Being Pregnant
Is A C-Section Giving Birth?
The word birth is defined as the emergence of a new individual from the body of its parent, or the act or process of bringing forth young from the womb. Nothing in there do I see the word vagina. Do you?
But I guess there seems to be a population of people out there who believe having a c-section, whether medically necessary or elective, is not giving birth. Cue my jaw dropping into my lap now.
Well, my jaw did drop into my lap a couple days ago when the topic was actually brought up by a commenter in my post about a California woman who gave birth to a 14 pound baby boy. I never really put much thought into it. I had two really bad cesarean experiences, and then of course one much better experience recently… but I never really thought to myself, wow! I didn’t actually birth any of my children! I went through a lot to bring them in the world, I was going to be damned if someone thought because I had a c-section it was a walk in the park!
Heck, that is why I tried to VBAC with my second son, because not only the surgery itself was less than pleasant, but also because the recovery sucked a big one! Anyone out there that would think a c-section is the easier option really doesn’t know much about cesareans, or has never experienced one in their lifetime. Yes, that is purely my opinion though.
But… back to the subject in general. Anytime a mother enters the hospital, or any other place to have a baby, she is most certainly giving birth. There is no requirement of a vagina, or pushing when it comes to birth. It is simply the act of a baby being brought into the world no matter what the method of delivery is. At least according to Webster!
Lets stop putting each other down for how we give birth, or the way we give birth.
It is not a competition, it is a part of life!
Go Back To Being Pregnant
27 Comments
Lee commented on May 20 11 at 10:47 amI saw the title of this post and followed the link prepared to put up my dukes. So: whew. I’m glad you’re not crazy. Anyone who thinks having a C isnt “giving birth” certainly is. Let’s respect ALL mama’s, no matter how their babies arrived.
Lisa commented on May 20 11 at 2:04 pmWhile I would never say someone else “didn’t give birth,” I didn’t feel like I’d given birth after my emergency c-section. I don’t say this as if I have regrets about it, more like hmm, that didn’t go how I expected, and while I had this amazing baby, I’ve not yet experienced [vaginal] birth.
CNicole commented on May 20 11 at 3:52 pmI agree with Lisa. While I think it is wonderful that you feel you gave birth, many women who have had cesareans don not feel this way. They feel their baby was taken or extracted from them. They do not feel like they birthed their babies. I feel it needs to be left up to each individual woman to define her own interpretation of the experience if her child’s arrival. While I would never tell a woman who has a cesarean she didn’t give birth, I would also never try to convince a woman who felt she didn’t give birth that she did. I have had 2 cesareans, both unplanned and unwanted, only one necessary. While I am proud of what I did to bring them into the world, what I did after my experiences to help other women, and am happy to have 2 healthy daughters, I still don’t feel like I have given birth. You have, and that is fantastic! Congratulations!
Let’s just agree that I (and the rest if society) won’t tell you you did give birth, and (the collective) you won’t try to convince me I did. Let’s just let us define our own experiences :)
CNicole commented on May 20 11 at 4:17 pmSorry that one sentence should say I won’t tell you you did NOT give birth.
Denise commented on May 20 11 at 7:07 pmWhy do women do this kind of crap to each other? No matter how your baby arrived you gave birth. I can understand if a woman feels she missed out on giving birth vaginally but for women to use a medical procedure as ammunition to hurt others is just ridiculous and ignorant.
Lori Nicholas commented on May 20 11 at 10:25 pmI read the previous article that you refer to and the very rude comment that a c-section was not giving birth and I was shocked and very offended that the poster did not believe that I had birthed my children. I guess for awhile after my 1st c-section I did not feel like I had given birth and I was upset that my body had not performed one of its most basic intended functions when I most needed it to. But by the time I had my 2nd c-section I understood that I had done what was best for my children and for myself and that while I may not have given birth in the traditional since that I still did in fact birth my children. I will be having yet another c-section in Dec and God willing it will go as easily as the last 2. I am lucky to have very simple recoveries and no complications. I hope everyone that has c-sections can come to this place of comfort after the fact even if it is a long road. Having someone tell you that you didn’t give birth certainly won’t help your mental recovery though. That is just mean…
ldancer commented on May 20 11 at 11:49 pmI too saw the comment in question, and was shocked by it. How nasty. Birth is birth. Birth is the emergence of your child into the world. And it’s not like a c-section is some easy experience that women just sail through, right (I don’t know, but it doesn’t look easy). All forms of birth are intense experiences that require healing afterwards.
Michele commented on May 21 11 at 8:23 amI’m so glad to hear the different views on C-sections from women that’s had them. I’m pregnant with my first and because of a shunt in my brain I will have to have Lil’ Bean cesarean (brain can’t handle the pressure involved in pushing). I was disappointed when I learned that I would never be able to have ‘natural’ childbirth, because I was so ready and willing to do the home birth with candles and peaceful atmosphere. After 7yrs of trying to conceive, I’m just so thankful my treasure is on the way.
Martha commented on May 21 11 at 9:21 am34 weeks, in my case, of eating appropriately, exercising, preparing, nesting, and all the emotionality that comes with this experience, does this not all count?
My goodness, there is so much that goes into having children & to let someone come in and put the entire experience in a box and shelf it like it was nothing… plain wrong!! However the birthing moment occurs, baby or babies are born. I had an emergency C-section because one of my twins was breech, while the first one was on her way through as “normal.” (Whatever that is sometimes).
I agree with LDANCER that, “all forms of birth are intense experiences that require healing afterwards.”
mama b commented on May 21 11 at 11:02 amOh great another nail in the fence of the mommy wars. There is a whole different “birther” movement, those who are so high and mighty natural birthing gurus who think that you didn’t birth your baby if you have a c/s. I’ve witnessed it, I’ve been a victim of the ridicule by a holier than thou midwife and her followers who would gasp when I stated that I would have another c/s. I’m thankful that I had my c/s, first an emergency and the second scheduled due to medical reasons. A 100 years ago my husband would have been more than likely burying me and our daughter, instead of bringing us home. I get that there are a crap load of unnecessary c/s, but to say they all are or they are not a birth experience is a bunch of crap. They suck and I hate them, but birth is about a nanosecond in the world of motherhood, so get on with your life-with your baby.
Isabelle commented on May 23 11 at 5:31 pmIt’s so hard to be a mom without judging people for how their children enter the world…and I applaud (in fact am very jealous) of those women who have no emotional reaction to their birth experiences — they just see it as a nonsecond in the world of motherhood and are happy no matter how it turns out. Unfortunately, that’s not me…and like a few other moms have mentioned — my first emergency c-section left me disappointed and feeling like I didn’t birth my child. In fact when they showed me my son after they came around the curtain I felt ZERO connection with the baby, to be honest. I felt such terrible guilt over that birth experience. My second son was born by VBAC and literally pulled him out onto my chest — and we looked directly into each other’s eyes. It was a beautiful moment for me and a great sense of accomplishment plus I truly felt as if I had birthed this child and a very very very deep connection. I think to devalidate that experience for those moms like me who might be more sensitive to the birth experience, is just as terrible as those moms who feel devalued for have a c-section.
Jennie Durbano-Cataldo commented on Apr 18 12 at 1:14 pmI have had both a c-section with my son 15 now and VBAC with my daughter . Whoever says that having a C-section is not giving birth come see ME! My C-section was a whole hell of a lot harder than my VBAC. My C-section i was in labor for 5 days pushed for 6 hours THEN had a C-section My daughter was a month early went in and had her 45 minutes later! C-Section couldnt even get out of the bed without help was in the hospital for a week and 15 years later my abdomen where the scar is still gets numb from time to time so tell me which is worse!
Monica commented on Apr 18 12 at 3:08 pmI had a c-section with my one and only son. I feel that I had the birth experience taken from me. My fluid was extremely low so i had no choice they took my son only hours after discovering how low my fluid was. My sister told me I was lucky cuz I never had to have labor pains. I have told her many times I.am jealous that she got that and I didn’t. I don’t feel that I didn’t give birth I mean dose it really matter how our babies came out. Its not like I choose to have a c-section. But I do feel left out cuz after I had a c-section insted of birth my son was taken from me cuz he was breathing too fast. I did not get to have him in my room for 7hours. I got to see him.for a quick second.d after he came out but then he was in The nursery. But how dare anyone say I didn’t give birth. Lime they are better cuz they where able to have a normal delivery.
Crystal commented on Apr 18 12 at 6:07 pmI am a mom of three GORGEOUS girls, all born C-section. I think too many people have put the emphasis on pushing. My first daughter I was 20, and when I was told her heart rate was going down during contractions at 11:30 at night, I had no clue what that meant….except that it was NOT good. So she was born at 1:36 am via c-section. I personally don’t care HOW a child is born as long as they are safe and healthy either way. And females need to go into birth that way.
Here is my thought on why I did not think about doing a VBAC for either of my other 2. I liked the fact that I knew when to expect the birth to occur, so I could be prepared… yes that is a little OCD. I was also afraid that I would be like my mother in not being able to have children over 7 lbs vaginally (that first baby was the perfect 7 lbs 7oz), so I did not want to take the chance of that. Also, I knew I healed quickly after the first C-section (was back at my customer service job in 2 weeks) and was unsure how hard it would be for a vaginal birth.
On top of that, I need to say I give you gals that have pushed major props, I am not sure what would have happened had I had to deal with being uncomfortable and in some pain for a few hours to a few days. It might have driven me crazy knowing I just wanted to hold her (any of the 3)…. So take away the stipulations of needing to push a baby out, we all have given birth and have beautiful children no matter which opening they entered the world from.
The blog of the mom being drugged and cut without her consent is HORRIBLE and definitely a HUGE lawsuit. While it was traumatic for her and her husband they need to feel blessed with their healthy son and deal with the legal issues of it quickly and quietly.
KOD commented on Apr 18 12 at 9:23 pmI had a c-section and I didn’t feel like I gave birth. I had the baby taken out of me. I felt that way the day I had my daughter and still do, five years later. I love my daughter and am grateful she is here, happy, and healthy. I went through some minor c-section depression for about a year or so after her birth.
I was BLESSED beyond belief a few months ago; I was able to have a successful VBAC. It was a much different experience. And now I feel as though I gave birth to one of my children.
KOD commented on Apr 18 12 at 9:28 pmI WISH I felt like I gave birth after my c-section. But I didn’t. Having a c-section for me, was a miserable, horrible experience during and afterward.
If other women feel as though they “gave birth” after a section, then that’s wonderful!
I simply didn’t.
Christina commented on Apr 18 12 at 9:37 pmYou know what is amazing to me is that women have gone thru a gagillion years of being discriminated against and fighting for their rights but yet we have no problem putting another down for their choice in family planning, pregnancy, birth and then how we raise our children. Isn’t the point that we have the right to choose, we have the right to feel ok about something that was out of our control (emergency c section) and we have the right to feel that we gave birth or not and it isn’t anyone else’s right to decide for us.
That being said, I had two c sections, both horrible, the second one worse as my baby was a preemie. My second pregnancy was awful, I hated every second of it which anyone I mentioned that too thought was awful of me to say, but I was so sick that my mother couldnt believe that my skin actually looked grey and my hair had thinned so much. There was absolutely no glow, and although I was very happy about having another child, I was miserable. My baby was born 2 months early. After a month in the NICU he came home…then came the competition from other mother “you mean your baby isnt doing this yet? or that??” So I found myself saying “he is a preemie, they are a bit slower” because everyone made me feel like there was something wrong with my baby. Finally I just said screw it…ya know what? he will do it when he does it. I gave birth thru a horrible c section to a beautiful miracle baby that I cant even believe made it here, he is happy and healthy. That is what is important…not some moron that hasnt walked a mile in my shoes telling me I didnt give birth…I know what I did.
Judy commented on Apr 18 12 at 11:10 pmalmost 40 years ago, I went in to the hosp. intending on delivering my beautiful baby girl.. after being in labor for 8 hours, the Dr. decided the baby was breach and neither one of us would live if I continued to labor. I had a c-section and delivered a healthy 8 1/2 pound baby girl…Dr. again said we definately would not have lived if I continued to labor…the contractions were horrible…non stop, not the usual gradual building of “pain” then gradual relaxing. the contractions just would not give up…was very glad to get a healthy baby , but had lots of pain for 4-5 weeks after and the incision became infected. very long recovery. when I became preg. again 3 years later, I was scared to death…I was very depressed because I could not have a baby the “Natural” way.. At that time it was once a c- ALWAYS a C. Therefore I had a total of 3 c-sections over the years. I don’t feel any less a mother than if I had it “Natural”. My oldest sister-in-law said I was LUCKY I didn’t have to go through labor…I DID go through hours of labor, so I know what it is to labor. I would do that in a minute if I could rather than go through a c-section. My S-I-L said I had my children the easy way,…UNTIL she had to have her 4th child c-section. She decided that maybe she had been wrong in saying that. She said if that had been her first, she never would have had anymore children…SO now, tell me haveing a c-section is not delivering a baby. No, sections aren’t the NATURAL way, but they may be the safest way even though there are many things that can happen. I am now just glad there was a DR. that knew what he was doing when he delivered my children.
Barbara commented on Apr 19 12 at 6:39 amA couple of years ago I watched my eldest, very tiny, daughter go through a tough labour. She was 10 days late, and just about bursting at the seems. She was induced after not progressing in labour and spent about 9 hours in labour. She had no drugs or gas and did so well, she fully dilated but her beautiful baby failed to descend and she was at her end, she demanded a c-section. A concerned specialist tried to get her to deliver her baby but she was done, due to a emergency elsewhere and the fact that her baby was happy and not stressed at all she had to wait another 4 hours, poor honey it was pretty hard going. she finally agreed to some deep breathing with the gas to take the edge off. Off to theatre and finally she delivered her beautiful 10lb5oz boy. I dont care what anyone says, without the option of a c section both mother and baby would have died. She went through every bit of labour and transition pain and if I remember rightly that is the hard part and recovery after a c section is not easy. A healthy happy mum and baby is the most important thing, how can anyone actually say that a c section is not giving birth, for some mums the disappointment of having a c section is hard enough they don’t need some holier than thou rubbing their faces in it. God Bless you, all you mums regardless of how your babies entered this world.
Jenny commented on Apr 19 12 at 4:37 pmI think the women who think that c-sections are less of a “birth” than a vaginal birth are not mentally healthy.
Also, this article is horribly written. I very firmly believe that this woman was most likely informed by the doctors and nurses but because she knew what was best, she probably didn’t hear anything. How sad. Her baby is alive because her doctors knew best. All the research on the internet does not equal medical school and internships and residency programs. Not only is it not the same, the internet is rife with false information.
Perhaps the women who give birth at birthing centers without doctors and those that choose to do it at home without medical care can be given medals to place around their dead infants necks? I think that would be a great idea.
The “birthing center” in my university town just had another death. Only 8 minutes away from a trauma 1 hospital. What a shame. Hopefully though, the mother’s “war story” was worth not going home with a living infant.
Congratulations on a very poorly written article and on furthering more senseless “Mommy Wars.”
ruth commented on Apr 20 12 at 10:47 pmI have had two cesareans without labor. I did not give birth and my children did not experience birth. We lost a lot by not birthing, in particular the life long health benefits. Birth is not just getting a baby, there are important elements in the normal process. I would never tell another she has not birthed but fo rme I did not birth. The conversation needs to be about the protection of the normal physiological process. Unlike many of these responses I support all owmen and their feelings about their birth.
Danielle commented on Apr 26 12 at 1:03 amAfter having two vaginal births (one epidural, one all natural) I was faced with an emergency c-section with my third child. The c-section was BY FAR the most painful recovery and experience over all of the three. This being said, looking at my three wonderful children I feel pride and love that they are all here in the world with me, healthy, regardless of how they were brought into this world. I definitely consider a c-section as much giving birth to your baby as vaginal, hands down.
Mindy commented on Apr 28 12 at 10:24 amI feel you ladies. I had a beautiful pregnancy even though I got diabetic during it. Every single morning my stomach betrayed me (if you know what mean). When I 4 to 5 months my breasts began flowing milk so I always was always soaked. That scared me and I went to my OB/GYN. He told me not to be scared, on the contrary because that meant that my baby would have a great supply of mommy’s food. When I was six months I went to a cousins weddind and with that big beautiful belly I danced a lot. Too bad: my baby already wanted to come out (yes, my fault). So I had a week vacation tied to a bed while being monitored. At least four times every day, four or five nurses rushed to check me because they lost track of my baby’s heart beatings even though I had these huge contractions. I dilated only one cm. When me and my baby where ok we were sent home but I could not work anymore. I am a pocket size woman, so you can imagine my huuuge belly. Even though I enjoyed my pregnancy and I was a proud mommy. When the time came to give birth I was overdue for a week. My Dr. had his own schedule and I had mine. At the end I was right. I broke water because I danced at home because I was happy that my baby’s birth was going to be induced next day. Called my Dr. and she told me to rush to the hospital. When she arrived I was ready to give birth, but something happened: I was still dilated in one cm. She provided me iv medication to help me with that. Even though I had this belly earthquake my baby was moving so much and after 18 hours my Dr. told I had not dilated not one cm. So we had to make a choice. She broke all my watet and it all came out green. Yes, I knew it I was overdue. And we were losting track of my baby’s heart beats. My hub and I were prepared to be together at our baby’s birth but it didn’t happened because 15 years ago no family were allowed to be when C/S were performed. Here comes the most important thing: I never thought that not giving vaginal birth was more important that my baby’s life and safety. The medical staff of my Dr. were real angels. I had epidural and anestesiologyst was sitting beside me monitoring me closely because I was high risk because of asthma also. Ten to fifteen minutes pased by when suddenly I heard my baby gaging and trying to cry. She cried so loud that everyone was shocked. Yep, it was a beautiful girl but when my Dr. showed me her she was al green! She pooped in there but did not swallowed not even a bit. They cleaned her and they gave her to me. My thoughts? I did not care at all how she came into this world. Nothing make me changed my mind that I gave birth to healthy baby girl and nothing and no one will ever take that from me. She was safe and healthy and that is what all mattered to me and my family. Three of my OB/GYN medical partners went to see me and in two days we were out. I am truly blessed and I thank God, the medical staff my Dr. and my family. Ladies if you were birth raped, and that tore my heart to pieces and pissed me soooo much, PLEASE go get a lawer who is specialized in MalPractice
Amanda commented on Apr 28 12 at 11:56 pmLet me just say, I have a coworker whose best friend decided she definitely didn’t want a C-section even when the doctors found out the cord was wrapped around the neck, she still wanted to proceed with the vaginal birth and she did. Her son was all blue once he was delivered, doctors had to rush her baby away because he wasn’t breathing and all she was worried about was that she didn’t get to hold the baby right away and she was angry because nobody told her if the baby was a boy or girl right away. Call me crazy, but I would rather have a healthy baby via C-section and not risk danger to my baby. I tried to have a natural childbirth with my son, but I had to be induced because I was over a wk past my due date and that was no picnic! The contractions you have with induction drugs are horrible….I was in labor all day and still not dilated enough…..finally are having many decels on my son’s heart monitor…and the fact he hadn’t descend enough in my pelvis and was sunny side up….I finally made the decision…I would rather have a healthy son even though it meant I would have to have surgery….I won’t lie, it was hard to lay on the operating table with a sheet in front of me, but all the docs and nurses were great describing to me what was happening. As soon as he was delivered, they held him up above the sheet for me to see for a few seconds and then took him away and then I heard him cry which made me cry because I couldn’t hold him right away, but at least I knew he was okay. The recovery after c-section was horrible….catherization, compression stockings that made my legs itch and getting out of bed without feeling like my stomach was going to rip open again was not fun(actually I couldn’t get out of bed first night because I was still numb from waist down)….after the 4 days in the hospital, I had to take care of my son on my own and it was not easy to sit or lay down and try to get up again especially when I was up every two hrs breastfeeding my son. Going up and down stairs was a challenge…I basically didn’t go anywhere out of my house the first two wks and had to have my friend go grocery shopping for me. So yes, anyone who says c-section is not real birth is delusional and perhaps should get their stomach cut open and see how much fun it is to recover from that. That being said, I would still choose a vaginal birth if I had to do it again, but if it is an emergency, you do what you have to do to save your child and there is no shame in that, just a different experience. My mom had all vaginal births, 12 to be exact, and after witnessing my c-section in the OR, she was glad she never had to go through what I did and felt bad that I was upset about having the C-section, but made me feel better by reminding me I made the right choice in a difficult situation, to deliver a beautiful, healthy baby boy!
Ann Devlin commented on Apr 30 12 at 10:46 pmHello to all moms ! I have had two children, my son (first baby) was a footling breach and born by emergency C section and my daughter born vaginally, (pioneer V BAC 24 yrs ago ) I can honestly say that both times I felt that I had given birth , not one any more than the other. For me it was holding that new baby for the first time that I knew I had given birth no matter how it arrived . I carried them and without a doubt I gave birth to them. Please ladies don’t short change yourselves, just be glad you have them.
me commented on May 01 12 at 1:26 pmOK wow this is so bad I read one of these post that said she had no connection with her cs baby but pulled her second vag baby on to her chest hummm that scares me I’ve had 3 cs n I’ve pulled them all to my chest and thanked God for the miracle he sent me through my body.your baby grows in u for 9 months how can you measure your connection in the way that baby enters this world he/she lived in u moved in u relied on u for all that time! And let me tell y’all about connection I was in the delivery room for my last daughter whom I pulled to me and loved with every piece of my heart from the time I laid eyes on her n I didn’t have a bag birth or cs she is adopted and my love for her is just as strong n deap as all my other children!! If you lack a connection with your child you may want to talk to your doctor about what could cause that.
hquick commented on May 05 12 at 2:19 pm10 yrs ago, one of my best friends was in labor with her son, attempting to have him naturally. She was dialated but after many hours of pushing, including the explosion of blood vessels in her eyes, he had to be born via c-section because her hips weren’t wide enough to give vaginal birth to him. Without a c-section, they both would have died. Then 2.5 yrs ago, I gave birth to my own daughter and 7mos ago to my own son via c-section due to diabetes. They were planned but both had complications at the hospital and were born earlier than planned by my doctor, partner and I. I am thankful that I have my children, both are healthy and happy. I am thankful for the advancement in medicine that allows c-section births to be an option when necessary. I dealt with crap from a friend that I no longer speak to because of my choices. Did I give birth, yep; I felt the pressure from my daughter being removed from my body.
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