Planned Section Questions

[kimandbump]

I had an emergency section with DD and I'm now 34+1 with my 2nd baby. Had really been hoping for a VBAC but baby is still lying transverse so I'm trying to accept the fact that I may have to have a planned c section. Just wondered if any of you that have had a planned section can answer a few questions for me

What time did you have to arrive at hospital at and what time were you taken to theatre at?

Did you write a birth plan for your planned section? (I know that there are very few areas you can actually influence but thought it might be a good way to feel slightly in control?)

Was your catheter placed before having your epidural/spinal or after?

How long did the catheter stay in for after delivery?

Did you take photos in theatre? As the baby was being delivered or after?

Did you get the screens dropped so you could see the baby being born?

How long after delivery were you allowed to hold the baby?

How long did you spend in recovery before going back to the ward?

Did you feel ok to tend to your baby after returning to the ward (in terms of numbness from spinal and pain)?

How long before you were up and walking about?

Sorry I know that's a lot of questions, after having my DD I went straight to ITU and didn't see her for a few days so I have no idea what the 'normal' c section experience is like and I am really trying to get my head round what will happen so that I can have a positive experience.

Thanks in advance! x

 

[Laura80]

What time did you have to arrive at hospital at and what time were you taken to theatre at?

I arrived at hopsital at 8am, I was taken to a ward to prepare (change into gown, put on stockings etc) and I was first in theatre around 9.30am. DD was born at 9.57am.

Did you write a birth plan for your planned section? (I know that there are very few areas you can actually influence but thought it might be a good way to feel slightly in control?)

No I didn't.

Was your catheter placed before having your epidural/spinal or after?

After, didn't feel a thing.

How long did the catheter stay in for after delivery?

Until the next morning, so around 24 hours.

Did you take photos in theatre? As the baby was being delivered or after?

My husband videoed the birth.


Did you get the screens dropped so you could see the baby being born?

No, but I didn't ask. The nurse told my husband when he could stand up to see her being born.

How long after delivery were you allowed to hold the baby?

Immediately.

How long did you spend in recovery before going back to the ward?

A few hours, but that was just because I had to wait on a bed becoming available on the ward.


Did you feel ok to tend to your baby after returning to the ward (in terms of numbness from spinal and pain)?

Yes as long as someone reached me the baby I could feed her etc. At night when everyone had gone home the midwives were there to help out.


How long before you were up and walking about?

I got up for a shower the next morning.

 

[ChezTunes]

What time did you have to arrive at hospital at and what time were you taken to theatre at? I had to be there between 9-10AM, I was meant to be taken down to theatre at 1:30 it was just a little after this. She was born at 2:22PM, after all the prep the actual delivery does not take that long. We were mid-convo and we heard her cry!

Did you write a birth plan for your planned section? (I know that there are very few areas you can actually influence but thought it might be a good way to feel slightly in control?) No, my MW told me there was no point.

Was your catheter placed before having your epidural/spinal or after? After my spinal.

How long did the catheter stay in for after delivery? Until the next morning.

Did you take photos in theatre? As the baby was being delivered or after? No, we weren't allowed anything in with us.

Did you get the screens dropped so you could see the baby being born? No, I wasn't even asked if I wanted that. I'm not sure I'd want to see though.

How long after delivery were you allowed to hold the baby? If I wasn't shaking so bad (from the meds they give you, plus I have major anxiety) I'd have been able to hold her sooner. As soon as she was born they showed her to us and took her off to be weighed and so on, then they lay her next to my head and OH held her next to me. She just looked at me and sneezed.

How long did you spend in recovery before going back to the ward? I was there a while because I couldn't help shaking and they couldn't get my blood pressure recorded properly. I was back on the ward by 4PM.

Did you feel ok to tend to your baby after returning to the ward (in terms of numbness from spinal and pain)? It was a couple of hours before I got complete feeling back in both legs, but they're there to hand baby to you and other than leg numbness, I felt great!

How long before you were up and walking about? I was up twice that same night!

 

[Pink_Tinks]

What time did you have to arrive at hospital at and what time were you taken to theatre at?
Arrived at 7.30, baby born at 11.54 - waiting due to midwife cooperation, one didnt tell anyone we have arrived then went off shift so we were just left in reception for nealy sn hour! And in that time they had an emercency csection to do

Did you write a birth plan for your planned section? (I know that there are very few areas you can actually influence but thought it might be a good way to feel slightly in control?)
No, no point!

Was your catheter placed before having your epidural/spinal or after?
After spinal

How long did the catheter stay in for after delivery?
Till next morning

Did you take photos in theatre? As the baby was being delivered or after?
No

Did you get the screens dropped so you could see the baby being born?
No id have passed out lol

How long after delivery were you allowed to hold the baby?
As soon as back in recovery - oh got her pretty much straight away

How long did you spend in recovery before going back to the ward?
6hrs

Did you feel ok to tend to your baby after returning to the ward (in terms of numbness from spinal and pain)?
Not really!

How long before you were up and walking about?
Next day

I had an emergency section first time, planned second.
Planned was soooo much nicer! Relaxed, no pain (until after!) i wasnt a mental cow, the whole experience was just so much nicer

Good luck

 

[Sarah27]

Was your catheter placed before having your epidural/spinal or after?

Catherter was done after I was numb, doing before hand sounds extremely barbaric!

How long did the catheter stay in for after delivery?
Baby was deliverd at on a Tues at 9:20am, it was removed 3:00am Weds morning.

Did you take photos in theatre? As the baby was being delivered or after?
DH was going to take photos but theatre staff did instead and they got some amazing shots of LO been delivered and shortly after as they were allowed really close and weren't grossed out like DH was!

Did you get the screens dropped so you could see the baby being born?
Nope screens stayed up.

How long after delivery were you allowed to hold the baby?
Baby got take to special care because of breathing difficulties following having a section. Got the breifest upside down peek before she went away :O(

How long did you spend in recovery before going back to the ward?
Flipping ages! Near enough all day as I bled really heavily. This was my 2nd section and they had lots of scar tissue from my first so it took ages in theatre and in recovery due to the high volume of blood loss. My bladder refused to work properly for ages soo thats why I was there for so long!

Did you feel ok to tend to your baby after returning to the ward (in terms of numbness from spinal and pain)?
Yep felt okay abit weak and feeble almost didn't believe she was here and alive tbh! Once the spinal wore off I was okay.. Think I got up too early on and showered too quickly as the next day I was really yukky feeling and emotional!

How long before you were up and walking about?
Bubs was born at 9:20 on the tues morn was up walking on 3:00am early hours of Weds morning.. my ass was soo numb!

 

[MrsM17]

What time did you have to arrive at hospital at and what time were you taken to theatre at?
Arrived 8am and was taken down at about 12.30pm, I was the 3rd planned section that day and an emergency one was rushed in before me so it would have been earlier. HE was born at 13.09pm.

Did you write a birth plan for your planned section? (I know that there are very few areas you can actually influence but thought it might be a good way to feel slightly in control?)
Sort of, I just wanted my own music playing and took a cd. The midwife asked if I wanted to watch my own section - no think i'll pass!!!! She also asked hubby who also passed

Was your catheter placed before having your epidural/spinal or after?
After

How long did the catheter stay in for after delivery?
Until the next morning.

Did you take photos in theatre? As the baby was being delivered or after?
Yep lots and lots the midwife took the camera and snapped away, got some great pics

Did you get the screens dropped so you could see the baby being born?
No but as above she offered, but I didnt fancy seeing my insides.

How long after delivery were you allowed to hold the baby?
Straight onto my chest for skin to skin.

How long did you spend in recovery before going back to the ward?
I reacted badly to the spinal and lost a lot of blood so stayed from when he was born until about 8pm.

Did you feel ok to tend to your baby after returning to the ward (in terms of numbness from spinal and pain)?
I was in pain in all honesty but I just buzzed the midwives.

How long before you were up and walking about?
The next morning x

 

[Arisa]

What time did you have to arrive at hospital at and what time were you taken to theatre at?
I was given a semi elective semi emergency section so even though they needed to operate on the day, I was in hospital the night before in preparation and not eat anything for twelve hours, that was so hard.

Did you write a birth plan for your planned section? (I know that there are very few areas you can actually influence but thought it might be a good way to feel slightly in control?) We were in the middle of it when i developed pre eclampsia but i still got what i wanted like my husband cutting the cord and tummy time when she was ready to be cuddled

Was your catheter placed before having your epidural/spinal or after?
After, its never put in before otherwise you would feel it, it was put in afterward and was fine

How long did the catheter stay in for after delivery? exactly 24 hours and did not hurt one bit coming out, it was also a godsend for me as i did not have to waddle to the toilet to pee

Did you take photos in theatre? As the baby was being delivered or after?
surprisingly yes, photos were allowed during my section even though it was semi emergency

Did you get the screens dropped so you could see the baby being born?
only so i could see the baby being lifted but not before, but they ask you if you would like them dropped to see your baby being lifted up

How long after delivery were you allowed to hold the baby? well had i not been so ill with the eclampsia i would have held her immediately, but my DH did while they checked her over and suctioned the mucus from her as is normal with section babies, he held her almost straight away. I had to wait two hours as i was in recovery but in normal circumstances you and your hubby will hold your baby asap

How long did you spend in recovery before going back to the ward?
2 hours, again this was due to having low iron, lots of blood loss and pre eclampsia which became eclampsia but i was still awake and did fine on morphine

Did you feel ok to tend to your baby after returning to the ward (in terms of numbness from spinal and pain)?
Yes, the spinal wore off within the hour and was a breeze in terms of not feeling any pain or weirdness with it. I could hold baby on my chest and feed her but not get out of bed to pick her up or carry her until 24 hours later even then i was not allowed to pick her up out of her cot, but i could walk around with her
How long before you were up and walking about? 24 houts before i walked in to have a shower with assistance and another six to twelve before i was walking up and down the hospital ward however i was sitting up with my legs crosses and moving all over the bed within 24 hours lol and going to the toilet on my own frequently too

hope that helps