List 10 positive things about your c-section.

I heard about an exercise from another blog that may help women when processing their cesareans. I am supposed to list 10 positive things about my cesarean, and my son isn't included in the list...just 10 other positive things that I think are a direct result from the cesarean.

I really don't think I am going to be able to come up with much for this list. Especially seeing I am not suppose to include my son's birth. I could much more easily fill a list of negatives. Oh well here it goes.

1. Increased awareness of the emotional effect of surgical birth....is that a good thing??

2. Longer hospital stay...again good and bad.

Ok I give up for now. Maybe I will think of some more things later.

Ok well the person who writes the blog that I referred to above also has a website http://www.birthcut.com/index.htm I stumbled across it some time ago. I even added my story. I will admit that I am just a little bitter about my experience, I do have a hard time "letting go". But not bitter in the same way as some of these ladies. Many of these ladies were induced for post dates, stopped progressing etc etc and ended up with c-sections. They feel they were pushed into a c-section too early or without medical reasoning. In my case I did make it to 10cm and pushed for hours, perhaps even longer than I should have. Brennan just wasn't meant to arrive the "natural" way.

I was OK about being taken back for surgery. I am bitter about missing the birth, the first cries, bonding time with Brennan in the first hours after his birth. To top it all off because of the rupture I am not a candidate for a vbac. I can only hope that the next time if there is a next time I will be conscious for the birth.

The picture to the side is the only time I saw Brennan the night he was born. After they took him and I actually don't remember that part, it was probably 6-7 hours before I was able to be with him again.

A lot of women who have had c-sections hope for vbac's some even want to attempt hbac's. I know that the chance of rupture with a low transverse incision is extremely low. But knowing what I know I would probably discourage it especially a hbac.

Since Brennan's birth I have done my share of research on uterine rupture, most of which involved vbac. I joined a group of ladies who have all experience rupture. It is a club that you really don't want to join. I have said before that Brennan and I were EXTREMELY lucky. Many women and their babies are not so fortunate. Not many women experience a rupture on an unscarred uterus in a first pregnancy like I did. Most experience rupture of a previous c-section scar. Most have had tragic consequences. That could be fetal demise, severe brain damage to baby, hysterectomy etc.

If anyone out there in blog land is contemplating an hbac. Please please do your research. At least consider a vbac in hospital. The consequences of rupture (even if the statistical chances are small) are devastating. There are no second chances when it comes to your child's life.

OK last thing c-section related. My scar is not healing well. It has become hypertrophic. I have included a nice picture. The picture is about 6 weeks old now and I am nearly 9 months PP. I have read the only way to get rid of it is to have it excised....um i don't think so. I have been using Bio Oil on the lovely stretchmarks I earned during the c-section. It seems to have helped so I am hoping it works on the scar too. I wonder if the outside scar is healing so "wonderfully" what do the inside ones look like? Hopefully a lot better!