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

Haven't read all of this thread so forgive me if I'm repeating wot's already been said.
I had an emergency c-section with my dt's.
I would repeat most of the advice given. The one thing that I had a MAJOR problem with was not being able to drive.
I sought advice from my doctor although most people told me 6 wks after the birth, was the "safe time." She advised me if I felt safe doing an emergency stop, then I was fit to drive.
I practiced this and did not feel safe until about 6 wks. Remember your insurance will NOT cover you if you drive too early!!!

Thanks Uwila, I'll remember for next time, if that's what I decide to do.... Interestingly, I was at Queen Charlottes as well. Wish they'd told me that before I was trying to get to a toilet FAST while still having wobbly legs, and also thinking I now had some nasty hospital runny tummy problem. Subject of another thread really, but I wasn't that impressed with QC's, except for the c section staff themselves, who were fantastic and v. reassuring. The midwife care was terrible. Should stop or this will turn into a rant...

In my experience the pain after a c/s is no different to a normal delivery except it is in a different place! I had an emergency c/s on my first, a normal delivery on my second (but ended up with SPD) and aN elective c/s on my third. They all came with setbacks of one sort or another.

Take as much pain relief as you need - don't be a martyre. Trust in yourself and don't compare yourself to other mum's who APPEAR to be coping very well with pain. Organise plenty of help for home, don't feel that you need to do everything.

Ask if you can go to see the theatre to allay some fears as it can feel quite alien if you are not used to this environment. I worked as a nurse many moons ago and found that even though this was a familiar surrounding I was still quite nervous.

Good luck with the pregnancy and delivery

had 2 - first was emergency, 2nd was elective - both fine. Especially with no2. Had a toddler with sn who needed care and I had no family around to help out with things... was able to do almost everything except lift her in the early days ( she was 2.4yo) and by week 3 - lifting her, driving etc. I did however make sure I rested as much as I could and only lifted dd1 when I absolutely had to - when dh was home - he was on dd1 duty. If someone else was around - then dd1 was lifted by them. Dd1 was still having a long afternoon nap - so I napped then if dd2 let me. Always made sure I rested as much as I could.

Arnica - take it - am sure it made a difference to the healing.

Bath wound in warm water and a couple of drops of tea tree oil - both wounds healed nicely.

Another vote for granny knickers and v-shaped/breastfeeding cushions.

Both were very positive, calm experiences. I had a spinal block for both and so was awake. Surreal to be awake while it is all going on - I was aware of movement but not of pain - sounds bizarre but true. Took 4 minutes from when they started cutting to get the babies out... I know - surgeon told me so I timed him..... takes longer to stitch you up than it does to get the baby out... by then you are concentrating on your baby and I was unaware of what was going on beyond the screen.

yes I had to fast for the elective.... emergency wasn't so bad - about 5 hours since I had eaten. I had to have no food after about 9.30pm and take an antacid tablet and then have another in the morning before 6am from memory. Then was supposed to have surgery at about 10am and got into theatre around 3.30pm - on an empty stomach.

I have had 2 and both were fantastic experiences no real pain afterwards good pain relief and I was able to pick up both my 10lb babies easily and rest them on stomach no probs the next day I know this is not the experience of everyone but I really really WANTED and begged for the sections so I was psychologically very prepared and positive about it -- sure this helped...

the other good thing is that everyone else sees it as major surgery which of course it is -- but means you get more help and sympathy in the first few weeks!!

here in Aus insurance was happy to cover if you had a docs okay to drive...

clearly i am a big wuss, mancmum, as i could barely turn over in bed the day after my section, let alone pick up the baby and sit him on my tummy. And I remember it well as its only a few montsh ago. i came home the next day and was walking very very carefully and certainly not carrying the baby [bigs girls blouse emoticon]

Hi, not read everyone's posts so sorry if duplicating...
I had emergency section but was good experience. NCT class covered how many people would be there - can be as many as 14. Had I not known, woulds have been totally freaked.
I had help from m/w to b/f - rugby ball position recommended.
Yes, it does feel like someone doing the washing up in you...
Last bit of advice is to limit bending. We set up two areas to change baby, one upstairs, one down. Both at waist height. Plus, we had a carrycot rather than a moses basket and kept it on the chassis. Much easier than either bending to floor or picking up and over cot sides.
HTH - good luck!

Reading all this advice is making me a little worried about the stairs in our house, we live in a terrace and the stairs are horrificily steep (like a ladder!) and unfortunately no downstairs loo! Sounds as though i will find it fun getting up and down!

Thanks for the recent replies all are very helpful.

I've had 1 emergency, then 1 VBAC then 1 elective c-section last July. We have no downstairs loo, and incredily steep stairs too - and really, it was no problem. Having a changing table made a big difference. The other thing I found helpful was to keep relatively active. As I used to sit seemingly for hours breast feeding DD1, I used to seize up - and walking around, and even bending to load the washing machine (!!! - everyone said don't, but hey it needed doing!) was helpful to keep everything moving!
My other advice is when you're in hospital, make sure you know what your pain relief timetable is and that you get all the painkillers on time. With my first C-section, I went to sleep feeling fine on day 2, missed the drugs round, and woke up unable to move. If I'd have known at what hourly intervals I was supposed to get the drugs, I wouldn't have missed them!
Elective c-section was a surreal (booking the date in your diary and walking into hospital not in labour but knowing your baby is coming out that morning!) experience, but overall a positive one.

pucca - I was really worried about the stairs thing because after my emergency section I would not have been able to climb them. I posted on here about what to do as we only have a downstairs toilet so didn't know what to do in the night. I contemplated getting a bed downstairs for a fortnight or getting a comode thing upstairs, most people said there would be no need. Actually, there really was no need after the elective. I found it relatively easy to climb the stairs. Getting up from lying down or sitting is the most painful thing but once you are up, the stairs (taken slowly obviously) are not too bad.

Like I said earlier, take all the pain medication you are given and get a repeat from your GP a couple of days before your hospital stocks run out. If you take all your meds at regular intervals you won't get any breakthrough pain and will be able to move round, climb stairs etc without too much trouble. Remember at the moment you are judging your number of toilet trips on a pregnant bladder, I found it much less after delivery iyswim. Also, your blood loss (lochia) is much less after an elective section than a normal delivery as they give you a bit of a clean out while you are open! so that's not too much bother either.

pucca - don#t worry about the stairs, i had an elective c/s for breech 7 weeks ago and the stairs were no problem, as a few people have said, staying inactive is the worst thing, as you seize up, whereas if you move around, and i'm talking slowly around the house, not chraging out and baout to the shops, and rest regularly which you will be doing anyway as you will be sat to feed the baby (i found lying down to feedeasier) then it aided my recovery. it alos helps keep things moving (bowels).

i would say take the most of being in hospital to rest, sleep when baby is sleeping, move slowly around bedside, to bathroom etc and then when you come home you should be well rested and able to continue as normal a routine as you can do with a baby and another child at home! LOL!

good luck with the c/s and try not to worry too much as i'm sure a positive mental attitude helps as well!

ask the anaesthetist when you should first move - try and make an effort to at least stand up the same day - like everyone says, it's inactivity that will be your enemy!

I would highly recommend indicating on your birth plan that you will self-medicate with Ibuprofen and paracetamol - take it religously for 3 days. Don't wait for the nurses to bring you analgesia, they're just too busy.

ask the anaesthetist when you should first move - try and make an effort to at least stand up the same day - like everyone says, it's inactivity that will be your enemy!

I would highly recommend indicating on your birth plan that you will self-medicate with Ibuprofen and paracetamol - take it religously for 3 days. Don't wait for the nurses to bring you analgesia, they're just too busy.

oops

I have a appointment to see the anaesthetist next week actually, which apparently is routine so i can pick his brains then about various things.

drill it home that you want lots of fluids before your spinal goes in to mitigate the chance of post-spinal barfing.

I had an em c/s with ds as he was undiagnosed breech and I had preaclampsia.

I remember being SOOO thirsty after mine,( not sure if it might have been the gas and air)and they would only let me suck ice cubes!
I would let the ice melt and then drink it! Had a cuppa the next morning and was bliss!
The actual operation itself was very well planned and the theatre staff were excellent. I stayed in a recovery room with ds for the first night (ds was born at 7.29pm) and had my drips/catheter removed the next day. To be honest - I didnt want the catheter removed!

Worse thing for me was getting out of bed at home, this was a real struggle.
Felt the pain when twisting round.
I tried to go for gentle walks each day, I live by a river so I would take ds to feed the ducks. At first I couldnt push the buggy that well, but got stronger each day.
Oh yes - and great tip from others on the knickers thing! I still cant bear to wear 'too low' knickers as my scar is still numb and cant stand the material rubbing!

i had an emergency csection with my ds1,elective with dd&ds2,all fine for me apart from the recovery seemed to take longer with my 3rd&seemed more painfull

oh&i was in hospital on the tues mornin for op&out thurs afternoon,make sure you bring your pain killers&anti inflam tabs homw with you as my myn wer not given to me&i sooo felt it in the mornin i thought i was dying,midwife went mad&got me some

you will be fine on the stairs,just take it easy&just go loo wen u realy have to
goodluck huni

I left hospital after 24 hours. they gave me a couple of days supply of drugs and a letter to take to my Gp to get a prescription for more. It wasfor strong pain killers plus iron tablets and two others to take with them.And laculose of course to counteract the side effects of the iron tablets.

I think that even if you dont need to painkilers its reassuring to have them there in case you do!!!!Bit then I'm a big wuss

cesarean cost?
Can anyone help me with this one, I want to have a cesarean but my consultant is not prepared to listen to my concerns so have transfered to another hospital, I know the government have cut down on the amount of cesareans they do because of the cost and will only do emergency cesareans or based on medical grounds, if my new consultant still wont give me the choice and I have to pay for one I'd like to start saving up now as first baby due Christmas, can anyone tell me how much this could cost? not getting anywhere with my midwife.

why do you want one ? i dont think its the done thing unless a consultant agrees it for medical reasons although the portland in london do but it would run into thousands