C-sections...?

Question

im having a c-section this time and i didnt mind the first one because i was had such a painful labor i couldnt feel the epidurals happening and i was so tired and drugged i didnt even notice the doctors cutting me open delivering my baby and stitching me back up.... whoever has had a scheduled c-section please tell me how it feels and what i should expect?

Answer 1

Hi there honey,
I wanted to write to you last night but was too tired. By this morning you have already received wonderful replies to your question.
I can not honestly think of much that anyone left out.
I do want to add that every facility is a tad different so you can expect some slight differences.
For instance my husband got to stay with me for the entire time. He was with me when they did the epidural and everything.
One other difference is that no one tied my arms or my hands down. I held hands with my husband and my arms were not restrained in any way.
They did not take the baby away right away either. They wrapped him (or her) in a blanket and let me visit with him for awhile before they took him. Of course his APGAR was 10 so there was no worry about his condition. They also let me breastfeed him while they were stitching things back together. That was wonderful.
I wanted to watch my babies being born so at the right time they moved the drape and I got to see my baby being born. My husband lifted my shoulders a bit. Everything is draped and I was so excited that all I saw was them lifting my son out and up. He was turning from a grey blue to that lovely pink and it was SO amazing! He was the only one of my babies that was born starving and it was so funny! The nurses said that they had never done it before but "why not" so I nursed him! We still tease him about it, he is 23 now!
I had a general with my first baby and the spinal with all the others. There is NO comparison! Have the spinal, it is wonderful! From the time that you have the spinal you know that is the last pain you will have until you hold your baby in your arms! It is wonderful. I was laughing and asking my husband when we could have another one! He was so happy too and it was just perfect. All my C-sections were like that except for my first one which was done on an emergency basis. Of course I was thrilled when I finally saw my son but it was after a great deal of pain and difficulty. I got to the point where I would listen for that "gushing noise" that means they are aspirating out the amniotic fluid and I would get ready to be lifted up! I knew that meant my baby was coming!!
Afterwards, remember to let your arms do the work! Do NOT forget and try to move the way you normally would! When you need to move in the bed, from one side to the other, use your arms! It will hurt if you don't. The nurses come in to check the level of your uterus and that hurts but there is little you can do about it. Take deep breaths and remember that they are only doing their job! (otherwise you will have the urge to smack them...lol)
If you can get the patient controlled device that administers your pain medication, do so! All you have to do is push a little button and you get a dose of morphine. It means less work for the nurses and it is much better for you. DO remember to get your pain meds before you are actually in PAIN. Try to stay ahead of the pain, don't let it get control of you before you get your pain medication.
Do take advantage of the greatest labor saving device ever! Breastfeed! That way you will get tons more rest! You will not have to waste precious time and energy washing, mixing, measuring, sterilizing and warming up endless bottles! All you have to do is pick up the baby and cuddle back down in bed! It is wonderful! Especially for C-section mothers! It is essential! You will get SO much more rest it is amazing. Your nights will not be interupted with getting up to feed the baby. Keep the bassinet next to your bed and just reach over and get the baby. Snuggle him down next to you and thats it! Change sides and diapers once in awhile and you are all set. You will want a little night light also. Mabye that advice is not necessary, if you nursed your first baby you don't need me to tell you how wonderful and easy it is but I was not sure so I thought I would add it just in case. If you did not nurse your first baby you may want to sit up in bed the first few time, until you are good at it. It is important to remember to put a bed pillow under the baby, it gets him at the right height. You do not want to have to lean over the baby, you will have a sore back. Once you are good at nursing lying down you will gets lots of extra rest!
I can't think of anything that was left out of the other letters, they were all very good. I just wanted to be sure to add the info about breastfeeding, to me it is the biggest helper for mothers who have had a C-section.
Good luck, take care and I hope you have a wonderful experience. I did!
Love and Blessings
Lady Trinity~

Answer 2

I have experienced c-sections both ways, emergency with my 2nd child and planned with my 3rd who is now 10 months old. Its not so bad. You go into the hospital, put on your hospital gown, the nurse gets everything ready with you(possibly shave down there, you may want to do that before hand). When they come in and do your epidural it is a little scary because your not in any pain and so you can feel what they are doing. It was a little painful. They will wheel you back in the bed, transfer you to the OR table. They will prick you with a pin to see if you have any feeling down there. Never felt anything. They will cut you open and within minutes you have a beautiful bundle of joy. After the baby is doing okay you will probably notice some tugging and pulling to get everything sewn back up and sometimes they will give you something to relax and sleep until they are finished. But everything was fine. I would much rather have a planned C-section again. My recovery was much faster. The best thing you can do for yourself is rest as much as possible and when the nurses say its time to get up, Do It , It makes recovery so much better to get out of bed and walk around even though it will be very painful at times. Congratulations! I hope everything goes as good as mine did.

Answer 3

I have had 3, only 2 I was awake for. They take you into L&D hook you up to the monitors just like your in labor. They start your IV, and insert a cathidor and start getting you ready, they shave the area where they are going to cut you, even if there is no hair. They have who ever is going in with you put on scrubs, and footies over thier shoes. They take you into the OR, they go ahead and give you either a spinal or epidural, I recomened the spinal. They then lay you down on the table, strap your arms down so you don't move them. They then prepair you, by cleaning the area to be cut, they make the first inceasion, then they allow whoever is with you to come in. They then finish cutting you open, and remove the baby, you will feel pulling and presure. The cord is cut, they show you the baby then go and clean it up, while they start to close you, they usally take a good look at your reproductive organs, then close. Then you are taken to recovery for a while, and then to your room. They will then bring the baby back to you.

Answer 4

An anesthesiologist will then come by to review various pain-management options.

More likely, you'll be given an epidural or spinal block, which will numb the lower half of your body but leave you awake and alert for the birth of your baby.

A catheter is then inserted into your urethra to drain urine during the procedure, and an IV is started if you don't have one already. The top section of your pubic hair is shaved, and you're moved into an operating room.

Anesthesia will be administered, and a screen will be raised above your waist so you won't have to see the incision being made. (If you'd like to witness the moment of birth, ask a nurse to lower the screen slightly so you can see the baby but not much else.) Your partner or husband, freshly attired in operating room garb, may take a seat by your head.

Answer 5

I had an emergency C-Section with my first and a scheduled with my second child. The second one was much easier since I knew what to expect. Once they give you the epidural the only thing you really feel is the relief of pressure when the baby is born. My recovery was also much easier and faster since I knew what to expect. Make a pillow your best friend for putting some pressure at the incision area when getting up, it seems to help.

Answer 6

My first c-section was an emergency c-section after nonprogressing labor. So the second time I had a scheduled c-section. Things were a lot more drawn out--not the actual procedure, but the prep. I went into the hospital about 5am for pre-op. They strapped a baby monitor around my belly. Then I got my IV while still in my regular room. My pubic area around the initial incision was shaved and then I walked to a waiting room in the surgical area. There I met with both my OBGYN and the pediatrician who just went over things one last time and they double checked all my test results from my pre-op blood work from the day before. My husband stayed in that room until just before the actual surgery. I went into the operating room and got my epidural and catheter. Then they brought in hubby and started. Unlike the first time, they allowed my husband to stand and watch as much as he wanted. The anesthesiologist stayed by my head the whole time watching all the blood pressure readouts and asking me how I felt. Then, before I knew it I felt a little bit of tugging and she was here. The anesthesiologist took a picture with the hospitals camera, and hubby took one too. Then just a quick snuggle with the baby and hubby and baby were off to another room. I had a tubal ligation done at the same time so that took about an additional 30 minutes. But they get you cleaned out and stitched up and sent off to recovery. After my first c-section I didn't see the baby until I was back into my hospital room, but this time my husband brought the baby up to the recovery room. I was there for about 45 minutes, and had to receive pitocin to help contract my uterus back down (apparently after repeat c-sections it tends to need a little bit of help). I was on my feet by that evening, but my catheter didn't come out until the next morning, and went home about 48 hours after the baby was born.

Answer 7

I got different drugs with my scheduled section than my emergency one, and they were way better. No "shakes" afterward.

They could take time to set up for the surgery. (My first one was done in a hurry, and the surgical drapes were falling in my face. I was claustrophobic and freaked out about the whole thing.) Second time around, my husband was much calmer, and the OR staff was, too, and they could talk to me and tell me what they were doing.

I didn't have to spend any time in recovery. They stitched me up inside, used Dermabond (surgical-grade superglue) outside, and sent me to my room to be with my baby.

Nice to have my dad come out a day or two early to play with my toddler, and to know that she was going to be taken care of with no drama.

Recovery was WAY easier (first section happened after 3 weeks of bedrest, 52 hours of labor, and 3 hours of pushing). I was up and around within hours both times, but I was in much better shape the second time!

I knew to stay on my pain meds schedule, no matter how I was feeling, so I wasn't riding so much of a pain/emotion roller coaster.

I had an abdominal binder, since I'd learned the first time that pressure over the incision felt good to me.

And while they were in there, they fixed an annoying "suture knot" artifact of the first surgery, so my scar actually looks better now than it did before.

Answer 8

Well i was the same way I have two boys and both were c-sections.... I was terrified with the second one cause like you I was in so much pain with the first one I couldn't feel anything when they did the c-section...and with my second I was scared to death I was gonna feel it, but...I didnt' feel anything, uther than them like tugging on my stomach...no pain at all...and I'm terrified of needles.... Good Luck!!! you will be fine...

Answer 9

its a weird feeling. it feels like someone has cut off the bottom part of your body but you really can't feel it. like it doens't hurt that bad. it just doenst feel right.