Sorry I am erm.. chatty, but here is all I remember!
I had an emergency c-section with Elyse so I can't say much about anesthesia, as they did that all through the epidural and IV I already had started from labour.. I was very alert but after they told me I was going to have to have a c-section they really numbed me up because my contractions were so painful, not sure if that is hindering my ability to remember what the doctor was telling me about this or that lol.. also had a catheter in until 12 hours post op.
Epidural, I don't remember being in any pain from it really. Well a bit, but not too much. It hurt more for my OH to watch because they made sure I didn't even see the needle - he said it was big though.
When they first wheeled me to the OR, they transferred me from the hospital bed to the operating table. Funny I remember feeling like I was going to fall off as it's such a narrow table! They put the screen up and probably washed my belly but I can't remember, all I remember for the first 10-15 mins was the anesthesiologist explaining that the goal was to numb me up to my armpits, and if the first drug didn't get the job done, they had another ready to go that would definitely do it. Then he kept talking to me waiting for it to kick in and testing to see if I was ready to go.
It's a weird feeling, I could feel people touching my legs and was SURE I was going to be like on those TV shows you see where the anesthestic fails and the patient can feel everything.. but nope, felt nothing! I didn't even know they had started because the anesthesiologist kept talking to me and then my OH came in (poor OH came in AFTER the surgery started as he was changing into his "scrubs" and washing up and they didn't wait for him
so he saw some unpleasant stuff)
Within a minute I think I felt this pressure and pulling sensation- it was the surgeon (I believe 2- one resident one OBGYN then a few nurses and the anesthesiologist were there) moving things around and delivering the baby, it took longer than normal due to the fact I pushed 2.5 hours but they had her out really fast, then it felt like it took them forever to put me back together but in actuality Elyse was born at 1:34pm and I was in the recovery room with her across the hall before 2pm.
Before I was able to see Elyse in the operating room they cleaned her up, weighed her, and a pediatrician checked her out (believe she had her Apgars done), but I got to see her I think 5 mins after she was born, all swaddled up in a blanket OH actually got to bring her up by my head (he had a chair beside my head and was able to hold my hand during the surgery). She didn't cry the second she was out so I was afraid she was stillborn and I teared up waiting for a cry, but apparently it's common w/ a c-section for them to not cry right away? Of course I couldn't hold her right away but I saw her and cried.
The anesthesiologist asked if we had brought a camera because he'd take a photo of us all, we didn't know we could bring one in though- they had OH take off all of his jewelry etc before entering as it's a sterile environment, but he said next time to bring the camera.. so I would check if they let you do that at your hospital!
In the recovery room, basically was in the bed and they gave me the opportunity to breastfeed (though I didn't BF, so they gave me formula) and to have skin-to-skin contact. They had a nurse supervise me & baby for 1 hour and in addition to my OH, my mom, sister, best friend, and his mother were allowed into the room to see us. There was a phone in the room and I called my other best friend to tell her the news but got her voice mail, when she replayed the message for me later I sound like a drunken bafoon!
More doctors checked over the baby and me and they took me up to the maternity ward by 3pm!
As for afterwards, they really encourage you to get up and walk around as soon as you can, a nurse got me out of bed at 1-2am (12hrs after delivery) and removed my catheter and checked out my lochia and got me up walking a bit, it was sore but it's important to get up rather than laying around for days.. 3 night hospital stay, nurses checked on me 2x per shift so 4x per day.. obstetrics/gyno resident came in to check my incision and see how I was doing once daily..
I would 100% have a c-section again, and I am so happy my next will be a scheduled c-section and I know what to expect next time around. I loved being awake and aware of what was happening, and would not like to have it any other way for any future births!
)
