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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Choosing GA for elcs

70 replies

wingingit33 · 14/02/2022 20:30

I spent today on the antenatal ward due to start/stop tightenings (I'm 37+3). I'm having a section due to previous 3rd degree tear. My elcs is booked for next week but today I was prepped for theatre just in case it needed to be today which included meeting the anaesthetist. It all sounds terrifying. The chance of anti emetic drugs causing visual disturbances, the chance of dizziness from low bp, the paralysing feeling of the numbness which can go too high. I know he had to explain all the risks but Jesus Christ I've gone from anxious to full blown panic. I asked for a GA and he said it is always an option/my choice but that only 2% take it up. My anxiety is honestly through the roof. The thought of lying on that table totally out of control of my own body and unable to run away from it all is just utterly petrifying. I now feel confident I want my section under GA - all the problems I'll sleep through and be none the wiser. Has anyone else had one and can share experiences?

OP posts:
LadyLazarus40 · 14/02/2022 20:33

I’ve had an emergency section under GA and an elective with a spinal block. I’d take the spinal block over the GA anyday.

Recovery from anaesthetic significantly quicker. Get to meet yr baby immediately- Inwas v out of it for a long time after general.

The spinal gives you a far greater Feeling of being in control.

LadyLazarus40 · 14/02/2022 20:35

Happy to give more info if you want but honestly the spinal is SIGNIFICANTLY better I promise (and lower risk).

Ursusmajor · 14/02/2022 20:35

Have you ever had a general anesthetic OP? I’ve never had a C-Section, so I can’t comment on your specific situation, but I have had a couple of GAs and they can be very weird. I found the waking up bizarre. I’ve had an epidural for a vaginal birth and it was fine. I could still feel that my legs were there it just didn’t hurt anymore.

Totalwasteofpaper · 14/02/2022 20:36

My ELCS will be spinal.

I had GA for a minor procedure a few years ago and it knocked me for 6... I really took weeks to recover from the anesthetic so would def take spinal if I thought it was remotely an option.

Rrrob · 14/02/2022 20:36

They have to give you the worst case scenario/ all the options of what could happen. The feeling of lying there and not being able to move is ODD, but recovery is pretty quick.

CovidCorvid · 14/02/2022 20:40

GA has risk implications for the baby. I wouldn’t advise it. In 15 years of being a labour ward midwife I’ve only seen a GA section a handful of times and all but one of those was an emergency. The elective was because she couldn’t medically have a spinal. Every time the doctors are twitched about the baby as the anaesthetic does cross the placenta so there’s a real,time urgency.

I had an emergency lscs under spinal and I do remember how scared I was. But it was ok. Try and focus on other stuff, talk to your dp to take your mind off stuff.

MrsTerryPratchett · 14/02/2022 20:40

Have you had a GA before? They aren't just 'sleeping'.

The other thing is I was loopy from no sleep and a bit out of it and worried DD wasn't mine. Only the fact that I'd seen her during the CS reassured me.

cultkid · 14/02/2022 20:43

The GA means when you wake up it's soooooo painful. I've had one with a GA and one with a spinal.

I would 100% chose to have a spinal every single time to have a c section
I felt very dizzy for about a minute whilst they gave me more drugs to help with the shock basically once they started the section on me.
It is terrifying you are right but trust me the prospect of the pain when you wake up, the fact you won't see your baby right away are enough of a deterrent for me to say use a spinal if possible

Can they give you a little something to take the edge off your nerves instead

The anti emetics shouldn't knock you for six, they are a bit powerful but nothing horrendous xxx

Beachsidesunset · 14/02/2022 20:43

Spinal block every time. Perhaps you could practise some relaxation breathing? The calmer you are, the better the experience is. Plus, the staff are all brilliant.

RetireReady · 14/02/2022 20:44

I've had both and the sad thing about having a GA was that I don't really remember the first day or two with my baby due to anaesthetic confusing my memories.

Catfox1 · 14/02/2022 20:45

I had a spinal and didn’t even know they had started my section until they lifted up my baby 🤣 no feeling of out of control at all

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 14/02/2022 20:47

I’ve had a pretty relaxed emcs and a crash section under GA. I’ve had a few GAs for various. You do too just wake up and feel fine. It can take a few ways or a couple of weeks, and you’re mostly at home. I’d faaaaar rather have the few hours of spinal block in hospital.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 14/02/2022 20:50

Garbled typos in my previous post…. What I meant to say was, you don’t just come round from a GA and feel OK.

Maybe some people do, but it’s definitely not a given. I recovered from my spinal block emcs far, far more quickly. Like in hours rather than days.

Original poster
wingingit33 · 14/02/2022 20:52

Yes I've had several GA ops (exploratory ones, appendix out and erpc). I can't articulate my level of anxiety about a spinal block - the idea of it all makes me want to stay pregnant forever

OP posts:
Garman · 14/02/2022 20:59

Try hypnobirthing techniques, I've had 3 emergency sections and the first was scary, the other two I used breathing techniques to get through and it helped so much. GA isn't ideal for anyone involved really, and is very drastic when there isn't a necessity for it. I had a section 4 months ago at 34 weeks with a whole neonatal team in the room as well as people for me and a crash team for each of us, it all seems scary but it's precautions for the worst case scenario, not just normal prep, they have to tell you the major/rare risks is all.

Soontobe60 · 14/02/2022 21:03

I suppose the only thing that would make me have an epidural over a GA for having a C section would be the thought of my baby not being in my arms when they were delivered, until such point as I’d be able to actually hold them. I’m terrible with a GA !

Twizbe · 14/02/2022 21:05

Apart from the tear is there any other reason for the elcs?

I ask because I had a third degree with my first (9lb1) baby and no one even offered it as an option with my second.

She was bigger at 9lb3 and I didn't tear at all with her. She was the most beautiful birth ever.

Could you / would you want to try a vaginal birth and avoid the whole issue? (Perfectly fine to not try a vb if you don't want to, just asking the question)

A couple of friends of mine had their sections under GA, both took a while to recover and said it was worse than their second c sections which were with spinals BUT the reason for the GA was that they were in life threatening situations and needed a very very very emergency section. Chances are that had a lot to do with them feeling so rough after.

seekinglondonlife · 14/02/2022 21:09

Mine have all been C/S, the first was GA due to catastrophic haemorrhage and other 2 elective with spinal. The latter 2 were a walk in the park in comparison, the possible side effects from GA are much higher and riskier than a spinal. Tell them you are very anxious and ask for a 'pre-med' to settle you.

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 14/02/2022 21:13

I also think if someone was to tell you all of the risks involved with a vaginal delivery it would sound terrifying too. I mean you did suffer a 3rd degree tear with your previous baby.

Will your partner be with you for the birth?

I have had an EMCS then a planned ELCS, the planned one was so calm and I didn't feel out of control which would have been a big fear of mine. I also loved being able to see both my sons born and handed to me with Dh holding them onto me. I think with a GA I would have possibly felt detached.

I have had GAs before and I think it is different coming round from those when you just have to think about yourself and not a newborn too.

brio4ever · 14/02/2022 21:14

You describe spinal block as being totally out of control of your body - except you are not. You can move your upper half, arms, neck, head and use your voice. You know what's happening to you and your baby. You also hopefully have your birthing partner to advocate for you/baby. If you have a GA you have none of that - no voice, no knowledge, no advocate. You won't know what's happened until you wake up and you risk being still being too out of it to understand. I've had GA for abdominal surgery, and spinal for c-section. Honestly the spinal was fine, didn't hurt to have. You can still feel pressure on the lower half of your body - so it doesn't feel like it's missing. You will be too focussed on the fact your baby is being born to really feel out of control. You have the anaesthetist and usually a midwife just for you - to reassure you and answer questions whilst surgery is happening. There is so much going on you won't really notice the fact you can't walk, and you can still move yourself with your arms afterwards. Spinal blocks wear off quickly - much quicker than an epidural, and you're alert the whole time.

Lostmyname · 14/02/2022 21:19

Have had both and GA was definitely worse. When coming round, the nurse told me the baby was fine and my first thought was "what baby?" Was so disoriented and just out of it for days. It can also affect breastfeeding as the baby is sleepy and confused too.

Having recently had a Ga for something else and taken a week to recover, I can't believe they let me look after a newborn straight afterwards the first time.

Don't make recovery even harder for yourself.

Bebabelouba · 14/02/2022 21:21

I had a GA in an emergency situation.
It was my first baby and I was very sad about it. I couldn't hold her and had to lie there with a mask on which probably wasn't for long but felt like hours.
Ofc DH couldn't be in theatre to see baby being born either. I still awful for him that he was outside theatre on his own and very frigtened.
The first time I saw dd she was washed and dressed. She was very sleepy too.
I found it quite hard caring for her on my own on the ward and left as soon as they would let us!! The pain was pretty bad afterwards but I have little to compare it to!
On the plus side I still exclusively bf which was something that was very important to me.
I am so very grateful that she was born safely but the whole experience did take me a long time to get my head round.
Good luck op. If only we hatched eggs 🤣

Thesearmsofmine · 14/02/2022 21:27

I had a GA for my first(emergency). It was horrendous and still to this day,)over 11 years on) I am sad that I was not able to witness my child be born, that I have no idea about the first part of his life, he wasn’t able to go into my arms and I was so out of. It I wasn’t really aware I’d had a baby.
With my third I had another awful birth, but I was laid on the operating table begging not to be put under GA due to my previous experience.

Morechocmorechoc · 14/02/2022 21:32

Just remember however strong your fear, the risk to baby with GA so you'll have to find a way to get past it.

OR go for a vaginally birth regardless of the 3rd degree tear if that's an option which I believe it is.

hobsnobs · 14/02/2022 21:38

I was terrified for my spinal with my now toddler. I was shaking and crying hysterically and they said I need to be still and I was fully sobbing that I wasn't going to be able to keep still and I was going to be paralysed. They then told me it was done!

To be honest my caesarean went a bit south, they said I'd feel mild tugging but it felt more like they were slamming me up and down! Baby had been breech since day dot and boy was he lodged in my ribs! He came out and I didn't hear anything, just silence and he wasn't laid on me for skin to skin, I spent a few minutes not really knowing what was going, dh cheerily telling me that the baby had a big poo and was covered so they couldn't lie him on me (total lie!) I don't say this to scare you, quote the opposite actually, a few things did go wrong but it was absolutely fine. I didn't feel in pain, out of control, sick, anything, and even when I was anxious and confused I was still ok, and most importantly once baby had the help he needed he was awake, and aware and could hold him. I'm sad about how parts of the experience went but the spinal, the surgery and the staff was absolutely fine. When they had to be a bit rough to get the baby out, it was communicated, they chatted throughout, dh held my hand, he described the baby to me. I do not regret being awake even through the scary bits! I was nauseous after, but you're nauseous after general too! I was worse after a ga a few years ago for a non child related surgery.

Good luck, whatever you choose. It's your birth, and it's your choice. I just wouldn't want you to miss out due to fear so thought I'd share.