C- SEC births please come and tell me all about your experiences (elective or known in advance etc)

[madmissy]

i would really appreciate it

long story but completely all over place in my head with regards to my labour of dc3 in dec can anyone please just tell me of your experiences with a c sec?

i will be bk to explain properly after feeding time at the zoo

((just want to say have not started this as any type of debate just desperate for honest views!))

Thankyou in advance

I had two planned sections, first because dd1 was breech, the 2nd because dd2 was 11 days over and I didn't want to be induced and/or risk emergency section.

Extremely positive experience with both. Was able to view both babies being born, with dd2 they showed her coming out so that I was the first to see her (and vice versa) and see what sex she was.

We had a music cd all sorted out for dd1 and had that playing. Typically we forgot with dd2! There are lots of things you can do to make it "your" birth and in a way it's more likely to go the way you want it than a natural birth.

The actual birth is very quick but you then have to lay there for a while as they stitch you up. No problem, you can hold the baby and coo over it! I was able to start breastfeeing them both in the recovery room.

I had both babies at middayish and was up the next morning, although in some pain for a while. Nothing I couldn't handle though. After a section your milk will probably come in a day or two later than a natural birth, worth bearing in mind if you want to breastfeed.

1 emcs 1 elcs. Both very good and easy and quick, recovery was easy both times too.

Anything specific you want to know/are concerned about?

I had an emergency c section - big baby, got stuck - and now wonder why anyone bothers pushing a baby out of their vagina!!
In a lot of pain for around 24 hours but after that felt great.
And at 10lb my baby would have caused serious damage coming out the usual route! x x

Had a bad labour last time and suffered from depression following it and bonding became non existant. I'm just trying to get a clear picture on c sec as I was speaking with consultant that dealt with me in the past year today about having a elective. I've been re researching alot of pros and cons but I want to be sure I cover all bases before I decide to seriously consider. Does that make sense? Rushed reply!

Two emergency csections. 1st one baby in distress and had GA. Physically it was ok but I was really upset not to witness birth. Although I was of course grateful baby survived. 2nd time planned vbac but had section with spinal due to failure to progreess. In the unlikely event of a third pregnancy I would go for a planned section as I think I would have had more input into how it went.

I also succesffully BF both - first fed the in the recovery room after the OP. No bonding issues or anything.

It can be tricky with eg a toddler and a baby with the scar as you're not really able to lift - but if you have support at home that shouldn't be an issue.

well at the moment i have placenta previa so c sec on cards now anyway...

the part on bf is useful thankyou girls as i really would like to try this time as i was so depressed last time my heart wasnt in it

can i ask anyone about the scar? is it fairly low?

I had emcs with ds1 in 2006. Bf no problem in recovery. Was out of bed the next day walking as much as i could. Was painful but ok. Home from hospital on day 4.

I had an elcs 13weeks ago. Also bf no problem in recovery and had skin to skin once back on the ward. Again out of bed the next day and walking around. Much less pain in this one, possibly cos i knew what to expect. Home on day 4 again.

I did get an infected wound on both occasions but that is probably down to my huge fat belly suffocating the wound. Wound is straight above your pubic bone.

Wound is very low and doesn't bother me at all - they shave the top inch or so of your pubes - but if you know they're going to do it maybe you/OH could do it at home the day before .

BF advice/encouragement I had both times was poor - was left to get on with it. So my advice is to get on with it! Present breast to baby in recovery room - which will be about 30 mins after birth - I have also heard of people who have managed to feed on the table while being stitched up!

You will have a catheter for your wee after but don't worry you can't feel it and it doesn't hurt when they take it out (the next day IIRC). Once that is out you are encouraged to go for a walk, use toilet, have a wash etc. It feels weird but the sooner you get up and about the better. My advice is to take all the drugs they offer, in the hosp and the ones you take home.

You may have suppositories but they are a doddle and a good quick way of getting drugs into you. After a couple of natural births though Im guessing that won't phase you though!

Really CS are IME totally fine

im glad to hear of positive even amongst the infections...

i have had my appendix out (doesn't compare to baby i know ) but i could not stand straight for a good while but i suppose thats higher than where the c sec is

had the catheter in both labour's so no change there lol!

I've had 2 cs - one emergency, one elective. Bf'd successfully both times, although it took me a while to get established, perfectly doable. The emergency one took me a while to get my head around, but 2nd time round was much easier, no panic, much more in control and bonded with ds immediately.

The scar is pretty low - I'd still be able to wear a bikini if I wasn't the size of a small country (nothing to do with the cs, everything to do with the family size bag of crisps I'm currently eating)

Reckon it will be a walk in the park after appendix ops and really hard labour etc last time.

Any other q's just shout

DD, planned CS (very different to her big brothers EM CS). Totally organised, everyone knew the 'drill' in advance. Operation was fine, skin to skin in theatre, pestered staff for a private room which helped no end . I didn't have to get out of bed until 24 hours after the op. DD was easy to bf and I was happily wandering to the patient kitchen within 36 hours making my own tea and soup and catching up on the weekend papers. Only needed paracetamol for about a week. But I literally did nothing for the first few weeks, everyone helped with DS, and I didn't have my first day on my own with both the dc's until she was 6 weeks old. And back at the gym at 12 weeks.

Yes, the scar is low. But as I like a 'tidy' bikini line I wax off the hair so the scar is visible, but it's hidden when I am wearing undies.

I had an emergency section with my second. Didn't feel I was missing out more than with my first vaginal labour: in fact, I was better able to take the whole experience in, as I was considerably more with it. They put ds onto my chest straightaway, and I breastfed in recovery. Stitches were far less painful and difficult to live with than the stitches from my vaginal: you don't have to sit on the section stitches and you don't have to pass water over them . Catheter was bliss: I could just lie in bed and drink lots of lovely cool water without worrying about it having to come out. And because the damage had been inflicted by men in green coats, I was waited on hand and foot: after my vaginal I had to get up and trundle all the way down the corridor if I wanted attention, despite being in far more pain.

thankyou for answering all the questions! really appreciate it!

so how long does it take? all in all?

cory that made me

emergencycs for first dd...dreadful labour and then the "failure" of a emcs at the end,
seems mad now saying it but I did feel that way and put it down to nct etc
electivecs for dd2 as she was a year later and placenta low
very pleasant, relaxed, planned and not at all exhausted

the scar wasn't bad
the pain was non existent as I took my tablets when advised to...another lady on the ward didn't and had a very hard 18 hours until the built up the right level of meds again

About 30 mins to be prepped and have spinal block put in, couple of minutes to whip baby out then 45 mins to sew up.

I had a C section under spinal following a variety of issues culminating in induction, prolonged rupture of membranes, 24 hrs labour and very little progress with a big baby. We knew in advance that there was a high probability I would need a CS but had a trial of labour anyway.

Took about an hour all told from prep to leaving the theatre. I wanted to see the whole thing (actually I wanted to see my own innards out of sheer curiosity) but DP was a bit too squeamis, but I got to see and hold DS instantly.

DS had good APGARS but needed to go to SCBU for several hours for possible infection: I was very clear I wanted to BF and they were happy to accomodate and help that by bringing him to me for his first few feeds until he was able to be with me. I was a little bit nauseated and hypotensive on the operating table, probably due to the combination of position and spinal, but that cleared up very quickly once the baby was out.

Pain over the next few days was minimal, I spent a short time on a PCA and then was able to manage on paracetamol. I was just so excited and happy about DS! No problems breastfeeding or bonding and very little bloodloss, and absolutely no fanjo pain or discomfort. I totally agree with the poster above - take meds regularly, do the physio exercises and keep your scar clean and you might find the recovery easier.

I found I had to just make a little routine for myself to make sure I had done the exercises etc, and needed a little help with lifting and carrying the next few weeks but that soon passed. CS scar is very low and 1 year on fading nicely. I could possibly wear a bikini (if I didnt have post baby tum). If I am ever lucky enough to be pregnant again I suspect I will opt for an elective section.

I think you are doing a very sensible thing finding out about and thinking about your wishes and feelings about a section in advance - I have attended many CS so was not bothered about having to have one, but can see how daunting it would be if you didnt know what was going on. Knowlege is power - keep asking those questions!

The only thing that has annoyed me is some peoples expectations that I must have issues/need debriefed/be disappointed in my experience. I can honestly say it was an amazing experience -I got to finally meet DS! and have absolutely no regrets or concerns about my CS at all.

it seems i may be veering more to a c sec now as the placenta is covering my cervix
i am 30+1weeks today

one thing i do worry about is the muscles being cut and having a hangover?

I had a CS due to placenta previa (mine also was right over my cervix, and only discovered as I had a bleed) 18 months ago, and although I have nothing to compare it with (ie haven't had a natural birth), I had a good experience.

The birth itself was good - they played a CD of music I wanted to hear - I did a hypnobirthing course whilst pregnant, and relaxed myself as they were doing the spinal, which was really helpful and put me into a good frame of mind, and after that, the delivery was quick, and when they were sewing me up afterwards I was so busy cooing over my son I didn't really notice. I also attempted my first breastfeed in recovery room.

Recovery from the op took a while, and to be totally honest, it was pretty painful (that first poo afterwards, my god!), but I think it may have been the combo of the shock of becoming a parent as much as the operation itself.

The midwives in the hospital were great - I let them know that I was determined to breastfeed and they helped show me how to do it, as well as ensuring the nurses kept me topped up with drugs when the pain broke through.

I had plenty of support, and help with lifting, and lifts in the car, when I got home (you do need it), so it was bearable.

I found breastfeeding very hard on the whole, and it took my son 6 weeks to regain his birthweight - a result, I believe, of the section, and the right hormones not kicking in like they do with a natural birth, but we got there in the end and I fed him for a year.

My scar has healed nicely now, and is below the bikini line so only me and my husband see it.

If you do go down the section route, I'd also advise shaving / waxing yourself (or getting your hub to do it)., as I was shaved using talc in the hospital just before the op, and ingrowing hairs were just as much of a pain as any other type of post op pain!!

"it took my son 6 weeks to regain his birthweight - a result, I believe, of the section, and the right hormones not kicking in like they do with a natural birth"

Not, not, not true - there is no evidence that A CS impairs milk production. Feed frequently and the milk will come!

Pain - take your pain meds (ibuprofen/paracetamol) regularly for the first week, whether you are in pain or not. if the pain is allowed to break through, it's much harder to keep on top of. Paracetamol is a remarkably effective analgesic if you keep taking it. Allow the pain to break through, and it's useless.

There is some evidence, I forget where from, that people who go in for CS with positive feeling that it will all be fine, have much easier time of it than people who think it will be awful. Having said that it's probably true for lots of things, but apparently for CS it is quite marked.

So be positive - loads of really good stories on here - really it is fine and recovery easy.

Just don't forget to take all the drugs

PLus agree with highlander re BF - neither of mine lost on their BW at all - I think they get weighed at 2 weeks (IIRC) but whatever it was both had gained by that point.

I do know people who have had VBs who have really struggled with feeding - I think it's usually down to the baby rather than the method of birth.

Not that I blame the baby obv but you know what I mean!

I had an emergency CS the first time due to failure to progress big baby/mild foetal distress. As I was terrified of the damage this big baby with a big head (all seen on recent scan) was likely to do to my nethers I was totally delighted at having c-section. All was fine. I found it painful to recover from of course but was up and about sooner than they expected me to be.

Had elective for second baby, DD. I found it oddly nerve-wracking. Having a caesarean when you are already in pain/labour was one thing, having it when you are not felt odd and unnatural. I was very anxious, shivering from lack of food, and cold, the anaesthetic didn't seem to be working well and I was worried I'd have to have a GA (that's what they do if the spinal won't work). Spinal finally took and DD was born OK. However she suffered from "grunting" - a light breathing trouble. This is apparently something that can happen with elective caesareans as labour has not occurred to help squeeze mucus out of the lungs. She was in SCBU for 2 days and although she was never in any real danger - never required oxygen - it was distressing. From a pain relief point of view, the spinal wore off before we were even put on the ward, a disappointing change from the twelve hours of comfy numbness I had after DS1. I was up and about very quickly, mainly because I wanted to go down to SCBU to see DD and didn't want to have to keep asking for a wheelchair.

DS2 I also booked an elective. Was quite worried due to DD's breathing trouble, and dodgy spinal before. Yet all was fine, spinal worked well (and lasted well), DS2 was fine and had no breathing trouble. Had the best set of stitching out of the three so my scar is looking its best ever. Up and about asap again.