Awake & aware during C-section

plainandsimple · July 2012

My first c-section was an emergency so I was exhausted and had sedatives by the time it happened. For a RCS, I understand I would not be sedated. While great in most ways, it makes me nervous to think about the sounds/smells/sights I may notice. Other than having a sheet block the visual, was this a problem for anyone? Tips? I'm not super squeamish, but not sure I want to hear myself cut open or smell the scents that come with opening up your torso.

zyas · July 2012

I just had mine on Wednesday so it's all very fresh in my mind. There were no smells at all and I couldn't see anything cause of the drape that's up. I was more worried about feeling them tugging and stuff which I was warned about but there was barely any of that even. Everyone was talking and laughing and stuff so that kind of distracted me I suppose and I had 2 nurses monitoring me and they were talking away to me the whole time. I even got to the point where I was wondering when they were going to start so I asked the nurse if they had even started cutting me out yet and she said "oh yes! They are just about to pull the baby out!" and then seconds later she was out and I could hear her crying. It all happened very fast.

jb2rn · July 2012

I am a RN and I saw C-sections in nursing school, so I knew what they were doing, and that was kind of freaky. Other than that, no bad smells, noises, etc. The curtain blocked anything I could see. I concentrated on DH's face.

When our son was born, I asked that Dh go be with him so then the anethesiologist talked to me a bit.

Honestly, it's so fast, I feel like you don't have time to obsess too much. All you are focused on is seeing your baby!

good luck.

MrsCali_Bride · July 2012

I don't remember any sights or smells. I just remember the pressure/tugging, my OB explaining to a couple of students/interns everything that was happening, the sound of the staples going in (so weird especially since you can't feel it) and just how fast it was all over. Oh, and my anesthesiologist asking me where my belly went after the twins were out and my OB was stitching me up. Lol

danigirl7181 · July 2012

This is my conversation with my doctor as he was about to cut...

"Can you feel this?" (rolling a spiky object across my belly, per FI)

Me: "I can move my toes?"

"Yes I know but can you feel this?"

Me: "But I can move my toes"

I said that about 6 times I guess. It was a weird concept to me that he was going to cut into me and I could move my feet. Other then that I don't remember much, a little tugging but that's it.

ladybugpjb · July 2012

You can't hear yourself being cut open. It was pretty noisy in the room with the doctors talking...there may been machines running, but I can't remember now.

I didn't smell anything, but they put an oxygen mask on me for part of it.

I did feel tugging, but it wasn't bad, and it was over quickly. I pretty much slept through them stitching me up.

The nurse anesthetist was awesome and talked me through the whole thing because I was a horrible wreck.

kcisthebombdotcom · July 2012

You don't hear yourself being cut nor do you smell anything.

The tugging and pushing part was weird for me. My son was 10lbs, was high up and had a huge head so they had a really tough time getting him out.

aubreyalise · July 2012

i didn't see or smell anything at all. i had no clue where they were in the process as it was going on. DS was 10lb 3oz and i didn't even really feel any tugging.

H was an army medic and fascinated by the whole thing. at one point my OB pulled up my fallopian tubes so H could see them. still didn't feel, hear or smell anything.

nealbl · July 2012

Mine was emergency but I was fully awake and aware just couldn't feel anything. The anesthesiologist was by my side the whole time explaining to me everything that was happening. Sounds feelings pressure everything I felt or heard he told me what it was and why. He was so amazing. I was just so excited that I wasn't really focused on the other stuff. I just kept waiting to hear that cry.

I requested already that I have him again. My OB said that as long as he isn't on vacation it shouldn't be a problem. He said that guy will probably be really excited about the fact that someone requested him.

pinkmoonlight · July 2012

I was also worried about this as I also had an emergency c-section and was put under for my first. However my RCS could not have gone any better. My worries about being awake were washed away by the excitement of hearing my baby cry something I missed the first time around. The doctors and all the nurses constantly were checking on me making sure I was ok and if I wasn't (I got sick from the spinal due to low blood pressure- which is common) they fixed it right away.

HarrietNJMommy · July 2012

My first c-section (DD#1) was scheduled. The spinal was not "as good" as it should have been and I felt too much. I panicked on the operating table and had to be given some type of anti-anxiety meds.

My second and third (both RCS) were fine. No issues and didn't feel a thing.

GL!

capulet · July 2012

I'm the opposite...I was fully conscious during my two c-sections but had general anesthesia for the first time last week when I had my wisdom teeth out, and I was nervous about that!

I couldn't hear or smell anything during either of my c-sections. I felt some tugging, but I didn't even know exactly when they took DD out because they didn't tell us she had been born until a few minutes later. With DS, they let DH look over the sheet enough to see DS coming out (I don't think it was so far that he could see my insides, just the baby), but I couldn't really see anything. With both kids, I had gone into labor first and was having contractions - with DD they were really painful - so mostly I was glad not to be able to feel any pain, much more than I was weirded out by whatever other sensations I was experiencing.

vlagrl29 · July 2012

tugging and pulling is all i really felt. DH told me that I asked him "who is tugging on me" they are not gentle at all. as for cutting open , you don't hear that at all. I was totally out of it with the morphine:)

SunAndRain · July 2012

I had an RCS nearly two weeks ago. The surgery itself was really the easiest part. It is very fast. The only thing I felt was tugging while the OB was removing LO from my belly and that was not uncomfortable at all - just a new sensation I certainly had never felt before!

Recovering from my c-section was where the surprises began. I'm in fairly good shape and have never had a major surgery so have been caught off guard by the challenges recovery has presented. But I've managed with pain meds post-op, and lots of help from DH.

magdalina.h · July 2012

I didn't hear or smell anything. The nurses were all talking to me and I didn't even know they had started.

notkateanymore · July 2012

I didn't smell anything {I never even thought about it...ugh} and while I did see a little bit {reflection in the giant light above the table} I really couldn't make it out anyway. My doctors sang Allman Brothers songs to me and DH talked to me, so I didn't really have time to pay attention to the other stuff. Oh and I was shaking from the medicine, so I didn't even noticed I was strapped down.

aandg · July 2012

I was so nervous about DD and was she going to be ok or not that I don't remember hearing/smelling much. I certainly didn't see anything. I was super nervous before hand too. Once DD was out that was all I was focused on.

Zimger · July 2012

The only issues I really had was the sound of the instruments clinging together and the feeling of claustorphobia that I had due to the epidural. Beyond that I was okay. No smells or sounds other than the instruments bothered me. I felt the pulling and pushing but that didn't bother me much.

meg1974 · July 2012

I don't remember any smells, and I couldn't see anything because I was laying almost flat on my back and the drape was up. I do remember them putting the drape down when she came out so I could see her, but I'm squeamish so I asked them to put it back up (they didn't...it was so quick they probably didn't even hear me).

My 2nd c/s was much different than my first though. I was much more nervous and I did hear them talking and could hear some of the instruments, which I didn't like. You might ask if you can bring an iPod with you, or else just keep talking to your DH or the nurse to keep your mind off.

Worcbride · July 2012

Had 2 unscheduled csects and I couldnt hear or smell anything--just felt tugging/pressure

Temp6313048411121614 · July 2012

Honestly I blocked everything out until I heard the first cry.

drbethc · July 2012

danigirl7181:
This is my conversation with my doctor as he was about to cut...
"Can you feel this?" (rolling a spiky object across my belly, per FI)
Me: "I can move my toes?"
"Yes I know but can you feel this?"
Me: "But I can move my toes"
I said that about 6 times I guess. It was a weird concept to me that he was going to cut into me and I could move my feet. Other then that I don't remember much, a little tugging but that's it.

hilarious!

jjhp2018 · July 2012

I couldn't see anything going on (though this time I will have a mirror) but am I the only one who actually did smell stuff? I asked my doctor what that smell was and at first she just replied "uh, you don't want to know" lol. Then I could hear her still doing something and she told me she was burning fat cells.

Hi725 · July 2012

JessieJ2:
I couldn't see anything going on (though this time I will have a mirror) but am I the only one who actually did smell stuff? I asked my doctor what that smell was and at first she just replied "uh, you don't want to know" lol. Then I could hear her still doing something and she told me she was burning fat cells.

You aren't alone. I noticed the burning smell with both surgeries.

jjhp2018 · July 2012

Hi725:

JessieJ2:
I couldn't see anything going on (though this time I will have a mirror) but am I the only one who actually did smell stuff? I asked my doctor what that smell was and at first she just replied "uh, you don't want to know" lol. Then I could hear her still doing something and she told me she was burning fat cells.

You aren't alone. I noticed the burning smell with both surgeries.

Phew, I was beginning to think my doctor was getting a little too burn happy on me Wink . I did tell her to burn as much fat as she wanted haha!

Motherearth82 · July 2012

Ok, let's rewind a little..before you get to the laying on the table and the cutting and the baby crying...be prepped yourself for the before process..if scheduled, you'll be asked to not eat from midnight the night before, so try to get an early sx time if possible because you will be starving! Next, unless you do it yourself, be prepared for a nurse to shave your pubic area..you'll take off everything but socks and have a gown..once in the OR (hubby usually can't come in until he is sterile and your sterile field has been set- this may vary on the hosp and your situation) they will sit you on a narrow bench so ask some one to stand in front of you while the epidural is being done..then you'll lay down and spread 'em while a nurse catheterizes you and runs an IV (at this point you are laying there butt naked with what seems like a hundred people running in and out chatting like nothing is going on) then they will cover you, sterilize your belly with iodine or similar..and put up the curtain...by now hubby is coming in and doctors are testing you for pain then the actual surgery can start..I remember slight tugging and pulling pressure but I stayed focused on holding my husbands hand and breathing..i advise not looking up at the very reflective light fixture above your body...i saw things i didnt want to see..once the baby is out all your focus shifts and you watch them clean up and bring the baby to you and with in a few moments after you are being wheeled to recovery with you baby..then they'll take it for testing, etc while you rest..I've had 2 csection and due with our 3rd in feb which will again be scheduled...

MouseInLux · July 2012

We were team Green with DD so the Docs spent most of the time joking about how they knew what it was. So I was distracted by that. I was given a pill to help me relax too but I still remember everything.