To be petrified that I am now facing a C Section? Any advice, hints or tips gratefully received

[SadAndWorried1]

I am currently 35 weeks pregnant with my 2nd child. My DD will be 2 years old at the end of January and I know that we are so blessed to be in this position now after a long history of infertility and recurrent miscarriage. I had a natural (and long!) back-to-back labour with my daughter, ending in epidural and ventouse delivery.

However, this time I have excess fluid and the baby is still breech. The consultant thinks that it is unlikely he will get into a good position for birth as he has too much fluid to move around in. They have said that my options will be ECV (turning the baby from outside) and then a quick induction to try and get baby out before he turns back or a c-section.

I don't fancy the ECV as I have read it can distress the baby and I have also read that inductions often end in c-sections anyway. All that matters to me is that the baby is safe and well. Therefore, I am facing a C-section and it absolutely terrifies me. I think it is the thought of the operating theatre and being cut open as well as, what I imagine to be, a very painful recovery and long hospital stay.

The baby also has to go to special care to have a tube passed down his throat to make sure there is nothing wrong with his digestive system (hence causing the build up of fluid). This is also a really upsetting thought for me as I imagine he will be taken away from me straight away.

Does anyone have any similar experiences or any advice regarding C-sections. Anything at all would be very gratefully received.

Don't be frightened.

I was very nervous about my ELCS but it was fine. I was driving again after 2 weeks. The only thing that was really unpleasant was my reaction to the drugs - I puked and puked for ages in recovery but they eventually gave me an injection which stopped it.

I also wasn't madly keen on removing my own sticky dressing. I was convinced my innards would just fall out, right there on the living room carpet. They didn't.

Just keep taking whatever they give you to take to manage pain. I did and I honestly can't remember feeling uncomfortable. You'll be fine. Just get hold of some giant pants and yoga pants with a soft waistband.

Koothrapanties you've hit the nail right on the head with your first paragraph!

I would go for a private room if you can though. I was in the ward for the first night and day and struggled with the confined space and lying with my goonie half agape with a catheter filling up with everyone's visitors wandering by. The space and peace in the private room was amazing to say nothing of your own bathroom.

Hello OP. Don't worry about a thing! I had a planned c-section (consultant thought natural birth would be too traumatic due to previous abuse). I was worried as hell but it was a wonderful experience! I didn't feel any pain, the doctors/midwives/nurses and surgeons were amazing and calm, they made me feel quite safe. I saw my lovely new baby very quickly after he was born and the experience wasn't marred at all. I am sure you will be absolutely fine. Don't let anyone tell you scare stories about how you won't be able to even move afterwards, load of bollocks. I was shopping in ASDA the day after :D (Not advised, take it easy). Don't panic OP, and congrats! x

After bathing use a hair dryer on a cool setting to dry your scar area. Much easier than patting dry

Oh yeah. And big pants

I've had two. DC1 planned (breech) DS2 crash (failed VBAC).

A straightforward section is 40 mins. Getting the baby out takes 10 during a planned section - you're barely on the table before you get to see your baby then the rest will speed by.

Usually c-section babies are taken off to be weighed/dried etc and come back to be cuddled after a couple of minutes. Sometimes, if the hospital know there might be an issue, there will be a paed in theatre to attend to the baby so he might not have to go away.

DS2 was a SCBU baby and we were both so well looked after by all of the staff. He was so ill and I was so guilty and traumatised but being there was like being in a bubble. For a while it felt like they had taken my baby and it was alienating but they actually gave me my baby because he would have died. One of the SCBU nurses even came to my room to give me a 6am pep-talk about how he was mine and how I would soon be able to take him home and keep him forever. I owe them the world.

DS1 was breech and elective c. DS2 was "natural" birth. c-section was by far the better experience and took far less time to recover from.

I've had 2 caesarians. Home on paracetamol and ibuprofen. No other problems. Pain really not that bad. You can drive when you are comfortable. I drove at 4 weeks first time and 3 weeks 2nd time.
You will still bond, it will still be wonderful. My kids a re 18 and 20 now and just great.

Bigger the pants the better. Mine went to just below me boobs!

3 C-sections here. Lots of anxiety right before each procedure.

You won't feel any pain but you will feel lots of tugging. I always became nauseous with the anesthesia though. It helped to focus on positive images and thoughts.

Most definitely take your pain meds right on time...not after you start to feel pain. Keeping on top of it is better than trying to catch up. You will be dependent on nurses for several hours after you are in your room. As soon as the numbing wears off, they'll have you walk to the bathroom and they will help clean you up. Be honest if you are dizzy or too weak but it is important to move and get your legs circulating again.

Don't overdue it when you're home. It's better to let the incision heal properly than to rupture or tear it and prolong the healing and possible scaring.

I preferred stitches to staples. Staples made a huge, thick scar. Staples left hardly any trace of a scar.

I miss the smell of a newborn baby! Congratulations!!!

Showy has summed it up perfectly :)

I really enjoyed my c section experience, I was made to feel completely at ease and the staff were fantastic. I had a EMCS with my twins and there were 12 medical staff in the room, it was calm and everyone was very reassuring. The anesthetist even took photos for us, some really good ones too!

The recovery wasn't bad at all and you have no choice but to be active and on the go when you have two newborns. You can barely even see my scar too.

I would have an ELCS next time round.

Haven't read all the replies sorry, I'm in a bit of a rush but just wanted to say, my (emergency) c-section was an absolute doddle. The Drs we're laughing and joking all the way through, remember that they do this twenty times a day. I was in the shower the next morning and was walking about no problem. Driving after two weeks, never had a bother lifting the baby or anything. I know everyone is different but I think a positive mental attitude helps more than anything. Please don't be scared, I heard so many horror stories before mine but it really was a piece of cake.

Should add, my scar is TINY, you'd only see it if I really pointed it out. So don't worry about that either.

It really isn't that bad, if you've already had a ventouse delivery then I'd imagine that wasn't an easy recovery, I don't think you'll c-section recovery much/any harder.

I think I only took painkillers for about 5 days and most of that time it was just paracetamol. I was in hospital for 2 nights.

DS2 was taken straight down to special care, I did see him briefly before they took him and DH sort of wedged him by my head so I could have a quick hold, DH was allowed to go with him to special care so not too bad.

The actual op is fine, the operating staff will look after you really well, you can feel them rumaging around to get baby out but no pain at all, they told DH when DS was coming out so he could watch.

I've had 3 sections, all have been fine, get big pants and tell DH to bring the camera.

My experience of a C-section was very positive.

Firstly, it was completely serene (compared to forceps delivery with DS). I never had a days pain, seriously. Was in the shower within hours and was never sick, nor did I feel sick.

Drove in under 2 weeks, it's urban myth that you can't drive for 6 weeks.

Def agree with the posters who have said have a positive attitude, it goes a long way!

I asked for my baby to be passed straight to me at my elcs no cleaning or weighing. They obliged and did that a bit later. Dad then had skin to skin up his top while I was sewn up. Lovely. We bf straight away in recovery - think the skin to skin helped.

It was weird, and I did suddenly feel frightened lying there just as they started but dh squeezed my hand and it seemed to be done fast. everyone was lovely.

Next time I will be tougher requesting delayed cord clamping as they said they "couldn't" last time but it's not actually true, more a speed in a busy theatre kind of short cut.

Good luck, you will be fine I am sure.

Get nightie not PJs for the first night as you might have catheter in still.

Thanks you SO much for all your replies. You have got no idea how much they all mean to me. I think tonight will be the 1st night in weeks I will be able to go to bed and sleep well without worrying myself to death. You have all made it seem so much less frightening. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experiences.

was never sick, nor did I feel sick paddy

I was never sick or felt sick either a bit shaky after one of them for about an hour but that was it and I've had 3.

Had a c section as dd was breech, I found the run up to it really nerve racking but it was wonderful. I was lucky enough to have lots of people around me trying to offer reassurance. One lovely mum I knew simply told me you'll be hobbling around before you know it and that the people at our local hospital were simply lovely.

Dd and I were discharged first thing the morning of day 2. Day 5 we were out for our first proper walk. Day 7 out for an afternoon with the proud grandparents and day 8 I was showing her off and being climbed on by toddlers at the nursery I'd been working at.

I didn't need much in the way of painkillers in hospital or at home, just a few paracetamol once in a while. I think that was due to a small amount of nerve damage around the scare area, which was really strange when feeling started to return six or so months on.

I took arnica (sp!) in the week running up to the section and five days following. I normally bruise badly and easily but hardly had any.

After an uncomfortable breech pregnancy I actually felt better during recovery than I did the last couple of months of being pregnant. It was lovely to feel able to move and breath and sleep with no acid re flux. The only thing I struggled with was loading and unloading the washing machine.

The worst part of it for me was seeing the stitches. Couldn't have been happier to see the wire removed on day five. Certainly didn't want to keep it as that particular midwife suggested.

Good luck op, enjoy your lovely new baby.

Oh and pepper mint tea post section. Hated the stuff before but trust me it works wonders with post op discomfort from trapped wind.

pepper mint tea is not good if breast feeding though, as it hinders lactation.

I had 2 ELCS with DD1 and DT's. With DD2 I was determined to have a vaginal birth...realised i'd made a mistake 20 minutes after my water broke (I am a total wimp!)

I don't admit it often,but i much preffered having a CS. I didn't have a lot of pain and was ok to drive after just a few weeks. ( I could have driven sooner but just to be on the safe side). For the most part i felt completely fine! The only time i really had a problem was a few days after my first- i bent down to pick something up off the foor without thinking thought i'd split myself in half!!! I was fine after a long rest, but my advice is don't make any sudden movements for a while state the obvious--

Good luck and congrats

Hi, I just thought I would give a slightly different spin. My 3rd baby was breech, and I was booked for an ECV but went into labour the day before the appointment. I was assessed on arrival and told I required an Em C/s as I was 4cm dilated. I was brought to theatre etc and went through paperwork which took an hour or so. I was so upset I didn't actually notice I was having contractions, however the doctor decided to VE again in theatre and I was 10cm so he broke my waters and dd was born with 2 pushes.

I researched ECV for ages, and couldn't find a single person who had a distressed baby on the back of it. However just in case, they monitor baby throughout so it really is safe.

However you have to go with what you feel happy with. Your circumstances are different to mine, so you need to weigh up what the doctor is suggesting with what you can find peace with. I wouldn't have planned a vaginal breech birth I don't think, it just happened that way.

Good luck x

It is still possible your baby will turn. DD was breech at 34+3 I was told as you were that she would not turn because not enough room etc. booked for c-section at 37+5 which I was happy was the right choice. She turned at 37+4 whilst I was watching love actually in the cinema, in particular whilst Hugh Grant danced down the stairs.
I got the bye see you when you are in labour. She was eventually born at 42 weeks after such a horrific labour and delivery as she then was lateral oblique presentation that 2 years later my midwife admitted that if she had been through what I had been through she wouldn't have another.
I wish she hadn't turned and I had had that section.

Just checked kellymom which says while peppermint can be used to reduce a milk supply, the amount in peppermint tea is not enough to cause a problem unless you drink gallons of it. It certainly caused me no issues wrt lactation and trapped wind is flipping uncomfortable post cs. The tea gets rid of the pain in minutes.

And don't use a hair dryer on your wound. My midwife pointed out how many germs live in a hair dryer.