In the United States 30% of children are born via c section. Since the rates of c sections have increased dramatically throughout the years, there’s a common debate among moms if a C section is just the “easy way out.”
Some even go as far as to say that “a C section is not a real birth.”
Well I’m here to tell you a C section is not an easy way out!
Almost most two months ago I have birth via C section. It was NOT what I ever wanted for a birth experience.
However, I needed to have one to help my son who was having decelerations in heartrate with every contraction.
While I never felt or thought a C section was just an “easy way out,” I know now since having one that a C section is one of the hardest things a mother can go through.
Especially if it’s your first baby. Thankfully, I avoided a caesarean with my first son!
Because of my own experience with a c section, I am here to tell everyone… A C section is not an easy out and here are the reasons why!
Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you click on them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
1. It’s Traumatic
Many c sections performed are not by choice. Trust me, I would have never chosen to have a c section.
But I didn’t have a choice. It’s all about delivery a healthy baby, while keeping mama healthy as well!
But imagine being in a situation where all your options/interventions for birth are slowly being taken away from you. In the end you need an emergency c section.
For many mothers, this means either baby or mama are in physical distress.
It is a possibility that their baby could not make it!
It’s an extremely terrifying situation that no mother wants to go through.
Because of this, some women do develop a fear of childbirth and even PTSD from going through a C section delivery.
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2. A C Section Is Major Surgery
Just because we C section mama’s are not pushing out a baby doesn’t mean that it’s any less painful.
Not only do we have to be numb from the stomach down… We have to be cut into and stitched back up again.
Let me remind everyone that the doctor cuts through tissue, fat and the uterus!
No I couldn’t feel any pain thank God, but there was a lot of pressure when my doctor pushed out my son from my uterus.
And just like with any other surgery, there is a tremendous amount of pain during recovery.
3. The Recovery Is Longer
With my first labor, I gave birth vaginally. Although this still was very painful during the labor, I felt the recovery went smoothly.
Other than a few aches and pains and some postpartum bleeding, I was feeling good physically.
After the recent C section, there is actual physical pain afterward. Especially when it comes to bending over!
Those stomach muscles are no longer intact and can’t provide strength to help you with the simplest of tasks. The worst pain for me during recovery was getting out of bed.
I had no idea how much you use your torso and stomach muscles to get out of bed in the morning.
For most C section mama’s the hospital stay is two to three days compared to one day with a vaginal birth.
A full recovery from this major surgery is considered to be around six weeks.
4. You Can’t Hold Your baby
During an uncomplicated vaginal birth you’re blessed with your baby being placed on your chest.
But if you have a C section you may not get to hold your baby immediately after delivery.
Of course this all depends on your doctor and the hospital rules.
Many hospitals will not allow you to hold your baby until the anesthesia wears off.
Thankfully, this was not the case for my own experience.
After my son was wiped clean and weighed a nurse placed him on my chest and even helped me to latch him on for breastfeeding.
Having a C-section birth? Then you need the Very Caesarean Mommy Ebook to help prepare you for a C-section!
5. It Costs More
The national average cost of a cesarean birth is over $12,000. It’s significantly more money than an uncomplicated vaginal birth that is usually under $10,000.
These expenses are all dependent upon a number of factors including location, state and any extra complications associated with labor and delivery.
While most people have insurance to pick up the tab, you’re still left with out of pocket costs that range in the thousands of dollars depending on what your plan covers.
No mama would want to say “Yes Please!” to more hospital bills unless she absolutely had too!
Although I gave birth almost two months ago, the hospital bills are still rolling in and the cost of everything out of pocket I have to pay is starting to add up.
6. There’s Many Things You Can’t Do
Here was my instructions for care after delivery: “Don’t lift anything heavier than your baby.”
Since my son was born at only four pounds, I couldn’t even carry my own hospital bag when we were discharged because it weighed more than my baby.
However, upon further research I discovered there is much more you can’t do for the first six weeks after delivery.
Such things as vacuuming, eating spicy foods and even laughing too hard were out of the question.
Basically anything that would aggravate the incision or the digestive system is a no go!
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Final Thoughts
Just because a woman is not pushing a baby out for hours doesn’t mean a c section is an easy way out.
Now that I’ve experienced both a vaginal and a c section birth, I can tell you with confidence… Birth in general is difficult.
It doesn’t matter if you have a baby through cesarean or vaginal. There’s simply no easy way to give birth!
Giving birth via c section was one of the most terrifying things I’ve had to do in my life.
It’s horrible not knowing what’s wrong with your baby and having to be rushed into a surgical room.
It’s major surgery and you never know what could happen. I’ve never been more scared in my life!
My number one rule with my doctor was to avoid a c section as much as possible.
But when more and more complications with the baby present themselves, your options are taken away from you.
What’s most important is giving birth to a healthy baby.
When people say a “C section is an easy way out” it diminishes another mother’s birthing experience.
It makes her feel guilty about having a C section. Like she’s not worthy of being a mother.
That couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact remains… A C section is just as hard or harder than a vaginal birth!
For many women, a C section was not an option they personally chose before going into labor. They didn’t volunteer for it.
So the next time you hear someone making the statement that a C section is an easy way out, educate them and let them know…
A c section is extremely difficult for a mother to go through! No matter if you gave birth via C section or vaginally, birthing tiny humans is a messy and painful business.
It’s not a competition as to which women work harder during labor and delivery.
In my eyes, every mother has a unique birthing experience and no one has the right to put down another mother for bringing a healthy baby into this world… No matter the method of delivery!
To all the C section mama’s like me… You are rockstars! Don’t let anyone tell you took the easy way out!
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