What were they doing to me after section?

[Sadie789]

Had a planned section 4 days ago and afterwards there was a lot of fussing about an several new people arrived in the room. They started a deep massage just under my ribs? It felt like two people doing it and it went on for ages. They were talking about blood loss and looking for what I presume was a clot to come out. When I asked what the problem was they were all a bit vague about it and I can’t quite remember what they did say in the end.

Did anyone else have this? What were they doing?

I am having a weird pain just under my ribs like a flu-ey achy feeling which is worse when I lie down. I want to follow this up but I’d like to be able to give the context of what happened after the section so would be good to know what it was called!

Hope that makes sense

Takes ages after the baby is out. For me ten mins to get baby out. 50 mins to finish.
I suspect they were massage g your uterus to get it to contract.

Stomach does hurt a lot after. Your muscles were all stretched during pregnancy. You're using them now and the n9t under the ribs is where you'd feel it from bending picking up baby etc.
A section is considered major surgery. I knew that. I had no choice without chposing that I would have died. It's not a pleasantvrecovery compared to natural birth IME.

IF it's really bad go to the doctor, could you have an infection?

I had a planned section and dont recall this but I would suggest that you contact the hospital for a debrief to get more info on your procedure. They definitely monitored my blood loss once baby was delivered but I think they just put pad down and estimated how much I bled.

This happened to me. My placenta was stuck and they had trouble removing it. They also had trouble getting dad out who had kind of travelled up as far as she could go! It was a v long section, my 3rd, and an emergency in the middle of the night. No one wanted to perform it, I assume the staff weren’t as experienced - but I was in labour with a cervical stitch!

Trouble getting your dad out of you??

If it was only four days ago you're presumably still having midwife visits? Ask her, she'll be able to tell you I'm sure. You might just have normal post op pain, but worth getting checked out in case it isn't.

After the baby has come out there is usually almost an hour, if not longer, whilst you are still open on the table whilst they fiddle around and put you back together again. It's very complicated major surgery.

They were massaging your uterus to make the bleeding stop. If the placenta doesn't spontaneously detach from the wall of the uterus, you can bleed profusely. ( Called a "retained placenta" ) .The staff have to massage the uterus to encourage it to contract and clamp down on the placenta, which causes it to detach. The staff were doing the exact right thing to prevent further bleeding . Even if just a few bits of the placenta remain attached to the uterus, you can have a really serious bleed .

Ask your midwife at your next appointment, they should be able to shed some light or recognised from your notes what was going on. As others have said it does take time to put everything back where it was and make sure the placenta etc is fully out.

OP, you've had your question answered on what was happening at the time, BUT you're also reporting chest pain and feeling ill - PLEASE get this checked out straight away, today, as what you're reporting sounds like it has parallels with symptoms of pulmonary embolism, which can occur post-op. It may well be nothing, but those symptoms need checking out straight away.

Thanks everyone, this was my 2nd section so I know it’s major surgery and they spend time afterwards stitching you up etc, but this was different to last time and the massaging the uterus thing sounds like what it must have been. I kept asking what was going on and they kept saying oh it’s nothing don’t worry... I also know I lost more blood than usual.

This pain is different to the last section too. It’s not near the scar or down low it’s right at the top of my tummy and feels like there’s a football swirling about in there knocking off all my other organs. It doesn’t feel like lungs but certainly when I lie down it feels like my lungs get squashed and I can’t take a deep breath, and if I do manage it hurts.

I’m not getting a midwife visit today (I asked about what happened after section when she came on Friday and got the same brush off). So will have to wait until tomorrow or contact maternity assessment today.

I didn’t know you can ask for a debrief after an operation?

You can ask for a debrief yes, can I ask did you get a transfusion or did you not lose enough blood? Also did they give you antibiotics?

I didn’t get a transfusion. As far as I know I got antibiotics as in the standard ones everyone gets.

You can ask for a debrief after giving birth (whether vaginally or by c section). In fact you're legally entitled to one if you wish to have it. A midwife will go through your notes with you and explain what happened, answering any questions you may have. I had a traumatic planned c section (which still sounds bloody ridiculous) and I found it really helpful to clarify what went wrong, when it went wrong and why it went wrong. However it also highlighted what went well and what I might choose should I ever have another baby.

OP, you don't sound like you've taken on board what I've said. Can you please at least ring NHS direct to ask for guidance on these symptoms (making sure you report the chest pain, breathless and fluey feeling)?