I'm just curious as to how many of us who already have kids or are planning to have kids have done it naturally (by naturally I mean the natural way, not necessarily without any drugs) and how many have had a c-section? I've heard c-sections are on the rise these days. I personally went in planning to have my son naturally and ended up with a c-section after 24 hours of labor and only 5 cm dilation. I've also already been told that if we have another baby the delivery will simply be a scheduled c-section. Not sure how I feel about that.

__________________
Tigriz
Mom to Alex - 1/21/06

I had both my boys naturally - although I was on the brink of an emergency c-section with my first because of severe pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure - mine was about 240/140 when labor was induced)
I saw a news story about the rise in c-sections in America. It seemed that most of the increase was due to women scheduling the birth purposefully - as to not interfere with business trips, etc. Ugh.

__________________
Umbilical Cord Blood Storage | Breastfeeding Advice and Information

My first daughter was born vaginally and the second was an emergency c-section. When I have my next child I will definetly be asking my doctor about a VBAC (vaginal birth after ceserean). It can be done, you just have to weigh the risks.

I had my son by c-section but only because I was in the severe stages of ecplamsia and he had to come out, prematurely, I might add. He's almost 10 and I still would like more children but I know with my history it will have to be a c-section again. My sister-in-law had her first daughter naturally, but her second child never got into the right position so she had to be delivered by c-section. If there is a medical reason for c-sections then I am all for it. But if it's not necessary I believe the natural way is best.

I've heard that C-section can mess up your stomach muscles. Is this true? Of those that have had c-section does it leave a nasty scar?

I had my daughter vaginally and hope I can do the next one that way. They had to induce labor as I had cholestasis of pregnancy, a very rare condition that could have caused problems for myself and the baby, so I was worried if she didn't come it would have to be c-section, not that there's anything wrong with it, I just wanted to experience "natural" childbirth.

I had my 2 boys by natural means (vaginally) although I had a very hard time with them in the delivery room because if nobody helps me push the baby from the top of my stomach, I will really have CS. I have heard that there is a possibility that somebody who had CS before will be able to delivery a baby naturally in the next time but I think there are many factors affecting this one.

In my case, because I had such a long labor before hand, I had a fluid build up about a week after my son was born and my incision had to be opened up again to drain. It was REALLY GROSS. I had to bandage the area for almost a month before the fluid stopped and they could stitch it up for me. The scar is actually not that bad, it's very low and is covered even by a pair of bikini underwear. My muscles are a little flabby right there, but that's mostly because I couldn't do any exercise due to the open incision. I've just now been cleared to resume all normal exercise, and my son is almost five months old!

__________________
Tigriz
Mom to Alex - 1/21/06

My daughter was delivered naturally (vaginally), though they did give me a shot of Demerol (I think because I was having labor pains mainly in my back and I have a lot of back problems normally). It took 9 hours with the majority of really intense pains not hitting me until the last hour.

My son was delivered via emergency c-section. I had made an appt. and had gone to have labor induced when I went a week overdue (again, consideration was given to my back, the doc wanting to induce because I was having so much pain with the extra weight). So I checked in, was given the stuff to induce labor and nothing happened. Got up, walked around. Still nothing. They gave me another dose. Nothing.

I started getting really sleepy and wanting to take a nap and our heart rates started to drop. I started to go into shock on them so they rushed me in and performed an emergency c-section. My son had the cord wrapped twice around his neck.

The doc said it was a miracle I was in the hospital when it happened; that they wouldn't have gotten us to the hospital in time and we would have lost my son, if not me too.

For the record... hated the c-section. I experienced more trouble after having it than I did with my vaginal birth (even though I experienced some tearing when I had my daughter). Furthermore, I had a problem and have found similiarities with other women who have had c-sections, in having troubles with our gall bladders afterwards.

Any c-section moms experience trouble with that?

__________________
For more information, check out:

www.cordblood101.com - Umbilical Cord Blood Storage
and
www.breastfeedingmoms.info - Breastfeeding Information

I have had a c-section and then a natural birth, in New Zealand they encourage a natural birth if all is normal after one c-section. I found it very painful under my scar when I was giving birth, but I'm not sure if it was real or I convinced myself that it would hurt, as I'd heard stories about this just before going into labour.