Honest truth about C sections

C-section is a birth.
Who is shaming you in this way?
I had both, I wasn't allowed one even though it was medically indicated with my first. My virginal birth was tough and had a long recovery (NHS could refuse you 9 years ago and had maximum targets that couldn't be gone over).
My planned C section with my 2nd was brilliant, and recovery much quicker.
I'm the exception to the norm I would think as I didn't have a quick virginal reviver and had measures to help baby out which is pretty common.

Mentally I was prepared though. I think I was prepared for my first and I didn't know I could advocate for myself like I did with my 2nd and I felt confident to challenge biased narratives in the NHS this time around.

I do think mentally preparing, being better educated would have been so much better for me. I recommend Happy Baby Happy Parents if you can afford it. It prepared me and my partner really well compared to the free NHS one at my trust.

Whatever you decide don't let people shame, your body your choice x

Who on earth said it’s a shame? Because honestly—that says far more about them than it does about you.

A Caesarean is not the “easy way out.” It is major abdominal surgery. Your body is opened, your baby is brought safely into the world, and then you’re expected to stand, walk, and begin caring for a newborn within hours. That takes strength! physical and mental.

Let’s be clear: birth is birth.
Whether your baby arrives vaginally or via C-section, you have grown, carried, and brought a human into the world. The route doesn’t define the motherhood! you do.

A C-section is still giving birth because!!!!
Your body has still gone through pregnancy, labour (planned or unplanned), and delivery
Your baby is still born from you, into your arms
You still experience the recovery, the hormones, the emotional shift into motherhood
You’ve made the decision, often not an easy one to prioritise safety for you and your baby


There is nothing lesser about it. Nothing to justify. Nothing to defend.

Had both but 17 years apart
First son was born in 2007 vaginally but I was younger then and I got induced as he was 10 days late, birth was soooo easy and I laugh at it everytime I look back as it’s quite funny everything that went on, also a few stitches but was really easy for me.
I got a c section in 2024 elective as I’m older with a few health conditions myself although they said I could try natural I was worried with my conditions, the c section recovery was wayyyyy more difficult but surgery went smoothly however I did end up with some after birth complications I don’t know if it would’ve happened or not if I gave birth naturally I’ll never know but I think it might’ve been the c section meds in the operating room interfering with my blood pressure.

If I could do it again I would’ve given birth over and over again the way I did first time but a lot had changed and many years had passed the c section experience was great it’s just the recovery period that shook me a bit xx

I’m 5 weeks post emergency section and I also had a natural vaginal delivery 10 years ago..
Recovery from c section has been a lot.. honestly never felt pain like it and I’ve had to heavily rely on my partner and family, especially in the first 3 weeks! I’m also suffering from trauma from my c section, but obviously an emergency section is a different experience to a planned one! I’ve found the emotional come down this time has been a lot worse, but I’m not sure if that’s to do with the section or not.
Even though I had to have an episiotomy, recovery from vaginal birth was MUCH easier and I was back on my feet within days.
Actual giving birth wise, obviously natural hurts….. a lot 😂 but if I had to choose for a third time, I’d 100% opt for natural vaginal delivery!

I don’t know as also first time for me too. I am also electing (possible they will advise I need one anyway) for me I just think if it came to it and I didn’t need one and it wasn’t planned I would be much more panicked and stressed. I am hoping that I will get more information further down the line that just explains the options more. Following this post in the hopes it helps me too 😂

Everyone is different and so whilst vaginal birth recovery should be quicker thats not going to be true for everyone. The main positive for a section when elective is you know when it's going to happen and that may reduce some anxiety. But it depends on why your electing?

I had an emergency and I won’t lie, it sucked. It’s painful and recovery is something else but at the end of the day it hasn’t put me off having another. I had a great support system, my husband was a god send and really came through for me. I can only advise moving little but often, I was so apprehensive about moving that i think it slowed my recovery down. I also used a solid back sofa cushion under my normal pillows to prop myself up in bed, I recommend getting a half moon feeding pillow and taking that around with you as you never know when you’re gonna sneeze or cough and holding a pillow against your stomach helps so much! Also, trim the bush. I had a pico dressing and took it off using scissors to avoid the free wax it tried to give me😂 also, you still bleed so much. I recommend the “incontinence” pads from Asda, own brand -size up! They sit above the incision and I still use them overnight for my periods now.

Controversial view, I had 2 magical water births pushed 15 minutes on my first and 7 minutes on the 2nd was really fast and they were quite pain free with no pain relief. My emergency csection was completely pain free and only 15 minutes from decision till she was out. If I were to have another baby id opt for a csection again. Very easy and fast compared to natural labor and birth. Recovery is a complete gamble same as natural birth.

I’ve had both a section and a vaginal birth, both were traumatic but both my boys were delivered safely. The recovery from both was painful as to be expected. I didn’t “bounce” back from my vaginal birth like people sometimes make out happens & wouldn’t say having a vaginal birth was better at all. They both have pros & cons. However your baby is born as long as you are both healthy & safe it doesn’t matter. C-sections are overtaking vaginal births anyway so clearly there is a place for them xx

It's your birth, if you want a c section, don't pay any attention to anyone else's opinion. A natural birth is hard work, but recovery from a c section is hard work. There isn't an easy way out.

Ignore the Karen's in life, some women get anal about another Mum choosing an elective C-section.... It's stupid and none of their business why. I chose an elective C-section as a first time Mum for my own reasons and told off anyone who had something to say. It was amazing, calm and my husband got to be there for everything even the spinal

After seeing all the Csec scar pics on here asking is it healing well, why does it look like this, why is it crooked, why does it have a keloid, why is it sore/numb a year later, questions about scar silicone patches and scar massage etc etc and thinking of my own friend that not only had to be wheelchaired out but she spilt her scar a couple weeks later hanging up laundry and had to restitch, for me I’m so glad I had a vaginal 3* and have no lasting effects from my birth and no scar to speak of, I’m glad for myself I went the vaginal route. Do a lil scrolling and you’ll see many more posts on scar maintenance etc. they’ll both have their pros and cons, do a lot of reading and do your research, ask around etc but it’s your birth at the end of day but I find you don’t forget about the Csec coz the scar will always be there to remind you. And then if you have another baby it’ll be another scar to maintain as well. Lots to consider. There’s no right answer.

Heya, I had two vaginal, one c-section.
First was vaginal at 18 with no health conditions, big baby 9lb 11oz and was easy birth, up and about straightaway. Left hospital quickly and recovered quickly.
Second was vaginal birth in 30s with health conditions, she needed inducing at 37weeks due to health conditions. Again labour was fine, birthing fine and was up and about straight away, left hospital quickly and was out walking with baby next day.
3rd baby two years later so 30s with health condition was C-section and the recovery was incredibly painful, looking after a newborn was much harder, had to stay in hospital much longer. Even getting up the stairs the first week was more painful then most of my labours.
Breastfeeding with c section was more painful than with vaginal because your womb contracts with breastfeeding at first and I found this so painful on the c section scar area.
I've heard of much more positive c section stories but that's my honest experience.