Elective C - section..Have you had one?

[pucca]

Any advice?

I will be having one with this baby, currently 24 weeks.

Consultant is wanting me to have one because i had a bad 3rd degree tear with my dd, and still have a few occasional problems down below, which they are on about fixing after this baby is born.

I am a bit scared of having a section, mainly being cut and the recoveryside of things so i am looking for any advice or experiences?

TIA

But you MUST MUST MUST rest afterwards and not twist and lift eg a toddler or drive. Just becaese soem women have got away with NOT resting does not mean you will. Its like saying its safe to smoke just coz granny smoked 40 a day for 60 years.

You will need help with your other child. I dont mean a friend to pop round foe an hour. Someone there all teh time for teh first few weeks

Yes, in an ideal world, you will have a lovely nanny / nursery nurse / maid / enslaved mother in law / supportive husband to do all the lifting whist you give your undevoted attention to the needs of the lovely newborn. However, in the real world, if you are standing at the front door collecting the post and your toddler runs out the door heading for the street, what are you going to do? Run after him/her! So my advice is to listen to your body. If it hursts, stop doing it immediately. Do your best to take it slow. But, everyone is different and you are best placed to judge your own capabilities. I've had two sections. One emergency and one elective. For both I found I need DH to stick around for about two weeks, then I was okay to be up and about, driving. Still hurt a bit to pick up toddler. But, sometimes I had to.

Thanks again for all the advice,

Hockeymum...Thank you so much for your post, lovely to read what happens in such detail. xx

I should be ok as far as support goes, my DH will get 2 weeks off anyway but will save some of his leave which he will be able to take at the time if needed, plus my parents only live about 10 mins away so i am sure they will help out afterwards too.

Oh and make sure you have time to blow dry your hair and apply some makeup in the morning cos an elective CS will be so calm and non-exertional that it will all still be in place for your after-photos.
If you're that way inclined .

I agree with all the do what your body says advice. I was really lucky and felt well - I swear it was post baby euphoria carrying me through. However, I did have a lot of help - parents and in laws are local as are lots of other family. We also belong to a great church who had a rota for meals on wheels for two weeks and loads of other things in the domestic line. I did spend a lot of time sitting but found I was well able to do all the things I felt I wanted to do. It can be a very positive experience so be prepared for that rather than the negatives. This is a great thread - lots of really useful tips.

Sorry if someone else has already said this, but my biggest piece of advice is: ARNICA BY THE BUCKETLOAD. Oh, and get DH to bring you meals as hospital food is not nutritious and definately not tasty.

Uwila - of course you woudl pick up your toddler if he was in danger!!! Dont be silly! Thats totally differenr from assuming that you can be at home alone all day 8am to 7pm 2 weeks post section with a Bf baby and a demanding toddler. Which is what soem people think!! OTOH if you have a placid well behaved 4 year old you might be OK.

I knwo lots of people get away with going to aerobics after a few weeks but personally I woudl rather take things easy for a few weeks out my life than risk problems.

Agree with arnica BTW. I took the tablets and Dh put cream in the brusing around teh wound ( but not on stiches)

I came hoem after 24 hours so only got one meal in hospital but it was awful. Was very glad to be home

Didn't really mean that to be directed at you Kristina. I've just had a lot of midwives remind me upon leaving the hospital not lift anything, especially the toddler. And I just thought it was a rediculous thing to say because of course I was going to have to lift her.

Just wanted to say what a really helpful and reassuring post this has been to read. I saw my consultant yesterday and requested an elective section because or my fears re tearing badly etc. She agreed to it but did try to put me off by talking about complications etc. Although I'm fully aware that you can have probs after a c-section it's been great to read all of your stories about straightforward recovery and finding the whole experience a positive one. Will get dp to read this thread too as I know that he has been worried about it. Thanks again xx

Didn't mean to kill the thread...

CarmenH - let me then!

If anyone does come back, just wondering, do you have to fast before an elective c/s?

yes you have to fast for several hours - i think its 6. That includes water and chewing gum.

Though as soemone else said, all the emergencies go first so you can actually be fasted for much longer. I ended up only haveing a slice of toast for nearly 17 hours. I was ravenous. Then when I got to the ward they told me I was too late for anything to eat but would get a roll in another 14 hours . Just as well they had a hospital shop where Dh got me a sandwich.

Thats why lots of MNers have advised you to bring food. And that's also why i was home the next day

Sorry if repeating what's already been written, but I haven't read all the posts. I've only had an emergency c/s so not strictly answering your question, but if I can ever persuade my dh to have another baby, I would ask for an elective c/s. Despite having a nightmare labour prior to the surgery, it was fine. My ds was poorly, so taken down to special care, so I didn't get to see or hold him for a few hours after the birth, but wehave had no problems breastfeeding or bonding. I had my section at 6am and was upa nd about the following morning without my catheter. I felt like I had done about a thousand sit ups, but that is as bad as it got although while I was still in bed there was morphine etc. AFter that there was cocodamol. I was able to see ds in scbu by being wheeled down the corridor with my drip and catheter in place - nice!
I walked (slowly) to have a shower the day after surgery. I was in hosp for 7 days, but this was partly due to no one being available to discharge me over a weekend.
Once I got home, I was able to take the dog for a walk each morning as usual (slowly, though). My dh had to go straight back to work and I have no family nearby, so I was on my own from the word go and it was really fine, I just did what I felt able to do and didn't push it.

A word of warning, though.... I got really badly constipated (sorry if tmi!) So my advice would be drink tons of water and ask for laxatives if need be. The pain of that was far worse for me than anything to do with the c/s. Some people I know said they got bad wind, but I don;t remember taht as a problem. It's apparently common with abdominal surgery.
As for the surgery itself, I'd had an epidural so they just topped that up until I couldn't feel where they needed me not to (if that makes sense?). I couldn;t see anything of what was going on and that was fine.
I asked my GP to sign me off to drive (company car) after 4 weeks.
I know everyone feels things differently (someone told me being in labour was like having bad period pains - not for me it wasn't!!) BUt I think if you get on and move about as soon as is bearable, but don;t push yourself, recovery is quicker than you might expect.

HTH

I had an elective section in December due to emotional problems at the time and also difficult delivery with first child.Can honestly say i found it better than my natural birth! Worst parts of the section were having the epidural put in, lots of fiddling and pushing and not comfy leaning forward on a bulging belly! No pain immediately afterward thanks to morphine, will say that before you attempt to get out of bed next day ASk for morphine!I didnt know that they dont freely offer you morphine and you actually have to request it! Pain was not nice for about 24 hours BUt after 36 hours i felt ok and was pottering around. Have everything at waist level and in easy reavch and have lots of pillows around for supprt when feeding! HUGE knickers will keep you comfy and also make time to air your wound every day so it heals nicely. BY week 2 i was feeling fine and week 3 i was back driving!
My scar now is almost unnoticable and i would not hesitate at having another section!
Hope that helps and hope you feel easier with it all soon!

(I haven't read the whole thread)
I've had an emergency and an elective section. I am a big wimp, I pass out at the sight of needles and the thought of being cut open terrifed me. I still requested am elective section though. Everyone recovers at a different pace, you have to do whatever you feel comfortable doing. I had complications with my scar and had 2 infections. My recovery was also quite long but I put this down to being a wimp too!
I was only given about 2 weeks notice to the section so didn't have too long to worry about it. Good luck.

Another largely positive experience here. DD was a transverse lie, so I had to have a CS. I was scared about the epidural and also about the whole thing more generally. The op was absolutely fine. The staff were very kind and encouraging and there was no pain at all during the operation. DD was cuddled up next to me in minutes and at the breast shortly afterwards. The only difficult thing was lying in the observation ward the night afterwards. I had already lost one night's sleep (I was due for the CS a few days later, but started to get contractions, so they bumped me up the list) and I lost another in the observation ward due to the constant noise from babies crying, nurses checking on patients etc. I completely lost it the following morning - cried hysterically - and they quickly moved me to the single room I had been occupying before (they had admitted me a week before to keep an eye on me). I was a bit stiff for a few days, but otherwise completely fine. DH and my mother gave me a lot of help, however. I would reiterate the advice to let others help as much as possible. I am due to have baby number 2 in about 9 weeks' time. He, too, is transverse, so I am very likely to have another CS. I feel completely at ease about it, but will try to get the op in the morning, in the hope of leaving the dreaded observation ward by bed time!

goodness me - there's lots of advice here - haven't read it all. I had an emergency c-sect due to high blood pressure - so still haven't experienced labour, not sure which is more painful. c-sect hurts!! hurts a lot - but only the day or two after it. Try arnica pills - I didn't and wish I had them at the time to try. Moving around (if you can) is very good - I was in hsopital for 7 days after dd was born due to continued high bp and didn't move round much (because I didn't have to) - consequence of this is constipation (sorry) and painful trapped wind. As soon as I got home and was doing the normal up and down the stairs, reaching up to cupboards etc - constipation et al. vanished. Body needs to work off the anesthetic / spinal tap otherwise it really slows you down, in all respects, for a good few days.

Thanks again to everyone who has posted, feeling much more reassured (sp?) and more "chilled" about it now, you are all fab for taking the time to post.

xx

Had a lovely elective section with dd2 after horrid long labour and emergency with dd1, and I will be having another one soon with ds. You can write your own birth plan - I did and it really helped to make it more personal - in an ideal world I'd have loved to be a home birth earth mother but it wasn't to be. I slept with a blanket for a couple of weeks so it had my scent, and dd2 was wrapped in it after birth. I also asked for her to be given to dh without being cleaned i.e. still with vernix on, and also that dh and I discover her sex rather than the mw doing so. I also asked for skin-to-skin contact asap (in practise as soon as we got to recovery) and that we wouldn't be parted during the transfers between theatre, recovery and ward. The only thing they didn't manage was for me to hold her whilst I was being stitched, but some surgeons will allow this - and it didn't matter actually. I have photos of dd2 bfeeding about 45 mins after birth. She looks pink and gorgeous - I look as though I've been run over by a truck and no amount of make-up would have helped! If you are brave, you can ask for the curtain to be lowered during the section so you can see your baby being delivered, and you may even find your dh is allowed to cut the cord. And you may also be allowed your own choice of music, although we decided to let the obs have their own on as maybe they worked best to it!

The downsides? The worse part of the whole thing was having the drip put in my hand! And during the section (which felt really weird but not painful) I felt really nauseous - this is very common and you may be given an anti-nausea tablet before you go down - I was and it did stop me actually being sick. I did recover quickly but for the first day or so bfeeding was really awkward in terms of positioning, and I got a bit sore. This was because I found it hard to sit upright, and next time will ask for more help. I also got constipated which led to piles which was truly agonizing - ask for lactulose and drink loads of water. And although I wasn't in pain I did find even big knickers too much for my bruised tummy - I used dh's boxers which were fab. Beleive me ,these are minor niggles and they soon pass.

Oh, and make sure you have a robe or dressing gown - the lady opposite me didn't and had to walk to the delivery unit holding the back of her surgical gown closed!

I have had two emergencies and one elective. The elective was surreal- I walked to the theatre and was overwhelmed at the sheer number of staff. (first two times had been too wrecked by this point to care). Operation itself was so smooth and because you are on quite a bit of pain relief at first you fool yourself. I remember overhearing a midwife telling someone else that the first time they got out of bed they would feel as if their insides were falling out. I know this is not the most positive piece of advice but I laughed because it was just so true. However it quickly passes - beware however that you don't push yourself too much just because you are feeling fine. Was driving within four weeks. Good luck with the rest of the pregnancy and the birth.

Haven't much to add - had emergency c/s for dd1 (after 2 days of labour) under general anaesthetic so don't know if this bit of info will be relevant but I had terrible wind/indigestion afterwards and couldn't sleep properly/lie down at all for the first couple of nights after the birth. This could well have been due to the rushed nature of the op or possibly tubes down my throat or maybe it's a possibility with all abdominal surgery. All they had to offer to help was peppermint tea... Most people I know who have had elective c/s have found it to be a wonderful, relatively calm birth. Good luck and enjoy!

I had a c section with DS who was breech, and have been offered one this time as well (due September), unsure what to do.

My first experience was that the op itself was brilliant - I went into labour 10 days early, so it was done as an emergency as DS was breech. However, they sent me home in 2 days, which was much too early, as I could hardly walk, and I think that made the recovery time longer. But within 4 weeks I was back to normal. The catheta came out the morning after the op, and I could have a shower then as well. I tried to get up too early though, the evening of the op, and nearly fainted!

Not sure what to do this time - elective c section would make child care easier with DS, but then this one may come early too, so I'd pre-empt the appointment! But I think generally the recovery may be longer - but then I'm not talking from experience, so if you have bad tearing, that may not be the case?

Forgot one thing - they gave me some painkillers in pessary form in hospital, which then gave me diarrhoea (spelling??) but they didn't warn me this might be a side effect, so I was really upset. This was a really busy london hospital so I'm hoping now we live in the West country, it might be different this time!!

You can ask to have those painkillers, but not in pessary form. That's what I did at Queen Charlotte, and they were happy just to add it to my drip.