There is no denying that as a mom of 2 young boys, each journey I had with them up until their birth they both came into this world in very different circumstances. My first was a completely natural birth which I give more of the details in the birth story here. Or it was my second son when he had apparently flipped without me knowing and was breech when I had to have a c-section which I knew absolutely nothing about either. You can read that birth story here. The end result for these never changes, you have a little bundle to take care of and to love for the rest of your life. But the road to get there is so drastically different.
My first son I had completely natural. I went to the hospital they gave me morphine which lasts about 3 hours or so, and then I was in labour. I was unable to get any medications due to the fact that he was nearly out of my body before I even pushed once or twice for him to be completely out. Natural birth is when you have no interventions medically like drugs for pain or anything like that either.
Some con’s for giving birth naturally would be the fact that you may tear and rip and healing may be a lot more challenging. You may not realie it but you are using that area pretty regularly as you, you know, go to the bathroom. You also may have some discomfort also if you for a few days walking or doing much of anything. After all, you did just push a baby out! Another thing with this is you feel everything. The only thing I remember pain wise was I was beside myself getting up and down from the bed and going to the bathroom thinking I had to poop.
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Some pro’s of this is the time it takes to recover. Once you are home and what not provided you got lucky like me with very little or no tearing you will be more than likely back to your regular self physically a lot sooner than if you had a C-Section. Another thing would be your time in the hospital, provided that you have everything with yourself and baby that is okay you may only have to stay there for the night and can make your way home with your new baby sooner than later.
Now for a C-Section. Long story short if you haven’t read my blog link from up there, my son was breech and we never found out til I was in active labour. Before I had a C-Section I had absolutely no idea much about anything regarding having to give birth like that. It was a lot to learn in the moment about recovery and how to heal properly.
I honestly have such a hard time to find a pro with having a C-Section but this would have to be the biggest one. Safety. I choose to have a section because my son was breech. I was told it was a 50 to 50 change that I would end up with a section if he was stuck. Which in hindsight I think he would have and I would have been rushed. This seemed like the safest route to take in terms of having my son and there was no hesitation there.
Con’s, where do I even begin. I found a section to be extremely hard, in fact I name the 3 hardest things here. One of the reasons why I found it hard was not being able to lift. I have another son and not being able to pick him up was heartbreaking to say the least. Another thing is relying on someone else. I know there are people out there who do is solo and have to do this and I have no idea how they do. I had to rely on my spouse to help me shower the first time, take off the bandaid over the incision, pick things up for me if I dropped it in a weird spot. Just to name a few.
A major con for me that I had no idea would effect me the way it did was mentally. Having a c-section and having to rely on someone or even moving afterwards. I always knew it was a major surgery but it took a bit for me to really KNOW it was a major surgery til it was all over with. Your whole body aches and you are on pain medications for a while at home also. What kind of pain are you asking? I’m talking the pain where if you miss your next round of medication for pain by even a half an hour your sore stomach starts to hurt. There was any times when I felt helpless and unable to do something that I wanted to do.
If I were to have a choice to have a natural birth and it did not effect my baby I would obviously pick that route however if it was something like a breeched baby or what not where a c-section was an option and the natural route is not necessarily safe I would pick a section again. It wasn’t about me anymore it was about getting my son out in the safest way possible.
I think it is also important to note that I think when it comes to birth you should be open minded in terms that if you have a birth plan it may change. We cannot predict how births will go but keeping an open mind especially in situations between picking a natural birth, or attempting one before a c-section, that regardless of decision it won’t be an easy one to make.
Stacey J. Girard 