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Maryland Babies
SnoopyLuv
member
Francesca Pearl is here! Josephine Hope is almost 3!
C-Section Mamas
SnoopyLuv
member
I am likely having a c-section in 13 days...Can you tell me what happened right after you gave birth? How long should I be in there after the surgery? Did the baby go straight to the nursery? If so, when do I get reunited with baby?
I don't really understand how all this will work and the stuff I read online is so varied. I am trying to give myself a crash course over the next 13 days!
If anyone has any specifics and "nice to knows" for GBMC (specific to c-sections I'm familiar with their vaginal policies) that would be super helpful too.
Francesca Pearl is here! Josephine Hope is almost 3!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: C-Section Mamas
Hi and congrats!
I had a c-section after a fail induction. They took me back to the OR and numbed my back for the spinal block. After they numbed me, I did not feel a thing when it came to the spinal block. You'll be cath'd but, they wait until you're good and numb
The actual c-section was not painful, although it was really uncomfortable at times and I felt pretty queasy. They pulled out Dillon, cut the cord, wrapped him up and showed him to me and DH. While they were closing me up, DH and DS went to the nursery.
By the time I was wheeled into recovery (spent 1 hour in there) Dillon and DH met me there within 5 minutes and I got to hold him for the first time.
I'll tell you that while you're healing, nurses will come and press onto your stomach and it will hurt but, late the following day, I was up and shuffling my feet around.
All in all it wasn't as bad as people tend to make it seem.
Good luck!
it depends on hospital policy about seeing your baby afterward - just tell them you want to HOLD the baby right away - and make sure your DH knows too so he can say something if you forget, that you do NOT want your baby to go the nursery right away. My old hospital had a policy all c-section babies had to go to the nursery, and if I knew that, I would have fought it because I saw my baby 1 time in 14 hours, and they told me it was just "policy" - there was nothing wrong with her. So you have to be vocal about it. They can't take your baby without your consent! You have a right to hold your baby afterwards. They can put the baby on your chest or have your DH hold them, just ask them to wait for bathing and shots, etc.
Surgery is quick - I had it after 3 hours of pushing. I think it took 20 minutes? They gave me a spinal where my epidural already was. But it actual operation was not that long.
Also again the hospital had a policy that c-sections you had to stay for 4 days - but my OB let me go after 2, so that is up to the OB. I was ready to leave, the nurses gave me a hard time, but I was fine, the baby was fine and nothing happened by going home early.
They are going to get up up walking around as soon as possible, so just be ready for that - they don't want you resting.
My c-section was for failed induction. I really am not exactly sure of how long it took, but I feel like it was about a half hour (maybe a little less) to get Collin out, then it felt like it took forever to stitch me up. I'm thinking that was about an hour. I think it took longer because she double stitched because she knew I wanted to try for VBAC next time.
I only got to see Collin for a brief moment and was unable to hold him because I was shaking badly and vomitting. DH stayed with him the whole time and they went to recovery after Collin was checked out and waited for me. I held Collin for the first time in recovery and was able to try to BF immediately.
The tried to have me get out of bed 12 hours after surgery, but I still couldn't feel my legs. After 24 hours, they got me up and moving. My son ended up in the NICU, but I think that helped my recovery. The NICU was quite a ways away from L&D, and I walked it (well wheeled part of the way at first) 8-10 times a day. That's my best advice, get up and get moving as soon and as much as possible.
The hardest thing for me is I was not allowed to be alone in my room with the baby until I could get out of bed on my own. DH went home to see his daughter and there were a few hours when Collin had to be in the nursery. I HATED that. If your DH doesn't have any reason to leave that should not be a problem though.
If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to try to answer!
Since your's is a planned c/s, I would think you'd be on the faster/smoother side of things. I delivered at FSH, so I don't know anything about their policies.
I had a scheduled C-section b/c DD was breech.
I had DD @ HCGH, not GBMC so no idea of the actual policies/procedures there, but I'll tell you how mine went. I went in to the OR right on time (also - TMI - I assumed they wouldn't shave me since it was a c/s - I was wrong. .. and my very sensitive skin did not like the quick clip/shave either). The took me for my epidural alone (no DH or doula) - they were super quick w/ teh epi and then inserted the catheter - the whole thing took maybe 5 minutes and I didn't feel anything. DH and doula came in aftera few minutes, they finished prepping me and then started the surgery. I didn't feel anything, but DH tells me they were pulling and yanking DD out. I was kinda woozy, but still pretty aware. Immediately afterward, they showed DD to me for a second and then cleaned her up, did her Apgar, etc. I probably got to hold her about 5-10 minutes after she was born - still in the OR. Then they took us back to recovery and DD went to the nursery for more tests and I was in the recovery room, but I don't remember what I did. She was gone for an hour (maybe?) and then came back to nurse. The took me back to my room after that.
The epidural wore off later that night. I was walking the next morning and they took the catheter out. It took me a few tries to pee and I had to use the water bottle thing and run the water in the sink. I didn't have any gas or BM issues and had a normal BM the next day. I thought the recovery was pretty easy - I think C/S are difficult when you have it after laboring for hours and you are already worn out - but since this was scheduled it was pretty easy. We went home a day early too and at home I was able to go up and down stairs - not a ton, but enough.
Hi! Good for you for getting as much info as possible beforehand!
I had a c/s after pushing for 3 hours - his head was lodged under my pubic bone and he wouldn't budge. When his heart rate started dropping (and I was running a fever at that point) they took me to an OR for an emergency c/s, at about 6:30 pm. (I delivered at Sinai, BTW)
I was terrified that I would "feel" more - the cutting, etc...but all I felt was pressure and then he was out! They gave him to DH, I got to see him and then they took his measurements and determined that he was running a fever too, so he went off to the nursery for testing - DH went with him. They finished me and I went off to recovery. I do remember throwing up a few times in the OR and in recovery, but they gave me something in an IV to make me feel better. Since I was still running a fever (and so was DS)...I was in recovery for about 2.5 hours or so? (It is a little foggy, actually.) DH toggled between me and the baby. My cell phone died at this point - frustrating.
About 3.5 hours after he was born, I was finally in a room and got to hold him for the first time (and BF!) It was so way too long, if you ask me...but they were worried about infections in both of us. But we were all healthy, and that is what really matters.
At like 5 the next morning, the nurses work me to help me to the bathroom, change the sheets, I got to sit up for awhile in a chair, etc. I was walking around the room and halls around noon and showered that afternoon. I felt so much better after that. I don't think I could eat until like 10 am or so? I remember being so starving the whole time.
The things I would change about my experience are all completely due to the fact that it was an emergency. They started cutting before DH was even in the OR, he forgot our camera when he was in the OR, I wish that I had someone else with me at the hospital (my mom) so that DH could have stayed with the baby and someone could have stayed with me in recovery too) and I wish that I could have held the baby or been in a private room much sooner. I would have felt much more prepared if I was a scheduled c/s! I really didn't even view having a c/s as a possibility, haha. I'm not a good candidate for a VBAC, so this is all stuff I'll be keeping in mind for #2!
Good luck! Sending you many healthy vibes for a great delivery!
Happy Birthday, little man. We love you so much!
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Thanks ladies, I really appreciate all your responses! It sounds like most of you got to see/hold baby right away so that eases my mind. I'm worried about establishing a BF relationship right after birth and know GBMC is usually good about that.
Again thanks!
Francesca Pearl is here! Josephine Hope is almost 3!
If you tell them you want to bf and you want to try as soon as possible, they should make sure it happens.
I had a planned c/s at St. Joes. I came in, prepped and was taken to the OR. They put in a spinal and a epi, brought in DH and doula and started. I have no clue about the timing but it didn't take all that long. E was out and they took her to a corner of the room to run all the tests and fun stuff while the dr sticthed me up.
We went as a "team" to recovery, so E never left the me until we were in maternity for a while. We were in recovery for an hour or so (again, its a bit of a blur) and attempted to nurse while some family came in and out (women only). Then we went to maternity.
I did have a bit of a different time about getting the spinal and epi out - they took the spinal out after 24 hours and the epi came out about 12 hours later. So I didn't get up for over 24 hours. I had air compressors in my legs through the night.
We all went home 4 days later but I could have stayed another day, my insurance would have covered it.
My story is a bit different because I had a semi-emergent c/s and my son had to go to the NICU because he was a preemie. However, I do remember being in recovery for about an hour prior to going back to my room. I was groggy all night, and a bit nauseous. By the next morning I felt just fine. I was still in pain, but I had to get out of bed in order to see my baby, so that was great motivation.
My best advice is walk as soon as you feel able. Even if it takes a while, do it. It'll help your recovery. Obviously don't overdo things, but do what you're comfortable with. The wrap thing they will give you will be your best friend. I used it all the time for about a month. It helped especially with getting out of bed and going up and down stairs, which seemed to be the most painful for me.
miscarriage on 11/26/09 at 5w6d
Ive had 2. The first due to pre-e and the second I chose.
During surgery all I felt was pulling. The second was a little more then then 1st due to a lot of scar tissue. They showed me both girls briefly. My H got to feed them a bottle. They were taken into recovery with us where they were bathed then sent to the nursery for about an hour. After that they were brought in with us.
They had me up and about the same night with both. Honestly your best bet is to keep the baby in the nursery the 1st night unless you will have someone there with you. It is just too hard to get up and down.
With my 1st after going home I laid around a lot because my bp was so high and I was so swollen. Revcovery took a lot longer. With my 2nd I kept myself moving and recovery was much quicker. For my 1st I had H with me for 2 weeks after and with the second I was fine on my own after about 4 days.
I had a planned c/s at GBMC with DD. I don't remember exactly how long the procedure was, but DH said it felt like it went by fast. They did a little extra to me because they removed endometriosis while they were in there, so it was a little longer than a typical c/s. According to my OB, a typical c/s is 30-45 minutes. Your OB should be able to give you an idea for how long it normally takes them. DD stayed with us after the procedure so I was able to BF/bond in the recovery room. They encourage BFing at GBMC so it was absolutely not a problem to keep her with me and DH.
She was taken away shortly after we got to our room, because she needed an ultrasound due to an abdominal mass seen on my last u/s with her. (They were worried it was a bowel obstruction but it turned out to be an ovarian cyst, so it wasn't serious.) I had extra sedatives during my c/s because I had a major anxiety attack, so for the first 24 hours they did not want her in the room alone with me. She could stay as long as another adult was in the room (which was most of the day) or when she needed to eat.
I don't know if that is normal for c/s or just because I had the extra sedatives. But really she was still with me the vast majority of the time cuz DH was there and we had other visitors. They do take the baby to be exmained when your pedi comes, but that didn't take long at all. After the first 24 hours she was with me the entire time except when I sent her to the nursery so I could rest, and I think one time they took her to be examined for discharge.
I had a great experience there with all of the nursing staff and LC, and am going back for #2. The planned c/s wasn't that bad. One thing i didn't realize about post-partum is that your uterus needs to contract, so they gave me Pitocin after the c/s to start contracting. Since my body hadn't gone into labor at all, it needed help to get to the post-partum phase, which is typical for a c/s. It hurts! But just keep taking the pain meds and motrin and you'll be fine. GL!