I've a planned c-section in Jan and need some advice please

[mojomands]

I had a very difficult first birth and cannot even consider a natural birth this time however I am sick of reading about dreadful c-sections. Can somebody please tell me about their experience (Preferably a good one) and offer any advise they feel may be useful to me. I'd really appreciate it as I am just clueless really.

I had my second elec CS on Thurs; got home on Saturday. Another fabby experience

Um, what would I recommend..........

Bikini wax wouldn't go amiss - the admitting nurse was ready with a dry razor

If you feel a little thirsty prior to the CS, do tell the anaesthetist and they'll allow a bit of time to rehydrate you with the IV fluid before the spinal goes in.

I'd forgotton how wierd the spinal is. You can feel heavy pushing, but not pain. Easy to feel paranoid, but go with it

There's a lot of people in theatre, including some men, and I briefly felt a bit 'shy' when they pulled back my gown to do the catheter. Ha, ha, not as embarassed as the medical student though when the midwife insisted that he have a closer look and learn about female catheterisation - he went bright crimson. The anaesthetist and I had a little private giggle Anyway, everyone was really warm and friendly and I had a ball.

Do you want skin to skin? They had a big poster in theatre reminding staff to ask, but I waited until recovery (30 mins later). Can't recommend it highly enough - even if you don't want to BF. The feeling of being snuggled naked with DS2 under warm blankets was the best experience of my life

Have you thought about photos? There was a male orderly who volunteered before the CS to take the camera and just rattle off loads of pics. That was wonderful as we got loads of DH with DS2 as well. Having done it a million times before, he knew all the key shots to take!

The first night is pretty rough. However, tell the midwives that you intend to ask for help with everything that night - changing, feeding etc etc. They know that you're high dependancy and should answer the buzzer straight away. Do ask if they are short-staffed that night, and allow extra time for them to answer when planning your painkiller schedule. Work with the midwives in this respect - they'll appreciate it; short-staffing is not their fault.

do not wait for pain to take hold. Ask when your next bout of painkillers is due and buzz 10 mins in advance. The nurses offered me a wicked combo of Diclofenac (Volterol), codeine and paracetamol. Codeine can make you horrible constipated though, so try to take it only a couple of times.

Those first steps are a bit worrying. Take your time, make sure you've had fresh painkillers. You won't look back, trust me! Stand at first, then 1 step. Any dizziness - get back in bed. You'll be surprised how quickly you go from feeling panicky about walking to spending 30 mins preening yourself in the shower!

Ask for an electric bed. That way you can raise yourself to the level of the fishbowl to pick up your baby, and lower yourself right down to get out of bed.

Finally, eat eat eat and drink drink drink. Childbirth is draining, no matter the method used. Keep bucket loads of snacks within reach. Go for the healthy options of hospital food - it may be a bit mingin', but lots of fruit and veg will keep your poop soft.

Hope it all works out well! I loved my sections, feel very blessed to have had 2 wonderful birth experiences

elective c sections seem to be easier recoveries on the whole from friends i've talked to as you've not gone thro the whole natural labour thing for hours in advance. i had a breech baby so had an elective planned then waters broke the day before and wnet straight in - baby delivered 2 hours later. it felt very strange going into theatre and i did get a bit freaked but the staff were lovely, the doctor said this is going to feel like i'm washing up in your stomach and it did - wasn't the nicest experience but outside of that everything was fine. some pain the first day but painkillers sorted that out , horrible painful wind the first couple of days but i was given warm peppermint water which worked.the first day you can't really move but they get you up and walking the next morning which you don't think you'll be able to do but you can. i was popping down the road with the pram to the corner shop within the week and walking to meet friends for lunch 15 minutes away within 3. if anything i had to make myself slow down and not over do it (do slow down and not over do it). i planned a trip to my mums towards the end of the 6 weeks too to be looked after and make sure i didn;t over do it when i was feeling fine.i also stayed in hospital 3 not 2 nights which if you can bear to i reckon is worth it. also on the good side- less bleeding afterwards, i second the big knickers advice ,i also wore big elestic post natal knickers which made the scar feel less exposed and me less 'wobbly'.
nighties not pyjamas for hospital - catheter not very pj friendly.

Just on the aftermath bit- I got an infection in my scar and was unable to walk for days. In my case I feel that the nurse didn't clean me up properly and left it undressed (I know this is common practice). If I end up with another c-section this time (Dec) I will make sure I have clean dressings on for a few days at least. I know you wanted positive experiences- sorry! Just something I thought would be worth bearing in mind. Good luck!

Did you see the Sunday Times Style section on how to prepare for C-sections? Very useful advice on arnica.

I had a section for my dts last year. I was really nervous but the anethetist was wonderful, and abs gorgeous . He nearly had my drip over and lightened the atmosphere. The only bit I didn't like much was that the table is tilted to one side so that the weight wasn't right on my back. It really felt that I was going to fall off. My bp went up quite high and I lost a lot of blood so had to have a couple of transfusions but that was fine. When my babies were born it was amazing, so quiet and calm compared to a vaginal delivery. After we went to the recovery room we all cuddled up in bed and they had their first feed.
The recovery really wasn't too bad at all, but I would ask about that cocktail that highlander was on. My morphine drip came out and didn't work properly and I was initally on co-codamol which made me really sleepy. So I ended up just taking paracetamol and was fine on that. Make sure before you dp leaves that you have everything to hand. I actually slept with one of the babies in my bed in the end, and the other in the cot right next to my bed so I didn't have to keep buzzing every time they needed a feed. I had my tea all ready in the cupboard, and nappies and wipes to hand and so could get on with everything.
Good luck with it!

ooh, Kelly - I yelped when they tipped the table!!

Unfortunately, it's only day 3 post-CS and I am firmly attached to my big knickers already.

My c-section was the best moment ever ever of my life. I had a horrible first normal(ha ha) birth which I have never forgotten one minute of, so I asked for a section next time. It was absolutely fantastic, the staff were amazing and really kind, and you get to see your baby straight away, and after that believe me you don't even think about anything else. Recovery was quite fast (much faster than 1st birth, I was in bed for 2-3 weeks after). With a section there is no fear of going to the loo and splitting your stitches, and ending up constipated for 6 weeks! As for taking it easy afterwards, look on it as an opportunity to make people look after you. You will be absolutely fine-honest!It was really a fantastic experience

I'm having a c-section on Wednesday and have found these posts very reassuring. I'm excited but very nervous too.

One thing that particularly worries me is that I won't be able to pick the baby up in the first night. I've heard that they can cough up fluids/gag (isn't this even more likely after a c-section as the fluids haven't been pushed out of the lungs in the birth canal?) and it scares me that this will happen anyway and that I won't know what to do - but made even worse by the fact that I am likely to be fairly immobile myself. I know that in theory I can just buzz the midwives but I know how busy they can be.

I guess it's just fear of the unknown really (this is my first baby). The thought of being responsible for looking after a newborn is daunting anyway, without the added worry of being debilitated by an op.

I guess I'll just have to go with the flow!

good luck vicks. fwiw I managed fine to pick up my baby in the first night and I didn't have my section til 6pm! I had the cot next to my bed and sort of got a good handful of the front of his sleepsuit and put my other hadn under his head to support his head. I had the other one in bed with me, so we were fne.

I've had 2, they were fine (though not planned) - do take painrelief before you feel any pain and ask for it, if it's not brought to you at the right time. good luck, x

This is an old thread I started on the same topic with some hints here it is!

Thanks for that - wonderful tips!

i spent the first night with my ds in the bed with me so no need to reach for the cot.

I had an emergency c-section last year which was very scary - but only because it was an emergency. You will feel very tender, like you could snap at any moment and for a few weeks it is likely that getting around will be difficult - but as long as you are aware of this its not really a big deal. My biggest piece of advice would be to make sure you have lots of help. My DH took 4 weeks off and my Mum was around most days - this allowed me to concentrate on DS without worrying about cooking / housework etc.

Also, are you guaranteed a private room after having a c-section? And do they give you a time to have surgery or do you go along and wait or do you get given the choice???

No, on the NHS you don't normally get guaranteed a private room. In some hospitals you can request one (and pay a bit extra) but it depends on what's available, it is first come first served, and you can't book the rooms in advance. I highly recommend a private room if you can get one, it is worth every penny and makes all the difference to your recovery.

Also, if you are having an elective, they will give you a time slot but it's not guaranteed because any emergencies will take precedence over you. You could get a 9am time and still be waiting at 4pm if they have had lots of natural labours going pear-shaped that day.

My C-section was a fantastic experiance and I am so very glad that was the way my Son was born! He was breech so I didn't have much of a choice about a section but I'm so glad it happened!

All my midwifes at the hospital were great, the surgeons were fantastic and it wasn't painful at all. It is a bizzare feeling and something you can never describe to people!

My section took 30minutes from start to finish, they asked me if I wanted to try breast feeding, which I did, so they put me in the feeding position (on my side) and wheeled me into the recovery room. My son was in a little bed beside me and in the night they asked if I wanted him in bed with me, it was lovely.

The only bit of advise I will give is take as much pain relif as they offer! Don't wait for the pain to kick in, take morphin etc before the pain gets there. The nurses will want you walking about and it really isn't that painful. Within 2 days I was just taking paracetamol. My stiches were out within 7 days and thats that!!

I'm interested in ordering Arnica 200 from Helios, for c section recovery.
Has anyone ordered from this site? I know the potency should be 200, But I'm confused as to if I need tabs, granules or oral liquid. then confused again as to size (how many grams).
Please advise.

Hi!
I am 23 weeks pregnant with my first baby. I have a family history of strokes and as a result am petrified of the effects of a natural delivery on me and the baby (I was cautioned against a natural delivery by my neurologist!)
I am really worried that I will not be allowed a c-section.
Any advice?

If your neurologist has advised it, surely that will be a good enough reason? Ask your GP/midwife, or whoever you're seeing for antenatal care.

Thanks TuttiFrutti. Spoke to my GP and he suggested that I discuss it with my midwife as she will be handling most of my care. See her again in 2 weeks.
Feeling a little more confident about getting what I feel will be healthiest for me and my little one after reading everyone's comments. Ta.