2Nd C-section?

I am fortunate to have had two wonderful C-section experiences. And, I refuse to let the fact that they were more "medical" take away from the wonderful feelings bringing a healthy child into the world feels like. One big advantage for us: I was willing to have both completely video-taped (I didn't want a camera "down there" if they had been VB)....I cherish those videos so much! Comparisons: #1 was very hard afterwards...breastfeeding didn't go well (but I made it 3 months)...and it took me 3 weeks or more to walk around the block. #2 was more painful in the hospital, but I recovered three times as fast....probably because I had a toddler at home running around, and I didn't have a choice to be like "woe is me".....We may have a third child someday, and it would also be a planned-C due to a medical condition and my doctor's philosophy on VBACs (none). I am ready and able if we decide to have a 3rd to do a C again.

Hi there!

I myself had an unplanned c-section with my daughter 4 years ago. I am pregnant with my second child and having another c-section. A friend of mine had her second c-section last March and she said that the recovery was about the same as her first. She is having her third child next March already!!! She is also having a c-section with this one. I know what you mean about being scared! I am scared to death about my next one as well. A lot of people have had multiple c-sections and came out of them fine. I would really like to have a vbac but my doctor isn't allowing me to. Hopefully you have a doctor that will let you atleast try the next time.

Hope I helped!

L.

Hi K.,

I'm a mother of ten...five boys and five girls. I had 8 of them at home. My oldest, a daughter, just had our first granddaughter at home too only she studed unassisted.com and enjoyed (other than the pain, of course) having her first at home. You might look under pregnancy & delivery on the unhinderedliving.com website too for info. YOu'll find lots of testimonials of how different mothers' birth experiences went there.

Hope that helps,

B. in Eau Claire, WI

I had my 1st by unplanned C-Section after 26 hours of labor and failure to progress.. Bummer!!! :0 Then my 2nd was planned. Seeing as my hospital was going through financial cut backs they were no longer perfoming VBACs because they would then have to pay the OR staff to be on call for my entire labor in case it too ended with a failure to progress or any other reason that warrented a C-Section. Personally, my 2nd c-section was a bit more painful than my first, but then again, my 2nd was kind of an emergency because I had the start of Pre-eclampsia and they worked FAST to deliver him. So there was more ripping and tugging to get him out fast. But overall it wasn't bad. I think if he had been born with more time to spare I wouldn't have had as much discomfort during the recovery...but again....it wasn't THAT bad. I noticed more cramping during nursing with the 2nd one....but then again, he was a more aggressive nurser than his older sister :) I think you'll be fine if you do choose to have a 2nd C-Section. As for the time period b/t pregnancies after c-section...most Drs will reccommend 18 months. But I have 2 close friends who had OOPS pregnencies less than 10 months after their first c-section and they did just fine.

Good Luck!

I have had 4 c-sections. Each one got easier than the last to recover from. The last two were the closet, 21 mos apart. We were not planning on having any more kids after this, but my doc did recommend we stop, as 5 c-s might be more than my body could handle. My 2nd c-s was an emergency, so it was done vertically instead of horizontally. After having a c-s done that way, there is no change of VBAC.
S.

I had two c-sections. The first with my son was an emergency. I was told I could not try a VBAC. I would talk to your doctor to see if they would be willing to try and if you are set on a VBAC try to find a clinic that would let you. I had my daughter almost exactly 2 years later. I would not suggest having one sooner. It is hard with your first one when you can't lift them, they do not undersatnd why you can't hold them at that age. Plus, you have to lift them if they are still in a crib and your husband works.

I do feel like it took me a bit longet to recover, but I pushed myself too hard, with lifting my son when I should not have and doing more, you do not get as much rest with a busy toddler running around.

I finally felt like there would be too much risk involved in trying to have my second natually and became OK with the c-section thing.

Hope that helps.

I, too, had my daughter, Savannah, by an unplanned c section. When I had Shelby I was given the choice to have another c section or VABC. We went over all the pros and cons of each and decided that another section was the better option. It wasn't as bad as I thought is was going to be.

As for the additional pregnancy, when I had my post partum check my OB likes 18 months between deliveries, so I was given the OK to try again when Shelby was 9 months old.

At least he gave me the OK, Hubby on the other hand didn't!

I had an unplanned csection with my first who wouldn't get head down and then a planned with my second who was also breech. The second went wonderfully! I was so nervous, but everything went very smooth and recovery was great. The pain was not bad at all! Good luck with your decision.

i had 2 c-sections and the 2nd one was much easier.. healing time was much faster.

I had to fight for my VBAC and it was well worth it. I was given my first C-section for "encephalopelvic disproportion" (baby's head is too large to fit), which is usually doctor speak for "I'm tired and I want to go home." My second daughter's head was almost 1/2" larger, and that was after squeezing through a birth canal. The experience of giving birth naturally is something I will never forget!

In my experience, there are obstetricians who love to cut (it IS a surgical specialty); I think you should find one who does a lot of VBAC's and is willing to do one to help you decide.

I would recommend hiring a doula for your labor, especially if you choose a VBAC or even to help you make the decision. Most of them have tons of knowledge and will help you do some research and talk to your doctors. They are a huge relief to husbands as well, it can be pretty daunting to a man to go through 9 months of fretting on a topic they most likely have limited experience with. My doula set out the facts for my husband about the birthing choices we had in front of us and it made him feel so much better. Another good resource is childbirthconnection.org, they even have a booklet: "What every pregnant woman needs to know about cesarian section" for $4 in the bookstore part of their website.

Congrats on your pending arrival! I hope you can come to a confident decision for you and baby and can move on and enjoy your expanding family!

I had my first emergency c-section May of 2003. I am scheduled to have my 2nd c-section this Wednesday. In making the decision to have a 2nd c-section I was warned by numerous professionals of the dangers of vbac. Apparently some professionals refuse to do them. I will let you know if my recovery is easier. I was told it would be significantly easier than the 1st c-section. I was advised by my Doctor not to have a scheduled c-section if I planned on having more than 3 children.

From what my doctor told me whether you have a C-Section or vaginal birth. It is most healthy for a woman to wait 15 months in between each one so her body can recover. Obviously it usually doesn't happen that way. He said if you allow that time your body can get back to where it needs to be, therefore your next pregnancy will be more healthy. I had an emergency C-Section as well with my son when his heart rate was dropping. When we try for our next child next summer I definitely want to have another C-Section. I'm given the option of either way but I look forward to being able to pick a date close to my due date to have the surgery. It's major surgery so anyone would be scared because it's no walk in the park. Good luck with everything.

K.,
I myself had one C-section and two VBAC births. My last was 10lbs 9oz. Now that’s a big baby and I'm not a big girl, I had to push like heck to help him into this world but no complications! In my book there was no going back after I experienced the joy of bonding with my first VBAC baby just seconds after birth (he was 9lbs) I just held him and didn't want to let him go, also being able to care for him without being in pain, it was wonderful!
Here is some info on a recent study for you.

Source: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2005; 193: 1656-62
Assessing the incidence and risk factors for uterine rupture in women
attempting vaginal birth after cesarean delivery.
Women who have had a previous cesarean delivery should be offered a
vaginal birth, as should those who have had a prior cesarean and vaginal
delivery, recommend US researchers.
George Macones, from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and
colleagues determined the incidence and risk factors for uterine rupture
in women attempting vaginal birth after cesarean delivery (VBAC).
They reviewed the records of 25,005 women with a prior cesarean section,
of whom 13,706 underwent an attempt at VBAC and 11,299 had an elective
repeat cesarean section.
The results showed that women who attempted VBAC had an incidence of
uterine rupture of 9.8 per 1000. A prior vaginal delivery was linked to
a lower risk of uterine rupture at an odds ratio of 0.40, while
sequential use of prostaglandin and pitocin was associated with an odds
ratio of uterine rupture of 3.07.
"In this large, generalizable, observational study of maternal VBAC
safety, we found that the overall incidence of uterine rupture in those
attempting VBAC is quite low," the team concludes.
"Based on our data, we believe that women with a prior cesarean and
prior vaginal delivery should be encouraged to [undergo] VBAC."

Trust your body, and good luck!
T.

I had three c-sections...but that was from 1984-90!
I don't know what today's advice is. Things always change. The only thing I feel qualified to say is this: Heed the Dr.'s advice when it comes to rest and when to get back to activity. I didn't and had medical problems because of it. Congrats on being able to stay at home! How wonderful.

hello K.
I had my 3rd c-section 3 months ago and personally it got easier each time. my first son was breach and almost 10 pounds so they gave me no choice. with my second which happened exactly 2 years later I was expecting not to have another c-section but he decided to be to big also so my doctor just said thiat it was the best choice. I thought it was much easier recovery time. and now with my daughter my dr said from the get go he just wanted to scheldule it since my kids seem to be stubborn. but i truly feel it got easier and I recovered faster each time. there was only 15 months between 2 and 3 and I personally didnt feel it was to soon and my doctor never said anything either. hope it helps good luck!!!!

I've heard that it's best to allow the wound to heal a year before having a second. My first was planned c-section in 8/04 and my second planned section was 9/06. Both babies were breech. With my first I was in pain for about a month and with this I recovered super fast. I actually ask and got out of the hosp. a day early. I think what helped is they had morphine in he spinal and the morphine took the pain away for two days. In '04 I had a morphine drip in my vein the first day so the second day I was in soooo much pain and this time I wasn't because the morphine in the spinal was working during the most painful stage of recovery. Instead of the morphine drip this time they did something new. They have a hair like tube under the incision and there's a ball you carry around and that ball administers a local to the area. I also had stitches instead of staples. I was pain free in a week and only took pain meds for 2-3 days after coming out of the hospital. You know what to expect the second time and for some reason it didn't hurt as bad. Some parts of the incision are tender but recovery was excellent I thought. Good luck to you.