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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Anybody watched own C-Section being performed?

62 replies

Olaalo · 10/11/2019 19:02

Hello Mum's and mummy's to be. Just hoping that someone else has experienced watching own C-Section delivery of their baby or Partner's experiences? Any tip's or advice would be great. Thank's in advance.

OP posts:
MitziK · 10/11/2019 20:02

With the size of my bump, I couldn't see shit even without a screen. Same for the forceps delivery - they tried putting one up, but the great Heffalump, after being heroically dragged out of my body only appeared from behind it as she landed with a great thump on my left tit.

Poing · 10/11/2019 20:03

If you think you can handle it, then I reckon you should go for it. But for me, I couldn't and I don't know why. I loved participating in caesareans and VBACs but could not stomach my own. My husband, on the other hand, got to sit down for both births and thought they were fantastic.

For the caesarean, I couldn't wait for them to hurry up and sew me up. I remember feeling so incredibly vulnerable opened up on the table and so scared of the complications that I knew could come.

I couldn't even watch my VBAC baby via a mirror. At the time, i remember thinking that I didn't want to see a head sticking out, knowing that the rest of the body was yet to come.

ToTheRegimentIWishIWasThere · 10/11/2019 20:24

I asked could I watch mine and was told no because the chances of you panicking and going into shock are huge even if you are prepared and think you can handle it.

And obviously you can't feel anything but it's still a lot of blood, guts and gore. DH said it looked brutal and freaky. Me chatting away one side and then a doctor wrist deep in my stomach the other side.

I watched as much as I could in the shiny light thing but it was just a lot of red and then I got the shakes and couldn't concentrate on anything.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 10/11/2019 20:29

I was told not to look at the mirror lights. Forceps job, but even so when they stitched me up a nurse saw me looking and said no, don’t look at the lights.

BlackRibboner · 10/11/2019 20:36

I asked for no screen as wanted to see and staff were fine with it. I saw the top of my bump - too big to see any of the gory details! My husband swears he saw my kidneys, he was pretty interested and doesn't seem too traumatised.

pastaparadise · 10/11/2019 20:38

Before the screen went up i did wonder about asking, but bump would have been too big anyway. There's also a lot of pushing and rummaging that i wasnt expecting so quite glad i didnt see in tbe end. Glad i looked at my placenta though - it was massive! xx

Dinosauratemydaffodils · 10/11/2019 20:42

I'm really squeamish, can't watch them take blood without feeling faint but after I tried to leave dc1 in NICU because I didn't think he was mine, the consultant who delivered dc2 said I was watching to avoid a repeat.

There was a slight hiccup when I thought the iodine when viewed through the reflection in the lights was blood but when they actually removed the drapes it was absolutely brilliant. She came out so slowly, I could see her outside me moving but also still moving under my skin which was fascinating and slighly weird but mostly amazing.

You can't really see anything because of the bump apart from when you look in the lights. Was slightly less keen on being shown the scar tissue they cut out from my 1st section though.

Clevs · 10/11/2019 20:45

I asked if I could watch mine but they refused to let me. They did bring my placenta round for me to look at though.

Barbie222 · 10/11/2019 20:46

My husband is a medical type and always asked but wasn't allowed with my first two (emergencies). He was allowed to watch the third (elective) and was very pleased. No video but there were a couple of pics which I was happy to see later on.

FourQuarters · 10/11/2019 20:48

Another who watched in the shiny theatre lights and was fascinated. But I also insisted on having a look at my placenta.

Span1elsRock · 10/11/2019 20:53

I was too scared the 1st time round, but on the 2nd one (wasn't an emergency that time) they put the screen down when baby was delivered, it was fascinating to watch. They had to use forceps as she was in such an awkward position. They put the screen back up as I was being stitched up as DH went rather green Grin but you could still see what they were doing in the reflection of the lights.

Didn't bother me at all, I was fascinated.

SarahAndQuack · 10/11/2019 21:08

My DP had an emergency section and I 'got' to see it because once I was in scrubs in the theatre, half the people in the room thought I was with the c-section team and the other half thought I was with the midwife, so none of them realised I wasn't a medic. I'm not terribly squeamish and I was more worried about my DP, but I think it could potentially be traumatic because no one will have time to explain anything of what you're seeing to you.

Drbrowns · 10/11/2019 21:09

I didn’t see the whole thing but once the doc did the cut she dropped the drapes I saw the baby come out and he was layed in my chest, then the midwife took baby away to dry and dress and the drapes went back up so doc could see me up. It was absolutely amazing to see and made me feel so much apart of it after 2 other sections.

waspfig · 10/11/2019 21:51

Yes I found it fascinating too. I thought everything was taking a bit longer than it should then heard the surgeon say 'yes we've definitely got it all, it's just in two halves'. They had sliced through my anterior placenta and spent 20 mins looking for bits of it inside me Grin

UterusUterusGhali · 10/11/2019 22:12

It isn’t too gory.

The blood and liquor is sucked up straight away. (Unless you are polyhydramnius in which case you’ll see the impressive shower of fluid regardless Grin )

The smell of the diathermy is the thing that usually makes people feel queasy.

You can ask for the screen down. It rather depends on the surgeon at the time, and the urgency of the delivery. I’m afraid if they are at all concerned about you or baby’s wellbeing your preferences will come second to medical necessity.

SarahAndQuack · 10/11/2019 22:13

I’m afraid if they are at all concerned about you or baby’s wellbeing your preferences will come second to medical necessity.

Or if they're just bigoted, of course.

I just love how 'wellbeing' is always trotted out.

amiloaday · 10/11/2019 22:51

Oh god this thread is making me nervous. Wish I'd never read it! Due for a c section in 6 weeks. I've had an emergency one before and it was so quick and my memory of it is blurry. I do remember seeing blood though.

peachgreen · 10/11/2019 23:03

I really wish I had asked to watch mine. I think I will next time. I had severe PND and being so isolated from the birth experience was part of the cause, I think.

SockQueen · 10/11/2019 23:37

You can't really see much when lying flat on the table tbh, your bump is in the way and most of the really gory stuff is on the inside so you'd just see hands/instruments going in and out. Reflection in the lights shows you more, but the theatres where I work have non-reflective operating lights.

NotBatman · 10/11/2019 23:45

It really depends on the person.

I had a natural vaginal birth with a mirror. As soon as I saw a blue face just sorta pop right there and stare at me between my legs I wanted to nope out of there. It looked like a dead baby, and then it blinked. I think I sort of shouted "What the actual fuck??" before they quickly took the mirror away. I wasn't traumatized by it, but it was definitely the weirdest part about my birth (followed by the best part of watching her turn from blue to red when she started crying). I don't think I'd do well with watching my stomach getting sliced open and a baby pulled through.

Birth is just weird no matter how you do it. So whatever you choose, just expect the unexpected, and have someone there that you trust with your agency, because you'll be on a bed with little of your own.

elliejjtiny · 11/11/2019 00:18

I asked to watch as I hated the feeling of not being able to see or feel anything below my boobs. I wasn't allowed to but dh took loads of photos.

GsMama19 · 11/11/2019 00:43

My partner and midwife was watching the whole thing like it was a movie haha
My blood pressure dropped really low so I kept feeling like I was going to pass out but once they sorted the drip out it was all good!
By the time I asked dp what was happening we heard dd scream Smile

Lana08 · 11/11/2019 04:17

Another one who saw it in the mirrored lights above and couldn’t look away. Really fascinating. First birth was 36 hour natural labour and they asked if I wanted to watch in the mirror..pretty sure are you crazy was my answer then. Recently watched DH vasectomy preformed. Obviously I’m a weirdo Grin

RafflesMaidenSister · 11/11/2019 05:03

I really wanted to watch my planned c-section (no chance with the first unplanned). Ultimately they wouldn't let me, which I was upset about - didn't give me a reason just told me what they were prepared to let me see.

The really lovely theatre nurse took a lot of photos for me, though, and they are very special.

I hope you get the opportunity - it must be a fantastic experience. Good Luck!

Rickandportly · 11/11/2019 05:09

No but my surgeon showed me my placenta and very proudly the scar tissue she’d cut away from
My first Section Hmm she held the long section of scar tissue right in front of she face. He turned green.