Elective c section experiences!

[Sunflowerx]

I'm booked in for elcs next month and I'm wondering if anyone could share their story with me on how theirs went! Positive or negative stories greatly appreciated so I know what may happen when my day starts at the hospital at 7am!

Hi,
I had an ELCS due to breach position with DD1. The whole process was very relaxed and calm. Worst bit for me was the recovery afterwards. I was very sore, could barely sit on any chairs or sofas and really struggled getting in and out of bed and could barely walk up and down the stairs. The log roll is your friend! Was good to have some extra help round the house for the first 2-3 weeks while I recovered.

Also something I had in hospital that I wasn’t expecting was intense shoulder tip pain. Apparently it’s caused by trapped air in your body from the surgery. The midwives gave me peppermint water to help with it.

Hello, no experience yet but preparing for one! Everyone tells me about the shoulder pain and apparently chewing gum helps with it lots. Prepare a big bottle of peppermint tea and pack some gum to have it in the recovery. It's trapped air and apparently that brings immense relief! Good luck op, from my research recovery gets better after the first week. Stay active until the end and accept all the help after!

I had a ELCS last year and it was a great experience (I'll be having another in March).

The anaesthetist will come and talk to you about the spinal/epidural and you'll have your blood pressure checked. When you go into theatre, you'll have the spinal (which was painless for me, just felt a little pressure) and then be laid on the bed (which is much narrower than I expressed. They also tilt you backwards slightly which feels odd).

You will have a cannula and catheter fitted but won't feel it.

After a few minutes you'll be sprayed with freezing cold water to check that you are numb (I was numb from my toes up to my boobs). At this point, the curtain will be raised over your belly and the surgeon will begin.

There were about 8 people in theatre with me (not including DH). The anaesthetist chatted away whilst the surgeon did her thing, it was all very relaxed. I was told I'd feel some pressure in my chest momentarily whilst they were taking baby out but I didn't really notice.

I was so busy chatting I asked if they'd started and he said, 'oh yes, well underway'. 30 seconds later my son was lifted above the curtain! He was born 3 minutes from first Incision.

The midwife then took him away to be wiped down (my husband went with her and cut the cord), weighed and measured and brought him back minutes later. It took about 25 minutes for me to be sewn up but I didn't notice as I was too busy looking at my new baby.

I did shake a lot during the surgery but this is common and is due to the spinal, it's nothing to worry about.

Once sewn up, I was wheeled into recovery where I breastfed for the first time. My blood pressure was checked every 15 mins or so and after an hour I was taken to the ward.

The spinal wore off about 6 hours after surgery and I was home the following day and needed nothing more than paracetamol and ibuprofen (and blood thinners, you'll have to inject those for 10 days post surgery).

I had a very quick and easy recovery which I know isn't the case for everyone but I was lucky. I'm hoping for a repeat this time round 🤞🏼

Best of luck x

My experience is pretty much identical to @AllTheBs. It was really lovely and relaxed. I was discharged the following day once they were happy that I was up and about, passed enough urine and removed my covering from the stitches etc.

Definitely prepare for a tough recovery. You may not have one but I would rather prepare for it! You will need lots of rest as it’s major surgery so if you can, get some help in for the first couple of weeks whether it be your partner or family. I was quite taken aback by how sore I was moving around but 10 weeks pp now and feeling much better.