Many attempt to answer the question, ‘which is worse C-section or natural birth?‘ The problem is that it’s usually from the perspective of a doctor or another source that has never had the experience first hand. Well, I have!
Natural Birth
I know exactly what it’s like to birth a child naturally with no epidural or any other pain management. My first son, Benjamin, was born through a natural birth and vaginally. It was something very important to me that I planned for by watching other women have natural births on YouTube. I got the confidence that I could do it too.
It was important to mentally prepare for the level of pain I thought I would have to endure, so I convinced myself that God designed women to be able to give birth naturally and it worked for me. Everything went according to plan and I successfully gave birth to Benjamin in a hospital. You can also have a natural birth at home with the assistance of a midwife.
Childbirth is usually depicted in movies as a hysterical event in a woman’s life. The dialogue typically includes the woman being asked to be knocked over the head and begging to be put out of her misery. I grew up seeing these images thinking, ‘My God, I will surely die’. The reality is that it just wasn’t the case.
For me, the pain of child birth felt like extreme cramps but the good news is that they come in waves. When the pain lets up, you have a chance to catch your breath and brace for the next contraction. I kept a firm grip on my mind by focusing on breathing techniques I learned online. That’s right, I totally DIY’ed my natural birth.
C-section
My second son Kairo, was born via c-section because of circumstances beyond my control (a cancerous tumor on my right kidney). I had the epidural, the morphine and all, and it was lovely! The idea of having a needle penetrate my spine was the most terrifying, so they had to give me a mild sedative just to give me the epidural. It helped and everything was smooth sailing after that.
The real work came after the C-section when the pain of the incision hit because of the healing and recovery process. My incision was taped up and I was on pain medication for days and days. I stayed in the hospital longer than the natural birth because of the c-section and while in the hospital, it was nearly impossible to get in and out of the hospital bed. I was miserable.
At home, fluid accumulated in my legs and they swole to the size of tree trunks and yes, it hurt. I had to sleep with my legs elevated above my heart to encourage the fluid to drain. That tip came from a family friend, not my doctor. I was uncomfortable to say the least but it worked.
After my C-section I could not bend over, stand up, sit down, take a shower, or walk up the stairs on my own.
I was jacked up!
Watch my birthing story below for more detail. It’s a MUST WATCH!
Which is worse C-section or natural birth?
Before I give my verdict on which is worse, I have to say that having a natural birth was EXTREMELY important to me and that the strong desire to give birth my way was enough to help me endure whatever I had to. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
The fact of the matter is that although I was terribly afraid of the epidural in my spine, the entire experience was very easy for me during the birthing process. There was no pain at all and no pushing or crazy breathing. Everything was quiet and calm.
There seems to be no real way to avoid pain. You’ll have to ask yourself what is more important to you. For me, I wanted to experience everything and I wanted to be present during my birth. I didn’t want my baby to be lethargic upon entering the world, so I did what I had to do.
In a nutshell, I can’t say what was worse, C-section or natural birth, because they both involved a great deal of bravery and strength from me as the mother. My natural birth was painful and I felt every bit of it, but the joy and sense of self accomplishment was well worth it.
The difficult recovery post C-section seemed to be a trade off for the ease of childbirth. Either way, both of my children are healthy and happy. Who cares how they come into this world as long as we both have a safe trip. If I had to do it again, I would have a natural birth and not be cut.
C-section vs natural birth – My Birth Stories
The C-section Incision
I used vitamin to fade the scare which is below my bikini line and undetectable for the most part.
4 Ways to Take Care of Yourself after Childbirth
