C-Section Vs. Natural Birth: 9 Differences In Recovery

One of the recurring themes among all parents today is the type of childbirth a woman has – natural birth, C-section, or water birth. In fact, some use various social media platforms to critique the choice a mother made keeping in mind her baby’s well-being.

The ones who had a natural delivery generally feel someone made an easier choice by opting for C-section delivery. But, C-section has ensured a healthier life for both the newborn and the mother, especially in situations where there were too many complications during delivery. On the other hand, new mothers who’ve had a C-section delivery feel that recovery is much easier and less painful in a natural birth. But, this takes the validation away from all the mothers who just pushed a baby out.

Ask this question to yourself – What is it that really matters? We are sure that the unanimous answer would be a healthy life for both the mom and her baby. Truth be told, there is no delivery that is easier than the other. The two are just different. So, there is no competition as each choice has its own set of challenges and recovery process.

Here, we bring you various ways in which the two methods of childbirth differ:

In This Article

1. Skin-To-Skin Contact Sooner

One of the biggest advantages of natural birth is that the baby can be given to the mom immediately (in most cases). This immediate contact can help regulate the newborn’s body temperature, calm him/her down by hearing mom’s heartbeats, and also helps with breastfeeding. While this can be requested in a C-section too, it is not always possible. This is because the mother needs to be looked after immediately and the incision needs to be closed.

2. Bathroom Woes

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Any task which involves sitting can become painful after a natural delivery, including sitting on that toilet seat. It is still possible but you might have to struggle initially to find a comfortable position.

3. Changes In The Bath Routine

Usually, new mothers are told not to take bath for almost six weeks, no matter which method you opt for. After a natural birth, women might be permitted to sit in a bath prepared with very less water and Epsom salt. It is essential to keep the lady bits clean, more so if you have received stitches. But, more importantly, follow what your doctors tell you!

4. Ice Packs Will Be A Savior

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The most important difference between the two choices is where the baby exits the body from. So, this means that the sore and tender areas to be dealt with are also different. For natural birth, it’s the pelvic area and the lady bits. And for C-section, the area around the incision is tender. This is when those ice packs will come in for rescue!

5. Discharge More In Natural Birth

The most common misconception about C-section is that there is no discharge or postpartum bleeding. But, that’s not the case. It just might be a little bit more in the natural birth. This is because the newborn infant passes through the birth canal and might injure the cervix. Thereby, the cuts might add on to the bleeding.

6. Oh, Those Sore Muscles!

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The act of pushing down the baby can really strain your muscles all over the place. In fact, you’ll discover those muscles that you didn’t even know exist!

7. Not So Alert

Moms are given a lot of medications in case of a C-section surgery (after all, it’s a major surgery). More so since it’s important for the mother to stay awake throughout the surgery so it’s essential to ensure that she doesn’t feel anything. Thus, moms are not so alert afterward.

8. Itching Woes

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Itching is yet another side-effect of medications during C-section. And, the itching is not the regular one. It’s excessive to an extent that it’s uncomfortable. It also continues for a while since most incisions itch during recovery. You can always consult your doc if it gets too much!

9. Extended Hospital Stay

As much as you want to go back home and settle in with your little infant, a stay in hospital is mandatory as well as helpful. Though it varies, new mothers with a C-section delivery need to stay in the hospital for a little longer.

For a mother, the only thing that matters is her little angel’s wellbeing. And, as it is, a mother goes through a lot of hardship to finally get to these beautiful moments with her little one. So, let’s cherish that!

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