To not know what to do? Norovirus, newborn baby and c section

[rc1232]

Hi, Posted in here just as seems to get a lot of answers. just need some advice.

Basically cut long story short.

-Family member got sick with stomach bug on Saturday, last vomit/diarreah Sunday.

• Other family members waited a few days to see them (going off 48h rule, which I've now read might not even be the case)

-family member resumed on Thursday and saw some other family members for tea -Saturday now and said family members now have D&V. Presumably from the original family member.

We've luckily not seen anyone this week for various reasons. But the problem is, we're due to have baby #2 via c section on Tuesday. Original family members and family members who have got it now were out childcare and backup childcare for our toddler ☹️ meaning I either let toddler go as planned Tuesday morning (if they stop vomiting tonight or tomorrow and are well enough) or I give birth on my own and have husband stay at home with toddler to prevent getting it.

Either situation seems shit. So upset 😭 but don't know what to do. What's worse? Having c section alone or us all possibly getting the bug/noro when bringing newborn home. Petrified baby will get it and be very ill as seems like something that could be very very harmful to a newborn?

read online and you can be contagious for 2 weeks after. No one was aware about this as 48h rule is what's widely knows so no one's fault. I'm just so upset.

If husband stays at home with toddler and I have section alone when will we then be able to see family realistically? 2 weeks? ☹️ Christmas and my birth feels ruined and no idea how I'll survive the first few weeks without my support system.

Didn't even want a bloody c section (medical reasons have forced it), petrified enough already without this now. Can't be postponed, but doesn't really matter I guess as a few days probs won't make the difference.

Anyway, what would you do if you were me?

Just call before to LW as its 50:50 which units allow under 5s but fingers crossed xx

Anxiety doesn't get you higher up the list (pretty much everyone is), it's ranked on medical urgency - the vast majority of sections are medical reasons, then breech/maternal request

No we won't give any sedative medication for anxiety. Any drugs we give get transferred to baby. Sedatives compromise baby so isn't going to hapoenb

Not strictly true in either count, but I doubt the OPs anxiety would be enough.

Mine were maternal request sections on the grounds of tokophobia. So I guess mental health ground really, but it was labelled as maternal request.

Both times I was the first elective because of my anxiety about it. The second tube I had to wait for a labouring woman to give birth first as they weren't sure if they'd need the theatre (sleep hospital, only the one theatre for sections).

Both times I was given a slight sedative I can fully remember everything but it made me slightly chilled and fuzzy. They definitely did it as they had a doc from pediatrics there just in case it affected baby (it didn't).

For standard section nerves though they probably wouldn't do either of those.

They wanted to avoid me having a full blown meltdown on the operating table. It worked and they were wonderful births 😍.

My experience is the same as @Babyboomtastic. I’d had severe PND in the past and so was considered high risk for the next birth. I was the first elective taken down as a result and I was offered (but in the end did not take) a sedative

As for OP’s anxiety not being enough, none of us are medically equipped to assess this, but equally it’s a bit outside the range of normal maternal anxiety to have been crying continuously for days about the prospect of an elective CS, so it’s definitely worth ensuring her caregivers are aware of the extent of her distress and anxiety.

Once the emergency C Sections are done, someone has to be first amongst the electives after all…

Once the emergency C Sections are done, someone has to be first amongst the electives after all
True, I had twins by ELCS and we had an appointment at the hospital with the other mus booked for the same day to explain how it would go and we were told that the electives would likely either be at the very beginning or very end of the day. As we had twins we were the first to go, so I’m assuming high anxiety would mean that as all.

Must be a tiny place that doesn't follow normal rules then, I've neved worked anywhere small enough to a share a emergency and elective theatre...you often get rouge behaviours in small locations (as the actions are less questioned by others who have worked elsewhere and would question it as rogue practice )

I've only ever given sedative premeds once in obs... for a csection against the mums wishes via court order.

It all transfers to baby, its a risk you'll rarely get a anaesthetist to take, as if baby comes out needing respiratory support then it is our fault and I'm not having that on my conscience, when I'm more than capable of chatting through and rationalising and tears to smiles and laughter by talking things through

Thanks everyone. Just going to see how it goes. My head is just banging with the stress so just going to try and relax tonight. Too much doom and gloom so just going to try and block it out till I have to have it done..

Hopefully I'm high up on the list and get it over and done with quick. I've gestational diabetes so maybe it'll go in my favour who knows. X

Yep def you'll be one of the first. Insulin dependent, then tablet dependent then diet controlled but all diabetics will be early on the list

Honestly you'll be fine csection lists are the best, esp now as it'll be Xmas music in theatre and lots of us knit santa hats for the babies

@Destiny123 fab thank you for the reassurance. I'm sure will all be fine and hopefully a distant memory by this time next week.

Hoping and praying I can be home after 24h (I know this is minimum for GD and c sections at my hospital). As I think I'll genuinely go crazy the longer I spend in there... I struggled after my first baby afterwards and wasn't helped at all really but I'm hoping someone will take pity on me and help more since I'll be alone and have had a section!

You sound lovely @Destiny123 :)
I had 2 elective c sections OP - placenta praevia caused the 1st, 2nd was twins - and the theatre staff were fab, very easy going. My DH was with me, but tbh i barely noticed him 😂 I was quite intrigued by what was going on, and the midwives/nurses were chatting to me. I felt very well cared for.
You will be fine 👍

Yeah honestly just buzz your bell for anything you need or just pester anyone on the ward, it's a speciality where people are more than obliging, I often would cuddle a baby for 45mins whilst mum had a shower if partner wasn't around I love it. You will find the midwives are stretched as their staffing levels are even worse than ours but people will try their best to help (I'd daily borrow the ward smartphone to facetime a lady in her isolation room as she had covid so wasn't allowed to visit her baby in nicu, I felt so so sorry for her so promised her at least daily 20min video calls before or after I finished work and would stroke her bubba and get her lots of pics as can't imagine how awful she must have felt).

Honestly it'll be a breeze and this time next week it'll be a distantbut pleasant memory, pls try not to worry, easier said than done I know

Fingers crossed you'll be out quick, providing both of yours sugars are OK and you're OK with feeding they'll let you out (sometimes you need to push a little for discharges outside of the normal pathway but no reason not to if you're managing well, I don't know how anyone sleeps on post nates it's so noisy

This is scientifically proven, which a quick Google will tell you - it's just that of those two weeks, the first two days are when people are most contagious. If anyone I know gets it, I'm careful not to hang out for two weeks (although these days it's always the children who get it first from school or whatever, so then we're screwed).

My friend had it a week after c section and it sounds rough don't risk it. Get someone else to look after your child

If you do this, perhaps someone (the most well relative, staff from nursery etc) could take your DC for a walk in the buggy near the hospital for an hour so your DH can go in, then return them afterwards.

That sounds like a decent plan?

Is your c/section tomorrow @rc1232?

I had three c/sections. Ask the anaesthetist about getting pain relief injected directly into your spinal. I had that for my 3rd and it was the best.

It's honestly all very chill! Theatre will be busy with staff and they were always bustling and cheerful. Once you've had your spinal, it will be over before you know it. I think I was most scared for my second, not sure why because I had done it before! Everyone is scared and anxious - but by the time I came back up from recovery I was on such a high I'd have done it all over again!

Just watch out for an infection - I had them. First time I didn't realise quickly enough, 2nd time I did, and 3rd time they just gave me antibiotic as par for the course to fend it off.

Very best wishes, and update when you can! x

@rc1232 good luck tomorrow everything will be okay and this time tomorrow you'll have that precious little bub in your arms ! Xxx

Ehhh??! A spinal always contains pain relief, you don't need to ask for it... we'd be v much out of a job/sued if it didn't!

Best of luck!

My bad - I should have said antibiotics, ffs!!!! Gimme a break though, it's been 21 years!! 🙄

Everyone gets those too don't worry! :) (into the hand drip not the spinal

Look all I know is I got something via spinal to prevent infection that I hadn't been given the other two times!!!

Good luck OP!

Baby arrived safe and sound! A relative who couldn't help originally was luckily able to help last minute and stepped in. Thank god as it was an incredible experience and DH would've been super sad to have missed it and his support was fantastic too.

But overall for anyone reading in the same position, the Section was amazing, nothing to be frightened of whatsoever. The whole surgical team were incredible and if I had done it alone I do think I'd have been just fine 😊
Recovering well and totally besotted with our little one. Thank you for everyone who offered advice and experiences xx

Congratulations and so glad it all worked out!

Congratulations!