To ask about your c section experience?

[myfavouritetractor]

Sorry, posting for traffic.. I'm starting to panic because I've got to make a decision soon and either book elective c section or go completely naturally.

Dc1 birth resulted in bad 3rd degree tear, haemorrhage and surgery was required afterwards. I do find myself having less control over bowel movements, I have to rush to the loo ASAP. So I'm worried about long term damage. Friends keep suggesting section but have never had one themselves.

What was your experience? I'm terrified of the recovery and having to stay in hospital away from dc1.

[Nearlyhaveahouse]

No experience of vaginal delivery but I do know my section recovery was way quicker and less painful than my friends 3rd degree tear. I had an emergency section and a planned. The planned was v relaxed, quick recovery (esp as I hadn't been in labour so was well rested after delivery). What you should know is that aside from medical risk, you may end up with the dreaded 'apron', an overhang of skin over scar. Unpleasant but I would choose that and have bowel control. Also do you y want more children? Good luck with decision.

[UmmMeToo]

Oh, and I stayed in hospital for 2 days even though they wanted me to stay for 5-7. I discharged myself. Once you lose that muscle, they will never be able to repair it and you will have lifelong problems and can lose control of your bowels.

[GlitteryFluff]

I've had two.

First wasn't planned but wasn't an emergency. Induction didn't work (it was horrible) so had a section after asking. Turns out ds was massive (11lb7oz!) and breech so am glad that's the way that went.
Theatre was absolutely fine. No pain, calm, lovey experience. Lost a litre of blood but felt ok. Worst part was getting out of bed for the first time! Was quite a shock as how light headed, dizzy, painful etc it was.
But after that all was fine. Kept on top of meds, home 48hours after. Did need to inject clexane for a week or so afterwards. First poo wasn't pleasant, got some suppositories for that in the end.. Felt back to normal within two weeks.

Second was planned. My choosing. They would have been happy for me to try a vbac but if done lots of research and decided another section was the right choice. Plus I didn't trust that healthcare professionals would say baby was the right way round and normal sized and it be the opposite. Like last time. (Sorry I know that's unkind of me but it's now I felt). I didn't want an emergency panic type situation. And absolutely would have refused induction again.
This time theatre wasn't as pleasant as the spinal didn't work fully so I could feel some cuts, I wasn't screaming in pain but groaning, but they quickly dosed me up with other things so I snoozed on and off throughout (snored too apparently). Wasn't my ideal birth as missed most of it. She was 9lb14oz so was glad it went that way again. They thought they had cut my bladder but luckily they hadn't. Lost a lot less blood. Was out of hospital within 24hours this time around. Felt relatively normal after a week.

Would I do it again? Yes, in that I wouldn't change how things have happened but I won't be having more children as I feel like I'd be risking something bad happening seeing as I've come out of these two relatively unscathed! My uterus wall is very thin (I assume as it's been stretched by such large babies!) so i'd worry about complications from that next time. But I 100% don't regret having the two sections.

Not sure how helpful any of that has been!

[WhatHo]

My only major tip: RESPECT YOUR RECOVERY for at least 3 weeks.

My first C section was emergency and it took me a while to recover from the shock of it all. I was put on the table and they were literally about to cut when I got pulled off for a crash caesarian. I was back on the table 3 hours later by which time I'd been having epidural relief for 9 hours and I had major effects coming off it - shaking so bad I couldn't hold my baby for at least 3 hours. It was all pretty traumatic.

Plus as other posters have said, it's easy to be dismissive of how major the surgery is - I felt ok and went for a long walk in the snow with 2 week old baby strapped to my chest. Half way across a field I realised I couldn't take another step without something horrible happening inside - my mum had to take DD1 and go home and get my Dad to drive and fetch me in the pick up.

Second time round, elective: I was in at 7.30am, no emergencies, so DD2 was out by 9.30am. I was home after 2 nights and took it incredibly easy. I healed beautifully and as right as rain very quickly.

At the same time a friend who is a very 'can-do' person was up and about and trying to run her house, work, care for her toddler etc after 3 days.
She developed a post-op infection, her scar tore and she ended up in hospital for 10 days. She is evangelical about the need to rest properly after a c section.

Oh and lots of people get the 'C-section pouch' where the skin sort of hangs over the scar like a mini potbelly - I do and I hate it but I like having two healthy little girls more so fuck it frankly.

[temporaryname99]

I had a crash c-section for my first and a not so natural VBAC for my second - forceps etc - and I would say the recovery was about the same. I felt terrible for a few days after both and then fine. I found the c section fascinating rather than frightening even though it was a big emergency and I had been awake for about 3 days!
Scar healed fine - very occasional twinge even years after but it really didn't seem like a big deal.
I was at St Thomas in London, so I think I was fairly lucky.

[WhatHo]

myfavouritetractor - having re-read your OP, have a C-section.

It will be a thousand times easier, less painful and less traumatic than what you went through. You'll be in the hospital for a remarkably small amount of time. Your DC1 will be fine

[halfwitpicker]

Two sections. First EMCS, second ELCS. Due to both kids being breech.

Fab experience with both. Quick recovery, babies fine, no infection, two days /nights in hospital.

[halfwitpicker]

Like what ho I've got the fetching section pouch but I couldn't give a shit. Not like I'm naked all the time in front of the braying hordes or anything.

[repairandprotect]

I had an emergency section and serious complications due to an infection and other problems. In my case I needed further surgery a few days after DC was born. I'd suggest you speak to one of your MWs about the risks connected to sections. The list seems quite long as with any surgery.
Having said all that a planned section is apparently a different kettle of fish.
At the moment I've decided to have a planned section next time. I'd not handle complications and another emergency very well and this seems the best way forward. I'm scared as for me the recovery was very difficult.

[Ripasso]

I had a planned section and it was a good experience. I went in at 8am and was nursing my baby boy back in the ward by 11.30am. I was discharged the next day and had no complications with recovery. It was such a calm experience - they even asked if the radio station in the operating theatre was ok or would I like a different one. I did have to give myself injections to prevent clotting for ten days afterwards.

[ducklife]

Two emergency sections & one elective. The elective section was a totally different experience (I was sceptical as to how different it could be) but it was really relaxed & I was home 24 hours later on accelerated discharge. It took a while to recover but it was my third scar - with my first emergency section I was driving in 4 weeks & felt fine. I would take a section over the risk of a life of incontinence or worse tearing!

[MyNameIsAlexDrake]

I had an emergency c section after a failed induction,I had been labouring for days induced by the drip and no epidural, so no sleep either so I was totally shattered (56 hours in total without sleep).

My son was born the Sunday night and I was discharged on the Tuesday morning and took my dog for a (slow) walk on the Wednesday with the pram.

I can remember needing help from the midwives in the early hours of Monday morning but come 9am I was forced up to get a shower and bar having a catheter still in, I was able to move around fine.

Once home I was on pain relief for a week. I had a continuous stitch that was removed from the midwife at home. The only real troublesome thing for me was that it took weeks and weeks for the swelling in my legs to get better (wasn't expecting that). And I also bled vaginally for about 6 weeks after (again, wasn't expecting that).

The only other downside for me is that I now have a c section 'pouch' that no manner of exercise will ever improve. But, hey ho I doubt many womens body's are the same as pre baby!

[user1471523870]

Hi OP, I am starting to wonder too about pros and cons of a C-section.
Although with twins and a narrow pelvis I don't think I will have much choice.
My doubts are about taking care of the babies. Can I ask the lovely ladies who replied how that works? Were you able to hold, feed, change the babies from immediately? Or when you say the recovery took x days/weeks it means someone else had to do it for you and you were just lying in bed?

Sorry if I am asking an obvious questions, just trying to figure out how to survive!

[silverstarling1]

I’ve had 2 sections, overall great both times! First I had to get to hospital for 7am which was a pain as we lived far away, waited till about lunchtime, was annoying as I was told not to eat from midnight but when we got in all was good, no pain felt lots of pressure and uncomfortable for about 3 secs when they took DS out, great after that, was in hospital for 5 days as it was my first and he was low birth weight, lots of help around.. recovery nowhere near as bad as I thought

Second was really good, no pain or anything through the whole surgery, spent one night and got to go home next day, felt completely fine except walked everywhere abit slower.. :)

[MyNameIsAlexDrake]

User - I needed help from the midwives initially but only while I was still numb from the spinal. They would hand baby to me for feeds and they took care of nappies. That was only the first night though. After that I was fine to do all care myself.

At home I had a waist high changing station so could manage that myself. From memory bending down was not so easy so you would maybe need help the first few weeks for bathing baby.

I found I could do what I needed to, but remember it is major surgery so you do need to take it easy for a month or so.

[DeadButDelicious]

My doubts are about taking care of the babies. Can I ask the lovely ladies who replied how that works? Were you able to hold, feed, change the babies from immediately? Or when you say the recovery took x days/weeks it means someone else had to do it for you and you were just lying in bed?

I had help from the midwives on the first night because I physically couldn't move yet. I'd had a lot of kidney trouble towards the end and been in pain so it was quite nice to not feel anything for a bit. The next day they got me up and moving first thing in the morning, which was uncomfortable at first but once you have to do it and honestly after a couple of hours I was puttering around the ward quite happily. From that point on it was me on my own for the most part, obviously I had help from DH during the day but I was lifting, feeding and changing nappies myself with little discomfort. They did take her for a couple of hours in the night so I could sleep and then brought her back so I could feed. The the next day I was off home and it was me and DH doing it.

My mum came round most days to help for the first week or so but that was mostly to hold the baby and fuss over my dog while I slept, or got a shower and DH did stuff around the house. After 2 weeks I was back to normal. I even managed to go to a concert I'd bought tickets for before I was even pregnant. It was lovely to get out and about for a few hours. I just made sure I rested the day after.

[silverstarling1]

I had to stay in bed for about half a day and I had DH stay in the room with me so he just handed them over whenever they cried, could hold them normal, breastfeed fine but he had to change nappies, when he was asleep midwife said just buzz red button and they come in to either change or hand them, I had a lot of help both times, after I could get up and walk I could pick babies up fine, hold them do everything usual except lifting heavier things, I don’t drive anyways, I felt fine just wanted to take my time doing things. And couldn’t lift ds second time when he was a toddler and I got home. Forgot to mention my scar is barely visible at all after uszing the bio oil too

[SunnyCoco]

I’ve done both and if I had another baby I’d definitely have another planned c section

Why risk another traumatic birth when you can have calm peaceful c section

It’s amazing. Just make sure you have help for the first fortnight c

[yorkshireyummymummy]

Please please think carefully.
There are many many posts of people’s experiences which are positive and I’m happy that so many c sections work out well.

I have done a natural birth and had a c section.
My actual c section went fine, although I did have a post Partum haemorrhage and lost 1500ml of blood.
My recovery was fine too, no problems with my wound which healed to a nice neat white line.
However, five years after the birth I started to get abdominal pain.
Nothing showed on scans and the pain got worse.
After many admittance into hospital I was operated on via keyhole surgery to check my appendix. I was expected to be in theatre for 30 minutes.
It took the surgeon 90 minutes to find my appendix. I had so many adhesions he couldn’t find anything.
Adhesions are caused by scar tissue- caused by my cesction scar.
They grow inside you and there is nothing that can be done to stop them. Oh they can be cut away but in order to do this they have to perform surgery - and this means MORE scar tissue for more adhesions. They wrap themselves round your bladder and bowel. They can’t be seen on a scan. They are like a tissue of cobwebs.

I can’t work now. I don’t know from one day to the next if I will be able to get out of bed due to the pain. I take the maximum dosage of tramadol daily, plus oramorph plus slow release morphine if it’s really bad. I’m hoping to find some alternative to all of this morphine but I need to balance that with being able to move too.
Now adhesions are not something everybody will get but they are not rare either.
A csection is major abdominal surgery and unless it’s vital why would you have major surgery?
Please, research lots, ask your consultant questions. I’m sure if you opt fir a csection you will be fine but there’s always risk and always people who have long term problems from having a csection.
So just weigh up your options fully.
If I had the choice I would always go for the natural birth.
Either way, good luck and I hope you have a trouble free birth and a lovely baby who sleeps through from being 8 weeks!!

[Cattenberg]

I had my first baby in March by emergency C section, as my labour didn't progress well. I was expecting the recovery to be tough, and was pleasantly surprised. I did have some pain, especially in the first few days, but it was very manageable. The hospital painkillers were good and I didn't always need them.

However, the CS did mean that my milk was slow to come in, which led to my baby losing too much weight (she was also a reluctant feeder). I was put on a punishing schedule of three hourly feeds, expressing and formula top-ups which meant that I got very little sleep. We were eventually allowed home after eight days, and I had to keep up this routine for a while. It was tough.

A mistake I made was having the catheter removed as soon as the nurses would let me. I just didn't like the thought of it. For hours afterwards, I could feel my bladder getting fuller, but physically couldn't empty it. That wasn't fun, until it resolved itself.

The nurses must have helped me with my baby for the first day as I couldn't get out of bed for several hours. I also had a cannula with some kind of attachments in the back of one hand (for two or three days?), so I needed help to change nappies.

[boomboom12]

My first was a very fast VB which was very painful (no time for pain relief) but after 2 stitches & a nap, I felt fine. I had a shower which was amazing & no real pain of any sort. A slight fear of going to the toilet & a little bit of tenderness but felt back to normal in a week.

2nd was a semi elective CS, I was shocked at the pain. I read about people getting up after etc and naively assumed it wouldn’t be that bad. I had a good recovery, discharged after 24 hours but my god those first 2 days! Yes I was walking but it was more of a zombie shuffle & sitting up from lying day was agony. My friend is a surgeon & I followed her advice

1. take the painkillers even when you don’t feel you need it.
   
2. peppermint tea/water for trapped wind.
   
3. even if you feel up to it, rest, rest, rest.
   
   Pluses = It was best for baby & I didn’t feel like I had given birth & no toilet fear. But my body did not recover as quick & have a little overhang which pisses me off.
   
   I would go VB again ideally but tears are scary.

[boomboom12]

Oh & my pain relief in hospital was just paracetamol & ibruprofen once the epi wore off.

[fussychica]

I had a planned c section due to DS being transverse. No experience of a natural birth.
I had a pretty quick recovery and my scar is so low it's virtually invisible. This was 25 years ago.
Several friends landed up having emergency c sections which sounded awful and their recovery was far slower than mine.
Good luck whatever you decide.

[userabcname]

Just to say, don't assume a vaginal birth means a quicker recovery. I was catheterised and bedbound the first 2 days after birth. I had a cannula in my hand and DS had one in each for IV antibiotics. I could not physically carry DS for at least a week and even at home I couldn't get him up / down the stairs or in/out the car / buggy for about 4 weeks. I naively thought a vaginal birth would equal an easier recovery but I took longer to recover than many people I knew who had c-sections.

[SusieFlo]

@DeadButDelicious I was able to hold and feed the baby as soon as the op was over. The baby was initially handed to my partner while they finished stitching me back up, but once I was wheeled into the recovery room I was able to cuddle the baby and do the first feed.

`For the first 24 hours before going home I was in the hospital bed with a crib beside the bed. I spent most of the time holding & feeding the baby, but could put the baby in the crib for sleeping. (I was supposed to call a midwife to transfer the baby to and from the crib but I was actually able to do it myself as the crib was right beside me and my bed was high up). Hope that helps x