How to prepare for planned c section?

[Hmum0fthree]

Morning just wondering how everyone prepared for their c section?

Is there anything you did before, I also mean mentally.

Its my first c section and iv remained pretty calm up to now but as its now around 8 weeks away I can feel myself getting nervous, I had a big haemorrhage with my last baby! The anaesthetist has reassured me she doesn't expect me to bleed anywhere near the amount with a c-section but they will have everything in place in case I do!

Iv never had surgery, never even broken a finger although I was rushed to theatre last time and put to sleep I was to busy concentrating on my breathing and listening to the instructions to think about it.

How can I keep myself calm leading up to the day

I had an ECS with DC3. I have a tendancy to bleed a lot after birth, though have never quite reached the hemmorage stage, and the management was much easier post section as I was being monitored anyway. I was put on a drip etc pretty quickly to stop it all. The worst bit was not being able to eat in case I had to go back to surgery. DC was born just before 10am and it was nearly 2 before I was allowed food. 😭

Otherwise, it was fabulous. I had had two very traumatic VBs and although I was terrified, the staff were so calm and lovely that the whole thing was almost stress free. I actually even had time to feel emotional as DC was born and shed a wee tear. With the birth of my previous 2, it wasn't like that at all the staff were battling to ensure me and the baby made it though the experience.

I found it hard not being able to hold DC straight away but the midwife and DH gave me a running commentary until they brought the baby over.

Apart from the lack of food and bleeding, recovery was grand. 🙂

I had a planned section with my first and it was a breeze!

Didn't feel the spinal, just a bit of pressure on my back. Didn't take long at all to become numb up to my chest.

From incision to baby being out was a grand total of 3 minutes.

Baby came out screaming and scored 9 on the APGAR scale.

I shook a lot due to the anaesthetic but that's normal and didn't last long.

Minimal blood loss (250ml).

Took about 25 mins to sew me up but felt like 5 as I was preoccupied with my son.

Breastfed in recovery.

Anaesthetic wore off within 6 hours and catheter was removed. No issues passing urine (didn't have the horror story first bowel movement either).

No trapped wind.

No after pains.

Was discharged the following day and only needed paracetamol and ibuprofen for pain relief (I actually didn't experience any real pain).

Recovered very quickly at home.

All in all, a very positive experience! I'm having another in a couple of weeks and hoping for a repeat performance 🤞🏼

@PushingAnElephantUpTheStairs I never even thought about that! Although I got to hold DC 1 & 2 after birth they was soon ripped away when the bleeding started, I couldn't even tell you how long it was until I held them again!

Hopefully this time I will be able to really enjoy the moment