vagianl or c section?

I am 34 weeks tomorrow, on bedrest and taking terbutaline. I am 3 cm dialated and 90% effaced. I have 2 small children already so my plan was to have a c section and have my tubes tied during it. Well, now that reality has set in, I am kind of worried about surgery. I had my other 2 vaginally and these babies are head down. I know I can get my tubes tied later but was thinking it would be good to kill 2 birds w/ 1 stone. Then you hear about delivering 1 vaginally and the other by c section. Anyway, i just want to know some of your thoughts.

 

I have not had a c-section but honestly if you could, I would avoid the surgery, not having anything else to compare it to, my birth was great, I had an epidural and didn't feel much pain at all. After Baby A was born, Baby B did flip transverse, but the ob was able to flip her back to head down and she was born 7 minutes after her brother (felt like 30 seconds to me). I think especially if Baby A is the bigger baby than a vaginal birth can be easier b/c he or she will "clear the way" so to speak. Good luck!

 

These are # 4 & 5 for me and I hope to go vaginal. I freak out about any kind of surgical procedure. I had to have a minor day surgery once and wrote letters to DH and my mom telling them what to do with my kids if anything happened. I'm just crazy that way. My OB has also promised that I will NOT leave the hospital without having my tubes tied. No matter what. lol

 

I'm having a c-section. Baby B is significantly larger than Baby A and is transverse...
Although I elected to have a section long before I knew about these things- I am terrified. I feel that if both were vertex and Baby A was larger I would opt for vaginal.
I am absolutely terrified! And that's really the only word I have right now...

Whatever you do- goodluck! Looks like you are well on your way that you might get to the hospital and have only a minute to decide, haha.
I would say if you want to get your tubes tied go for the section - 2 bird with 1 stone. I can't imagine ELECTIVELY going under the knife more than once!
I'm sure you will figure it out though

 

I would go vaginally if there is no medical reason to have major surgery, especially since you had 2 children vaginally. I had my oldest vaginally (9lbs2oz) and I had the twins vaginally as well, even though baby B was breech. They were born 4 minutes apart, a very smooth and fast delivery. I pushed 5 times for A, and just one push for B (although they pulled him out by the feet as well). Recovered very quickly, as soon as I got out of the hospital (2 nights) I was back to normal.

 

personally I have not had a c/s and if I were you I would avoid it if you can. If you have 2 small children at home your recovery time from a vag birth with be much faster. The day I left the hospital. (3 days after the birth) my family took me to a snow fest for a few hrs to get my mind off the baby in the special care. I walked around for a few hrs and everything was fine. a friend of mine has had 2 c/s and is going for her 3rd soon and he recovery time from each was a few weeks or more.

I had an epidural and I slept for most of my 17 hrs of labor and never had any pain. I would also talk to your dr. They will do u/s on you while you are in ldrp to see the position of the babies.

 

I had a c-section for my twins (emergency, general anaesthesia). Although my recovery was fairly easy compared to other people I know, it is definitely NOT something I would repeat voluntarily (not planning to have more kids, so not an issue personally). I didn't have other kids at home (and in fact didn't have my babies at home as they were in the NICU), but it was weeks before I could comfortably go up and down stairs, I wasn't supposed to drive for at least 2 weeks, not pick up anything heavier than a few pounds, etc. It was hard getting out of bed (not just because I was exhausted, but because my abdominal muscles had been cut apart). I can't imagine how people with other children at home manage this . . .

Tubal ligation is a much more minor procedure than a c-section - it can be done outpatient, under local anaesthesia, and I imagine the recovery time is much shorter. If your main reason for wanting a c-section is to have your tubes tied at the same time, I would give it a little more consideration.

Personally, I was very sad that I was forced into a c-section - I understand that it was medically necessary, but it was not at all what I wanted. I would have preferred to try a vaginal birth, even if I ended up with a c-section in the end. But you've already been there done that, so might feel differently.

Also, all surgeries have some risk involved, so if there is not medical reason to have a c-section, it does seem like you might be taking an unnecessary risk.

I'm sure you'll get many more opinions on this topic . . . good luck sorting it all out.

-Rachel

 

If mine are both head down, I'll try vaginal. We are done after these babies too, but my husband is going to have a vasectomy - even if I end up doing a c-section. You are getting so close!! Not much longer now!

 

I elected to have a C-section with twins. My daugther was lower and head down, but my son was transverse. They couldn't guarantee that we would flip head down when my daughter came out and my OB said if he flipped breech, they would automatically do a C-section because they would not deliver him breech. I had no problems with my c-section and if I was to have more kids (not planning on it) I would do another c-section. I slept in our lazy-boy the 1st week I was home because I couldn't get out of bed without assistance, but after about 8 days (3 days in the hospital and 5 days at home) I was functioning prettty good. Yes you are limited, but I didn't find it too bad. I was lucky and had help at home too. My parents stayed with us for a week.

Good luck with whatever you decide! Twins are such a blessing!

 

Hi,

I had a c-section with my twins (no choice, they were both transverse) and would not recommend it if you have the option of a vaginal delivery. My c-section recovery was apparently really smooth and much better than most... but still, it is major surgery. I was walking up and down stairs slowly after about five days and able to drive in 10 days, but it still took weeks for me to be able to get out of bed without hurting and lifting anything heavier than 10 pounds was impossible for about a month. I can not imagine recovering from a c-section with young children!

 

If possible, I"d avoid the major surgery. I'd go vaginal if you could, esp. since you've done it before. Good luck! WTG keeping them baking this long!

 

Thank you so much for all of your imput on the subject. I am really leaning toward a vaginal birth now. It is crazy, but a few days ago, my husband had to have an emergency appendectomy. From the time he started having terrible pain to the time he had surgery was about 6 hours. So, it all happened real quick. (Luckily, family had picked up our children that morning to keep them for the week since I am on bedrest) So, I see his scar and it just scares me. Plus, I know a c-section scar is bigger. Though I have a lot of help lined up, I do want to be able to squeeze and cuddle my 20 month old and 4 year old as soon as possible. And I will be able to do that quicker if I have a vaginal birth. Thanks again for your help.

 

I'm in the school of thought of killing two birds with one stone. If you already know you want your tubes tied, then the C/S would be a good bet IMO.

Good luck!

 

The twins were my first and I elected to have a csection. baby b was transverse. I really didn't think it was babd at all and if I had to do it again, I would opt for the csection. A vaginal birth and labor really scared me, but you would know better than I.

 

If at all possible I would avoid the surgery. It is much easier to recover from a vaginal delivery. Unless your babies flip, it sounds like a perfect opportunity to have a vaginal birth. Good luck with your decision.

 

I'm a big proponent of having babies the way they were intended to be birthed but your situation is a little different. I think it depends on just how much cutting the doctors would have to do to have your tubes tied without the c-section. If it is a minor procedure, then go vaginal. If it involves a large incision, then get it all done in one shot. C-sections are no picnic and are major surgery so I wouldn't opt for one if I didn't have to. My two days of induced labor with Dax were a picnic compared to my c-section because the recovery was just so much easier. Good luck!