It’s a known fact that childbirth isn’t always pretty. And mum-of-four Rebecca Judd isn’t the first to admit it.
Yesterday, the 34-year-old former model opened up to her 3PM Pick Up co-host Monty Dimond about her experience bringing twins Tom and Darcy into the world, one she has labelled as “horrific”.
Monty revealed her close friend welcomed a baby last week via c-section, to which Rebecca replied, “They are awful”.
“It’s the worst thing I’ve ever done. It’s horrific,” Rebecca said of the procedure, which she underwent in late September 2016.
LISTEN: Bec Judd talks about her pregnancies on Mamamia’s new pregnancy podcast, Hello Bump. Post continues…
Having welcomed two of her older children with a ‘natural’ birth, Rebecca said the experience of undergoing “major abdominal surgery” while awake was “far more horrific”.
“It’s mind-boggling and freaky,” she shared.
She shared that her experience led her to have a panic attack mid-birth.
“I was lying there, on the operating table, and I started pretty much having a panic attack. My heart was going nuts…it was jumping out of my chest,” she said.
“It’s all happening, there’s people everywhere, there’s bright lights, I’m about to meet my twins, it was kind of an emergency cesarean, I’d been stressed my whole pregnancy…it was wild.”
She described the pain after the procedure as “excruciating”.
“When all your meds wear off later on…the pain is excruciating,” she said.
“After I had my first child, Oscar, I had an epidural and as soon as it wore off, yeah, it hurt a little bit, I used a lot of ice. But by the next day or two it was fine.
“Those caesars? Woo, two weeks…”
There’s also the inevitable scar that comes along with welcoming a baby via c-section.
“I’ve measured my scar, it’s 12 centimetres long,” Rebecca told her co-host.
“Every time you look in the mirror, as I do every day…you’ve got this big gnarly scar across your body. I don’t want to see that!”
The former model turned TV presenter also joked about the inevitable “sausage shelf” that forms as the caesarean scar begins to heal.
“This ledge, this ‘sausage shelf’ stays with you your entire life. Compression [tights] and tight clothes make it flatter.”
LISTEN to the latest episode of Hello Bump: The Real Cost, and How To Tell The Boss.
Top Comments
What she is saying is the truth and I think it is very dangerous that people peddle misinformation that Caesarians are easier and less painful. It is major surgery! It means you are cut through your skin and abdominal muscles. It is major surgery! With natural birth, once the baby is out, the pain is over. C sections are major surgery which means healing time, not being able to bend over (which you can with natural births), increased risk of infection due to the surgery (check out the Staph stats for c sections and other dangerous opportunistic infections), and the pain is horrible. We need to stop promoting the dangerous myth that a c-section is risk free, easier and less painful. It is highly risky, it is harder on the body and the muscles and takes less time to heal which equals more pain. Saying anything else is spreading dangerous misinformation and lies. I salute her for setting the truth straight. If it discourages even one person from going under surgery they don't need to, she has done a good public service.
But Rebecca Judd had a 'emergency c-section' which most likely enabled her to deliver her twins safely. Let's not forget that c-sections are a viable and safe option for women who need them - they can literally save the lives of mothers and babies. Scare mongering works both ways here - not all c-sections are excruciating painful. Mine certainly wasn't and I haven't had any ongoing problems as a result of having a c-section.
And your point about pain being over instantly after a natural birth is just not correct for many women. Ask those women who have had to have stitches as a result of tearing or on-going bladder problems or residual pain or pelvic floor prolapse from their natural birth. There are risks with both methods of delivery. Let's stop the generalisations and scare mongering on both sides.
Totally agree! Also there is a HUGe difference between a planned c-section and an unplanned or emergency c! The women I know who had a planned section were much better prepared and had a better recovery than I did (mine was unplanned). The commenter she who aim to shut her up are just feeding into the myth that women choose c-sections because they are easy!
I had one of each. My pain after a natural birth continued for many months. The c/section I was over quickly. Every scenario is very different. If you didn't have much pain after a natural birth then you had a relatively good one - lucky you. Spare a thought for the 20% of women who aren't so lucky. Nine years later & I am still living with the consequences of a terrifying natural birth. And 6 years post c/section still thankful for the modern technology that saved both our lives:) It's all perspective, & relative to each individual women & her situation.
I agree with most of what you said. However after my "rapid" drug free delivery of my first baby I was sooooo badly damaged I needed morphine and a catheter after birth!!! I didn't hold my baby until she was 6 hours old and the drugs had kicked in. My point is, it's not always pain free after a natural delivery.
To each their own. My first was a 'natural' birth and that was so horrific that I really should have had therapy afterwards. Had two units of blood, restitched up twice. Had to have an epidural for 24 hours and couldn't walk to the end of the street for three months afterwards. I didn't know that the body could take that much pain and live. Had residual pain when walking for a year afterwards. My second was an elective C-section. It was awesome. Yes I was scared but everyone kept me calm and my recovery was so quick. Every birth story and recovery is different. I'll never knock the C-section.