C-Section under GA

[hereistopositiveenergy]

Please, I'm looking for positive stories or any words of advise to make this more of a positive experience as I'm currently at breaking point.

I am pregnant with a very much wanted baby after struggling to conceive. After working flat out doing two jobs to fund private IVF as I've already an amazing stepdaughter, we found out we had conceived naturally three months before our booked first IVF appointment.

Unfortunately my health wasn't great anyway - I have a blood clotting disorder, lupus and POTs - but all my medical team were on board with the pregnancy. After falling pregnant I've had HG sickness which finally settled down 3 weeks ago at 23 weeks and also preeclampsia indicators so I've been monitored closely on that front. As part of this monitoring, one of the consultants sent me for a CT then an MRI where it's been confirmed I have something wrong with my brain - chiari malformation type 2? In essence, from what they've explained so far, is there's swelling at the back which is causing the brain to 'droop' down hence my headaches and a shooting pain when I cough or laugh too much.

I had initially been booked for an induction at 38 weeks so we could plan coming off my blood thinning medication whilst delivering naturally as this is the safest option for my blood clotting element. Today however, my consultant has let me know neuro are strongly recommending a section under GA (although awaiting re confirmation from anaesthetist I can have a spinal or epidural again because of the blood clotting factors).

I really did not want a birth like this. In fact, I really do not want a birth like this as it feels so transactional but I do not have a choice. From the discussions today, to labour naturally will cause too much pressure in my head and there's a ridiculous high chance of catastrophic harm to me.

Everything I've read so far says DP will not be allowed in the theatre and I will not be allowed to see baby until I come round and safe to hold. This means no first cry, first look, skin to skin, first feed, cutting of the cord, the golden hour that everything tells you is a 'must' because it's so important and crucial. I will miss out on all of those experiences and seeing/holding your baby once they come out.

We are to go back in 3 weeks to agree a date and allow me time to digest & come to terms with the news today.

I already now feel so disconnected and have done nothing but cry all afternoon so please, if anyone can shed any light on what happens with a section under GA, the positives they experienced and any tips on how to deal with this mentally and emotionally I would be very grateful.

No experience of the GA I'm afraid but try not to worry about things like the golden hour- you'll more than make up for it when you come round and DH can do the skin to skin etc. I honestly can't remember either of mine's first cry. I think what's happening to you is super scary and not surprised you're feeling out of control but on the positive side an imperfect birth that you're not prepared for can also have a massive impact. Hopefully by being prepared in advance you'll be at peace with what needs to happen. Mich love x

I had to have an emergency c section under a GA, so not quite the same. Baby was taken to special care and I was taken to a ward to recover as I was poorly too. We didn't get to meet the baby until the next day but the special care team brought me a photograph.

I had the perfect birthing plan and I did none of it. Looking back I wish I wasn't so hard on myself to have not had the birth I had planned. So please be kind to yourself.

I bonded with baby just fine and did all the firsts the next day. Baby is now a super charged 8 year old and we have a lovely relationship so it had no effect.

Sending much love xx

I ended up having a emergency csection under GA. My partner was sent out but was given our son straight after and he done skin to skin until i come round.
Situation was a little different as it wasnt planned and it was the middle of the night husband had to leave and i was so exhausted from the 36hours of labour i held him for about 10 mins and i couldnt keep my eyes open....
But in the morning after a good sleep i held him and instantly felt connected. We have the strongest bond and although i feel sad i didnt get to experience the things you mentioned like first cry etc i was just thankful that we where both safe and healthy.
When having my second baby my midwife even told me to leave my phone with her incase i had to go under again and she would take those first moment pictures that i missed the first time round so its definitely worth asking if this is a option.

I know its not what you imagined and its horrible the experience has been taken off you, but the minute you see and hold your baby you wont be so worried about it, youl have so many more experiences together

I would book into a good antenatal class where you can be supported to make the best birth plan you can under your circumstances.

For example you could provide your own hat for baby to wear as soon as they’re born (do you knit?) that you have kept next to your skin so it smells of you. Ask for baby (assuming well) to be taken straight to Dad for skin to skin. Your music in the recovery room maybe, and your partner could lay baby on your chest as you’re coming round and scoop them up again if you need him to.

A GA c-section can be a good experience and will much reduce the chances of any unplanned emergencies spoiling your special day.

I’m sorry this has happened, it is awful when our hopes for a “nice” birth are dashed. I think you could feel more in control by planning what you can to make it as good for you all as it can be.

I would, if possible, get a second opinion.

I'm struggling to understand why any of those things would mean you need a C-section under general anaesthetic.

A blood clotting disorder? A C-section is a C-section - surgery comes with risk of blood clots. Can't see why going under GA would help.

Pots and lupus - what have they said are the risks here? I don't think this is a reason not to have a VB. Lots of people give birth with POTS.

And chiari malformation - this really depends on the severity of it? How symptomatic are you? This is the only thing that would give me pause about having a vaginal birth. I have type one chiari, it's mild and is now pretty much unsymptomatic. My vaginal birth was absolutely fine, but I can imagine what it would be like with type 2. Do you already have intracranial hypertension? Does it effect your vision?

I would be angling for a 'gentle' C-section but not under GA. Or even a 'maternal assisted' C-section.

I just think a second opinion and some good explanations from your consultants is needed here.

I realise I've been a bit 'devils advocate' here but I just don't want you to feel like you haven't got any choices.

I had ga. It was breezy please don't worry. They took the baby out of the room, gave to my dh who was waiting. When I woke up, it hurt a lot though, so make sure they give you lots of painkillers and afterwards, ibuprofen, paracetamol.
It's been 4 years since then. My son is amazing, when I look back I laugh at how much I worried and agonised over not having skin to skin immediately. It mattered zilch. When I woke up he was next to me and handed to me ASAP. We have an amazing bond, always did.
I had another csec without ga so can compare. Honestly, the csec situation is way weirder, as I couldn't see what was going on, but am aware of being cut and stitched. A bit distracting, and also delayed the baby being handed over anyway. Oh, one other thing. Your milk will be delayed if you have csection but that's the same ga or not. Best of luck, please don't cry over this you'll be fine. In a jiffy, you'll start worrying about breastfeeding 😀 and then when that settles, other stuff.

Hi op. I'm so sorry you've had such a rough time and this isn't the way you'd wanted things to go. I haven't had the same struggles you have but i was told that due to some risk factors I couldn't have anything close to the birth I wanted to have which made things very scary and upsetting for me. The things that I found helped were meeting with a birth preferences consultant within my trust to talk through my concerns and discuss what compromises we could come to for my section and making a birth plan anyway that included what I wanted to happen if I wasn't conscious or able to do the things you've listed. I would recommend trying to do that anyway. Just because you're under GA doesn't mean you can't still have a say in how your little one enters the world to some degree. I would imagine that your wee one could have skin to skin and golden hour etc with your dh if you haven't come round yet provided everything is OK for them. My dh had started that with our ds before I was able to. I was very worried about the impact on attachment and bonding but honestly it didn't matter a jot in my experience. As soon as I got back on the ward I did skin to skin pretty constantly and probably over compensated! Ultimately there will be things that they won't want to happen in a section, for example they didn't want dh to come past the surgical barrier for hygiene reasons to cut the cord and didn't want to drop the curtain or do delayed cord cutting etc due to the increase in risk of infection. Its also very common for little ones to need a bit of help with breathing after a section because they don't get a good squeeze on the way out so I was very mentally prepared for things like that (we were very lucky in that respect thankfully) so you could be awake and not get those experiences anyway so I'd focus on the bits you can control which the birth preferences consultant should help you navigate. Things like asking the team to take a recording of first cry and photos of baby being born etc. I didn't follow half of what I'd put on my plan because I was so flipping nervous on the day tbh, but see when you're in the moment the only thing that actually matters to you is baby arriving safe and healthy and you being safe and healthy too. Your body has already given so much to help nourish and grow your wee bub so I'd try to reframe it as a kindness to your body after all the love and protection you've given baby all this time so that when baby is actually here you're safe and healthy enough to enjoy them and parent them the way you see fit. I don't know how you're planning to feed but I also harvested colostrum from 36 weeks and built up a small freezer supply (mainly due to gd but also so that if anything happened dh could feed baby my milk until i was able to see about breast feeding) might be worth looking into if bf is something you're interested in. You can get free kits from the hospital. Might be another way that you can be providing for baby while you're recovering but don't put yourself under pressure most women get really tiny amounts before baby arrives.

I also had an emergency c-section under GA. Same as the poster above, my husband was sent out but son was given straight to him (once he’d been checked etc.) to hold until I came round. I was quite poorly but managed to breastfeed fine once I was over the GA. I felt very shocked by it all but I think that was because it wasn’t planned, and disconnected because someone else gave my son his first feed, put his first nappy on, got him dressed etc. (I was unconscious for a few hours after due to being unwell). If it has been planned I’d definitely have felt better about it & put a plan in place for straight after his birth.

C-sections are really quick to perform & you should only be under for a really short amount of time. You won’t miss much and you can ask for your baby to be the first thing you see when you wake up, have them ready to be placed on your chest, ask someone to take photos etc. to help you feel connected.

I should say that despite a traumatic birth I had no trouble bonding with my baby & we have a lovely relationship. Wishing you all the very best.

I haven't had a c-section under ga but I nearly did so the Drs talked through with me what happens. Also my youngest and I were both very poorly with sepsis when he was born so I've done birth when I wasn't actually unconscious but there was no skin to skin, golden hour or anything like that.

Firstly it's ok to feel upset and disappointed. People may tell you that you should be grateful, at least you had a healthy baby etc but that's rubbish and it's perfectly normal to experience all sorts of emotions. If everything goes according to plan you get taken down to theatre and your birth partner will be shown to a room where he/she can wait. In my local hospital it's a delivery room on the Labour ward. They put you under anaesthetic and they will want the baby out as quick as it's safe to do so as they won't want the baby to get too sleepy. So about 5 minutes after you go to sleep the baby will be born and the surgeon will give him/her to the midwife. The midwife will check him/her over, weigh, measure, wrap in a towel and put a hat on him/her. You might be asked beforehand to bring a nappy, hat, sleeping and vest to theatre for the baby. We were also told if we brought a camera then the anaesthetist could take photos of the baby being born. Then the midwife brings the baby to your birth partner to cuddle. You can tell your birth partner not to phone anyone with the news until you are out of theatre. Then when they have got the placenta out and sewn you up you will be shifted from the operating table to a bed and wheeled into the room where your partner will be waiting for you with your baby. When you wake up you get a cup of tea and toast which will taste amazing and you will stay there for about 2-4 hours before being moved to the postnatal ward.

The skin to skin, golden hour etc is a nice thing to have but it's not going to harm the baby if it doesn't happen. It shouldn't affect breastfeeding of that's what you want to do. My youngest had sepsis and we didn't see each other for 14 hours after he was born. The first time I had him I nearly dropped him. I can't remember when I first tried to breastfeed him, day 2 or 3 I think but he latched on immediately and sucked like an industrial vacuum cleaner. He then breastfed for over 2 years.

He is 9 next week.

whatever you need to do to keep you both safe. Trust me, when I had my babies the ‘golden hour’ hadn’t even been invented.

Hi @hereistopositiveenergy sorry you are going through all this. Not a GA, but I had an emergency CS and baby was rushed straight to NICU, formula fed overnight and I was taken back to a ward, I saw him momentarily. Next day (12 hours later) I got to hold him and breastfeed and he latched immediately and fed until 14 months! Honestly all your son or daughter will want growing up is their Mum safe and sound. Very best wishes to you Xxx

I’d also never heard of ‘golden hour’. Off to Google…

Or would you go ahead with the birth you want, have the adverse affects and then sue the nhs?

I had an emergency c section under GA, it was as far from the birth I had planned as you could get (I'd planned a home water birth!), it was either a GA or I'd lose my baby, as it was an emergency it was terrifying but it was fine, absolutely fine, I was well looked after, the whole golden hour thing is a wonderful thing but ultimately what is more important? Your baby having a parent or that first hour? I have a great bond with the grumpy teen who has GCSE maths tomorrow, she makes me proud everyday and if it wasn't for that GA she wouldn't be here today, I'd take it over the golden hour every single time. I completely understand its not what you want but the truth is very few birth plans actually go to plan, go with the medical advice, get your beautiful baby, what is an hour in the grand scheme of a lifetime?

Many women don't get the labour and birth experience they would like. at the end of the day,safety for the child and mother has to take priority.

I knew before I became pregnant that I would need a c section so never imagined a "normal" birth.

Take time to get used to the new plan but focus on the key aim: to keep you and baby safe. Then think about the positives, no labour pain and a clear plan rather than change mid way through labour. Also plan for what you can plan. We planned that my husband would be the first to hold baby, first to change nappy and comfort baby. I chose the clothes he dressed her in. I did do her first bath!

Hi

Honestly thank you all for sharing your experience on this. It feels like when I googled, everything was very scripted & copy pasted across every website with no where to find how women actually dealt with it.

I like the idea of a camera being available for photos so then not only I can look back on, but DP can equally feel like he's not missed out either. Tbh he's just on board for the safest way as he's said already he's not coming home with a baby and not me although understands why I've been upset. And the hat - my Nans been knitting non stop since we've found out so I'll ask her to do a special one just for this. I was planning on BF so didn't know milk could be delayed with section - have read up on harvesting though so I will look to factor that it so there's something there when baby is born.

@oliveandwell at the moment it seems every consultant involved has their own opinion and reasons, none to me seem to completely make sense except the brain thing but they've all said about section under GA. My OB consultant has said today she's going to take a central lead now and find out each of the rationales ahead of the next meeting to book everything in. I just need to get my head around everything and find a way to still have some say without jeopardising mine or baby's life.

@FangedFrisbee No. I would do whatever is the safest for both of us but that does not take away having a vaginal or a section when awake taken away from me has made me feel.

That's such an unhelpful post! Spinal/epidural are contraindicated in clotting disorders where the problem is that blood doesn't clot appropriately. A type II malformation causing symptoms also means spinal/epidural are likely to be contraindicated (regardless of the clotting).
OP, I'd stick to getting medical advice from your team rather than MN. Re the 'nice' bits of a section, as PPs have alluded to there are lots of things that can be done to make it as good as possible.

I had a GA and emergency c section.

I woke up and my baby was dressed and waiting for me. I was so mesmerised by how she looked, we were taken to a private room and My mum came in and told me how beautiful she was.

had no catheter and was given plenty of pain relief.

spent 5 days in hospital which really helped with recovery and just being the two of us

I had a c section under GA and because she was premature she went straight to SCBU and I didn’t get to hold her for 12 hours however I’ve since had another baby and I would say that the first time you see your baby and hold you have is just as special whether they are seconds old or a few hours old. I did lots of skin to skin during her first few weeks and our bond was strong from the beginning.
The medical team took a photo of her when she was minutes old which I really treasure and would recommend asking about and DH was able to see her almost immediately

I had a planned c-section under GA a few months ago and the need for this came about quite late in my pregnancy so like you I was upset about not having the birth experience I had imagined, including my partner being there for the birth.

I actually found the experience quite positive though and wouldn't hesitate to do it again.
My partner accompanied me to theatre and then was taken back to my room on the ward and he was updated about 20 minutes later that baby was ok, and everything fine. After I had been stitched up he was brought to the recovery ward at the same time as me so he was there when I came around (about an hour after baby was born in total) and I vaguely recall him being handed the baby and the midwife took some photos before he was passed to me. I was quite drowsy for a few hours afterwards but can recall most of what happened.

Baby had been fed a little formula while I was under because he had been crying but midwife assisted me with breastfeeding as soon as I had him.

My recovery was fine, I was up and about within a few days and by two weeks I was getting around with ease. Baby has been fine and is doing great also. It is hard when things don't go as planned but in hindsight it was quite nice to go to sleep and wake up and it all be over!

I had a C-section under GA. I didn't see my baby until he was 15 hours old. I still managed to breastfeed, it didn't affect our bond in any way. My Dh took loads of photos for me and took me to see him in SCBU the next morning, honestly @hereistopositiveenergy it will be fine.

It took me a long time to conceive too and I wanted so desperately to have that skin to skin etc. none of that matters though. Your bond won't be affected. I understand how you feel though and those feelings are completely valid. Feel free to PM me if you'd like to chat more.

I know it seems bad now and not what you wanted, but in the grand scheme of things it’s a nano second of the time you will spend with your much wanted baby. I wish I hadn’t got so fixated with the small stuff (I had a section, low milk and couldn’t ebf), and the only difference it made was to me and my mental health. I wish I had just let it go and focussed on my baby, I felt like I wasted time getting upset about things I couldn’t control. Once I let it go, I had the best time and bonding with my baby.

My mum had me through emergency GA section, she didn’t see me for ages and I was in intensive care for a week. She couldn’t breastfeed at all. I only know this as she told me later when I was an adult. I have a great bond with her, we live miles away but speak nearly every day.

It’s not the birth, or the feeding, it’s the love and care you have for your child that will have biggest effect. Just focus on getting your child delivered safely and you have all the time in the world after to bond.