justthestart
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Hi everyone,
So I finally have a few spare minutes to post my birth story of my daughter Madeleine who was born on Christmas Eve 2010 by elective caesearian.
The reason I was having a c section is that from 28 weeks onwards she had been breech inside me. We were told constantly that she would move but she didn't and then I was offered an ECV to try and turn her which I refused. The midwives had said to me that because she was measuring large it was unlikely that an ECV would work but when I saw the doctor they were quite confrontational and tried to pressurise me to have it done, I stood my ground though and I am glad I did because of her size I don't think she would have moved.
On Christmas Eve we went into the hospital about 8am and was shown up to the delivery suite, I was so nervous that I felt sick and couldn't believe that today was the day I was going to meet my baby. I still didnt think it was going to happen. They gave me a quick scan to make sure she was still breech and then the surgeon came in to say hi and then the anathetist came in to explain the procedure. I also met the midwife who would be looking after me as well. It was very quiet on the ward that day and it was explained to me that I was the only elective c section booked in so it would be happening very soon.
All of a sudden they said they were ready for us, asked hubby to change into his scrubs and we were walked down to theatre. It was the most surreal experience and I felt like I was looking down on myself.
We walked into theatre where there were quite a lot of people which surprised me. There were 2 theatre assistants, the anathetist and another assistant, and the midwife to start with. I was told to sit on the side of the bed and put my feet on a chair at the side of me. The anathetist then put a local anasthetic in my hand and put in the drip. For some reason he missed the vein and it poured with blood but he got it in eventually! This hurt a tiny bit but not much at all.
We then waited about 5 minutes before he said he was going to put the epidural in....I freaked out a little at this cause I thought it was going to hurt but obviously the local anasthetic had numbed it. I had to lean on a pillow over the side of the bed and keep very still, he kept spraying this really cold water on there. It was a tiny scratch as it went in but it didn't hurt much at all.
I then had to lie down and wait a few minutes to let it start to numb my lower half. I could feel it going through all my veins and it felt so weird, if I am honest I really didn't like the sensation at all. They kept spraying me with cold water up my tummy to see where I could feel it being cold, this was obviously to check that I was going numb. They then called the surgeons to come in and scrub up which just made me get nervous, my top half started shaking uncontrollably and my pulse went rocketing up so I had to have a little bit of oxygen but I soon calmed down again.
The surgeons came in, there were two a lady and a man, and said hello, they then put the sheet up so me and my hubby couldnt see anything and they punched my tummy to see if I could feel pain which I couldn't. They then just started really and didn't tell us what was going on which I was glad about, but the anathesists assistant and my midwife kept reassuring us and saying we were doing well. They were all have a laugh and a joke about the music as they were saying we should have christmas music on but instead it was Leon Jackson from x factor and then Oasis. We heard a sort of suction noise and my hubby said I think they are shaving you ready to start, little did we know that they had already starting cutting and that was them breaking my waters! All of a sudden the midwife said not long at all now and then I felt some really tugging and pushing (but no pain just a really weird sensation, it is like when people say it feels like them doing the washing up in your tummy) and then we heard a gurgling scream and our daughter was born.
I will never forget the look on my hubbys face when he heard that first cry, he had a look of shock and amazement on his face. Then she started crying loads and I just felt so relaxed cause I knew that if she was crying then she was breathing ok. The midwife bought her over and showed her to us and then took her over to the other side of the room to check her over and she told my hubby to come and have a look which was nice. There was also a paedatrician in the room at this point as she was breech. They did her AGPAR scoring and she got a 9 out of 10 which was fab and then they weighed her and said she was 9ilbs! She was born at 38+6 so god knows what she would have been if she had gone to term!
They also put her little labels on and then bought her back to me and rested her on my chest. All the time they were doing this the surgeons were stapling me back up but I didn't feel a thing at this time. They all said congratulations as well.
We went into theatre and 9.04am and Maddie was born at 9.35am so the whole thing was very quick. The longest part was them stapling me back up which took about another half an hour I think, they obviously removed my placenta as well at the same time.
Once they were done, the surgeons said congratulations and left and then they lifted me up using a sheet and put me on another bed. Maddie was still on my chest at this time but I couldnt really see her cause of the way I was lying. They wheeled me down the corridor and back into the delivery suite.
It was just the most surreal experience of my whole life, but overall an amazing experience. There was hardly any pain (although there was afterwards!) and all the staff were amazing and kind.
Once I was back in delivery suite I got given some toast and then tried to breastfeed a little, it took a fair few hours for me to feel my legs again. I was then transferred to the postnatal ward where I was supposed to spend two nights but I discharged myself late Christmas day as I just got delirious and emotional and wanted to be at hme with my husband.
Recovery hasn't been easy as I have been very sore but I am on day 6 now and feeling so much better, my staples came out yesterday and my wound is still weeping slightly but feels better since they came out. I am trying not to move around too much and I have only just been able to walk around holding the baby or actually picking her out of her cot but we are getting there slowly. Breastfeeding has been extremely tough but I am trying to persevere.
To anyone who is due to have a c section, it really doesnt have to be a scary experience, mine was fantastic and every little bit of pain or soreness afterwards is worth it to have my gorgeous baby in my arms!
So I finally have a few spare minutes to post my birth story of my daughter Madeleine who was born on Christmas Eve 2010 by elective caesearian.
The reason I was having a c section is that from 28 weeks onwards she had been breech inside me. We were told constantly that she would move but she didn't and then I was offered an ECV to try and turn her which I refused. The midwives had said to me that because she was measuring large it was unlikely that an ECV would work but when I saw the doctor they were quite confrontational and tried to pressurise me to have it done, I stood my ground though and I am glad I did because of her size I don't think she would have moved.
On Christmas Eve we went into the hospital about 8am and was shown up to the delivery suite, I was so nervous that I felt sick and couldn't believe that today was the day I was going to meet my baby. I still didnt think it was going to happen. They gave me a quick scan to make sure she was still breech and then the surgeon came in to say hi and then the anathetist came in to explain the procedure. I also met the midwife who would be looking after me as well. It was very quiet on the ward that day and it was explained to me that I was the only elective c section booked in so it would be happening very soon.
All of a sudden they said they were ready for us, asked hubby to change into his scrubs and we were walked down to theatre. It was the most surreal experience and I felt like I was looking down on myself.
We walked into theatre where there were quite a lot of people which surprised me. There were 2 theatre assistants, the anathetist and another assistant, and the midwife to start with. I was told to sit on the side of the bed and put my feet on a chair at the side of me. The anathetist then put a local anasthetic in my hand and put in the drip. For some reason he missed the vein and it poured with blood but he got it in eventually! This hurt a tiny bit but not much at all.
We then waited about 5 minutes before he said he was going to put the epidural in....I freaked out a little at this cause I thought it was going to hurt but obviously the local anasthetic had numbed it. I had to lean on a pillow over the side of the bed and keep very still, he kept spraying this really cold water on there. It was a tiny scratch as it went in but it didn't hurt much at all.
I then had to lie down and wait a few minutes to let it start to numb my lower half. I could feel it going through all my veins and it felt so weird, if I am honest I really didn't like the sensation at all. They kept spraying me with cold water up my tummy to see where I could feel it being cold, this was obviously to check that I was going numb. They then called the surgeons to come in and scrub up which just made me get nervous, my top half started shaking uncontrollably and my pulse went rocketing up so I had to have a little bit of oxygen but I soon calmed down again.
The surgeons came in, there were two a lady and a man, and said hello, they then put the sheet up so me and my hubby couldnt see anything and they punched my tummy to see if I could feel pain which I couldn't. They then just started really and didn't tell us what was going on which I was glad about, but the anathesists assistant and my midwife kept reassuring us and saying we were doing well. They were all have a laugh and a joke about the music as they were saying we should have christmas music on but instead it was Leon Jackson from x factor and then Oasis. We heard a sort of suction noise and my hubby said I think they are shaving you ready to start, little did we know that they had already starting cutting and that was them breaking my waters! All of a sudden the midwife said not long at all now and then I felt some really tugging and pushing (but no pain just a really weird sensation, it is like when people say it feels like them doing the washing up in your tummy) and then we heard a gurgling scream and our daughter was born.
I will never forget the look on my hubbys face when he heard that first cry, he had a look of shock and amazement on his face. Then she started crying loads and I just felt so relaxed cause I knew that if she was crying then she was breathing ok. The midwife bought her over and showed her to us and then took her over to the other side of the room to check her over and she told my hubby to come and have a look which was nice. There was also a paedatrician in the room at this point as she was breech. They did her AGPAR scoring and she got a 9 out of 10 which was fab and then they weighed her and said she was 9ilbs! She was born at 38+6 so god knows what she would have been if she had gone to term!
They also put her little labels on and then bought her back to me and rested her on my chest. All the time they were doing this the surgeons were stapling me back up but I didn't feel a thing at this time. They all said congratulations as well.
We went into theatre and 9.04am and Maddie was born at 9.35am so the whole thing was very quick. The longest part was them stapling me back up which took about another half an hour I think, they obviously removed my placenta as well at the same time.
Once they were done, the surgeons said congratulations and left and then they lifted me up using a sheet and put me on another bed. Maddie was still on my chest at this time but I couldnt really see her cause of the way I was lying. They wheeled me down the corridor and back into the delivery suite.
It was just the most surreal experience of my whole life, but overall an amazing experience. There was hardly any pain (although there was afterwards!) and all the staff were amazing and kind.
Once I was back in delivery suite I got given some toast and then tried to breastfeed a little, it took a fair few hours for me to feel my legs again. I was then transferred to the postnatal ward where I was supposed to spend two nights but I discharged myself late Christmas day as I just got delirious and emotional and wanted to be at hme with my husband.
Recovery hasn't been easy as I have been very sore but I am on day 6 now and feeling so much better, my staples came out yesterday and my wound is still weeping slightly but feels better since they came out. I am trying not to move around too much and I have only just been able to walk around holding the baby or actually picking her out of her cot but we are getting there slowly. Breastfeeding has been extremely tough but I am trying to persevere.
To anyone who is due to have a c section, it really doesnt have to be a scary experience, mine was fantastic and every little bit of pain or soreness afterwards is worth it to have my gorgeous baby in my arms!
Her name is lovely 
