What happens during a scheduled csection?

beaniousmaximus

So for my first son I ended up being induced and had a csection after 36 hours of nothing happening. Everything was done slowly and sporadically...them breaking my water, the epidural, my IV, etc. This time around I'll most likely be having a scheduled csection...so I'm wondering what I should expect? Do they still need to break your water beforehand? How long does it take to actually have your csection after you get to the hospital? I'm basically just wondering what are the events that lead up to the actual csection itself and how long everything takes? 

SarahRae85

My scheduled was similar to pp's, but there were a few differences, so I'll share my experience:

My c-section was scheduled for 1pm. I arrived at the hospital 2 hours before and was warned they were swamped in L&D and my surgery could very easily be bumped for an emergency. I was taken to a prep room where I changed into the gown and got into bed to wait. They did blood work and shaved while I was waiting (they should have given an anesthetic for the shaving, goodness, it HURT. If possible, do it yourself beforehand or get your DH to help). My surgery was bumped about an hour and a half. I had nurses and doctors and residents in and out during the wait to give me updates, etc during the 3 1/2 hour wait.

Once things were a go, they moved quickly. I was wheeled down to the OR, transferred to the table and given the spinal. Water was not broken before-hand, that happened in the OR during the surgery. I even remember the splash and DH going a little green when he saw it (he doesn't do well with that stuff).

ashaw512

I went to the hospital at 5 am for my CS at 7 am. They did bloodwork, hooked up my IV, urine sample, and hooked my up to NST just for monitoring. My ob came in and talk to me when he got there and talked to me for a minute. The wheeled me back to the OR and did my spinal. They strapped my arms, put the curtain put, and my ob came in and started cutting and clipping thru the old scar and scar tissue. The nurse went and got DH right before they pulled baby out. The surgery lasted about twenty minutes. They pulled him out and showed me then took baby boy and DH to the nursery and got baby cleaned up and supplemented him. They put me to sleep after they took him out. I went to recovery and stayed for about an hour then I woke up and they took me to my room, and brought me my baby boy. We stayed 4 days in the hospital.

I was so scared before I went in bc my first was an emergency CS so I never had time to plan or prepare myself. So I freaked myself out and cried in the OR. But it was fine and you will be too, good luck.

beaniousmaximus

Thank you guys for sharing your experiences! It's nice to know what to expect. I'm pretty freaked out too, but I just keep trying to tell myself that it will go just as well as last time and I'll be fine. I'll definitely try to keep on the shaving too!! :P 

NatureLovers

ambershaw512 said:

I went to the hospital at 5 am for my CS at 7 am. They did bloodwork, hooked up my IV, urine sample, and hooked my up to NST just for monitoring. My ob came in and talk to me when he got there and talked to me for a minute. The wheeled me back to the OR and did my spinal. They strapped my arms, put the curtain put, and my ob came in and started cutting and clipping thru the old scar and scar tissue. The nurse went and got DH right before they pulled baby out. The surgery lasted about twenty minutes. They pulled him out and showed me then took baby boy and DH to the nursery and got baby cleaned up and supplemented him. They put me to sleep after they took him out. I went to recovery and stayed for about an hour then I woke up and they took me to my room, and brought me my baby boy. We stayed 4 days in the hospital.

I was so scared before I went in bc my first was an emergency CS so I never had time to plan or prepare myself. So I freaked myself out and cried in the OR. But it was fine and you will be too, good luck.

Is it typical to have your H outside until the very last second, and to be knocked out with general once the baby is out?

NicoleWI

Exact same as pp. no strapping down or knocking out. DH was there as soon as I had the spinal and was ready for surgery. Had a great experience. was able to bf within about an hour.

RDK24

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I, too, had a really difficult time with my emergency c-section and if/when we have baby #2, I'm hoping for a much better RCS. 

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but one related Q: does anyone know how common it is for hospitals to do the "gentle" or "family-centered" c-section? It's really important to me to be able to do skin to skin/try to breastfeed while they're closing me up if the baby and I are both healthy enough for it. I've read about this and seen videos on youtube but wasn't sure how common it was. In my first c-sec I didn't get to hold my baby for hours and I think it contributed to some PPA.

ashaw512

NatureLovers said:

ambershaw512 said:

I went to the hospital at 5 am for my CS at 7 am. They did bloodwork, hooked up my IV, urine sample, and hooked my up to NST just for monitoring. My ob came in and talk to me when he got there and talked to me for a minute. The wheeled me back to the OR and did my spinal. They strapped my arms, put the curtain put, and my ob came in and started cutting and clipping thru the old scar and scar tissue. The nurse went and got DH right before they pulled baby out. The surgery lasted about twenty minutes. They pulled him out and showed me then took baby boy and DH to the nursery and got baby cleaned up and supplemented him. They put me to sleep after they took him out. I went to recovery and stayed for about an hour then I woke up and they took me to my room, and brought me my baby boy. We stayed 4 days in the hospital.

I was so scared before I went in bc my first was an emergency CS so I never had time to plan or prepare myself. So I freaked myself out and cried in the OR. But it was fine and you will be too, good luck.

Is it typical to have your H outside until the very last second, and to be knocked out with general once the baby is out?

I don't know. I think it depends on the dr. The first time he missed it since it was emergency and they wanted her out so quick, it took maybe 5 minutes he was still getting dressed for the OR when they walked DD to nicu, he didn't even realize that was his baby until the nurse told him lol.

krazyinsane

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BrittP10 said:

I've had one emergency , one scheduled , and have another one scheduled in December.

This (but different times). There was lots of pulling going on which you can feel with a spinal (but it doesn't hurt) and once she came out and had her first check, I was able to do skin to skin as they closed me up. Then she and I were able to bond and breast feed in recovery since we were both doing as expected. It was AMAZING compared to my crash/emergency section with my son. Recovery was similar after the first day.

This. I've had an emergency and two scheduled with another scheduled for two weeks from tomorrow. The scheduled are so nice and calm. I just lay there and chat with DH while they get all the scar tissue out of the way and then when they're ready they have DH stand up and he gets to watch baby come out, they show LO to me, then DH goes over to warmer with LO then we get to do skin to skin and nurse in the recovery room.

beaniousmaximus

NatureLovers said:

Is it typical to have your H outside until the very last second, and to be knocked out with general once the baby is out?

For my first csection, my boyfriend waited outside the room for a few minutes while they set up the tarp and got everything ready. They brought him in for the csection, let him bring the baby over to me to hold, and then they left to bring the baby upstairs to be weighed. I was never knocked out. I was awake while they stitched me up and then I hung out in recovery for 45 minutes or so before I was reunited with my family. 

beaniousmaximus

RDK24 said:

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I, too, had a really difficult time with my emergency c-section and if/when we have baby #2, I'm hoping for a much better RCS. 

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but one related Q: does anyone know how common it is for hospitals to do the "gentle" or "family-centered" c-section? It's really important to me to be able to do skin to skin/try to breastfeed while they're closing me up if the baby and I are both healthy enough for it. I've read about this and seen videos on youtube but wasn't sure how common it was. In my first c-sec I didn't get to hold my baby for hours and I think it contributed to some PPA.

After I had my first csection, they wrapped up the baby and my boyfriend brought him over to me while I was still being stitched up. I was able to hold him for a few minutes.. But it was short lived because my arms felt numb lol. So I asked my boyfriend to take him from me, then they took the baby upstairs to be weighed measured. After I was done in recovery (45 minutes) I was wheeled upstairs and was encouraged to do skin-to-skin and breastfeed right away. I'd tell your OB how important is it to you to hold the baby asap...hopefully she'll be willing to work with you.