Comments on: Does Having a C-Section Rob me of a “Birth Story” ?

By: Nicole Elliott

Nicole Elliott — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:58:34 +0000

I had an emergency C with my daughter and then a VBAC with my son. I don’t think that having a scheduled C section is wrong, and until the last few months of my sons pregnancy I thought that’s what we would be doing. (the hospital in NC didn’t allow VBACs but then we moved to Boston where they did) my worst fear was that I would end up with a *second* emergency C (since the first one was such a nightmare). Like you the C section didn’t end up making me bond, breastfeed, or any of that good stuff. I *am* very thankful that I ended up going with the VBAC though! Here is my sons birth story (it was rather crazy too 🙂 ) if you’d like to read it. And if you have any questions I’d be happy to talk to you about it! 🙂 http://www.wyominggirlcoastiewife.com/2010/07/grand-arrival.html

By: Jessica

Jessica — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:47:59 +0000

I had a vaginal delivery with my first, however I had to be induced on my due date because my amniotic fluid was low. My doctor knew I didn’t want to be induced and was supportive of my wishes, so when she said it was time to do it, I knew it was for a good medical reason. It was a very long day – started at midnight and she was born around 9:30 pm, with help from the vacuum. I was a strong pusher and the pushing phase would have been relatively easy but my baby girl had her head rotated a little to the side and her hand stuffed up there! I felt bad about not being able to do it all without help and I hoped I’d be able to do that with #2. It was not meant to be! My son was a big baby, estimated at 10 lbs by ulttrasound and after almost 2 hours of pushing it was obvious he was not coming out that way. I had been laboring all day long and was so totally worn out I was afraid I wouldn’t have the strength to hold my baby when he was born. He turned out to be 12 lbs 8 oz! I had apparently developed gestational diabetes late in my pregnancy and even though my doctor did everything right, it just didn’t show up on the tests. Recovery from a c-section was much harder than a vaginal delivery but I have been able to exclusively breastfeed my son for 6 months and counting (breastfed my daughter til 13 months) and my babies are happy and healthy. I think as mothers we will always find reasons to feel guilt but the people we raise our kids to be matter much more than how they came into the world. I hate that people like us are made to feel less because we didn’t have a natural “normal” birth experience. That was my goal with each of my babies and I did everything I could to make it happen, it just wasn’t meant to be. I want to have another baby and I don’t know if I would try for a VBAC, I want to but considering my track record I think I would just schedule a c-section. Sorry for writing a book! I wish you the best, however it happens 🙂

By: l.w.

l.w. — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:33:10 +0000

I had to have 2 c- sections, first out of necessity, second because the doctor wanted to. I never questioned him, until after my second was born and one of my friends have a vbac, which went very well for her. I wonder if I could have done that, or if we would have run into other problems. None the less, sometimes I wonder if I got jipped from that ‘natural’ experience too… but in the end the kids were fine and it was all good 🙂