First time C Section Mom

[onceisenough1]

At my 30 week ultrasound, my baby was head down. By 32 weeks, she was feet down and so far has stayed that way. I am going tomorrow afternoon and if she is still breech my doctor is scheduling a C section.

I have a DS but he was a vaginal birth and actually pretty easy. I am terrified of a C section. Can a mom who has been there tell me about what to expect from beginning to end? How much does it hurt, can you see what is going on? Anything you can think of would help.

Thanks!

 

[Eternal]

At my 30 week ultrasound, my baby was head down. By 32 weeks, she was feet down and so far has stayed that way. I am going tomorrow afternoon and if she is still breech my doctor is scheduling a C section.

I have a DS but he was a vaginal birth and actually pretty easy. I am terrified of a C section. Can a mom who has been there tell me about what to expect from beginning to end? How much does it hurt, can you see what is going on? Anything you can think of would help.

Thanks!

I had natural then section and was terrified.

I hating the waiting about to be sent up, and it was cancelled twice so waited two whole days, terrified and staving and then nothing.

C section itself, the spinal was fine, didn't really hurt, but I've never found needle particularly painful.

I was then catheterised.

They then put the idone I've my stomach and set up the area, so I couldn't see anything. I felt quite sick and this stage and they have me something for it.

I realised I could feel is fingers etc on me, the whole time and was very freaked out my this, but even though you feel things, you don't feel pain. It's very weird, but actually it was fine. Once I realised I was open and hasn't felt anything.

From the first cut to babies out was very quick. Then you are somewhat distracted by then which helps. (I had twins)

I started to feel things at this point and said and was given some nice drugs which meant I didn't care the surgeon spend some time clearing me out, and stitching me up.

Then moved to recovery with babies. I felt pain right away but don't think that's normal.

The first week was very painful, but I didn't stop me doing anything, I still took care of two newborns and showered etc (I was in hospital the first week), my midwives were crap and my pain meds weren't regular, I think it could have been so much easier if I had regular pain meds.

Their first 6 weeks I was quite sore, but I managed everything fine, didn't stop me looking after they three kids alone, cooking and going out and about.

Scar healed perfectly, no major issues at all.

I'm certainly not scared of another section. Yes I had pain, but it really didn't stop me doing anything.

 

[spunky84]

Mine wasn't scheduled, but I did have about 1.5 hours between it being determined I needed a section and actually having it. I've always been terrified of having a section, but it wasn't anything like I had imagined.

They started by prepping me (jewelry off, etc). Had to take an antacid. They starting having DH get the OR garb on.

For me, getting the spinal was the worst part. I was most scared of getting the spinal, so maybe that's why I felt like it was more painful. I don't know if the procedure is the same all around, but I had to sit with my legs hanging over the edge. They had me arch my back out and lean into someone.

Once it was done, they had me lay down. They started strapping my arm down - they also put up a tent so that you can't see anything. (They didn't let DH in until after everything was ready to go - actually I don't think he came in until just moments after they started).

I was really worried about the spinal not working and that I'd feel everything. I could feel tingling and numbness working down my legs to my feet (though I thought it was just in my legs). I never question a doctor unless I'm terrified and I was. I asked them if they were sure it was going to work and how they would know if it worked.

They reassured me and took an alcohol swab and touched me in certain places with it. I couldn't feel it until it reached my ribs, which means it worked. I felt much better after that.

During the section, I did feel some tugging. I can't really explain it - it didn't hurt, and it seemed more like just feelings things being moved around. LO was kicking me in the ribs a lot while they were trying to get her out.

Once they had her out, they held her above the "tent" so I could see her (though I felt very drugged up so it seems kind of a blurry memory for me).

I think they had told me that the stitching can take up to 20 minutes which also terrified me. I couldn't imagine laying there for 20 minutes knowing they were stitching me up, but it only felt like 5 minutes.

DH had LO right after they weighed her and cleaned her up. Shortly after that, I felt very sick, warm and dizzy. Thought I was going to throw up. They gave me something for it, but they said that it's just a side effect - so not something that will necessarily happen.

After I was stitched up, I was wheeled into the recovery room where DH and LO were waiting. I was able to have some skin to skin with LO afterwards, but DH had to help keep her on me as I was still pretty drugged up and wasn't able to hold her (safely) on my own.

While I was in recovery, one of the nurses would bend my legs - they were still numb, but I guess it's something they do due to the medication/lack of movement to help prevent clots (they also put stockings on my legs & something that would inflate every so often - to help circulation).

I was told that the numbness usually lasts an average of 3 hours. LO was born at 7:18pm (so assuming I had the spinal around 7?). I did get all the feeling back until a little after midnight, so it took a little longer for it to wear off for me.

The following day they started getting me out of bed & removed the catheter. The first time getting out of bed was awful, but it also gets better with every time you get up and move. They encouraged me to get up and walk down the hall. I always made sure I had pain meds before I got up and moving.

I kept LO in the room with me, so I always made sure I either had my mom or DH with me. It was very difficult to get up and take care of LO those first few days while I was in the hospital. For me, getting out of bed was the easiest. Getting back in was the hardest.

I was in from Friday afternoon until Monday afternoon. Getting in the car was a little painful, but not too bad. The pain continued, but also gradually got better the more I moved around. I had to sleep on the couch or in the recliner in an inclined position as it hurt too much to fully lay down in bed and hurt too much to get up - though I honestly wonder if I would have been better off sticking it out in the bed.

By the end of the first week, there was significant improvement with the pain. By the second week, I felt nearly pain free. Though you do you have to be careful - just because the pain is significantly less, you still have to be careful. Once the pain was nearly gone after 2 weeks, I started over doing things which caused the pain to come back.


I would definitely make sure you have a support system. Don't over do things just because you're pain free/nearly pain free until you've been cleared by your doctor to resume normal functions. I was given the okay to drive 5 days after being sent home from the hospital, but I didn't feel physically able to until after 2 weeks - so just because they say it's okay after a certain time frame, listen to your body and how you feel. There's nothing wrong with taking a little extra time. Also, take your pain meds as you need them. I often tried to tough it out, and wish I would have just taken them when I needed to instead of trying to go without. I didn't have to take my full prescription, but if you need to, do.

 

[cherrylips100]

It really is nothing to be scared of. The worst thing was the freezing cold stuff they put on your back to numb the area. I barely felt the needle and couldnt feel the catheter at all. The actual sensation of the csec I'd compare to the feeling of somebody sucking your stomach with a hoover. No pain whatsoever, just tugging and you cant see anything.
It does hurt afterwards however, so take it easy and dont be afraid to ask for pain meds if you need it.

 

[Fallacy]

Mine was done after my waters had been gone for 36 hours. They had me on max dosage of pitocin for 24 hours with strong contractions that weren't dilating me. After 36 hours of labor, I only made it to 2 cm. I had already had the spinal in, which wasn't fun. I sat with my legs hanging over the edge of the bed, arch my back over, and lean into DH. I felt a sharp pain on my right side, and the doctor corrected his positioning a bit until I felt nothing. For the remainder of it, I had more feeling in one side than the other and needed to have it adjusted a lot.

They put up a screen so I couldn't see and then strapped my arms down. After this, they let DH in with his OR garb. I started to violently shake on the table and complained about my contractions hurting. They did the alcohol swab test and I couldn't feel until up to my neck - which they seemed confused about. They asked me multiple times if I could feel near my chest and up, which I said no to.

They started the section itself, and I felt them cut into me. I screamed out once that I could feel them, and they adjusted my medicine again. After that, I just felt some tugging and moving things around. DH came to my side and held my face a bit since I was shaking pretty badly.

I heard them say that Micah had a lot of hair, I heard him cry, and then they took him from me without letting me see him. I heard them tell DH to leave with Micah to get him cleaned up and that they would see me in recovery.

Right before DH left, we both heard them talking about uterine rupture, and I started to feel like I couldn't breathe. I felt very sick and dizzy, and felt like I was losing consciousness. My heartbeat on the monitor was getting bad, and they put a mask on me. I don't remember anything after that until they were moving me to another room.

I was able to have skin to skin with LO at this point, and he immediately latched on to breastfeed. DH had to help me hold him as I was still drugged up and shaky.

The nurses would come in to press my stomach, which was very painful, to get blood out. I also had something put on my legs that inflated and deflated to help with circulation and prevent clotting. Honestly, that felt amazing!

LO was born at 9:31 am and I didn't get all the feeling back until around 6 pm. They removed the catheter that night and encouraged me to get out of bed and walk. They said I did very well my first time and I barely felt off at all - mostly just stiff. I definitely needed the pain meds though - I took them not as often as they suggested, but when I felt I needed them. Moving was a lot more manageable with them.

I kept LO in the room with me, and DH stayed with us. I couldn't get up and get LO alone as it hurt too much, so I relied on DH a lot. For me, it was the opposite. Getting out of bed was so hard and getting back in was easier.

I got little sleep since LO wouldn't stop cluster feeding almost nonstop. Even the nurses were feeling sorry for me.

I went home after 48 hours, but I regretted it almost immediately. I had trouble getting my pain meds from my pharmacy, and this resulted in me spending all night without them until the next morning. I thought I was going to die from the pain. (I lived on the third floor) I could barely manage care for LO. I had to sleep on the couch sitting up because it hurt too much to lay down.

Getting in the car was hard, but got better after a week. The first week, I was pretty much only getting up to pee. DH had to feed me and keep LO with me. The second week was still very sore, but better. I could move about more. I started overdoing things which made the pain horrible again. I had to remember to hold off.

I didn't feel okay to drive until 4 weeks. I also had to take my entire prescription of pain meds, save one pill. I also tried to tough it out to be strong, but I wish I would've just taken the pills as needed.

Definitely have someone around to help you. It would have felt impossible without DH around to help.

They told me my pelvis is too small to birth children - so I guess I'll only get c-sections from now on!...Lucky me.

 

[MOMRETTIRC]

I had an unplanned C-section six months ago with my son. For me the part that was really horrible was that the C-section was unexpected. I already had an epidural from being in labor that wasn't as bad as I thought. I was really terrified of an epidural. During the surgery I felt a lot of pulling but no pain. One thing I never expected is when they actually pull the baby out there was a lot of pushing on my chest. They told me to tell them right away if I started feeling nauseous. They said during the time when they actually pull baby out some people will vomit if they don't breathe. So they told me to breathe just like I was trying to breathe through contractions. It worked I never felt sick and the pushing on the chest was really short. Then they told me we had a boy and that he was really big. At that moment nothing else mattered. I had feeling back in my legs within less than an hour after surgery. The only thing that happened that I had never heard about is that I was shaking uncontrollably. This was the worst part about the actual procedure. But I had started shaking long before the actual C-section. They told me that some people get this with an epidural Or it could have been because I was so panicked. My recovery was fairly straightforward And easy. I do recommend taking the pain meds for a while do not let the pain get ahead of you. I think that you're doing a good job finding out as much information as you can. I think if I had gone in with a little more knowledge the C-section would have been Pretty easy. Good luck to you.

 

[Ameli]

Tank you ladies for this. I have c-section scheduled for this Saturday and I'm really scared. It helps to hear your experiences and have an idea of what to expect.

 

[miraclebaba]

hey, congratulations on your baby. how did the c-section go... i am pretty terrified myself. i hope you and the baby are doing well.