Washington Babies
Ease my fears...Tell me about your C-Section
I think I have pretty high chances of having a c-section, my boys have never been in the "correct" position. I have started thinking more and more about a c-section and am REALLY scared for some reason!?
I am scared about the lower half of my body being numb and how that is going to feel...I am afraid I am going to panic! And the way my luck has gone this pregnancy, I keep thinking I'm going to have all these complications. The recovery scares me too! Ahhh! Being snowed in is making my mind work overtime!
I'll be delivering at Evergreen.....can you tell me about your C-Section experiences? The good, the bad and the ugly!??
Angie?
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Re: Ease my fears...Tell me about your C-Section
Hi Angie ---
I had a c-section at swedish with Audrey and Gabe at 38w6days. It honestly, was not that bad. I had a spinal for anesthesia... and being laid back down quickly and my BP dropping was the worst/scariest part. DH was right up by my head the whole time...and the anesthesioligist was amazing.
I delivered the babies at 12:47 and 12:49 am and was up by about 2pm, walking down to see Audrey in Special Care (she had low blood sugar) by 7pm. I had had 2 previous MAJOR abdominal surgeries though... so I kind of knew what to expect and to just push through it... walking was the best...
The whole experience, not a big deal at all (for me)
Good luck and congrats making it as far as you have... have you joined EMOMS yet??
Beth
Obviously I don't know - but I just wanted to say hi angie!
Both boys are head down this week again, and now i'm more freaked out about the vaginal delivery - aka that video we saw and the "balloon"...
Hope you're doing well - you're amazing and can get through anything, c-section or vaginal the boys will do great! I actually also just heard good feedback about Dr. Davis's doctor (not bedside) skills. Two of my friends had him deliver their babies and he was great - who would have thought. did you ever change docs?
I had to have a c/s at 36w1d because of pre-e, but I was scheduled for section at 38weeks anyways. The IV was the worst part. I was terrified of the spinal, but I barely felt that (or my mantra worked). I immediately felt like my blood sugar was low (I have type I diabetes, but it was just nerves) and breathing was odd. Nathan was huge (9lb10oz) and wedged in me oddly so it took a while (and forceps) to get him out. That was the scariest part?everything I?d heard before was 5 minutes from incision to baby. He took close to 15. Watching the clock was terrifying, but I was too scared to ask. There was a lot of pressure and movement?not pain, but definitely sensations that weren?t the best.
I stood up that night and walked a little the next day. By day three I could make it all the way to the SCN and back, even if I was slow. I went home 6 days before Nathan and while that sucked and was hard, it allowed me to recover better.
Overall, it was very positive for me. Getting a baby out can be scary and painful no matter how it?s done. For me, I had my baby less than 5 hours after being told ?you?re having your baby today.? I didn?t have hours of labor and contractions. I slept well the night before because it wasn?t scheduled. Once I accepted the fact that today was the day, the 5 hours wasn?t bad either.
I was also at Evergreen. I loved my c-section. I know it sounds weird, but it was great. Not a big deal at all. And my recovery was a breeze. My friends who had big tears said they thought I recovered faster than they did.
I went in around 7AM, and the nurse (who stayed with us the whole time til after the surgery), told me how it would all work, answered questions, etc. took some blood, they hooked me up to an IV, etc. Met the anesthesiologists, they answered questions. My doc came in, answered questions. Then we just waited a bit. They told me that sometimes when you get numb it goes up to your boobs and some people feel like they can't breathe. I was glad to know that in advance just in case. I never had that feeling though. They assured me that I would be breathing and that they'd be there to make sure of it.
Anyway, walked down to the OR, and sat on the bed, and they did the spinal. I thought this would be terrible, but I dont' even remember it now, so it must have been completely uneventful. Then I was laying down talking to Steve and I realized from the way the docs were talking that they had started! I felt nothing at all. And about 10 minutes later, there was Ben! During the surgery, I just sort of closed my eyes and breathed slowly and regularly, because i didn't want to panic or hyperventilate or freak out about the fact that my whole stomach was cut open to take a person out.
As soon as they took him out, they showed him to me through a little window in the drape (I never saw any blood and guts and neither did DH), and then I started crying uncontrollably and saying 'is he ok? is he ok? is he ok?".... looking back I was a nutjob. Then the anaesthesiologist said "do you want me to give you something for the anxiety?" and I said "sure"... so who knows what they gave me.
Then after getting him all cleaned up they handed him to DH who held him right by my face while they finished me up. Then they wheeled me back to my room and DH carried the baby back. Then onto the recovery bed - they use this SUPER COOL air mattress thingy that makes you fly over to the other bed without jostling you or hurting or anything.
That's it. I guess I tried to BF right then and the nruses were really helpful with that, and then when my lower half was finally not numb they I think had me stand up maybe? I can't remember, but they gave me Percoset so I never had any pain. In fact, I lied about how much pain I had so I could get more just in case. I didn't want to feel any pain - I'm a total wuss - so I made sure to keep taking it. And even still, I tapered off much faster than they expected me to. I think part of the key is to get up and move when they tell you to.
I know one gross thing was that they would come in and press on my stomach to make sure my uterus was contracting and it would gush out a lot of nasty blood and stuff, but really, it was grosser for them because they had to deal with it.
And they would have me stand up and help change pads and stuff, which is embarrassing and gross, but again, better them than me or DH!!
They left teh catheter in the whole first night so I didn't need to get up to pee. The next morning they took it out. And I peed a TON.
They took the staples out before I left - and I was worried about that - and I didn't even really feel it. Plus, it was good that I didn't have to see the staples. That would have creeped me out.
The one thing I really did not like is that they had me staying in a room that is a delivery room. They make a big deal about how they have you in one room the whole time for labor, delivery and recovery. Well, those labor and delivery beds are not comfortable b/c they're designed to breakaway so you can sit weird to push out a baby. Since you'll be there for 4 or 5 days, ask to be in a regular hospital bed, not in the stupid labor and delivery bed. Also, there's a window seat bed thing for your DH, but it gets really cold there. Ask them for one of the fancy recliners for him to sleep in.
That's it. Feel free to ask more questions or page me or anything. I loved my c-section experience.
Oh, once I got home - I was down to taking 1 percoset about every 8 hours. By day 3 at home I think I was off of them completely. I could walk up and down stairs slowly, but didnt' want to carry the baby when I did. I could get in and out of bed OK. I feel like by a week after, I was feeling slow but good, by 2 weeks I was feeling fine, but would sometimes overdo it and it would feel like I stretched/pulled something a little bit.
I had to have a c/s with Jacob when my induction failed. I was in labor for 32 hours and pushed for 4 and nothing happened. He was healthy and his heartrate never went down so thats why my Dr allowed me to go so long. When we all finally made the decision to go with the c/s I was bummed and almost in denial. I never thought I'd end up with one. Everyone in the OR was amazing and walked me through everything. We were actually telling jokes to each other as they were cutting me open! My mom and DH were allowed in the room which helped put me at ease. Within minutes, I got to see him and I knew he was being taken care of. I wont lie, there are parts of me that wishes I got to see his 1st bath and b/f right away but since he was healthy, thats all that mattered. When I got into my room to settle in I never felt any discomfort. The nurses made sure I was current with my meds and encouraged walking around the hospital as much as possible. I really think that helped a ton with my recovery. When I got home I didnt ease up on the meds. I did exactly what the Dr said to do. I avoided the stairs as well. The only "tricky" part was getting up off the couch or out of bed. But even then, it wasnt that bad. We went to the mall with my mom when Jacob was 4 days old and surprisingly, it felt great! I have no complaints about my c/s and wish you the best of luck if that ends up being the case for you!
I had a scheduled c-section and it was a great experience. I was terrified beforehand too. Definitely get to know your anesthesiologist - s/he will be the one next to you, letting you know what's happening (or not if you choose - I didn't really want to know the play-by-play), comforting you. Let him/her know any fears you have so they can look out for you. Mine was a wonderful man who took care of me the whole time, even held my hand.
I had a lot of fears about my breathing and he was really careful to watch out for that and reassure me through the surgery.
My c-section started out a little rough, they had a hard time finding the right spot to numb me so it took awhile, but they got it eventually. The feeling is odd, I definitley felt numb and I couldn't move my legs, but I could still feel a little if that makes sense. I kept asking the docs, "Okay I can still feel a tiny bit, am I going to feel you cut me??" and they kept insisting I wouldn't (I didn't at all, don't worry). I felt pretty nauseous during the process but I'd tell the docs and they'd give me meds for it. The surgery was very quick for me, they said it went great and I didn't bleed very much. Towards the end I got really nauseous and they had to give me a different type of anti nausea that made me really sleepy, I almost fell asleep for a second. And I felt really chilled (like teeth rattling) but that passed. My recovery was really good, I was up and walking later that day. I just took it slow, took my meds on schedule, and walked when I could (I'd walk around the halls the next day and tried to do some walking each day during recovery). The pain meds managed the pain great and I healed really quickly.
So, thumbs up on the c-section for me! It might not be the most ideal for some, but it can go really great and doesn't have to be a terrible thing, I promise.
I have had 2 c-sections... my 2nd was with the twins last year. I assumed that I would be having one but the timing was a suprise. I got put into a wheelchair and walked over to triage at Swedish following a dissappointing NST.
Anyway, like Jill, I loved my c-sections and am secretly relieved that I didn't have any labor. The spinals went fine both times. My 2nd one (being a suprise) was a little nauseating as I had eaten about 4 hours prior. I don't remember anything else specific that hasn't been mentioned... Oh, Swedish made me wear these wierd pressure cuffs all down my calves the 2nd time for about 8 hours after surgery to prevent blood clots. I don't remember them the first time so maybe it is new there. Sounds like Evergreen may not do that.
If your twins have to go to NICU you can see them any time you want. They wheeled me over there right after surgery, laying all flat in my bed, to see the fellas. Then I could have a nurse or family member take me any time I wanted except the small window where the NICU/ISCU nurses switch shifts and need quiet time to compare notes.
Good luck and feel free to page me as well.
Liz
oh yeah, I had those pressure cuffs. I just didnt' remember them. They didn't bug me. But I also have a blood clotting condition, so I had to be super vigilant with clots.
Oh, and I was also (not so) secretly relieved to not have to labor. The idea of a vag birth scared the bejeezus out of me.
I loved the cuffs. Becasue of them, I got to see my shins and ankles again. Then they took them off and the swelling came back.
It's not secret: I wanted a c-section. I was terrified of induction and going to term was never an option.
yeah same here. They wouldn't let me go past 38 weeks anyway.
But man I forgot that too - my feet puffed up SOOOOO badly after. I remember thinking it might be good to pop them with a big needle.