What was your recovery like?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Haven't read the replies, but the first 5 problems you listed applied to me too. Mine was little, but I had an episiotomy and extensive blood loss. Also had prolapse.
Second was a walk in the park by comparison, despite being larger. Very quick recovery.

I'm the PP who wrote this. My first baby came fast at 8 months and was 6.5 lbs. I hemorrhaged during her delivery and no believed she was coming so I had periods of pushing with no medical professional in the room, ended up pushing a long time, was entirely unmedicated and had an episiotomy. It hurt to sit for weeeks though walking was okay pretty quickly. She was only 6 lbs 5 oz

Second baby I was carefully monitored because the first came early. I developed a prolapsed cervix in my first trimester, which puts the cervix at higher risk of infection and thus higher chance of miscarriage. I moved between deliveries so I had a new doctor, and she believes the prolapse was probably linked to the prolonged pushing the first time - so it wasn't immediately after birth (it was 4 years later). I don't know what the degree was, just that it was scary! Apparently in some pregnancies babies move up and sort of sit on the pelvis as the pregnancy progresses, and she said a mesh wouldn't work since my size was changing so she referred me to a high risk specialist and told me to see them at 17 weeks for a decision about whether intervention would be needed. I freaked out and begged the specialist to see me sooner and they said 17 weeks made good sense so I tried to stay calm. In the meantime, my doctor had me elevate my pelvis as much as possible and told me not to lift anything over 10 lbs and to try to stay under 5. At 17 weeks things were looking better and I was carefully monitored to 24 weeks (the go-no-go for a cutelague (so?)).

With progesterone shots also I carried that baby to 39 weeks (she's now 7 months). Delivery was night and day and I think for me (each person will be different and chat with your doctor!) since the problems the first time were extended pushing and extended tearing (also bloodloss) they were able to manage well. I got an epidural right away, got medication to limit bleeding, and actually had my Ob with me for the pushing / delivery. My first I never saw my own Pb and he hospital's Ob showed up with 10 mins to go after I pushed 2-3 hours, performed the episiotomy to get my baby out since I was bleeding so much, and I never saw her again. Didn't see my own OB until the 6 week check up. With my second, when I was ready to push in terms of contraction timing and dilation my OB said she was concerned that the baby was so high I'd strain myself pushing and if the epidural allowed me to I should wait. With first and no epidural I had to push. With second I could wait as she dropped lower which meant she almost cane out with the "practice" push and was delivered on the next one. I pushed less than 2 mins with my second vs 2-3 hours with my first. Second baby was just under 8 lbs.

Sex was painful for me until I stopped nursing my first. It's tolerable but not very comfortable now and requires a lot of lube (including adding more part way through). Hopefully that will change when I stop nursing. My doctor is still concerned about pelvic floor health - she says my "loose" pelvic floor let me deliver pretty quickly but now exercises are important.

My situation and causes seem different form OPs (not big babies) but I share to say 2nd experience can be quite different from first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know you're asking for comparisons to other vaginal deliveries, but here are my C recoveries for comparison to the alternative:

The two recoveries were similar. Minimal bleeding for a few weeks, hurt really bad to laugh/cough for a couple weeks after the first one. Not too much pain around the incision, esp when I used the belly binder. I was walking the day after the surgeries, although in the week that followed I overdid the walking and had to go lie down. Sex after definitely hurt the first few times, not sure why! I occasionally pee a bit when I sneeze.

Almost two years out from the second C, however, I have occasional pain- feels like muscle pain- near the incision. My OB thinks it's scar tissue, and if I have a third C, they'll try to clear it away (though new scar tissue could always form).

This comparison is very helpful! Part of me wishes I could just request a c section

Are you OP? I thought you could request one...?

Yes! I'm OP. Can you request one? I'm not sure. Part of me would love to because I can plan better and not worry about some of the issues I had but can one request surgery? I also worry that the grass isn't always greener.

[Anonymous]

Also, I wrote above and meant to say I had a prolapsed uterus, which in turn made the cervix low / pregnancy risky for first 17 weeks. Sorry for misinformation!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, I wrote above and meant to say I had a prolapsed uterus, which in turn made the cervix low / pregnancy risky for first 17 weeks. Sorry for misinformation!

How is your uterus now? Are you having surgery?

[Anonymous]

I had a c-section and two vbacs. While my vbac recoveries were easier than my c-section recovery, all three sound much easier than yours. I'm sorry you went through all of that!

Following the c-section, I had a good amount of pain when I sat up, stood up or laughed. I took prescription Motrin when I was in the hospital and regular Motrin for a few days after I got home. I also had some restrictions - I wasn't supposed to drive or climb stairs, etc. for the first two weeks. The pain went away about a week after the c-section and I felt fine at that point.

With both vbacs, I had second degree tearing. I was up and walking around as soon as the epidural wore off. I had some pain when I sat down or had a bowel movement, but it was pretty mild. I took Motrin in the hospital and nothing after I got home. I didn't have any restrictions on driving, lifting, etc. With both vbacs, I walked over a mile the day I got home from the hospital.

I much preferred a vaginal birth, but if I were in your shoes and baby 2 also is supposed to be large, I would consider a c-section.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know you're asking for comparisons to other vaginal deliveries, but here are my C recoveries for comparison to the alternative:

The two recoveries were similar. Minimal bleeding for a few weeks, hurt really bad to laugh/cough for a couple weeks after the first one. Not too much pain around the incision, esp when I used the belly binder. I was walking the day after the surgeries, although in the week that followed I overdid the walking and had to go lie down. Sex after definitely hurt the first few times, not sure why! I occasionally pee a bit when I sneeze.

Almost two years out from the second C, however, I have occasional pain- feels like muscle pain- near the incision. My OB thinks it's scar tissue, and if I have a third C, they'll try to clear it away (though new scar tissue could always form).

This comparison is very helpful! Part of me wishes I could just request a c section

Are you OP? I thought you could request one...?

Yes! I'm OP. Can you request one? I'm not sure. Part of me would love to because I can plan better and not worry about some of the issues I had but can one request surgery? I also worry that the grass isn't always greener.

Im surprised your OB hasn't said you could have a C section given how your recovery was with your first. I feel like there are always threads on here about women deciding between vaginal or C because their doctor offered a C section. Does your OB know how your recovery was with #1?