying vaginally is 100% easier going off both her sections

what is a c-section like?

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