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Childbirth

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Original poster

is it true if you have a cs, they don't even cut through the muscle?

165 replies

bluegreysky · 14/08/2008 22:52

they just pull the abdominal muscles to the side,as they seperate in PG anyway. then push down and clip the bladder out of the way then cut through the womb, remove bambino and sew up.

i can't really see whats so major about that.
not really what i'd class as MAJOR surgery.

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dittany · 14/08/2008 23:52

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kiskidee · 14/08/2008 23:54

the uterus gets 2 layers of stitches. an inner and outer one. in the US they started to take a 'shortcut', by only using one layer of stitching and the rate of rupture along the uterine scar in subsequent pregnancies have risen. it is still legal in many places to do it though.

expatinscotland · 14/08/2008 23:56

oh, god, JJ! i can only imagine. i went through that when i had my big knee surgeries. after the surgeon put the screws and bone staples in and then it was just stitch, stitch, stitch.

and then when it all started to heal, it itched and itched, but on the inside, so you couldn't scratch it.

arrgggh!!!

madcol · 14/08/2008 23:57

Are you trolling or just completely mad?

If the risk of bowel /bladder perforation, ureteric tie-off or major haemorrhage isn't enough to catergorise the procedure as major surgery I don't know what is.
What a bizarre post.

jimjamshaslefttheyurt · 14/08/2008 23:57

I was such a wuss by ds3 I kept saying "how much longer?' and they were saying 'we just need to stich x, then y then z, we've almost done w'. blah blah blah.

expatinscotland · 15/08/2008 00:03

at least i had the benefit of asking for more sedative and going to sleep whilst they got on with stitch, stitch, stitch as it was anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and no baby involved.

greenlawn · 15/08/2008 08:33

They cut through the muscle. I was told this by the ob and then the physio after I had mine. They stitch the layers of uterus, muscle, fat and skin separately which is why the stitching up takes so long.

This reminds me of a friend of mine who claimed that at least when I had a cs I had "my dignity intact". Yes, I distinctly remember thinking that as I lay starkers on the table, legs in the air, while they shoved a Voltarol up my bum. In front of 10 people.

OracleInaCoracle · 15/08/2008 08:43

um, felt pretty major.

StellaWasADiver · 15/08/2008 08:48

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MrsJamin · 15/08/2008 08:48

is it true, if you haven't had a cs, you shouldn't even try to belittle what others have gone through?

3 layers of muscle - horizontally. muscles generally run vertically. so they are all CUT IN HALF you dufus.

PortAndLemon · 15/08/2008 09:00

bluesky, if you are actually interested in what they do during a c/section and whether it's true that they don't cut through the muscle, watch this detailed film of one (long film, so takes a while to download, and you need the RealPlayer plugin).

If you aren't actually interested, then bog off and stop trolling.

Original poster
bluegreysky · 15/08/2008 09:15

have i even had stiches?
YES!!. I had anal sphincter repair operation after a totally natural childbirth.

hmm they don't fucking well warn you thats a risk of having a natural birth,drug free birth do they?

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StellaWasADiver · 15/08/2008 09:21

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OracleInaCoracle · 15/08/2008 09:22

tbh there are a lot of things they dont warn you about. they didnt warn me that they may misplace my bladder during my cs, they didnt warn my friend that there was a risk that they may sever a major bood vessel and she would die as a result. i will still have a cs if i haveanother baby, no doubt about it, but i am aware of the risks and that i will be undergoing major surgery and be unable to move around for a while or even sit up unaided

MadameCastafiore · 15/08/2008 09:23

Bloody hell of course they have to cut through the muscle - I have had rectal and vaginal repair work done - is like a 17 year old down there apparently - and had to have tape put in after prolapsed bladder so lots of stitchs but give me that anyday rather than a huge inscision being made across my stomach and my muscles pulled apart then a hige big wound being right across me where I can see it - at least when it is down there you can't see it all in its gory finery!

CoteDAzur · 15/08/2008 09:24

Muscles are not cut in a c-section, only separated. ('you dufus'??? )

"There are two incisions to discuss with Cesarean births: the skin incision and the uterine incision. The skin incision is almost always a transverse, or "bikini", cut low on the abdomen. A few circumstances dictate the use of a vertical skin incision in the midline from just above the pubic bone to just below the belly button. In neither incision are the abdominal muscles cut. Rather, the two strips of rectus muscles are only separated in the midline and return to normal position after healing."

"I was recently asked a question by a patient that made me realize once more how many misconceptions abound relating to various medical interventions. The patient asked me how long her cut abdominal muscles would take to heal. As I was already busy working on this manuscript, the question was quite an eye-opener. I immediately decided that a short section explaining the technique of a cesarean section was imperative.

The answer to the above question is that no abdominal muscles are in fact cut. The only muscle that is cut is that of the uterus."

tiggerlovestobounce · 15/08/2008 09:24

For me one of the worst things about my sections was hearing that ripping noise.
I had seen C Sections in the past, so knew it was coming, but its horrible to hear it happen to your own body.

PortAndLemon · 15/08/2008 09:24

(for those who don't want to sit through the whole thing, in that operation they do push the rectus muscles aside rather than cutting them, but it's scarcely a trivial procedure)

Original poster
bluegreysky · 15/08/2008 09:25

ive never heard of anyone still having problems and pain years after having a cs.

half an hour to do the stiching? try 2 hours have are arse repaired.
and yes that is layers upon layers.

OP posts:
jimjamshaslefttheyurt · 15/08/2008 09:28

Oh for goodness sake it's not a competition. If you have issues surrounding your birth then get proper help for it, don't snarl at people who have had an abdominal op.

lissielou - they damaged my bladder during my second cs- it was a nightmare - sympathies and about your friend

OracleInaCoracle · 15/08/2008 09:29

bluegreysky, i walked around witha misplaced bladder for 2y, and have had 7mcs and an ep since. there is plenty of evidence that secondary infertility is more common in women who have had a cs, id call that a pretty big problem

PortAndLemon · 15/08/2008 09:30

Ah, I see, this is a competitive suffering thread. You should have said.

Original poster
bluegreysky · 15/08/2008 09:32

im sick the anti section crew that don't understand the risks of natural birth.

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Original poster
bluegreysky · 15/08/2008 09:33

thankyou CoteDAzur that was the info i wanted to clarify.

OP posts:
jimjamshaslefttheyurt · 15/08/2008 09:35

Which anti-section crew? Many of the people giving advice on the thread I assume you're talking about had sections.

There are no guarantees in life or in childbirth. When the shit hits the fan (as it does for most of us at some stage) the important thing is to deal with it - not take some black and white view and then hit out at everyone you see as not having suffered the same as you.