To ask you to tell me about your c-sections?

[Boeux]

No need to of course as I know it's a very personal thing but I'd really appreciate some anecdotal stories atm. I'm booked in for the op tomorrow morning, I'm quite nervous and would love a morale boost and basically to be told I'll be fine

Thanks in advance!

I had an emergency section.

Day 2 and 3 are the only 'bad' pain days IME, mainly at night when trying to sleep. It hurts to lie down and move so you need to sleep propped up.

After that though I found the main very manageable and a lot less than expected. I went for my first walk on day 7 and it was fine.

I used a hair dryer on the cool setting to dry my scar after every wash/shower to make sure it was entirely dry.

Expect your stomach to be numb permanently around the scar! I'm 11 months along now and I still find it weird my skin being numb round there.

Oh also prepare yourself for the INSANE ITCHING in your lower body after the epidural wears off. Mine lasted about 24 hours and drove me mad. Also the catheter being removed afterwards is an experience 😂 not painful, just weird. The midwife did it for me in the ward shower room.

@Knickynackynoo

Had an elective. Totally fine, very relaxed. Surgery team were so amazing and I am forever grateful.

Obviously it's painful afterwards but I expect pushing something with a giant head out of your fanny also leaves you with some lingering discomfort....I wouldn't know as only eve had a section, but find it odd when people compare the two in terms of pain/discomfort, surely a vaginal birth isn't pain free afterwards?!? Just keep on top of your pain relief, every 4 hrs, set alarms.

I didn't have any problems with my scar but was very fastidious at keeping the wound clean, only in the shower- didn't touch it the rest of the time. Used Australian Tea Tree shower gel and v hot water specifically, healed nicely, barely noticeable now. Also its a lot further down than you think. Hats off to anyone who still wants to wear a teeny tiny bikini which might mean it was visible !

I know you've already got a DC but for anyone pg and having a section with their first, my stomach has gone back to washboard flatness....I was huge when pg and honestly very fat for about a year after, got back into my running and pilates and honestly apart from the merest dome it looks as good if not better than pre pg, so I don't think your stomach condition post has anything to do with your delivery method.

One thing to check is what they're putting through your spinal in terms of pain relief during the op, I felt very whacked out.....and looked it on the pics, I think they may have put some diamorphine in but not sure, my friend's just had an Elective and she looked so radiant, I asked her and she said she felt fine so suspect I was given something she wasn't, that's the only thing I'd change, I'd ideally not liked to have been high 😅!

I agree with the part of this post about pushing a giant head out your unmentionables! I did it on DD1, had the full treatment, salad forks, episiotomy, kiwi, stitches, labour for hours, induction. I can tell you it was no walk in the part after. I still get pain in the area that was stitched. I felt like I had been hit by a truck for weeks after, lost a lot of blood too.

It's true, no one mentions the downsides of a vaginal birth when they talk of vaginal V C-section. I am due my next baby soon and I will not be having induction and I am undecided about whether to opt fully for an elective section or wait and see with the clear understanding that if there's induction, I will not have it and would want a c-section.

I have a downside to talk about in regards to vaginal births (which was a big contributor in wanting an elective cs this time)

Prolapse!

I wasn't warned about that one, so that was a nice discovery 4 weeks postpartum.

I know they say that most of the damage is done during pregnancy but I'm convinced it was the super fast, hard, induced labour and pushing like crazy with DD that did it to me. I certainly didn't have it before she was born.

Best experience of my life. So calm and relaxed. She was out and feeding and I didn’t even notice them stitching me up! Was out in under 24hrs, out walking in three days and pub lunch on day six! No problems with lifting, minimal vaginal bleeding. I stopped the painkillers on day three. Lovely neat scar. I would hands down do it again.

I had an emergency csec. It was fine - I didn't have time to worry about it and it went fine. The surgeon did the lion king when he held my baby up in the air. 😂

Recovery was fine too. I was a bit scared and took it very very easy and slow. Asked for meds when I started to feel any discomfort.

My only advice - get the Ikea long shoe horn so you'll never have to bend down to put your shoes on again. 😁

All the best OP!

I have had 4, 1 emergency and then 3 elective as I had my children close together.

I was very very well taken care of, and found everything to be smooth.

Allow yourself to rest, and bond with your baby. It is an everyday operation but still a big deal for your body so take every opportunity to relax that presents itself!

Good luck!
Ps: you are also giving birth on my birthday so I will be thinking of you.

I had an emergency one and honestly, when they put the spinal block in I felt amazing! The team in theatre were so lovely and reassuring, all came to introduce themselves and just really put me at ease in what could’ve been a scary situation.

Recovery wise I was up and about really quickly and think I got very lucky, was walking to the shop 48 hours afterwards.

Only thing is I wish I’d had the presence of mind to ask for skin-to-skin immediately, as he was all bundled up when they passed him to me. It’s worth looking up “gentle caesareans”; you can ask for theatre to be set up to your preferences. I actually asked for the lights to be dimmed as it felt extremely bright in their after being in a cosy delivery room.

You’ll be absolutely fine. Congratulations on your baby and all the best for tomorrow!

Thank you all so much

On my way to the hospital, hopefully I'm not waiting too long I'm starving

Good luck! I’m already in hospital but I’m just counting down the hours now. Due to go down at 8! So nervous.

Good luck @DigOlBick and @Boeux

Visualize it op.
Visualize being in the hospital and being gowned. Visualize being wheeled down the corridor to the thrasher .
Then Visualize laying there waiting for your life to change . Waiting for your bundle of joy to be born. Visualize how happy youll be when the baby is there.

Just Visualize it. Run through it in your head. It makes it all less daunting and scary . Because as daunting as it might feel this surgery is going to enable your child to be born. And will make you a mum of two(3?) There is nothing better in life :)!!

On a practical note.
Ask if they can put music on. Music that you like and Prepare for days of pain and discomfort afterwards and just as much bleeding as with a vaginal birth. So bring pads haha. Oh and also make sure to get off your pain meds sooner rather then later. Those things are addictive x

Good luck @Boeux @DigOlBick I hope the wait isn't too long! As pps have said, sleep sitting up for the first few nights, take the pain killers and by day 7 you feel so much better. Everything will be worth it! I also found dabbing the wound with a muslin after showering to dry it properly helped it heal well and quickly

@DigOlBick

Good luck! I’m already in hospital but I’m just counting down the hours now. Due to go down at 8! So nervous.

Best of luck I hope you have an amazing experience, let us know how you get on!

I'm going down now eeek.

Mine was emergency after a long labour and copious amounts of blackcurrant oasis so there was a nurse using a suction rod to keep my mouth clear of purple vomit! But for that it was fine.

I was 14 days over so the placenta had broken up and I took them a while to get it all out. A friend who had a section a few months previously said it felt like someone was doing the dishes inside you. Weirdly, she couldn't have been more correct!

Good luck OP I was first down with both of mine and had 9:25 and 9:28 births so I would imagine your wee one is coming into the world right about now!

Enjoy your baby and I hope all is well.

Good luck OP, let us know how you get on!

FWIW, I had two electives, both fabulous experiences, did skin to skin and established bf straightaway, no pain that paracetamol and Ibuprofen couldn't handle after the first day. Worst pain was actually the shoulder tip pain (weird transferred pain from trapped wind, watch out for it).

Because I'm odd I asked to watch no.2 come out- she looked like a brain

Home after 48 hrs no.1, 24 hrs no.2, healed fine, though the stocking and fragmin injections were a laugh!

Fingers crossed you'll sail through- can't wait to hear!

Mine was wonderful. Not quite planned (but not emergency either - labour failed to progress and we chose this rather than induction).

It was calm and we felt so looked after by the hugely competent staff. Seeing my baby for the first time was beyond magical.

I recommend doing a bit of reading/podcast about c sections - I got pretty shakey with the anesthetic, but it didn't didn't me as i knew this was very common.

My recovery was totally fine. Honestly seemed a lot better than most of my friends with "natural" births.

Good luck!

Mine was 20years ago and abroad.
She was planned and I had a general anaesthetic because I am a wimp.
I was up and about the next day and discharged a week later (a whole week).
DH wasn’t allowed into the theatre to watch, but he held her ASAP after.
The added bonus is CS have perfectly shaped heads!

I had an emergency section. I know they say electives are better which I’m sure is true but one advantage is you don’t have time to think about the surgery.

It went well and I’d had abdominal surgery before so I knew what to expect and so it wasn’t bad. It was really just the first week which was uncomfortable.

I was home in 24hrs. I really wanted to leave the ward with all the crying babies.

@MimiDaisy11 me too! It was so much more relaxed at home!