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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Planned c section Qs

40 replies

user1490285009 · 03/12/2017 21:45

Hi everyone

I'm due for a c section in a few days. Baby is breech and refused to turn. I'm a FTM and quite unsure about what to expect I hoped some of you who had planned or elective c sections could give me some of your insight. Please, no one whose had an emergency c section as I believe your experience is quite different.

does the epidural hurt? I mean going into sober not after 75h of labour etc.

-how long did it take to go from OP to recovery ward?

could your partner cut the cord?

did you have to have an intravenous antiobiotic as a prophylaxis?

-what sort of stuff did you do to make the first solids toilet trip :) tolerable?

did you use a belt/band? Was it helpful? I've seen some websites say it's great others saying your muscles should do the work and the belt makes them lazy.

-is celexane (sp?) anti coagulant injections given to everyone or those with risk factor?

-how long did it take to recover?

-overall was it worse/easier than you thought it might be?

Thanks In advance
X

OP posts:

AnUtterIdiot · 09/12/2017 14:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lules · 09/12/2017 14:43

I’m so sorry to hear it went badly. I think that must be very unusual.

You will heal. It may take a long time (it did for my first emcs) but you’ll get there. Take each day as it comes.

AssassinatedBeauty · 09/12/2017 15:37

That must have been very scary for you OP, but hopefully you're beginning to feel better. Even though it is sore, getting up and moving does actually help.

Emergency sections aren't slap-dash though, they are done quickly but that doesn't mean they don't do their best.

InTheRoseGarden · 09/12/2017 17:51

OP if you are in pain, insist on more / stronger painkillers. I've had two elective CSs (just about to have a third) and the only thing that took the pain away was Oramorph. Unfortunately the protocol at some hospitals seems to be to exhaust all other options first (over a period of many hours). That level of pain went quite quickly though and I felt much better after just a few days. Don't suffer unnecessarily. I hope you feel better soon

rhocfan1 · 13/12/2017 20:56

I didn't have epidural, I had a spinal done instead, that hurt but once it's done you go numb pretty quickly. My c section took around 45 mins start to finish but it felt like 5 mins to me. I suspect they'd drugged me up a lot in my Iv as I have anxiety about medical procedures and birth so was extremely terrified going in that morning. My partner held her first and he cut the cord :-). I had iv antibiotics during the procedure and after through an iv in my hand. The first toilet trip wasn't very nice at all. I had a midwife telling me if I didn't have a wee asap she was going to put the catheter back in..I ran the tap and hovered best I could over the toilet..when I eventually did wee (which seemed to take forever) I filled a big jug and it had blood in it which is understandable but Wasn't nice to see..doing the other was surprisingly easier than doing a wee believe it or not! They gave me something for the gas (peppermint tablets) and something to help me poo too (sorry tmi lol). I didn't use a band on my stomach at all, just pyjamas with elastics red waist and I was told to lay on the bed with the pyjamas pulled down so that my incision got plenty of air to help with healing. (I wasn't stapled, mine was actually glued). I had clexane injections and as far as I am aware every woman on the ward had them after c section and some who'd even had natural child birth had them too.. honestly I was terrified of the thought of being cut open but it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be..recovery was worse than the actual procedure for me. :-)

rhocfan1 · 13/12/2017 20:59

To put your mind at ease my friend had an emergency c section and recovered much better than me. She recently had another baby via elective section. I visited her at home when baby was 5 days old and she was up and about looking totally normal..tbh made me think it hit me luck a truck purely because I'm mardy lol.

cheekymummy89 · 13/12/2017 22:13

Hi hunny I had a breech baby 6 weeks ago, ended up having an emergency due to going into Labour the day before I was due to have a go at getting him turned. I won’t lie the spinal I had hurt but I’m no good with stuff like that and I know plenty of people that have said it didn’t bother them. I went into recovery around 40 mins after baby was out (time it took them to stitch me back up) and was in recovery then for around 3 hours having blood pressure checked regularly, had skin to skin contact the whole time too which was lovely. Was in hospital for 2 days after so wasn’t too bad, I had to have the antibiotics drip but wasn’t high risk so think everyone has them only through the surgery though, I’m feeling fine now and doing everything normally after 6 weeks only thing I struggle with still is hoovering up, I can lift my 17 month old fine and I can push the double pram fine so all is well. Clexane I did myself once discharged for around a week after surgery but the midwives did it when I was in hospital. Honestly there is nothing to worry over I’m the worst for that and I actually found the whole thing a pleasant experience. No where near as bad as I thought it would be, the worst bit for me was not being able to do all my housework for a few weeks lol. Good luck! And don’t panic xxx

Hillbillyhotel · 13/12/2017 22:31

does the epidural hurt? I mean going into sober not after 75h of labour etc.

Not at all. You're numbed beforehand. My partner was asked to hold me bent whilst they did it and I was much more bothered by him being given such great responsibility than the injection

-how long did it take to go from OP to recovery ward?
I couldn't tel you for certain but as soon as my DD was weighed and cleaned she was given to me so I paid no attention to anything else. I lost more blood than 'usual' but wasn't even aware of this until I was in recovery. Absolutely no fuss,just me,my DH and my DD.

could your partner cut the cord?

Yes! Which he couldn't with my DS who was born via forceps.

did you have to have an intravenous antiobiotic as a prophylaxis?

No.

-what sort of stuff did you do to make the first solids toilet trip smile tolerable?
They gave me oral laxative at set times whilst I was on the ward. My firstborn was an eisotomy and forceps-that was scary. With my c-section it just happened.

did you use a belt/band? Was it helpful? I've seen some websites say it's great others saying your muscles should do the work and the belt makes them lazy.

I didn't and hadn't actually heard about them until you've just mentioned. I found that getting up and down to look after my DD you quickly work out how to move with the muscles you have. I carried mum DD's car seat for about 300m on Day 5 (midwife appointment) and I bled really heavily and felt much worse for it that night-your body lets you know what it's happy with.

-is celexane (sp?) anti coagulant injections given to everyone or those with risk factor?
At my loca hospital they were given to everybody-this was the scariest part of the whole c-section experience.

-how long did it take to recover?
In all honesty I couldn't tell you. There was no,'I can't get out of bed',to benchmark it against,you're just able to do a bit more everyday. At 4.5 weeks my 2.5 stone DS choked and I was able to whip him out of his highchair and across my knees without any trouble-that was when I knew I was okay

-overall was it worse/easier than you thought it might be?
Absolutely,100% easier! There will always be horror stories but,I think you're already aware,that they're mostly from emcs which is a totally different ballgame. My whole experience was very relaxed,whilst waiting to go to theatre I sat and did my make up for the first time in nine months and the first night,whilst you're entirely bed bound,the midwives really do help you so much. I was so worried about being a burden by asking them to pick my DD up/change her but you really do have no control over your legs so you're forced to and,in my experience,they were absolutely brilliant.

I was petrified prior to my CS but honestly,I couldn't praise the care I received throughout highly enough,it really was less scary than going to the dentist. Good luck and congratulations!

Hillbillyhotel · 13/12/2017 22:39

I'm so sorry,I've just seen your follow up post,OP. The first 24 hours are hard and my first night at home was tricky after being used to the electric bed but I improved after that and I hope that you'll be the same. I hope that everything's smooth from here on out and that you and your DD are okay

Original poster

user1490285009 · 16/12/2017 03:31

Me and baby are well and back home. Thanks to everyone for their support. I really was petrified going in, and definetly couldn't have done this without the insight and support from all you lovely ladies :)

It's been a full week now and the pain is reduced, though I still need painkillers. Every now and then I get a sharp pain on the side but it's manageable with paracetamol.

OP posts:

INeedNewShoes · 16/12/2017 07:11

Congratulations

Remember to keep taking care of yourself and avoid doing any awkward movements. An investment now, avoiding lifting anything heavy etc., is hugely worth it for a quicker recovery!

sandytime · 16/12/2017 07:30

Hi op congratulations. Recovery does take a little while so just give your body time to heal and recover. Take it easy and before you know it you will be feeling much better

Blueskyrain · 18/12/2017 08:50

does the epidural hurt? I mean going into sober not after 75h of labour etc.

I found it on that line between uncomfortable and a little painful. It was submitted getting the drip put in. I'm severely needle phobic and I coped fine.

-how long did it take to go from OP to recovery ward?
They put me in the recovery room once sewn up, so about half an hour and I stayed maybe half an hour to an hour..

could your partner cut the cord?

Don't know as he didn't want to.

did you have to have an intravenous antiobiotic as a prophylaxis?

Not a clue

-what sort of stuff did you do to make the first solids toilet trip smile tolerable?

I used a walking stick for support getting up and down.

did you use a belt/band? Was it helpful? I've seen some websites say it's great others saying your muscles should do the work and the belt makes them lazy.

I didn't use a band

-is celexane (sp?) anti coagulant injections given to everyone or those with risk factor?

I don't know, but I'd have had to have it anyway

-how long did it take to recover?
Home after 2 nights. OK to slowly move around home then, but recovery was quick - I was going (slowly) out and about within about 4 days of birth. Save for feeling a bit like I'd been velcroed when getting up, I was mostly ok within about a week, though was still taking painkillers just to be sure...

-overall was it worse/easier than you thought it might be?
Much easier. I was up and about sooner than my friends with vaginal deliveries, and enjoyed a pain free birth. No regrets at all. It was all rather civilised really.

elliejjtiny · 18/12/2017 22:17

not much, about as bad as the flu jab. I had a spinal though
about an hour in theatre after baby born and then about 2 hours in recovery I think
we weren't offered
I can't remember
nothing 6)no
I had clexane injections for 6 weeks
depends what you mean by recovered. I stopped taking painkillers at about 4 weeks but it still hurt sometimes. Started lifting my 2 year old again after 6 weeks and my 5 year old after 8 weeks.
elcs was worse than I expected and emcs was worse than I expected.

elliejjtiny · 18/12/2017 22:18

Sorry that should say emcs was better than I expected. I had elcs first and then emcs second.

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