What are the differences in healing between a vaginal delivery and a c section besides the scar?

my doctor has just told me that because my son is breech we are more than likely going to have to have a secduled c section. I was just wondering how different the healing procsss is for a c section, as i have already had a daughter naturally and know exactly what to expect with a vaginal delivery. my doctor has said that my son could still turn.

What are the differences in healing between a vaginal delivery and a c section besides the scar?
The thing to keep in mind about a c-section is that not only are you having a baby, but you are also having a major surgery in the process! It has become so routine that people forget that little factoid.





A planned section is much, MUCH easier (most of the time) than an emergency one. First of all, you'll be well rested going into it, which is very important in your recovery. You'll be awake with spinal anesthetic, so you'll know when your baby is born, you'll be able to hear him cry, see him, and hold him as soon as you get back to the recovery room. You will have a catheter in your bladder and an IV in, and you'll have to lie flat on your back for a short time. Barring any major complications during surgery, your nurse will get you out of bed for your first walk in just a couple of hours. Sometime after you've been up and about for the first time, she'll take your catheter out and start encouraging you to go to the bathroom on your own. After the immediate post-op period, she'll be in to check on your every two hours at least, and to take your vital signs every four hours. You'll be encouraged to turn your self side to side in bed, get up on your own, shower, and learn how to care for yourself and your baby while you're healing. You'll have a clear liquid diet until you're passing gas, and you won't be able to drink any carbonated beverages or drink through a straw.





You most likely will have more pain with your c-section, but there is medication that you can have, and you should take it to control your pain and keep it manageable.





Your vaginal bleeding will be a lot lighter, as the Doc cleans your uterus out while he's got it open. There is still bleeding, but it is far less than with a vaginal delivery.





Things to remember are to move around early and often, walk the halls several times a day, take your pain medication as you need it, and limit your visitors so that you can get plenty of rest in between walks.





Expect it to take a bit longer to heal, and make sure to arrange to have some help at home for the first week or so.





Congratulations on your baby and good luck!
Reply:Not only will it take longer to heal with a c-section, as the people above me have stated, but the healing process will be much more painful and you will be very limited in your activity for much longer. My sister had a c-section and had an extremely difficult time caring for her newborn. She needed to have someone with her basically all the time to help her out. So, be prepared - have some people lined up to cook meals for you and come over and help you while your husband is at work.





I suggest doing some research on breech babies and vaginal birth and talk to your doctor about ways you can help your baby to turn. Sometimes doctors just jump for the c-section because it's really most convenient for them and they don't stop and think about the fact that their patients might want to avoid a c-section if at all possible. C-sections are major surgery and come with risks, and difficult recoveries as already mentioned


You can start here: http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/...
Reply:I had a c-section because my baby was breech. She was my first baby so I can't compare it to a vaginal birth, but I have to say I didn't think the recovery was bad at all. I had the baby at 10pm and the next afternoon they made me get up and walk down the hall. It was very sore to walk b/c it's hard to straighten out. But by the 3rd day it was much better. I went home on the 5th day and felt pretty much back to normal. But that's one of the main differences, you're in the hospital for much longer than with a vaginal birth.
Reply:I have had 2 c-sections and I will have to have another one in 2 weeks. I would give almost anything to be able to deliver vaginally. When you have a c-section, there is alot of pain afterwards and its not an easy recovery. Also there are 2 different types of c-sections. Because my 1st was done by an older dr I have a vertical insision from my belly button down to the top of my hairline. This is the MOST painful of the c-sections because it cuts across the grain of your uterus and your muscles. It takes alot longer to recover from. The other type (which I am opting to get this time) is a horizontal insision that goes in the natural fold of your stomach and goes WITH the grain of your muscle and is still painful but no where near as painful as the vertical one. Honestly I would pray for my son to turn if I were you because from experiance, c-sections are not fun and you have to stay in the hospital longer than with a vaginal delivery. I wish you the best of luck!!
Reply:vaginal delivery takes weeks to recover if (cut or ripped) while c section takes months!
Reply:Well when you have a natural birth it is the way god and mother nature had intended so you heal faster, but when you have a C-cection you are being cut open so therefor it will take longer to heal due to the incision.


Both of mine have been natural and the healing process was like 2 weeks, all of the women in my family have had c-cections and they said that the recoverry was so much longer, usually about 4-6 weeks, and you have a pooch from the surgery which isnt as bad when it is natural.


Hope that helped.