North Carolina Babies
sno&jmg
member
Those who had a sch. c-section...
sno&jmg
member
Any tips/advice you can offer up? We've officially got a date set for next Thursday. I seriously can't believe it. It's more surreal feeling than when I found out I was pregnant. Gah!
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Re: Those who had a sch. c-section...
I just read your last blog entry and it sounded so much like my experience! DD was breech and I had a failed version. I was SO anti-c/s, but in the end I'm glad I had a scheduled one, b/c it gave me time to accept it and be ok with it.
My advice- don't assume that you will make it to your c/s date, haha! I had my version around 37 weeks and my water broke in the middle of the night at about 37.5 weeks. DD was very small and I'm convinced that it was the version that caused her to come early (though I did have some contractions after the version). She was perfectly healthy though, and I had a GREAT c/s experience. So great in fact, that I would consider not doing a VBAC if I had another baby- even though I was dead set against a c/s with DD.
GL!
Mine wasn't scheduled but I can't say anything bad about the experience even given it was an emergency in the middle of the night.
You will do great! Good luck!
ETA: It is my understanding from those who have had a real scheduled one. You arrive at the hospital and check in. They prep you and then take you to the OR which is when you get separated from DH so they can do your spinal. Then he comes in, they get started, and baby arrives.
Everyone says the scheduled ones are much easier than the emergency ones.
I'll have a scheduled one next time around (hopefully) and although I still dread being back in the OR someday DH reminds me often of how much I said I loved the C/S after it was over (minus the pain).
Speaking of pain just make sure you stay on top of the drugs even if that means calling the nurses.
I've actually thought about this! Especially since the BH have increased remarkably since the version.
It's good to know that someone else who was "anti-c/s" had such a great experience. I agree with you...it's been nice knowing so that I can accept it and just be excited that my baby's on the way.
I think most people are anti c/s going into it but the majority decide it isn't so bad afterwards. Honestly, I'm just as scared of labor as I am of a c/s but there aren't exactly other options
I had a scheduled c-section and loved it. No contractions, no pain, just a healthy baby. No stress. It was great! The spinal was no big deal, either. The whole thing happens so quickly!
Enjoy your little one!
one more thing. . .(some may flame me for this, but it's true).
they've studied women for three generations and found that women have less long-term complications with C-section as opposed to vaginal delivery. Yes, it's surgery, but you're young and healthy now, so the risks are small. Long term, you will be less likely to have pelvic floor dysfunction and need surgery for bladder/uterine prolapse.
Huh...good to know! Plus, as everyone keeps telling me, the baby's head will be nice and round.
I did not have a scheduled c-section, but I did end up with one after making the decision to go forward with it after fully dilating and pushing with no luck of her coming out.
You really don't feel anything, there are a lot of people in the room, and you can't see anything. Usually a nurse or the anesthesiologist will stay with you and stand over your head and tell you what is going on. I got to hear her first cry and see her once she was wrapped up. Daddy got to see and hold her right away!
The only thing I wasn't prepared for was BLEEDING, and lots of it. Gushing blood when standing up, etc. It subsided after a few days, but just be prepared. Moving at first is a little tough, but they have you moving pretty quick, from the bed, to the rocker, then walking the halls. I had steri strips after my staples came out (didn't hurt at all) for about 4-6 weeks after and my scar healed a little keloid, but over all I had a great experience, no pain and I felt like my old self within a few days, I didn't even fill anything but the Motrin prescription. and didn't need anything stronger even at the hospital after the 3rd day.
Good luck, it is all very exciting!
Thank you all so much! It's very reassuring to hear that so many of you were pleased with your experience. It definitely helps!
It really isn't bad at all, and I was a wreck beforehand. Its a weird feeling b/c its like checking into a hotel. If its an option, try and schedule it first thing in the AM so you have less chance of getting bumped,and b.c you can't eat or drink from midnight the night before! Also, as a friend told me, you can shave yourself where the c-section cut will be so the nurse doesn't have to do it when you get there. Less embarrassing
Once they start the surgery the baby is out in minutes. Its a weird feeling of tugging and pulling, but no pain, just pressure. Also, if you start feeling nauseous from the spinal, tell them and they will inject the IV with something that makes it stop ASAP. My doc gave DH the option to look and see Ben coming out- he did, and was happy he did (even though he swore he wouldn't).
Also, get up and get moving as soon as you can. It hurts like h*ll but gets better quickly and it really, really helps. I was up the night of my surgery (c was at noon, up by 11 PM) because my baby was in the NICU and I wanted to see him. The next day I was in yoga pants and a sweatshirt and walking to the NICU (a decent distance). By the third day I was doing small sets of stairs. I left the hospital only using Motrin, and was fully functional at home (stairs, lifting baby, etc). Ireally think moving early made all the difference.
A tip from a nurse, use the regular maxi pads they give you, adhere them to the inside top of your underwear lengthwise so the absorbent top is facing your scar. THis will keep your undies/clothes from catching on your staples, and will pad the incision in case you bump it, and keep clothes from rubbing on it, and absorb any drainage.
The worst part for me was waiting for the spinal to wear off...it took about 4 hours for miine to wear off. Though, my baby was in the NICU so I think I wouldn't have minded so much if he was there with me in recovery. I was so bored I was facebooking from DH's cell phone, LOL.
I had an unplanned c-section with DD1 after laboring all day and pushing for 3 hours. She just wouldn't come out. I felt like crap for a solid 2 to 3 weeks because it was so hard on my body to go through both.
I had a planned c-section with DD2. It was really a very easy process. I had it at 39 weeks exactly. I got to the hospital that morning. The c-section started about 8:30 and she was born at 9:02 am. It was still pretty painful the first few days. I remember thinking that I thought my OB said it would be way easier. But really within less than a week I was feeling much much better. I didn't have to take hardly any pain meds after I left the hospital, where I did have to take them the first time.
It is definitely a way way way better experience IMO to have a planned c-section. So it is sort of blessing to just know that that is the route you are going instead of trying to labor and push.
Good luck!
My Sweet Girls