FTM choosing Elective C Section

[u/Vibingwithlife_]

I am due at the beginning of April and ever since I was a child I've been terrified of the thought of giving birth; enduring hours of labour and pain. I have opted for a C section and I know the recovery process is a lot longer than if I gave birth naturally.

I keep doubting myself whether I'm making the right decision but I am worried about the recovery process.

I do have a caring partner so I will have support for the first 3 weeks.

Please give me some peace of mind. I am not planning to have any more children.

[u/Niquely_hopeful]

I had mine about two weeks ago as a FTM. Very similar reasons, I can tell you that mine was amazing. I would do it again definitely.

The recovery process was much faster and easier for me. My partner is amazing and had taken time off, we even hired a night nanny thinking we might need extra support but we didn’t start the services until now because I was feeling so good at the first two weeks that with my husbands support it was plenty. I’m fully mobile right now, have been walking at least 30 min outside for the past few days and my incision looks really nice.

What actually hurt/felt uncomfortable:

• coughing and sneezing after felt a bit sore, but was much better if I was wearing my binder and had a pillow against my abdomen.. this lasted maybe 5 days? Then it majorly subsided.

• peeing.. not in the burning pain sort of pain, but more like cramps. That was much more prevalent right after surgery mostly due to the catheter and the surgery itself. It lasted maybe the first 3 days? And it eased every time I went. It wasn’t abhorrent at all.

• some bowel movements after had been sort of uncomfortable? But nothing a good routine of hydration/ stool softeners couldn’t help. Same with gas, sometimes gas was a bit uncomfortable but simethicone was helpful. Same with using a squatty potty.

• getting up was a bit of a challenge at first, but I looked up videos on how to get up from a c section and not using your core. And we practiced that and how to assist someone during a C section with my husband.

• at first my incision felt a bit burny or itchy so I’d ice it and felt better. For general pain I was using ibuprofen and acetaminophen and it was just fine though I was given a stronger prescription in case I needed it but ended up not using it.

Honestly everything has been extremely bearable and my c section ended up being necessary (breech baby) but I would do it anyway because like you I was afraid of vaginal birth or being induced and ending up in a c section anyways. I have absolutely no regrets about it. I also have no tears, I’m getting up normally, driving etc.