How to Avoid Childbirth Regrets After a C-Section

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13 Reasons Having a C-Section Is Really Okay (We Promise!)

Whether you're scheduled for a cesarean section or just had one and you're not happy about it, read this and feel better! (14 Photos)

Kathy Ehrich Dowd on Jan 18, 2012 at 1:34PM

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13 Reasons Having a C-Section Is Really Okay

Barry Austin/Photodisc/Getty images

a Kathy Ehrich Dowd on Dec 2, 2011 at 4:40PM

Like so many expectant mothers, I prepared for my ideal birth: I did Kegels, practiced deep breathing and created a labor and delivery playlist on my iPod, which I envisioned would belt out soothing yet encouraging tunes while I battled through contractions and pushed my baby out naturally. (No epidural for me!) Then reality hit. A late ultrasound revealed my son was breech, so the cesarean section that I dreaded became reality. And you know what? Having a c-section -- which is how over one in three moms-to-be (a whopping 34 percent) deliver -- was absolutely fine. Whether you know in advance that you'll need a cesaran or just had one after a long labor, here are 13 surprising perks of delivering this way.

You'll Know Exactly When Your Baby Will Arrive
There's nothing a new mom wants more than to meet the beautiful baby who's been squirming around inside of her for months. If your c-section is happening after a long labor that's not progressing, the end will finally be in sight. And planners, take note: If you have a scheduled c-section (your baby is breech, for example), you'll be able to know exactly when your baby will arrive. "A c-section is usually no more than 45 minutes from OR to recovery room, and the procedure itself is often 25 minutes or so," says Dr. Michael Randell, an ob/gyn in Atlanta. (Click here to find out what happens during a c-section and why you might need one.)