As much info on C-sections as poss please!

[lynneevans51]

It has just been suggested to me that I might have to have a caesarean for my 3rd, due January due to a fairly major health problem I had back end of last year. Won't go into too much detail but basically major artery in neck/head split, so its thought that the pushing element might put too much strain on neck, veins etc. This possibility has only just reared its ugly head and I had not thought about it at all. I have a consultant appt on Tuesday and know v v little about C-sections as had two v normal Vaginal deliveries. So - can people tell me the pros/cons and any particular questions I should be asking the consultant please? How long for example would I be in hospital, what is convalescence period, how does feeding work, other kids, making a cup of tea (!!) etc...

Bevlin - that was the funniest post!!! For everyone else - I am the OP and name-changed!

So still no decision on c-section from appt with consultant today, been referred for MRI/MRA scans urgently to see how my split artery is coming along and of course, we have time to decide on the labour.

One thing I didn't ask the consultant today is when is an elective section conducted in relation to your due date? I'm due 14 Jan (they put me back a week today) so I thought it was 2 weeks earlier for elective sections which would put delivery on New Years Day... but then again, presumably they wouldn't plan sections on a public holiday would they?

For my second we said that we wanted to see the sex for ourselves rather than being told, and the theatre team were really sweet about it.

You can take your own music if you have a preference, and it can be a bit wierd hearing the surgeons discussing golf during the 20 mins or so it takes to stitch you up, but quite soothing too!

Don't try too hard to recover too soon - if it feels OK then fine, but don't do things if it feels too much if it can be at all helped.

Re birth experience, you can see a bit in te mirrored lights if you choose to look, and as they had lifted ds up for me to see the sex before the cord was cut (and dh had been watching the whole operation!), then I am comfortable that he wasn't shipped in at the last minute! With dd, as it was an emergency, frankly the fact that we were both OK outweighed anything else.

Mine felt like she was doing wrestling in my tummy, not painful but quite odd and a little uncomfortable - DH said she practically had her knee up on the edge of the bed pulling him out! (Was a very tiny surgeon and big baby though...)

They will tell you to have no make-up on (and I think jewellery too), and they really do mean NOTHING - didn't apply to me anyway as mine was emergency CS and I didn't have anything on, but I saw another girl getting ready for elective and she still had nail polish on etc and was getting told to take it all off.

TMI perhaps but.. you still get almost as much down-below bleeding afterwards as with a normal birth, so be prepared for that! And you might have to wear horrible compression stocking things for a while afterwards (to avoid blood clots), so DO make sure they don't get all the blood on, cos they won't necessarily give you another pair if they get all yucky

Oh - I'd forgotten about toenail polish being removed before the op...

I had an emergency c section when I gave birth last April. I didn't feel a thing, it was over very quickly. They gave me the baby to hold after they had checked him. The frustrating thing was going into the recovery room for several hours afterwards and not being able to hold or feed him. The pain was worst on the second day, after the epidural had worn off, but they gave me loads of painkillers and the pain practically disappeared by the third day. They took the bandages and the catheter out on the first day. Basically it's not too bad, but you need to ensure you will have plenty of help with the other DC and the baby for the first few weeks, as you will be quite tired and will not be able to lift heavy things or do anything too strenuous for the first six weeks. Hope that helps! BTW if it's a planned c section the cut is usually smaller so you get less pain.

Hoorah to less pain for planned!!! One big positive thing I think about the c-section is that it will be a planned date. Have been panicking a little about childcare arrangements for my other 2 when I go into natural labour - depending on day/time etc - who would I get to look after them?? So, if we do have to go the c-section route, I think it will be a lot easier from an organisation point of view!

No they don't do planned C sections on Bank Holidays.

Oh another thing, afterwards I found although I didn't have that much pain, the worst thing was getting from lying down to sitting up in bed and vice versa. But while you are in hospital they have those electric up-and-down beds, and I found that helped a lot as you were not doing all the moving on your own.

Also, if you can get DH to pass you the baby for night feeds and put them back in bed afterwards for the first few nights at home, that helps to avoid unnecessary sitting up and leaning over; and rolling onto your side before getting out of bed is also less painful than sitting up first.

My experience wasn't great but fwiw I think it was quite unusual. I had an elective cs, due to a breech birth. expected it to be very straight-forward. Had an awful surgeon who didn't scan me properly and the anaesthetist didn't listen to my telling him that I react really badly to drugs. Blacked in and out of consciousness during the op. Meanwhile, DD got stuck, emergency senior surgeon was paged (by surgeon screaming across operating room). Had four pairs of hands on and inside me at one point, pushing and pulling baby out. Op took about half an hour followed by half an hour sewing up. I came out and couldn't stop throwing up, very difficult first breastfeed. Gave me an anti-emetic, so I promptly passed out again. Basically a fairly dreadful time. My scar is very sore and I was on antibiotics due to the emergency senior surgeon. I'm sorry to be negative but the lessons I learnt were this:
Make sure they know where the baby is, insist on a radiographer coming to scan you if in any doubt.
Take a CS very seriously, which you are doing. They are very safe but do have risks (I was a bit relaxed about the whole thing).
Insist on a private room after - the recovery is so much worse than a normal birth, you'll need as much sleep as poss!

I hope this is helpful rather than a scare story.

Oranges - thanks very much indeed for your story. I'm sure it was quite unusual, however, I'm better armed with this information than without it. Good point about the private room!! I remember from other 2 "normal" births that I couldn't wait to get home to get a good night sleep because the wards were so hot and so noisy with lots of babies crying!! Kept waking up as didn't know which one was my baby sound...

I've had four sections, [looks over shoulder to check I'm the winner!], first emergency, second GA emergency, third and fourth planned.

1st planned took 37 minutes to cut though scar tissue.... but it was no problem, told to wait for the big chest push and then baby would be out. DH held her whilst I was stitched up and I fed her for over an hour in recovery. I drove after 3 weeks, but avoided housework for much longer . After my first I went to Waitrose on my way home from the hospital, silly silly idea!

4th took 57 seconds knife to skin to baby out... MW hadn't even scrubbed in as the senior registrar was very quick.

Be prepared for wind in your shoulder and I itched like a madwoman when my skin came back to life.... good job DH had his keys!!

I too had a private room afterwards.

Had an elective cs June 1st. Best thing I've ever done.

Arrived at hosp at 8.30, dd2 out at 10.30.

Get yourself some Arnica 200, 30 too low. Take one as close to op as poss, one just after and every 6 hours for 3 days. Then 3 times a day for 2-3 weeks.

I was surprised by the amount of people in theatre, but they were all doing their bit. The spinal block was fine, a sting going in obv. It's hard to stay still as they say (as it was the one thing I was afraid of) but it was fine. They spray you with freezing liquid to ensure you cant feel and then away they go. I got the screen dropped as dd was coming out.

Just make sure you let your partner know if you are getting sleepy - sign of BP dropping.

A bit boring while they stitch you up, but it's totally pain free.

Morpine makes you itch like a demon so I'd bring your own antihistamine. They give you piriton in hosp and with 1 midwife to 9 women I was left for a couple of hours waiting and could have just taken one of my own.

I also brought prunes with me, ate a few as soon as I was allowed food. First poo not a pb. Drank nettle tea to cleanse the body.

Was discharged 2 days later.

I did wipe down the kitchen units and strip the bed (thought DH might have remembered) and had to lie down in a lot of pain for the rest of the day.

Accept help, sleep when you can. After 3 weeks I could feel my energy return. After 5 I could lug the p&t up 6 steep steps and now all is back to normal.

Scar looking great.

A ruptured artery would be a hell of a lot more serious.

Good luck and go for it.

Antihistamine, wish I'd thought of that!

I vaguely remember the farting. It must be from the pessary they pop up your bum as pain relief (they will ask first, mine did, mind you, you wont feel a thing so it doesnt matter).

Poor DD was in ICU with breathing pbs, and I was on a ward with a snorer so I just let rip. After all whether its Vaginal or CS, dignity is left at the door on the way in. I wallowed in those farts , no shoulder pain, just good old fashioned parping!

Oh yeah, remember getting out of bed when you get home. The baby would whimper or cry and I would leap up using my stomach muscles - bad idea. But when you wake and its unfamiliar you forget.

Hugely swollen ankles. MIL gave me a lovely foot rub with peppermint foot cream and back to normal the next day.

Oh and remember to walk tall and not hunch over, I cant remember why, but apparently its the way to go.

You ladies are absolutely fabulous - thank you so much for all of this information. I absolutely drink it in!! LOL at the farting, and antihistamine - fabulous tip! I remember having my appendix out when I was 13, I walked hunched for about 3 weeks and kept being told off!! But it hurt!! Ooops...

For some reason it hurts more to walk hunched. The initial stretch to full height is a bit twingy but after that it's fine.

I do think your recovery depends on the surgeon you have and how 'gentle' they are. I didnt feel a thing throughout the op, it wasnt remotely uncomfortable and I felt a little sore but great afterwards.

Take every painkiller they will give you, but also remember that when you get home you are masking the pain so it is easy to think you are fine and get on with stuff and that's when you'll hurt yourself.

I cant recommend the superstrength arnica enough either, that and the antihistamines.

If I'd known just how good a CS was I would never have even attempted to push first time .