Was your c section dignified?

[Sept2024]

Pregnant second time round and considering how I want to give birth. Anyone who has had a planned or emergency c section I would love to know tour experience. One question I feel like I can’t get the answer to anywhere is- is the whole theatre milling around in view when you get your catheter put in?
Rhe midwife told me “no one will be watching for the sake of it” but I still left with a question mark. In your experience, did you get covered while that was happening and did the theatre team stay at the other side of the room to protect your dignity or did they not bother?

thank you

Both mine were emergency, everything was a dignified as it could be and the general vibe was one of fast focused work with everyone doing their specific roles. There was no one milling around watching.

I don’t have any specific memories of things like catheters being put in, pretty much anything after the baby was delivered is a blur.

It’s interesting thinking about whether it was ‘dignified’ as my gut reaction to that is - no. I think it’s the nature of the whole thing though, being numbed and then told things are being done to you, and you can’t even really see or feel what is exposed. It’s not that you are treated with a lack of dignity (or respect) but I suppose nothing feels very dignified about the situation if that makes sense?! I was mainly anxious about the operation to worry about dignity though (I didn’t feel dignified having some panicked tears beforehand either 😂)

I think I had more dignity in theatre than on the ward though.

I’ve no idea really - I couldn’t see or feel what was going on so I didn’t really care.

afterwards I also had bed baths, had midwives manually expressing my breasts, changing my pads - all sorts of very intimate things.

I don’t think dignity and childbirth exist in the same place

i didn’t feel undignified though

I had a fantastic experience even though I had a haemorrhage, I wouldn’t worry about the catheter, just ask for it after the epidural, honestly you’re just happy to know you’re totally numb and the lower half of your body doesn’t seem like it belongs to you anyway! I can’t remember being covered but I’m sure I was (I couldn’t have seen over my bump anyways. Just to say this seems like a very minor thing to worry about before major surgery.

Dignity was well and truly ridden roughshod over when a huge row broke out between staff in the operating theatre moments before incision, as the lead consultant stormed in to try and halt proceedings by trying to insist a trial of forceps happened instead. (She hadn’t even inspected the business end at this point, but was just trying to maintain the hospitals natural birth rate statistics)

Staff around the table seemed paralysed with fear at this doctor shouting at them, and I was terrified as to what the bloody hell was going on. The deadlock only broke when I said I would not consent to being cut twice.

The maternity unit in question became the subject of a Donna Ockenden investigation. Having heard the testimonies of other parents who had been “cared” for by the same lead consultant, I would honestly say at the very least both DS and I would have been severely injured if I had not insisted that they continued with the c-section.

there will usually be the rest of the team setting up to do the operation and look after you in a safe and timely way. The catheter usually goes in once the spinal is starting to work just because that makes it more comfortable. If that feel unacceptable then the midwives will probably be happy to do it on the ward before you come to theatre but you'll feel more of it going in. Literally no one will be watching for the sake of it and there's plenty of other work that needs to be happening while the MWs are catheterising. At the end of the surgery the surgeons need to examine PV to make sure there's not a load of bleeding that's happened while they're closing the fat/skin layers and make sure the estimated blood loss is accurate. It's also common to use a painkiller suppository at the end too (surgeon usually puts it in after they've checked the blood loss)... that will usually be discussed during the consent process.

That’s awful and a prime example of why there should never be even a hint of target setting around birth methods. I’m sorry you went through that and good job you were able to advocate for yourself.

This ! The catheter was put in very swiftly, I really barely noticed. There are various people mulling around, but your midwife will probably be talking you through everything. It’s all very efficient and brisk.

I didn't even realise when they were putting the catheter in at all, nobody in the room made a fuss about it, it was only when being in the recovery ward that DP pointed out how much urine I had passed that it actually hit home that I'd had a catheter put in.

When it was removed, I could feel a lot more going on as the spinal had worn off, and it felt like spaghetti being pulled out of me, but it was fast, and my dignity was respected.

My entire C section was really dignified, bar one theater nurse who in hindsight was trying to be reassuring to me, when I told her I felt sick and anxious and she said aw, why? and I thought "because you're about to slice me open while I am wide awake", but really she was actually trying to reassure me that I was actually going to be holding my baby pretty soon.

My anesthesiologist at my pre-op seemed a bit cold, but in theater he was my knight in shining armour. He saw my panic, he nodded his head, he pressed a button and I kid you not I have never felt more relaxed in my life before or since. I can still remember his name, Piotr, almost 7 years later, and I often think about how he facilitated the most relaxing moment in what was the most significant moment of my life and wish I could thank him personally.

Very calm and dignified. I had 3 c sections 2 emergency 3rd planned. First 2 had before going into theatre. Asked at 3rd could I have it put in after I had epidural. Didn't feel a thing found the others painful.

Emergency c section wasn't dignified, the anaesthist basically holding me down as I was having contractions about 45 seconds apart and couldn't stay still, my robe was falling off me as I was crying, about 15 people in the room, to be fair my dignity was the furthest thing from my mind. Second planned one was very calm, dignified and a lovely experience.

Like a PP mine was put in after the spinal block, I actually thought the care during my C-section was the kindest part of our whole 2 week stay (nurses on NICU were very kind too mind). I had the anaesthetist stood one side of me and someone else (midwife?) on the other side, my partner came in once he was scrubbed up (it was a emergency section but planned rather than I was crashing). Everyone was explaining what was happening and holding my hand. The drugs may have helped generate this rose tinted memory!

I had EMCS the first time then ELCS the second. Two different hospitals in very different areas, think small town vs large city. Both times I was in a side room with just the nurse inserting the catheter. No other staff. I think the thing I found the most mortifying was the cleaning the area before the insertion. I couldn't feel anything but the lovely nurse talked me through it all.

While technically I know everyone in the room will have seen me, there's a sheet up just under your head, so you can see them seeing you (or cutting you open). It all feels very detached.

My DIL was talking today about her planned c section. She said each of the team introduced themselves and explained what their job was in the process. It was fine. All very relaxed. She’s having another in June x

They’ll be seeing your insides… I don’t think they’re paying attention when you get a catheter put in. Plus… you’ll be awake and aware of anything they’re doing/observing.

Obs anaesthetist. Yes there's lots of people kn the room but they arent paying a bit of attention to you being catheterised and no we can't leave the room as we are there to keep you safe from my perspective and prepare the instruments for the surgery from a nursing perspective. A temporary drape is put up so that you and your partner can't see and only the midwife (and maybe her student) will be looking at you down below. Noone has any interest in watching the catheter. Every patient in obs has one its not a rare or spectator worthy event, try not to worry x

Obs anaesthetist. Yes there's lots of people kn the room but they arent paying a bit of attention to you being catheterised and no we can't leave the room as we are there to keep you safe from my perspective and prepare the instruments for the surgery from a nursing perspective. A temporary drape is put up so that you and your partner can't see and only the midwife (and maybe her student) will be looking at you down below. Noone has any interest in watching the catheter. Every patient in obs has one its not a rare or spectator worthy event, try not to worry x

Obs anaesthetist. Yes there's lots of people kn the room but they arent paying a bit of attention to you being catheterised and no we can't leave the room as we are there to keep you safe from my perspective and prepare the instruments for the surgery from a nursing perspective. A temporary drape is put up so that you and your partner can't see and only the midwife (and maybe her student) will be looking at you down below. Noone has any interest in watching the catheter. Every patient in obs has one its not a rare or spectator worthy event, try not to worry x

Obs anaesthetist. Yes there's lots of people kn the room but they arent paying a bit of attention to you being catheterised and no we can't leave the room as we are there to keep you safe from my perspective and prepare the instruments for the surgery from a nursing perspective. A temporary drape is put up so that you and your partner can't see and only the midwife (and maybe her student) will be looking at you down below. Noone has any interest in watching the catheter. Every patient in obs has one its not a rare or spectator worthy event, try not to worry x

I really dislike the idea that because it is run of the mill for staff, things like embarrassment or concern around being naked and vulnerable are something that should be dismissed in this kind of way.

No one is saying that they personally are "rare or spectator-worthy", it is simply that they have never been catheterised in theatre before, and are concerned about that. It is one-off for the patient, even it if is run of the mill for staff. I would have hoped that staff understood that perspective, or had it trained into them, rather than being dismissive about it.

TBH the only part that was undignified was the theatre team recoiling in horror at my unshaven bush before a nurse was dispensed to find a razor —hedgetrimmer—

No, they wasn’t especially dignified, I’m not sure any situation where 10 people are going to cut you open can be…

They didn’t leave the room while the catheter is placed but everyone is getting on with what they need to do.

I was my sisters birthing partner for her unplanned c section. Technically classed as an emergency but it was quite relaxed. The theatre team were all busy with their jobs getting stuff ready. Her anaesthetist was really reassuring and it was a really beautiful birth.

The recovery ward was nice and relaxed. Then complete chaos as she was wheeled up to post natal during visiting hour. The bed next to her had a crowd of people that pushed their chairs so far back against the curtain they were knocking her bed. She then threw up everywhere and I had no help to clean her up.

No not at all dignified. Highly embarrassing, traumatic and chaotic but we are all alive at least. I would choose a planned C-section if I had another birth to avoid risking another emergency one.