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C-sections
manda26
member
Hi there! Just found out possible c/s tmrw and I'm nervous!
manda26
member
in C-sections
I had my 39 weeks appointment yesterday and for the first time had slightly elevated blood pressure so the Dr sent me to L&D to be checked for pre-E. It doesn't look like I have it, but I have to go back tomorrow to re-evaluate everything.
They are also concerned because the baby is showing to be 9+ pounds already and I don't have a favorable cervix to be induced now. Obviously LO will just keep getting bigger and the Dr told me to come prepared tomorrow for a c/s. I've known there was a chance this would happen, baby boys in DH's family are always from 9.5-just over 10 pounds but I remained positive I could still have a vaginal delivery. Dr said chance of me not being a mom on Friday is 'slim to none'
I'm so sad I won't get to experience going into labor and all of that but am trying so hard to get over it before tomorrow because I want it to be filled with happy thoughts/emotions from the start. Most important is he is here safe after all.
Question is, how do I go 'prepared' for a c/s? Just show up with my hospital bag? When can I expect to hold him? When can I breastfeed? That is my biggest worry is I won't get to be with him for so long.
Surgery is scary for me, I've never had more then some stitched and a broken bone. I rarely even take medication for a headache, and I just don't know what to expect for afterwards.
Sorry this got long. If you read all of that Thank you!
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Re: Hi there! Just found out possible c/s tmrw and I'm nervous!
Hi there! Not sure I can help you "prepare" for your c/s as mine was unplanned/emergency after failure to progress during induction. I would say that you should have your bag ready to stay for a few days. I would ask your doctor the hospital policy about holding baby/breastfeeding. My hospital has a no nursery unless there is a problem policy and is very pro-breastfeeding, so I was able to hold my baby and breastfeed as soon as I was stitched up and wheeled into recovery where my husband was waiting for me with our son. Neither of us got to hold him in the OR, but that wasn't a huge issue for me at the time.
As far as the missing out on going into labour feelings, it really is the health and safety of the baby and yourself that is most important. I completely understand the feelings and from my perspective, if you are sad about it, talk about it with your husband, your family and the people on this board are great too. I think it is completely normal to be upset, but try not to dwell on it. Honestly, the creation of this board in the past few weeks really helped me deal with my feelings as so many others share the same experiences. IRL, I never heard anyone speak about c/s or the emotions tied to it, so this board has been a godsend!
It is totally normal to feel nervous about having a major surgery like a c-section. From my experience, the worst part was the nauaea that I experienced during the operation. I had not been nauseous of sick the entire pregnancy. One way to prevent the nausea was to NOT eat before the surgery. So, just remember to report to the doctor with an empty stomach.
Also, one thing that caught me by surprise was the amount of pressure and jerking you will feel during the surgey.
You go into recovery immediately after the surgery, and they will take your baby to the nursery to be checked out, wieghed, measured, bathe, etc. While you are in recovery, you will be asleep (or at least I was). I woke up and had no idea that about an hour had passed. My husband had been with the baby. When he showed up in recovery, they wheeled me to my room. A few minutes later I was allowed to see the baby and hold the baby.
I remember being numb probably from the waist down for the rest of the say, and only being allowed to eat ice cubes.
The next morning, I was eager to get up and walk around as the doctor ordered. I think I even took a shower. It was a little painful, but I was so happy to have my body back and knew I had to get moving.
I wore dresses and night gowns. The nurses will come in at least twice a day to check your incision. Mine was always perfect-- no bleeding or anything-- you could barely see it. I had the cs on a Tuesday and we went home that Friday morning. Good luck to you!
BTW, I ended up having a cs because I had high bp the entire pregnancy and had developed pre-e. The doctor didn't think the baby would fit through my pelvis. She was 4 and half pounds, born at 36.5 weeks and perfectly healthy.
I had an emergency c/s a month ago, and was completely unsure of what to expect. Of course, it was such a sudden decision, I didn't really have time to prepare physically (like a hospital bag). However, here's a few things that helped me.
Expect the operating room to be hectic. There's a lot of people, machines, talking and activity. The actual surgery can be overwhelming as well - as one PP mentioned, you'll feel many different sensations (pulling, tugging, possibly weakness & tingling in arms from anesthesia). My advice...DISTRACT yourself by continually talking & keeping eye contact with whoever you bring with you (spouse, parent, etc). DH and I talked about vacations, current events, etc. It helped me keep calm.
My hospital does not take baby to nursery unless you request it or unless LO needs extra care in the NICU. So, for me, I could see him being cleaned & taken care of right there while I was being stitched up. He was with me the entire time I was in recovery and placed on my breast as soon as we were there! Ask your doctor what your hospital's procedure is. And, speaking of BF, b/c you're getting a c/s, your milk may take longer to come in. Mine took almost 5 days...but if you want to BF, don't give up. It'll come.
I was sick after the c/s for the entire day. Nausea. weak. exhausted. All my family and DH's family came, but I think I slept through all their visits. You'll start on a liquid diet and will be bed-bound. but by the next day, I was moving around. In pain, but bearable.
Overall, keep in mind that it's all for the good of you and your baby. Constantly remind yourself that you CAN do this & the overwhelming parts are temporary. Additionally, remember that your doctors & the nurses do this everyday...TRUST their expertise.
Good luck!
Oh, and bring some high-waisted underwear...like granny panty style.
I ended up with a section after pushing for 2 hours and DD not progressing at all, DD was only 6lbs. I was nervous at first and a little disappointed because I wanted to do it myself but it is what it is and it wouldn't have been smart for me to be stubborn. I agree with PP that there is a lot of tugging during the surgery which I wasn't expecting. I met DD in the operating room but wasn't able to touch her until we were in recovery. We were all together with the nurse and I was able to watch them wash, feed, and care for her. (Honestly it was a nice family moment for us, we were together for almost 2 hrs just us and no worries about family members knocking down the door.
In preparation, I would say bring comfy clothes to go home in, because your midsection will be extremely tender. Also you're going to be in the hospital for 3-4 days so be prepared for that too. I recommend boyshort undies, I also used gauze from the hospital as a buffer between my scar and undies for a while after going home. They will make you get up and walking a few hours after the surgery but keep you on a strict diet
thank you for sharing all of your experiences! I'm going to ask the Dr first thing tomorrow about the hospital policies and what I can expect afterward. Time to go through my closet and make sure to bring comfy / loose things to wear.
I feel better when I concentrate on the end prize, my son! Thanks again!!
I was able to hold my son pretty much right away. I was in the recovery room. I didn't get to breastfeed right away, but was able to try once I was in my room. I was worried about that too, but didn't have any problems...the nurses knew to not feed a bottle and that I was going to nurse. Some things you may need: (maybe not so much at the hospital b/c they will provide you w/ some things, but some stuff you will need at home).
-Nursing cami's were really nice for me.
-Granny panties...the low cut undies hurt the incision
-Baggy pants or shorts so you can get out of the hospital gown if you want.
-Ibprofen at home, pads, nursing pads (I leaked pretty bad at first).
-Stool softner at home....a towel folded up and taped or a small harder pillow. When you laugh or go #2 you will need it to hold on your scar. Hurts like a b*tch!
I can't think right now...if I think of something more, I add later.
Mom to Carter (6), and Calianne (1).
Proud VBAC, natural birth, breastfeeding, cloth diapering momma!
Try not to stress. However your LO gets here it will be special and amazing. Lots of moms, including myself experience some guilt, fear, and anger about having a c/s instead of "normal" L&D. However it can go well and you will be just as bonded with your LO. I held and BFed DS #1 after about 1.5 hours. I had an emergency c/s so my circumstances were a little different and I needed to recover from the sudden medication in my system. You should be able to be in recovery right next to you LO while they do all the cleaning, testing, etc and then hold you LO like everyone else.
Just bring you hospital bag, ask questions if it will help you feel less anxious and go with the flow. You will have an outside baby soon and need all that nervous energy to care for them and recover.
For me, DD1 was an unplanned c/s, and DD2 was a planned repeat c/s. Each was a different experience.
After DD1 was born, the post-op pain meds made me nauseous so I wasn't able to see her right away, plus she was more interested in looking around rather than breathing, so she needed to be taken to the NICU to be checked out for respiratory problems. After being in labor all day and delivering at night, I was exhausted and just went to sleep. The next day I went to the NICU to see her and got to hold her right away and started trying to bf. Once we got home I continued to bf and was grateful for my boppy as it kept her off my incision. I nursed her until she was 19 months old.
DD2 was a planned c/s that occurred ahead of schedule. I went into spontaneous PTL with her at 33 wks, so she went straight into the NICU and stayed there for 23 days. If she had waited until our scheduled date, I had been planning on holding her as I was being wheeled back into my room - my doctor had ok'd this as long as I felt comfortable/strong enough to do so. Since DD2 was born so early, I could not nurse her right away and but started pumping. She eventually started bf'ing and I weaned her at 24 months.
C/s can be scary - you're in the OR and there can be a lot going on. You should be able to hold your baby as soon as you feel comfortable doing so. My girls were born on Mondays and my milk came in that Thursday/Friday. If you are delayed from bf'ing right away, don't be discouraged - you can still do it. I would show up with my hospital bag - just make sure you have clothes that will not press or rub against your incision. Just take it easy and try to walk as much as is comfortable post-op. That is the best way to speed up recovery.
GL tomorrow!