ceasarean sections

[Hayley1608]

hiya everyone,

i'm booked in for a c section next wednesday (24th aug) and was just wondering if anybody could share their experience of having one?

i'm not terrified about the operation as i know its safer for my baby... just a little anxious about what is going to happen to my body before, during and especially after.

anything would be a great help.

thanks in advance girls

xx

 

[Esoames]

I had an emergency section, although it wasn't particularly rushed. I was given a pair of stockings to wear, as you are laid down for a long time it prevents deep vein thrombosis. I then had my canular fitted to have a drip throughout surgery. My lady bits were shaved, by the worlds roughest bic!

I had my spinal/epidural in theatre. I had to sit leant over my legs and keep still through out contractions! After a few minutes I couldn't feel a thing. They sprayed my belly with ice cold water to see if I could feel anything.

A screen was put up so I couldn't see anything, my arms were up by my chest and a blood pressure monitor was strapped on and set to measure every few minutes.

My anesthetist was at my head end talking and monitoring me, he was very calming, in fact he recorded the time Isla was born.

It felt like ages before Isla was born but in reality it wasn't, maybe ten minutes from having my spinal. Immediately after she was born I got given a hormone injection to tell my body I'd had a baby so my body knew to make milk.

She was checked and then I had skin to skin. I got a few minutes with her then dh went to recovery with her while I got stitched up. It took around half an hour to do that.

Once in recovery I had three hours there, waiting for my feeling to come back!

Take some big pants, slip on shoes and jogging bottoms as you won't be able to stand things around your waist. Also you won't be able to change your pads, nurses had to do it for me, it was gross so leave your dignity at the door!!

Hope this helps
Emma xx


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[Piglet10]

my planned section was BRILLIANT!!

gist here!

in for 8.... pre op and scan around 9... anaesthetic and epidural (thru the back ... nippy but not BAD) all sorted , baby delivered at 10.10am and in recovery for 1-2 hours in labour suite for 3 hours, then back to ward where i had to lay down most of the day, shower later, very tender but managed with pain relief, 3 different types of stitches, i had wire bead form which is removed after 10 days at home.

worst part of c section was removal of drain from tummy altho there was 5/6 of us in having sections and only 2 of us had the drain and it wasnt that bad!!

my recovery was quick altho i am a get on with it type of person

i DREAD the thot of a natural birth!!

hope ur section is as good as mine! xxx

 

[Piglet10]

oh also as esoames said they will shave ur lady bits altho i like it VERY tidy down there so i had nothing to shave really , best thing ever tho cos ive heard the bic's r rough and terrible!! xxx

 

[JJ Mum]

Here is the link to my birth annoucement on here as I wrote quite a bit of detail - hope it's useful

Planned sections are very relaxing and organized, ref what Lisa (piglet said) ive only had a wound drain once in the 4 sections and was ok too. I think too much is said about not carrying a baby after, and thats really not the case I my eyes - a baby is tiny , once you get up out of bed, and pain relief starts wearing off, you will get an idea of what you can do without hurting or delaying recovery and then take more pain stuff, make the most of it..

http://www.pregnancyforum.co.uk/bir...nouncing-devon-rory-jones-6th-jan-2011-a.html

 

[xcitedmum2bex]

i had emergency section 6 years ago and a have planned this 1 for 6th september with me wasnt bad at all got spinal coed injection make me body numb they spray cold water on u make sure worked then hooked me to blood pressure machine through whole process and anacestis was at me head whole time speaking to me making sure a was ok and oh was at other end with his blue uniform on lol they started process he was born quite quick never felt think was taking away cleaned then brought me for have some skin skin before process me being stiched having catherter inserted as u can get up go to toilet then after that a went to recovery for few hours then round to ward by that time was 11.45 evening so otherhalf had go so they asked me were babys stuff was they took baby away dealt with him as u are not capable cos ur whole body is numb then before u know it was next day gotta have shower spend some bonding time with baby was a bit pain but all worth it u do get better painkillers for this it does take u little longer recover and u not meant drive for 6 weeks but a actually wasnt that bad and reason i have opted for this time is for baby reasons but fact a know what to be facing never been through actual labour x only thing a didnt like out of it all was numbness feeling its weird cos u cant move ur legs x

 

[Maria1977]

I had an emergency section, mine was after a long labour so not as calm as a planned. they are very different apparently. Think everyone here has pretty much covered everything.

I had severe pain after, but apparently it's not always so bad for planned sections. I assume this is because i'd been contracting for a long long time and then they operated on me while my body was still contracting then stitched up so guess the body is even more abused kind of thing.

They said the best thing after is to get up and move around as much as possible. The healing was amazing, it was drastic improvement every day.

Can't add any more than all the other girls have said.

Good luck and best wishes you will have your LO soon hun and they are always worth whatever we go through!! xxxx

 

[Hayley1608]

thank you for all of your replies they have been very insightful!

JJ mum your pictures were beautiful and have made me feel a sense of relief as it doesn't look that bad at all! DH is very squemish and hates the thought of all the blood so i have showed him these pictures too and i think they have also made him feel a lot better about the process!

I don't have many concerns about the operation as i know it happens to about 1 in every 4 pregnant women so it's not like i'm the only lady in the world!

I am concerned though about being in recovery as i can't imagine not being able to care for my baby properly. How long did it take before you guys were able to sit up, walk about, hold baby properly etc?

x

 

[Piglet10]

i was able to do it that day, it wasnt sore but i knew i cud only do so much iykwim, you will bounce back quicker than u think xxx

 

[AugustMum]

I had a very fast emergency section so I imagine your experience is going to be the complete opposite to mine.

Recovery wise I found it very painful. My scar didn't heal very well at first and I had to bathe it alot with salt water during the day. I was still finding it difficult to drive without pain for about 13 weeks and for the first week it was just horrible trying to walk about. It really got me down.

Just only do what you have to do. Relax and take the time to chill out and be with your baby. Dont try and do house work and if you can get all visitors to come to you so you can just sit as much as you can but obviously still keep mobille (doesnt that make any sense?!) Just take it easy I guess is what Im trying to say lol.

Good luck with it!

 

[Maria1977]

My scar did heal very well and very quickly and is very tiny, some peoples are hip to hip but mine is only about 4 inches in the middle!! Very lucky in that department.

I was in alot of pain, but I had been through labour basically until I couldn't get my son out (got him to within an inch but he got wedged), so it won't be the same calm approach that your section will have, but I guess it won't be pain free either.

The midwives had to pass me my baby because I couldn't lift him, it was very emotional, but I was so tired anyway I didn't have the strength to get upset about it all my focus went on getting moving again so I could pick up my own baby.

Every day it got drastically better, by the 2nd day I could lift him. It took about a week or more before I dared carry him up or down stairs though. The more active you are the quicker you will recover. But obviously don't push yourself, I was walking into town then having to sit down in town a long time because the wound would start to feel like it was tearing open, so I did push myself too much. But pottering around the house was fine.

And don't forget to speak to your car insurance company. Mine didn't have a specific amount of time, just when you felt ok and your doc to confirm, not even in writing. I was driving 4 weeks after Oscars birth..

 

[frankie707]

You should defo try to be getting out of bed the same afternoon and on your feet. Dont hunch over - you wont pull stitches by standing up straight and it will help your recovery to be up and about.

My section was fine, my one peice of advice would be to be aware yourself of when your next pain meds are due as it's easier to keep the pain controlled than to let it get painful and then take them (if that makes any sense) and dont be afraid to ask for more if you're uncomfortable - it will help you be up and about and looking after your baby if your on top of the pain.

Best of luck, enjoy your new addition

 

[Hayley1608]

thanks for all the advice.

My main worry is that i wouldnt be able to hold or feed her properly but after hearing your stories i feel much more positive about the whole thing

i will definately remember to be aware of when i will be given my next pain relief... hadn't thought too much about this before but its great advice and hopefully will make it a lot easier to manage.

i guess the gist of it is to be carefully active very slowly but without overdoing it.

x