Planned C section soon, any advice?

[jemson 10]

Hi everyone

I'm due to have my second baby by planned C section early next month and just wondered how other mums have found this experience. I had a traumatic experience with first born's vaginal delivery and took months to recover. I really want it to be different this time. Consultant has said I need to have C section this time to avoid double incontinence for life argh!

Friends who had Csections when I had my first seemed to recover so much quicker than I did. I struggled with bonding, pain walking for months etc even some depression. So I'm really hoping this time it might be a more postitive experience. I know it's serious surgery but I had 3rd degree tear last time and massive blood loss and it was awful, couldn't even hold my baby for ages.

Am feeling very fit and well now so hoping it'll all be better this time.

If anyone could share their experiences or pass on advice on how to prepare/cope afterwards with it all + newborn+2yr old I'd be very grateful.

[Emma82 10]

I had a planned c-section. I was on the afternoon list so went into Jessops after 11am. About 10 minutes before I was about to go down to theatre someone brought me a gown, ted stockings and an awful drink to have to try and stop you from throwing up.

 

You go down to theatre, get a cannula put in your arm for fluids then the epidural then the catheter - that was a bit of a low point for me but had to be done! Hubby then allowed into theatre for the main event. The sheet goes up and they crack on. Baby came out about 10 mins later, then another 20 minutes or so of stitching. Hubby went with baby to get weighed.

 

Get wheeled back up to labour ward for a few hours to be observed. Baby has vitamin k jab and a bath then we went up to the ward. Hubby went off outside to phone people and I was holding baby when started being violently sick, would have been ok but couldn't move cos of epidural!

 

Anyway, the worst bit for me was lifting the baby in and out of the crib for a few days cos it was pretty sore but after 3/4 days it was fine. Stayed 3 nights. Honestly I was completely recovered and back to normal by 2 weeks, wound all healed etc.. no problems.

 

If I have another, the main thing I'd worry about it having my first one leaping all over me while I was a bit delicate but hopefully he'll be old enough to explain that to by then..

 

Really hope all goes ok

[shells2909 10]

Hi there, i had a section in sept 09 and i had a wonderful experience (compared to the emcs with my first baby) I was booked in for 10am so got to Norfolk ward first thing. It was all very relaxed and laid back. Had my spinal block etc down in theatre and before i knew it baby was born. Hubby cut cord and confirmed sex etc. Went to recovery to be observed for a while, bf etc and then back up onto ward in an area with four beds for observations, got moved to the main ward later that night. It was great to just be me, hubby and baby - he even brought me a starbucks in 2 hours after i'd had baby. The staff were brilliant - especially one particular nurse called Sharman.

My little boy was 22 months when my daughter was born so i understand how you're feeling i couldn't pick him up for a couple of weeks but it didn't stop us from having snuggles and cuddles on sofa, bed etc. I had a couple of scar infections in my wound but think that's just cos i did too much too soon cos i felt sooo good.

Good luck - you'll be fine xxxx

[indiechick 10]

I found the recovery better than I expected

It wasn't planned section but even so it was fine. I had a really bad pain day around 12 days post-op but my daughter was in NICU so I was going to and from hospital every day so I probably over did it a bit

Make sure you get discharged with a good supply of pain killers

I found I wasn't ready to drive for 6 weeks as I did have pain on my left side that meant I didn't feel confident I would complete an emergency stop effectively, but plenty of Mums seemed ready to drive after about 3 weeks

 

I would feel happy to have another section if required

 

Hope it all goes well

[happyguy 10]

Hi, just thought I'd comment as I had a section with my 4th baby just 8 months ago now.

 

I dont want to frighten anyone I just wish people had told me what I was letting myself in for before i agreed to the c-section.

I had to have it because my baby was twisting around a lot and was an "unstable lie" as they called it.

Anyway I was booked in for the afternoon one went in at 11am, I too got given the awful drink to stop me being sick, (it tastes vile) anyway i went down to theatre had the thing in my hand, they put some other injection in 1st so the actual drip bit didnt hurt at all, then when it came to having the epidural i was scared but they used the little needle which numbed it and i never even felt them do the epidural.

 

They then tell you it takes 10 mins to go numb i didnt take that long within seconds i lost all the feeling so they lay me down. Please remember if you feel funny tell the anesnatist who will stay at your side I couldnt breath and told her and what i know now is a bit scary but obviously they didnt tell me at the time but they had started and i started bleeding alot which is why i was struggling to breath, (this is a rare occurance so dont let it worry you) but remember to talk to them if you feel strange they have to know.

 

I was then put in a room next to theatre for few hours until i could sip water throw a straw and not be sick.

 

then well no other way of putting it but oh my god i was spaced out couldnt pick my baby up had to buzz people to do everything, i couldnt move, the morphene is good but makes you dozey and i just kept falling asleep.

I couldnt even stand up straight, but there were 3 other women on same ward who had it done and were walking around normal, but i couldnt stand up i couldnt sit down you will be amazed how much you use your stomach muscles. and what i did with my 2 year old was show her the cut and explain that mummy was very very sore and that she had to be careful not to touch it or knock mummy because it was stapled together so she could see it.

 

Im sure everything will go fine, just remember you wont be the same for many many weeks after i still get pain in mine now, and it is still numb which i find funny because from day 1 it was so itchy but you cant scratch it because you cant feel it.

 

good luck and if you want anymore information please message me, a section isnt like having natural birth you dont forget it so suddenly

[happyguy 10]

Just be prepared for the pain and take any painkillers they will give you because the pain is the worst pain ive ever felt in my life, worse than natural child birth so god knows why people choose to have this over natural

[jemson 10]

Thanks everyone for the advice, it's really helpful and gives me an idea of what's ahead and how to plan.

I'm sorry you had such a negative experience happyguy but it took months for the pain to stop after my first vaginal delivery and couldn't walk for week, had to be lifted in and out of bath for 2/3 days and believe me I did not forget the pain of the childbirth expereince for months, probably first year I was still having flashbacks and still get emotional if I think about it too much. So I do believe that there is a chance this experience could be better. I feel for you though as I know how having a rough experience can affect you. I am not in any way 'choosing' to have a C section, I have no other choice because of the damage caused by the first delivery. That has been made very clear by the consultant.

So, thanks for the advice and experience sharing everyone, it's really helpful and I just hope I have the more positive time I'd love this time and get to enjoy meeting my little one and feel more of a bond and all those things they tell you, you feel when you first have your baby.

[happyguy 10]

with you saying you had to be lifted in and out of the bath for 2/3 days, i couldnt have a shower for 2 days afterwards because i couldnt physically walk, and it took me a week before i could get upstairs, I personally think i just got it bad becaue a friend had it done 2 months before me and was up and about within a week whereas i was laid up for 2 weeks, i did try to get around but it was just impossible with the pain it caused.

 

And just to add if you have staples instead of the dissolving stitches, dont worry about them, when it came to taking them out i was terrified it doesnt hurt theres a bit of pulling but really it doesnt hurt the contraption to take them out looks a bit intimidating as well.

 

And sorry if you thought i meant you when i said choosing to have a c-section i didnt at all, What i meant was all these celebs that say oh ill have a section and dont even attempt it naturally ever, I didnt mean you and sorry if you thought i did,

 

And im sure you will bond better with your baby, one advantage of a section is that you have no choice but to lay down and rest so you have all the cuddles you want with your baby, I slept with my daughter in bed with me in the hospital at my side otherwise if she cried i had to sit and listen to her getting upset and wait for the nurse because i couldnt physically twist to reach her and im only 5ft 2 so the bed was really high even on its lowest setting

Edited January 8, 2011 by happyguy

[The Blonde 10]

I have had two C sections. The first was an emergency C section. After having undergone days of slow labour and becoming 8cm dilated the Dr's said My baby had the cord wrapped round his neck twice and his heart kept slowing down. It was pretty much touch and go so I got whipped through for a C section. They didn't have time to give me a spinal so I got put to sleep. This was very traumatic as when I woke up I was both menatlly and physically drained. I took all the painkillers I had too, I had one dose of morphine when I came round and that made me sick, so I opted not to have any more.

It took me about two months to recover.

For my second baby I opted to have a planned C section as I had Strep B and had heard of bad experiences, Also I could remember the pain from the labour the first time!

I had my planned c section in Feb 2010 and was booked in first thing at 7am. I was ever do nervous, but once I got on the table and was given the anaesthetic I felt very relaxed! You can't feel any pain just tugging which feels weird and uncomfortable. The staff make you feel very relaxed and the radio will be on in the background. I can remember Michael Jackson being played as our little girl was born! Once she was born I just rememeber being wheeled into a room with two nurses in for an hour then put onto the ward.

I declined having any morphine because of what happened after my first birth and just took the pain killers I was given last time - Codeine and Diclofenac and paracetamol.

The pain afterwards is not bad at all. I think some people deal with it better than others. Soon as my catheta was removed I was getting up and moving around, however, other people on the ward were leaving it 2 days.

I would gladly have another planned C section If i fell pregnant again, rather than go through labour

Good luck!

[cezzz1 10]

hi i had a section 5months ago today actualy ifound it ok was up and about 12 hours after had a shower and was out of hosp after 2days i was a bit sore but just took the pain killers they gave me i went back to my mums for a few weeks but was shopping 3 days after having him not carying anything just try and take it slow im now pregnant again and wondering if to have another section and how il recover thistime with a 11 month old to look after anyone had another section so close tothe 1st ?

[happyguy 10]

by the sound of it i just had a bad experience with my section, I did natural labour very easily and was fine within 6 hours and back home so maybe this was a shock to my system

[The Blonde 10]

hi i had a section 5months ago today actualy ifound it ok was up and about 12 hours after had a shower and was out of hosp after 2days i was a bit sore but just took the pain killers they gave me i went back to my mums for a few weeks but was shopping 3 days after having him not carying anything just try and take it slow im now pregnant again and wondering if to have another section and how il recover thistime with a 11 month old to look after anyone had another section so close tothe ?

The midwife advised me not to get pregnant for at least a year after my previous C section as it could damage the scar with stretching. Not sure how true that is? She also said I wouldn't be able to have any more than 3 C sections. There is 20 months between mine and I found it hard work because my eldest was constantly trying to pivk the baby up, feed her food she wasn't allowed and being too rough when loving her! I don't think you will have that problem though with a 11month old as my little girl is 11 month now and not too bothered about babies