Planned C Section

[Eslteacher06]

I've just been told I have to have a planned c section because of a low lying placenta. I'm devastated. I've had one thing after the other happen since March (two hard falls on my stomach, UTI, thrush, thrombosed piles twice where I can't walk/lie down/sit/sleep without a hot poker up my ass) and this is yet another thing on top of it all.

There is a lot I should be grateful for, I know but this has really knocked me. It's like the final straw. After all these issues, I'm worried I won't love my baby the way I should. I'm worried I can't breastfeed because of the pain. I'm worried I won't be able to cope.

What can I do to make this section less clinical and more natural?

[octonoughtcake3]

The positive birth book has a section in about c sections.

How many weeks pregnant are you?

[Eslteacher06]

I'm 36 weeks and it's planned in 3 weeks time.

[Bobfossil2]

I think you can request them to lower the curtain so you see baby first! They can bring baby to you and you can skin to skin. You’ll be able to breastfeed. Is it your first or have you had babies before?

For afterwards- Huge knickers, lots of paracetamol and ibuprofen at home, hold a cushion over the scar in the car/ when you laugh/ when you sneeze.

[Bobfossil2]

The Nice guidelines state ‘Women's preferences during CS
1.4.6.23 Women's preferences for the birth, such as music playing in theatre, lowering the screen to see the baby born, or silence so that the mother's voice is the first the baby hears, should be accommodated where possible. [2004]’

[Eslteacher06]

Thanks for the info :) It's my second. First was a normal delivery within 6 hours, so this is completely alien to me...and DH. I've been preparing for labour so it's like I need to completely switch my thinking, if that makes sense.

Pile pain also means you can't cough/laugh/sneeze without pain so knowing I have that crap again....urgh. nice!

But.....my bottom bits will be intact (lol) and I can arrange childcare.

[octonoughtcake3]

Here is my Plan B c section birth plan

• talk me through what is happening
  
• IV in left hand
  

-ECG dots on my back
-screen lowered for ‘birth’

• Theatre staff at Mum’s head when Cather is inserted
  

-optimal cord clamping
-skin to skin, baby wiped down but not washed

• calm and dimmed lightening in theatre (obviously surgeon needs spot light)
  
• delayed weighing after golden hour
  
• baby breast before all non essential tests

[octonoughtcake3]

You will need a changing table at home or some where higher to change on. Ask to see physio for advice for getting in and out of bed and moving around.

[Eslteacher06]

@octonaught3

What do you mean by the following (sorry for being thick...my head is mashed today):
ECG dots?
Optimal cord clamping
Golden hour

Also I assume they put the catheter in after the anaesthetic?

[Echobelly]

I had two planned c-sections due to a congenital defect that made vaginal birth risky (and DD ended up in breach anyway); I suppose it helped I had known for a while this would be the case if I had kids.

I have to say, they were both great - the second one was officially an 'emergency' as I went into labour a couple of hours after having the final check ups the night before the section was due, so DS arrived at 2am instead 10 am, but even that was fine.

We were able to have a calm, chatty birth, I had music of my choice put on when they were ready to take out each of my DCs, which was lovely. Healing was pretty easy and I don't remember much pain at all and came off painkillers pretty fast. They try to get you on your feet fairly quickly afterwards.

I was perhaps lucky in that, first time at least, I had an obs consultant who I was told by medic friends of family who knew him was especially good at doing neat, problem-free incisions, but it is quite complicated so TBH it is not unusual to have more trouble than I did with them. The obs I had 2nd time around seemed to do a good job too.

Remember, a lot of the bad stuff you hear about c-sections is as a result of them being emergencies after hours, maybe days of labour - the good thing about planned ones is you don't have that first!

I don't think it did any harm to how I bonded with my kids at all, they both did skin-to-skin ASAP and I saw them very quickly after they came out. The scar was not a problem at all with bfing - bfing didn't work out with DD, but that was nothing to do with c-section; I managed to make it work after a lot of work in the first 3 weeks with DS (again, nothing to do with manner of birth).

My main tip is, as I learned first time, don't send DH/DP out to call everyone when you're in the recovery room - you will be lying there rather zonked on the drugs staring at the baby in a slightly bewildered fashion, while nurses go in and out - much better to have someone there the whole time while you come out of that stage!

Honestly, it didn't feel disappointing or 'not like really giving birth' or not special because it was a c-section, I remember both births very happily.

[Sunshinegirl82]

I had an elcs a week ago, it's been absolutely fine! I saw DS be born and there was delayed cord clamping. DS stayed with me in recovery and throughout. I was helped to breastfeed DS in recovery and had skin to skin.

Obviously I was sore for a few days but manageable. I was home after 24 hours. A week on and whilst I still get tired and have limited pain if I do certain things I'm generally fine.

I know it's not what you planned but it can still be a positive experience. Best of luck!

[Sizeofalentil]

I had an emergency c section and honestly - it was bloody lovely!

The doctors are so professional and have a bit of a chat and joke with you as it's happening and it's really not a scary atmosphere.

You'll be fairy unhurried as it's planned so you can have a fairly likely to happen birth plan.

Pay for a private room if you can afford it and bring some comfy things to spruce it up. I might bring fairy lights and reed diffusers If i have another one!

Do a Primark trip beforehand and splash out on lovely slippers, bed socks, dressing gown, towels etc. And eye mask and earplugs are a must too.

I also bought some inexpensive but lovely smelling toiletries for the first shower so that I'd smell lovely.

If you've got long hair consider getting it braided eg. Dutch braids etc before you go in so you don't have to worry about doing your hair for a day or two

[flamingoago]

Aw hugs for you. I felt like this with DD who had to be delivered by elective section after a problem with the placenta. I sobbed all the way into theatre. Didn't impact anything really (certainly not how much I adored her) just a bit longer to get mobile.

DS1 was a VBAC that didn't work, so emergency c section (that was definitely the shortest outcome as I was knackered).

DS2 was a lovely calm Pre planned section. By far my best birth.

It is amazing how much of my pre birth (esp with DD1) was taken up with preparing for and worrying about birth, post birth it was really pretty irrelevant.

I would also add that half my NCT group ended up with sections

[octonoughtcake3]

ECG is the heart monitoring spots to monitor your heart. They are stickers with wires coming out of them. If they put them on your back they do the same job but they don’t get in the way of skin to skin.

Optimal cord clamping/delayed cord clamping means waiting for 5 minutes after birth to allow all the remaining blood in the baby’s cord to be pumped into the baby before it is cut.

Golden hour is an hour of time to establish breast feeding and time to just focus on your baby without doing anything not essential eg weighing and measuring baby.

[octonoughtcake3]

I had an EMCS and I had already had an epidural so I already had a catheter in so I can’t help with that question.

[Dinosauratemydaffodils]

My first emergency section was "interesting". My second was absolutely amazing.

C-sections can be massively positive experiences. I went into my second with pretty low expectations but it ended up being perfect. My husband held me for the spinal, they talked to me the whole time until just before she was ready to be born, then the room just went quiet so the first thing she heard was me going "she's so perfect" followed by her father going "it's a girl". They dropped the drape so we could see her come out (you can't see your insides) and seeing her wriggling under my skin whilst emerging like a butterfly was surreal but oh so beautiful. We got delayed cord clamping and then almost immediate skin to skin and I was back home with both my children the following day. I fell head over heels in love with her the second I laid eyes on her grumpy little face but instant love is never guaranteed, my dm had a textbook vaginal birth...she says I was 5 before she could look at me and know that she loved me unconditionally. It might not happen straightaway, but it will.

I would recommend experimenting with different positions for breastfeeding but it's definitely doable, I breastfed both of mine and although I did have issues especially with my second, it wasn't related to their delivery at all.

Recovery is really a spectrum but I haven't needed any pain killers post what I was given for surgery with either. I would always recommend getting up asap, the first step might hurt but it will get better. I doing 3 mile walks with the pram by week 2 with my second (I wouldn't necessarily recommend that) but I know plenty of women who have bounced back as easily as I did.

[Eslteacher06]

Thanks guys. If I had more warning, I think it might not have come as such a shock. I guess I can plan better this way. I just don't know where to start. Plus I feel cheeky asking for specific things...even though logically, I know I shouldn't.

You've given me some good tips like the ECG on your back/delayed cord clamping, and making sure DP Is with you though...thanks.

[Eslteacher06]

@dinosauratemydaffodills

Your post made me cry (in a nice way )

[BigRedBoat]

I had an elcs with my second and I can honestly say it was a much more pleasant experience than the 'natural' birth I had with my first. I think not being exhausted from labour helped with bonding and although I was in more pain and more physically restricted for the first couple of weeks, the overall time it took to feel 'normal' was quicker. The drapes were lowered so I actually saw more of the moment of birth and everyone was calm and attentive, it was a really positive experience.

[Dinosauratemydaffodils]

Also I assume they put the catheter in after the anaesthetic?

They do. Also ask for your gown to be off one shoulder. They told me to either do that or not wear one at all (everyone bar dh was female at dd's delivery) but for various reasons relating to ds's arrival I wasn't sure I wanted to skin to skin until she was born and then seeing the look on my face the anesthetist pretty much ripped my gown off which was not a pleasant experience.

Plus I feel cheeky asking for specific things...even though logically, I know I shouldn't.

My consultant wrote my "birth" plan and the night shift doctor who delivered dd (who decided she didn't want to wait for my elective) was absolutely fine with following it. Certainly I think hospitals are going down the "gentle" c-section route as standard.

[Mydoghasbettereyebrowsthanme]

Another positive story - all my three were delivered this way and i genuinely look back with positivity on the births - am sure you and uour baby will be absolutely fine xx good luck

[Eslteacher06]

It was the talk of bleeding out and a hysterectomy that absolutely terrified me! But these tips are helpful, thanks :)

[Drum2018]

I've had 4 and love all my children. Having a section won't have any affect on the love you feel for your child. Try not to see it as a negative experience. It's a very calm experience, Dh will be beside you, staff can run through exactly what's happening and baby is out in no time at all so you'll be distracted by baby once you're being stitched up. I didn't do skin to skin with mine. I was quite happy for Dh to head off with the midwife and baby to the nursery, while I was stitched up and then in recovery, but of course every one is different. Knowing baby was healthy and safe was enough for me at the time. Bring those big knickers that go up to your belly button - cheap as chips in primark. You won't want skimpy ones that sit on your wound. Breastfeeding will be fine. Use a pillow to position baby so he/she won't by rubbing against the wound. Take every painkiller they offer even if not sore at that time - you need to keep ahead of any pain. All my recoveries were different, the 4th being a breeze. Hopefully you'll have help at home to cook, clean etc - don't be fussed with housework. Best of luck.

[Eslteacher06]

What kind of painkillers helped? They are talking paracetamol which to me is the same as throwing it in the ocean!

[Bobfossil2]

You’ll be told to take paracetamol and ibuprofen I’m afraid! It’s ok if you keep on top of them and don’t stop taking them even if it feels better

[Eslteacher06]

How long did you carry on taking them? I've got a stock of co codamol too (30/500)...does that help? I'm planning on breastfeeding so not sure