No drinking water before c-section?

vtkgirl77 · May 2011

I just got my c-section date and unfortunately the only time that was available was 2:15pm (based on the hospital's OR schedule). They said they normally like to do the surgeries in the morning and offered to check for better times on another day but I didn't want to do it on another day because this particular date works best with my childcare arrangements for DD#1.

I knew I wouldn't be able to eat before the surgery which is fine. I can definitely last until 2pm without eating. However, at my appointment today, I talked to the doctor and she said I can't drink anything (not even water) 8 hours before the surgery.

I am *always* thirsty. I drink water constantly and there have been two times during this pregnancy where I didn't drink enough water and I almost passed out. I just don't see any way for me to make it until 2pm without having any water. I'm not asking for medical advice because I'm going to talk with my doctor more about this at my next appointment but I was just wondering if anyone else got this instruction. I just don't understand why I can't drink water for the 8 hours leading up to the surgery. It makes me thirsty just thinking about it.

hollace · May 2011

This is common for any scheduled surgery. It's just the matter of fact of it. The entire purpose is to not have anything in your stomach, it minimizes the risk of aspiration, which a woman over 14 weeks gestation is already considered a high aspiration risk for anesthesia. This is the same reason you're not allowed food while actively laboring. God forbid something go wrong in either situation and need to go under general anesthesia and have had fluids or a snack even. It increases your risk, and yes, there are ways around it, but it's really not worth the risk. You will get an IV so it's not as though you'll be dehydrated but you will not have the satisfaction of feeling as though your mouth is hydrated. Definitely one of the biggest complaints when having surgery. People aren't dehydrated, but they feel "dry".

vtkgirl77 · May 2011

Yeah, I guess that makes sense. What was really bothering me is that my instructions actually said that I couldn't eat or drink after midnight (which is 14 hours from my surgery). But I think those are general instructions that they give everyone. I'm guessing that if some people have 8am c-sections, then that means it's really only 8 hours before the surgery that you can't eat or drink. At a minimum, I'm going to ask my doctor if I can at least get up at 6am or 7am and chug some water. I just don't want to pass out the morning before the surgery. I also may need to lay low with my activity that morning. I was planning on packing and doing some stuff around the house but I feel like if I can't drink anything that I better not do much.

vml14 · May 2011

My repeat c/s is also scheduled for 2 pm -- which sucks because I tried to schedule it like 8 wks out and one of the docs in my practice who I don't like said it was too early to schedule... and then when they did schedule it, I can only get the 2 pm slot. I'm on the waiting list incase someone who is scheduled earlier than me delivers early, so make sure you ask your doc about that.

Anyway -- yes, I have the same instructions. No food or water or anything for 8 hours prior. I asked my doc if I could wake up at 5 am and eat and drink and she said that she would... but not to go crazy and eat anything too heavy.

I'm actually more worried about how I'm going to feel even later on that day, because if I remember from the last time, even after the surgery I wasn't allowed to eat or drink too much for a while... maybe until the next morning?

hollace · May 2011

vtkendra:
Yeah, I guess that makes sense. What was really bothering me is that my instructions actually said that I couldn't eat or drink after midnight (which is 14 hours from my surgery). But I think those are general instructions that they give everyone. I'm guessing that if some people have 8am c-sections, then that means it's really only 8 hours before the surgery that you can't eat or drink. At a minimum, I'm going to ask my doctor if I can at least get up at 6am or 7am and chug some water. I just don't want to pass out the morning before the surgery. I also may need to lay low with my activity that morning. I was planning on packing and doing some stuff around the house but I feel like if I can't drink anything that I better not do much.

In my opinion so long as there are 8 hours between meal and showtime you're good to go. If you want to have a light breakfast before 6 am (they are real sticklers for that 8 hour rule) I would think most people (in my experience) would be okay with that. I would definitely pass that by your physician though.

Sofka · May 2011

vml14:
I'm actually more worried about how I'm going to feel even later on that day, because if I remember from the last time, even after the surgery I wasn't allowed to eat or drink too much for a while... maybe until the next morning?

you are on a liquid diet until you pass gas

smacb · May 2011

I had a scheduled c-section in the afternoon with DS. I think it was originally supposed to be at 2 and we were supposed to show up around 11. They ended up calling that morning with a last minute cancellation (the mom in front of me went into labor the night before, apparently this is pretty common) My C-section ended up being two hours earlier then scheduled--another reason not to drink after midnight. They have you show up several hours before the surgery to monitor you and rehydrate you. i think I had 3 iv bags before my c-section. Just pound a lot of water right before midnight!!!!

kafunder · May 2011

14 hours sounds like a long time...8 hours is standard I think. On the day I had the twins, I was sent to L&D from a morning dr's appt. They decided around 1pm that I'd be having the babies that day, but they made me wait around L&D until 5pm to do the c/s to give time for the food and water I'd had at 8am to get out of my system. I was SO thirsty and hungry by the time I got taken to my room around 8pm.

WinesNot Whines · May 2011

Huge caveat: I have not had a c-section.

I could not go until 2 pm without drinking. That's crazy! I would press your doctor about the reason why you need to do that. Women drink during labor all the time and then have emergency c-sections. How long does liquid really stay in your stomach?

Hey Jellisy · May 2011

I had a big fight with my brother who is an anesthesiologist about this when I was pregnant with DS. We were talking about this not from a planned C-section perspective, but as a woman who would be entering labor naturally and really wanted to drink water during labor. Essentially he said physicians are worried about aspiration BUT after much heated discussion he admitted that aspiration was a very rare event.

If you are getting to hospital at 11 for prep and will be put on IV, I could probably do it. You still may be able to suck on ice chips to help with dry mouth. That's hard though, I am very used to sipping water all day long.

vtkgirl77 · May 2011

Thanks everyone for your responses. At least it's good to know that it's standard procedure and also that some of you would have trouble with it. If I were not pregnant, I don't think it would be an issue. However, with pregnancy, I just worry about passing out.

Hey Jellisy:

I had a big fight with my brother who is an anesthesiologist about this when I was pregnant with DS. We were talking about this not from a planned C-section perspective, but as a woman who would be entering labor naturally and really wanted to drink water during labor. Essentially he said physicians are worried about aspiration BUT after much heated discussion he admitted that aspiration was a very rare event.

Right, that's what I'm thinking. During labor with DD, I was allowed to drink water the whole time and then got wheeled in for an emergency c-section. I know this probably happens all of the time. I know that physicians want to limit their liability and I agree that they should provide guidance to reduce the risks to their patients as much as possible. So, I understand where they are coming from. On the other hand, I just want them to understand where I am coming from.

Anyway, I'm just glad I'm not alone. I'll talk to my doctor on Friday and ask what my options are. If I can at least drink some water at 6am, I guess I should be able to make it until 2. Also, they told me to come in at noon so hopefully they'll hook me up to IVs at that time.

zeptattoo · May 2011

You need to be careful about drinking water afterwards to. I drank too fast, and instead of walking in on a glowing new mother and baby, my parents walked in on the Excorist.

vtkgirl77 · May 2011

zeptattoo:
You need to be careful about drinking water afterwards to. I drank too fast, and instead of walking in on a glowing new mother and baby, my parents walked in on the Excorist.

LOL! This is what happened to me too. Everytime I drank water, it came right back up. That's why my master plan for this c-section included drinking lots of water *before* the c-section...but obviously my plan was diverted by the "no water" rule. Oh well, I'll get through it.

Lion&Hokie · May 2011

Count me in on the whole "exorcism" thing drinking water after a C/S.

With this one, my blood pressue got so low and the RN kept pushing water, ice, etc...which then just kept coming up. Blech.

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