What hurt more?

A C-section is 99% painless during the birth, but horrendous after. A vaginal birth is 90% horrendous during the birth, which drastically decreases over the first week or so. Both can have long lasting complications. There isn't really an answer to your question, as they are two different things.

Only had sections but I’ve had worse period pain than recovery but everyone has different experiences and pain thresholds

I’ve also only ever had c sections, and the recovery wasn’t that bad.

I haven’t technically had both but I labored for 5 days and got all the way to 10cm and pushing before an emergency c-section so other than the ‘ring of fire’ have a pretty good idea of both. Let’s just say there’s a reason I chose an elective c-section for my second 😆 Anyone saying oh c-section is such a huge surgery cutting you open such a horrible recovery - most of them haven’t actually had one. Granted some people do have a negative experience but mine, and everyone I know who has had a planned one, had a great experience and easy recovery.

@Allie woah woah woah.... Hold the phone.... It IS major abdominal surgery, you are cut open, 7 layers of you! And then you have to get a few hours later and focus all your energy on looking after a baby! Don't down play it. Its tuff. Even a good experience is tuff. And ultimately it is trauma and stress for your body. Nevermind about the other risks associated with having any surgery.

I’m not downplaying anything, I’m sharing my own experience and that of my friends who I’ve witnessed first hand. I was completely fine, didn’t find it ‘tuff’ personally

I’ve only had c sections but agree with the top comment. The actual delivery is not painful really. But then you have to recover from a MAJOR SURGERY while taking care of a new baby.

@Allie I agree, I personally found nothing hard about it and had my second the same way and will have my third the same way too. I think everyone is different though, every surgeon/hospital is different and everyone’s postpartum experience is different so some mums find it easy, others tough. I was walking to the ward break room for coffee that evening and took the tube home

Yes 100% agree. I don’t mean to like invalidate anyone’s difficult experience by bragging about mine or anything. It just happened to be easy for me and friends I know who have also had c-sections. So when I see things like all caps it’s MAJOR SURGERY, well yeah it’s technically surgery but it was absolutely fine for me no big deal at all

@Allie it’s not invalidating to say you had a great experience and found it easy. Too many times mums feel dismissed for not having trauma in birth, I’ve been told that I didn’t really give birth because I didn’t suffer for it. It’s okay to say it’s okay, when someone asks for others experience you are more than allowed to say it was lovely ☺️

@Sarah the issue isn't sharing your personal experience, the issue is implying it isn't a big deal. It is a big deal. A C-section is a C-section, the process is the same for everyone, and the circumstances around how you have a C-section and the support you have will greatly impact how the recovery goes. And all birth is traumatic on your body. Regardless of how you give birth. Pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum, physically are the hardest things your body is every expected to do. It is a trauma (physical or mental) on your body that it needs to recover from. Some people have it easier than others. And there is nothing wrong with sharing your experience. But you can't deny what it is. You can't pretend that it isn't major surgery. That is the gripe that most people have about that kind of comment.

@Kirsty no mum who has an emergency section or voluntarily opts for an elective doesn’t think or understand that it’s not major surgery. Every one of us is different, mentally, physically and even genetically.

@Sarah but then implying that it isn't a big deal or being made to feel that you are overreacting if you say it is a big deal, isn't fair. Thats the issue

@Kirsty personally. It wasn’t a big deal personally, I didn’t find either of my sections a big deal. No one denies it’s major surgery, of course it is we are in theatre with blood on standby, but when you tell people you found it easy it’s dismissive to discount their experience. Yes, we know BUT it wasn’t difficult for us. I went to Costco a few days after, I know I had major surgery but I found it easy. That’s it, it was easy for me.

@Kirsty at the end of the day, I wouldn’t say to a mum who said she found it hard/difficult that’s she’s overselling it. Same as I find it weird to say to a mum who said she found it easy she’s underselling it 🤷‍♀️

@Sarah i don't see the point in responding anymore, you are not understanding what i am trying to say and we are just going round in circles. Let's stop wasting each other's time.

@Kirsty I think what you’re saying is that it’s a really big deal to you and it might be to others. It was not a big deal to Sarah or me or most of my friends who had planned c-sections. I think the experience is really just different for everyone, recovery as well. You’re definitely not overreacting for saying it was a big deal for you because that was your experience and none of us are trying to invalidate that by saying ours was easy. It’s just different for everyone

@Allie regardless of your experience, it is a major surgery

@Allie I also had a fairly easy c-section and recovery, almost no pain at all. With this pregnancy I'm given the option to choose and I think I'm more scared of vaginal delivery than c-section lol.

I've had both and you couldn't pay me a MILLION DOLLARS to have an elective C-section!! I'd rather tear without meds and need 12 stitches than have C-section again. Ugh, it's major surgery vs something our body naturally does. The pain is temporary and fleeting. C-section recovery takes weeks and changed your body FOREVER.

It can defo be a case of better the devil you know. The thought of a natural birth absolutely terrifies me.

@Kee I'm in the same boat. Right now, leaning towards elective c-section. If baby decides to come before then naturally, great lol. If not then c-section it is.