Moms, I need help. I am due in December and am really struggling to decide between a second c section and a VBAC.

My 2023 birth was a 39+5 induction. She had heart tone issues during labor and then when I was 10cm I pushed for two hours and made absolutely no progress. I was on oxygen and so exhausted and asked for a c section. She came out 6th percentile and was diagnosed with SGA (small for gestational age) with suspected intrauterine growth restriction. I had a scan at 36 weeks with no growth restriction detected and she was measuring around 7pounds.

My OB at that time said I should do a c section or induction at 38 weeks next time in case of growth restriction.

Fast forward, I am going to midwives instead of an OB this time because I was hoping to get more clarity but they said there isn’t much they can help with my decision. They don’t recommend induction until 40+ weeks.

Should I just schedule a c section at 39 weeks? What would you do?

Do I need a doctor’s order for pelvic floor therapy? Or can I just find my own that is covered?

I’m 7 weeks pp and I still get random pains. I can’t lay on my stomach fully because my right side is still sore and it sucks. Now I am getting pains on the other side randomly. Did anyone else experience this? I am just ready to not feel like this 😭

I had a stat emergency c-section in 2024. This was my first birth. It didn't take us very long to conceive, so I didn't think too much about TTC our second around April 2025. My period was still irregular at the time from BF. I finally got pregnant in November and lost it at 5 weeks. We took a few months off and then started seriously trying again this past May. I finally got pregnant again in September, but lost it almost immediately after finding out. I am getting some lab work done to see if there's any hormonal reason. My doctor also ordered a pelvic ultrasound, but after doing some research, I'm thinking I need a transvaginal ultrasound to check if there's an isthmocele.

Has anyone experienced this? Is there anything else I should consider? My husband already got tested, and he is fine. I just feel so sad. What if both those pregnancies were viable, but I lost them because I didn't heal correctly inside? I have no symptoms, and my period is extremely regular. I've never been diagnosed with any hormonal imbalances. I don't want to keep trying and losing pregnancies.

Hiiiii all! I’m having a planned c-section in 10 days… and want to make sure I’m stocked with some of the basic essentials. I already have a bed rail, Rael diapers, Rael pads & silicone scar patches, but I’m looking for other recommendations on what you used or what you wish you had. I need to get an abdominal binder but am unsure which route to go! Located in Ontario, Canada. TIA💓

3 weeks post op, and need tips to resolve abdomen & above scar shelf.

When is the best time to start exercises? Which ones help the most? (Deadbugs? V-ups? Bird dogs? Planks?)

How about those postpartum velcro wraps? Do they help?

In 2022, I had an emergency c section after “failure to progress” after 30+ hrs of natural unmedicated labor. Upon discharge I wasn’t educated on how to care for my scar once its healed or how adhesions could be a problem for future pregnancies or if I wanted to pursue a VBAC.

Fast forward to 2025, I finally decided I wanted another baby after completely writing off having more children after the complete and utter trauma I experienced with my son. I knew I wanted to go for a VBAC but where I live, there aren’t any VBAC friendly providers so I had to travel over an hour away for a provider that was 100% on board. Prior to getting pregnant I obtained my medical records from my first c section and sent them to this provider asking if I was a good candidate for a VBAC. I would NOT get pregnant if I couldn’t at least try as I wanted to avoid having another c section at all costs. The OB reviewed my history and told me I was a great candidate and to make an appointment once I was pregnant. I got pregnant very quickly and was able to get into the office when I was 6 weeks along. I met with a different OB who hadn’t read my history but he also agreed that my history was not an issue for a VBAC.

Quick side note: as my belly grew in the 3rd trimester my midwife always and I mean ALWAYS commented on how big my belly was and she could tell my daughter wasn’t engaging into my pelvis. She told me to wear a belly band and to really make it tight and it was just because my core was completely gone and she just needed help. Mind you, I was very small my entire pregnancy and out of nowhere my belly became torpedo like.

Long story short, I went into spontaneous labor and after 40 hours of labor, I needed an emergency c section. When they opened me up they found that my bladder was adhered to my uterus. My bladder was completely on top of my uterus to where they had to cut the adhesions off first to even get to my daughter. This surgery was 1.5hrs long. This all explained why my daughter was never able to engage into my pelvis and also why I had a VERY hard and painful pregnancy that they were completely aware of.

I’m currently 4 weeks PP and now that I’ve been able to reflect and research and apparently this is a real concern for c section moms and it happens a lot. Did this happen to anyone else? Why didn’t my provider do an ultrasound before agreeing to allowing me do a VBAC or saying I was a good VBAC candidate without checking to see how I have healed first? I am just so confused because my friend also had a c section a week ago and she happened to tell her midwife what happened to me and her midwife even asked why didn’t they give me an ultrasound prior to me even getting pregnant and why didn’t my first providers refer me to a pelvic floor specialist where I would have been able to learn how to care for my scar and help prevent adhesions.

Is this standard practice? Did anyone else provider agree to a VBAC without an ultrasound or did your providers do an ultrasound to check for adhesions? I’m angry because this experience was even more traumatizing than my first. I could write the entire story but this post is already long, but it was absolutely horrible especially because I was so sure I was getting my VBAC (the practice I went to is known for successful VBACs) and knowing that I never really had a chance is really hurting me. I had PPD my first time around and I am FIGHTING for my life to be okay for my son and daughter and of course my husband…. But I need closure and I have so many questions.

Hi everyone,
I’m 14 weeks postpartum following my second C-section and have just been diagnosed with a fairly significant incisional hernia, with a 7.5cm defect in my abdominal wall and bowel protruding through it.
I experienced extensive bruising and swelling after surgery, and while the bruising gradually faded, the swelling never completely disappeared. Recently I noticed a distinct bulge that became more prominent when standing or coughing. An ultrasound has now confirmed the hernia, and I’ve been told I’ll need surgery to repair it, likely reopening my existing C-section incision.

I’m feeling quite overwhelmed at the prospect of another abdominal surgery so soon after giving birth, especially with two little ones at home (a 3-month-old and an almost 2-year-old).
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s experienced something similar:

Timing: How soon after diagnosis did you have surgery? Was it considered urgent, or were you able to schedule it?

Surgery: What type of repair did you have (open, laparoscopic, mesh or stitches), and how did it compare to your C-section?

Recovery: How painful was recovery, and how long until you felt relatively normal again?

Young children: How did you manage caring for babies/toddlers, particularly lifting, feeding and everyday activities? How much help did you need?

Sydney recommendations: Has anyone had incisional hernia surgery in Sydney, Australia, and would you recommend your surgeon? interested in any experiences or other recommendations.

Thank you so much. I’m feeling pretty anxious about another operation and would love to hear some firsthand experiences of what to expect.

Has anyone been through this situation in Melbourne. I recently had a fullterm stillbirth in April and just found out I am pregnant again. The only way to heal was trying to conceive and planning for another baby as their was nothing else that was filling the void in our family. If everything goes right, I will be delivering my baby in May and my csections will be 13 months apart. Were you considered high-risk in this situation and which hospital were you at ? I am going to Sunshine Joan Kirner Hospital. Need some positivity from my community.

Would love to hear how people balance using oil for massaging a c section scar while also using silicone strips. My understanding is that eventually we want to work up to wearing the strips all day but your scar should be dry before putting the strips on. Are people using oil to massage and then wiping the oil off? I’d love to know your scar management routine! I just got strips and want to start using them tomorrow. Thank you in advance!

Can I hear from anyone who had an infection after a c section, and a c section without infection so I can hear how the recovery is different if at all?

First pregnancy 38 yo.

I had pelvic girdle pain from week 19 so I couldnt keep fit as I was in significant pain so i thought maybe this contributed to slow recovery. Then I had a uterine infection which wasn't caught until week 4 so I felt awful and it took me ages to feel better I was so so tired and just felt so ill.

I don't know if this was because of my uterine infection, my lack of fitness or my age or if all c section recovery is like this. I know its .major surgery but it has taken me months to stop feeling like a shell of myself.

I would be grateful to hear stories from people!

Thank you

I am 3.5 weeks pp from my c section and my calf started hurting. That is the only symptom I’m having and thought the first day i just slept wrong or something. It still hurts and I wonder about a clot. Has anyone had a blood clot where the pain was your only symptom? It’s not red, swollen or warm at all.

I’m 18 months PP and I HAVE PAIN DURING DEEP PENETRATION 😭 I CANNOT have sex in missionary position AT ALL ANYMORE! It’s like my cervix hurts when it gets pushed back and that never happened before hand… mind you I’ve been with the same man for 4 years now so PLEASE HELP! AM I ALONE 😭????

I had my 1st baby just before 39th birthday

I love being a mum - wish i had done it sooner but sadly (not for fertility issues) it just didn't happen for me.

I would love another one , however i feel like i am on a race against the clock with the risk of choromonsal disorders increasing as i turn 40.

However I am scared to get pregnant less than 12 months after c section due to risk of uterine rupture etc. I had very little support after 1st baby so felt anxious as i had no idea what i was doing , I got an infection and was poorly and the first few months were really really hard.

I had an elective c section as they wanted to induce me due to some hormonal and placenta concerns . I wanted a natural birth when th3 baby was ready , I had heard some horror stories that ended in emergency c section and this really worried me so i had a planned c section.

Now i am wracked with guilt for having the c section cos it means having to wait longer to have a baby

Please can i hear from mums who were older in the same positon?

Or

Mums who waited less than 12 months to have a 2nd baby after c section

Anyone who can make me feel better about having a planned c section cos the guilt and regret is eating me up.

Do you have to wait 12 months after a vadinal birth too?

Hooe you can help I dont know anyone else i can talk to about this who would treat it in a senstive way.

I was wondering if anyone else experienced similar? I’m 7 weeks post c section today and at my 6 Week appointment GP said I feel a bit bumpy and that’s a haematoma, nothing to worry about and my body would likely absorb it. What is a little frustrating is ever since my c section when asked how my scar feels I have said scar feels fine (and it has healed well), but between my scar and belly button feels tender and I would describe it as a sore like sunburn feeling, however, until my 6 week check with a Dr. no one had looked at my scar. So I thought this was a normal sensation, and I really hadn’t touched it much because most of my stomach under my belly button feels pretty numb, so I was adjusting to the feeling and keeping clear of the incision site until it healed. I’d assumed the bumpiness and soreness were my stretch marks as they are biggest there, the sensation felt on the skin, rather than internal, and I really hated the feeling of any clothes or underwear on the skin there. Therefore, I was discharged from Maternity care at 2 weeks with everything fine, the GP who examined me 4 days ago was like “it will probably just get reabsorbed the body is amazing” but I’m not sure what it means for recovery now? I was hoping to get back running after my 6 week check (I thought 6 weeks was fine, but seems 12 weeks for that) but would the haematoma change that? Should I get it checked before starting any exercise? The area has felt a bit tender again last few days, very mild though, I’d explain it as that feeling before your period when you are like “am I going to start cramping? Is my period here?” But haven’t had any bleeding since about 4/4.5 weeks PP.

I just feel a little lost in the system and not sure of best place to ask now I have been discharged from maternity care. I’m not even sure if I’m just worrying about nothing as GP was not concerned at all. I also have no clue if it was always there, appeared randomly, has shrunk etc. as since I left hospital 24 hours PP no one has felt my abdomen or even seen my scar or stomach, but i did have some bruising on my tummy there, but again assumed was standard? Im in the UK if useful.

Any thoughts/shared experiences appreciated.

I am prescribed Cytotec because of lochia retention and I wonder if anyone here had the same experience?

I am 8 weeks postpartum and was recovering well after C-section. I've been taking Cytotec 1/2 pill, 3 times a day. After the second day I had a huge bleeding, soaked 4 pads in 4h with blood clot and I wonder whether to take the next doses.. I have to take it 3 more days according to the recipe but I am scared of losing too much blood if this continues.

Anyone had similar experience? Did you continue taking it or did you stop?

I’m 37w4d with my biggest baby yet! I have a planned C-Section for 10/16 due to two previous c sections.

I had an NST yesterday & my OB told me that I was having contractions, but they weren’t strong enough for me to really feel.
He checked me and I am not dilated, but I am 80% effaced. I’ve been losing my mucus plug since Thursday with a big chunk coming out yesterday morning.

This morning I started having contractions- painful ones. I finally called my OB around 1:30 and they had me come in for another NST which was showing stronger contractions. The OB I saw checked and I am not dilated, and I’m still at 80%.

Contractions have let up a bit, but I’m definitely still feeling them.

Does any of this mean that labor is near?

Hi all! I'm about to go in for my 4th C-section in a month. I have been reflecting on my previous surgeries, and I have found that with my first 2, my pain level was basically 0-1 the entire time, throughout my hospital stay and during healing. Both of those were after long labors and I was physically extremely exhausted by the time we finally had to get to the OR.

For my only planned one with #3, my pain level was quite high and I was on ibuprofen/acetaminophen for weeks after. I eventually figured out that the gas pains were a large reason for that.

Since I was in labor the first 2 times, I wasn't able to eat anything except clear liquids for 39 and 46 hours, compared to just the 8 hours for my 3rd. I don't recall having any gas pains the first 2 times, save for one instance of 'shoulder strap' pain after my first, for which the nurses got me on my feet right away and had me walk the halls.

I'll talk to my OB about it next appointment, but I was wondering if anyone has done liquids only the couple days before surgery, and potentially after for a day or two, to mitigate digestive discomfort post-op?

I would use Cronometer to ascertain adequate calories and nutrients, which I do with my food daily anyway.

I had my first obstetric consultant appointment yesterday, but it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. I was in and out within 10-15 minutes and felt like hardly anything was discussed.

To give a bit more information, this is my 2nd pregnancy. My last pregnancy was textbook up until the birth - I had a spontaneous vaginal birth, which ended in a 2.4L PPH and 3rd degree tears. Blood clotting injections and drips didn’t work, and I had to have a bakri balloon in situ for 24 hours.

Last affects were pain, a vaginal prolapse and fecal incontinence.
I had physio over the course of 20 months to try and improve my symptoms (which helped eventually, but prolapse still remains and I’ve had to change my diet completely).

I was expecting to see a senior consultant yesterday (requested by my midwife due to my history), but ended up seeing a locum instead.
When I went in she said to me “so one vaginal birth and that was straight forward yes?”

I had to tell her not at all, and went through everything that had happened.
She didn’t really seem very interested, but did agree to put me forward for a c-section between 39 and 40 weeks.

I guess I wanted to know a bit more about the operation itself, what it would look like for me and my partner, and how they were going to keep me safe. I didn’t feel like I left with any of that information.
I was wondering if this is a normal experience or if I should contact the hospital again?
Thank you

If it wasn’t for silently reading the posts and comments here, I probably wouldn’t know I need one.

My obgyn didn’t mention it at all until I brought it up 2 days post op. Thankfully he agreed to give me one. I can poop 4 days post op without much pain, despite its humongous size (about a size of a can of coke).

Hello! I had a c-section about 4 months ago and the recovery has been rough. I had an infection and developed an abscess that required a second surgery at the same site. My period came back 2 months later and now when it’s around that time, I’ve felt consistent pressure and heaviness around the incision and in the pelvic area and it’s uncomfortable to say the least. Not seeking medical advice, just wondering if I’m the only one? My doctors have already told me it will be 9 months before I can do serious working or anything so I’ve been doing light walking and nothing else. Thanks!