Vaginal Delivery VS C-Section

Let's begin with a very true statement, CHILDBIRTH IS HARD AS F*CK!

Having done both procedures, I feel the need to share my experience on the matter...

Lets start with Vaginal only because it came first,

Vaginal:

Unlike most women who wait at home until their water break or they begin to contract, I was induced at 39 weeks. Around 8pm on May 21st, my nurse inserted some kind if tablet called cervidil to help soften the cervix so that once I received the Pitocin I would dilate faster.

Around 8 am the next morning they removed whatever was left of the tablet and ordered my Pitocin, I requested they give me an epidural at the same time. (Although it's not necessary)

I ended up falling asleep until I was 7cm dilated, about an hour later I reached 10 cm and my doctor began preparing me for the delivery.

NOW, here is where the actual labor part comes in...

The delivery beds have holders for lift the legs up unto the most convenient position for pushing I assume.. haha!

I have hubby on one side of me, and my mom on the other both helping me hold my legs and encouraging me tp PUSH! My nurse pushed against a muscle and told me to push where is felt her pushing, and to hold my breath while pushing - this builds up the pressure!

Then the doctor explained to me that every time I have a contraction I needed to start pushing, it took about 4-5 pushes and Matteo was born! However, his head did tear me open...leaving me to need stitches.

RECOVERY: After vaginal delivery, everything is still ever swollen and you will have what feels like a very heavy period. If you tore you will have stitches that will burn the first few times you urinate, or pass stool. The process for caring for the area consisted of spraying it down with warm water after every bathroom use, and applying hydrocortizone multiple times a day.

By the 6 week recovery mark you are normally healed!

P.S. Although doc gives you the okay - intercourse may still be painful!

C-Section:

As for my c-section, the procedure went amazingly well! I was checked into the hospital and put on monitors until the time my doctor was ready, I was then rolled to the room where I would deliver and sat onto a table, the nurses prepped me on what I would feel and experience during the surgery, and then they administered my epidural, a different epidural than I had with Matteo.

This one numbed everything below my chest not just my bottom half...

The nurses told me to let them know when I feel it and suddenly I felt like my legs drop!

They lifted me onto the table to lay me down, and had me lay with my arms spread out.

Then they covered me with drapes, and calling my hubby into the room.

My doctor came in and within seconds began cutting through the layers of skin, fat, & muscles to get to the sac, I could sort of see through the reflection from the lights over head him pulling her tiny little toes for a brief moment before they took her over to a side bed to check all her vitals, I was able to look at her for a minute or so then hubby followed her up to NICU, her while my doctor finished stitching me up. The entire procedure took about 25 minutes. Since the numbing takes about 3-4 hours to ware off, I was not able to move my body.. so, I was wheeled back to my room, and moved onto my bed.

Since C-sections cut through abdominal muscles, I was kept on a catheter for 24 hours to limit movement while my muscles, and skin mend themselves.

RECOVERY: after 24 hours they remove the catheter and encourage you to get up and use the bathroom, this was absolutely the most pain I have ever felt! Trying to stand up with my abdomen being held by what felt like threads...

The SEVERE pain lasted for about 3-4 days and completely went away after 1-2 weeks, there is no care needed on the wound, there are typically white striped put in place that will fall off over time, but they must stay dry... NO SWIMMING, NO BATHS!

After the 6 week recovery mark you will typically be healed internally, but there will still be a scar that will slowly fade over time.

Best wishes always XOXO - M.A.D Mom