# Big baby- C Section or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 1, 2013, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726 "2013-09-01T13:23:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/81 "2013-09-20T02:21:33Z")
Congratulations! Glad your recovery has been smooth. Trust me, it’s easier than labor! ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/82 "2013-09-20T02:34:00Z")
Congratulations! Glad to hear everyone is doing well! ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/83 "2013-09-20T02:54:06Z")
Congratulations! The fun is, of course, just beginning! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/84 "2013-09-20T03:22:42Z")
> [@Silver\_Fire](#): > > Me: “Whatever. Animals do it all the time with a dozen babies. It’s instinctual!” > > Wrong. So wrong. > > Actually, it might be totally instinctual and the easiest thing ever (less the pain and general discomfort, of course) in a natural setting. Drugs designed to limit your sensation probably disrupt that whole process though. The thing is, even animals have seen other animals give birth. Most American women have never seen anybody else have a baby; I’ve always thought that’s got to be part of our issues. And upon paging down I see that congratulations are in order! ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/85 "2013-09-20T09:45:04Z")
First off, Congratulations and good luck! > [@Zsofia](#): > > Most American women have never seen anybody else have a baby; I’ve always thought that’s got to be part of our issues. I think this is also an issue with the next bit, the care and feeding of a child. Breastfeeding, in particular, is a skill that most first time mothers don’t have any experience with at all. If things go wrong, they don’t have easy access to a mother, aunt, and cousins who all live in the same place, breastfed their own kids, and can help her through the rough patches. Sure, Mom shows up to “help” for a week but you spend the whole time instructing her on the last 30 years of advances. ---
**Author:** ![carlotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/86 "2013-09-20T11:51:23Z")
Congratulations **sven**! very happy for you! ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/87 "2013-09-20T12:09:43Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > First off, Congratulations and good luck! > > I think this is also an issue with the next bit, the care and feeding of a child. Breastfeeding, in particular, is a skill that most first time mothers don’t have any experience with at all. If things go wrong, they don’t have easy access to a mother, aunt, and cousins who all live in the same place, breastfed their own kids, and can help her through the rough patches. > > Sure, Mom shows up to “help” for a week but you spend the whole time instructing her on the last 30 years of advances. I wonder what first time mothers in 2013 haven’t seen someone breastfeed - granted, they don’t have experience, but they never have had experience. You see women breastfeeding at McDonalds (and apparently in the pool), your girlfriends do it book club, your sister does it at Christmas. The hospital supplies a lactation consultant in the room, and a home visit a few days in. In my experience, new mothers talk about breastfeeding incessantly, the issues they have, the successes, the convenience. Even at work, women talk breastfeeding, and you know the pump schedule of your breastfeeding coworkers (although, granted, seeing someone pump is not “normal”- but of all the breastfeeding activities, pumping is the one that doesn’t have challenges other than supply - which guidance can’t really help on. The youngest child in my friend set that wasn’t adopted in ten, and we still talk breastfeeding. Nationally, 75% of women breastfeed, 45% are still doing it at six months. But talking about it and getting guidance on it is not the same as doing it, and when babies don’t want to latch, or you have supply issues, or you are suffering from PPD, there is only so much advice, even from someone very qualified, can do. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/88 "2013-09-20T13:25:38Z")
Congratulations, Sven! So happy for you 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/89 "2013-09-20T14:42:56Z")
My understanding is that in other cultures, if you have trouble with breastfeeding somebody hands you their much more experienced baby to feed for a bit so you see how the latch is supposed to work, or a more experienced mom takes your baby to show it what it’s supposed to do, etc. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/90 "2013-09-20T17:04:27Z")
FWIW, I haven’t been able to walk three feet without encountering a lactation consultant. I think I’ve seen about six of them in the last 10 days-- and I’m not having any particular problems nursing. My hospital, OB GYN and pediatrician all have lactation consulting as part of their standard services. Doesn’t make the time commitment any easier though. Even when you are doing it right, breast feeding is a lot of work. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/91 "2013-09-20T19:16:52Z")
Congratulations! Such wonderful news! ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/92 "2013-09-20T20:17:46Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > My understanding is that in other cultures, if you have trouble with breastfeeding somebody hands you their much more experienced baby to feed for a bit so you see how the latch is supposed to work, or a more experienced mom takes your baby to show it what it’s supposed to do, etc. And you know, that didn’t help either - I had friends breastfeeding when I had problems and we tried the baby swap thing - a baby who won’t latch won’t latch for an experienced mom either. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/93 "2013-09-20T20:34:17Z")
Kudos and cookies to Dangerosa. New mothers who have trouble nursing don’t ONLY have trouble because they’re incompetent. Often there’s a real problem. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/94 "2013-09-21T05:35:22Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > The thing is, even animals have seen other animals give birth. Most American women have never seen anybody else have a baby; I’ve always thought that’s got to be part of our issues. I’m doing my part! My sister’s best friend (in addition to my sister and my mom) came to the birth of my oldest son because she’d had four of her own but had “never seen it from that angle!” After a jokey request from one of my nursing instructors, I invited my clinical group to the birth of my second son but they didn’t take me up on it. My own best friend has been told she’s more than welcome to come with me this time, again after a jokey request. The whole “miracle of life” thing just isn’t a big deal to me. Just like I’ve let non-essential medical personnel sit in on procedures just because they’ve never seen it before, I have no problems letting people watch me give birth. I’m too busy at that point to care what anybody else is doing anyway. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/95 "2013-09-21T05:49:15Z")
Congratulations! Baby pix please ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/96 "2013-09-21T05:50:25Z")
I had an 11.5 lb kid. In my case I needed an urgent C-section at 37 weeks due to pre-eclampsia. I was out and about, shopping and eating out on the third day. I actually met my doctor at a Sushi restaurant on that very day. She seemed surprised. Hey, she told me to walk. 🙂 Congratulations on your baby, long life and happiness to all of you. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/97 "2013-09-21T14:49:57Z")
Congratulations! I’m so happy things worked out well. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/98 "2013-09-21T21:58:27Z")
Also… Pictures? ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726/99 "2013-09-22T21:48:53Z")
Congrats! Glad to hear everything worked out well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-baby-c-section-or-not/667726.md?page=4)