Is having a c-section lazy
Parenting

Is having a c-section lazy?

Oh dear Kate Hudson, you probably didn’t mean it, and you probably didn’t mean to answer that question “What’s the laziest thing you’ve ever done?” that’s been in the news this week with “having a c-section”.

This is not a critique at you, but having a c-section is by no means lazy at all. I’m sure that many c-sections mums would agree with me. You wouldn’t write down “having a baby with forceps” as being a lazy thing after having a baby pulled out of you, so why write down “having a c-section”. Having a c-section or choosing to have a c-section is a hard, tough and possibly life threatening decision to make.

First there’s the thought of it. When I was pregnant with my daughter I dreaded that I might end up having a c-section. Nearly a third of all child births in the UK are by c-section, that is a scary statistic, and one that is extremely likely to happen.

Having had a c-section after a 60 hour induced labour (definitely not lazy) which involved blood loss and nearly every drug you could give a woman in labour I was actually relieved that the whole process was over, and that I could meet my little girl. Thank god for the NHS and c-sections otherwise who knows what would have happened.

The recovery is by far the hardest part of having a c-section. The pain, the not being able to walk, the not being able to lift your child, let alone breastfeed properly, is super tough. That went on for weeks. It wasn’t until about 6 weeks post c-section that I started to feel truly better, to move without feeling like my insides weren’t being torn in two.

So having a c-section is definitely not lazy. I don’t look back on the experience and wish I had it another way. Yes I would have loved to have had a water birth in the birth centre, but sadly that fell by the wayside when my daughter decided to be 17 days late.

I imagine that any future children I have will also be c-section babies, and I know how tough the experience and recovery will be. If I’m honest this frightens and scares the life out of me, as I know what could be coming.

So for anyone out thinking that a c-section birth or your c-section birth is lazy, it certainly wasn’t. You are a trooper for dealing with the aftermath and trying to cope with a newborn when your body has literally been ripped apart.

C-section mamas, I salute you.

Claire x

Mummy in a Tutu
DIY Daddy

23 Comments

  • Sarah - Casual Gamer Mum

    So many people seem to think c-sections are the ultimate lazy way of giving birth, when in reality there’s a long, painful recovery period. I get so annoyed by the phrase “too posh to push” also. I didn’t have a c-section, but if I had to I would without question and I certainly wouldn’t feel it’s ‘lazy’.

    • The Pramshed

      Thanks Sarah for your comment. I hate it that people think c-sections are an easy way out. They’re certainly not and thank god we can have them, because without them the consequences could be tragic x x

  • Sarah Lawton

    To disagree, I do think an elective c-section is easier to recover from than a traumatic birth/emergency section, and I imagine that when she said lazy that she had literally chosen to have one because she didn’t the hard work of labour. That said, I haven’t had one, and I’m only going by what friends who have had trauma/emergency ones and planned ones also have told me. She probably would have had an easy recovery as well with lots of full time hands on help!

    • The Pramshed

      Yep I think that’s the case that she chose an elective c-section, but even then the recovery would be tough, and yes she had probably had masses of help too! Thanks for reading and commenting x

  • Lucy

    I’ve never had a c section but my best friend just had one and at no point did I ever think of her as being lazy! Its major surgery, she had no strength to even get to the bathroom afterwards and she had a bad infection that took 3 lots of antibiotics to clear it all up. Now she’s got numbness that may be permanent and 8 weeks on I still had to pick up her baby bath and empty it when we had bathed her little boy the other evening. Kate Hudson obviously meant it as a joke but I think it was poorly judged humour. However baby gets here, labour is hard work and never lazy! #ablogginggoodtime

  • Emily

    Absolutely not! I had a c-section with my twins. It is not lazy! Although I have to be honest the recovery was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be, but that was probably down to the very strong pain killers I was taking! Thanks for linking up to #ThatFridayLinky

  • Lucy At Home

    I really don’t get where this idea that c-sections are easy has come from! I was terrified at the thought of having to have a c-section with my kids! And it’s so hard afterwards when you’re still recovering but have a baby to look after #ablogginggoodtime

  • Alana - Burnished Chaos

    I have had two c-sections and they are most certainly not a lazy option (although I fear some people may opt for them thinking it will be easier). I’m sure it was meant tongue in cheek because she went for an elective section without any labour pains etc, but mine were also classed as elective (although I wasn’t given a choice with the first). My son was breech with low fluid and going into labour would have been extremely dangerous so I gave up my dream of a water birth, not to be lazy but to do what was best for my babies safety. The recovery was horrible. With my second, this time it was completely elective, I could have gone the vbac route, and always planned to, but something didn’t feel right and I went the elective route. Turns out I was already rupturing from my previous scar and had I not been on the table that day we might not be here. The anaesthetic also didn’t work, so believe me, holding on through that pain so I could see my baby before they knocked me out was not lazy. And the recovery second time round was sooo much worse, despite everyone saying it would be easier. *gets off soapbox* xx
    #ablogginggoodtime

  • Christy

    Thank you. I can’t believe anyone would think a C-section is a lazy option! I was in hospital for 10 days after mine with Sepsis and that was on top of the 3 day failed induction. Then months of recovery… lazy?! I don’t think so. Yes, in future I would elect for a Csection, but not because I’m lazy – but because it is the safest choice for me and the baby.

  • Jo - Pickle & Poppet

    Birthing a child is tough, regardless of how they come into the world! Neither way is lazy! I salute C-section mamas, to go through labour, sleepless nights, sore boobs and then recover from MAJOR surgery all at the same time! You are tough Mummas!

  • Helena

    Saluting you right back. Both my girls entered the world this way and I would have loved to have a birth pool too. It was out of the question due to having to be monitored. #ablogginggoodtime

  • Musings of a tired mummy...zzz...

    During each of my labours I have asked for a c section as I thought the pain had got too much. I was only half serious but when you are in labour decisions are not always logical. My mum had to have c sections for me and my sister, we would simply not be alive and neither would she if she hadn’t gone through it. The recovery is almost always harder than natural delivery. My sister had to have 2 c sections and was barely allowed to lift her own children in the early days. Not lazy at all, just has its own difficulties. #thatfridaylinky

  • Nige

    100% not my twins were born By c-section because they had to be, lazy if you are celeb to fit in with your life great read Thank you for linking to #ThatFridayLinky Please come back next week

  • Vicky

    I had a section and can wholeheartedly agree that Its definitely not easy. nearly 2 years on and my body is still recovering. I have lower back pain. But sometimes, its necessary. And often, sections are necessary. It gave me my beautiful baby girl. I will always be grateful for that.

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