Which is more painful, a c-section or labor?

Jodi Ball, MD discusses the pain level differences between c-sections and labor. Have more of your women’s health questions answered at blog.chsbuffalo.org/women-care...

[@sofiabent9129]

Labor is much, MUCH worse than a c section. I had stalled labor at 10cm with my first. Hurt so bad, overlapping contractions, no progress. The throbbing pain spread into my hips and down my legs like sciatica. I had an emergency c section. I opted for a c section at 39 weeks every time after that. Healing after the first c section felt like hot shards of glass in my tummy if I moved much, otherwise no complications. 2nd time was easier, 3rd time was the easiest yet. After 24 hrs I didn't even need OTC pain meds anymore but the nurses made me take it anyway because they didn't believe me when I said I felt fine. I don't want to sound like a wimp or scare expecting moms, but from my own experience I definitely would never want to opt for labor and a vag birth, no way!

[@Anhay84]

I had vaginal birth, ended up forceps as baby didnt want to come out. No epidural, felt everyting for ever, doctors couldnt figure out why she didnt want to come out as i was 10cm, so they told me to push rather than what i was doing (breathing through) I then had bowel prolapse. That caused me suffering still 17 months after. I cant lift weigh or even my baby, I sometimes poo myself...no one cares....and once they finally did emergency as the heartbeat went very low i thought I was released from suffer where in fact it all started. They didnt wait for placenta to come out, they pulled it out that caused me limping for 3 months with no innerthigh muscle working.....Never mind sex....it was so painful and uncomfortable as I off course had to be cut for up to 6 months! Please speak the truth about how the labour can really look like as its very different to every woman, and saying we are fully healed after 4-6 weeks is a BIG Lie.

[@Arguewityamama]

I’m soo sorry!!! 😞 I’m giving birth for the first time in a few weeks and terrified, I’m so sorry this was your experience.

[@miajean352]

Wow!!! I’m so sorry you experienced all that and are still suffering! My goodness that’s rough I nearly cried for you as I read your story. I’m praying for physical and emotional healing for you may Jesus be with you!

[@tashaydie2673]

After my vaginal birth I literally was back to normal in 2 days but I just had a c section 2 weeks ago nd I just feel like my body is nver goin to be the same I still can’t even walk or sit up without a struggle I literally cry once a day because I cnt take care of my kids like I want to ! 😞

[@sarahbrennan955]

Lady, you have this (c-section momma of 2 here) you have this, I understand everything and my babies are 14 and 9 now. You can do it, it’s hard, and no one but c-section momma’s understand this pian❤️

[@Jeng23672]

​@@sarahbrennan955 I feel the pain too❤ I literally had my c section just 6 weeks ago

[@lexypattv]

@@Jeng23672have you fully recovered yet?

[@nomtetopiliso7735]

​@@Jeng23672which country are you cz for me it took 3weeks to fully recover nd wen I got back home I did my usual clean it with salt water every now nd then

[@Jeng23672]

@@nomtetopiliso7735 I'm from the Philippines.

[@NANEXPRESS]

Omg I had c section and the pain is like horrible. And the back pain is always there.

[@ShamalPatil-hv9su]

During birth does it hurts

[@angelpagan3761]

Right, I feel they don't say that about c-sections though.

[@angelpagan3761]

​@ShamalPatil-hv9su it's just numb ,you feel some tugging. Unless it was like me where the anesthesia didn't kick in and I felt them cut in me.

[@Fnb-cb-200]

​@@ShamalPatil-hv9suvaginal births are unpredictable and it can go wrong at anytime. But, a planned C section is really good cause it goes as it's planned. An emergency c section is 10x worse than a planned c section. Also, Vaginal delivery is the most painful thing to do where a mom cannot enjoy the birth but, in a c section it's different. You will feel hardness in breathing due to the numbness and when they pull the baby out you'll feel uncomfortable but, zero pain. But, in vaginal deliveries you will not only feel the pressure but also you'll feel burning down there and also you'll feel like your bumhole is gonna turn inside out (explode). Sometimes they cut down there too. In a c section what happens down there is only a catheter. That's it.

[@MrsD_2022]

​@ShamalPatil-hv9su No. You feel the pain afterwards

[@ambreenbilal1412]

I don't wanna give birth😂

[@ashiekamara8786]

😂 me too I’m so scared

[@ash_wat_hi8172]

Me too

[@annabelle007]

Me too..🥺 I'm scared

[@KhushiYadav-73500]

Me to 😂so much scared about thinking of this😂

[@ninagarcia5874]

Me too

[@StarSnow1101]

Within 48 hours women are up and walking after a c section?? Yea, no. It’s very painful for at least a week after and truthfully longer. Sitting up, turning, holding your baby, sneeze, cough, stairs, etc- everything hurts your abdomen.

[@simple8340]

I agree, today is the 4th day after my cs section, still can't stand by my own. BTW it's my 2nd cs

[@ScrubsToScreensWithFibro]

Exactly. I’m like 24-48 hours? Definitely misleading for someone who hasn’t had a c-section. At least a week before the pain begins to dull

[@wosecarine8908]

U guys be scaring some of us ohh🥵🥵🥵. I think I will have a surrogate mum carry my kids🤣🤣🤣.

[@bubbakatevsthestate9290]

My mother was up, taking a shower and looking after the baby within a few hours. Recovery was much easier.

[@angelpagan3761]

Yup and that's the truth and the first bath after a c-section is the worst..... my mother joined me and she was in shock because I called her into the bathroom crying saying I need you and she never hears that from me. She hears I can make it,but she just looked at me,and I waa just balling my eyes out because of the pain.

[@lorenbass]

"Feel better " is used loosely I would suppose. Just because women have to love around within a certain amount of hours doesn't mean they feel better just means they arr following doctor orders.

[@TheKatizzy]

I was a solid 8 weeks post c section before I felt recovered not 4 to 6.

[@Picachki]

Thanks for telling us how it really is. I have a feeling like many more moms take longer than 4-6 weeks.

[@miajean352]

Took me literally 3 whole months till I could regularly walk from my c section

[@CC-yn8go]

Has a c section because Baby was upside down. Epidural Anästhesia. Was able to Walk After 20h. No Problem with milk or scars. After 3 days I left the Hospital and had no issues. Im now 49 but I would Never Chose Natural Birth. Why? Pain , not neccessary in 2024 in my opinion, vagina would Never be the Same, no Stiches, no inkontinet

[@Zumbagirl517]

I rather not have the c section.

[@maggie718ma]

Ive had 2 c sections , one was emergency after 36 hrs in active labor , i only dialated 1cm! oh my goodness the contractions are horrible so painful , i was instructed not to take any medication for pain , bad idea 😅 My 2nd was planned , and to be honest it is nerve recking, afterall it is a major surgery , and the Delivery of a special little human, During the c section You are not supposed to feel any pain. I didn't, but you do feel the pressure of them tugging and pulling your skin apart. The delivery for the baby itself is about 10 to 15 minutes and the stitching up of the abdomen was about 40 minutes. For the recovery, it is painful. When I mean painful? I mean uncomfortable .Hurts to sneeze , laugh , poop , fart lol , or to just move around , but it all depends on a persons pain tolorence , i did need assistance to get up , But I was able to walk on my own the very next day after the csection , It is painful when you first get up as it feels like your muscles are being stretched apart. So it's kind of an uncomfortable feeling , but its bearible (also take pain killers as instructed they to help ) The birth of a child weather is vaginal or C section are gong to be painful ,After all you are giving life to another human. Good luck to all moms to be you got this !!!

[@Bella-ke7pr]

Everyone tells me they magically forget the pain once they hold their baby 😅🥰

[@Fnb-cb-200]

That's because of a hormone. But, i don't think you can forget the pain if your down parts have been cut and then stitched. You will be in pain for more than 3 weeks from the perineal wound. So, i'm wondering how someone can forget the pain.

[@Brinzdhillon]

That’s a lie

[@Fnb-cb-200]

@@Brinzdhillon agree. That's completely a lie. Women want to hide the pain from other women cause many are literally selfish. They don't wanna say the truth. No woman forgets the pain when they hold the baby but, yes they get distracted for a while but, it's not something that you can forget.

[@fionay2014]

Ouch ouch ouch

[@angelpagan3761]

48 hours feel comfortable doing what... thats not how i remember my c-section 😂 you playing.

[@teallaidh]

It depends how the vaginal birth goes though. My sister had to get sliced from her vagina to anus to pull her large baby out with foreceps. Same thing happened to my mum first time she gave birth. That is a more traumatic and a painful situation to recover from. I had a c section because i had breach twins the recovery time was hard but I'd still prefer it to getting my vag sliced 🫢

[@sacquoyia]

That’s not true there’s no pain in the vaginal area after a natural birth unless you ripped which is not normal if birth is done right you should not rip at all

[@Happebeetime]

Where are you getting this information from?

[@KSHDOLLTHAI]

@@Happebeetime right

[@notyayanguyen1735]

stop lyin, it's still finna hurt

[@sacquoyia]

@@notyayanguyen1735 sweetheart that’s your truth not sure if you had a hospital birth and confined to a bed and an IV?? But an (outside of hospital birth) there’s only pain in the vaginal area during ripping and tears otherwise there’s no apparent reason for your vagina to be in pain the vagina conforms to the size of your baby no matter what size the baby is it conforms also contractions don’t cause vaginal pain, (contraction pain) is not vaginal pain I’m not sure if your equating the two? Yes contractions cause pain but your vagina should not be in pain just from giving birth unless you have ripped or your in a terrible position the body is smarter than we think we don’t give it enough credit but thanks for sharing God Bless You🌺

[@sacquoyia]

@@Happebeetime Honey google (Ina May Gaskin) to learn about a real birth experiences God Bless🌺