To think the gynae might have said something or anything during CS.

[Cricketsong]

Had a CS a few days ago, wheeled down and gynae was already scrubbed up ready to go. He performed the section, didn’t say ‘oh baby is out’ or anything, heard him obviously ask the team for tools etc but then stitched me up washed his hands and walked out 😂

I just thought this was really impersonal and a bit strange. I know it’s not a jolly to have a chat but to not even say one word throughout the birth seems really odd.

i had 3 c sections and surgeon introduced himself, talked me through what he would do and congratulated me at the end. It takes minimal effort to make a patient feel like a human being rather than a number on a surgery list.

Yes I agree.

Yes my husband got a tour too. Apparently, I have nice insides 😂

another obstetric anaesthetist here...often, from experience, if there's absolutely no communication it's because they're trying to prevent the whole thing turning into an absolute shambles or something out of the ordinary has happened/ is about to happen and they are counting their lucky stars/ planning the next few steps/ (difficult delivery/flat baby/massive blood vessels/extension of the uterine incision/just had news there's a cord prolapse on the way in, etc). While a c-section is often fairly routine straightforward surgery, it's can turn into an absolute scene very quickly (the blood supply to the uterus is phenomenal). If a section's being done on labour ward rather than an elective list, they may also be being updated re emergencies brewing in other rooms and it really isn't terribly unusual for the surgeons to have to leave to deal with other emergencies. Most aim to do at least a bit of chat, but occasionally it's best that they concentrate on the practical job and getting the work done for as many patients as possible. The rest of us are there to support that happening.

quite a lot of us are just on autopilot with the chat - we have pretty much the same conversations with every single patient because that allows us to actually be using our brains to concentrate on the dynamic physiology in front of us (I know i ask all the same questions, have an almost set routine of responses to any questions, give the same explanation of what's going on each time and to colleagues it must be so so boring to listen to, but it means that I'm actually concentrating on what your BP's doing; how much blood is in the suction; have i given the uterotonics/antibiotics; which bit of the operation are they up to and can i do anything to help make the surgery easier; could we need to convert to a GA, etc etc. Of course, just like with every job, there's the odd tosser out there but most often it's really just decent people occasionally having a bad day.

@Greybeardy I just want to say I'm a secret fan of yours! On almost every thread where I think I might have something to add, you are there already, being calmer and more measured than I might have been. I wonder if we'll bump into each other at OAA or something one day...

aw, thanks! (obviously now wondering if that counts as colleague feedback for appraisal purposes! 😂) Have seen your posts before too and thought we might have quite similar styles if we ever ended up in a theatre together!

Unless it's an emergency and even then they really can address you...it's just really poor

Yes @Greybeardy I also remembered you from a 3rd degree tear thread (I was not the OP) and reading what you put made me feel much better about consenting to forceps and helped me not regret my mode of delivery. So thanks.

I definitely think there was a time for talking and a time for working. The surgeon checked in on me before and the day after but when it came to the nitty gritty it was the nurses who made the small chat and kept me informed

I’d do it again in the morning

Yeah, the surgeon didn't really chat to me at all and seemed pretty in the zone. The anaesthetists were amazing though

I lost a lot of blood in both of mine (first was emergency and second time around I elected for a CS partly because I was told that it was going through labour and then having a CS that contributed to the blood loss and I really wasn't confident of a VB as I do grow big babies and first one was stuck - the second time around it wasn't as much but still more than average), so I imagine the surgeons were very busy. I'm glad that they were so focused both times.

My surgical team were a friendly bunch and they were having a laugh while they were cutting me open (not that I minded, it was an ELCS on a Thursday afternoon.) They did a good job too, although I'm still salty about being the last person in the room to meet DS! I wanted a 'gentle c section' and the midwife who was in the theatre with me was having none of it. Oh well.

It really was but can honestly say I thought that was just normal behaviour. Surely being part of a team, bringing a newborn into the world is a very special job satisfaction.
I also now remember that the junior Dr who assisted ,came to see me later and we had a giggle because I had polyhydramnious ,the theatre floor was soaked .