How did you feel during c section operation? Looking for experiences so I don't get anxious.

[Sheera1]

Hello. I will be having a planned section. I had an emergency section for DS, but it was 10 years ago, the end of a long failed induction with every drug going and it was all very stressful and I was pretty out of it.

As it was an emergency, I had total loss of control in what was happening and the people in the room ignored me which made me feel quite panicky. I am sure there was good reason, but as a grown woman whose body was being opened up, it felt very demeaning to be ignored. I was having to ask my partner to ask questions as they would not even acknowledge I was there. I think it was probably a high stress situation, but it did not help how I was feeling.

I don't particularly remember the tugging feeling, but I remember being aware ds was out and we didn't have him yet (found out weeks after he was actually being resuscitated and seeing my notes recently they have significant fetal distress all over them).

Anyway, I remember finding it hard to breath and my partner told them and I got an oxygen mask. This was weird as I expected a flood of air and it was just like normal breathing.

I also remember feeling very very sleepy to the point I was struggling to keep my eyes open and was panicking in case I didn't wake up. I kept telling my partner to talk to me. Bearing in mind I had a lot of drugs in me at that point, but is this a normal thing to expect from a planned section?

Would love to hear what others experienced so that I feel more prepared when I experience them.

I know I will have a pre-OP and can bring these things up, but would be good to hear experiences. Thank you. X

[MyBoysHaveDogsNames]

Hi. A planned section is so much more relaxing than an emergency one. I've had both. Everyone is calm, I could feel the tugging but was very aware of everything and don't remember feeling sleepy. I had the anaesthetist by me asking if I could feel anything and topping me up if I could.

It was very reassuring although actually my emergency one was also ok. Good thing about the planned one was that I had my son at 4 so plenty of time to try and establish breastfeeding before the night shift.

Hopefully you will feel more in control this time. Good luck with everything and how exciting to meet your new baby!

[Putmynewshoeson]

I had an emergency one and still didn't find it that bad. My main concern was that I wouldn't be able to stay still for the injection as my contractions were so painful but the nurses were amazing and it was fine
Felt like it was over really quickly and I didn't feel anything apart from some tugging that was odd but not uncomfortable
100% would have a c section again if I have another.

[OverTheHandlebars]

A planned section is likely to be a completely different experience. The anaesthetist will be able to talk you through the spinal and any drugs because there isn't the same rush. In my experience it's not uncommon for people to get sleepy in emergency sections because they're usually exhausted after a long labour and then suddenly they're pain free, so naturally they start to doze off. In a planned section that doesn't really happen.

[AlbertCookie]

I've had both also, buy was completely plus to sleep for the emergency one so remember nothing.

The planned section was absolutely fine, I was nervous obviously but the nurses all talked to me and kept checking I was doing OK. I felt quite a lot of 'tugging' and felt like I was moving around on the table a lot but it was over relatively quickly, and they lowered the screen slightly when they first lifted him out so that I could see him.
You will be absolutely fine I'm sure! Congrats

[Sheera1]

Thanks all. @overthehandlebars that is good to know and makes sense on the feeling sleepy. I was worried something was wrong so kept talking out loud what I was feeling as although they wouldn't answer me, I thought if something I was feeling was a red flag they would hear me and act accordingly.

Hopefully won't get the sleepiness this time as it should be more relaxed. I was terrified I was passing out and dying or something 😁. X

[MostlyAmbridgeandcoffee]

I’m in a similar boat - emergency last time
after a long labour. Recall having a mild panic attack during the last one and also having oxygen and finding it all a bit terrifying then falling asleep quite soon after. Planned c section booked this time for next week - trying to visualise the positives of last time - eg that there was a happy conclusion rather than getting stuck in the scary bits of the memory. But still generally nervous but have heard that planned sections are generally much better

[FirstTimeBumps]

Same situation, EMCS last time not a great experience. Felt pain, heavyness on check/unable to breathe and spent the entire time on gas an air with an anesthetist repeatedly offering to put me to sleep but declining. I'm awaiting a call from a consultant to discuss all this and book in a planned section for this one but I'm 33 weeks and was told by the midwife it would have been booked by now

[crosser62]

Ahh just total calm, excitement and couldn’t wait to see my baby.
They had the radio on in the corner and everyone seemed as excited as we were.
10 years previously I had an emergency section but that was with a general anaesthetic so I have no memory as I was put to sleep & tubed.

So lovely and very quick. I went in and very quickly had my baby on my chest. Then was home after 24 hours.
Bloody lovely experience.

[SunbathingDragon]

I’ve had for c sections. Just feeling cold and some rummaging going on.

[MuchTooTired]

I’ve only had an elcs and it was magic. I was utterly terrified I’d feel it or not be properly numb but the anaesthetist really took the time to reassure me and told me that she had a solution for my many fears and nothing happened until I was ok with it. I felt like I was in control of things even though I quite obviously wasn’t!

I had a team and the babies had a team each on hand. DT2 had breathing difficulties when she was born and the room filled up with medics which was terrifying, but ultimately she was absolutely fine and the care we received was extraordinary!

In the unlikely event I have any more babies I’d definitely have another section.

Good luck!

[PuppyPowerPowder]

It was calm, relaxed and though slightly surreal, I didn’t feel powerless or odd. And there was a nice atmosphere in the room, which felt very different to the times I’ve had surgery for an injury or illness.

[nachthexe]

I threw up, which is apparently quite normal (they had to apply quite a bit of pressure to get dd to leave). It was just very odd lying there with what appeared to be someone else’s legs. 🤷‍♀️
I was as sick as a dog for hours afterwards though and my body went into some sort of shock. I basically shook for hours until the anaesthetic wore off.

[TheWayOfTheWorld]

Hi OP, I had the sleepiness with my EMCS - I actually thought I was dying (I felt quite calm about it actually!) but my blood pressure had dropped dangerously low and so I was losing consciousness. Thankfully my DH (an anaesthetist himself) spotted this and prompted the actual anaesthetist to sort it pronto.

I had an elective with DC2 and the word I would use to describe it is "civilised" - much calmer and no low blood pressure problems this time. I was probably more aware of the sensations during the op itself but they just felt a bit weird rather than uncomfortable or painful (I asked what was going on at one point and was cheerfully informed that they had just been checking my ovaries and were putting them back now )

Good luck!

[Girlinajumpsuit]

I had an emergency one a couple of months ago. It was after only a few hours of labour so I was still pretty with it and not tired although was a bit in shock at the speed with which I'd progressed from early labour to emcs.

Anyway I found it a really nice experience. Even though an emergency felt very well cared for by the huge team of staff. Everyone introduced themselves before it started which I thought was lovely and the anaesthetist spoke to me throughout to check I was ok. My baby was taken out very quickly and then i spent the rest of the op gazing at him in awe so I didnt really care what was happening behind the screen. Didnt find it painful or scary or even feel a great deal. Only weird bit was some shaking but apparently the drugs can cause that.

[middleager]

Calm, organised, busy (well, they were getting 2 babies out do double the medical staff!)

My playlist on, bit of rummaging around. I was relaxed, felt surreal as pp said.

[JoanJosephJim]

My ELCS made me realise just how rushed my EMCS was - baby in distress.

With the ELCS you are in hospital early in a room/ward just waiting to be taken down. You walk down to the side room where they do all the prep. I had spinal blocks for both c sections, this one was very calm and I had an anaesthetist behind me and another person in front of me holding me in place. Dh was sat on a stool a couple of metres away trying not to faint. I was hooked up to a blood pressure monitor.

They spray your back with what felt like freezing cold anti-septic spray. Once the local anaesthetic was in they put the spinal block in. They were very nice to me, had lovely conversations. Then they laid me onto a bed, they left the room as a midwife came in. Dh went off to get changed into scrubs. The midwife was truly lovely, explained that she was going to disinfect me before putting in the catheter, I felt nothing at all. It was all very dignified.

Then after a while, I was wheeled into the theatre, hooked me up to a heart monitor, put the little curtain thing up. Dh was already there (unlike last time where he literally made it through the door as they were about to cut me open due to the speed needed at the time) the surgeon checked I couldn't feel anything and within minutes Ds2 was out and crying.

It was a completely different experience to Ds1 which was rushed and chaotic but necessary. Speak to your midwife about your worries. Sounds like you had an awful experience first time round. Like you the EMCS was done after a long labour and I was exhausted. With Ds2 it was a whole different experience.

[ivfbeenbusy]

My ELCS was lovely although all
I really remember was an insanely attractive anesthetist sat by my head talking to me - almost forgot DH was there 🤣 - I blame the drugs! 🤣 although DD was breach and her head stuck so far up towards my ribs it felt like they were engaged in a tug of war to get her out

[Hercwasonaroll]

I've had both.

EMCS was similar to what you describe. I also reacted badly to morphine so threw up for hours afterwards.

ELCS was much calmer although my blood pressure dropped and I have never felt so ill in my life. Couldn't turn my head and could barely speak.

[Sheera1]

Thank you all for your comments it is nice an reassuring. Seems like an EMCS is very different to Elected.

Oh my goodness yes I had forgotten the shakes. My whole body was shaking for hours after. I had put it down to all the drugs but prob the anesthetic too. Will mention it on my list of things.

They let me mum and dad into recovery room as we were only ones there. I think they had been calling and arrived to be shown in as they were worried as we had been a long time with no word. My dad was really concerned as I was shaking so much and I remember saying "I feel great dad it is just all the drugs" lol.

@TheWayOfTheWorld oh my goodness on the ovaries comment. I laughed out loud there. Just having a check lol. Jeezo.

Good luck to everyone with one coming up. I have 10 weeks to go but hoping at my next scan they book me in with a date. It is good for my control needs 😁

[crosser62]

Your parents won’t be allowed in this time I should imagine, and if you keep your phone with you, they could ring you rather than bombarding the ward staff with phone calls.
Maybe you could drop them a quick text when it’s all done to reassure them.
You will home the next day probably all being well.

[Warmhandscoldheart]

I've had emergency and elected. Elected was so calm and relaxed, even waddled down to theatre and threw myself on the trolley
I had GA with both though because I'd asked to be sterilised during the operation.

[AdaFromYorkshire]

Mine was a high risk twin birth. So, loads of people there, the surgical team, a team for each baby and about half a dozen students. I was happy for them to be there. Plus DH. No pain due to a spinal block, although I remember some rummaging. My over riding feeling, weird as it might have been, was that I was somehow hosting all these people and kept asking if everyone was ok. Two of the students popped into my room the next day to thank me for letting them be there. I said something like "You're welcome any time" as though I was going to do it regularly.

[Sheera1]

@AdaFromYorkshire you sound exactly like me. Lol. I had an MMC at 12 weeks and was more concerned about how everyone in the room felt having to tell me the bad news and hid my feelings to not upset them! X

[Piper1879]

I had a planned section ; a gentle c section , ten days ago and apart from feeling a little bit out of it due to pain relief , I felt very calm. I felt a small amount of pulling , when the baby was out , but it wasn't uncomfortable or painful , didn't feel anxious perhaps that's because it was planned but overall I enjoyed my experience. My midwives and surgical team were amazing, my mum was my birth partner and we got the most stunning photos and videos

[Autumnrose9]

A planned section should be a lot better and calmer experience for you and I say that as someone who had a horrible emergency section ended up with general anaesthesia as the epidural didn't work..

Took me a long time to decide on having another and I knew it would probably end up having a planned section and I'm so glad I did. Even though I was still really nervous . It was a nice experience you are included in everything . They take the time to speak to you through it.

Nobody rushing. Around you buzzers going off etc it's just alot better. I do remember feeling a bit sick but didn't feel anything. And recovery although still sore not terrible and I bonded quicker with my dd than I did with my oldest.

Hope all goes well with you