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3rd Trimester
Anyone else - full anesthesia for c-section?
I'm terrified of a needle in my spine. I spoke with my ob about it yesterday and he was fine with putting me fully out if a C-section was necessary. He made a note in my file that I did not want an epidural or spinal. All he asked was what my plan was for pain management during labor and nodded when I said Bradley (self-study).
He told me to consider that my husband would not be able to be in the room during the surgery if I was out and that the baby would go to the nursery once stabilized, but that DH could follow the baby there. Baby would be brought to be once I was recovered.
Of course, if I end up needing a C it probably means things went to crap anyways, but I'm a little disappointed that my husband will have to decide between the two of us.
Anyone else choosing this option should it be needed?
ETA: Scroll down, I added a comment with more reasoning; it's not about fear of needles per se.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Anyone else - full anesthesia for c-section?
I had a c section with my first and honestly the epidural was nothing compared to being able to be mentally present for the birth of my son.
I would think a lot about this decision, they are moments you won't ever get back!!
FWIW, they numb you up before they administer the epidural and the needle isn't left in your back....just a catheter!
Full general anethesia is much more dangerous (statistically) than an epi, so no, I wouldn't. I've only been put under once for an appendectomy and it was a very bizarre experience which I'd rather not do again. I'd try to focus on techniques for calming yourself so that you can be present for the birth of your child, you might regret it after the fact.
"This ribbon has been reported." - lovesnina
I don't know if a C section means everything went to crap you usually have a little time to start to think about what is going on. Don't feel bad for your husband going with the baby. If you're out anyhow, then him being with your LO is probably the best thing. Just to make sure he's safe and stuff. I didn't know that you had the option of being completely out of it for the C section. I learn something new everyday!
I don't know if a C section means everything went to crap you usually have a little time to start to think about what is going on. Don't feel bad for your husband going with the baby. If you're out anyhow, then him being with your LO is probably the best thing. Just to make sure he's safe and stuff. I didn't know that you had the option of being completely out of it for the C section. I learn something new everyday!
LCB had general anesthesia for her c/s, but that was for medical reasons, I believe, instead of by choice.
I understand the fear of needles, but the epi was by far the easiest part of my c/s. The docs were awesome about talking me through the entire thing and I didn't feel any pain at all during the epi insertion. I didn't even know it had happened until my feet started going numb.
Good luck to you!
Unable to even.
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You don't understand the appeal of Benedict Cumberbatch / think he's fug / don't know who he is? WATCH SHERLOCK. Until you do, your negative opinion of him will not be taken seriously.
No - this is pretty much the nightmare scenario for me. It's also a possibility due to low platelet count.
If I were you, I'd f/u and ask more about general anesthesia. There are also risks associated with general anesthesia as well. There are reasons they don't just knock mothers out anymore during childbirth.
And as far as your labor goes, if you're out cold, your DH won't be able to be there and neither of you will get to see the birth if your child. You'll be in recovery for longer and it will increase the amount of time you spend apart from your baby right after birth. This can impact bonding and establishing breastfeeding
Perhaps you can do things to help decrease your fear of needles in the meantime if that's your main concern- you have lots of time to prepare still. Maybe speaking firsthand with an actual anesthesiologist can help. Your doctor may make a note of it in your chart but it doesn't mean the anesthesiologist will be 100% on board with it - and they're the one administering it.
I don't mean to poo poo your concern. A needle in the back is a scary thought but there can be ways to work around it that don't involve general anesthesia. Good luck.
When you feet started going numb was it really scary? I know that sounds like a crazy question, but it's my biggest fear about having a c/s. I am afraid that I will have a panic attack and freak out. Or.. is it the last thing on your mind?
I should clarify - it's not the fear of needles (I have to give myself shots every day). It's the needle in my spine and the potential consequences. Fear number 1 is having a spinal headache with a new baby. I had one after a spinal tap in high school and I do not know how I could handle that with a newborn. I'm making a calculated decision to miss the first hour or so of his life than to lose days during that first week because I can't cope.
Number 2 is the other less likely, but more devastating side effects of possible paralysis, nerve damage, etc. Or it not taking and feeling the surgery. Or even if it does take, and the entire concept of being awake for surgery. The chances of full anesthesia not taking are lower than spinal.
Finally, I know how I react to full anesthesia (been under 3 times) and thankfully I do pretty well. I would just hope that the nurses are paying attention to when I wake up and I can get reunited with the baby quickly. It wasn't bad when I had surgery at the hospital I plan to deliver at (and that was in the general surgical ward, not the maternity wing). But at the local hospital I couldn't get anyone's attention and they kept ignoring my pleas for ice/water/help in general. They suck overall though which would be why I'm driving almost 2 hours to get good care.
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I had a spinal for my c-section, and I felt nothing. The first needle they put in to numb the area felt like a little pinch, and I did not feel the spinal go in at all. It's honestly the easiest part of a c-section. I am afraid of needles, and honestly I don't get the fear over a spinal/epidural. You can't see the needle. I thought the IV that went in my hand was way worse than the spinal, personally. I would definitely not opt to be put under.
Oh no! It wasn't scary at all. They told me it would happen. It wasn't as much numb like your feet going to sleep as they got really warm and then I couldn't move them without help. I could feel the pressure of the nurses hands on my legs when they moved me to a laying position, but I couldn't feel any pain at all. It was glorious because it was the first time in weeks my hips didn't hurt.
Unable to even.
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You don't understand the appeal of Benedict Cumberbatch / think he's fug / don't know who he is? WATCH SHERLOCK. Until you do, your negative opinion of him will not be taken seriously.
That makes a little more sense, however the risks of any of those complications happening is pretty rare.
Very good to know. I am not sure why this is my biggest fear but it is. The closer I get to the due date the more I think about it.
I would seriously considering discussing all of this with your anesthesiologist as opposed to your doctor. He/she will be able to talk to you through all of the options and what the pros/cons are for all of them.
Unable to even.
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You don't understand the appeal of Benedict Cumberbatch / think he's fug / don't know who he is? WATCH SHERLOCK. Until you do, your negative opinion of him will not be taken seriously.
Thanks for making me feel better! I defiantly do not want to miss hearing him cry for the first time. I am way more afraid of being put totally to sleep then I am of having an epi. I am just afraid of just being a mess and being crazy panicked. My doctor seems to think that once I am in pain that it won't matter anymore, and I hope that he is right.
Thanks for making me feel better. I am a nervous wreck about the whole process. I might not even have to have a c/s , but it's always in the back of my mind.
This is coming from someone who has panic disorder and panics when I'm not in control of a situation. The needle did not scare me one bit and it was a little scary for half my body to go numb. But they have one nurse who stays by your head the entire time and tells you step by step what is going, if you are ok, if you feel ok, they will help calm you down, etc. I started to panic a little when I started to feel sick but dh and the nurse just smoothed my hair and held my hands and I felt better. But from the time they started pushing and pulling dd out to the point where she cried I thought of nothing else besides her and how happy I was.
Waiting for the spinal to wear off can be a little daunting but with all your attention on the new baby you won't even notice. I'd take a needle in the back and a little big of panic over being put under any day.
For me, it wasn't scary at all. It was weird after the fact and really hard because they would not let me leave recovery and go to the NICU to see my daughter until I could move my toes. But, going numb was really the last thing on my mind at that point.
Wow I did not know that was an option.. I thought it was for an emergency only.. I was fully out for the birth of ds but that was cause it was an emergency c section and i had pritty bad pre e and hellp and was unable to have an epi/spinal.. i am haivng a repeat c section next week and was not given that option.. i am having a spinal.(scared about this). for my own nerves i would rather be out but i do want to see my lo be born.
I had a good experence with the general no nasea or vomiting and they litterally knocked me out and it was as if 10 seconds went by and I woke up with very little pain.. just a little burning at the incision sight but they gave me more meds and it was gone.. I did get the shakes after but other than that no complaints... I would totally go for being knocked out again but dh would miss the birth as would I and I know i would regret it.
Thanks so much for the words of encouragement. I guess I am just feeling really overwhelmed by the entire thing. I am hoping that once it's time that I am just going to want to meet my LO , and any fear will just go away. Like you said that the determination will kick in !
That is what my DH said. He said if you are a mess then you are a mess. We will get though it and when we have an outside baby it will be all good. He is so calm about everything ..it makes me so jealous. I am glad that I will have him with me.
This all started with my appointment last week. I was not dilated or anything and my doc started telling me we will only go to 41 weeks. Then he started taking about if I am not in labor they will induce. All of my friends who have had babies that were induced had to have a c/s. It all just spiraled out of control for me. I really thought I was better prepared for this. hahah
My mom had general for her c/s with my brother. She claims that she was "awake" for the procedure, even though she was out. Kind of like she was dreaming what was happening, but she knew that it was real. She said that she could feel all of the pain and pulling and tugging, but that she was paralyzed and wasn't able to inform anyone.
I believe that they also have to insert a breathing tube if you have general. The risks of general are much higher than an epi.
I was a bit concerned about the spinal headache as well with epi since a friend of mine got that. My Dr. said that it's very rare, so I would think the odds of it happening to you twice are very remote.
Hopefully you will have an easy, natural labor and you won't have to worry about a c/s! Good luck to you.
Like one of the PPs, I am facing the possibility of having to go under general anesthesia if I need a c/s because I have a low platelet count, and this is my worse nightmare. I do not want to not be there mentally for the birth of my child. Not to mention that general anesthesia is significantly riskier for the baby. The potential side effects of spinal anesthesia are MUCH safer/lower-risk than those from general.
Also regarding two of your concerns - that you are afraid of the anesthesia not working and feeling the surgery with an epidural/spinal, and that you know how you react to general. If you feel anything, the advantage of an epidural/spinal is that you can TELL them. With general anesthesia there is a risk that the paralyzing drugs will work but not the numbing drugs, and this risk is higher for c-sections than other kinds of surgery because they have to keep the dosages lower so it doesn't harm the baby, so the fact that you have had general anesthesia for other surgeries and been okay does not necessarily mean that it would be the same in this case. This is called anesthesia awareness. It is rare, but it can happen. My mom had to have an emergency c-section with me under general anesthesia and she was paralyzed but felt the incision, so she couldn't tell them anything but could feel the procedure. IMO that is WAY scarier than getting and epidural or spinal block.
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This! Your Dr. is correct, once you get a taste of labor, a little pinch is nothing! You will be just fine! I have anxiety and stressed my ENTIRE pregnancy about having a C-Section. It was cake! I had the same concerns about a needle in my back. Talk to your Anesthesiologist and get some reassurance. They do them every day. Honestly, I can't even remember the needle! He said, "here comes the bee-sting", and poof, it was over. I was immediate relief and like the PP said, my hips didn't hurt anymore!
You will be just fine, think positive and good luck
Having experienced anesthesia awareness myself I can assure you it can happen even if you've had no problems with anesthesia in the past. I didn't have to experience the entire surgery without anesthesia thankfully, but the paralytic did take place quite a while prior to my going under. I appeared to be under anesthesia but could hear the entire conversation in the OR, I felt the prepping of my hand for surgery and the insertion of the breathing tube.
Now it hasn't stopped me from having general anesthesia since then when I needed it, but I would never choose to when there is another safe option.
Kristen (7), Timothy (5), Robert (3), Charles (9 months)
I can't answer the CS question, but about the birth fears in general...if you can still get into a Bradley class--even a crash course of some sort--I would. Unless your DH is putting in equal (or more) effort into the BM, you aren't really doing Bradley, which is all about the husband being your pain-relief in that he coaches you through the pain through relaxation, helping you remember what positions are comfortable, etc. In my Bradley class we regularly talk through our fears as a group and talk about how we can make those things less scary through other choices or preparation or simply learning more. Also, what about hiring a doula? That way in addition to your DH you have someone who has seen loads of births there JUST to give your and your DH emotional support and help you advocate for yourself. Also, if it came down to DH choosing to be with you or baby having the doula there might make you feel more comfortable either way.
It seems to me--and I mean this in a kind way--that you've jumped ahead a few steps in your logic out of fear. On one hand your talking about med free birth with Bradly and on the other you are talking about the most medicated birth you could possibly have. There is a middle ground and more education and time mentally processing based on facts rather than fears might make other options (like an epidural) seem much more reasonable.
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