Definite section. Please share experiences, particularly at Kings

[Hollyhop17]

Hi all,

You may remember I had a thread last week about a potential section, which due to baby not turning, has become a reality. The thread was incredibly helpful in making me feel better about having one.

However, I had a long chat with the midwife yesterday, not my own one, who gave me loads of info. This was helpful but it has made me feel overwhelmed and perhaps like its not the best choice anymore.

Few questions?

1. Did everyone have to inject themselves pp for 10 days? I have a needle phobia, this was never mentioned previously
2. Did everyone get immediate skin to skin? I know it might be unavoidable if complications
3. Was everyone in for 'at least 3 days'?
4. Did everyone wear the compression socks for a further 6 weeks?
5. Did everyone have more than 1 birth partner? I only want DH but was told I will need a 'network of support' now I am having a section.

Sorry for the long post, I am incredibly anxious. If anyone has a recent experience of Kings I would be so grateful.

TIA.

Hello and I'm glad you're feeling better about the situation. To answer your questions..

1. I had to inject for a week. The needles aren't quite the standard but are kind of safety. Because it's a blood thinner it left bruises and also if I was hesitant and didn't put it in very far, it seemed to hurt more!

I'm sure they can arrange something for you though.

1. I didn't get skin to skin because she was born covered in meconium. It wasn't long afterwards though and it was wonderful.

1. My DD was born at 5:45am and we were home at 18:00 the following day, so one night in.

1. I didn't wear compression socks. They put these automatic compression/decompression things on for the day, but I was still without knees for a week afterwards!

1. No. There was absolutely no room in the suite or on the ward for anyone other than my dh and the 2 midwives. I was more than happy with that!

Any more questions I'm happy to answer.
Ps. Written on phone. There are paragraphs, but apologise if they disappear!

I didn't have a c-section but due to birth complications was unable to move for 24 hours so I had to have clexane injections at home. My DH did them for me and it wasn't great but not awful either.

I didn't have to inject. If it's an emergency you sometimes do but if it's elective and you don't have any risk factors like you are not overweight and your blood pressure is ok then you don't need to inject.
With an elective I had it at 9am and was leaving hospital at 2pm the next day. So one night (29 hours)
I could only have one birth partner.
We had skin to skin as soon as he had been weighed.
Took socks off before leaving hospital.
I loved my c section. It was much more enjoyable than my horrific first natural birth.
If you're elective then you can do a scheme called enhanced recovery. This means you take reflux meds the night before, can drink lucozade up to 6am on the day on surgery etc. They aim to remove your catheter within 12 hours and you're home the next day.

No experience of Kings but hope these answers help a bit...

1. Yes - I got DH to do it because I'm rubbish. They are only tiddly needles though and it doesn't hurt - just a little scratch.

1. Not immediate but shortly afterwards - I could have asked for it but it was all a bit of a rush.

1. I was in for 3 nights but that was because I had PE and my BP was insane. I could have gone home earlier if it wasn't for that.

1. Wore the socks until I was properly up and about - nothing like 6 weeks, more like the day after I got out of hospital.

1. Had DH only... This time I am having an ELCS and have got some family help too as I have a toddler to contend with as well as a newbie.

Good luck with everything - I know it seems really overwhelming now but soon you will have your baby and it really does make it all worth it. I elected to have a section this time (2nd baby) so it can't have been that bad - I am crap with pain and inconvenience!

I forgot to say as well, we were told that the dressing had to be removed from your wound 48 hours after the c section and we had to remove them ourselves. That was the weirdest part for me, having a long incision but being told to not have a dressing on it!

I had to do the injections for a week, they weren't too bad. Putting an ice cube on the skin can help although I had quite a large numb area on my belly after the section (it's not any more) so I injected into that and it didn't hurt at all.

I didn't have skin to skin straight away as DS was 5 weeks early so had to be taken away to be checked over. DH went with him (only to the corner of the theatre) and I held him as soon as they were happy (within 5 minutes). I did have the drapes down for the entire procedure and so watched him being born.

Standard in my hospital is home after 24 hours, but I was in 3 nights because of DS being early, I could have gone home after one.

I didn't have to wear the socks once I'd gone home.

I only had DH to help. It was fine. I could do everything myself within a couple of days and was driving by the time he went back to work 2 weeks later. I had a cosleeping cot which was great and all nappy changes were done on our bed or the sofa so no lifting or bending.

I loved my section, honestly it was incredible.

I had DD at king's almost 2 years ago. Really great experience considering she was EMCS under GA.

1. It was 10 days total, so the nurses showed me how to do it while I was still in hospital.
2. Once she had been checked, DH had her skin to skin until I came round, then I had her and she sort of crawled to latch herself on (just like this video breastcrawl.org/video.shtml)
3. Was everyone in for 'at least 3 days'?
4. Only wore the socks in hospital
5. I only had DH, but our parents visited on a rota to help with laundry etc for the first 6 weeks or so.

Oops, 3: DD was born at 11.30am Sunday and we got home 6pm Tuesday

I was someone's birth partner at Kings two years ago.

My own ELC a doddle, DS needed to be cleaned etc but then given to DH as I asked then me. I've had to inject after an accident, you get used to it.

Kings ELC v serious as baby premature and placenta issues. So far more people in delivery than at my own ELC. But all focused and as far as possible relaxed. It was great. superbly professional. Outstanding care, outstanding midwives. You will be in the best of hands.

1. Yes DH did them for me as I couldn't bear to do it. I also found them quite painful so we ended up doing them in the area of my tummy that was still numb

1. She was handed to me in a blanket but DH popped her under his shirt as I was being stitched up. It's fairly hard when your laid flat on a table and can barley move. We had 45 mins of skin2skin in recovery which was lovely though and I don't feel like either of us missed out on anything thankfully

1. DD was born at 1.06am Tuesday and we were home by 7pm Wednesday. I asked to have my catheter taken out as I wanted to go home

1. I took my socks off to go home and haven't worn them since but I didn't suffer with any swelling during pregnancy either

1. No, I only had DH which was enough support for me - you weren't allowed anymore anyway. I had a tricky run upto labour too and ended up having an emergency CS due to deteriorating heart rate as she had the cord wrapped around her twice.

If anything I've struggled more post birth feeling like I've missed out on labouring (I was in labour with 2-3 minute contractions for 26 hours only ever getting to 4cm dilated 😔

Thank you for all your responses so far. Very helpful.

Re the birth partner, I think she meant more someone else around in hospital to help share the load with DH. I have asked my mum to come, not to be there for the birth, but to be around fairly quickly after in the hospital.

Quite glad a few of you only stayed 1-2 nights. I definitely want to stay for one but no more than two if I can help it.

Will query the injections pp again as that seems quite mixed from the responses here. I dont want it unless absolute necessity.

Is there anything different I should prepare for, it now not being a vb from a practical point of view?

1. Did everyone have to inject themselves pp for 10 days? I have a needle phobia, this was never mentioned previously.

No, I was given them for 3 days by the midwife. No self injecting

1. Did everyone get immediate skin to skin? I know it might be unavoidable if complications

Section number 1 I had to wait about 30 mins due to being unwell, number 2 it was as soon as he was washed.

1. Was everyone in for 'at least 3 days'?

Number 1 I was in the days, number 2 it was 3 days.

1. Did everyone wear the compression socks for a further 6 weeks?

Yes

1. Did everyone have more than 1 birth partner? I only want DH but was told I will need a 'network of support' now I am having a section.

Number 1 I had my husband and the second I had no birth partner as he was looking after the eldest. It was fine.

You may not be allowed a second visitor outside of visiting hours. In our hospital only birth partner and your elder children are allowed on the ward outside official visiting. I can't see what you'd need the extra person for, it'll be fine with just the 2 of you!

@Hollyhop17 the only thing for me that I wasn't prepared for as I had an emergency c section was pants that went up high enough to not sit on my scar.

Same as Nerr at my hospital (QE in London) you could only have a second visitor from 3-8