Preemies

Curious-how did your c-section go?

I hope this isn't insensitive. I always knew I would be having a c/s (ended up with an emergency c/s) so I talked to me BFF about it (she had two). She told me It was no big deal, 'there's some pressure (uh:.....some?) but the longest part of the c/s is sewing the incision up'.

My c/s SUCKED! Seriously, SOME pressure?! At one point, I asked my husband 'what in the f*ck are they doing to me'. I yelled at my BFF when I saw her after the babies were here. Lol! Granted, I had three babies to be born but still..... I have nightmares about that damn c/s. Saying that, my recovery was easy which surprised me.

So how was your c/s? How do women decide to get pg again knowing they have to have another c/s? (this more of a rhetorical question....really I'd probably wonder the same thing if I had a vaginal birth).

When I was pregnant I realized what a wuss I am In the pain department so that maybe a factor too. I HATED the epidural....I started sobbing (again) when my Dr told me they were getting ready to do the epidural.

Re: Curious-how did your c-section go?

  • I had an emergency c section, and I was under general, rather than an epi (I was on Lovenox, and Lovenox needs to clear your system for at least a few days prior in order to get an epi), so I don't remember ANYTHING of the actual c section. I fell asleep as they were putting up the blue curtain, and came to in the recovery room. First thing I remember is asking DH if she was dead.

    I would have liked to be coinscience during the c section, to be able to see her right after birth (not have to wait a day), to have DH cut the cord, and see her birth (he couldn't be in the room since it was "surgery under a general"). So, I'm mourning the basic parts of "the birth experience", since for me, it was basically a standard surgery.

    I have a hard time saying "I gave birth", because I really don't feel as though I "gave birth". I went in with a nice round belly, and came out with an oddly deflated looking thing. The next day, a nurse took me to the NICU to show me that my baby wasn't dead (I was convinced that she was, and everyone was trying to alleviate my mourning until I was better healed).

    If you would have asked me a week later what I thought of the RECOVERY of my c section, I would have gone on and on about how much it royally SUCKED. And, it did, for about 4 days afterwards. But, with the fog that time provides, in hindsight, I can say "for 4 days it sucked, but overall not bad". However, time has not yet glazed over when the nurse ripped (I say ripped for lack of more accurate term) the bandages off. Holy fvck. That hurt.

    I still don't have surface feeling on my lower belly, which is a weird sensation, but my incision site was done properly and healed well. The dr saw me at one week PP and said that my site looked as if it was two weeks old.


    BFP #1 via IUI ~ L (Fatal Birth Defect) 4/7/10
    BFP #2 via IUI ~ m/c
    BFP #3 via cancelled IUI ~ C (2lb 3oz; HELLP) 5/16/11
    BFP #4 via the natural (free!) way ~ E (8lb 11oz) 9/13/12
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  • When we got to the hospital, they confirmed my water had broken, hooked me up to monitors, and started a biophysical profile. As soon as the biophysical profile was finished (DD scored 0/8), they brought me to the OR and gave me some good drugs in my IV. No clue what they put in there, but it was like immediate relief, I was still scared for DD, but I wasn't in a panic. Then they did the epidural and I don't even remember feeling it. The C-section went quickly and I honestly don't even remember any pressure. I'm thinking probably because DD was so small (3lb 12oz - and only one of her!). After DD was out, they assessed her, I got to kiss her and DH got to hold her (despite the scary BPP, she had no respiratory issues), and I think all that happened while they were sewing me up. Then DH and DD left to go to the NICU and I was parked to the side of the room for an hour to recover.

    The recovery after that was great, they gave me one or two rounds of strong pain meds, then I refused them and just took ibuprofen for the duration of the hospital stay. I think I took the ibuprofen again a couple times after I got home, but that's it. Honestly the most painful part of my experience was  getting the IV in at the very beginning...the nurse that did it wasn't very good and took several tries. THAT had me swearing! lol

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  • The beginning was fine, and after they took her out I just felt euphoric because she was breathing- they let me see her and hold her hand for a second and they had said I wouldn't see her at all so I was super happy.

    But after they took her away? ICK! I felt a lot of pressure too, because they didn't sew me up right away. They were looking to see what made me go into labor so early and checking out my scarring from previous surgeries. So I could feel them, I don't know, tugging on stuff? It made me feel really anxious and nauseous. Except then I just told the anesthesiologist and he gave me something and I was fine after that :)

    My recovery was okay- I remember the first day being horrible but I kept refusing the pain meds b/c they made me sleep and I wanted to go to see my baby so I just kept lying to them about my pain level. I made myself get up a WHOLE lot so that I could see Scarlette and I think that made it better.

    I had a spinal block which wasn't bad at all. The worst part for me too was the IV - they had to call in a specialist because my veins kept bursting and I had huge black bruises up my arm for about 6 weeks after giving birth :/

     

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  • I had an emergency c-section.  I went in at 9am because I thought something was amiss.  I really thought I was being paranoid pregnant lady and that they would call me crazy and send me home.  I had a baby 4 hours later.  So emotionally it was awful.  I asked to be put under general because I was such a wreck and I had no clue what she would look like or if she would be born alive.  They said they couldn't because it was too risky for the baby.  The csection itself was probably the worst experience of my life.  I was vomiting and heaving from the meds they had given me previously to stop the contractions and dilation. They kept asking me if I was okay and talking to me.  I remember grunting at them.  DD cried when they took her out so that made me feel a little better but I still just couldn't believe this was happening to us.  The only positive thing I can say about it is that my recovery really wasn't very bad.  I credit that with not having to take care of a newborn.  I ended up going back to work three weeks later. 

     Sadly, it was one of the worst days of my life.  I don't know how the pregnant after preemie ladies do/did it.  The thought of having another preemie or even a csection at full term makes me physically ill. 

  • My c-section was emergency, but not so emergency they had to knock me out.  I had a spinal, felt no pressure (even when they said, "You're going to feel pressure now").  I was able to get a bikini cut (across ways) both externally and internally.  They used glue to close my incision on the outside.  I had a BUNCH of extra stitches inside because I had a hernia. 

    Getting up the first time sucked ass.  The rest of the times I was there it was painful, but not terrible.

    I think my bleeding finally stopped (I'll be 6w pp Friday).

    All-in-all it wasn't that bad.  I still have some pain if I move weird.  But, I feel pretty much back to normal.  It was much less horrible than I'd imagined it would be. 

    I wouldn't have an issue getting a c/s again (which is good, because I am not a candidate for a vbac).  That said, the NICU experience has been enough for me to say, "No Thanks" to more babies.   H and I were on the fence about another baby even before we had him.  So, now we are pretty cemented.  Though, not enough for him to get a vasectomy.  I'm getting my IUD Friday.  

    Born at 31w3d due to severe IUGR & Placental Insufficiency--2lbs 3ounces
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  • kck329kck329 member

    Honestly? I don't even remember most of my c-section. I went to the midwives office at 11:30, got to the hospital by 1 and C was born at 2:30. There wasn't time for me to feel anything but fear for C's life. All I remember is that after I got to the hospital, the midwife and OB kept stepping out of the room to talk about me, which told me something bad was going to happen. I called my DH and told him to rush to the hospital and to call my mom on the way. He walked in the room, they threw him some scrubs and I was wheeled out for my epi. I remember the midwife talking to me through the epi and all I could say was "when the baby is born, my husband has to stay with her no matter what." He came in, they did the surgergy, she was born (no crying) and wisked away to the NICU. They paused a moment so I could touch her tiny arm through the hole in the isolette and then my DH and my baby were gone. I just cried until they got me into recovery where my dad, stepdad and pastor (no idea how they all found out) were waiting.

    Recovery wasn't horrible for me. I was so determined to go see C, I took all the meds they gave me and forced myself to sit up without getting dizzy so I could see her around midnight that night. Afterwards, I took most of the meds, slowly tapering off so I could drive myself in about 2 weeks PP. I would get dizzy and there was a lot of pain but the pain of watching C struggle was more overhwelming and I kind of ignored the phyiscal pain.

    Because of the type of incision, no vbac allowed for me. I think I can handle another c-section though I imagine I will be a little more anxious about the actual surgery when it is planned and I have time to process it. 

  • I never wanted to have a CS but it was an emergency and Kimo was breeched. Honestly, I felt a little pressure. I think my mind was just focused on them coming out and hearing that cry. I didn't even realize they had started until I felt the pressure. the closing up part took the longest.

    But after the drugs wore off...oh , I felt it. Especially when I coughed.

    MY FOUR ANGELS... M/C 12/26/02 AT 4 WEEKS M/C 12/31/07 AT 12 WEEKS, D & C M/C 12/5/08 AT 9 WEEKS, D & C ***BFP ON 3/26/09*** MARY REYNA BORN AND PASSED AWAY JULY 31ST, 2009 AT 23 WEEKS. GOODBYE SWEET BABY...I WILL MISS YOU FOREVER. ***AFTER 17 WEEKS ON BEDREST*** Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • Mine was an emergency c also - but I refused the general anesthesia and wanted a spinal - they actually had to go get another anesthesiologist because the first refused to administer the spinal laying down.  But I didnt want to go under and wake up to find out she didnt make it.  The section itself wasnt painful but boy did I feel the tugging and pulling and all sorts of stuff - she was only 1 pound but it felt like they were trying to pull a bowling ball out of there - I was so scared she wouldnt make it I stared at my DH the whole time - my arms were shaking and my teeth were chattering so bad from the spinal - as soon as she was out of me and they brought her up to my face for a second so I could see she was alive they knocked me out - which I think was the best thing they could have done.  Recovery was pretty sucky too - I was up the very next day which everyone in my family couldnt believe (My sister has had two c-sections and took days to get up) - I told them if their baby was clinging to life in another part of the hospital they would get up too
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  • Another emergency C here, Hunter was transverse and everyone wanted to avoid a half-and- half.  I had a spinal and since I was in labor and they waited until the middle of contraction I didn't feel it at all, I was too focused on the pain.  As PPs said tons of pulling and tugging and being sewn back up was the worst.  I was alone and scared and begging for ice chips to combat the dry mouth from the mag.  My recovery was not easy, I had a reaction to the steri strips and it took me 8 weeks to finally stay closed.  
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  • My c/s went great.  I didn't have any pain/pressure.  I didn't feel anything at all.  My recovery was fast and I was off all pain meds by the time I was discharged.  I hear some women have a very tough time.  Its just like everything else, everyone has a different experience.  I'm sorry yours was so rough!
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  • I barely felt a thing, because I kept remembering that if I got too nervous the epi wouldn't work and I was afraid to feel the incision as one friend of my mother's had said that the epi was not at all working when the doctors started doing the incision, I felt very little pressure, but a lot of pulling, when LO came out he cried and saw him for a second, I cannot forget that moment, when the doctor showed him to me, he had his round bright eyes wide open and I gave him his first mommy kiss on his cheek, that is a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life...

    I also didn't feel when I was  being "glued" together (no stitches at all) with a bikini line but getting up to shower the day after was horrible... It took me about 3 weeks to stop feeling pain, but I can say my cs was great .

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  • I knew I was going to wind up with a section because DD was breech, so I was mentally prepared for it.

    I had a spinal block, which was probably worse than the section, tbh.  I was having major contractions (at 7cm) and apparently my spine curves to the right at the bottom, so the resident couldn't get it in.  They stuck me probably 6 times.  I'm so glad that I couldn't see it afterwards - my mom said it looked bad, and she's an L&D nurse!

    Once it was in, I only felt pins and needles in my lower half and I got the shakes.  I hated the shakes, but the warm blanket felt nice. 

    The actual surgery wasn't bad at all.  I didn't even feel too much pressure when they said I would, and DD's head was wedged into a corner of my ute.

    My recovery wasn't bad, either.  I tried to walk a lot to keep things moving.  I know I'm very lucky to have had such a good experience.  I will most likely opt for a scheduled sections with #2 (hoping I make it to term!) based on my ob's recommendation and the fact that our families live far away.  Selfish, I know, but it will be nice to have family around to help out, if possible.

    BFP(1) DD1 born 4.17.10 @ 33w5d due to pPROM
    BFP(4) DD2 born 2.14.13 @ 35w5d due to pPROM

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  • imagedamabo80:

    I had an emergency c section, and I was under general, rather than an epi (I was on Lovenox, and Lovenox needs to clear your system for at least a few days prior in order to get an epi), so I don't remember ANYTHING of the actual c section. I fell asleep as they were putting up the blue curtain, and came to in the recovery room. First thing I remember is asking DH if she was dead.

    I would have liked to be coinscience during the c section, to be able to see her right after birth (not have to wait a day), to have DH cut the cord, and see her birth (he couldn't be in the room since it was "surgery under a general"). So, I'm mourning the basic parts of "the birth experience", since for me, it was basically a standard surgery.

    I have a hard time saying "I gave birth", because I really don't feel as though I "gave birth". I went in with a nice round belly, and came out with an oddly deflated looking thing. The next day, a nurse took me to the NICU to show me that my baby wasn't dead (I was convinced that she was, and everyone was trying to alleviate my mourning until I was better healed).

    If you would have asked me a week later what I thought of the RECOVERY of my c section, I would have gone on and on about how much it royally SUCKED. And, it did, for about 4 days afterwards. But, with the fog that time provides, in hindsight, I can say "for 4 days it sucked, but overall not bad". However, time has not yet glazed over when the nurse ripped (I say ripped for lack of more accurate term) the bandages off. Holy fvck. That hurt.

    I still don't have surface feeling on my lower belly, which is a weird sensation, but my incision site was done properly and healed well. The dr saw me at one week PP and said that my site looked as if it was two weeks old.

    This!


    image

    PG#1 - 3rd cycle BFP. Team Green. HELLP syndrome @ 34 weeks.
    Later diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, possible link to HELLP.

    PG#2 M/C 3/14 - Surprise BFP 2/13. Beta's doubled every 52 hours from 3w5d-5w5d
    Viable pregnancy scan at 5w5d; 2nd u/s showed 2 days of growth in 7 but a HB of 120
    3rd u/s on 3/10/14 had no HB and baby had only grown 7 days over 14
    D&C 3/17/14 - complications - DX Retroflexed uterus, multiple tears to cervix

    All Welcome

    Chart

  • imagedamabo80:

    I had an emergency c section, and I was under general, rather than an epi (I was on Lovenox, and Lovenox needs to clear your system for at least a few days prior in order to get an epi), so I don't remember ANYTHING of the actual c section. I fell asleep as they were putting up the blue curtain, and came to in the recovery room. First thing I remember is asking DH if she was dead.

    I would have liked to be coinscience during the c section, to be able to see her right after birth (not have to wait a day), to have DH cut the cord, and see her birth (he couldn't be in the room since it was "surgery under a general"). So, I'm mourning the basic parts of "the birth experience", since for me, it was basically a standard surgery.

    I have a hard time saying "I gave birth", because I really don't feel as though I "gave birth". I went in with a nice round belly, and came out with an oddly deflated looking thing. The next day, a nurse took me to the NICU to show me that my baby wasn't dead (I was convinced that she was, and everyone was trying to alleviate my mourning until I was better healed).

    If you would have asked me a week later what I thought of the RECOVERY of my c section, I would have gone on and on about how much it royally SUCKED. And, it did, for about 4 days afterwards. But, with the fog that time provides, in hindsight, I can say "for 4 days it sucked, but overall not bad". However, time has not yet glazed over when the nurse ripped (I say ripped for lack of more accurate term) the bandages off. Holy fvck. That hurt.

    I still don't have surface feeling on my lower belly, which is a weird sensation, but my incision site was done properly and healed well. The dr saw me at one week PP and said that my site looked as if it was two weeks old.

    This!


    image

    PG#1 - 3rd cycle BFP. Team Green. HELLP syndrome @ 34 weeks.
    Later diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, possible link to HELLP.

    PG#2 M/C 3/14 - Surprise BFP 2/13. Beta's doubled every 52 hours from 3w5d-5w5d
    Viable pregnancy scan at 5w5d; 2nd u/s showed 2 days of growth in 7 but a HB of 120
    3rd u/s on 3/10/14 had no HB and baby had only grown 7 days over 14
    D&C 3/17/14 - complications - DX Retroflexed uterus, multiple tears to cervix

    All Welcome

    Chart

  • I defintiely had pain during my c-section. They ended up tilting the table at an angle to alleviate some of it (how that helped I have no idea) and then it was better. But my recovery was TERRIBLE. I think that I'd gone through so much with that pregnancy that once the babies were out my body just gave up. I passed out the first time I tried to get out of bed, and I needed the catheter for over 48 hours because I didn't have the strength to walk to the bathroom. And I was in pain for over a week, popping percosets like candy. But I will say that the surgeon did an awesome job - you can't even see my scar and everything in that area feels totally normal now.

     I'm definitely not planning on another pregnancy, but if I did I'd be okay with another c-section. I beleive I'd do much better under different, less traumatic circumstances!

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  • imagedamabo80:

    I had an emergency c section, and I was under general, rather than an epi (I was on Lovenox, and Lovenox needs to clear your system for at least a few days prior in order to get an epi), so I don't remember ANYTHING of the actual c section. I fell asleep as they were putting up the blue curtain, and came to in the recovery room. First thing I remember is asking DH if she was dead.

    I would have liked to be coinscience during the c section, to be able to see her right after birth (not have to wait a day), to have DH cut the cord, and see her birth (he couldn't be in the room since it was "surgery under a general"). So, I'm mourning the basic parts of "the birth experience", since for me, it was basically a standard surgery.

    I have a hard time saying "I gave birth", because I really don't feel as though I "gave birth". I went in with a nice round belly, and came out with an oddly deflated looking thing. The next day, a nurse took me to the NICU to show me that my baby wasn't dead (I was convinced that she was, and everyone was trying to alleviate my mourning until I was better healed).

    If you would have asked me a week later what I thought of the RECOVERY of my c section, I would have gone on and on about how much it royally SUCKED. And, it did, for about 4 days afterwards. But, with the fog that time provides, in hindsight, I can say "for 4 days it sucked, but overall not bad". However, time has not yet glazed over when the nurse ripped (I say ripped for lack of more accurate term) the bandages off. Holy fvck. That hurt.

    I still don't have surface feeling on my lower belly, which is a weird sensation, but my incision site was done properly and healed well. The dr saw me at one week PP and said that my site looked as if it was two weeks old.

    This!


    image

    PG#1 - 3rd cycle BFP. Team Green. HELLP syndrome @ 34 weeks.
    Later diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, possible link to HELLP.

    PG#2 M/C 3/14 - Surprise BFP 2/13. Beta's doubled every 52 hours from 3w5d-5w5d
    Viable pregnancy scan at 5w5d; 2nd u/s showed 2 days of growth in 7 but a HB of 120
    3rd u/s on 3/10/14 had no HB and baby had only grown 7 days over 14
    D&C 3/17/14 - complications - DX Retroflexed uterus, multiple tears to cervix

    All Welcome

    Chart

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