C-section vrs Vaginal birth. Please help!

Hi moms!

I've been trying to find any good studies or learn through experiences that could help me make this decision.

I've already scheduled a section for Nov 17, but now that I'm able to sit up long enough (thanks to zoloft) to do more research, I'm concerned about my body's healing time.

I'm 35 weeks and have been in a hideous flare for 7 months straight now. (lost my job 6 months ago, can't take care of myself let alone anything else) I can't imagine adding labor to this mess. History has shown though that I don't recover well at all. I still deal with a back strain that happened 6 years ago and can't put any amount of pressure on my scar from knee surgery 13 years ago. I'm worried that adding an abdominal procedure while I already struggle to keep my back strong is not a good idea. I also plan to tie my tubes, but may end up going with tubal implants if I can stear clear of surgery.

Can you share with me your stories of birth, good and bad? How about experiences with ligations? I'd really appreciate it:)

beleive i had fibro yet with my two pregnancies, altho the second pregnancy took alot out of me, i made sure to still work out the entire pregnancy, i was back at the gym on the treadmill 4 days after my daughter was born.    I wish i could do that now. My knees hurt and my back hurts, i have to have painkillers just to live a semi normal life.

But i had both my children vaginally. I did have epidurals with both, wassnt going to with my son, but the talked me into it, and i am glad they did,my daughters birth was much easier then the my sons. SO my reccomendation is to go vaginally with an epidural, espeicially if you dont do well with pain, its far less painful with an epidural.  I also had my tubes tied the day my daughter was born, it seemed simple not to hard to recover from.

Technically, I had fibro during my second pregnancy, but drs. thought that I had early stages of lupus. My pregnancies were nightmares ( not due to fibro, though) my labor and deliveries were fairly easy (vaginal births) and I recovered in no time. In fact the recoveries were the best part. I was waterskiing (with drs. OK) when my baby was 3 weeks old. Good luck, Diane

Is this your first? Labor is different for everyone. It's pretty easy for some and rough for others. Usually, labor gets easier with each pregnancy.

I was healthy when I had my first child and it was a natural birth. I had planned natural if I could tolerate but had planned for meds if needed. There were complications so I could not be medicated. The baby was born vaginally and healthy.

I had been sick for almost 4 years when I had my second. I had the flu and broke my water with all the coughing. I was eventually given a shot for the pain, I think it was Demerol. It would not have been pleasant on a normal day, add in the flu and it was miserable. But I did it. The fibro pain made the pregnancy more difficult and painful. Afterwards, I felt lousy because of the flu but I don't remember any extra fibro problems. This baby had some complications at birth so that took my mind off me for the first 24 hours. It was such a stressful time but I didn't flare. The complications resolved in a few weeks and he is fine.

My daughter had a C-section and I've had 3 abdominal surgeries. Based on this, I think I'd avoid surgery if I could. Labor is tough, even healthy women sometimes have trouble but don't be afraid of labor. It usually ends within 24 hours, then you can get up and walk around. You can change your position easily and move around. After a C-section, it's harder to get up and walk. You are in more pain everytime you move. Yes, they'll give you pain meds but they don't work so well on fibro pain. You'll be less active after a section and that's what would cause me to flare.

This is my experience and opinions. You know you and what makes you flare. Good luck and let us know if you do find any research on this.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences:)  A little info on why we originally planned a C-section...

I have never been afraid of labor, actually kinda looked forward to the experience.  I've been through plenty of pain in my life, it didn't worry me at all.  When this flare hit 7 months ago, it really threw my body into a massive whirl wind or constant pain. 

I've been dealing with:

Severe nerve pain to any light touch especially in my legs, muscle weakness in the limbs, muscle pain and spasms in the back and legs, deep nerve pain concentrated in the hips, tailbone, butt muscles, spine, back muscles and feet (upper back for the first 3 months), arthritis sensation in the knees, ankles, hands, wrists and toes, sleep disturbance due to pain (waking ever 15 minites to an hour tops), fatigue, over sensitivity to light and sound, constant ear ringing, (now they've both been almost completely plugged for 5 days) sudden episodes of RAPID heart racing and breathing with hightened body temperature and an inability to catch my breath for no reason (panic attack style).

I obviously lost my job, had to drop out of school etc.   I've been on percocet for about 6 months and now the Zoloft (thank God) just so that I can get around the house a little and get more sleep.  Don't mean to whine here, I know everyone on here is going through pain.  I'd just like to find some others that have dealt with this level of torture for this long leading up to their birth. 

Just watching women laying in the hospital bed on TV, pulling their knees made me cry one day.  There is NO way I could just lay in that possition for any amount of time.  My spine feels like it would snap and the nerves in my hips and legs won't allow it.  I couldn't even use the muscles needed to push on the toilet.  (sorry, graphic)  Before the Zoloft took away alot of the nerve pain, I seriously thought I may go into such shock during labor that I didn't want to know what other levels of pain there could be to experience on top of everything else.

Now that the level of nerves have been brought down, I think I could handle labor with just the rest of it.  I'd like to see if my hospital has the birthing tubs since water will distract my nerves a little and take some of the weight off my spine and tailbone since I won't be laying in bed much.  I entirely plan on an epideral though, but don't know yet if you have one while being in water.   ??? 

Do any of you have any advice on letting your doctor know your birthing plan?  Like, I'm not going to lay in a possition I can't and I'm not fond of the idea of people yelling at me to push when it's not absolutely nessasary.  I really don't want to have to explain the FM with any staff at the hospital cause there is NO way they're going to understand the half of it, let alone it's stressful to me. 

 

Okay,I had horrible pregnancies and rough labor. This was pre diagnosis and I did not even know what fibro was (though I had it).

I had pitocin to induce labor with the first (12 hours after I broke waters). For both pregnancies I used an epidural. After they (the drugs) were administered I felt great.

In fact, I enjoyed no longer being pregnant. After my second child was born though I was in a lot of pain the first few days. they gave me percocet and I felt better.

I had what is called back labor. That is when the baby's head is turned and presses on your lower back and all of the painful nerves.

If you know that will happen to you ahead of time, get the c-section. lol

The best to you and yours, Donnaeil