The Price for being born - Natural birth or C-Sections

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  • shatteredangel
    shatteredangel Posts: 15
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    I know I am the minority, but my issue with homebirths is they do not always adequately equip you to look for warning signs so you blithely carry on. Mine is not the only experience I know of in this vein.

    Surely if you have a midwife with you, she will be looking for warning signs anyway?

    I've had 3 homebirths and all were beautiful and incredibly empowering. We didn't have a midwife here for the final birth, so delivered her alone. She was 10lb 3oz and the experience was amazing. I'm a massive fan of homebirth, but it's not for everyone. The c section rate is FAR too high in the developed world, but it stems from unnecessary prior interventions in many cases. If you force a woman into labour and keep meddling, things probably won't go to plan. I think it's awful that women feel any sense of guilt about their births when often the women who have the most diffcult births were let down by their care providers. I also think that in the grand scheme of things, a healthy outcome is the sole concern of most mothers.
  • Dtho5159
    Dtho5159 Posts: 1,054 Member
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    2 c sections here

    1st I was induced at 39 weeks 4 days because they thought he was gonna be nearly 10lb and didn't want me to go further. He didn't tolerate labor and they lost his heart rate so emergency c section I went. He had the cord tight around his neck and was blue but they got him back.

    2nd was a planned c section. 2 reasons. One, I was terrified if the same thing happening again even though it was a small chance. two, Id have to switch OBGYNs and go to a hospital 2 hours from home vs one 10 min away because of the way they cut my uterus with my son, it was high risk to try a VBAC so they wouldn't take me.

    I had NO complications from either c section. My sister in law also had 2 c sections so 4 out of my inlaws 5 kids were c section babies lol.
  • Dtho5159
    Dtho5159 Posts: 1,054 Member
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    I have one child. A boy, a month shy of his third birthday now. My mother had both a natural (no drugs) vaginal delivery (me), & a csection because my sister was breeched. Since I can remember I've heard sbout how horrible that csec was. So I was terrified. Was completely against a csection. I was a week late with my son, getting ready the night before my scheduled induction ( i was not excited about this, but no progress yet). Then my doctor calls and says "OH, sorry, you're not being induced tmrw, your baby is measuring 10LBS 14OZ. I haven't seen a baby this big & it's not safe to try a natural delivery at your size." About then is when I panicked lol. Didn't want a csection OR a giant kid! In then end my son wad not THAT big. But 9lbs 8oz wad big enough :) As for the c-section? The spinal block they give is painful. Then you are paralyzed with numbness which is a feeling I didn't like. But as soon as that wore off it was replaced with extreme pain, cramping. Couldn't sit up for days. Then you are warned not to pick up anything over 10lbs. Well my child in his car seat was easily over that and I pulled a muscle on the side of my insicion.

    So, what's the moral of my story? Avoid a c-section. A lot of women (especially my age or so) think it will be easier. But in no way is it. I look at a natural delivery as intense pain for a very short time that ends with you holding your baby. With a c-section, you're pain free during delivery but when baby comes is when the pain begins!

    Not everyone has a lot of pain with c sections. I had some pain after my 1st and barely any after my 2nd. I too was against c sections, I even skipped over that part in the pregnancy books HAHA!
  • ursy87
    ursy87 Posts: 287
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    I know I am the minority, but my issue with homebirths is they do not always adequately equip you to look for warning signs so you blithely carry on. Mine is not the only experience I know of in this vein.

    Surely if you have a midwife with you, she will be looking for warning signs anyway?

    I've had 3 homebirths and all were beautiful and incredibly empowering. We didn't have a midwife here for the final birth, so delivered her alone. She was 10lb 3oz and the experience was amazing. I'm a massive fan of homebirth, but it's not for everyone. The c section rate is FAR too high in the developed world, but it stems from unnecessary prior interventions in many cases. If you force a woman into labour and keep meddling, things probably won't go to plan. I think it's awful that women feel any sense of guilt about their births when often the women who have the most diffcult births were let down by their care providers. I also think that in the grand scheme of things, a healthy outcome is the sole concern of most mothers.

    It feels like theres a lot of 'empowerment' to having a natural birth and those of us that have had c sections are missing out somehow on being a complete woman. In my case if I did not have a c section I would be dead and my baby would be dead, my kidneys were failing and I simply could not keep the baby in. I was offered sterislisation during this as it was thought that any subsequent pregnancies would end badly, but I refused, not wanting to be pushed into anything in a highly emotional state. My husband and I did think long and hard before we decided to have another baby, and with consultation with my doctor and midwives went ahead with not one but a further two, with 5 years between each to allow for as much recovery as possible. These two also were c sections, as all babies had to be delivered prematurely. I dont feel any less of a woman, or cheated because I didnt have natural,drug free births. All I feel is gratitude to the medical staff and complete and utter unconditional love for my three wonderful, healthy boys.
  • Ashley_Panda
    Ashley_Panda Posts: 1,404 Member
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    I had to be induced and had an epidural. I pushed all 8lbs 5oz of my son out and my lady bits are still lovely. Lovely enough to make a second baby. ;)
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    It feels like theres a lot of 'empowerment' to having a natural birth and those of us that have had c sections are missing out somehow on being a complete woman. In my case if I did not have a c section I would be dead and my baby would be dead, my kidneys were failing and I simply could not keep the baby in. I was offered sterislisation during this as it was thought that any subsequent pregnancies would end badly, but I refused, not wanting to be pushed into anything in a highly emotional state. My husband and I did think long and hard before we decided to have another baby, and with consultation with my doctor and midwives went ahead with not one but a further two, with 5 years between each to allow for as much recovery as possible. These two also were c sections, as all babies had to be delivered prematurely. I dont feel any less of a woman, or cheated because I didnt have natural,drug free births. All I feel is gratitude to the medical staff and complete and utter unconditional love for my three wonderful, healthy boys.

    I don't think it takes anything away when someone says they feel empowered by natural childbirth. I didn't feel empowered after my first child's birth. iI did with my second, mostly because I didn't die and it was a lot more pain than I ever thought I could survive. But healthy babies and healthy mamas are the most important thing, always.
  • PlanetVelma
    PlanetVelma Posts: 1,231 Member
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    First let me tell you that I'm not yet a Mother, I do very much look forward to being one in the near future . In my ignorance you will usually hear me say , " I'll just have a C-section and get it over with" How convenient right ...? ..but last night I watched " The price for being born" on Nextflix. Was I wrong!

    What an eyer opener!


    Over 70% of Births in Asia and Europe are natural births assisted by Midwifes- also the lowest rate of mortalities.

    The U.S stands alone at 8% of natural Births- higher mortality rate.

    It's said that American women are constantly being told that they can't do this alone- a team of doctors ,drugs and surgery is the norm. We all know hospitals are business , each C-sect can cost up to 13,000, while a home birth is around 4,000.

    A woman on labor who is not dilating quick enough according to hospital staff will be enduced with drugs (they need to service you and quickly) which puts stress on the baby ,causing heart rate to rise therefore an urgent c-section is required.

    At home you are not pressure, Time is not an issue , you can give the baby the chance to come naturally.


    After watching the natural home births on this documentary , I'm now leaning to have one of this myself when time comes.They also discuss the scientifically proven " Love Hormones" that come to affect the moment the mother and baby embrace, it's a very intimate and beautiful moment.

    Let me hear your opinions Moms out there =D

    I have 2 children - both of them vaginal births.

    My son - I was in labor for 2.5 hours (I did LOTS of walking during my pregnancy). Once the dr broke my water it was ON! Than my son fell asleep "on the way out"....um yea, my dr had to use scapal stimulation to wake him up. LOL

    My daughter - I had to have my labor induced (fun), that started @ 9am at about 10:30pm (yes over 12 hours) I realized that she was COMING (the dr had left for the evening). They had to call him back to the hospital. She was born a little after midnight.

    Both experiences were awesome, I'm very lucky I didn't have any complications (nor did my children).

    Oh and I opted NOT to have any drugs. My mom and my MIL thought I was out of my mind. LOL
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
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    My daughter was born feet first. I had back labor with her and when she finally decided to be born, there was no stopping her. My water had broken the night before and I was admitted into the hospital. The next morning I could feel something between my legs and when I reached down to feel it it was her feet. I called for the nurse and told her my baby was being born. She said, "no it's not tiime for your baby to be born yet." So I told her to look and see and she looked and told the other nurse that had came with her that they had better get the doctor. They transferred me to another table and wheeled me into the delivery room and and in no time at all my daughter was born.

    My son was born butt first. With my son, I went into the hospital with labor pains and he was breach so they were going to proform a C-section. Before they could even prep me, my son started coming. I didn't even make it into the delivery room. He was born in the room they had put me in with the doctor at the foot of the bed and some nurses on either side. The doctor said afterwards that the first thing that showed was my son's testicles. I heard my doctor telling someone out in the hallway afterwards that "she didn't even have an aspirin!" It's probably a good thing I didn't have any more kids, the next one probably would have been born at home. :laugh:
  • SuperMoniMonk
    SuperMoniMonk Posts: 467 Member
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    My daughter was born feet first. I had back labor with her and when she finally decided to be born, there was no stopping her. My water had broken the night before and I was admitted into the hospital. The next morning I could feel something between my legs and when I reached down to feel it it was her feet. I called for the nurse and told her my baby was being born. She said, "no it's not tiime for your baby to be born yet." So I told her to look and see and she looked and told the other nurse that had came with her that they had better get the doctor. They transferred me to another table and wheeled me into the delivery room and and in no time at all my daughter was born.

    My son was born butt first. With my son, I went into the hospital with labor pains and he was breach so they were going to proform a C-section. Before they could even prep me, my son started coming. I didn't even make it into the delivery room. He was born in the room they had put me in with the doctor at the foot of the bed and some nurses on either side. The doctor said afterwards that the first thing that showed was my son's testicles. I heard my doctor telling someone out in the hallway afterwards that "she didn't even have an aspirin!" It's probably a good thing I didn't have any more kids, the next one probably would have been born at home. :laugh:

    Wow !!! that is amazing , Even though they made perfect candidates for a C-section..they made it out ok naturally. They waited for no one ..:laugh:
  • SuperMoniMonk
    SuperMoniMonk Posts: 467 Member
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    :flowerforyou: I'd like to say,To me Mothers that have had C-sections are not less motherly than those that have had natural births. My Mom had two natural births ..my Sister has had 2 c-sections.

    I would like to have a natural birth ...but hey...sometimes that is just not possible. I think the important thing here is to be aware of what choices are available. My dear friend is only 29 has had 3 C-sections , on the last she was told that her uterus had to be removed because she was bleeding . She no longer gets her periods and has lot her libido . She still not sure of what really happened that day.

    I used to watch " A baby story" and say...just have a c-sections already..:grumble:
    but I didn't know much then.

    I have heard about women who prefer to have a c-section just so that they can have the tummy tuck done . Could vanity outweights the risks?
  • pinkgigi
    pinkgigi Posts: 693 Member
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    I'm so glad I had my son by c-section. The labour went for days and days and when the decision was finally made I was delerious I was so overtired. He was born at 10 lbs. I loved him immediately and he has grown into a wonderful 21 yo man.

    I wanted to try for a natural birth the second time. The doctor reluctantly agreed to give me a 'trial of scar', which was 6 hrs of full-on labour before I delivered, if it went longer he would give me a c-section. It went right to the wire with a episiotomy. My daughter was born at 8 lbs.

    I'm grateful for the medical profession and my wonderful doctor because there was a case in the papers around the time my son was born, where a women (in her forties, first and only child), had a similar labour to mine, in hospital, but the doctor didn't attend and the baby died.

    I breastfed both children until they were 1.

    GG
  • bens_mommy
    bens_mommy Posts: 219
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    It's really quite interesting the stigma that mothers who have had c-sections have. In a perfect world, all mommas would be able to go through a vaginal delivery safely and without complications to both the mother or the baby. However, even before they're born, those little bundles of love already have minds of their own and tend to do cartwheels among many other things that tend to get them in a difficult pinch.

    There is a sense of empowerment from mothers who go through vaginal birth, home birth, non-medicated birth. What seems to be missing in the great "natural versus c-section" debate is the fact that both groups have gone through pregnancy, which for all of you mothers out there, is a great feat in and of itself. Some women elect to have c-sections for perceived "vain" reasons. Some have them because of a perceived emergency. And some have them for actual emergencies.

    I honestly don't think it matters how a mother winds up having her child, so long as momma and baby are both healthy. There is no solid argument for bonding. Both groups of mothers should feel completely empowered at going through child birth, regardless of the method. However, it does seem that mothers who have had c-sections don't get the same feeling of empowerment and don't receive the same kind of treatment as a mother who delivered her child vaginally.

    Opting to have a c-section, regardless of the reason, does not make a mother a bad mother, however so many mothers are treated this way. Most of us didn't go through (usually) long pregnancies to be met with almost instant hostility at the way we gave birth. My son came out completely happy and healthy (and according to the nurses, the loudest newborn they've ever heard), and does not have any lasting effects from any of the medications, and he has always been in the high 90's of the percentiles and is far ahead of his development. Regardless of how a mother delivers a baby, she deserves absolute respect at even being a mother, and that's something that so many of us seem to forget.
  • angijunbug
    angijunbug Posts: 205
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    I had 2 c-sections. My first baby just didn't want to come out after the inducement ( I had toxemia) so I was wheeled away into surgery and the second was a planned c-section. I happened to have gestational diabetes with my second & was getting high blood pressure towards the end of the pregnancy. The first recovery wasn't too bad and the second one was a breeze!
    It will all work out no matter whatever you & your doctor or midwife decide to do or have to do. The end result is a beautiful baby blessing & when you are holding the baby & looking at the baby nothing else will matter.
  • zeeeb
    zeeeb Posts: 805 Member
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    i don't care how my babies came out (ok i had these grand dillusions of water births and all that, but it didn't happen).

    In the end i had 2 c-sections, but all I cared, was that my babies were alive and healthy, and they were, so i won't complain.

    Turns out in the end that my first born had the cord wrapped tightly around her neck (hence why i NEVER got one kick or any big movements throughout the whole pregnancy, she probably was being strangled every time she tried to move). This was never picked up until she was cut out of me. And I'll be eternally grateful that I didn't stick to my "natural water birth" guns and pressure them into letting me try naturally. She was breach, and they done the c-section, and likely saved both me and her alot of stress, pain and perhaps heartbreak.

    I don't care, all I care is that I have my children, they are alive, cheeky, healthy and we're both here so that they can spend every day driving me crazy!
  • LCDMomma
    LCDMomma Posts: 67
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    I have had a c-section and even though I really wanted a vaginal birth, but since I was pregnant with triplets I had the c-section. Honestly is wasn't bad. I was up walking by the next day and since I wanted to breastfeed I was on no pain meds but Tylenol. The worst part was i had them almost 3 months early but today you would never know it.
  • boomboom011
    boomboom011 Posts: 1,459
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    induced baby #1 labor for 7 hours had an epidural and demoral and she was 6 pounds. after she came out i had so much demoral and epidural meds in me i was useless. then about 4 days later i started having the worst headache in the history of headaches. apparently it was a spinal headache from the epidural. it was my first rodeo and i didnt know i should have told someone and they could have fixed it. well this lasted for 3 weeks (yes im so dumb) it only hurt when i stood up so i laid down alot. oh and i was trying to care for a newborn by myself. not good! but my baby was healthy and she is currently 11 and my little headache lol

    induced baby#2 labor for 6 hours decided to go ahead with the epidural and it didnt take after 3 times so i delivered a 9.5 lb healthy baby boy (i was full term and good thing we induced cause he would have been well over 10 lbs) the good old fashioned way. About 3 hours after having him i felt normal and i was ready to take on the world. 3 days later i came home and took care of him like a champ. His delivery was so easy and still to this day, he is 5, he is the easiest little boy ever!

    Natural is the way God intended it but there are exceptions and what works for one woman may not work for another. I have had nothing but good things to say about my docs.
  • jenny95662
    jenny95662 Posts: 997 Member
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    my first was breech the WHOLE time lol so had to have a c section, and then they said my uterus might have been tilted (mom had that and had all c sections) then i had to have another c section with my son because the place i was going to did not do vbacks plus i was already had one so they did another. i was up the next day walking and stuff the worst thing was the first baby i got gas with it built up when the surgery was done so it hurt so i would walk when i felt it in my stomach lol but nothing bad...want 1 more child and have to do it c section again no choice.

    my daughter i did not get to have right away but i did get to see her and touch her but then it took time for the hospital to get her washed and warm and stuff the 2nd i was lucky the hospital (diff place we are military) do the warming and everything in the room so was nice to have my son always there. bonded right away with both and never been happy my feelings is if a c section will get my baby pout healthy then i will do it it is all about my baby and getting them here safe. My daughter could not be delivered cause frank breech and my son i repeated c section but he also did not turn till last min lol stubborn they r!
  • jenny95662
    jenny95662 Posts: 997 Member
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    oops double post
  • bens_mommy
    bens_mommy Posts: 219
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    induced baby #1 labor for 7 hours had an epidural and demoral and she was 6 pounds. after she came out i had so much demoral and epidural meds in me i was useless. then about 4 days later i started having the worst headache in the history of headaches. apparently it was a spinal headache from the epidural. it was my first rodeo and i didnt know i should have told someone and they could have fixed it. well this lasted for 3 weeks (yes im so dumb) it only hurt when i stood up so i laid down alot. oh and i was trying to care for a newborn by myself. not good! but my baby was healthy and she is currently 11 and my little headache lol

    induced baby#2 labor for 6 hours decided to go ahead with the epidural and it didnt take after 3 times so i delivered a 9.5 lb healthy baby boy (i was full term and good thing we induced cause he would have been well over 10 lbs) the good old fashioned way. About 3 hours after having him i felt normal and i was ready to take on the world. 3 days later i came home and took care of him like a champ. His delivery was so easy and still to this day, he is 5, he is the easiest little boy ever!

    Natural is the way God intended it but there are exceptions and what works for one woman may not work for another. I have had nothing but good things to say about my docs.

    I had the headaches too while I was still in the hospital. When they told me what kind of procedure could fix it (and the pain involved), I asked if there were any other options.

    My anesthesiologist said caffeine and a ton of water should do the trick.

    My response: "BRING ON THE DR. PEPPER!" And so I enjoyed my first soda in nine months as a cure to the headaches, hahaha.
  • AJay513
    AJay513 Posts: 187
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    Do you mean The Business of Being Born by Ricki Lake?

    They show this documentary to us in nursing school when we take OB since the majority of our teachers are midwives, lol.

    It was so surprising and eye opening to me! I’m not a mom either but I sure learned a lot of information in that OB class & how I wanna have my future children. lol.

    That documentary is older so I know the statistics have changed; I believe it is 1 in 3 births are via C-Section now. That’s just crazy! They made a good point by saying OBGYNs are good surgeons...but they have no idea about child birth & you have to trust a woman’s body much more.
    It’s sad to learn how often Drs use vacuums, episiotomy and c-sections. And the babies pay. My teachers have said they see babies with cuts on their faces, hematomas on their heads which may cause seizures. Yet the percentages of women seeing midwives have very low occurrences of the procedures mentioned above.

    The absolute worst thing you can do is lay a woman who is in labor on her back! How is gravity supposed to work on bringing baby down if a lady is laying flat? Plus, baby needs to move its’ body a couple times to get through that pelvis, that’s why a woman should be up & moving to help baby turn and shift down the birth canal. Animals in labor don’t even just lie down, they move around until the kids come out, it’s just natural. Yet, it’s easier for the Dr if mom is on her back….

    Hospitals are businesses. Labor is naturally supposed to be long! Yet they put so many women on Pitocin so they can get them out & get that free bed. There’s a reason C-sections peak at 4pm and 10pm. Labor isn’t meant to be rushed like that, trust your body.

    Like you said, women are put on Pitocin, making their contractions much more intense, so then they get an Epidural, well the Epidural slows the contractions, so they give her even more Pitocin which all causes the baby to go into “distress” so now it’s time for a C-section.

    Midewives are a wonderful choice. Unfortunately, they are far and few behind. I live in IL and I hear barely anyone does home births & many hospitals kick midwives out if they are getting too many of the births. Northwester is only of the only hospitals here that have a birthing tank yet I guess they average 1 birth in the tank a year. That’s disappointing! Midwives unfortunately have this horribly inaccurate stigma. Hope it changes before it’s too late!

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