Best/worst thing about elective C-section?

[Icloud54]

Just that really? I'm slightly anxious about my up coming section.
I had an emergency section for my first child and was put to sleep so I don't remember anything.
Best/worst thing about an elective one?

I’ve not had one, but I’ve had lasting problems from vaginal scar tissue, so that’s something you’ll avoid.

Best: very calm and straightforward.
Worst: feeling very disconnected from the whole experience - though I am comparing that with having natural labour first time round.

Worst thing: The needle for the spinal block was uncomfortable.
Best thing: Mmmm Morphine

Worst thing, having to fast before hand.

Best- knowing which day it will be on (good for childcare) and feeling more in control as they explain everything and it’s very calm.

Enjoy your new baby OP, it’s a wonderful time

The spinal needle was uncomfortable but the recovery is so much easier than an EMCS.

My ELCS was great!

Best: calm, safe, known date, risks managed by surgical team.
Worst, probably the recovery time, but there’s no guarantee you’d not face similar with a difficult VB. I started shaking badly during mine but that was more weird than unpleasant.

You’ve had one already so you’re aware of the recovery procedures and an elective is likely to be far less traumatic than an emergency.

Recovery from elective is so much easier than emergency in my experience, I knew which date I was booked, met my surgeon in the morning. Was introduced to whole team. Was great.

First 12 hours of imobility was shit but then I was on my feet and pretty capable.

I loved my section!

As a PP said, the worst part is fasting overnight (and not being able to eat for a few hours afterwards!)

Also, the curious and unpleasant sensation of having to walk about in the ward with a pillow pressed against your inscision because you feel like you might burst open, but that’s probably the same Emergency or elective.

Best bits are that the procedure doesn’t hurt at all, it’s over with so so quickly and you don’t have to pee out of a sore, mangled vagina afterwards (I’d had two natural deliveries before my section, and I feel the recovery from those was more painful)

Best: knowing the date, planning childcare, it being calm and us choosing our music.

Worst: the shakes and vomiting for hours afterwards (which I had with my previous emcs, so must be me not agreeing with the anaesthetic). Oh, and the bacterial meningitis I contracted which put me in a coma for a few days wasn't much fun either, but at least it meant my scar healed nicely and I got out of doing the night feeds for a couple of weeks

Just make sure the person performing your spinal block is wearing a mask OP.

I loved my section. It was planned cause he was breech and I can’t compare to a vaginal birth but I thought it was great.

I’d say the worst thing was probably coughing/sneezing after the surgery, ouch!

Best: a wonderful calm environment so I could totally focus on meeting my baby. I loved the whole experience

Worst: the first poo afterwards - the most painful bit of the whole process

I have had 1 EMCS after along labour and the recovery was slow and painful.

After both ELCS I found the recovery far quicker.

Best thing was the calmness. I had no worries. The best people to deal with any problems were already in the room.

The worst thing was that I already had a chest infection when I went down for the CS. I coughed my way through the CS pain free but it was painful afterwards.

However recovery was quick and I was back at work ft after 4 weeks.

I have had a natural birth and a planned c section.
The c section was by far the best decision I ever made.
It is planned, painless, calm and I was out of hospital within 36 hours of the procedure.
Only downside I can think of was having to have a catheter but that was no real hassle.

Best thing: it was quick, calm and civilised. I loved it!

Worst thing: I don’t think this happens every time but my consultant liked to use a drain during his sections - something to do with monitoring blood loss from the wound after the op? Fuck me that hurt coming out!

The first couple of days are a bit tough but you know that already - I think if you can get a balance between lots of rest and a bit of moving about so you don’t seize up you should be fine!

Post Dural Puncture Headache. Currently 6 days post c section and I'm in agony, I wish I had the option for vaginal delivery

It was fabulous, so much better than my first unplanned section

Best: all of it. All staff lovely, and I’d had a scary EMCS previously so I was really grateful for the calm vibe. Dd just came on out and snuggled and peacefully fed fed fed, which was somewhat different from her older brother’s experience.

Worst: my scar didn’t heal as well second time round and this might have been partly because I got a bit too confident about what I could do early on. It’s harder to refrain from lifting stuff when you have a toddler around! Scar opened up a bit - all was fine in the end but do watch yourself for that sort of thing.

Hope it goes brilliantly.

"Only downside I can think of was having to have a catheter but that was no real hassle."

I loved the catheter! You know that problem you normally have where you really comfy in bed but you need a wee and have to get up? Never happens!
Bliss

Best: the calm after a stressful pregnancy. Was exciting knowing when they would be arriving.

Worst: felt a bit odd, but that was because I'd had two previous VB so it felt really weird for them to be lifted out...that was a fleeting feeling. Recovery time wasn't too bad for me but definitely longer than VB (everyone's different though).

Worst thing were the air trapped in my abdomen which caused unbelievable pain in mu shoulders and it was difficult to breastfeed properly with the spinal block and immobility so nipples were destroyed.

Best bits were predictability, not being exhausted from labour, knowing I would be limited beforehand so enrolling help from other people.

Worst: catheter

Best: the photos! This was BY FAR the best thing for me and was the deciding factor in my choosing ELCS over vbac. After my EMCS with dc1 where he was resuscitated and whipped away from me for hours I was so sad not to have that "mum holding just-born baby" picture that all the other mums seemed to treasure. With dc2 I just wanted that "look at this amazing thing that just came out of me!" picture of joy, I just wanted that moment, and an ELCS is the closest you can come to a guarantee that you're going to get it.

Best bits: The pregnancy was over, it was calm and I knew when it was happening

Worst bits: The Morphine itches, ridiculously hot ward when you can't move about, standing up for the first time.

Best: being able to plan, especially care for DD1
Worst: feeling awful in the days afterwards (I had a haemorrhage) - literally felt like I’d been hit by a bus. It was terrible which is why I’m going for a VBAC this time.

Worst: not being able to eat beforehand, and connected to various monitors for a couple of hours afterwards so a bit immobile when you want to cuddle the baby/call family

Best: Easy recovery (up and about in 6 hours, feel back to 100% 2 weeks later), calm, controlled, no pain

The bits I was expecting to be bad weren't actually bad...first poo didn't hurt, no trapped wind, no pain from spinal, easy recovery (better than my NCT friends having vb's)