Please share ELCS experiences - scared!!

[MyBunnyRabbit]

I'll be having an elective C-Section this time round. 1st baby was taken straight to Neonatal unit after an emergency C-section so although I have had a section already, I really dont know what to expect under 'normal' circumstances. Am keen to have things as calm and controlled as possible after trauma of 1st, I never had baby on ward with me and so have no experience of caring for newborn following CS. Getting really scared, so want it to be different but dont know what to expect.

How soon can you move/sit up?? I was pretty much out of it for about 8 hours laying on my back but dont know if that was physical/emotional trauma or normal.

Need some reassurance ladies, this birth can be 'normal' and a beautiful stressfree experience right??

please help calm my worries.
thanks

Had my 4th section 3 wks ago,it was great.I was up and about that evening and had a bath.
I am now feeling firly normal and been out and about with the pram but not too far or for too long,pain relief regime is great and i was practically pain free.
I waited in a room then walked up when it was my turn.DH changed into his george cloonys,they put a cannula in{the anaethesist was really nice)then i had the spinal(bit scratchy)they then lie you down and spray cold water on you and prick you to prove that you cant feel anything.They then begin the op and you have dh next to you and the anaethesist tells you everything thats going on,you feel movement(a lot) but no pain at all,all of a sudden you hear sucking noises then crying and your bambino appears aloft,we even had the screen dropped to see her.MW takes her away really quickly and then she is bought back all wrapped up and they tuck her in by my neck so me and dh had a good look a her whilst they repaired me.Then went to recovery for about an hr where they do obs on you and i then fed her,i was sat up in bed and had sonme tea and toast.It really was a lovely experience.Hope yours is.Feel free to ask me anything else.

oh yes take arnica the week before during and after.

My ELCS was calm and lovely. BF in recovery room and able to sit up on pillows in ward. Was completely stress-free and painless. You're going to be fine.

I've had three sections (4th due in June). We had to wait in the DAU for our allocated time (my hospital has separate staff (always get consultants) & theatre for electives so you don't get bumped by emergencies) - did all the paper work & ran a CTG trace. Then walked down to theatre with dh & my mum. When we got there I sat on the table & anaesthetist put a the cannula in & then did the spinal. Once the spinal is sited it goes really quickly, they put the catheter in after the spinal so you don't feel anything.

Once baby is out I had skin to skin then the midwife takes baby to weigh & dh trimmed the cord & dressed the baby. My mum took loads of pictures - we all got a cuddle while I was stitched up. Then you're moved through to recovery - had a cup of tea, made phone calls, breastfed, changed into nightdress etc. I've been in recovery for between ! & 3 hours waiting for a bed on the postnatal ward. Afterwards I've been up & showered (you can have a shower while the catheter is still in) by later afternoon & had visitors after that.

take a look at this thread....

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth/1053355-C-Section-Information-Real-Life-xperiences

good luck

I had a planned cs following an EMCS for my first DC.

The planned cs was much easier IME. I had everything organised, knew to wear comfy clothes, made my mind up not to take any nonsense off the midwives and concentrated on resting and feeding dd.

The op was very nerve-wracking (for me, as I'm a huge worrier) but it ran smoothly. They even showed me the placenta afterwards. I had a couple of minutes of skin to skin in theatre, but TBH it was jolly tricky to hold her with all my tubes in so I was happy to have her in the plastic cot thingy until we were wheeled into the recovery ward.

My catheter was in until 24 hours later and I refused to leave the bed until it was out (and I wouldn't let them take it out until P arrived to help me to the shower, they loved me that day ).

As long as you rest as much as you can and get everyone to help you - this is the time to be a bossy cow - then you will do fine.

I was off paracetamol after 10 days, although I still took it easy for 6 weeks. Back at the gym at 12 weeks.

I had a ELCS nearly 3 years ago. Was very calm and relaxed and lovely. Had a HCA caring for me from the get-go, and she stayed with me for 3 days as I had SPD. I was BF DD within an hour of her delivery and was sat up on the ward 4 hours after! I was catheterised for 3 days but that was because of the SPD stopping me from standing. Once the SPD healed, I was up and about no problem

I'm assuming the recovery is the same for EMCS and ELCS, hold wound when coughing, keep it clean and dry and make friends with a bottle of lactulose to stop the morphine giving you constipation

Had one in October - first was EMCS because of huge baby, so planned ELCS.

It was great. Very chilled, great surgical team, very relaxed affair.
Knew exactly what was going to happen, was told everything as it happened.

Baby did spend some time in SCBU, but this was because he had decided to come earlier than planned elcs date -2 weeks to be exact.
He was fine though - was out withing 48 hours. Recovery seemed a lot easier, but I suppose this was mainly due to the fact that it was less of a shock this time - knew what to expect.

Good luck!!