Scheduled C-Section

[MommyMcDaniel]

So I'm scheduled for a C-Section in my 39th week, & I've read a lot about it online, but I'm still curious and wanted some input from real people who have had a c-section or even if you know someone who has. What is it like and what can I expect? Also I know that sometimes a baby doesnt wait until week 39 or 40 to start making it's way out, what happens if I start going into labor before my scheduled c-section, will they then do an emergency c-section?

 

[msq]

Whether they will do a C-section if you go into labor before the scheduled date depends on why you're having the cesarean I think. My sister had a C-section with her first baby because she was told she was going to have a large baby (9.5 lbs) & she really ended up being 8lb 11 oz. From conversations I've had with her she regrets opting to have a C-section because she wasn't able to hold her daughter for a little over an hour after she was born & she just feels like she missed out on something by not atleast attempting to go through labor. She is now pregnant again & is planning on attempting a VBAC depending on a few factors. She has an ultrasound to determine the estimated size of her baby & if she is having another larger than average baby she will just schedule a C-section.

Ultimately it doesn't matter how your baby gets here, just as long as they are healthy.

Good luck!
Hope I helped

 

[miss cakes]

i had an emergancy c section with my first and the second was planned but i went into labour the day before all i did was go to the hospital tell emim sposed to have c section and they got me prepped and had my son out in haf n hour from me getting there it was very quick and actually very relaxed i put the hospital gown on they have to shave you downstairs so id advice you do it yourself before you go then he put the music on shared some jokes popped the needle in my back which i didnt even feel laid me down tested to make sure epi had worked (it had) put a catheter in you wont feel it they do it after you gone numb put the screen upi felt a kind of rummiging tugging feeling in my tummy and within minutes i met my son as they were cleaning him up and weighing him they started closing me up which was really quick then we went into recovery room and i got to hold and cuddle my son and rest before going onto the ward it was great x

 

[littleblonde]

i had a section and they didnt shave me. So maybe check that. I had a planned section due to breach. My waters went 16hr before my planned section. I went and they where going to do it early but i didnt progress and they had emergencys so i had mine planned time. I went in 1st and oh changed into gown. They did spinal 1st and then while that was working they put cannual in for pain meds and cafeter in. Then they check how numb u are. They spray your shoulder with ice cold water and spray up and you have to saywhen it feels the same. It gets higher and higher. A sheet goes up so we cant see and oh came in. From starting to baby being here took 8 minutes. You feel no pain or discomfort but no something is going on!some people say its like someone is washin up inside u and then when baby is pulled out u feel a pushin down pressure. Then they said baby will be here in a minute. Section babys dont always cry straight away. Kacey sneezed then cryed. They show u quick then they do there checks and weight baby and wrap baby up. Then handed her to oh and they stayed with me. Meanwhile they stitch you up. Took 30 minutes. As soon as it up i was wheeled into recovery. Where i got skin to skin and breast fed my daughter. Pain wise was up in a day and walkin be it slowly. I had help to start but as soon as i was up i did everything. By day 5 i was walkin in town. By day 10 i was painfree. Although you do need to be careful i would advise you to do some walkin or light activity as it did help speed my recovery

 

[Jeewizz]

A helpful thread! I'll be a scheduled section too. There's understandably loads of info out there about labour, and even about emergency c-sections, but not so much about planned ones, so it's great to hear some real experiences!

 

[chuck]

If you are UK based then take a look at this...
https://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/10940/29331/29331.pdf

a link to the NICE guidlelines for C-section

It goes into the reasons why CS are carried out and what should happen.

Section 1.4 goes through procedural stuff. Yes there are a few very wordy bits but it is interesting to read.

You are within your rights to ask for your music to be played, to take a camera in with you, to have the curtain dropped to see baby arrive, for all staff to stop talking on delivery so your voice is the first the baby hears, to get skin to skin once baby has been checked by the staff.

DO NOT ASSUME you will automatically get these things. I had an EMCS but not rushed as our lives werent in danger and I went to theatre alone (hubby wouldnt come) and assumed they would tell me what they were doing, drop the curtain etc and I got NONE of it.

I wasnt even told when baby was out I had to ask!

So make a list of what you want to know/no know what you want to see/not see! LEt them know when you arrive at hospital , when you get to theatre and during ask questions and talk to them or they will just get on with their job without thinking about it.

The procedure itself is easy peasy, lay back 10 minutes later baby is out then they stitch you up, nothing to it, you may feel a little queasy at times either because of the anesthetic or when the take your uterus out to repair it but nothing major - you have anti emetics given to you too.

You will feel a bit like they are doing wishing in your belly! You can feel pressure and touch but no pain its very weird! Don't be scared if you find you head being thrown around a bit when they pull baby out, they really make a small cut to fit a baby through so there's a fair bit of pushing/tugging/pulling and you will rock about a bit.

Don't worry about getting the epi, the toughest bit is trying to bend over and curl your spine enough - not easy with a bump! If you dont want to see the needle tell them! Remember it doesn't stay in your bak anyway a teeny tiny soft plastic line stays in NOT the needle.

 

[tashak88]

I had a c-section with my 1st...and will have a sceduled at 39 weeks also...my doctor said, that if I went into labor before 39 weeks, they would just do a emerg. c-section....

^^^ I agree with chuck...
you have to state what you want, like to breastfeed as soon as the baby is born(if ur going to) they will assist you in doing so..
having the baby with you in recovery (if the baby's agpar scores are good)

everything a laboring woman gets, you should also....(I mean, to a certain extent..if you know what I mean, camera,film,husband/partner there etc etc)

The c-section itself (for me) wasn't bad at ALL!!! I mean, yeah it hurt afterwards, but with the excitment of a new baby, I hardly paid attention to the pain...
the only thing I came across that freaked me out was taking a shower..
(my doc who was a idiot) scared me...saying I should NOT get my incision wet...which made me not want to take a shower, cause I was scared...(I freaking duct taped a garbage bag to my belly...smh)

but a shower is perfectly fine, as long as you dry the area off really well...

 

[miss cakes]

the sooner your up and around walking the quicker you will recover i managed to get up as soon as the epi wore off and dragged myself out of bed i ended up going home the next day
also when you go to the toilet first time it can be a bit of a shocker to say the least when you look down and see 15 or 16 staples across your stomach so be warned! lol

 

[MommyMcDaniel]

I feel a lot better about this now! I didnt opt to have a c-section, it was my doctors idea because of multiple hip surgeries I had when I was younger and she said it would be best not to take any chances on messing up my hip so i agreed to a section. So I'm sure they will just do an emergency c section if I happen to go into labor earlier than 39 weeks. I'm kinda glad to be having a c section because I have heard some terrible stories about vaginal births and it was the only thing that scared me about pregnancy, so when the doc said c section i was happy to agree, plus it would be horrible to have a new baby and a bum hip and not be able to enjoy being a mother. lol
How bad is the scar from a c-section? Can you see it when you're in a bikini?

 

[DragonMummy]

if you go into labour before your section date you'll just have it earlier. the only reason it would be an emergency is if you were very dilated by the time you get in. they should still be able to fit you in, just sooner than planned.

i have to say that's concerned me as I went into labour naturally with my son at 38 weeks so might be the same this time round.

 

[tashak88]

I feel a lot better about this now! I didnt opt to have a c-section, it was my doctors idea because of multiple hip surgeries I had when I was younger and she said it would be best not to take any chances on messing up my hip so i agreed to a section. So I'm sure they will just do an emergency c section if I happen to go into labor earlier than 39 weeks. I'm kinda glad to be having a c section because I have heard some terrible stories about vaginal births and it was the only thing that scared me about pregnancy, so when the doc said c section i was happy to agree, plus it would be horrible to have a new baby and a bum hip and not be able to enjoy being a mother. lol
How bad is the scar from a c-section? Can you see it when you're in a bikini?

mine dissapeared...cant see it at all....depends on how your skin scars...

 

[miss cakes]

ive had two c sections already and the scar fades to almost nothing you cant see it in a bikini and its alot smaller than you think it will be they make the incision just above where your hair would be x

 

[missjaime]

i had a booked c section at 38 weeks because my son was breech in a way that was impossible to deliver it ws a weird experience i walked into a room and lay on the operating table they put a iv in my hand then wheeled me into the next room rolled me to my side and gave me one little injection in my back then waited a couple of minutes and then put epidual in. after about 10 mins i started to feel what felt like a pen drawing on my biniki area they then told me they were about to start and i said you already have i can feel it. it didnt hurt but when they got into the actual sac and broke through that i lost my breathe and saw fluid fly up which i thought was pretty impressive. after my son was born i was to busy looking at him and relaxing that i didnt notice they were stitching me up and then i went into recovery room for about 2 hours. they dont take you back to your room until you can move your toes by your self. i swear i could feel them moving but they werent it was in my head fo can definately see why people that loose a limp say they can still feel it.
anyway the next day they sit you up and yes its bloody painful but its nice to use ya legs again
the best thing i did was not let my bladder get too full as it hurts when its full and hurts just as much when you empty it. it also took 5 days to get a bowel movement out of me and it was horrible but apart from that everything went well

 

[foreverfairy]

This is a good thread! I had a c sect first time round but i was put to sleep,It was sooooo hard for me to wake up and it took hours for me to come round properly so i really regret i was not awake the whole time . Its helpful to read how its all going to flow and what we should ask for,the team not talking didnt even come into my head but what a good idea, im awake this time so ill ask for all that! My cut healed really quickly, i had disintergrating {i think thats what theyre called} stitches.
iv already met my doctor thats doing the op and he's a lovely man.

 

[myluckyyear]

I had a general anaesthetic for my emergency c section when my son was born and agree about the immediate recovery, I really missed out on those first few hours.

This time I'm going for an elective section and feel very positive about it. My sis had 2 elective c sections and had a wonderful experience both times. they had music of thier choice, and someone even took the photos for them. I can't wait!

Hx

 

[miss_danielle]

im in to talk to the consultant about this nxt week 2nd feb..i have a c-section with baby number 3 as im prone to huge kids lol and got told i could try to push it out if i wanted to tht was at 20 weeks..at 36 weeks i made my own appointment to go back and told them i wanted a section as i wasnt walking as i should be due to baby been so heavy and as all of my boys have been 8 days late new he would of got bigger..i had the section on babys due date..he was 11lb8 and the surgon said to me that i made the right choice for me as my boy would of wrecked me how big he was..

not the best idea as a normal birth you get over with pain quickly these linger longer as 6 weeks no lifting and not even lifting the baby..my son was a day old before i could even get him out him crib and feed him for the first time the midwifes do everything for you
plus 3 days in the hospital is nasty all i wanted to do was get back to my other boys missed them like made

 

[mamamay]

So I'm scheduled for a C-Section in my 39th week, & I've read a lot about it online, but I'm still curious and wanted some input from real people who have had a c-section or even if you know someone who has. What is it like and what can I expect? Also I know that sometimes a baby doesnt wait until week 39 or 40 to start making it's way out, what happens if I start going into labor before my scheduled c-section, will they then do an emergency c-section?

Thanks for this post, I am in the same boat as you, scheduled c-section at 39 weeks and had been wondering exactly the same thing! Going to ask for more details at my 25 week appointment with midwife x

 

[jakemybaby]

I had an emergency c section with my boy, I couldn't push him out - he was 9lb 10 ozs and me just 8 stone, 5ft.
I didn't get to hold my boy... I was put in a recovery room for about an hour, while the midwife and my husband looked after the baby. I know a lot of women regret the fact they couldn't hold their baby straight away, but it didn't really bother me - I was exhausted after the 12 hour labour I'd been through and probably needed a bit of time just to get my head around what had just happened.
When put onto a ward I was well looked after by the nurses and up and about the following day. Released from Hospital after 2 days.
It wasn't an awful experience - and the recovery was slow - but OK.
This time (if baby isn't big again) I will try VBAC - purely as I have a 4 year old to look after this time - so would prefer to be back to full fitness as soon as possible. Am keeping my fingers crossed for a smaller bundle of joy

 

[Debbie_23]

This is a great thread. I had an emergancy csection with my first due to fetal distress and he was big, 9lb6 and back to back so didnt have a lot of hope for a natural delivery with him. At the minute I am going to try for a vbac with this one as I did get to the pushing part of labour with my son but going to request a growth scan at around 36/37 weeks to see how big baby is and what his position is like, and may change my mind so its good to hear nice experiences about elective csections. I will also automatically get a csection if baby is over 7 days late. I didnt find recovery of my csection too bad, my son was born at 11 pm on the friday and I got out of hospital on the monday afternoon, I was up walking about pretty good within a week, I had more pain from constipation rather than the operation I think.

 

[miss_danielle]

This is a great thread. I had an emergancy csection with my first due to fetal distress and he was big, 9lb6 and back to back so didnt have a lot of hope for a natural delivery with him. At the minute I am going to try for a vbac with this one as I did get to the pushing part of labour with my son but going to request a growth scan at around 36/37 weeks to see how big baby is and what his position is like, and may change my mind so its good to hear nice experiences about elective csections. I will also automatically get a csection if baby is over 7 days late. I didnt find recovery of my csection too bad, my son was born at 11 pm on the friday and I got out of hospital on the monday afternoon, I was up walking about pretty good within a week, I had more pain from constipation rather than the operation I think.

gotta take into account tho growth scans arnt always right and only you no how big baby actually is