What did you do during the cs?

OliveMom3

I have a scheduled csection since my lo is breech. There are tons of things for SOs to do while active vaginal labour is ongoing, like massages, encouraging cheering or what have you, my question is what did your DH or SO do while you were having your csection?

Did you chat? If so what about? Did you listen to music? Did he hold your hand? I know the actual procedure isn't long but I feel like it would be a bit of a weird moment.

I guess this would not apply to people who can't have a support person there for them, but at my hospital they encourage you to have someone with you.

Maybe I'm just freaking out over something silly...

blueturkey12

I tried to sleep, unfortunately I was not successful : ) Granted, I had been in labor for 17 hours and pushed for two hours prior to the surgery...it really does go very quickly. The sewing up part takes a lot longer than the actual birth, but by that point the baby is out and you have plenty to do. I wouldn't worry about it.

OliveMom3

I'm such a planner so I guess I just find it weird that this part can't be planned. Is it weird if I ask for a play by play of what the doctor is doing? Will they even tell me?

niftychick29

Mine was a somewhat emergency C-Section due to Pre-E/HELLP Syndrome, and I honestly didn't even think about what my husband was going to do in the delivery room.  I was just glad he could be in there with me!  I was on Mag Sulfate for the pre-e so I was a little bit loopy/not able to focus, but I do remember mostly listening to the doctors talking during the surgery, but trying not to listen at the same time (I was afraid if I listened too closely I would get freaked out about what they were doing, lol).  I believe there was a radio on for the doctors, but I don't remember for sure.  My husband held my hand and talked to me until our little guy was born, then he helped the nurses with him and went with him to the NICU, because our son was 6 weeks early.  After he left with the baby, I sort of just zoned out, relieved that everything went well.  The getting stitched up part took longer, and felt a little weird, but I just thought about our new baby mostly during that time and was really sleepy from the Mag.  

My own music, maybe on headphones, would have been nice, in retrospect, but overall my experience was okay as it was.  It was reassuring to have my husband there, talking to me and holding my hand, because having the surgery made me fairly anxious.  The whole procedure only took about 30-40 minutes, I believe, and the baby was born within the first 10 or 15.  Good luck to you!  Whatever you and your husband decide on, I hope it's a good experience.

SuperSecretStatus

I joked around with the anesthesiologist who kept checking on me, and I asked the dr to give me a tummy tuck while they were down there lol.

Ritzy19

From what I remember, your arms will be laying stretched out to the sides.  So my husband didn't hold my hand, but he sat close by my head and talked to me on and off throughout.  We also chatted with the anesthesiologist who is also up by your head.  The Dr. did give us a bit of the play by play.  Certainly not all the details, but just "okay, we're getting started now" and "we see the baby... we're almost there".... just stuff like that.  After your baby is born you'll be so focused on him/her the time spent getting stitched up will go by super fast.

OliveMom3

Thanks ladies. For some reason I feel much calmer after hearing your responses. I'm kind of hoping to have a funny anesthesiologist

Kmansmomma

My OR had a mirror so I could watch LO being born (blood doesn't make me squeamish). With my first it was an emergency section and I was the last person in the room to see the baby which has bugged me ever since so I wanted to be more involved the second time around. I really didn't see much blood or guts at all and got to watch my LO being lifted out which was amazing! DH was taking pictures as they cleaned LO off and weighed him. Then he went to the nursery to watch the nurses clean LO up and check him over while they sewed me back up. Good luck with your delivery!

Kim22

From the moment DH was allowed in after I was prepped until the moment baby was out was really fast. Once baby was out, he went by where the nurses were checking over baby. My doctor left the cord long so even though he didn't get to cut the cord to detach him, DH got to do the cut the cord thing. He then brought him to me and we kept him in the OR so we spent our time just looking at him. My arms were free so I was able to touch my baby that whole time.

RayRay007

DH wasn't able to make it because it was emergent, but my MW made it part way through and she stood there with a hand on my shoulder and told me what was going on below the curtain. An inexperienced DH wouldn't be able to explain what was going on though. So I don't know what you'd talk about! It does go really quick though, I wouldn't worry about it. 

RayRay007

DaisyBlinks said:

Purely from anecdotal evidence, it seems like a lot of people spend the time chatting up the anesthesiologist. Mine was joking around a lot, I think to keep me calm. 

This too. Mine was great. 

amberdanielle68845

I freaked out during my CS so they brought my SO in shortly after they laid me on the table instead of having him wait.  My SO and the anesthesiologist were by my head and the entire OR was joking with one of the nurses who was getting ready to move to another department and it was very light hearted.  Once LO was born SO went with DD to the nursery and I was there with the staff.

JaysonandKristin

We chatted.  I made DH do all the talking.  When he couldn't come up with anything I made him talk about work.  Literally, I didn't understand half of the technical garb coming out of his mouth, but I wanted the distraction. 

Mama-Bear

He just sat next to me.  Not weird or anything.

cinderin

it went by very fast. DH and I talked to a nurse and the anesthesiologist. they asked me a lot of questions every couple minutes, "are you doing OK?" "can you feel anything?" etc. they told me what was going on "we are just starting" "we are half way there" etc. DH and I just talked about how excited we were. 

once LO was here, DH went over to watch him get cleaned up (and take a couple pictures) then they handed him to DH and he brought LO over to my head and we sang him Happy Birthday. We tried to put him on my chest, but there wasn't room. 

the whole thing was maybe 40 minutes. 20 before the baby was out and 20 to stitch me up. went by in an instant! 

BTW - I also had a scheduled c/s due to breech. it was scheduled for 39 w 5 days, LO decided to come at 39 weeks 1 day! :-) 

rooter84

I talked with the anesthesiologist, but mostly tried to focus on not throwing up all over the place. I think my 2nd csection was the only one I didn't really feel sick during.

Bunnyfer

I had an emergency c. I was wheeled into surgery room around 10:35, DH arrived at my head and held my hand by 10:40, and LO was born at 10:45. DH went to LO right away. They gave me a few min to see her, then DH and LO left. I was in the surgery for another 30min, during that time I joked with my anesthesiologist who called himself my stand in husband. He kept me calm and kept me updated. I also joked with my docs...I was a basket case and exhausted from the issues from the 15hrs of labor prior, missed my DH and LO..so I needed the talking down. DH on the other hand, was a basket case, as they did not update him on what was going on with me...all he saw was them shaking my body around..and blood...he thought I was dying...bless his heart...

AshleaB12

I held my husbands hand both times and the anesthesiologist talked to me. Both times I fell asleep after having very long labors and then needing a csection. The first time I was very nauseous and the second time, I threw up during most of the procedure.

amie444

At one point my DH handed me his phone. And I talk to his sister. It was after she was born.

liamsmommy74

My fiance kind of just kept asking if I was ok.  He was keeping an eye on what was going on down there.  I heard my doctor say "Oh shoot" and I told him that I didn't like hearing my doctor say that!  We joked around a little and then the anesthesiologist said that he "almost forgot to give me the remained of the morphine".  I said "Now that's one thing I don't want you to forget".  I guess all in all we joked and laughed a lot until the baby came out.  My fiance took a pic of Liam partially inside my belly with his head out...doctor held him like that so he could get the pic then he cut the cord.  He went over to the isolette where they wiped him off a bit, weighed him, etc and then he brought Liam over to me so I could see and kiss him.  We took some pics and he ended up going with Liam to the nursery while they delivered the placenta and sewed me up.

Lovehavinggirls

My dh held my hand and we talked to the anesthesiologist, dr and resident. The dr would update us on what was happening. Once lo was born she went to the nicu and dh left the room and the anesthesiologist kept me calm and talked to me.

GalLaura

My husband held my hand and was very supportive. The epidural made me shake a lot and my husband actually held my arms down.  It didn't hurt or anything but was more annoying. I could not imagine my husband not being there. I totally needed him.

luvbug6315

My husband had me laughing. I have no idea what we talked about but I remember the doctor asking if I was laughing. Then I think I fought to stay awake because I was so sleepy and wanted to see my daughter.

amaburch

My OB let me pick out the music, I think I said "no heavy metal" or something like that. Like everyone else, the anesthesiologist kept checking in and giving me updates. The team would tell me what to expect "lots of pressure here, etc." My husband took pics and rubbed my head. We were mostly laughing at what was going on the other side of the curtain because my whole body was shaking around. When he came out we knew it without a word because he was screaming bloody murder They showed him to us first thing and DH got some pics of them wiping him down and weighing him while they stitched me up. I don't remember whether I got to kiss him or not after that. DH went to be with DS in recovery while they stitched me up. My mom was standing at the nurse's station talking to my MIL on the phone. She asked if he was out yet and apparently my mom just held the phone in the air. He was that loud. We met up in recovery and immediately started to breastfeed. It goes by so fast, there was really nothing to do and no way to prepare for it.

magdalina.h

We talked to each other, all of the staff and listened to music. We had a good time. Lol

michellersayer

My c section took 10 minutes and time flew by so fast.. They show you your baby and by the time you're done looking at the baby you are all done. It's no big deal!

gladygirlca

My first c-section was emergent and they almost forgot to bring my husband into the OR.  He held my hand for about 5 minutes and then was off with the baby.  I would have preferred having him with me longer, but I was ok.  The section I have coming up should be better, smoother, and better coordinated, so I've been told.

jb2rn

well planned vs not planned makes a huge difference!

planned, I would have chatted w dh I think.

not planned, after a longgg labor and being very upset it was ending that way, I was trying to not be hysterical and waiting to hear my son's first cry. And wishing I could control the shaking.

Stephanie2167

I think we both just sort of listened to what was going on. We were just waiting for something to be said about her. Then the doctor said "Here she comes daddy." and DH stood up and watched her get pulled out. I watched his face since I couldn't see anything. I was pretty drugged from my 12 hour labor so I was pretty out of it.

IBackBevo

Mine went super fast. After lo was here, we took pics with him while the doc sewed me up.

slcarter9114

I was shaking uncontrollably so my husband held my hand tight. Before he got in there, I would talk to the anesthesiologist off and on. I remember my ob saying that my dd was definitely a girl because she peed on her and the nurse, and that she had my chin. Once we heard her cry, my husband and I started to cry, then he went and helped the nurses with her, brought her to see me and went to the nursery so they could fix me up. 

InLovewSB

The prep part of surgery takes a while, and I chatted just a little but mostly was quiet and listened. Once they raise the curtain at your chin and bring in your H, it feels like it's maybe 5 minutes and the baby is out, maybe it's 10.  Our doctor is chatty and talks the entire time, so H and I just sit quietly, chuckle at doc's jokes.  Then VIOLA! and baby is here, and who cares about anything but watching what they are doing with the baby after that.

PB102012

My DH told me random stories.... I was so nervous during my surgery because I am at FTM and I had never had any kind of major surgery before.

enhr820

I'm a single mommy so my mother went into my c section with me. We chit chatted with the doctor and everybody and discussed my little man's name. I talked to the doctor more as he was actually bringing DS out because he was shocked at how large he was. All in all there wasn't much to do short of chatting for me.