C-section

jkbro616

we have a very high risk pregnancy. My dr is telling me that most likely he is going to take the baby by c-section a week before my due date. I am an all-natural kind of girl so this makes me squirm! I know people have c-sections all of the time, but I had never thought I would be one of the women having to get one (I know, silly me). I am very squeamish as well..... I would appreciate all tips on healing and being healthy for this procedure! Any advice is greatly appreciated .... Any stories for a good laugh will help, too

jmorneau09

This happened to me with my first. I remember being so disappointed because I wanted to try. Truly in the end it was all fine. No need to be squeamish you wont ever look like your hanging open. Different doctors/hospitals have different ways of doing things so your scar may have staples or stitches or it may never look like anything more than a cut. All my stitches were disolvable and on the inside. They glued me on the outside so no ugly stitch or staple marks. It's just a thin white line. As for advice for after...get up and get moving as soon as you can. I walked as much as I could in the hospital and I think it helped a lot. Also buy a tummy support wrap for at home. I didn't have one and will be getting one this time. I hear that they are extremely helpful..help to keep everything in and support the muscles that were cut as they heal.

beaseg

Oh man! That really stinks! I'm sorry to hear this, I think every woman deserves the chance to choose how she wants to birth- but sadly, that doesn't always happen. And sometimes it really truly is for very good reasons. I actually know several women that have had vaginal and csection. I know personally 5. 2 of them said they preferred vaginal and 3 said csection! I'm kind of crunchy so was surprised to hear this. 

Everyone agrees that csection recovery is more painful, but pros are that if you're doing it for a high risk pregnancy, it's much safer, it'll give you a longer maternity leave, you get to have sex sooner (if you can and you want to), and dad gets to be slightly more invested! Our birth plan details that if I have a csection, dad will be wearing a button up shirt and when baby is born, he'll be placed directly on dad for skin to skin. In a vaginal, he'd be placed immediately on me and I would nurse. With our daughter, dh didn't get to hold her until like after about 90 minutes. He later admitted he was squirming the whole time but was too scared to take away the little girl I had just delivered, but he was dying to hold her! haha so in the event of csection, It's nice that he has that opportunity. 

I'm sorry I'm not able to offer better tips for you, my first was vaginal. One of the women I know that preferred vaginal delivery had her first via c-section, her second vbac in hospital (med free) and her third was a vaginal homebirth (unassisted, except for the help of her 4 year old "watching" the 2 year old). So I hope that if you do end up with the csection, you know that this may not be a guarantee for any future children.

Oh! And one last thing- my one friend had an emergency csection, and apparently you can't drive for 2 weeks after or something like that. So her MIL came to stay with her. lol. That was NOT GOOD For her! If you love MIL, then go for it. But otherwise, consider who will stay with you ahead of time! You'll need to go out to take baby to pediatrician and such, so start thinking about that. Good luck!

twodreamers

I'm loving the responses here. I have to have a c-section because of a previous myomectomy to remove a large fibroid.

@beaseg I love the idea of Dad wearing a button down shirt and laying baby on his chest.

We've started to put our plan in place but really have no idea what to expect. Ideally, Daddy will stay with baby while I get sewn up and recover. I told him that no one else holds her before I do. I can't wait to snuggle her.

emwaiting

I had a c-section with #1 because his heart rate kept going down early on.  I was in the mind set that I was going to do everything the natural way but when the dr said this was the safest way to get me a healthy baby I threw my "plans" out the window.  Hopefully you and your dr have a good relationship and trust their advice.  The more you think about it yes it is a big surgery but my recovery went very well and other then the incision you will have a lot of the same recovery issues like you do with a normal delivery.  Good luck.

Pumpkineyez

I had an emergency c-section with my first and although I was terrified at the time it went well. I had planned an all natural water birth in a midwife led birth centre and ended up with a dramatic operation. I healed quickly and have a neat scar and to be honest once my baby was out and safe he was the only thing that mattered.

A friend recently had her second c-section. Her first being an emergency and the second scheduled. She said the scheduled was a really calm experience and her recovery was short.

I am going for a v-bac this time but if it doesn't go to plan I know a c-section isn't all bad.

lola2bee

My advice is take your pain meds on time afterwards. I was feeling a little too good and tried to skip doses and omg did it catch up with me. Crying on the floor is how I ended up. Take your meds girlfriend!!!

Mari621

I'm a nurse and a STM. I ended up with a c section with my first. Get up and walk the next day. It helps with circulation, lung and bowel function and just your overall mental health. Remeber your body mechanics also. Try to use your arms and side rails as much as you can so your not using abdominal muscles as much.

Rileykal

This will be my 3rd c section... While moving around is good don't be a tough guy, let people do things for you and don't overdo it because it will take you longer to recover. I can't wait to be waited on all day! My husband is just lucky it won't be that hot yet. When DD was born in August it was super hot so I kept asking him to turn on the ac. Then I'd get cold 15 mins later so I made him get up and turn it off. I thought he was going to kill me by the end of the first week haha

jkbro616

Thanks for all of the words. Love the stories and help

sb184

I would say don't stress yourself too much over not being about to have a vaginal birth. You are doing what is safest for your LO and please don't feel like it will be less of a delivery experience. C sections happen, and usually the mother has no control over when they do. For me if I do end up having to have a section I want my baby placed on my chest. Your arms will by tied down but they can untie them for you to hold your baby. As long as he is breathing okay I want skin to skin and all assessments can be done with him on my chest. Sometimes women find it that their arms are too weak to hold the baby. If this is the case I will ask DH to hold our baby to my chest. I won't lose my cool over a section, but I will lose my cool if my baby is taken away from me to be assessed when he is healthy in which skin to skin would be delayed. (But by all means if he is in any type of distress I would want him taken care of). Good luck to you. I'm sure everything will be fine.

hcar86

My doctor does something called family-centered c-sections where you could have imediate skin to skin contact and breastfeeding if you wanted to. I'm more on the natural side too, so it has eased my anxiety to know that's an option. Maybe something you could talk to your doctor about?