So, i'm hurtling towards a c-section...

[deemented]

And i could do with someone to talk to about it.

I'm 35 weeks tomorrow and baby is still breech. Unlikely to turn round on her own as i have very little waters. They won't try to turn her because of lack of waters, and they aren't keen on my trying a breech delivery as i've had a previous c-sec and 3rd degree tear.

It's not the kind of birth i wanted at all, i'd really wanted a water birth as i'm suffering terribly with PGP/SPD, and believe a water birth would have helped with the pain, but diabetes and a host of other things have put paid to all that.

So, how can i have a positive c-sec experience? Will i be able to have skin to skin straight away? What about breastfeeding? And is there any truth to the rumour that you can be sterilized at the same timeas a c-sec? And if so, do they have to put you to sleep to do it?

I have had a previous c-sec, but that was 7.5 years ago and have had two vaginal deliveries since then.

Don't know anything about sterilisation but I had a very positive C-section with twins both in breech. No pain at all. Lots of my natural birth friends were crawling round in agony with tears and stitches where it hurts but the C-section was fine.

Didn't get skin to skin which did upset me, but as they were twins, they whisked them off to be weighed and warmed.

Wish I'd been better advised about breastfeeding. Milk can take longer to come down - it's delayed by one of the painkillers (pethedrine? sp?) No one told me. But you can counteract that with some natural stuff like fenugreek tablets apparently, or milk thistle.

C-section babies are peaceful - no headaches from squashed skulls or ventouse. You're not shattered from hours of labour.

Can't think of anything else. If I had the choice, I'd have preferred a natural birth, but the C-section was as calm and lovely as could be. Had some gorgeous music playing and the nurses sang to the babies as they came out. All very lovely and positive.

Having a trial of labour or a bit of one can help with triggering the bfing hormones etc. It might also turn the baby.

Skin to skin is easier if they put all the lines in one arm rather than both so one of your arms can hold the baby.

If you want to see the event you'll have to negotiate heavily but you could also ask your birthing partner to bring a mirror so you can see over the screen.

I had hours and hours of skin to skin after my last CS (EMCS at that but not very emergency IYKWIM) in the end I had to ask someone to take him off me and dress him Breastfed for a long time too, did take a while for milk to come in though.

On the plus side, with a booked CS you won't be shattered from hours of contractions first, and CS babies often look extra gorgeous because they have lovely round heads and less squashed looking

You can be sterilised with a CS but there are lots of reasons why it's not a brilliant idea, not least higher failure rate and not ideal to make permanent decisions about it when you are very pregnant and hormones are everywhere But if you definitely want to then your surgeon may be willing.

My elective section was fab. Yes to skin to skin asap. No probs breastfeeding at all (contrary to my experience with 30+ hour labour/emergency section).

Sterilising you'd have to ask your consultant.

Good luck!

I could not have been happier after my c section ( for dc2 after traumatic birth of dc1). It all went very well, had skin to skin, no probs at all breast feeding, very happy baby, and to be honest all very relaxing. And all so different from birth number 1. People say it takes 6 weeks if recovery, but to be honest I was fine much much faster.

remember that most people have CSs after labour, so a lot of the complaints you hear are about injuries caused by labouring for YONKS beforehand. i can't say my CS was the biggest thrill of my life (but the baby was in big trouble so my experience wasn't the priority) but it really was okay. and the recovery, i PROMISE you, was a farking doddle compared to the VB, after which i thought my insides were about to fall out every time i stood up.
good luck!

My baby was breech so I booked in for a c section. It was amazing, so quick & I would do it all again tomorrow! Took two days for my milk to come in, still BF 13 months later.
Good luck & please don't worry, it will be over even before you realise it has began.

I asked about sterilisation but my consultant is very reluctant to do it - because of the "what if the baby dies?" which I know is quite blunt - but it's true. If this baby were not to make it I would want to try again.

I think you have to think about an elective cs as a very different experience to an emergency one. Before an elective you're just sitting around, reading magazines, the staff are a lot more chipper as its not as scary a prospect, and you can choose the music in the room, etc. I know it can be disappointing when you're like to have a more natural birth but an elective isn't the end of the world, and no less of a birth experience than a natural delivery- you get to see your baby without all that painful contracting malarkey! DS1 was breech so I had an elective planned but went into labour after the turning didn't work. They do have beautiful heads!

Poor you - so sorry to hear of traumas. I was following your other thread re your waters. If you are already struggling with spd, though, I think maybe lying in your back for a c-section birth at least means you won't be having to get your legs in tricky positions.

II was very impressed with both my planned C-sections. Lots of skin to skin - baby immediately put on my chest and I pulled the gown down; simples. I was so happy and relaxed during the second section (even though ds had got a bit stuck under my ribs so there was a fair amount of pulling and rummaging) that I just held my new son, kept looking at his face and laughing even as they stitched me up. II don't thInk it was the drugs....

Theatre team really professional. Chatted aimlessly to keep my mind off what was going on down below. I made a lovely playlist of music so baby came into the world to one of my favourite songs. Milk did take five days to come but he was obv getting enough few drops of colostrum.

Take painkillers when they are offered. You won't get any hero grams for thinking you can go a bit longer - just a nasty thwunk of pain and you'll kick yourself!!

I really hope it is as good for you as it was for me

I had a planned CS to deliver my twins, one of whom was breech.

I asked about skin to skin and feeding in theatre but was told it isn't possible. I think some hospitals find a way, so it might be worth asking. Otherwise you'll be able to feed your baby in recovery, about 45 mins after delivery. You can definitely hold your baby in theatre tho - DH or the midwives can help arrange your arm and baby so that babies head is snuggled up by your head/shoulder.

I felt like I'd been hit by a truck the morning after delivery! Then the midwives made me get up for a shower (I thought they were joking when they suggested it!) and I got better hour by hour. Stayed in from Wednesday morning delivery to Friday evening and then brought my babies home. I was fit to drive in about a week and a half, though I left it 2 weeks as DH was home on paternity leave so no need to drive until then. Insurance co said I could drive whenever I felt able.

One thing I'd do differently - ask the anaesthetist to tell you when the baby is about to be born! I missed DS being lifted - just saw him arrive on baby station thing next to me! Looked round quickly enough to see DD lifted tho :)

Good luck, and wishing you a speedy recovery :)

Oh thank you all so much, it really does sound like it doesn't have to be the ordeal i think i'm working it up to be - you all sound so positive and happy about it It sounds like you've all had really good experiences.

I'm pretty certain that this will be my lasy child. Don't get me wrong, i'd love a whole army, but i just can't do it. The whole diabetes, PGP and still running round after all my others has made sure of that. It's not fair on me and definately not fair on them. That's why i want to be sterilised. But i don't mind waiting for a while. And manshapes going for the snip too, just to make sure.

Am a little concerned about breastfeeding though, being diabetic the baby is likely to have low bloods after birth, and obviously the best way of regulating them would be to breastfeed asap - i'm not too keen on baby being given formula. I wonder if i could express colostrum beforehand for baby to be given? I think thats something i need to look into.

Thanks again for all your positive words of encouragement - it sounds like this could really be a good thing

My lovely DD was delivered by CS 10.8 years ago. I had a general anaesthetic (by choice) and she was given to DH asap afterward. He had skin to skin with her.
I'd been warned I would feel as though I had been hit by a bus the next day. I got out of bed at 7am and walked the kilometre to the front of the hospital to have a cigarette. This involved carrying a catheter (was glad to get rid of that baby) and pushing a drip stand.
Don't expect too much of yourself and you'll be fine.
Good luck.

I had a ELSC in October for my 2 nd DD because my first DD was stillborn the year before( not due to a vaginal delivery I must add) but to reduce any stress & enable my consultant & me to have more control , to reduce any potential stresses. I have to say it was the easiest proceedure I have experienced. Whole process took less than hour , all staff were fabulous ( but I ensured it was my consultant delivering my DD & not some FYO!!!) and we had our " own" Midwive , who had delivered my first DD. Anaesthetists assistant took photos of our daughter , my DH sat next to me & as soon as were out of theatre I had skin to skin contact & breast fed. Piece of cake!!! Recovery was totally fine ( after cate in hospital shite but that's a different story)... I was discharged 3 days later & the day after that out shopping & taking my DD for a walk.
I 'd have another planned section in a heartbeat. Due to my previous history I HATE the end of pregnancy : awaiting labour etc.... (Georgie died at term + 1 week) and I had my section at 37,3 weeks so for me it removed the vast majority of stress at that point.
As it turned out was a good job I had a section as DD was 10 lb 0.5 oz & needed forceps delivery. !!!!
Good luck please don t worry ..xxxx

Oh meant to say I had a spinal anaesthetic & by 6 pm the same day I was up & mobilising. Catheter was out the next day & I was up showering. Was excellant slightly uncomfortable I took regular painkillers . Take them regularly don t allow any pain to build up. Again, good luck xxx

Have you tried all of the positions that they advise to try a coax your little one to move around, ie not sloughing back on the sofa.

Always sleeping on your left tipped slightly forward, sitting on your birthing ball keeping your pelvis open to free up so space for the small one, kneeling on all fours engaging and unengaging your pelvis. I cant comment on the Csec but I hope this helps.

I had a planned c section 6 weeks ago. It was downright wonderful compared with the natural birth of my son that was anything but.

I had immediate skin to skin and BF within minutes in theatre.

I was walking that night with the catheter and never had that hit by a truck feeling. I only had paracetemol, codeine and dicoflenac for pain relief, no morphine because of a previous reaction, so maybe that helped avoid some grogginess.

Recovery was fine.

Good luck.

Novice - tbh, no - i can't get down on all fours due to the PGP - or if i did, i certainly wouldn't get back up. And they have said she's unlikely to turn herself as theres no waters there for her to do it in. I can't sleep in one position for too long, again due to the PGP, so i guess i'm not doing everything i really should - i'm only doing what i'm able to.

Dee, I don't know about expressing colostrum in advance. But because my milk was slow to come in, by the fourth night when ds was clearly rather hungry I did give him one 20ml bottle of formula. That's all he took and the next morning my milk was in and I have ebf ever since. I'm sure tiktok etc will have better advice but basically I had him latched on pretty much the whole time to get as much colostrum into him as possible and stimulate supply etc.

On reflection the worst pain was the constipation from taking co-dydramol painkillers. OMG. Day four after delivery I was screaming on the loo with a roomful of cooing visitors about 10ft away . Ask for lactulose or something ahead of time to, umm, ease things along.

lactulose is good advice for all mothers, imo... also dee, get hold of deflatine, peppermint oil etc. swear to you the worst bit post-op was the shoulder pain from the gas they use to blow up your stomach. apart from that i was paracetamol all the way and that was only to keep the nurses quiet.

Oh yes peppermint tea it really does work. I didn't know the shoulder pain was from gas to blow up yr stomach...

NO WAY!!!!
i keep looking for you on FB. someone with a name like yours should be eminently searchable.

I had gestational diabetes when pregnant with ds2, they told me after his birth that they run a scheme at the hospital to help mothers express by hand before the birth in case of the low sugar aspect so it's worth asking. Why they didn't tell me beforehand though I'll never know As it happened he needed formula (as vbac didn't go to plan and I was unconscious) shortly after his birth but they knew I wanted to brestfeed so fed him by cup rather than bottle, he breastfed fine after I was awake.

Dee - I'm glad DD is still doing well and incubating nicely :) No personal experience of a C-sec but everyone I know that had a planned C-sec had a good experience & made a good recovery. As someone else said, the 'problems' seem to be when a vaginal birth has started then and EMCS has taken place.

As an aside - if it was me and manshape was getting the snip - I'd think very carefully about whether sterilisation was absolutely necessary or not.