Could someone explain exactly what happens with a c-section, before, during, after...

[BabyDubsEverywhere]

Latest scan says the DC3 is still breech, has been all the way along, now 35 weeks. Have an appointment to discuss options on friday with consultant. Trying to do a little looking into things and would really appreciate some real life anecdotes of sections please :)

Literally from when you walk into the hospital until after the midwife has finished visiting at home... I suffer with extreme anxiety and really NEED to know everything about what might happen to calm down so to speak

TIA

Also, if i had a section on monday would i be up to attending a party on the friday?

Okay, I can hear you laughing...

How about a walk around a park on the Saturday?

This baby has terrible timing!

I'm sure you will get lots of really good information on here, but it really is worth talking through with your hospital as so many things can depend on your hospital's way of doing things. I have had two caesareans, the first for a breech baby and the second for medical issues with the baby but they were performed at two different hospitals (and 4 years apart) and they were both completely different experiences (both good, though!)

Also, most hospitals will ask you to take your baby for an ultrasound scan of their hips a few weeks after birth if they were breech - worth asking about if you like to know everything in advance!

I had emcs so different "before". But as far as I can remember they got me into a gown and DH did the same. Fetching surgical stockings on to prevent debt from lying around later. Already had epidural so used that for extra drugs.

Wheeled into surgery (hated that - irrational fear they were going to bump my feet on the door!).

Then there are loads of people around you putting up a screen, putting monitors on you etc. imagine in a planned c section would be much calmer. But they did warn me everyone would swoop down and be busy doing things it it didn't feel scary more reassuring that everyone knew what they were doing. DH sat by my right hand side.

They then did tests to see if my anaesthetic was working but they reassure you that you can say at any time if you feel anything and they stop and boost your drugs. I actuallyme tioned I wasn't sure if I could feel more after DS was born and they were lovely and said it was probably fine but would boost drugs anyway.

So merely moments after starting they were confirming that they were in. There is a bit of tugging which is at worse unpleasant but they'll talk you thru your breathing techniques if, like me, you get squeamish.

Then the fantastic moment that they announce your baby is born. Unnecessary in our case as DS let out two almighty screams.

You get to see the baby then they do agpar tests and I let DH go to watch.

Then your lovely baby is brought back to you. I didn't feel comfortable having him on me as I was lying flat so DH held him. It takes a bit longer than you expect to stitch you up but it's good they take your time.

Then you go to a recovery room and have some lovely skin to skin time with baby and a first feed.

Tis marvellous cos your flooded with happiness and drugs. Or I was at least!

I found walking was something I slowly built up again, as was lifting. Some people bounce back but I took a bit longer. I found I could only bf with rugby hold due to bruising. I also had a little infection in wound which needed abs to clear up and that prob didn't help.

I was left shocked and upset but that was due to stuff before the c section but the c section itself was fine.

It's a bit like birth though - everyones experiences will be different and will depend on the circumstances. But I hope this makes sense and you find it a little helpful

Hello there - I had a planned c-section at 39 weeks for ds2. Went to hospital day before for some form filling, checks and blood tests.

Starved after 11pm I think. Arrived early at hospital. Shown bed, put stuff away. Put on gown. Down to theatre. DH out of room as they did canula in my hand and epidural. Then they fetched him when I lay down. Lots if bouncing up and down, squishing and pushing but no pain.

Wheeled into recovery room. Then up to ward. Catheter was in for 24 hours and I was in bed for 24 hours but only because I a bad reaction to some medication, otherwise I might have been out of bed quicker.

Next day I was well enough for car journey to mid wife led unit nearer home for a couple of days rest.

Worst thing for me was the post op pain. I've had 2 sections and really struggled to keep the pain under control. Others I know have not had the same issue. Be assertive if you feel you need more pain relief because once the pain gets out of control its a bugger to sort it again.

And the wine - nobody warns you about the wind pain up your back until you've burped or trumped it right out. Plenty of peppermint tea required.

As for day trips, walking etc etc - no idea as I was back in hospital after 7 days with a uterine infection - not common so don't worry about that.

No driving allowed until your doctor says its ok - may have changed since I had mine.

Good luck with your decision.

Ask me any questions you like - I'm not shy.

Ooo didnt know that about the ultrasound, thanks, i will add it to my (long) list of questions.

That post was fantastic thankyou, makes it sound so much less scarey. He may well flip and ill not need one, but i feel better being 'prepared' mentally if it goes that way so thankyou for sharing, i really appreciate it :)

It's impossible to know how you'll feel afterwards, as you'll see from reading old threads on here everyone recovers differently. I'd just take it as it comes, plan for being not up to much at all for the first couple of weeks but if you feel OK then do what you can manage. There is so much information online about c-sections that I won't go over it here - I felt like you and even read stuff like the NICE guidelines. There are millions of old threads on here if you search for them. For me the worst part was waiting on the ward to go to theatre - was a four hour wait and the longest 4 hours of my life, I was terrified. The op itself was almost a relief, once it was happening I could get on and deal with it. It was all very surreal, I could literally hardly feel anything, was amazed how good the spinal anaesthetic was, but I did feel kind of disconnected from the process of bringing dd into the world.

I felt OK for the first 24 hours after, they gave good painkillers in with the spinal and I was kept dosed up on morphine, I was up and about the same evening and thought recovery would be a doddle, but by day 3 was really suffering with pain and stiffness, and sneezing, laughing, getting out of bed or up off a chair were all agony. Getting the strength back in my tummy muscles was frustratingly slow (I felt so helpless not actually being physically able to, say, lift the car seat or pushchair), and I honestly thought my body would never be the same again - but 14 months on I feel pretty much the same as pre-pregnancy.

Good luck whatever happens - fingers crossed the baby will turn (you may be offered ECV to turn it too - didn't work for me but apparently has a greater chance of success in people who have had babies before - dd was my first)

Gah, so annoyed - I wrote a MASSIVE long post and was nearly finished but then my battery died on the laptop. :(
Anyway, everyone has pretty much mentioned what I was going to say anyway. Like Doodle i had an EMCS, but just a few things to add:

During

• As mentioned above, there will be A LOT of people in the room. I wasn't prepared for so many as it was all so rushed. There are about 10 people or more in there, but as someone else said it's reassuring rather than scary. One thing I found amusing was that each member of the medical team introduced themselves to eachother, listing name and job title.
• when they do the test to make sure you can't feel anything, they do it by spraying cold water on your abdomen and then on your inner arm and then ask where you can feel it most. They do this a few times and ask the same question each time. In my drug induced state I couldn't work out what they wanted me to say and thought I should say 'my tummy' - thought I was giving them the answer they wanted to hear (I thought it was some kind of test or something). So the nurses were trying to establish if I needed the epidural topping up when they realised that I couldn't feel anything (or little) after all. The nurses should explain that you will be able to feel it, but it shouldn't hurt. The best way to describe it when they first start cutting is like when you have pins and needles then run your hands over the skin, you can still feel it but only slightly.
• it's surprisingly quick from start to finish - I remember being really surprised when they said that DD was out

Afterwards:

• don't be surprised at how quickly you're expected to be mobile. I know it's partly to help prevent getting blood clots from staying still, but it seemed bizarre to be up walking about and having to tend to a tiny human just hours after having major surgery! Although the nurses will obv help is asked, I didn't find that you get any special treatment from the nurses for having had a section.

Tip - before your partner leaves when visiting time is over, get them to put everything you might need arms reach or at least at waist height. I realised after my DH had gone home that my hospital bag with all of the nappies, babygros etc was on the floor - almost impossible to bend down and reach it in a wounded state with a drip and catheter in!

• Oh yes, be prepared for the trapped wind! No-one had told me about that and the pains and discomfort were so bad that it actually felt like I still had a baby in there - exactly like DD kicking. I was so freaked out that I began having a mild panic attack thinking that I'd been misdiagnosed with twins and one had been left in there! Take your own peppermint cordial or tablets to ease it.
• You will receive injections each day afterwards to reduce the chances of clotting. These are done into your tummy. Warning - you're expected to have these for a week so if you go home after only a few days as I did, you'll be expected to do these injections yourself!! There was no way I could have done this, so DH had to be shown how (he was very good at it).

Regarding being ok after, I was very lucky and only had 2 nights in hospital and was up and about in our local area 2 days after coming home (sitting relaxing in the garden of a quiet bar!) so I'd say it's possible to go to a party 4 days later but only if you've had no complications at all and it's not too far away.

Good luck with it all. Any other questions, feel free to ask.

Ive just been reading about this wind... some sites saying in your shoulder?? hwo the heck does that work then? The amount of people would have been unnerving you're right! It does seem odd to have to be up and about looking after a newborn just after surgery.. cant imagine it for any other type of surgery, another joy of being a woman

So glad to hear you could leave after a couple of days, hate hospitals, who doesnt though eh!

What do you wear whilst its all going on?
How do you walk about with a cathetar in situ?

ps, i have just done something very silly and watched a youtube video of one being performed...OMG! Feeling like a total wuss and think you are all amazing!

I don't remember any wind.
When I first had it done I had a catheter and a drain (a tube and bottle attached to the wound for blood), so I was walking around with a bag of piss and a bottle of blood . they took the catheter out fairly quickly but left the drain in for 24 hours.

I wore a knee length jersey nightie from Primark after the surgery once cleaned up. It is very difficult to walk around with the catheter in and the drain - I think I hated those things more than anything! Also, having the drain in the back of your hand makes it really hard to hold the baby and breastfeed - hard to explain why, but it's really painful if you knock the tube things and difficult not to knock them if you're trying to get to grips with feeding.

Babydubs, I know, it still ASTOUNDS me that women are expected to be up and about after birth -any type of birth, not just c-section. I bet if men had to give birth they'd been in their beds for weeks!

Doesnt it all sound so glamourous, cant wait

With my first two i didnt think about the births until they happend, all this planning is a little off putting in a way, but I'm worrying about silly little things and this is really helpful. The consultants are going to hate me on Friday with my huge list of questions

one final question before i call it a night, I'm having the section arranged as baby is currently breech, so nothing 'wrong' as such, do you know if I would be able to wangle any choice over dates?

I know 39 weeks is usual, but at 38 weeks i have lots of 'help' available, (family still here visiting from overseas, not staying with me but could be great help with older kids, shopping, school run, etc) and DH off as factory shut down. 39 weeks onwards he can have the day off for the birth and a couple while I am still in hospital to look after the DC, but thats it really... not been there long enough to be entitled to P Pay, and cant afford the bills at end of month without the full pay (been out of work for some time and this is all he has been able to get :( )

Oh, sorry to hear that. I'm not sure about requesting an earlier date- prob depends very much on the hospital policy. Maybe if you explain that you won't really have any help afterwards if you go to 39 weeks they might let you, especially if you have other DC to look after too. They aren't keen on you doing lots of lifting, driving is supposed to be banned for weeks, etc.

I've just had an emcs but it was a very calm one.

Lots of people there, 3 anesthetists?, registrar doing the op, senior house officer assisting (who oh knew so that was nice for him) midwife and then a paediatrician sp? Who came to join the party later.

For me the worst bit was trying to get the cannula in my hand without me creating - I ended up clamped to the theatre grade gas and air stoned out of my mind. They then tranquilized me so I have very little memory of the op.

Make sure your dp takes photos - mine didn't think to so I have nothing from her first 24 hours

Post section was fine - catheter removed and up after 12 hours - be warned, they'll want to measure your first wee...

Shower was fine and I didn't faint or anything.

Getting out of bed - roll onto your side, drop your legs down, then push up to sitting, then stand.

As soon as possible I decamped to the local mlu for some pampering and TLC

Well, I'm in for an ELCS tomorrow due to breech baby - considering I was planning a home birth, it's all a bit of a change of plan! Have my pre-op appt in a couple of hours.

They usually prefer to do ELCS as near to 39 weeks onward as they can to minimise chances of breathing difficulties in the baby, but I'll be 38+2 tomorrow - baby is a good size so think that's why I'm able to have it a bit earlier.

Did have an ECV last Wednesday to try and turn the little monster, but he's my first, quite big and well and truly wedged in my pelvis so was going nowhere! I'll pop back and update after the event if I get the chance to let you know what happens.

A couple of bits of vital info:

Take slippers and dressing gown - you will need these to walk down to theatre (unless you want to end up walking down in a coat (to cover backside) and trainers (because you don't have slippers) like someone I might know )

Secondly (this is VERY important) - your pain meds will make you constipated. Make sure you have an industrial size bottle of lactulose (stool softener) and take it religiously even after you have been for a normal poo

Thirdly when your dh goes home after the section make sure he leaves everything within your reach -you don't want to be the idiot who has to press the call button because you can't reach the nappies

Also, c-section babies, because they haven't been squeezed down like vaginal births will often cough up thick mucus - do not be alarmed if your baby sounds briefly like they smoke 40 a day.

Minor points: you can ask for music/the radio on in theatre to help you relax. Also, I felt quite hot in theatre and dh brought in a cool damp flannel to wipe my head/face with which was bliss.

HTH and good luck

I've had 5 sections and you have been given some great info here. Some little things i can add are:

Pack some dried apricots in your bag and as soon as you are allowed to eat then eat them. Your bowel really slows down after surgery and you will end up windy and constipated but the apricots will help that. And dont stop eating them after youve done one poo but for at least a week. 5-10 a day!

Take magazines for the wait. Just because they tell you to arrive at 7am or whatever time, you could end up waiting for ages. you could be 3rd on the list of there could be a couple of emergency sections that are needed.

Pack some snack foods in your bag. By the time you get back to a ward it could be past dinner time and they wont have anything other than toast to offer you.

The shoulder pain is trapped air in your abdomen. It pushes on a nerve in your diaphragm which ends up in shoulder pain.

You will be given a surgical gown to wear during the surgery as they need access to your back for the epidural.

Something i found weird the first time: You still bleed loads after a section just like a regular birth. However at first you will have a catheter in so no knickers! You will be laying on some of those bed mats, with a sanitary towel between your legs and as you cannot move yet due to the epidural so a nice lady will come and clean you up. I was a bit mortified by this the first time round, it was full on bedbath of the nether regions that were all bloody.

And if they offer you the pessary morphene then take it! Bloomin good stuff!

I had a ELCS 7 years ago (seems like five minutes!) for a breach baby. After the usual starving the night before whe. I arrived at hospital they did a quick scan to check she was still breach. Though I think they plan to have you in in the morning and into theatre unfortunately I had to wAit till three pm because of emergency sections that were needed which I am sure doesn't happen in larger hospitals but is maybe common in smaller hospitals.

As above the actual section was like someone rummaging in your handbag, the worse bit was the anticipation going into theatre.

I remember being very uncomfortable afterwards and worried about the old toilet thing. I bounced back in about five days, but did get a slight infection In the wound, most people I know got so something like that at varying degrees.

I do remember thinking, though, after having DD2 that the discomfort after a VB was worse than after the ELCS!!!

You will be fine the joy of the new baby is bigger than all of that!

I had one planned and one crash. The planned one is the one I will tell you about, because I don't remember the crash one very well, and it was traumatic but mostly because it was a crash.

I went in in the morning and sat in a side room while a procession of people came in and introduced themselves, asked if I had questions etc. I was given a nightie to wear, my blood pressure was taken and DH was taken off to get changed. Then I walked to the theatre (well, I went in a wheelchair actually, but I was asked if I could walk and couldn't because I couldn't walk anyway due to SPD)

I sat on the edge of the bed, had a cannula put in my hand, and immediatly started crying with nerves . DH was there again, and there seemed to be a midwife there entirely to talk to me.

They then inserted the spinal, which stung just like a normal injection, but you are not allowed to move - the midwife held on to my chin and made me look at her eyes, telling me not to move, but I was in a state at that point.

Then I was help to lie down, and they put little pads all over my chest, a blood pressure thing on my arm, I think one of those oxygen things under my nose...I actually can't remmeber, but I know I was hooked up to loads of machines. I suppose this was when they inserted the catheter too.

The anethetist man then talked me through the next stage, which involved a lot of tipping the bed somehow. They told me this was to swish the drugs about, but I have no idea how that would work. During this time they put up a blue sheet between me and my belly.

Then some telling them when I could feel stuff. I obviously couldn't feel the numbed bits at all, because I thought it weird that they were only squirting the top of my chest and my arms.

They then told me that they had started (bear in mind that I was very very anxious and had to them to tell me as little as possible, but to warn me before I would feel anything) and then I started feeling tugging and pushing in my belly. The tugging and pushing was quite violent, but didn't hurt at all.

Then everyone in the room smiled and they lifted up my baby, and it is making me go all watery even thinking of how happy I was to see her :)

Then they took her off for some checks, and DH went to look at her. Everyone chatted to me, and then DH brought her over for me to cry at and fuss over and general get all maternal at. :)

It takes a lot longer for them to stitch you up than it does to get the baby out (although it took even longer with me because I had loads of scar tissue and complications from DD1's crash section)

Then they wheel you into a lovely dimly lit room, take even more measurements and so on, but you won't care, because you will be drugged up and your lovely baby will be nuzzling into your chest :)

Then, once they are happy with measurements, they will kind of start coming in and out every few minutes. At this point, DH went off for a fag and to text grandparents :) while a midwife stayed with me in case I dropped her through druggedness.

I think I was in the recovery room about four hours.

Then wheeled up to the main ward, given some toast and a brew. More cooing over the baby.

The next day, they took out my catheter (like having a big wee when you are desperate) and told me to measure everything I drunk, and every wee (they gave me a jug to take to the loo) They helped me to the bathroom, where I had a shower with help and took the dressing off with help from a HCA. Then I was encourage to move about as much as possible from then on. Lot of wind.

Home in 3 days :)

then lots of sitting about at home - the SPD was still there so I still couldn't walk very well. I felt very delicate for about two weeks, then a bit delicate for another 6 (bear in mind that I am a wimp). Hold a cushion over your scar if you cough and you may get a twinge when the baby latches on.

All in all, not so bad :)

Thankyou so much for sharing, you've made it seem much less scary, its really helped get my head around it, no doubt helped a few lurkers too

Right, i now have a shopping list of lotions and potions and I need to buy some slippers....

lurker here....really interesting read i have 8 weeks to go for my elective...ieeee

Just a couple of things to add:
When they did the pain test, he was pinching me. I kept on going 'I can feel it' thinking he was just poking me.
While being stiched up, I vomited horrendously but I think that is quite unusual.
I tried to get up on the evening of the same day but nearly passed out and had a good telling off from the nurses, but my iron had dropped a lot!
I don't remember much of anything for the overnight, had dd in bed with me, then next day my nipples were ripped to shreds where I'd just let her get on with feeding cos I was so out of it.
I really enjoyed the farting, I had suffered with bad painful trapped wind for years and pregnancy shifted everything around. And I had no problem pooing either.

Othere things to add. After they take you to a.labour room for a.couple of.hours before going to the postal ward.i was given a bedbath which i thought would be embarrassing but i was too out of it to care. Midwife helped.dd try to breastfeed but she wasn't interested for about 18 hours so i expressed construm and syringe fed her.

Marking my place. I'll have a read later and see if I can think of any other things you might want to know.

Hi. I had my twins by emergency csection. All went well, echo much of the above, particularly the pain relief and lactose points. As an addition; I bought an abdominal corset for extra support after the birth and found it very useful.

Reading with interest as I have know all the way though this pregnancy that I will be having a section. Really weird that i have already had 2 sections but ot feels so different this time.
I suppose its because I know its coming whereas both times before I expected to have vaginal births.
As my last section was 6 years ago my memories are quite hazy. Also tired after labouring for 14 hours before section.
Really don't remember catheter either time but i guess I must have had one. Do remember with my 1st (crash section GA) being really desparate to put my knickers back on. Really disliked the pad between legs thing. Made such a mess. On that occassion a midwife did take me to a bathroom to get cleaned up. 2nd time I don't think i had any help.
Don't remember much about sections themselves.