Are C sections scary, painful afterwards and dangerous?

[dinny]

probably yes, just wondered

thanks sazzlesa

Dinny - if you want a recommendation for a good IM who is experienced at dealing with SD I'd give you one. I had a SD at home with my second and she and her colleague resolved it very calmly and competently. Big baby too - a whisker off 11 lbs.

I also crapped myself (literally and figuratively with my third, after the sd with my second, but the birth was fine, fine, fine. Horrible long labour, but easy second stage.

Wishing you a straightforward birth too.

Sorry - wanted to add that I agree with mintpurple re: recurrance. You have a decent pelvis - you got one baby out fine and another with a simple manouvre. Catastrophic SD (in my albeit limited understanding) is usually linked with pelvic deformities, serious obesity and significant macrosomia. Otherwise it's generally easily resolved.

what i don't understand if why the reoccurence of sd is low that the hospital are advising me to have a c section?

Hello, sorry, only just noticed the recent posts on this thread!

qumps - wow, v similar situ! I too think this baby will be big - had 23 week scan this week and s/he is right at end of scale for all the measurements (eek)

I have been to look around East Surrey and thought it was ok - there is a MLU there (new) that seemed nice and I don't think much would be gained by going to St G's really - it's luck of the drawer re midwives I suppose

seeing consultant in Jan and will see what they recommend - I am not short (5.7) but I am quite small framed, not sure if that makes a difference.... dd shot out (she was 6.7) but presume it was ds's large size that caused the SD? who knows

in short, I am totally undecided! some days I think "oh, I can do it" but then I feel scared again. If the consultant recommend C section I will have one, I think

the mw at ESaid it depended who mw was when I came in as to whether they'd be happy with me in the MLU - argh

gabygirl - whereabouts are you? I was thinking of having my doula again if I have a VB, she used to be a mw, which ws reassuring

Scary - yes, for me. But I am squeamish

Painful - not for me at the time, no. Afterwards yes (but see next bit!)

Dangerous - for me, yes. I had a massive pph and nearly bled to death. It took them 12 hours to stop the bleeding and I woke up in intensive care on a ventilator. I have to stress this is not the norm

was it a planned C section, CD? do you know why you had a PPH??

I am really squeamish too - would be deranged with fear, I think, going into theatre (do they give you a pre-med to make you woozy?)

No it was an emergency following failed induction

I was terrified but yes they drugged me and as soon as I realised that I couldn't really feel anything I relaxed.

Until I exploded

Scary - No, dr told me exactly what would happen

Painful - no, I had pain relief afterwards, no morphine as I don't like it just painkillers for a few days, was up and about the following morning. In contrast to episiotomy, when I was in pain and discomfort for weeks.

Dangerous - no, partictularly an elective with local anaesthetic.

I have had two, and would happily do it again

I had emcs after failed induction. (Amazing how often this scenario crops up isn't it?)

Scary? Yes, I was very scared as I hadn't had surgery of any kind before. All heightened by extreme tiredness, emotion etc.

Painful - the op wasn't but the aftermath whenever my 4 hour doses of painkillers were weatring low was. The wind the night of the op was the first - I thought my scar had split and damn near screamed. Get Peppermint tea or something - nobody warned me about this.

Dangerous - don't know the stats but assume any surgery carries higher risk than a natural VB.

is it quick? the whole op? how long?

I think about 40 mins? tbh I can't quite remember - all seemed quick at the time. I remember saying to dh in my slightly druggy haze "have they started cutting yet?" and him saying he wasn;t sure as he wasn't looking but then hearing the amniotic fluid being sucked out.

The aftermath seemed to take forever because all I wanted to do was hold the beautiful little boy staring up at me from his Daddys arms. Then I finally got my skin to skin due to lovely midwives and it was amazing - all the bad stuff got forgotten then. I think the body is incredible - how is it that your pregnancy love hormones seem to all go off as they should despite the surgical intervention? I have never felt anything like it.

and does milk come in same as after VB?

Dinny my local hospital is Mayday.

East Surrey has ridiculously high c-section rate but midwives there are a very, very nice bunch.

hi, there - we are v near the - are you further in or out than Mayday?

my other two were born at St George's - is your IM from the BIrth Centre per chance?

wonder why it's such a high section rate at ES, the area? tempting to just have a section anyone, and ES are prob more likely to let me than if I change booking to SG...

Dinny, I haven't read the whole thread but in answer to your 2 most recent questions: the whole operation takes about 45 minutes - getting the baby out only takes about 5 minutes and the rest is stitching you up.

I've never seen any medical evidence that c-sections have any effect at all on breastfeeding, despite what some people will tell you. It's the placenta becoming detached which triggers the hormone to start producing milk, so the lack of labour makes no difference. I've had 2 c-sections, one emergency and one elective, and breastfed with no problems both times.