Anonymous wrote:A scheduled C is an almost civilized way to give birth. If you don’t go into labor, nothing is damaged down below, and you walk into the hospital, and I found the recovery not bad at all. They can time it so you don’t go into labor.

There’s no great way to have a baby, but I’d take the scheduled C.

Op here thanks. I was expecting everyone to say no to the c section. This is refreshing. I fell asleep shortly after my emergency one and the next thing I know I was in a different room asking DH if I wasn’t pregnant anymore and asking him where the baby was. That was the next morning and baby was in the NICU. It was probably hard for him. I was delighted to learn I wasn’t pregnant anymore. I think I was okay with baby in NICU too because I was assuming all babies go to NICU after c sections and I’m sure the drugs made me feel less worried. After my second child went to NICU I got very depressed and I was convinced we would lose the baby. My second child actually stayed longer in NICU even though he was almost born at 38 weeks due to low birthweight and breathing problems.

Anonymous wrote:My first pregnancy was vaginal delivery with back labor (sunnyside up, but not breech) and epidural; second was vaginal delivery with no epidural (very fast, sounds like your second); third was scheduled C.

Second delivery was by far the easiest recovery, but the scariest birth because it was so fast.

Agree about back labor - and at least the doctor on call with my DS didn't seem to understand what I was going through. I don't think people understand how bad it is, unless they've gone through it.

For my scheduled C, I could not move my legs for 24 hours. Scared out of my mind that I was never going to get feeling back. Weeks-long recovery at home, where I couldn't even walk around the block - which was my sanity after the first 2 were born. Recovery was TOUGH. You've been through the recovery part before, though, and if a vaginal recovery was harder for you, I would probably go with the scheduled C.

Op here all good points. We live in a townhouse so I’m sure those stairs won’t be fun! That’s not something I had to deal with baby 1 and 2. We have about 25 stairs to get to the bedrooms and full bathrooms.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Emergency c sections are radically different from scheduled ones. My scheduled c was so chill, it was a lovely birth. We went to hospital, had an ultrasound. I walked into the OR. I'd put on my chart that my previous birth (an induction) had been awful. The anesthesiologist said I saw in your chart your induction was awful. I will do my best to make this as painless as possible today. Then he did. My DH held one hand and the doc the other. My OB started the surgery and soon thereafter, baby boy was on me. Other than bad constipation, the recovery was easy. I highly highly recommend a scheduled c.

OP here. There is a very low chance I will make it to the scheduled c-section as both babies were premature. One was born just 1 day before 38 weeks. Either way, I can still do a C-section. My chances of going into labor naturally and early are higher. I didn't get induced with my 2 prior labors. With the emgency c section I don't remember much because I was passed out at that point! Thanks for the help

I’m PP. I should add my scheduled c was at 37 weeks on the dot, on the recommendation of my MFM, who, because I was so stressed, declined letting me go a day longer than that. He believed my mental health, and not stressing me out, was more important than letting baby grow a few extra days. Something to discuss as another poster says.

Op here. Thanks ! With my second I did schedule the c section but we decided if I went into labor earlier I would try for vbac. I was thinking we need to wait until 40 weeks. Given my history I wonder how early they will do it because my second had fetal growth restriction . I think it’s because I got a very bad infection when we were abroad but the doctors don’t have an exact reason. A few weeks after the baby was conceived I got typhoid fever and was in the hospital for over a week. I found I was pregnant at the same time.

Anonymous wrote:My first pregnancy was vaginal delivery with back labor (sunnyside up, but not breech) and epidural; second was vaginal delivery with no epidural (very fast, sounds like your second); third was scheduled C.

Second delivery was by far the easiest recovery, but the scariest birth because it was so fast.

Agree about back labor - and at least the doctor on call with my DS didn't seem to understand what I was going through. I don't think people understand how bad it is, unless they've gone through it.

For my scheduled C, I could not move my legs for 24 hours. Scared out of my mind that I was never going to get feeling back. Weeks-long recovery at home, where I couldn't even walk around the block - which was my sanity after the first 2 were born. Recovery was TOUGH. You've been through the recovery part before, though, and if a vaginal recovery was harder for you, I would probably go with the scheduled C.

Op here. Honestly they both sucked but my second was harder because I had joint pain that lasted months and months. I was only 28 with my first and I was 32 with my second. A lot of it was feeling worried the joint pain would never go away and I still deal with some of it 4 years later. How long do most of you take pain meds after the c section? Since the crisis I was thinking women get very little pain meds.

My first pregnancy was vaginal delivery with back labor (sunnyside up, but not breech) and epidural; second was vaginal delivery with no epidural (very fast, sounds like your second); third was scheduled C.

Second delivery was by far the easiest recovery, but the scariest birth because it was so fast.

Agree about back labor - and at least the doctor on call with my DS didn't seem to understand what I was going through. I don't think people understand how bad it is, unless they've gone through it.

For my scheduled C, I could not move my legs for 24 hours. Scared out of my mind that I was never going to get feeling back. Weeks-long recovery at home, where I couldn't even walk around the block - which was my sanity after the first 2 were born. Recovery was TOUGH. You've been through the recovery part before, though, and if a vaginal recovery was harder for you, I would probably go with the scheduled C.

A scheduled C is an almost civilized way to give birth. If you don’t go into labor, nothing is damaged down below, and you walk into the hospital, and I found the recovery not bad at all. They can time it so you don’t go into labor.

There’s no great way to have a baby, but I’d take the scheduled C.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Emergency c sections are radically different from scheduled ones. My scheduled c was so chill, it was a lovely birth. We went to hospital, had an ultrasound. I walked into the OR. I'd put on my chart that my previous birth (an induction) had been awful. The anesthesiologist said I saw in your chart your induction was awful. I will do my best to make this as painless as possible today. Then he did. My DH held one hand and the doc the other. My OB started the surgery and soon thereafter, baby boy was on me. Other than bad constipation, the recovery was easy. I highly highly recommend a scheduled c.

OP here. There is a very low chance I will make it to the scheduled c-section as both babies were premature. One was born just 1 day before 38 weeks. Either way, I can still do a C-section. My chances of going into labor naturally and early are higher. I didn't get induced with my 2 prior labors. With the emgency c section I don't remember much because I was passed out at that point! Thanks for the help

I’m PP. I should add my scheduled c was at 37 weeks on the dot, on the recommendation of my MFM, who, because I was so stressed, declined letting me go a day longer than that. He believed my mental health, and not stressing me out, was more important than letting baby grow a few extra days. Something to discuss as another poster says.

You could also ask for any induction/planned C to be scheduled at 37 weeks, which is full term but before your previous deliveries, to avoid any emergent issues.

Planned C-section is very different from an emergency C. And while risks increase with time, recovery is often easier. My 2nd C-section was much easier afterward, in terms of how I felt, how quickly I could get back on my feet, etc..my 1st felt very hard (it wasn't an emergency, but happened after a failed induction and concerns with baby). So just sharing my experience.

Do a planned induction. Get the epidural pretty early on. You should not have any pain.

If you are planning for more children, vbac. If this is your last, c-section.

Anonymous wrote:Emergency c sections are radically different from scheduled ones. My scheduled c was so chill, it was a lovely birth. We went to hospital, had an ultrasound. I walked into the OR. I'd put on my chart that my previous birth (an induction) had been awful. The anesthesiologist said I saw in your chart your induction was awful. I will do my best to make this as painless as possible today. Then he did. My DH held one hand and the doc the other. My OB started the surgery and soon thereafter, baby boy was on me. Other than bad constipation, the recovery was easy. I highly highly recommend a scheduled c.

OP here. There is a very low chance I will make it to the scheduled c-section as both babies were premature. One was born just 1 day before 38 weeks. Either way, I can still do a C-section. My chances of going into labor naturally and early are higher. I didn't get induced with my 2 prior labors. With the emgency c section I don't remember much because I was passed out at that point! Thanks for the help

I would go for the scheduled c-section.

Emergency c sections are radically different from scheduled ones. My scheduled c was so chill, it was a lovely birth. We went to hospital, had an ultrasound. I walked into the OR. I'd put on my chart that my previous birth (an induction) had been awful. The anesthesiologist said I saw in your chart your induction was awful. I will do my best to make this as painless as possible today. Then he did. My DH held one hand and the doc the other. My OB started the surgery and soon thereafter, baby boy was on me. Other than bad constipation, the recovery was easy. I highly highly recommend a scheduled c.

Honestly, I hated both of them. With my first he was breech but we didn’t know until I was in active labor and it hurt like hell. It was back labor and I was going nuts. I recovered okay from the emergency c section but they gave me a lot of pain meds and I don’t think they give a lot anymore. I took the pain meds for at least 3 weeks.

I did vbac with my second and it also hurt but I had the epidural . I was already very open when I arrived and almost couldn’t do the epidural because of that. I could still feel pain and my labor was relatively fast. Since I could feel the pain I think I wanted to pushed and get baby out asap. Obgyn told me to take breaks but I didn’t want to.

Both labors were fast and I’m the type that has contractions very close together and rush to the hospital. My water broke with my first but I can’t remember what happened with my second.

Both recoveries were hard but vaginal seemed harder because I didn’t have pain meds and I had a lot of hip, knee and foot pain after birth. The joint pain actually lasted months.

I had a student doula both pregnancies but this time unsure if we can find someone or afford it.

I think what I am afraid of the most is back labor happening again. It was sooooo bad. If I didn’t get rushed for the emergency c section I would have blacked out. Going through that again scares me. After the baby was born it was obvious the baby had been breech for a long time. In the NICU they mentioned his head shape and legs were an indication that he’s been breech for a long time. I don’t know too much about back labor and why and when it happens. I will bring this up and my doctor but each appointment we cycle through all the doctors so it feels a bit different to see someone new each time.