Q for those who have had c-section

EveryNameIWantIsTaken · March 2011

What, exactly, made it so terrible? I went through 32 hours of labor with my son only to have a c-section and when the doctor called for it at 12:01 am it was like the lights from heaven were shining down on me. My recovery, especially for being in labor that long according to my doctor, went very smoothly and quickly too. There is no reason I would ever want to try a vaginal delivery again. The vbac v. repeat discussion below had me wondering.

AshleyEric609 · March 2011

Mine was the 4 hours in recovery, extreme bleeding and clotting, continued clotting (the size of softballs) for a week after, blood pressure that landed me in the hospital followed by a D & C a week after my c-section.

MrsOlson · March 2011

My last two weren't bad either. I had never considered a vbac. Honestly vaginal birth scares the crap out of me now. LOL! I'm glad I can prepare myself for a section this time too.

EveryNameIWantIsTaken · March 2011

AshleyEric609:
Mine was the 4 hours in recovery, extreme bleeding and clotting, continued clotting (the size of softballs) for a week after, blood pressure that landed me in the hospital followed by a D & C a week after my c-section.

Hm, yeah, I forget how I was open on the operating table for two hours for the exact opposite reason, I wouldn't stop bleeding. It was explained to me as a complication from a long labor followed by surgery though. Funny how we forget these things.

AshleyEric609 · March 2011

I wish I'd had Drs who bothered to explain. I was 36 hours of labor, emergency c-section. There was no discussion, just a 'You need a c-section now.' And afterwards...there was no discussion with anyone about my clotting/bleeding, nor would they answer DH's questions while I was drugged up and passed out on the table.

EveryNameIWantIsTaken · March 2011

AshleyEric609:
I wish I'd had Drs who bothered to explain. I was 36 hours of labor, emergency c-section. There was no discussion, just a 'You need a c-section now.' And afterwards...there was no discussion with anyone about my clotting/bleeding, nor would they answer DH's questions while I was drugged up and passed out on the table.

That's unfortunate that it happened that way. I will give lots of credit to my great team of doctors and nurses for explaining things. The explanation didn't happen so much before the surgery because ds's heart rate had dropped drastically, but during (to dh since I was close to unconcious in the surgical room) and after was great.

RadicalDreamer143 · March 2011

I think you hear more positive stories from women who didn't have an emergency c-section. I was asked and advised to have a c-section after failure to dilate from 4cm in 8 hours. I could have persevered, but I was exhausted (I had real, erratic contractions for six days prior) and told my OB to do what was safe. Nothing was rushed, no one was in danger, my recovery was fantastic.

Some women feel they missed out on a vaginal birth, so they want to try for a vbac. More power to them, I've labored and don't relish going through it again

melrob613 · March 2011

I WISH I was passed out on a table. After hours of getting nowhere, we needed an emergency c. I was miserable and awake, strapped to a table freezing my ass off and shaking horribly / muscles spasms constantly. I don't know how long I was there but it seemed like forever. Barely even getting to see my daughter all I wanted to do was get out of the sterile-not very comforting to bring a child into the world-room.

I'm gonna try vbac this time around, but if #2 grows like DD did, I'll be forced to C-sec it again. I also feel like I missed out on giving birth, I was just cut open. Just MHO.

Ritzy19 · March 2011

The C-Section itself was fine. The labor beforehand was a complete nightmare, but that's beside the point.

I didn't have any of the complications that others are describing, but I just overall felt like I had a long and painful recovery. I moved around as soon as possible afterwards like the nurses encouraged and felt like I did everything "by the book", but weeks afterward I was still feeling like I was just out of surgery. The recovery period (especially with a toddler this time!) is what had me considering a VBAC this time around, but I'll still most likely go with a CS and hope that the recovery is easier with a planned one this time around.

vanillacourage · March 2011

My planned csection was awesome. It was like drive-thru childbirth. Recovery was a breeze. And I'm still leaning toward attempting a VBAC. Every pregnancy is different, especially when feelings and emotions have a chance to change over the years between kids.

MissBHaven1024 · March 2011

My C-section went really smoothly and my recovery time wasn't horrible. I was sore for about 2 weeks, and only took my meds for the first week. I don't have anything bad to say about my C-section, I just don't really prefer to have another one if I can safely delivery my baby vaginally this time.

Switzerland · March 2011

I was in labor for 33 hours...pushed for 4 hours, had a failed vacuum attempt then a c-section. Was in the hospital recovering for 5 days, not abnormal. The worst for me was the EXTREME gas pains that literally lodged in your back!!! I walked so many circles in the maternity ward trying to rid them and it was just the worst pain ever. Then once I went home from the hospital it took another 3 weeks to get moving again. I couldn't pick up daughter from laying in bed as it hurt too much to get up and use my ab muscles, I lost my appetite for food, I puked after every nursing session at night since my BP went to low and the gas pains inthe back were still unreal, just nothing I was prepared to experience in my life. My next is going to be a planned c-section but I will probably still get those horrible pains in the back!

Sharra711 · March 2011

I had issues with being "talked over" during the sergury. It was like I wasn't there and all the OBs and Anests were having lunch and I was *just* a procedure.

DH couldn't stay with me, he had to go with DD to the NICU so for almost an hour I was stuck on the table alone.

They didn't let me see DD for 3+ hrs after delivery and nobody ever said that she/I had issues and needed more "recovery" time Indifferent

(Some hospitals have rules about section moms, that they are required to share rooms while vag deliveries get private... my hospital didn't have that, but sharing a room SUCKED anyways)

junebugrbig · March 2011

I had a planned c-section and there were no problems. Recovery was longer than I thought. I would expect if I have another one that I would definitely need help since chasing around a toddler and recovering from a c-section do not mix.

myantonia · March 2011

I just hated everything about it. I hated my abdomen being cut open while I was laying wide awake. I hated throwing up on the anethetists shoes, I hated feeling them moving around in there and pushing the placenta out. I hated laying there helpless while they took my son away. I hated not seeing my son for 3 hours while I was in recovery. I hated feeling like I had failed after 48 hours of labor. I hated that I still can't feel parts of my lower abdomen because of messed up nerves from my incision.

I just plain hated it. So, I'll try for my VBAC.

momtoboo · March 2011

during my labor i had to epidurals that wore off and then for the c_section I had a half epi-half spinal block and it wore off before I was sewn up. I'm just scared of failed anesthesia.

msabol2077 · March 2011

I didnt think my cs was terrible and i really didnt mind it at all. i just feel like i am somewhat missing out on the whole birth experienc by having a repeat one.

Llindsay0927 · March 2011

I also had a c section and I didnt mind it at all. Come to think of it it was an emergency c section and still went pretty good. I got sick though after the c section so I was in the hospital for a week after ds was born but they said it didnt have to do with the c section itself. I had spiked a fever of 104 right before I went into labor so they thought I was sick before I went into labor. I wasnt in alot of pain afterwards though. I felt really good. Im having a planned c section this time.

lvisser · March 2011

Nothing about my repeat c/s was horrible. In fact, it was better than the first one, because I was not exhausted from 32 hours of labor. I actually remembered it, instead of sleeping through it...

Gipper0809 · March 2011

After 36 hours of active labor, I had an emergency c/s. It was a nightmare. I was vomiting, shaking, freaking out and feeling way more than I was supposed to. I pretty much had a panic attack on the operating table. The doctors/anesthesiologists were jerks and didn't hardly say a word to me or explain anything. It was so impersonal. I didn't get to see DD for hours because they knocked me out after they took her out due to my anxiety. All of it was awful. No cute "first family pic". I wasn't able to get DD in the middle of the night when she was crying because I couldn't get up. I felt like a failure of a mother because I couldn't care for my daughter the way I wanted. I will do whatever it takes to avoid a c/s this time. I wouldn't wish my experience on anyone.

EveryNameIWantIsTaken · March 2011

lvisser:
Nothing about my repeat c/s was horrible. In fact, it was better than the first one, because I was not exhausted from 32 hours of labor. I actually remembered it, instead of sleeping through it...

This is what I hope for! Just about every single one of the horror stories I heard and my own experience with labor, still makes me want to have a planned c-section over trying for a vaginal delivery and still ending up with a c-section. Heck, the pain of labor was enough to scare me off. Furthest I ever dilated in 32 hours labor was 2cm, which meant I didn't get an epi until very, very late into labor. My water had broken naturally, but my body wasn't ready to labor, and pitocin contractions are the devil!

Janimal · March 2011

I had an emergency C section. I wanted a vaginal birth, but it wasn't in the cards. And more than anything, I just wanted a healthy baby. They could have dragged her through my left nostril if they needed to.

For this time around - I'll do whatever is safest. Honestly, my focus is on the end game, getting a healthy kid, not the route they get to me. Given that this kid has been frozen in a tube in a lab for almost 3 years before being popped inside me, the ideal of "natural" anything went out the window for me ages ago.

lkf041 · March 2011

I've had 2 csections. The first one was an emergency c due to a failed nst. This one was a horrible experience, my DH missed the birth, I got an infection due to not being prepped. Recovery took awhile and the antibiotic made me sick for 2-3 weeks after the surgery itself.

The second one was going to be a vbac but since I never went into labor on my own I had a repeat csection. The recovery for this one was amazing. I was up and walking within 4-5 hours of the surgery. I had the c on a tuesday and went home on a friday. That same day I was at the park with #1 and was able to actually "play".

Even though the planned csection was awesome I'm still going to try to vbac again. I really want to go into labor on my own and experience everything.

lvisser · March 2011

EveryNameIWantIsTaken:

lvisser:
Nothing about my repeat c/s was horrible. In fact, it was better than the first one, because I was not exhausted from 32 hours of labor. I actually remembered it, instead of sleeping through it...

This is what I hope for! Just about every single one of the horror stories I heard and my own experience with labor, still makes me want to have a planned c-section over trying for a vaginal delivery and still ending up with a c-section. Heck, the pain of labor was enough to scare me off. Furthest I ever dilated in 32 hours labor was 2cm, which meant I didn't get an epi until very, very late into labor. My water had broken naturally, but my body wasn't ready to labor, and pitocin contractions are the devil!

I have no regrets about my repeat c/s.. I actually was even able to WATCH it with the mirror placed above my head. That was a experience that I will never ever forget.

Kalamazaar · March 2011

Honestly mine wasn't terrible at all. I was on my feet in no time and practically walking like nothing happened. Even the nurses and doctors were surprised because I didn't require any pain meds and I healed so fast. I am steal aiming for a v-bac though just so that I am out of the hospital faster and able to care for both DD and this new LO. Plus, I've heard so many people say how bad it was for them that I don't want to tempt fate after having a good one.

loveandlattes · March 2011

I had an emergency c sections because of complications. I never labored. I went to my check up at 37 weeks and was sent to L&D immediately due to pre eclampsia and a heart arrhythmia my son had (corrected at birth). The c section went fine, but I don't remember much. The recovery was awful. I was barely able to walk and function because of the pain I was in. When I hear women say their pain wasn't bad after I c section I wonder how that's possible. I also have a very crooked c section scar so maybe that's why? I want to try for a vbac with this baby. I don't want to go through what I went through again.

megs68 · March 2011

I had a relatively textbook c-section but I still don't want another. Why? I didn't like being cut into. I didn't like not being a participant in the birth of my son. I didn't like the nauseous feeling from all the meds. I didn't like not being able to hold my son for so long afterwards and shaking so crazy for the rest of the night. I didn't like that I couldn't have any water for about 10 hours after the surgery and I was dying of thirst. I didn't like that I needed help going to the bathroom because I couldn't even pull my underwear up. I didn't like that I couldn't even get out of bed or lean over to pick up my hungry baby and had to wake my husband up to help. I didn't like the dependence on the meds. I didn't like the scar and I don't like the still ongoing itchiness of the scar on a daily basis. I plan to try for a VBAC this time.

babes12 · March 2011

Hated the recovery! Since i had a vaginal delivery previously w/ my son i can compare. Vaginal delivery for me = much easier and shorter recovery.

Also, hate the scar it left on my belly. It's an unfortunate reminder to me.

However, due to circumstances i was released from the hospital before 24hrs after having the c-section (DS passed away due to unforseen complications, not related to the c-section). So i'm sure recovery might have gone much better had i stayed in the hospital to recover for 5 days and not been released to plan a funeral.

oh also, i was alone since it was an emergency c-section. And like another poster said i didn't like how docs carried on conversation like i wasn't there and it had nothing to do w/ my c-section! Not to mention i was only 32w3d so you'd think they'd be alittle more concerned.

Didn't like the feeling of right before being cut. i could feel the sheets but not the cut, however i was horrified before the procedure that i'd be able to "feel" them cutting.

Didn't like listening to them sucking out what felt like all my insides when they were done.

Hoping this next c-section has much better results.

*Bre* · March 2011

After a 26 hour pitocin labor, I was shaking uncontrollably from the anesthesia. They couldn't get my son out, so I had an extra wide scar and lost too much blood.

Then my anesthesia wore off completely when they were putting me back together.

Recovery was a *** and my milk didn't come in until my son was 5 days old.

Leap08 · March 2011

My actual C-section surgery was pretty awful. The epidural started wearing off and I felt way, way, too much. I was also shaking uncontrollably - a reaction to the anesthesia + hormones from giving birth - and the OB kept telling me to stop moving. I wanted to kick her in the head. It's not like I had any control over it. I then spiked a fever, which kept me in hospital for an extra day.

My recovery was fine. I have a friend who tore badly during a vaginal delivery and her recovery took a lot longer than my c-section recovery. Still, the reason I want a vbac is because I really think it will be easier to care for my toddler after a vbac vs a c-section. If I have another c-section I wouldn't be able to pick up my daughter for weeks. That would be really difficult, and kind of sad. If I have to have another c-section, I'm okay with it. I'd just rather avoid one.

Ready4life · March 2011

I didn't have a bad c-section. I had an emergency c/s because I went into labor early and had complete placenta previa. So I was never going to deliver vaginally. DD was out in less than 30 min and I was in recovery 30 min after that. It took a few weeks to get off pain meds for me but other than that I had a good experience.

RadicalDreamer143 · March 2011

loveandlattes:
I had an emergency c sections because of complications. I never labored. I went to my check up at 37 weeks and was sent to L&D immediately due to pre eclampsia and a heart arrhythmia my son had (corrected at birth). The c section went fine, but I don't remember much. The recovery was awful. I was barely able to walk and function because of the pain I was in. When I hear women say their pain wasn't bad after I c section I wonder how that's possible. I also have a very crooked c section scar so maybe that's why? I want to try for a vbac with this baby. I don't want to go through what I went through again.

Apparently some people heal better and more quickly than others. Your incision doesn't sound normal, though, mine is a straight line. I took pain meds for three days after going home, and was fine.

I am honestly shocked myself at how many bad experiences there were. I still firmly believe that it makes all the difference when you are talking about non-emergency versus emergency c-section. I can tell you I saw my son immediately upon being lifted out of me - his little head nuzzled next to mine and my DH's. He and DH went to get cleaned up (DH brought the camera so I saw everything afterwards), by the time I was sewn up and wheeled out, he was brought out to me in recovery - 45 minutes max, certainly not three hours. Now, if it was an emergency c-section where the baby is in real distress - you may very well have the same issue even if you delivered vaginally and LO had to go to the NICU.

I feel very fortunate in my experience. My doctors, nurses, anesthesiologist all joked with me and kept me in high spirits throughout the procedure, even explaining what they were doing to me as it went along. If I felt a bit of anxiety, I calmly mentioned it to my anesthesiologist and he would up my meds just a bit. I was never knocked out, and remember everything, except I think he dosed me up a little more with laughing gas when I was being sewn up, which I didn't mind - it made time pass quicker.

iris427 · March 2011

I had an easy recovery from my c/s but the surgery itself was pretty unpleasant. I had been in labor a long time and my daughter was wedged into my pelvis in a funky position, so they had to do a lot of tugging and pushing on things to get her out. It felt awful. Not that labor felt great, but I was able to move freely and that made it a lot easier to cope. Being strapped down to a table unable to move while I was feeling terrible made it even worse.

I don't think c/s are necessarily awful. But I don't want to have my body cut open again unless there is a reason, so I'm trying for a VBAC. I don't think there is anything wrong with choosing a repeat c/s, it's just not my choice for this pregnancy. Everyone's experiences and desires are different and that is fine.

AggieGrl · March 2011

I had an emergency c-section with DS. I will have a repeat C with this pregnancy, as VBAC is not an option with twins, but I would have repeated with a singleton as well.

Even though it was emergency due to fetal distress, I am 100% fine with what happened. I think the different experiences are not only personal differences in how you deal with pain/anesthesia/anxiety, but staff differences as well. I never once felt talked over and I felt like a vital part of the birth. My doctor explained what was happening the whole time and I "held" (as best I could, it was more propped) DS after he was checked over. The nurses even took a picture for us before I was knocked out with anxiety/pain medicine.

I was sore, but I forced myself to get out of bed within 16 hours (first thing the next morning). I walked as much as I could and stayed on top of my pain killers. I went home 4 days later and walked around super Walmart that day, to buy granny panties of all things. :-0

Ritzy19 · March 2011

myantonia:

I just hated everything about it. I hated my abdomen being cut open while I was laying wide awake. I hated throwing up on the anethetists shoes, I hated feeling them moving around in there and pushing the placenta out. I hated laying there helpless while they took my son away. I hated not seeing my son for 3 hours while I was in recovery. I hated feeling like I had failed after 48 hours of labor. I hated that I still can't feel parts of my lower abdomen because of messed up nerves from my incision.

I just plain hated it. So, I'll try for my VBAC.

I can relate to these feelings.

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