c-section question

schoolsoutbride · December 2010

Assuming there were no problems with the babies, were you separated from them after the c-section? Like when they were sewing you up (how long does that take?), where were they? Could they keep them close to you, or were they (with or without your DH) whisked off somewhere?

Were they with you in recovery? How long were you in recovery? How did you feel there? Were you well enough to BF? Was there someone around to help you with them right away? Ideally, I'd like them on me skin to skin ASAP. How long would that take?

I'm thinking about how damn bad I felt after my 2 laps and having a hard time imagining taking care of and trying to BF two babies feeling like that.

SoldiersGreenBean · December 2010

No problems with me or them.

I was separated for maybe an hour. They kindly gave me some versed while they finished putting me back together, so I don't know how long it was, really.

After they were extricated, the nurses cleaned them up and brought them over to DH. He held one and a nurse held the other so I could look at them. After that, DH and the twins left for our room while they closed me up.

At the hospital I delievered at, you labor/deliver/recover in the same room (except for the obvious OR requirement). So, they were taken to our room where I met them for recovery. I was considered "in recovery" until I could move my toes, so probably 5 or 6 hours, during which time I was the sole responsibility of my nurse (they can't leave the room while you're in recovery). I was able to sit up, though, and was BFing within an hour and a half of surgery.

Did you have general anesthesia for your laps? If so, that makes all the difference. A spinal doesn't usually give you the same fogginess that general does. I was perfectly coherent after the versed wore off (which, by the way, versed was an option and not mandatory). We were BFing & doing skin to skin within a couple hours of being born.

monkski · December 2010

I was never separated from them. They cleaned them up and then actually gave DS to my DH and put DD on my chest while they sewed me up. My arms weren't strapped down (I've heard some people's are) and so I could hold her. That was so awesome and I didn't even pay attention to anything going on by the docs or nurses. Then they wheeled me off to recovery holding one baby in each arm. As soon as I got there, they immediately had me try to breastfeed. I have no idea how long it was from when they were born (maybe an hour?) The babies were with me the whole time I was in recovery and then were wheeled up to my room with me. I have to say, I think I had the perfect c-section and birth. I got really lucky!

as PP said, recovery really isn't bad since you aren't knocked out. I felt a little woozy, but mostly, you are just numb for awhile. And I think some of my yucky feeling was just the change in hormones after giving birth that you would get with a vaginal delivery as well.

kafunder · December 2010

schoolsoutbride:

Assuming there were no problems with the babies, were you separated from them after the c-section? Like when they were sewing you up (how long does that take?), where were they? Could they keep them close to you, or were they (with or without your DH) whisked off somewhere? We were only separated for about 20 minutes while they were sewing me up. DH went with them to the recovery room and they all waited there for me to get my stitches. I really wanted DH with me in the OR for the sewing up (I had this huge fear about that part of the c-section, but the dr's said he had to go with them to recovery.)

Were they with you in recovery? How long were you in recovery? How did you feel there? Were you well enough to BF? Was there someone around to help you with them right away? Ideally, I'd like them on me skin to skin ASAP. How long would that take? Yes, they were with me in recovery. All three of us were there for about an hour. I felt great. They had me on lots of painkillers and anti-nausea medicine. I don't remember feeling bad at all, although I was cold. I didn't get a chance to try BFing until they brought me up to my room later on. There were lots of nurses there in recovery to show us what to do and even let DH feed DD with a bottle of formula. I don't think we got skin to skin until I got to my room later on, possibly that was b/c I was so cold. I can't remember why we didn't do that right away. But, not having skin to skin didn't take away from me bonding with the babies.

I'm thinking about how damn bad I felt after my 2 laps and having a hard time imagining taking care of and trying to BF two babies feeling like that. Honestly, looking back, I think the entire time I was in the hospital, I was a little "drunk" on painkillers so I felt great. I was able to care for the babies with DH, although he learned the most about how to care for them b/c I had trouble remember what we were taught when we got home due to all the meds. But, overall, I found the entire c-section and recovery very easy.

finallyreilly · December 2010

We had one go to the NICU and the other one didin't. The one that didn't was in the recovery room as soon as I arrived. I had some complications with bleeding with my csection so it took a little longer than normal to sew me up and they knocked me out completely. I was able to start breast feeding pretty quickly after I woke up. I am not sure how it would have gone with both of them there. My two were small so we had to supplement them with formula right away.

GL! Try not to worry about it too much. Everything sort of all works out in the end.

CinemaGoddess · December 2010

schoolsoutbride:
Assuming there were no problems with the babies, were you separated from them after the c-section? Kind of. Katie was in the room with me. Natty was in the room next door. There wasn't enough room in the room for both of the baby warmers. Like when they were sewing you up (how long does that take?), where were they? Could they keep them close to you, or were they (with or without your DH) whisked off somewhere?
Were they with you in recovery? Yup. Both of them were in the baby warmer in our room. How long were you in recovery? I was wheeled into recovery around 3:30 PM and moved to the maternity floor about 10 PM. How did you feel there? A little dopey. Were you well enough to BF? I tried, but I had no supply (not even colostrum), Natty's mouth was too small to latch and Katie's mouth was big enough but she had issues latching. Was there someone around to help you with them right away? Yes. There were nurses all over the freaking place. Ideally, I'd like them on me skin to skin ASAP. How long would that take? It depends, I think. I didn't do skin-to-skin until the next day Natty but it was the day of with Katie. Natty had to go to the NICU for a little bit because of blood sugar issues. As soon as her issues resolved they brought her back but Katie started having the same issues and was transferred to the NICU. So I did skin-to-skin with Katie the day they were born and skin-to-skin with Natty the day after they were born.
I'm thinking about how damn bad I felt after my 2 laps and having a hard time imagining taking care of and trying to BF two babies feeling like that. The nurses were really helpful in getting pillows set up and helping me try to tandem feed them. It didn't work out for me, but it wasn't for lack of trying!

AmberB711 · December 2010

I was never seperated from them. They wheeled me into recovery with both in my arms and even in recovery when I got pre-e my DH and Mom took care of them all night in recovery room as I was in there from 5pm to 4am til I got a room on high risk floor.

I was on Magnesium drip so recovery room was a blur, I actuallly dont even remember much and swear I cant remember seeing Baby B ( Daniel). The actual worst part was baby B( Daniel) was only 5lbs so they were concerned about his temp which ended up being fine but they wanted me to do skin to skin, I was soo hot and so sick from Magnesium I couldnt even hold him close to me.

LightBlue · December 2010

The babies and I had no compilations.

After they were delivered they checked them out quickly, cleaned them and then brought them over to show me. My arms were tied down so I didn't get to hold them right then, but I gave them kisses. While they were putting me back together, DH and the babies went to the nursery where they were given the 1st bath.

I had the babies at 8:00 and 8:01AM and was back from the OR and in my labor, delivery, recovery room by 9:30. I had a spinal and could already feel my legs so I didn't stay there too long. DH was running back and forth between the LDR room with me and the nursery with the babies. I was taken to my postpartum room around 11:30 and they brought my babies to me right away. We started BF and the nurses were amazing, they were there for every question and I had A LOT. My one nurse was a MoM too so she was great to get advice from.

Good luck to you with your c-section, it wasn't really that bad and for what a reward! Make sure to take pain pills before getting out of bed the 1st time and ask for medication for gas if they don't offer.

jenn&chris2 · December 2010

Hi, my arms were strapped down so they gave them both to DH to hold & the nurses helped him show them to me. I was in recovery w/i 30 mins & they were brought in to recovery the same time I was brought in & it was feeding time. I really don't remember much cuz everything was so hazy, just remember bits & pieces of that day & that I let my mom & DH feed them b/c I was out of it (bottle fed). Then we were seperated for about 2 hours or so when we moved up to the PP floor & they had to get examined in the nursery.

Sagenhaft · December 2010

Why do they tie your arms down? For anyone who had this, if you asked them to untie them so you could hold your babies, would they?

SoldiersGreenBean · December 2010

Sagenhaft:
Why do they tie your arms down? For anyone who had this, if you asked them to untie them so you could hold your babies, would they?

For a number of reasons, including - central access, so that if something goes horribly wrong they can access your veins quickly; if you freak out you don't start flailing (which can desterilize the field or worse); remind you not to move (even moving your arms can cause your pody to shift, which is not good when they're using surgical instruments).

It never crossed my mind to ask that my arms not be strapped down. I used to work in an OR - it's definitely standard practice.

Rangergal9 · December 2010

With my older DD they plucked her out, I got to see her and kiss her and then her and DH went to get all her vitals and stuff checked. It probably took about 45 min for me to get stitched up and brought to recovery. By the time I got to recovery DH and DD were there waiting for me. Within 15 min I was BFing her.

With the twins I did not BF.. but they were both in the recovery room waiting for me. I was really cold and shaky this time so I didn't hold them for a couple hours, which was fine with me. I bonded fine with them without the whole skin to skin contact thing. I was so tired that I slept while everyone else held them.

FaeryStarGazer · December 2010

It took 7 minutes from first incision to birth of A. I had my tubes tied and the entire thing- birth, tubal, closing me up took no more than 40 minutes. They were getting their weights and measurements, APGARs, that sort of thing right there in the OR with me. Molly was ready first, so they wrapped her and gave her to MH while they finished up with me. I got to look at her, and see her. Lilly took a little more time, so I didn't get to see her. I got to hold both of the girls in recovery. Lilly needed some breathing help and went to the NICU for about an hour. I was in recovery for about an hour and a half, then I was wheeled to my room. Molly came with me. I felt fine in recovery. My spinal was awesome-- I didn't even feel them put it in, I just felt my legs getting heavy and they told me it was time to roll.

I was able to try BFing whenever I wanted. My boobs are purely decorative though, as we found out 10 days later with no let down in sight.

Really though, you'll be fine. You won't have much if any control of what happens when you have the babies, so just be OK with rolling with whatever happens.

FaeryStarGazer · December 2010

SoldiersGreenBean:
Sagenhaft:
Why do they tie your arms down? For anyone who had this, if you asked them to untie them so you could hold your babies, would they?

For a number of reasons, including - central access, so that if something goes horribly wrong they can access your veins quickly; if you freak out you don't start flailing (which can desterilize the field or worse); remind you not to move (even moving your arms can cause your pody to shift, which is not good when they're using surgical instruments).

It never crossed my mind to ask that my arms not be strapped down. I used to work in an OR - it's definitely standard practice.

Ditto that. My left arm was restrained but my right was free. It's no biggie.

Temp6313048411121614 · December 2010

It took about 30 minutes to stitch me up. They were in the OR with us while I was being stitched. When we got to the room (there was no "recovery", you go straight to your room), they were there with us. I don't remember if I BF them before they were warmed or if they were warmed first (they took a while to get their body temps regulated, probably about an hour or so). They weren't taken anywhere until night, since DH wasn't staying with me, I couldnt' have them in my room overnight (while sleeping) alone because of the drugs, they didn't want me having to get up quickly to get a baby and losing balance or strength and dropping/tripping.

tSquared1987 · December 2010

My boys were born at only 30 weeks so obviously they were seperated from me right away. Taylen came out not breathing also. They were taken to the NICU right away and I told DH to go with them. My kids were born at 1:41 AM and 1:43 AM and I did not see them until 3:35 AM. They were not with me in recovery. The nurses took me up to the NICU after recovery to see the boys before I was taken to my regular room. In recovery I was feeling more shocked than anything. Very tired (then again I was given Ambien at 10 PM that night but that's a whole other shitty story). VERY anxious to see the boys and scared because they were so premature.

I started pumping at about 9AM that morning but nothing came in until about 2 days later. Someone was always with me when I was by them (since they were in the NICU). I didn't hold my boys until they were 2 days old and I did skin to skin when they were 4 days old.

My situation is probably way different than yours will be so although mine was CRAP, hopefully yours will be better and you can cook those babies longer than I could Smile

On a positive note, my csection recovery went REALLY well. I was up and walking within 12 hours and my pain wasn't too terrible. I wasn't allowed to shower until 24 hours after the surgery and let me tell you, that shower was *glorious* lol I seriously thought it was going to be WAY worse than it actually was.

Luvie13 · December 2010

All three of us were healthy. they weighed and examined the girls then let my husband hold them and lie them on my chest. while I was being sewed up they were cleaned, dressed and wrapped up. they came into recovery with me and stayed with me ever since. Things were a little foggy but recover seemed like about an hour or less and we were moved into our room. I nursed both babies in recovery.

from my experience the pain and discomfort took a back seat to holding, kissing and feeding my girls. Once they were put in my arms they were all i focused on.

the pain really came the next day.

best wishes for a smooth delivery!

ps. i was terrified of having a c-section, but honestly I'd do it again in a second. it went very well and recovery was not nearly as bad as i had expected.

Addykins · December 2010

They went to the NICU for an hour for monitoring. My water broke and had meconium in it but they still waited 6 hours to do my c-section so they just wanted to be sure their lungs were good and clear.

I on the other hand, ended up in the ICU. I had them at 5:30am and didn't get to actually see them or meet them until I was about to go into my room at 2:30pm. I barely got to see flashes of them in the OR.

schoolsoutbride · December 2010

Thanks ladies. This helps me know more what to expect and ask for if baby A doesn't get with the program and turn head down. I already have a lot of risk factors for jaundice, so I want them nursing ASAP to start flushing their systems out. O took a while to get going after my last delivery b/c I couldn't do it laying down and didn't get anybody to help me. By the time I was able to get him latched, he was lethargic and had no suck reflex from the jaundice and polycythemia.

So I'm thinking if I can't do skin to skin, I'll see if DH can do it instead. (Or my Mom AND DH if he can't do both for some reason.) I want them to postpone the bath and all of that until I've had a chance to have some time with them and BF.

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