Awake during C/S?

wendy2613

So this may sound strange but whats it like to be awake during the c/s?

I had one with my DD but had to be put out completely. I felt like I took a nap pregnent and when I woke they just handed me a baby. (Bizarre feeling).

When I have my next baby I will have a c/s again but will be conscious this go around. I am just wondering what to expect.

Did your husbands watch the baby come out? how long are you laying there? Do you feel much?

I much more nervious about this next delivery...

Thanks Ladies!

SheLovesMrHip

Yes you are usually awake. My husband watched the entire thing and got some crazy cool pics, but my doc was cool about the whole thing. I went in to the OR at maybe 10:30 and had my DD at 11:51 am. Im sure I was in there another 30 minutes for closing. I was numb as hell from my spinal so I felt nothing. Was a cool thing to go through for me. The entire OR staff made it that way for me. 

bitsybubbles7

I was awake, but exhausted (I had been up around 40 hours, 29 of them in labor, at the time of c-section), so I was kinda out of it.  I remember talking to dh and the anesthesiologist.  I remember them taking lo to get cleaned up in the next room and then them bringing him to show me.  Then I remember getting nauseous, telling the anesth, and he gave me meds.  I woke up back in my room. I have no idea how long I was on the table, but prolly round an hour.  . 

I felt nothing but a tugging sensation and  dh refused to look over the blue blankets; I wish I would have asked them to drop it so I could watch.  All in all, it wasn't bad.

Good Luck Mama!!!!

 

salt78

It was pretty weird, but not too bad. I've had surgery in the past that I was not awake for so it was definitely a bizarre experience. I didn't feel a thing besides a little bit of pressure here and there. It did not hurt at all. The worst part was that I was super self conscious about being so exposed, but doctors see that kind of thing all the time so whatever. I got pretty nauseous at one point, but then they gave me some Zofran so that helped. My husband stayed near my head because he didn't want to watch them cut me, but then he went over with her to take pics and such when they were cleaning her up. Right after they pulled her out they brought her over so I could see her. While they were fixing me up, I talked and joked with my OB as he tried to put one of my tattoos back together. I'm not really sure how long I was in there...30 minutes maybe? I really had no concept of time, but it seemed like it went pretty fast.

I really didn't think it was so terrible at all. The way I see it, they do these surgeries all the time. I felt like I really had no reason to be scared. I just went with it and before I knew it it was over.

juliet73537

I'm going to guess that things will be different with a planned c/s versus an unexpected one....Kind of curious how my scheduled one is going to go this time....

but, as for as unexpected, I'm glad I was awake.  I couldn't imagine having been completely out.  I think every hospital is different from other posts that I read on here, but at mine, only 1 person could be with me, so of course DH, and I don't think he was aloud to look over the curtain or anything...but maybe he just didn't want to.  No pain really, just pressure like everyone else said.  My arms were shaking really badly but it could have been partly exhaustion as I was in labor for 18 hrs before they took me.  Was back there for maybe 30 min - 1 hr?  I also remember the discussion they had while the doctor was sewing my very small tattoo back together (he did an awesome job!!)  When DD was born, they tried to hold her above the curtain but I didn't see much.  She had some mucuos stuff stuck in her throat though so they took her over to the side of the room to try to get it out and was just told by DH the other day that they had her on her tummy for like 30 min so she could cough it up (never knew that happened!)

The whole experience went so fast so it is hard to remember any more details but then again, it was after 18 hrs labor. 

wendy2613

Thank you for the responces. It sounds like it will be better than being put under.

 For one, my husband will be able to be there, and secondly I will not be the last person to meet my baby (and hold her).

Also hopefully I will be able to spend the first night of the new baby's life with him/her instead of other family holding her all night (I was in the ICU).

Thanks again, makes me feel more comfortable hearing your stories!

1026pumpkin

It wasn't too crazy being awake- they set up a drape so that DH and I couldn't see them working on me (as long as DH stayed seated).  The anesthesiologist was right behind my head, and he and my doc talked to me through the whole procedure, letting me know that things looked good, etc.  As soon as DS was out, my doc held him up in the air so we could see him and DH snapped a few pics.  They then passed him off to the NICU staff in the OR, and DH went over and took video while they cleaned him up and evaluated him...then they swaddled him up and let me hold him on my chest for a few minutes with DH helping and took some pics of the three of us.  At that point, DH and DS left for the nursery with the NICU staff, and my doctor just chatted with me for the half hour or so it took to stitch me back up, and they transferred me to recovery and DH and DS came in about half an hour after that so we could start nursing.

My doc said they now keep LOs in the OR in warmers, and you call go to the recovery room together with the NICU nurses, and they do most of the evaluations, etc. in the recovery room and then get baby to mom faster to start breast feeding. 

Zimger

It is an interesting experience.

DH did watch the delivery and cut the cord.  I was there for all of 20-30 minutes. I didn't feel much just pulling and tugging, which didn't hurt at all. It just felt strange.

magdalina.h

The drug dr (I can't spell the actual name) talked to us and it was really calm in there with both c/s. MH watched. He thought it was one of the coolest things ever. Half hour both times. It depends on your scar tissue for how long you'll be in there.

Ana0927

I was awake and talking and joking with the staff and my husband.  It really helped us stay calm and relaxed.

gajumper

I was awake and remember most of it...seemed pretty sureal at the time but that may be because I had already labored and was just plain tired. 

Hubby came in but mentioned later that they had already started cutting me open as he walked in...not sure if thats the norm or if my Doc was just in a hurry.  DH stayed by my head but stood up as they pulled the baby out and then went to be with him as they cleaned him up and brought him to me for just a minute to see and kiss as they closed me up.  DH actually wanted to stay with me as I was being closed up as I was shaking uncontrollably (I was told it was a reaction from the drugs in my spinal), but I insisted he go be with his son.  I really do not know how long I was down in the OR and in recovery, but it couldnt have been too long as it was still daylight out when they brought me to my room.

I didnt feel any pain, just some tugging, as others have said.  My anethesiologist (sp?) is actually a fellow horse person that I know from our show circuit, so we talked as they closed me up, which really helped with my shaking and calmed me a bit...I had never had any kind of surgery at all, so was a bit freaked out by the whole thing.  She wiped my tears and we talked about buying ponies, lol.

MrsB*s

I am going in for my third next week, and although I am never not nervous, it's really not bad!  For me the worst part is the spinal.

So for my first, it was after 21 hours of labor, and because I had an epidural and pre-e, my epidural never took great (I always had to be on one side, so the medicine didn't spread evenly).  Then DD  got so wedged that I actually did feel some pain in my pubic bone as they tried to unwedge her, so the second she was out and we had our few minutes together, they knocked me out and I woke up being wheeled down the hall.  

For the second, it was scheduled, and the spinal worked much, much better.  I didn't feel a thing!  For me the weirdest part is walking down the hall myself and hopping up on the OR table -- they do the spinal, then all all the prep, so I get my catheter and shaved, etc., once I'm already numb.  One thing to warn your DH about -- they had him escort me to the OR, and then wait outside until they are close to having baby.  They really don't like him in there more than 5 or 10 minutes.  So they told him he'd have to wait "like five minutes" but to this day he can tell you it was 24 minutes exactly -- he was so nervous and stressed out! Neither of us realized all that prep would have to happen, and then I had a lot of scar tissue, so it took them a little while until my doctor was close enough to have him come in.  But the surgery is already under way at that point.  I remember asking them near constantly "don't forget my husband!" because it seemed so quick last time and I didn't realize it would already be happening when he came in.  For the emergency one, because I was already on a catheter from the pre-e and already had my epidural, it was much faster and he never had to leave.

DH doesn't want to see anything, so he sits by my head holding my hand and we chat.  The anesthesiologist is there for you exclusively, remember, so I always remember that and let him or her know if I'm nervous or not feeling well.  Even with my scheduled, I asked them if I could be asleep once baby and DH have left -- I just don't feel the need to lie there awake while they are closing.  It will take a good 30 minutes.  They were happy to oblige and gave me morphine immediately so I'd be sleepy.  They even asked if I wanted more!  I don't remember falling asleep entirely, but I do think it made the time go super fast and I don't remember a lot.  So it helped with my anxiety a lot to start the medication.  

danigirl7181

It wasn't too bad for me either. I had an emergency CS because DD was in destress. The one thing I remember is that I could move my feet. The doctor was running a spikey thing (according to DH) acroos my belly and asking if I could feel it. I kept saying (like 5 times) that I could move my feet, lol. The fact that they were going to cut me open and I could move my feet freaked me out. But I couldn't feel anything, only tugging like PPs said. I don't remember how long we were in there, I was pretty drugged. DH watched the whole time and took video, though he stopped when DD came out. But she was unresponsive and he thought she wasn't going to make it, and didn't want that on tape. She was good after about 30 mintue though and breathing on her own.

I am opting for a RCS this time around by choice, DH wants it too. It was really hard on him to watch DD come out the way she did.