I'm booked in for c-section for breech baby. What do you wish you had asked beforehand? And any aother dvice please!

[SuchFunSuchFun]

I had this wonderful intervention free birth carefully planned, but a stargazing breech baby has put paid to that idea so c-section it is.

I have been told on a seperate thread that you can still have skin to skin straight away and even breastfeed quite soon afterwards which I didn't realise (my only experience of c-section is a friend who had an emergency section, they took baby away and she didn't see him till recovery, she developed infections and took months to recover, so I'm also very nervous about the whole thing!!)

What else is there that I might not know about that I should ask for or about at my pre-op appointment?

And what are my options for making this as non-clinical and as personal as an operation can be, or am I being a bit naive to think this is possible?

Ask your birth centre what they can do - some offer to drop the curtain so you can see your baby being 'born', others go for silence at the point of 'birth' so yours is the first voice they hear, many do skin to skin contact (be warned you may feel a little nervous about holding them when you're numbed and you may have drips in both arms which can make it a little tricky), almost everywhere lets you bring your own music/have the radio set to your favourite channel etc.

I found chatting to the surgical staff at the start good - they were all very lovely and it made me feel more involved (didn't initially like the idea of being awake and hearing all the noises going on but actually it was pretty interesting).

Ask for the pre-spinal anaesthetic (a small needle to numb the area before they put in the actual one)
Ask if they leave the epidural in for pain relief afterwards (really good if they do)

Other recommendations I'd have as generally for a CS you're in for longer than other mums:
Clean-up materials (for you) as if you won't be able to bathe for at least 48 hours and skin to skin / breastfeeding while wearing the same polyester robe throughout can make you feel a bit manky.
Sports bottles of water (you can drink from them while lying down without spilling and you can leave them next to you in bed - reaching to the little table and the bed controls is near impossible at the start of recovery)
Peppermint water (after having your insides moved around during the op any trapped wind is utter agony and this gets rid of it within minutes)
2 pairs of lovely PJs and slippers or bedsocks (covers the incredibly unsexy compression stocking you'll have to wear afterwards and cheers you up)
Your favourite treats like chocolate/muffins (enough for you and hungry DH/visitors) as any new mum needs a bit of sugar when she can't sleep (but avoid fruit early on - it will increase the chance of trapped wind - see above)
Large thermos mug with lid for tea (as managing self, any drips, newborn and polystyrene mug to kitchen and back is impossible)
Comfy pants - get ones without elasticated waistlines (they'll rub your scar) - these were great and currently on 3 for £10; www.marksandspencer.com/Perfect-VPL-Low-Rise-Shorts/dp/B000WLY0PS?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_2&nodeId=62805031&sr=1-2&qid=1318952125&pf_rd_r=1KAG11V6FWCFZ0FN96DT&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=62805031&pf_rd_p=215570647&pf_rd_s=related-items-3

toffeepenny thank you! I wouldn't have thought of half of those suggestions.

I quite like the idea of seeing it "born", but, can't you see a little too much IYSWIM? Not sure I'd want to see my innards

When you say clean up materials, do you think something like baby wipes would work or did you use something else? (I'm guessing you have had a CS?)

I did and it was great. Immediate aftercare was a pain though so the more you can plan for that the better I think.

As far as the viewing goes: They get everything into position first then give the area a clean before dropping the curtain so you are straight to the main event with no surgical cutting tools etc in sight. It's a surprisingly little cut they make (they needed forceps to get toffee ha'penny out because of this and my 'well developed abs'). As a result there's no innards to be seen, just baby head and he/she is out in seconds. Also you are looking down from a lying positon and your bump covers the site (remember to wax/cream the site or you'll get itchy shaving regrowth!).

They sometimes take them away briefly afterwards to clear any liquid from their lungs with a little pipette (ask if they do this in advance so you know what to expect) and do the bellybutton at the same time. For ours they also dressed him and gave him vitamin k (I think). Usually they bring DH along with them when they do all this.

I remember DH returning almost instantly to my side with a baby and trying to give him to me - my skin to skin plans went out of the window and my main thought was 'seriously? now? don't you think I've got enough on my plate at the moment without a baby to hold?!'. They have to take the baby off you to move you from the operating table/trolley onto your bed (this is not an elegant manouvre!) but then they put them back next to you and wheel you both off to recovery.

I had the simple baby wipes which were ok but the real powerhouse ones were the 'mr messy' ones you can buy in boots - those bad boys even took off the horrid sticky residue from the drip tapes.

Also remembered - worth getting a bit of toe-work/pedicure done (as getting down there is too much effort for some time after) but no polish - they use your big toe to check blood oxygen level during the op.

Oops - sorry this is so long!

Take a BIG sports-cap type bottle of water, that can be refilled, in with you. You need to stay hydrated, and hospital cups only come in tiny thimble size. Being able to have a bottle next to you within reach that doesn't spill (and you can drink from one handed, as you'll have the baby in the other, esp if you are BF-ing) is VERY handy.

Peppermint oil capsules. You can get them from health food shops - Holland and Barrett do them, I know. For trapped wind. Very easy to take, less effort than tea.

Get a big V shaped pillow for propping yourself up with afterwards, as your abdominal muscles obviously take a while to get back to normal. John Lewis do a fab one.

I had a planned CS and it was wonderful. They lowered the screen as they lifted my DS out, so I saw him the second he 'arrived' (you can't see your own giblets, btw, and you really will be looking at your baby!). I didn't know what sex my baby was when I was pregnant, and the whole theatre chorused 'it's a boy!' and there was hurrah-ing and some clapping! Fabulous moment. I also recovered v quickly and my DS was exclusively BF-ed.

This may sound silly, but have a look up at the light fittings when you go into theatre. When I had DS1, I looked up halfway through the operation and could see my insides reflected in the highly polished stainless steel metal that surrounded the light. It really freaked me out at the time. When I had DS2 a couple of years later the stainless steel fittings had been replaced with black ones.

Don't try and do too much when you get out of hospital. With both DS1 and DS2 I thought I was much better than I was about 7 days after the birth and walked too far and ended up feeling really, really sore.

I wish I'd asked beforehand for DD not to be taken out of the room. She went out of the room with DH, in her little plastic cot, only for about 5/10 minutes while they got the trolley in to transfer me. It wasn't really a long time but it felt like forever so i wish I had asked if she could stay.

Make sure you take some high fibre foods in to eat while you're in hospital - dried apricots etc, as the painkillers can be constipating - and don't be afraid to ask for some fibogel from the midwives if you're having problems.

I was told beforehand that it wouldn't be possible for me to have the baby on my chest while I was being sewn up as the consultant claimed there wouldn't be room - but in the event DH just brought her over and popped her on me (albeit not skin to skin).

Make sure your DH knows your wishes e.g. if you don't want the baby to be dressed. It felt very important to me that I had her in her 'natural state', just wrapped up in blankets (and with a nappy!), so if that matters to you make it clear.

And try not to worry, you can have a very good experience with a CS, albeit different to giving birth naturally.

All of the above (esp the wind - it hurt more than the op!) and also prepare your bits. My scar is just lower than my hip bones (not all the way across - don't worry!!!) and if you don't remove the hair, the nurse will - with a DRY razor.

Use hair removing cream before you go (use DH or a mirror) because shaved bits itch like CRAZY and you really don't need that on a healing scar.

2 sections, second one much less itchy [hgrin]

That all makes a lot of sense, thank you so much everyone.

There are some very good hints and tips on here that I would never have thought of, it wouldn't have occured to me I might not be able to reach my own water so a big water bottle is vital,

I'll definitely remove my own hair. But, um, how far down do I need to go? Surely it doesn't all need to come off does it?

I took the lot off (ouch!) but the scar is between the lowest part of the sticky out pelvic bones, pretty much just below where the top line of a normal bikini bottom (not shorts-style) sits. Probably an Inch would do.

Feeling more confident now?

[hgrin]

BTW I had a shower within 24 hours of my CS (but I was told I was very good at standing up straight etc.).
Do avoid anything funny for a while afterwards.
Don't worry about being a nuisance and ringing your bell for someone to pass your baby to you, until you can move enough to pick them up yourself.
Don't let anyone even hint that you have failed. Remember its a life saving operation.
I think a non-emergency CS is quite pleasant and non-medical really. Everyone is quite relaxed. My DS never left the theatre without me, and even my squeamish DH coped brilliantly.

Thanks ToffeePenny actually I am feeling better thanks.

Mumsnet is great for things like this, I don't really have anyone in RL to talk to about this properly so I'd have driven myself nuts without coming on here. Thanks everyone.

Pre-op tomorrow morning so hopefully that will also help put my mind at ease even more, I'm a bit of a control freak and not knowing what to expect is probably half my problem.

Definitely take the lot off hairwise. The scar is only at the top of the hair but they stick a sticky plaster dressing over the cut and you don't want it to be stuck to the lower bit of hair when they remove it (OUCH!).

Ask for the IV to be put in the side of your wrist not the back of your hand - much less uncomfortable and it gives you greater freedom of movement. They should put numbing cream on 15-20 mins or so before they put the IV in. Ask for that if they try to do it without.

Ask for a pre-med. I didn't want to be stressed or anxious during the op so I asked for one. The anesthetist said "that's not necessary and may affect your baby" in a very snotty way. I told the nurse this and she was outraged and said "of course you can have a pre-med, it does no harm at all!" and promptly got me a pill. I was sooooooooooo chilled out in the theatre - not doped up just very relaxed and lucid and pleasingly warm and tingling. Don't know what they gave me but I'm looking forward to my next c-section in Dec so I can get some more! Ditto the morphine!

Make sure you have no jewellery on you and no coloured polish on fingers or toes.

I was very worried about the catheter being inserted. But I needn't have been. They put it in after the spinal so you don;t feel a thing or even notice it is there. There is no pain involved in it at all. The nurse will take it out when you get up for the first time in the morning and you don't even feel it.

Don't panic when they give you the spinal block. As they do it your leg might jump - its perfectly normal and doesn't mean they've hit a nerve or anything! No one warned me though and it freaked me out.

Also occasionally you will start to feel pale and sick immediately after the spinal. Lots of people get an immdiate drop in blood pressure. Just tell the anesthetist you feel sick and she will bring your BP back up - takes seconds. You may dry heave but you'll have been fasting so will have nothing in you to throw up. This is all VERY normal so again, don't panic.

The incision is made very low down and only in the top layer of tissue, the muscles are not cut these days, the surgeon will gently move them out of the way to get to your uterus which he will make another cut in to get the baby out. This technique is much less hard on the body and you shouldn't get much, if any, bruising and minimal healing time required.

You won't feel any of this. In fact you'll feel warm, comfortable and a little high - in a good way.

I didn't want goop covered baby put on my bare skin so they wrapped her in a towel and gave her to H who held her next to my head. That was perfect.

When you are in the theatre they drape you modestly (top half plus legs and pubic area) so the only bit of you to be exposed is the actual area where they are making the incision. Well they did for me anyway. If this is something you particularly want you can ask for it. I didn't like the idea of being naked and immobile on the slab so that worked for me very well.

Take laculose in with you in case they don't precribe it automatically (for the constipation).

BIG pants - seriously the bigger the better and black if poss.

Take a small cushion in with you. When you first stand up you press it to your scar aea and it helps a lot with the discomfort.

Take BLACK slippers with you - blood drips don't look so good (remember you'll be having the equivalent of a very heavy period for a few days afterwards)

Get up and move around as soon as you can - take a walk down the hallways with your H. You'll be nervous about it but the more you move the less likely you are to get constipated or gassy (which is NOT good). You'll heal quicker and have less pain too.

MAKE SURE YOU KEEP TRACK OF YOUR MEDICATION. The nurses get pretty busy with other women in labour and people being demanding. Ask them how long the medication works and when your next dose is due then set an alarm on your phone to remind you. Push the button and say "My next shot is due now". This is especially true if its night time. You do not want to wake up and find you've gone over by a few hours because "they didn;t want to wake you".

Immediately you feel you can move your feet ask for pain meds (say you're beginning to feel discomfort). No it won't actually HURT at that point but the idea is to prevent the pain not try and get it under control after its taken hold. They may try to give you IV paracetamol first before offering you a morphine shot. Take the paracetamol but within 5 minutes ask for the morphine - paracetamol does bugger all.

If I were you I'd definitely request ibruprofen based painkillers rather than paracetamol in conjunction with the morphine and for after the morphine isn't necessary (day 2/3 onwards). Propanol is excellent and can be bought OTC. Paracetamol did nothing for me.

I've had 2 emcs and had straightforward, nay easy recoveries each time. If you're having a spinal, it wears off really quickly. My last cs was 6 weeks ago and he was born at 3.30. At 6pm I was up and moving around, caring for ds on my own. No probs with reaching anything or picking up the baby. It's sometimes no bother.

Bear in mind that you will probably have to self administer 7 days worth of blood thinning injections. They'll teach you how.

Get up and move around asap and stand up straight.

Listen to your body, do no more or no less than you're able to.

Do not be surprised by the sweats (fan and lots of water) or itchiness (it's the morphine).

DH watched the entire operation 2nd time round which he loved.

Oh and they will no doubt stick a voltarol suppository up your bottom once the baby's out. Tell them you'd rather not be told it's happening.

Tell the anaesthetist if you feel sick/dizzy/sleepy and s/he can fix it. Usually a fluctuating bp.

I bf within an hour of birth both times, had skin to skin and with ds in particular made sure they all knew I wanted him with me asap. My hospital tuck the baby in bed with you and you bedshare for the duration.

Get your visitors to leave everything in reach.

Peppermint water for trapped wind (you may feel this in your shoulder), hospital has a stock, just ask.

A cs btw feels like you're a handbag and somebody's rummaging for lost keys.

Lots of hospitals give you your meds to self administer. I didn't need any but keep on top of them if you do. Paracetamol and diclofenac alternated are the meds of choice. Ask if they're not enough.

No one I know had to do their own injecting. Was there some specific reason you had to be on blood thinners showofhands?

God, I had forgotten the suppositary. Hated that bit!

They will also put horrible compression stockings on you. Really tight and scratchy! Another good reason to get up and mobile so they can take those off.

New policy, should be adopted in all hospitals now. Didn't happen with my first, did with my second last month.

They give you a course of blood thinners to take home with you so you have to self-inject or get your dh to do it. It's been show to prevent post partum dvt.

Anticoagulants tend to be more frequently prescribed after emergency sections but rarely with planned ones unless you have a. a previous history of thrombi b. a compromised circulation or ambulatory problems (difficulty getting mobile) c. you are diabetic and a clot in the legs could be more common because of weaker peripheral circulation or d. you are obese. It may be standard for everyone in your hospital but I do not believe it is common practise.

I quizzed the midwife about it. She said it's just become procedure and should be rolled out through all hospitals. I have no factors that put me at risk. All women (emergency and elective) should be given them. It's v new. My most recent cs was category d (so technically an emergency as my waters had gone but planned iyswim).

Suppository? eeeew! Glad I didn't get told about that beforehand or afterwards [hgrin].

I didn't have any bleeding afterwards - the surgeons did a full clean up and then the midwife did two while I was in recovery which seems to have got rid of all the lochia.

Didn't have morphine either - they left the spinal in for 24 hours and administered painkillers via that (not sure what but I remember it wasn't an opiate), then paracetamol (I agree with ionysis about it being rubbish and about asking for it before you get uncomfortable but the diclofenac was good).

Surprised to hear about the anticoagulant injections - they got me to take some orally 48hrs and 24 hrs before the op and for the next 2 days afterwards but that (and the sexy stockings) was all.

Glad you're feeling more confident now - I was the same, once I knew everything I was much more relaxed.

I've had the pre op now and feel a lot more confident about everything now I know a bit more about what to expect.

We asked about the injections and (in my hosp anyway) they only prescribe them to people who need them, if you are mobile quite soon after and not at high risk then you don't have to have them.

They will lower the screen so we can see baby delivered, but they have said they won't let me have baby straight away as it's too cold in theatre so they'll take it away to dry it and warm it up then I can have it to cuddle skin to skin but under a towel once it's dry. I did ask if they couldn't just turn the air con off for a bit but I don't think she was in the mood!! bit sad that I can't have it straight on me but apparently it will still be in the room and I'll be able to see what they are doing, and it's literally away from me for 2 minutes so it's not too bad.

Thanks again all.

can't wait until I can stop calling the poor child "it".

One disadvantage to not finding out beforehand

You have some great advice here and I am getting a little emotional because I loved both my ELCS's (dd1 was breech, dd2 didn't come on her own).

One really stupid thing I did was put my wash stuff on the floor in the bathroom when I went for a shower the morning after the op. It was bloody painful bending over to pick them up!

I am suprised to hear showofhands was up a few hours after the operation - both times I didn't try and walk until the next morning and even then it was painful. Tbh I was still numb a few hours after the operation (ie the spinal hadn't fully worn off).

Don't remove hair at all by any method it has been found to increase wound infections and you really don't want one of those!

Nighties are much better than PJs. With loose or short sleeves for blood pressure checks.

Use your call bell instead of waiting for nurses to come to you

finallygotaroundtoit I was told that they will shave it when I'm prepped for theatre if I haven't removed it myself beforehand.

The cut will be below the hair line so I can't see how they could do it with hair still there, didn't they remove the hair for yours then?

I second nighties as pj's may catch on your scar site.

Get massive granny knickers. I was a size 10 before preg with dd so i got size 14. Werent big enough!!! I got mil to buy me 18-20.

I got a set of black towels and flannel so blood streaks etc didnt show. I had a bed bath after my cs. I was horrified at the time as they washed right in my fanjo. But they told me I'd be glad. God i was. To have all the iodine and blood cleaned off me and a clean nightie put on. I could have cried it felt so good.

Take food if you can because you may not get a chance to order a meal and you'll get the traditional piece of toast but if you fasted you'll want food!!