C section - terrified!

[baby2xx]

I am due to get my first c section a few days, my first birth was natural and easy.

I am beyond terrified and anxious.
Does anyone have positive/realistic stories regarding c sections. I don't want any horror stories so please just points that will calm my nerves a little.
Everyone I have spoken to have said it's such a calming experience and baby is here within minutes, is this true? Do you then focus so much on baby you don't stress about them stitching you up?

How was recovery?

It will be fine. I've had two, the second one planned.

Got to hospital about 8am, was taken to the delivery ward, settled in the room. Filled out some forms, was introduced to the team, got out of my clothes into a gown and DH got put in scrubs.

9am went into theatre. Sat on the table, they put the spinal block in. I'd had problems first time round (curved spine) so that took a while - probably 45 mins - but that's not normal. They laid me down on the bed. From there I felt nothing until a few hours after the birth.

They put up the curtain, check the block has worked, and off they go. DS2 was born at 9.59. Pulled out, taken for a wipe down, DH cut the cord, baby bought to me. I held him for a bit and so did DH. Wouldn't have known they were stitching me up, felt nothing. Distracted by baby and the blood pressure cuff inflating every few minutes and the lovely anaesthetist who is up by your head.

Taken back out of theatre into delivery ward. Spend a few hours there with them testing your vitals and checking on baby, who they weighed and helped us get dressed / put on nappy. Gave me my tea and toast. Once everything was confirmed as ok they wheeled me down to the maternity ward (I held baby).

By 3 it was visiting and my parents and DH's parents came to visit and meet baby. Dinner at 5. Catheter and Cannula out before I went to bed (my request!) - just needed to prove I could get myself out of bed and across to the toilet as needed, so had been walking since about 7 I guess. Slept badly 10-6 while they kept checking on me and the baby, breakfast at 7am. Husband there by 9, waited for check out and meds to take home (blood thinning injections). Left at 11am.

Wishing you a positive experience, in my experience there was no drama or pain, the medics say you may feel a bit pressure/ pulling but then all of a sudden your beautiful baby is being handed to you. Wasn't really aware of the after bit ,there is a curtain and you have a new born to cuddle. Recovery not too bad, take it easy and avoid heavy lifting etc . 💐

It’s fine, honestly.

An emergency section can be rather rough, but a planned one is absolutely fine. There’s no stress or worry. The stitches they use are internal dissolving ones as well, so there’s very little scarring afterwards.

It’s a perfectly straightforward procedure. It’s not rushed to get the baby out to save its life, so it happens at a calm and steady pace.

The recovery is pretty decent. The important thing to remember is to not lift up your toddler. That was the only really hard part.

I genuinely really enjoyed mine!

And a year on I still only have positive memories of it. It was calm and peaceful and beautiful.

Emergency ones are of course often (usually, I would imagine) traumatic but planned ones are such a great experience.

You don't even realise they are stitching you up as you are overwhelmed with the excitement of little one arriving.

Do not panic if you shiver lots (as if your freezing cold - my teeth were chattering!) as it's a super normal reaction to the anaesthetic they give you. Nobody warned me so I was a bit confused but they explained very quickly it's completely normal. I always tell people now so they know it's normal!

What I would say is take recovery seriously. Do not be tempted to do too much too soon! Be kind to your body and remember, just because it's a c section people seem blasé about getting back to normal but it's major abdominal surgery so you need to act accordingly.

Keep on top of pain relief, take it easy and just focus on feeding (whether breast or bottle) little one. Looking after you is everyone else's job for a little while!

Best of luck

Can I advise if you are a Instagram user to search and follow www.instagram.com/csectionuk?igsh=dmMxcGlhYWw0cTk5

They have courses you can purchase. Which will explain everything from what to expect, noises you'll hear, staff you'll see to recovery. But even without purchasing any of there courses there are LOADS of useful posts with hundreds of women who've had c sections commenting on them offering really sound advice and guidance a lot of which is really reassuring. I've got my csection in 4 weeks and felt like you, but feel so much better about it all now. ❤️

I had an emergency section as I went into labour before the date mine was planned for. Even being an emergency, there was nothing traumatic about it and nothing scary or stressful as I felt reassured I was in the right hands and everyone knew what they were doing. I was definitely preoccupied by baby by the time I was being stitched up, but even that isn’t painful, you can just feel a pressure that’s like people leaning on you! Recovery also wasn’t bad for me, but as a pp said, remember not to lift your toddler! Good luck OP, it will all be worth it when you’re holding your baby.

I had a planned c-section for my twins, and was terrified before it.

But it was fine! It was very calm, controlled, relaxed and pain-free. Pleasant almost :)
It was all very quick - I felt no pulling. After the baby is out, they clean the baby and pass it to you, while you're being stitched up. I felt nothing, and the scar is barely visible (about 4 inches long).

Recovery was fine. I was in hospital for 5 nights, and was completely back to normal (running up and down stairs, etc) by the time I came home. I kept on top of painkillers and had minimal pain for a few days (a dull pain like after a workout in the gym).

Overall, it was a very positive experience. Good luck!

Nothing better childbirth wise than a planned c section. So chilled, so relaxed, the doctors made jokes with me, there's no panic, no people rushing around, no mad rush to theatre

Wish you luck

I had an emergency C-section. I was worried but felt calm, comfortable and safe throughout. It took about 20 mins but felt much quicker to me. Recovery wasn't as bad or painful as I expected. If I have another baby I would definitely choose a C-section again. All the best!

I’ve had 4. Honestly you will be fine. It is amazing how quickly they get the baby out and then you are so busy looking at baby and talking to your partner etc that you forget they are stitching you up!

Thank you so much everyone. I'm still terrified but I do feel a little calmer reading everyone's positive experiences. Under 48 hours to go! X

I had an emergency c section with my first. That was chaotic and frightening and I actually ended up with PTSD from it. My second c section was planned and although I was worried given my first experience it was far, far calmer and I felt more in control.

Feeling terrified is completely normal, so please don't feel like it isn't. I'm sure 99% of the posters who've shared their experience with you were terrified beforehand too. ❤️
I'm terrified and mines still 4 weeks away, it's the unknown of course. One thing that always helps ground me is telling myself, it's 1 hour, 1hour 30 at most of enduring the surgery then you'll have your little baby in your arms and in recovery. You've got this.

Please come back and update us Xxxx

What are you worried about?

it wasn’t what I wanted but it was calm ( lush drugs) totally pain free and. Safe, driving and back to normal after a few days driving after 8. Days

I had an emergency one, I was very ill and baby had to come prematurely. C Section was last thing I ever wanted.

Was absolutely fine! First two days were painful only when trying to get baby from the side but otherwise I was fine with paracetomol. After a week I was ok to get on with life lightly. I was out at restaurants, going for small walks. My pelvic floor is very happy!

Make sure that you keep drinking peppermint tea.

I had an EMCS, it was ok. It wasn't what I'd call a true emergency but it wasn't planned if that makes sense. I had done a private course prior to this so asked that the lights be as dim as possible and we had music playing. The scariest bit was getting the needle in my back, I was worried about jumping as a reaction and it going in the wrong place, however it was fine. They kept asking could I feel anything and I felt like I could, I just couldn't feel any pain and I realised at that point they had already started to cut so I relaxed then. It feels like someone pulling on you which wasn't nice but ok. No idea what was happening after they placed my baby on me.
Recovery was painful, I needed the medication at the set hours and it took me 6 weeks to recover and to drive, took me a year to fully recover if I'm honest, I had a dragging feeling for ages and little sensation on my tummy.
The staff in the theatre were all nice though and all had their role, I didn't feel that there were any spares hanging around which was another fear of mine!

I had a planned section with DC2. I cried every day in the week leading up to it! It was my first operation ever and I was beyond scared. Honestly OP it was fine.

What I realised was that this was just another day at the office for everyone involved, all health conditions were known, there were no surprises and it felt like such a well oiled machine all I had to do was lay back and let them get on with it. Having experienced vaginal birth with DC1 I actually couldn’t believe a baby could be born so quickly! You are in very safe hands.

Also afterwards I’d really recommend taking very regular pain relief even if you’re feeling ok. I often tough it out with pain relief and there are no prizes for being in pain. Be honest with staff, ask for something stronger if you need it. Big thing is to not lift older children for a while, please don’t push yourself because you can trick your brain into thinking you’re ok to do these things but slow and steady recovery really is the best option.

I had DC1 just over 6 years ago and I still get twinges from my episiotomy scar. I had DC2 via section 2 years ago truly never even get the slightest ache from it.

I really enjoyed mine. Genuinely. It was so calm and controlled. Everyone was chatting, I could choose the music to be on. I held baby while they stitched me back up (they put him in a sling on my chest) and then I spent a few hours with DH and baby in recovery before going back to the ward. My scar healed really well and I had very little pain after the first week or so. Even then, pain was manageable by keeping on top of pain killers. I would 💯 opt for a section again in future.

I've had both a natural birth and planned section and I'd happily have a section again. It was a calm and enjoyable experience, they talk you through the whole thing and keep you calm throughout it. My midwife walked to theatre with DH and I then stayed with me for the whole thing, she focused on me until baby was here and then took her off to be weighed etc but I had two nurses at my head talking to me once they had laid me down until we were ready to leave the theatre, they were constantly checking on me and making sure I was okay. It's a very busy room and can be really overwhelming with the amount of people who are in the room with you but just focus on meeting baby and you'll be fine. Please let them know you're feeling really anxious about it they will definitely put your mind at ease.
The most uncomfortable part for me was getting the cannula put into my hand and my back numbed before the spinal, after that I didn't feel a thing. I can't remember much about after baby arrived, they lifted her up for me to see and I just felt a wave of emotion, I was so wrapped up in skin to skin with her that the whole stitching up felt like it took minutes.
Good luck, it will be over before you know it 😊

I loved my section. Amazing and calm experience compared to a shit show of a "natural" birth (72 hour labour, 3 hours pushing, tearing, pph, nearly died blah blah blah). I think sections should be routinely offered to us all but I am quite evangelical about mine so I would say that. You will have a lovely calm experience. All of the very very best!

Im glad you've had some positive responses. I spent the majority of my pregnancy feeling like you then I remember lying with my baby in my arms just wondering what I'd been so stressed about. It honestly just feels like a very calm and civilised way to have a baby. In fact my first c-section is one of my loveliest memories.

I've had good recoveries both times and I'd say the first couple of days are tough but not unmanageable. Just stay on top of your painkillers and don't push yourself.

I agree with all the PPs that a planned section is almost surreally calm. The only thing I would add is stay on top of the laxatives they give you. I decided to be a hero and skip it and just had lots of water and fruit. Big mistake. HUGE. Take the laxatives, and yes, don't lift your toddler. 😁

@baby2xx just checking in to see how everything went for you? ❤️ Hope your enjoying baby cuddles now xxx