c sections and general anaesthetic

[queenofpuddings]

i had a c section under a general anaesthethic with DD and wondered if many others had one under a general as well and if so what was the reason

my first was.i had how ever many hour labour with epidural,failed ventouse and failed forceps and they decided emcs but couldnt numb me so was put to sleep.

I had a c/s with dd1 with my epidural topped up (failure to progress labour and she was becoming acidotic) - all quite calm

with dd2 my bp dropped dramatically and they thought I was rupturing (trial of labour) so had crash section, GA, all fine, but would definitely not have chosen it.

I had GA with dd1- labour 39hrs up to cs, had an epidural 3hrs previous which the anaesthetist failed to top up and it had started to wear off after 2hrs (I was a scrub nurse which made it worse when I read my notes after) They started cutting and I could feel them to the extent of saying 'stop, you are cutting me fromleft to right, I can feel it '.

Like the others - my GA was due to a failed epidural and a failed spinal block. They pushed the epidural in too far and punctured my dural membrane (this can cause a serious headache and other problems so isn't great), which was just one of those things apparently and is something that is outlined on the risk/disclaimer form. They then tried a spinal block which didn't take, in spite of them tilting me from side to side on the theatre bed for half an hour to try and distribute it. I knew I could still feels something when they said they had to get going but presumed they knew what they were doing. Anyway, I yelled out when they made the first incision and so they knocked me out with a GA as apparently there was no other choice.

I hated it - I missed seeing my babies being born after a very traumatic pregnancy (recurrant bleeds and bed rest in hospital) and morphine makes me vomit so I woke up from the anaesthetic and spent the whole afternoon retching (on an empty stomach), which was searing agony. Not something I'd ever recommend and enough to put me off having another child. I'm just TOO scared of that happening again.

Kx

Hi! i had CS under GA beacuse i had low platelets and therefore was high risk of bleeing so could not have spinal or any other intervention like forceps. I had Emergency CS. i was really upset that i didn't see DS born but was all explained to be before hand that is i needed CS it would be GA.

I had a GA with my em c-s as epidural wasn't working (as I'd been telling them for the last few hours) and dd1 was in distress so they didn't have time to faff about with it. Would not recommend it!

I had to have one because:

1. I was having a rapid progression
2. I was 31 weeks
3. She was footling
4. I had a bad back and they didn't have time to find out if it was safe.

They had to get her out fast and didn't have time to mess around. It was one of the scariest times of my life! If you saw the paper yesterday the picture of me and "newborn" Tink was taken at 8 weeks and I was still looking ill from the GA. I ended up feeling very detached from Tink and it has taken a lot of time bonding with her to get what I got in moments after Lily-Hope's birth

I once spoke to someone who had to have a GA for a natural delivery.

I had one just after dd1 was born, they were having problems stitching me up, had to take my womb out of my body to repair it (oh, the lovely things that can happen in childbirth!) and the epidural was starting to wear off.

At least I sort of saw dd being born, all a bit scary for my dh as he was pushed out of the room thinking I was a-goner and we have no idea what happened to dd during that time - presumably she was in the theatre as she could hardly have walked out but we'll never know.

I think we're all in agreement they're not exactly a party. Felt terrible for a long time afterwards.

Tinksmum I can completely empathise with the problems bonding, it took me a long time (as in at least 9mths with PND) to bond with dd1. I just remember waking up, being handed a baby and thinking 'this could be anyones baby because I didn't see her being born'

I went to sleep with them trying to stop my contractions (well not quite obviously, by that point they had decided they couldn't) and woke up with them gone and no baby for me to see, she was 5 hours old before they let me go to her. She was the biggest baby in there and didn't look like anyone, I didn't believe she could really be my 31 week baby!

I've been blessed by the support I had in the NNU with breastfeeding, I think without that I would have had nothing to tie me to her. Every time I fed her I would just keep telling myself "only her mum can do this for her".

With my first I had emcs for foetal distress. The epidural didn't work and i was screaming bloody murder and had a panic attack as I said I could feel them cutting into me. I was in floods of tears and they didn't believe me but knocked me out as they had wasted too much time. So I woke up and the baby was there. I personally didn't feel as I had missed out on anything.

However, if the baby had not been there i think I would have had another panic attack - that must have been awful.

I have just had successful vbac with my second, and the epidural didn't work again. Now they think I may have scar tissue or something which makes it not work. Pure agony - but a lovely baby girl ! I hate the way they just ignore you and they thought I was just being a hormonal pregnant woman when I was swearing blind I could feel them cut into me. jerks.

DefNotYummyMummy I wonder whether the difference is that you were expecting a CS rather than, like me and mytetherisending who were in the middle of having a natural baby and were suddenly whipped into a GA and wake up with it all over?

That's not a knock on CS, but wondering what the two of you, and others, think?

TinkerBellesMum, i totally agree with you! it's a huge shock to be in the throws of labour to then be told time for CS and being put under GA. My DS is 17wks and i still wonder who he got his first cuddle from, prety hard to deal with. My DH did see him pretty quickly though.

I think the difference might also be waking up to see (or not) your baby....

DD2 was planned as a home birth. I was in hospital due to midwife shortage, still expecting to go home for the birth, but things progressed quickly, and I had no time to leave, then problems became apparent quickly (her heartrate was very slow, getting worse with each contraction. It was all explained to me afterwards but is a bit of a blur now) and I had a crash cs with a GA.

I woke up knowing she was a girl (must have been told when semiconscious as I have no memory of being told) but the first thing I saw was my best friend dressing her

I had a vbac 5 years later, and if it hadn't worked I would have chosen to have another GA for the cs. I have back problems, and am not prepared to risk making things worse by having anyone messing with it!

3 sections under general. With the first they tried to do an epidural and not only was it excrutiating, it numbed everything except the uterus!
Reason I had my natural birth was cos I was scared of GA's and look how that went! And now I need toa GA for repairs. sigh.

I'm worried if they want me to have a CS this time (which they do because I don't have a normal scar) that I will end up with a GA because they're expecting me to go into premature labour, I have rapid deliveries, I still have a bad back - I missed last time that I'm on Heparin and they like it stopped for over 12 hours before they do an epidural - and will have taken Heparin. If they're planning on me having a section they will have to do it on the run while I'm in labour.

I remember being told I had a girl, it was quite comical really. I couldn't open my eyes but Mum was there calling me and saying "You have a little girl" [I know I'm having a girl, why's Mum waking me up to tell me] "She's beautiful, she has long blonde hair, she's breathing on her own" [I've just had my baby - as memories flood back] "Can I see her?" "When you open your eyes!" Open one half way "They're open!" "Both of them!" OK, this is a little harder, open the other eye, the first closes, try again and they swap over! It wasn't so funny then. Got both open then I had to have a wash (???) and they were settling her in, just waiting for an X-ray... Everyone had been down to see her and I didn't even have a picture

I had a GA at 36 weeks due to PP grade IV. I chose to have a GA as I do not like opperations and did not feel i could go thru one awake even if it was for a birth especially if something had gone wrong. I am very happy with my choice.

From what I recall: I was induced and was in labour from 11am til about 7am ish the next day. Dd still showed no signs of coming out after ages of pushing so I was offered the choice of forceps or a CS. I was so exhausted I wanted the CS. The anesthaeso....bloke came to see me about an epidural and I vaguely remember signing something. I was very happy as they gave me the G&A back at that point . We all had a good laugh at DH who put the scrubs on over his clothes. I was wheeled into theatre and then all of a sudden Dd was apparently in distress and I was knocked out.

The next thing I know DH was asking me maths questions ie what is the square root of 64 WTF? He said later he wanted to check my brain hadn't been impaired...... Then he told me I had a beautiful dd and that he had had a cuddle and cried. I was completely befuddled and don't really remember seeing the baby the first time. Mind you, once the drugs had worn off I lay there all night watching her. It was lovely.

Labour progressing well but had ARM and meconium was present. Heartrate dipped to v low and then fetal blood sample came back showing lack of oxygen. About 14 medics came crashing in the room, like a scene from ER. Rushed into surgery. DS born at 3.40pm under GA as there was no time to do epidural. I didn't see him until lunchtime the next day as he went to SCUBU for a bit of monitoring and extra oxygen and I was too unwell it be moved anywhere around the hospital.

Had ga with DD.
Waters had broken and we were taking our time getting to hospital after the long labour I had with DS. Suddenly I KNEW I had to get there asap. We're only 5 minutes from hospital luckily as when I was examined I was 9cm and DD was coming foot first.

I was whisked off to theatre and knocked out as DH was just abandoned - he certainly had a far more traumatic time than I did.

To be honest, I found the whole experience fine - I understood why I needed a ga and had no issues with waking up to be presented with my daughter - if anything I was just thankful they were able to act quickly as it could easily have turned out very badly indeed.

ihad first c section under spinal block, did feel pulling and tugging a bit more than suppossed too, then second they counldnt get it in after four or five attempts, counldnt really remember my labour was so bad so they did ga. Now pregnant again 32+ will definately opting for ga back was in agony for years after wards although the doctors swear it wasnt due to spinal b!did get treatment from homeopathic doc its fine now.

has nyone had big babies with c sec? and been able to breastfeed sucessfully. my breast milk affected quite bad with medications any suggestions???

I had GA with ds2. I went from nothing to dilated and pushing within a few minutes. Then, my blood sugars plummeted and they lost the trace.
I had semi-elective/recommended CS with ds1, where I was awake.