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C-sections
tegss
member
I'm so nervous about RCS on Wednesday!
tegss
member
in C-sections
My first CS was an emergency, and I had to be put under general anesthesia 
I still feel very sad that I never heard my baby's first cry, my husband never heard/ saw anything either, and everyone else got to hold my baby before I did because I was knocked out for a while.
I know this time will be different, but now I am worried because I have no idea what to expect. I'm so nervous that my spinal block won't even work again and they will have to knock me out!
What should I expect (besides the obvious "tugging" and "pulling" that I hear so much about)??
Does the surgery really only take about 1/2 hr?
What do you do for the couple of hrs that you have to be at the hospital before the surgery?
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Re: I'm so nervous about RCS on Wednesday!
For me, I felt the tugging a pulling but also the spinal makes me nauseous! I dry heaved the whole time. I had nothing in my tummy since it was planned so there was nothing to come out.
The surgery is relatively quick if it goes by the book.
The few hours before....try to rest, if nothing else bring magazines, a movie, book? Laptop? They will be putting in IV's, giving you antacids meds, putting in your catheter, etc.
I'm sorry you're so nervous and I wish I could tell you not to be! I'm having my third c/s in less than 2 weeks and I'm nervous too. And I've never had a bad experience, it's just the anxiety of the whole thing!!
My experience is this: show up 2 hours before, starving because you can't eat
I was taken to the OR prep room and hooked up to IVs right away to start getting fluids and antibiotics for group B strep. Lots of paperwork, nurses asking all the same routine questions. Hang out for a long time and just wait until the OR is ready. At this point I have to be given a sedative for panic attacks, something I have no control over. Sedative makes me loopy and say goofy things but I remember the whole procedure so not groggy at all. DH is given scrubs and he gets ready. Then taken to the OR without DH, he stays in the hallway until after the spinal. Some hospitals have you walk yourself to the OR, some wheel you in. Sit up on the bed with a nurse in front and anesthesiologist in back (plus half a dozen other nurses and doctors milling around prepping the room). Get your spinal, lay down and DH is brought in. Up goes the sheet so you can't see, DH at your side, anesthesiologist at your head. If you feel nauseous, hard to breathe or any pain be sure to communicate that to your anesthesiologist, that's what they are there for.
Baby is out within 5 minutes and they will bring him to your side to meet and say hi before DH and baby head off to the nursery. It will take another 20 minutes or so to stitch you up. I usually just lay there listening to everyone normal every-day conversations (what they did over the weekend, etc). Really simple, quick and easy.
Then it's off to the recovery room for 30min to a couple hours depending on the hospital, etc. Baby can be brought to you there for skin-to-skin, BFing, etc.
GL and I'm sure everything will go just fine!!
Mama Jan's Kitchen... a food blog
I am so sorry about your first c section experience. I know the disappointment of missing out on those moments. I wasn't asleep for my first but DD was rushed off to the NICU and I didn't see her for eight hours after. I hope your second is better and you're able to stay awake.
As for what to expect, the surgery does go really fast. Something I noticed during my second I didn't during my first were the sounds. It kinda sounded like frozen chicken breast being torn apart and it made me a little sick. I'm not sure if your prep is any different for a planned c-section vs an emergency (both of mine were emergencies) but my prep included an IV with antibiotics, drinking the acid neutralizer stuff, and getting shaved (I'm getting a pre c section wax this time around as it was VERY awkward for me to have some strange woman shaving me).
Also, I don't know if it would help you any but I would ask your family to be considerate this time around and let you be the first to hold your baby. I've asked our doctor to let the baby stay in the OR this time, but if he can't for some reason I've told family to stay away from the nursery window until I've had my moments with DS. I didn't appreciate being told things about my babies by family before getting my moments with them. It was especially tough with #1 bc they were going to the NICU and coming back and telling me who she looked like, etc and it was all so surreal that it didn't even feel like they were talking about a child who belonged to me. Your family should let you come first.
Good luck!
The surgery is over in a flash. I'd say about half an hour.
My c-section was after a failed induction but, this is how it played out for me:
- Induction was determined to be a failure. I opted for the c-section.
- I was given an anti-acid to shoot back. Tasted awful. The nurse came in and shaved the area where the incision was going to be.
- I walked back to the OR where they did my spinal and had to re-do my IV. After they had the spinal, had me laid down and tied down, DH was able to come in.
- They begin the surgery. I felt tugging, pulling and some pressure. Absolutely no pain.
- I was nauseous throughout the surgery and very cold and shakey. All normal.
- They pulled DS out, held him over the curtain and after they cleaned him and wrapped him, he was brought back to me while they were finishing the surgery for a quick hello and kiss.
- DH and DS went to the nursery while they stitched me up.
- I was wheeled into my recovery room and was met by DH and DS. I was able to hold him in recovery.