I am mostly looking for answers from those that gave birth both ways. I gave birth vaginally a year ago. The birth was horrible - the recovery was a breeze. Sure, I felt proud of myself..it was hard, but it was also surreal, amazing...out of this world. But that doesn’t undo that I had panic attacks during it, that it lasted 20 hr, that I lost LOTS of blood, that I didn’t really want to push harder to meet the baby. I wanted to die or get a c section, not birth anything. Instead, they removed the epidural and gave me more oxytocin. In time I became bitter about it...I know it could have been much worse, but in my head it was traumatizing. I met many women who got planned c sections and recovered just as easy, minus the traumatizing and exhausting 20hr labour. I look at their children and they are no less healthy or smart than mine. So help me out. Why would I not get a planned csection? I understand it’s a serious surgery, but is really labour and pushing someone out of your vagina better? Thanks

I'm a FTM so I don't how my body is suppose to be after birth, so I've just been going with the flow. I woke up this morning to some blood on my liner (I wear liners as im trying to fix my peeing problem but that's a whole other issue). When I peed no blood and when I wiped it was pink, not bloody at all. I put a pad on just in case and there's been more blood, not my usual period amount, but no blood in the toilet. I haven't had my usual symptoms (lower back problems are a constant) I did have my constipation symptom, but that might be because my water intake has dropped. I breastfeed too, I've read that delays periods but I'm not sure. This doesn't feel like my normal period, but again I dont know what my body is suppose to be like PP. My daughter has also been fussy at the breast too, I have to supplement, but she's been good at breastfeeding, yet even when the milk is flowing she's trying to get away from me. My milk doesnt taste any different, I'm not sure if the possible period has anything to do with that. Does your body go through the same changes with a vaginal birth? Or is it different for csection? Any advice would be so helpful

I am one week after c section today and just started noticing what seems like UTI symptoms 🙄 as if I haven’t already had a hard enough time. I feel pressure in my vagina/pelvis and keep having to pee. It almost hurts when I pee but doesn’t burn. I have been extremely fatigued today and headaches all day. I have no signs of internal or external infection I just wanted to see if this was normal. My bleeding has also stopped today. I had a catheter in for over 24 hours. This feels like a mean uti or something else 😐

I honestly had a baby that was 95 % percentile. Anything over 90 should be c-section. I had 3/4 degree tear only diagnosed with 2 nd degree. Found out after 6 months of Chronic pain. I was unable to sit straight very painful breastfeeding or doing basic task. The MRI read I had pundentle nerve damage. Which was why I was incontient early post partumt and Dislocated coccyx . It will take 12 + months to heal. I couldn’t have intercourse for 6 months and it was still painful. I now may have a minor prolapse. I was very unlucky. I was fit and healthy. I now have PPD and anxiety due to traumatic birth. My baby airways obstructed, was treated for sepsis, interment bradycardia, heart mummer and dehydration. What makes it worse I am a critical care nurse. I asked if baby was too big they said it was fine. The nurse lied when baby airways obstructed but the doctor saw my baby blue. My baby spent 11 days in special care nursery. I find it very hard to trust anyone and is nervous to do it all again. I am 12 weeks pregnant now but luckily the specialist said I am only for c-section. She said the recovery will be very easy in comparison. I am writing this down for awareness and support to other women. It was hard to find similar cases. That is just my story. I am honestly really scared for a c-section 😢

I can’t wait until these 6 weeks are up! I’m dying to be intimate with my SO. We’ve been trying to keep the intimacy going and I please him but ugh that makes me want him more. My question is have any of you ladies done everything but any type of penetration? I read online that clit stimulation is ok as long as no penetration so is it ok? I’m curious lol and desperate lol

I am 7 weeks post surgery today. My doctors don’t instill any confidence in me anymore so I’d rather hear of this sounds normal from those who went through it. After surgery I had burning pain on the right side near my incision I told doctors and nurses about this multiple times this pain was excruciating my left side was nothing compared to the right. Eventually around 2 weeks they finally started to listen to me and found out I had trapped blood along my inside incision and that it had become infected. 2weeks of antibiotics had me feeling better. Throughout this time I have started and stopped bleeding continually. At 3weeks I went back for another check up for the infection but they were more worried about birth control and never even checked my lumpy incision that was still slightly swollen. The lumps are still there they sometimes have shooting pain along my public bones. I started my period even though I was still having old blood come out. Five day period started birth control the nuva ring. 5 day of the ring and I started I’ve some weird signs that thought could indicate a clot tightness in chest and numb arm also palpitations. I took out the birth control and within three days have been feeling back to normal only thing is now I have black blood and clots starting to come out. So I’ve been looking for another gyno since one there not even listening to me and two I still think it was there fault I had to have a c section but until then does any of this sound normal/ abnormal

I’m reaching week 4 tomorrow and I noticed I’ve completely stopped bleeding (of course still wearing a pad afraid to bleed a lot one day) and I go walking every day and I try to stay active and not much bleeding happens during those moments. I was wondering has anyone else experienced the bleeding stops before week 6

Hi ladies, when did you start exercising and doing ab workouts to tone the belly pp? And what kind of exercises did you follow? Ftm here, have no idea when I’m supposed to exercise and where to begin.

Edit: Confirmed by scan today baby is cephalic! Let's hope the little bastard stays there for the rest of the pregnancy. Thanks for all the replies, really helpful to start thinking beyond my issues with the surgery. With respect, I'm hoping not to be back here for any advice! Thank you ladies.

Hi, my baby is in an unstable lie/ transverse at 39 weeks and I have been told that the only option for delivery is a c section.

This is 3rd baby now and I have had 2 straightforward vaginal births, both at home with midwives present but both at 42/ 43 weeks.

I do suffer with a pelvic injury and usually do physio and hydrotherapy but due to the virus this has been stopped, plus there's no swimming, osteopath, chiropractor, Chinese doctor, basically nothing! I can see an obvious link between this presentation and my injury (head just can't stay in the lower uterus but movement indicates s/he seems to be trying!). The nhs will give me a section no problem, but not a physio, and apparently no version! This seems ridiculous.

Anyway, I am finding it difficult to come to terms with the prospect of having a c section. The truth is that I am a complete pansy, I can't even THINK too closely about blood or anything like that without passing out. I would say that I'm probably phobic. Right now there's no way on earth that I could bring myself to sign consent to a c section.

I obviously have to try to somehow come to terms with the prospect of the c section, otherwise I won't consent to it and the consequences could be dire. Telling me to think of the baby etc. etc. Just isn't enough, I know all that, but this fear/ feeling is something totally irrational.

PS My first was breech but flipped around 39 weeks after chiropractor.

I had a failed induction, the dreaded "failure to progress" and an emergency C-section. After the ordeal, my mother, MIL and many others were insensitive and downright rude about my experience. I was thinking about how saying, "I had a csection" makes it seem almost like no big deal, almost a casual thing. Whereas, if I say "I had major abdominal surgery" it better captures the process and experience for me. I know C-sections are common and I know they can be an easy recovery for some, but I feel like calling a spade a spade might be helpful, at least for me. The idea came to me when my friends sister had minor surgery and everyone was very caring and sweet towards her (offering to bring her things , telling her to rest, etc) but after my surgery, no one was that caring towards me. Thoughts?

I’m 10 weeks out, and sometimes I get period like achy pain in my uterus, and sometimes what feels like ovaries. Not sure if it’s my period trying to come back, or if it’s from the incision. Anyone else feel that?

When a middle aged woman from my husband's work learned our baby was born by C-Section her voice was dripping with judgement. She demanded to know if it was absolutely medically necessary. I cannot tell you how much this bothers me however her opinion is not unique.

It was necessary but why did it matter? At 39 weeks we discovered yhe baby was breech. Natural breech births pose significant health risks to both mother and child and our doctor's professional opinion was that a c-section was the solution.

I struggled with the thought of having a c-section. It was not the birth experience I had imagined and I felt like my opportunity to experience a "real birth" was stripped away. The opinions of other woman like the middle aged co-worker left me feeling embarrassed. I had felt the need to hide that I had a c-section so that other woman wouldn't judge me for "taking an easy out".

It wasn't easy at all - not only was the surgery and recovery itself painful but I had to have help from the nurse to take care of my baby right after surgery. I wasn't able to hold him without supervision until the drugs from surgery wore off. The nurse even had to latch him to my breast for his first feed - awkward and not glamourous or easy!

At the end of the day whether a baby is born naturally or via c-section its still a birth and c-section mothers are not lesser in anyway. I am grateful that my child was born healthy and I hope that we elminate the stigma surrounding c-sections - medically necessary or elective. There is no reason to judge another woman - we can lift eachother up or you can mind your own business and keep judgements to yourself!

I’ve had 3 c-sections. All have healed pretty well.. it’s been about 5months since my last one..and just now today in the shower i noticed that a part of my scar was raised, a little red, and hurt a little when I pressed on the red area. I’m not sure what’s going on.. but this is the first time it’s bothered me. Has anything happened like this to fellow moms?! Should I be worried?!

Do you have any recommendations for types/brands of incontinence underwear (adult diapers) for plus size moms? I was 2x before baby and currently at 34+6 have put on 25lbs. Would anyone not recommend these?

Blame baby brain or outright stupidity, but vaginal bleeding did not occur to me since I am having a c-section. It has been fun not worrying about a period for nine months. Apparently in my head everything down there would remain steel trap since they are removing baby via surgery. Not my finest moment.

Like the title says, I had my section and seriously only bled heavy to moderately for a few days and overall bled for a week before it totally dropped off.

Concerned that it’s gonna come rushing back. Anyone else have this experience?

Hi ladies, I’m one week post partum and I’ve been having some pretty bad burning pain right side lower abdomen. It feels like it’s pretty above my scar .. also my stomach on both side lower feels like two hard masses or something. This was my first c section .. is this normal?

Anyone ever experience this?

I’m going to be having my 36 week appointment tomorrow. My doctor didn’t mention anything about cervical checks (or the strep b test for that matter) but I’m hearing a lot of people get cervical checks at the appointments the last month in order to check for dilation. I’m wondering if you need to get checked when you’re having a c-section? I’ve heard that they don’t really seem to be much of an indication of when labor will happen, especially if you aren’t experiencing contractions or anything. Did anyone get these? I’m wondering if I should refuse them or if there are benefits if my doctor wants to do them.

I’m having a planned c-section on Monday - first baby, first c-section - and I’m a whole lot more scared than I’m letting anyone believe. My original due date was April 18, but COVID is expected to peak in my state about then so we are bumping it up a few days to make sure there are enough resources at the hospital when the emergency patients need them. She was going to have to be a c-section regardless; I’m not wide enough (for the first time in my life) to deliver her naturally, so I’m also feeling like I’m letting the “natural feminine way” down. Moms, what is your advice? How did you come to terms with your procedure? How did you get through the recovery? What are your tips and tricks?

I had a csection in dec and my period s have been really heavy my period in March was very heavy it was just pouring out of me it was awful for a couple days can’t remember how many was busy w baby just got my recent period in April was shorter than March but also very heavy and was going through pads and tampons going on 10 days now Is this going to get better I had a csection 3 years ago and it was not this bad only had one really heavy period from what I remember then went back to normal. I m also feeling kind of dizzy when I stand up sometimes could I becoming anemic? When does this get better?

Yesterday, I finally, well we finally managed to have full intercourse. We tried last week, but I was tight and it was extremely dry. We had a normal lube and didn't work at all. Poor SO, it's being nearly five months without sex, due to my difficult pregnancy. Even if the doctor explained to me that soreness is not linked only with vaginal birth, I thought it was going to be easy or at less, less complicated.

Someone here, replied to another similar post, that water base lube are more indicated. He found one and yesterday, we managed to have sex. It took a lot of preparation, but I was more comfortable and I managed to enjoy a bit. Orgasm is something that takes a bit of time. He slept like a baby after and we will be trying next week. I am sore down there but it doesn't burn or anything. I still don't feel "horny" but I really like that intimacy that we lost for so long.

How you managed between c-section, recovery and sex?

I’m trying to prepare for a potential C-section in June, and I’m wondering if any experienced mamas have advice about baby wearing after- specifically with the Ergobaby Embrace, or something similar, which sits higher on your torso.

How long after surgery did you feel comfortable baby wearing around the house or for a short walk? Is it ludicrous to imagine baby wearing soon after?

I’m 8 weeks post partum and want to ease into some ab workouts so I can eventually fit into regular pants. 😂

With the gym not being an option I’m looking at YouTube videos, but I’m overwhelmed by how many there are. Anyone have any they’ve used before? Or just some favorite exercises they would recommend?

Hello friends,

I had a c section in Dec 2019 and I'm wondering how long it takes for the tenderness at the incision site to go away?

It only feels tender if I flex my abs or lean against the incision site, like at a counter or something. It's not bad pain, but it's been about 4 months since the surgery and it still feels a little ache. I expected it to go away by 12 weeks at most 🤷‍♀️

Hello fellow c-section moms! I know that for a lot of moms with c-sections the feeling doesn’t come back in the lower abdomen right away, but I’m wondering if it comes back at all, and what most people’s time line was. My son is almost 7 months old at this point.

I have a bit of a different situation since my wound got massively infected to the point where I was rushed into a second surgery to clean out the wound and I had to have my wound open for about 3 months with a wound vac so that it could heal from the inside out and not get reinfected.

I’m basically numb from my belly button to my scar (and I’ve got a good bit of chub down there, so it’s a pretty significant amount of skin). I find it incredibly annoying, so I guess I’m just wondering if anyone has a similar situation at all, or what it’s like for a normal c-section wound.

When did anyone or everyone start to apply screw treatments, oils or creams?

I assumed it wasn’t okay to apply it when the wound was new and healing. I’m coming up on week six and just wondering when I can start to oil this puppy up :)

Hello! I represent a group of students from Lehigh University and we are working on a research project involving scar treatment. If you have had a c-section or another type of stomach surgery, please take a few minutes and complete our short survey. We would greatly appreciate it!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdNXazh8NP8jp95uBPrQ5hl7A_LUh3EZ3nNzKbZMhDNvVz3SA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Hi all!

I’m having my first C-Section in a little over a week. What are the must have items that I need for recovery?!

UPDATE: THANK YOU so much for all of the great advice, all! My twins are coming April 9th and there is obviously a lot of uncertainty in our world right now. This makes me feel a little bit more prepared!