Recovery: C-Section vs. VBAC

This post is probably TMI for most readers, but I just wanted to record my post-delivery thoughts here on the blog for my memory's sake.

For Hadley's delivery, I was given the choice to have a repeat C-section or attempt a VBAC, and we opted to try for the VBAC for a variety of reasons. All of the doctors who helped counsel us in making this decision reiterated that the recovery process would likely be so much better with a VBAC than I had with my C-section for Shelby ..ha! Seriously, if I would have known what this recovery would be like...I'm not so sure I would have gone for the VBAC after all ;)  It has been a slow return to normal for me. Due to the fact that I hemorrhaged & lost a good deal of blood, I was pretty weak/tired for a couple weeks after delivery. In addition to that, I had considerable pain associated with Hadley tearing me/the stitches and then I was dealing with the bleeding on top of that. Here we are 8 weeks later, and I am STILL bleeding..I am so over it! Thankfully, the pain has finally completely subsided. But I was taking pain pills for far longer after my VBAC than I did after the C-section. I even had to take a few while in Disney World b/c the increased activity/time on my feet definitely increased my pain level. Something else that was different for me with the VBAC was swelling. I didn't have any swelling after Shelby was born {although my ankles did swell up a bit from time to time during the pregnancy}, but I had terrible swelling in my feet & ankles for about 1-2 wks after Hadley was born {but I never had any swelling during her pregnancy...weird!}.

I had my {belated} 6 week post-partum check-up last week, and I am pleased to report that my healing process has gone perfectly! And I am one pound less my pre-pregnancy weight. :)  Although I wish I could say that meant my clothes were fitting appropriately, but they're just not quite yet. {Read: I still have to wear my maternity jeans or a belly band with my jeans..ugh.} Hopefully I'll be back in all my regular clothes soon though! For now I am just living in cotton tees & skirts. :)

With all of that being said, I would say without a doubt that I preferred my C-section to the VBAC delivery. But I'm still glad I did the VBAC b/c now I can say I have experienced both. But when and if we are ready to try for Baby #3, I think it's going to be hard for me not to go with a repeat C-section {unless of course I actually go into labor on my own for a change!} when I know how much easier that recovery was on me. ;) Not to mention the long labor that came along with th VBAC, and Shelby was out in no time at all! Ha! But we'll see!

And just because, here are a few recent pictures of Miss Hadley...