C-section

Hi, For all the moms who have had c-sections can you tell me what happens? I am going to have to have one because my baby is breach and I have some complications with my pregnancy. I am really scared.
Thanks.

ETS: This is an old thread. I have bumped it for other posters. I ended up having a c-section before my scheduled c/s date because my water broke on its own and I was having contractions. I had a great c/s experience. The only bad part was that I was alergic to the tape they used. I also had muscle atrophy from bed rest, but as soon as you can please try to walk.

Message edited 8/12/2008 9:03:52 PM.

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I had a section and it was a breeze-- just make sure you get up when they tell you-- dont over do it, and take your pain meds! I took percocet one day- adn motrin the rest adn i felt fine--- after a week i was back to myself!! Good Luck1

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I am not really sure what you mean by "what happens".

My c-section was scheduled so I had a spinal block. The procedure went fine. It takes about 10-15 minutes for baby to come out and about 30 minutes or so to be stiched up.

Then you go in recovery for usually 2 hours unless you are "complications". I was in recovery for 7 hours because I was vomiting for so long. Everybody does not get sick.

Recovery after the surgery is MUCH longer than vaginal delivery. I stayed in the hospital for 4 days. I suggest taking the medication offered to you. That will make your recovery easier. They will ask you to start walking the following day of the delivery. Take baby step and do a little bit at a time. It helps a bit.

Restrictions afterwards:

- no stairs for 2 weeks
- no driving for 2 weeks
- no lifting other than baby
- go after 1.5-2 weeks to dr visit for incision check

I highly suggest you get help at home. DH was home for 2 weeks and I needed him for every minutes. But I am BF too so that makes me even more exhausted.

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Don't worry!!! They put my on the table (I had already had an epidural, they changed it so that I could now not feel from my chest down and my arms were tingly). They put your arms out on boards so it's like you're on a cross. They put up a screen in from of your face so you can't see anything. You'll feel some pressure and pulling sensations, but you shouldn't feel any pain. They'll remove the baby and spend like another like half hour sewing you up while they do apgar and such on the baby. They'll give the baby to your DH to sit with you while they're working. Then they take an x-ray to make sure they didn't leave anything. Then you go to recovery and they put this big warm inflatable blanket on you while the spinal wears off. After like 2-3 hours and you can lift your butt and move your legs, they'll take you to your room. Get up and move around as soon as possible!!! It helps!!! Take it easy in the beginning. Take your pain meds. Everyone is different, but I was totally off pain meds by day 3 and feeling pretty good. For the next 2-3 weeks I would feel a burning at the inciscion if I did too much or moved the wrong way, but overall it was pretty good. You'll only be allowed liquids till you pass gas, so tell them when you do and don't be embarassed--that goes out the window after the first time they have to take you to the bathroom when the catheter comes out! Good Luck!!!

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Don't be scared..Your going to meet your little one.
I had an unplanned C section. I already had my epi. so all they did was up the dosage through IV.
I think for planned, they do a spinal.

I felt nothing. I was numb. I was looking at DH and the blue sheet in front of me. It felt like not even 10 mins passed and I hear the Dr. tell me..,"Its a boy" and they took him, cleaned him up and brought him over to me.
While they closed me up, DH went with the nurses (after some "family pics") and they gave DS a sponge bath, did his weight, height..all that. Then DH met me back in recovery.

When the nurses and Dr.s give you the OK to get up and walk..Do it..Slowly.
I felt better within a week.

Good Luck to you!!!! When are you due?

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Even though it is by far the WEIRDEST thing I've ever been through, it's NOTHING!! It's the recovery that kicks your butt. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DO ANYTHING!!!! Have someone around who can do just about anything you ask. Even though you want to do stuff, PLEASE don't. I learned the hard way.

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I am due 8/4 but the c-section will likely be the end of this week or next week depending upon the results of some tests. I really appreciate the details that everyone has provided.

Will they put the baby on my chest after he is born? I also want to breast feed. Will I be able to do that? I have an appointment tomorrow to determine whether I have to be completely knocked out or will be allowed to be awake.

I ended up with preeclampsia, papiloedema and swolen optic nerves. The doctors want to determine how to proceed so once all the rest of the tests are done they will tell me what day I go in. I was really hoping to have my baby without the c-section so this was a real blow to my pg hopes.

Thanks for listening and answering my questions.

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First of all I want to wish you well for the birth of your baby.

What they did for me:

They came in & gave me an anti-nausea medication because of the spinal. That took about 15 minutes to kick in.

Then they put me in my hospital gown. They monitored me and the baby. Once they decided I had to go in for the c-section, they came in and had me sign a bunch of forms. They explained the surgery to me, but honestly at that point I was so stressed about the surgery that I do not remember a word of it. Then they took DH to get "scrubbed in."

They had me walk to the OR (yes walk), and the anesthesiologist gave me a few shots of the numbing stuff (same stuff you get at the dentist) around the area where they were giving me the spinal. Then they gave me the spinal. Almost immediately my legs went numb & the nurse then laid me on the table. Then my back and stomach went numb, but I could sort of feel the surface, not unlike when your foot falls asleep.

They strapped me down to the table, and covered me with the warming blanket. They told me that they do this for all surgeries. They hooked me up to some new monitors, and started the IV drip of fluids. (I also had to get tapped for a transfusion b/c I had a placenta previa, and there is a bleeding risk).

They draped my stomach and cleaned the area with betadine. I already shaved that morning so they did not have to...my Dr actually told me thanks . Then they pulled up the curtain so I could not watch the surgery. DH was in the room by that time & was able to watch the surgery if he wanted to. He chose not to until my uterus was exposed enough to see the baby's head. The Dr chatted with me during the surgery to make sure I was coherent, and played music in the background. DH was right next to my head and was telling me the whole time what they were doing.

40 minutes later the nurse told us the head was out & DH began to watch at that point. We did not know the gender of our baby, so he was excited to see. About a minute after that, the Dr pushed on my upper abdomen while the other Dr (I had 2 OBs scrub in on my surgery) eased my baby out of the womb. The nurse yelled, "It's a boy!" and I cried and DH had a look of awe. They cleaned DS and then DH got to cut the umbilical cord. While they checked and cleaned the baby the Dr removed my placenta and began to put me back together. DH came back over with DS & I kissed him all over, even though he was still a little gooey. They continued to stitch me back up & about 20 minutes later they were done. I sat in recovery with DS & DH. I had a slight reaction to the anesthesia, but it passed quickly. I felt OK as the anesthesia wore of...like a minor sunburn. I was able to BF the second I got into recovery.

I only needed motrin for pain, and only once they made me walk around. It was a decent recovery, and even once I got home it was not too bad. I was in the hospital for 5 days. I could have gone home after 4 days, but I have dogs that come right to where I was stitched if they jump, so I took the extra day to heal. The surgical tape fell off by itself in the shower & the internal stitches slowly dissolve.

Message edited 7/9/2007 5:19:11 PM.

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I'm sorry you're going through a lot with your pregnancy! I hope you and baby are OK and everything goes smootly.

Everything everyone else already said is pretty much how it goes. My recovery was a bit harder I think b/c I was being induced first. I went into labor and was having contractions for 4 hours. OK, in the grand scheme of things, that's not a long time, but it was long to me! Baby was not taking to labor and her heartrate was dropping so they took me in for a c/section.

The recovery has been a bit harsh for me. In the hospital the pain was unbearable and trying to walk to the bathroom the first time was the worst pain I've ever known. Although, I don't have a high threshold to pain. I'm still finishing up the drugs and on motrin b/c it hurts to get up.

I too, can sympathise about not having your pregnancy work out as you'd hoped. Today, this will matter to you, once you hold that baby, it won't. As long as he/she is healthy and OK, it doesn't matter how baby joins us

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Each person does have their own experience...that said...

I had a scheduled c/s due to a big baby (he was 9lbs 7ozs @ birth). I was a little nervous, but mostly about the recovery. The spinal was fairly painless, just a little pinch...and almost instant! After they got me cleaned and preped they brought in DH, who sat by my head and I made him talk with me, b/c I didn't want to hear the Dr's say "Cut this, pull this out..."

After they took DS out, I was so consentrated on his crying and anxious to see him, the rest of my time in the room seemed to fly by! They took DH and DS out, finished me up and I was wheeled to recovery.

I was told I would feel some pulling and pressure. I don't really recall feeling anything, MAYBE a little pulling.

I will say I did feel very warm and nauseous in recovery , did vomit when I FINALLY got a room (4 hrs later). Had I had c/s and got a room earlier in the day (got to room at 7pm) I would have gotten up and walked around sooner. I didn't even get out of bed til 4am when the aide MADE me get up, go to bathroom and clean myself!

Overall, I am very glad I had a c/s. My BIGGEST fear the entire pregnancy was a vaginal delivery!!!

Please feel free to FM with any questions! Lots of luck to you, your little bundle of joy will make ANY pain worthwhile!!!!


ETA:
Recovery at home was okay. TAKE IT EASY!!! I overdid it a few times, and I paid the price. Not that I was injured, just REALLY worn out. I was afraid to lay flat, afraid to get up and afraid to lay down....just do it, but slowly and carefully. I think my fear made me more tense and made it hurt more.

Message edited 7/9/2007 6:50:15 PM.

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Do not be scared - easier said than done I know. I was supposed to have a vaginal delivery but my DD turned and was also failing to decend so I ended up needing a csection. I think for me the worst part of the actual surgery was that I ended up with the shakes during the procedure. The surgery was rather quick (it was not an emergency csection as her heart rate was perfect and she was not in distress). I had an epidural so they just turned up the meds for the surgery. I felt absolutely nothing the entire time from the chest down.

After the surgery I was taken to recovery and stayed there for a little over an hour until I could move my toes and legs so that I could move to my bed.

I had preeclampsia so I was on IV meds for 24 hours after delivery so I was slightly delayed in when I was allowed to walk. They would not remove the catheter or allow me to walk for 24 hours.

I won't lie the hardest part was getting out of bed the first few times. I am not good with pain at all but after getting up the first say 3 times it wasn't bad. Just force yourself to get up and walk slowly. I was completely pain med free by about a week and a half to two weeks after delivery. Honestly I feel great - my doctor says my incision has healed beautifully but I still can't drive for another week or two and no lifting until another month which I kind of forget as I really feel great.

I was scared of how recovery would be as I do not have a high threshold for pain. Honestly it was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. Please do not be scared I know it is major surgery but just make sure you have some support and help after you deliver and remember to get plenty of rest and relaxation so as not to rip your stiches and you will be okay.

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My experience was very similar to the previous posters' except I was told by friends who had c-sections that there was just a little pressure. Maybe my epidural wasn't strong enough or something but I felt ALOT of pressure/pulling. It was very uncomfortable for me. It may also have been because DD was very high and they needed to use a vacuum to get her out. I also remember a pretty strong, strange burning smell. I'm still not sure what that was. And my arms were shaking ALOT. I was warned about that by my anesthesiologist, but was surprised at how much they were shaking. I had some complications at the end, but that was unusual. My recovery was a breeze. I was surprised at how great I felt.

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I just had a c section this past Friday, and from my experience so far, it has been so much easier than my rough V birth-recovery-etc.

I had a spinal, i felt some pulling and tugging, but that's it. I saw DD right after they took her out and the docs even stopped for a sec and told my mom when to take pics.

My section from start to finish took 40 mins and that includes the spinal.

Recovery for me has been easy, the worst part was the gas buildup the day after, but I took meds and a suppository and it cleared up.

I have zero restrictions-except no driving 1-2 weeks and I cannot pick up my 14 month old for a couple weeks.

My doc told me try everything once if it hurts don't do it..

I was up and around 24 hours after my section walking the halls, eating, sitting in chairs, doing stairs.

My advice-take the meds, keep on the meds, dont' let them lapse, get up and around and move ASAP and keep moving. Make sure they give you a stool softner and anti gas meds.

I am a bit sore, but NOTHING like I was with my 4th degree episotomy with tearing..

Good luck

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Thank you all for your replies. I finally got some good news today. I will at least be able to be awake for the c-section. I have to have another eye test Thursday and then the doctors will decide when everything will occur.

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The C-section itself wasn't too bad...a little soar after the surgery and the gas was a little uncomfortable. For me, the spinal was AWFUL! I got so nauseous from it and then for the next day or so I was sooooo itchy. They gave me shots of benadryl but it didn't do anything, I seriously thought I was going to scratch my skin off.

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My experience with a c-section was pretty good.

I had a scheduled c. Went into the hospital at 6AM and my surgery was scheduled for 7:30AM. They took blood and hooked me up to an IV. Then the anesthesiologist came in and talked to us about the spinal block. Before they walked me in, they gave DH some scrubs to put on over his clothes.

I walked into the OR at 7:25 and they administered the spinal. It pinched when they put the needle in but then I quickly felt nothing. Once I was laying down, DH was let in and they started everything at about 7:35. By 7:56, DS was here and they finished stitching me up. I was over in recovery with DS and DH for about 30 mins before they wheeled me to my room and took DS to the nursery to be checked out and bathed.

For me, that afternoon was the hardest because I was in so much pain. They had me hooked up to a pain pump with Dilaudin because I'm allergic to Morphine which is what they usually give you. By that evening, I was feeling better was able to sit in a chair for a few minutes.

By the next morning, I was able to sit in a chair longer and then was able to walk around and take a shower.

I asked to go home the day after that (2 days after my c-section) because I was miserable in the hospital and couldn't sleep. I recovered pretty quickly and didn't need anything other than Tylenol for the pain but everyone is different.

My restrictions were the following:
No driving - 2 wks
No stairs - 2 wks
No lifting (other than the baby) - 2 wks
No housework - 4 wks
No relations - 6 wks

Now, 3 wks later, I'm feeling pretty good.

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I have to say I was so happy that I had a csection. What everyone posted was basically my experience.

The hardest thing has been the recovery. The worst part was in the hospital - getting in and out of bed, walking, and going to the bathroom. Once I was ready to leave the hospital I felt better.

Some advice:
Take all of the pain med. they offer. I was only taking Motrin in the beginning bc I'm not one to take stronger pain meds. The drs. recommend alternating motrin and the percoset. This helped a TON.

Also, bc I was on so many drugs I felt better then I really was when I got home. After a week of being home and doing everything I normally do - I started to bleed REALLY heavy on Sunday. Clots were coming out and blood was gushing. The Drs. said I was doing too much and this triggered this. Let your DH do the work in the beginning and try to relax as much as possible.

Good luck - it will be great!

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Message edited 7/10/2007 10:16:38 PM.

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So, how strict is the restriction against using the stairs? That's the only thing I will have trouble sticking to. I have had uterine surgery with a C-section type incision before. My healing was slow and complicated but, for some reason, the stairs never bothered me. I guess it could be a lot different this time.

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I was not allowed to hold the baby--My arms were tingle from the spinal and it would not have been safe. My arms would stretched out on those boards but not strapped down. I couldn't really mvoe them well anyway. I also got the shakes from the spinal but they slowly subsided while in recovery.

Don't worry about breastfeeding. Babies can go a long time before their first meal. Moms often don't get any milk at first. At NSUH the baby went to the nursery while I was in recovery and he stayed there while I slept in my room until the next day. They asked if I wanted them to give him a bottle or not. I said no. They brought him to me about 8 hours after I had him. He hadn't eaten and was sleeping peacefully. I tried to breastfeed, but I didn't get anything till the 3rd day, so in the meantime, I decided to give him bottles.

I did the stairs as soon as I got home and they didn't bother me at all. I was careful about what I lifted and I drove myself to the OBGYN 2 weeks after delivery.

PS Someone mentioned being nervous about their dog when they were home. My cs really didn't bother me at all. BUT, on my second day home, my 90 lb lab decided to come bounding in and jump on me while I was on the couch--right on my incision!!!! It hurt!!!!! I called the doc and she said if it wasn't bleeding, to just take it easy. It got a little bruised, but it was already bruised there anyway.

And, something else I thought I'd mention, it's normal to have a numb spot around your incision. I asked this question and most girls said they had one too and a lot said they eventually got feeling back there. It's just a small area.

Message edited 7/11/2007 12:45:54 PM.