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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Preparing for a Caesar

35 replies

eidsvold · 10/11/2004 10:12

Despite my best intentions and desires - I am unable to have a VBAC and so will be having an elective caesar on Monday. Last time it was an emergency caesar and I did not have time to dwell on it or worry about it....

Okay - so anything I need to consider this time to prepare myself for this surgery?!?!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

secur · 10/11/2004 10:16

Message withdrawn

pupuce · 10/11/2004 10:18

Take arnica before - from now actually (can you get 30 or 200?)
Speak to who ever is going in with you to make sure you can get skin to skin ASAP... no need to weigh baby after it's born... it can wait!

Quick question.... if you go into labour before Monday that's OK though isn't it ? How many weeks will you be on Monday ? (and I am sure you must have posetd this somewhere else) why are you no longer to have a VBAC?

secur · 10/11/2004 10:20

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pupuce · 10/11/2004 10:22

She is in Australia....

Gem13 · 10/11/2004 10:23

I wrote a birth plan for mine. Apparently it's unusual but I wanted to mmake sure it was still my birth IYKWIM. I put things like how I wanted to exclusively breastfeed, vitamin K, DH's name and how I wanted him to stay with the baby, skin to skin before weighing, etc.

I was glad I did as the staff went through it the day before when the bloods were taken and on the day.

secur · 10/11/2004 10:27

Message withdrawn

motherinferior · 10/11/2004 10:31

Big pants.

mrsflowerpot · 10/11/2004 10:32

Agree with Gem13 about the birthplan - I had an elective which I was very upset about at the time, and the midwife suggested I write one. It helped me feel like I had regained some control (silly I know but I was full of hormones!). I put in about skin to skin, that I wanted to breastfeed in recovery, what dh wanted to do, a couple of things I didn't want, can't remember what else. It just gave me ownership of the birth again in my own mind, and calmed me down alot. Oh and we took our own music which also helped.

Original poster

eidsvold · 10/11/2004 10:32

packed the arnica - bags are in the car ready to go - have been since about a week before due date. Thanks for the offer secur but I already bought some and as pupuse said I am in Aus.

The lovely consultant I really took to ( UK trained married to an aussie - similar to my dh and I ) is doing the op so I feel very comfortable with that and asked about skin to skin etc - missed out on that with dd who was taked straight to intensive care.

Pupuce - due last week will be having caesar at 10 days overdue... sure of dates here iykwim. Baby is very big and still growing... consultant is worried about pressure on my scar ( dd was tiny also coming out of belly iykwim) and shoulders being stuck.... at 36 week scan they were saying the babe was average for 38 - 39 weeks. Head not engaged, no signs of labour - show etc not seen. The consultant was prepared to let me go to to 42 weeks - next Friday 19/11 but I would need at least twice weekly doppler scans to make sure babe is okay. But said that had I not gone into labour then he would insist on a caesar due to size - already 4 kgs....

I know that women have vbaced with babes about the same size as this one. The consultant is very aware of my reasons for wanting a vbac and very understanding about recovery time - he did say that he would not keep me in for a long time unless there are complications - makes life a little easier. So it just seemed the wise decision to make - unless babe takes matters into his/her own hands.

If I go into labour before Monday - that is okay.

OP posts:

Original poster

eidsvold · 10/11/2004 10:34

packed the big pants just in case motherinferior may need to get some more tomorrow.....

lovely dh bought me 2 cds that I really wanted to help me relax before this.... cause he knew I was disappointed....

OP posts:

Original poster

eidsvold · 10/11/2004 10:34

going in Fri for preadmission appt - discuss all things with midwife and prep for surgery so will go through birthplan again with her I think.

OP posts:

Marina · 10/11/2004 10:41

Definitely arnica. Also lay in some Floradix iron tonic if they have that in Oz, much more digestible than ferrous sulphate pills, and some oil of peppermint which is wonderful for any trapped wind.
eidsvold, do also consider the possibility that you may be more laid low by the op than you imagined. My second elective went fine up to a point...but I had to have both a drain and a blood transfusion, and seeing me all tubed up spooked ds (a bit older than your dd at the time and that might make a difference, of course).
If you had planned to have dd visit the day of the surgery, or the next, it might be helpful to have a contingency babysitter available.
Best of luck, I never got my VBAC either. But I do have two gorgeous children and so will you soon I hope.

merlot · 10/11/2004 10:43

My second caesar (elective) first caesar was emergency, was such a calm and positive experience There was no rush and I had some sleep the night before and it was beautiful. Hope yours is the same

MancMum · 10/11/2004 11:00

I have had 2 electives - and I would prepare yourself for an amazing, painfree experience - I had nopain, was walking around 12 hours later, would recommned a V shaped pillow for feeding if your scar is sore - mine never was and coped with 10lb baby lying on it...

My only regrets from first one are not having music playing and not having baby given to mequicker - although wrestling out of my DH's arms would have taken a couple of grown men!! With second I bf 45 mins after DD was born...

Both mine were excellent experiences - in fact we were told off for laughing during both of them.. which could explain the wobbly scar!!

zephyrcat · 10/11/2004 11:08

My first was an emergency caesar, secont time i fought hard to get an elective and it was just amazing! You will find it an extremely calm and wonderful experience. I couldn't think of a better way to give birth!! Because you aren't tired from a labour you are able to spend the whole day with dh/dp and the baby. My scar healed really quickly and with no problems.
All the best with yours - you'll be fine

lulupop · 10/11/2004 13:52

Get a bikini wax so you don't have itchy regrowth!

fio2 · 10/11/2004 13:56

agree with merlot and mancmum. My elective was a dream compared to the horrendous emergency section I had the first time. Lot of luck eidsvold xxx

aloha · 10/11/2004 14:36

Big pants!

aloha · 10/11/2004 14:39

And agree with birth plan - this time they won't weigh my baby before she comes to us. Longest five minutes of my life!

mummytummy · 10/11/2004 14:42

Like you, first was emergency after a v. lengthy labour, 2nd I was told my pelvis was too small (thanks for letting me go through such a long labour 1st time then!!) Second time is much calmer and a much better experience plus you get a full nights sleep! Take plenty of pillows with you. Take a carrier bag of things you may need once transferred to your hospital bed, so these can be put by your bedside within reach. Lots of magazines as you will be in there for a few nights, and things that you can do with your youngest when they visit. We bought some childrens magazines and jigsaws, together with a supply of sweeties which we put in the baby's hospital cot every time she came to visit so she could find them and show interest in the baby!! There is also a book called Ceasarean Recovery which my husband bought, and it has lots of postnatal exercises. Recovery for me was much quicker 2nd time round.

Original poster

eidsvold · 10/11/2004 19:14

thanks so much for all your messages and ideas.... although I am up early ( my time) can't sleep - unusual for me... I am feeling a lot calmer about all of this.

OP posts:

Quackers · 10/11/2004 20:22

Good luck!!! xxx

highlander · 11/11/2004 00:31

do write a birth plan and make sure everyone in theatre reads it BEFORE they start!

I also requested oral vit K for my baby which went against the grain but they did it anyway.

Extra pillows cos they never give you enough.

Do get up and walk around the same day - I had a CS at 8am and was walking by 3pm. Within reason, the more you move in those early days the better your recovery will be.

Don't rush to get the catheter removed - if you have a CS in the morning you may feel able to get to the loo by night but I personally found it nice not to have to worry about walking there and it meant I could really go mad with rehydration - necessary for your first easy bowel movement!

Don't rush to get home - those 'adjustomatic' hospital beds are great for the first few days

Best of luck!!!!!!!!!!

PS sorry if this rambles a bit - DS's naps are a bit short!

unicorn · 11/11/2004 00:35

Don't try to do too much when you are out of the hospital.. (and if you can- stay in as long as possible.. it's much nicer having people looking after you!!!)

All the best.. let us know how it goes.. and pass on your tips too!!!!

oxocube · 11/11/2004 07:19

I quickly read the title of this thread and thought you meant the salad

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