C-Section Question

ASmarcz · September 2012

Is it possible to be asleep during a C-section? The idea of being cut open while awake terrifies me. Anyone know? Thanks:)

CougFan · September 2012

I think the idea of not waking up would terrify me more! Being "put under" with general anesthesia is an option but I think only if medically necessary.

vlagrl29 · September 2012

only if it's an emergency c/section. I would rather be awake. You really don't feel much at all, plus wouldn't you want to hear your baby cry for the first time and see them as soon as possible?

XCrissCrossX · September 2012

I was so drugged up with the spinal that I might as well have been out. At one point I asked DH if they had cut me open yet and the baby crying was my reply-- so clearly they had!

It sounds scary but really, you don't notice and it's much safer to have a spinal than to go under.

ladybugpjb · September 2012

The thought of being put under scares me more than the idea of them cutting me open. I was put under for surgery once, and it just scares me. With the c-section, I was awake. You feel tugging. It feels weird, but it's not bad. Besides that you have plenty of things to distract you - get DH to talk to you, talk to the anesthesiologist (mine was awesome at distracting me), listen for your baby...maybe they'd let you listen to music?

The general anesthesia was really hard for me to wake up from - it took a couple of days for me to feel normal. It was about 36 hours before they let me get up. With the c-section, I felt weird from the drugs, but I could hold my baby about an hour afterwards, and get up and use the bathroom that night.

(I should add, though, that I was out for about 8 hours for my surgery, so the recovery time might not be comparable to what they would do for a c-section. I still wouldn't want to be put under.)

mben1119 · September 2012

They really only use general anethesia if medically indicated. Going under has huge risks involved.

tmjmeister · September 2012

It is possible but usually only for emergencies. IMO, I would rather be awake and a little scared than asleep and miss the first hours of my child's life. I have had 2 c/s and they are not bad at all, if you don't want them to tell you whats going on they won't. Trust me, you don't want to miss that first cry.

blondie42107 · September 2012

I had an emergency csection and cried the entire time between deciding it was time (I pushed for two hours with no progress) to them starting the surgery. Once my DH came in and sat with me and the OB and other med staff talked me through everything, I was pretty much fine.

Hearing LO cry and getting to see him within minutes was so so so worth it!

BananaPancake · September 2012

Trust me, you don't want to miss it. Talk to your OB ahead of time and they'll make sure you have something in your IV for the anxiety. Especially mention it to the anesthesiologist the day of - they're trained for people like you and will make it easy! The adrenaline will take care of most of your concerns ahead of time and you'll come out of it happy and floating on morphine!

uncharch7 · September 2012

I blacked out during mine and I wish I would've been awake. I don't remember much of anything for about an 8 hour time period.

I was VERY much like you prior to having DS. The thought of knowing what was going on on the other side of that curtain scared the ever loving sh!t outta me. I told my OB that if I had to have a c/s, they better give me some damn good anxiety meds or knock me out. I was dead serious and they thought I was joking.

The last thing I remember was screaming that I could feel them cutting and that's right before I blacked out. I remember being in recovery and them asking me if I wanted to see my son and I kept saying no because I literally could not open my eyes, and then I remember DH telling me not to be mad but he called his mom and she was there, but she did not get to hold the baby yet. I don't remember seeing my son for the first time. I don't remember breastfeeding for the first time. The first real, coherent memory I have is the nasty ass chicken broth they made me drink for breakfast.

Now, I realize my experience is pretty unusual, but I'd give just about anything to have those memories. It's something I'll never really get over, especially since we're planning on only having one child. The memories fade so fast as it is, and I'm willing to bet that you'll want them... and to be as "with it" as possible during those moments. I don't know if you've ever had surgery before, but for my previous surgeries, coming out of that fog just plain sucks.

Common practice though is to only put you under in an emergency.

AbbyMae · September 2012

mabenner1:
They really only use general anethesia if medically indicated. Going under has huge risks involved.

This. I had a c-section after 6 hrs of labor for fetal distress and then had to be put under g/a because I could still feel everything. I just had a planned c-section a week ago with my second DD and it was COMPLETELY a different experience. I was really nervous going in this time, but getting to see my baby right after they delivered her and being coherent was so worth the nerves going in.

Recovery was night and day too. I am feeling almost 100% back to normal at just 1 week 3 days post c-section. Pain was never above a 5 from the time they wheeled me back to today. My recovery from the c-section under g/a with my first daughter was really difficult and painful.

ETA: They were able to give me some meds once the epi/spinal was placed that calmed me down.I was really nervous about being awake since I hadn't been last time...whatever they gave me helped a ton!

cold0009 · October 2012

The problem with being asleep during the c-section is you wake up hours after the baby is born instead of seeing your baby immediatly and hopefully getting to hold the baby within a half hour.

mandapie · October 2012

If they put you under you are intubated and your SO can not be in the OR with you. Plus what everyone else said... don't get to hear the baby cry, majorly risky, etc. I had ketamine after and it was just to settle me down but I don't remember anything after hearing him cry and asking if it was going to take much longer. I got a very painful air bubble up under my sternum and started trying to throw up, that's the last thing I remember.

LauLauCC08 · October 2012

I think they only do general anesthesia if the spinal doesn't work. It is a little scary, but it goes by really fast and then you get to see the baby! I would rather be able to see the baby right after than have to wait until I woke up.