so im having an elective section- i hope i made the right choice.

[ProudMum]

experiences please?

how long did it take? any complications, recovery time? when did u go home?

 

[missmayhem]

didn;t want to R&R as has view and no answers, hope someone is of use

 

[darkangel1981]

I didn't have an elective but i can answer your questions.

how long did it take? Must have been less than 20 mins from when i was wheeled in to when LO was born. But as for all the rest im not sure because they gave me a GA and i was out my head from the gas and air from before that. I don't remember alot from the first 12h or so.

Complications- I lost 1.5l of blood. But other than that, it was straight forward.

Recovery time- I didn't feel right for about 3 weeks after, it was at this point i started to come off the stronger painkillers and just have paracetamol. And of course you can't drive for around 4/6 weeks so i was a bit of a prisoner.

Time spent in hospital- I had the section on monday at about 8am got out about 5pm on the wednesday of that week but thats cause i pushed for it. i think they would have let me stay another few days but i wanted out of there.

 

[ProudMum]

will i be able to hold my baby as soon as hes born as the mw informed me i'll be numb from the boobs down... i always thought it was the same effect as an epidural

 

[tripletsOMG]

sorry no exp. with csection actually i am trying to avoid an unnessacary section. just wondering if its "elective" why have u made this choice? no judgement just curious:0) good luck!

 

[ProudMum]

sorry no exp. with csection actually i am trying to avoid an unnessacary section. just wondering if its "elective" why have u made this choice? no judgement just curious:0) good luck!

Because my second birth traumatised me- I developed a fear of childbirth,

 

[tripletsOMG]

oh that is absolutely terrible and saddened to hear of ur negitive exp. My sister had a section and she said it was no big deal. wasnt able to hold him right away till back in her recovery room but all turned out well and she plans on another c/s with future children. good luck!

 

[missmayhem]

sorry no exp. with csection actually i am trying to avoid an unnessacary section. just wondering if its "elective" why have u made this choice? no judgement just curious:0) good luck!

Because my second birth traumatised me- I developed a fear of childbirth,

a lady i followed here also has tokophobia, she had her section and now is totally smitten with her LO, she said her birth experience was a positive on as no fear or panic.

 

[ProudMum]

Im scared of how i'll feel when its all happening but at least I will feel somewhat safer knowing the drs can actually see whats going on as its happening.

I worry greatly of a bad reaction to the spinal. I thought it was just an epidural.
Can you not feel your arms/hands etc? that must be terrible.

Im sure I read of a lady who had a csection and was out of her bed within a few hours, Ive been told I'll have to stay in bed 24 hrs...
Can anyone confirm this?
What happens after the section etc?

 

[missmayhem]

take a deep breath hun, it's all going to be ok. Breathe


i suggest you call your midwife and get her to talk to through everything over a cuppa. that way you'll know all the fact, its information you can trust, and you can relax and look forward to the birth.

 

[chobette]

My sister was out of bed within 24 hours, even quicker with her second with support of course. Not sure if she could feel her hands or arms, but I think she opted for anesthesia and not the spinal. The quicker you get out of bed and walk, the better you will feel. I was also told to take the medicine for pain they give you as it helps greatly. I was also told 4-6 weeks until you could drive yourself. xx
Also, I have not had a c-section, but again basing it off of family members of mine who have.

 

[Carly2310]

Hiya!
I've had an elective following an emergency with my first so I hope I can help a bit.
I'm useless with regards to the spinal as mine failed both times and I had a general however the elective was 45mins start to finish, including me falling asleep and waking up, I had him at 3.30pm and my hospital let me get up the following morning, I was home from the hospital 2 days later, had him weds, home for tea on friday! Also my recovery was great I went to asda the Friday night but not everyone is the same/that lucky! I thank my lucky stars I was, I stopped taking the strong pain meds when I left the hospital and lived with just four hourly paracetamol.
Don't get me wrong it was painful, the first time I stood up I thought I'd split my incision open but getting up and about does help and your body will let you know if you're doing too much. I'd say it took about three weeks to feel 'normal' (or as normal as you can feel when you're sleep deprived with a newborn lol!) but I had no complications what so ever. I was very lucky.
I really hope your experience is good, I had a bad labour first time too and I totally understand your fears. Anything you think I can help you with feel free to ask. Elective's are supposed to be smooth and minimally stressfull!!!
Also I know some hospitals will let you hold LO straight away so it's worth and ask
HTH x

 

[ProudMum]

Hiya!
I've had an elective following an emergency with my first so I hope I can help a bit.
I'm useless with regards to the spinal as mine failed both times and I had a general however the elective was 45mins start to finish, including me falling asleep and waking up, I had him at 3.30pm and my hospital let me get up the following morning, I was home from the hospital 2 days later, had him weds, home for tea on friday! Also my recovery was great I went to asda the Friday night but not everyone is the same/that lucky! I thank my lucky stars I was, I stopped taking the strong pain meds when I left the hospital and lived with just four hourly paracetamol.
Don't get me wrong it was painful, the first time I stood up I thought I'd split my incision open but getting up and about does help and your body will let you know if you're doing too much. I'd say it took about three weeks to feel 'normal' (or as normal as you can feel when you're sleep deprived with a newborn lol!) but I had no complications what so ever. I was very lucky.
I really hope your experience is good, I had a bad labour first time too and I totally understand your fears. Anything you think I can help you with feel free to ask. Elective's are supposed to be smooth and minimally stressfull!!!
Also I know some hospitals will let you hold LO straight away so it's worth and ask
HTH x

Thank you for the reply.
When you had your section what did they hook you up to? Im worried about all the wires i'll possibly have coming out of me, esp if any are connected to my heart...

I was told by the MW that if I have the section at 8 in the morning and I stay in bed for 24 hours and promise I will not lift a finger when I get home (providing no complications) I may be let home the following night if I can show I have support at home (not sure how true this is though)

Is it as scary as it looks in photos? the sound of machines etc is going to send my anxieties through the roof.
I certainly also dont wanna be in bed for 2 days.. i wish to be up and about...

 

[Carly2310]

I can't really help with the noises etc as I was knocked out lol! however I think they'll be monitoring you but that's a good thing, it means they're in control and they are prepared for anything! Release times vary by hospital so you'd have to ask them! I'm sure if you wanted to you could make an appointment and talk all this through at a hospital so you have all your answers for sure, they should help you as much as they can because the last thing they want is an anxious/stressed out Mummy! I'm hoping for a successful spinal this time I'd love to see one of my children born lol! I think you can feel your arms also, I'm fairly sure it numbs from like your armpits to your feet but I can't be sure. Someone else should be able to tell you all about them though and if you're awake your partner can be there holding your hand and keeping you calm!
I was definitely not gonna lay in bed for two days, I'm a get up and go person lol!
X x

 

[hellywelly]

I had an emergency section on Monday at 10:00am - Harry was born within 20 minutes of them operating. I was aware/awake throughout the whole process - they didn't put me out - to see them lift Harry out and show him to me and hubby was very emotional - I think I was hooked up to the baby's heart monitor but apart from that they numbed me from tummy downwards and sprayed cold ice on me to test that I was numb enough - it was very straight forward. They did give me baby but I found it awkward to take baby laying down in the position that I was in - they put a big massive sheet up in front of you so you can't see anything and felt I didn't have enough room to hold bubba between my arms and the sheet so told hubby to take him - which he did and then they showed hubby how to dress him.

Went straight to ward afterwards and was told to lay down - I couldn't help it I was sitting at the edge of the bed - was told off by midwives so laid back in bed. The following morning I had the cafeter removed and they said that I was allowed to be a bit more mobile but not to do anything too strenuous. Tuesday afternoon baby was checked over and discharged - just needed me to be discharged but knew it would be the next day at the very earliest.

Later on that night we were moved to another ward and I was checked over the next day and discharged.

I was lucky there was a woman who still couldn't move her legs after 2 days.

I don't know what it is like to give birth naturally - I have been through all the contractions though but apart from that I can't compare the 2 - I posted my birth story as positive because I look at Harry and can't see anything negative about giving birth to him - but I do realise that I have been lucky. C Sections are definitely not designed as the 'easy option' as it is major surgery. I hope this helps xxx

 

[ProudMum]

Thanku for all your replies! Hellywelly did u feel in safe hands? I'm terrified of dying! Aren't they meant to hook u to a heart monitor and blood pressure machines? How did u feel when in theatre?

 

[mushy1981]

Thanku for all your replies! Hellywelly did u feel in safe hands? I'm terrified of dying! Aren't they meant to hook u to a heart monitor and blood pressure machines? How did u feel when in theatre?

I'm also booked in for my first c section on Dec 12th and extremlly worried about dying or bleeding badly. It is scary but I am sure if need be they knock you out to fix any complications?!

C x

 

[booboomagoo]

I don't really have anything useful to add, but I just wanted to say I'm sure you've made the right choice for you, and I hope it all goes perfectly for you.

 

[ashlee23]

Thanku for all your replies! Hellywelly did u feel in safe hands? I'm terrified of dying! Aren't they meant to hook u to a heart monitor and blood pressure machines? How did u feel when in theatre?

I'm also booked in for my first c section on Dec 12th and extremlly worried about dying or bleeding badly. It is scary but I am sure if need be they knock you out to fix any complications?!

C x

complications are extremely extremely rare as most of the complications with surgery are related to the general anaesthetic which you wont need. statistics wise electives sections arent far behind vaginal birth for safety nowadays.
not totally sure on this but dont think you need the heart monitor as you are awake but heart monitors arent anything to be scared of, they are adhesive and just basically stuck to your chest and sides xxx

 

[Hellodoris]

I didn't have a csection but ended up in theatre with a spinal (epi failed) having a forceps delivery. Don't worry about it at all you will be in safe hands, there will be lots of people in there but don't panic, they all have important roles to play. I was hooked up too a heart rate monitor and so was bubba, plus I had a drip ( for other reasons).

If you get panicked make sure your birth partner tells the surgeon, I got really upset as I felt I couldn't breathe (I could how could I talk if I couldn't breathe -dumbass) so they gave me Oxygen via a face mask. My spinal wore off after about 12 hours...

It will all be fine. Good luck.cx