Scared for surgery!

JmeJoLee83 · May 2014

Hi all coming over from J14 board. Just found out this week that I am definitely having a c/s next Tuesday due to LO being breech. I am so excited to finally meet him but am also really nervous.

All of the forms the hospital makes you sign and the horror stories people tell have started to get to me. Just looking for some advice from other moms who have gone through this before. Was recovery that awful?

I am also worried about not having immediate skin to skin- has anyone experienced this?

Thanks and good luck to you all

KellyAnne82 · May 2014

I had 24 hours to prepare for my C and it was both terrifying and exciting. It was my first surgery and I (of course) expected the worst.

Honestly, it far exceeded my expectations. I'll try and find my birth story on here to link you to it. I think it might bring a little comfort.

Congrats in advance!

KellyAnne82 · May 2014

Couldn't figure out how to link on mobile, so here it is:

My birth story is not what I had expected. After vehemently planning an all natural childbirth and reading all the books and blogs I was forced to confront a large baby, no real cervical progresssion and being a week overdue with my midwife and doctor team encouraging a csection.

I had two days of ugly crying (you know what I'm talking about) and mourning the delivery I'd built up in my mind. With her estimated weight to be 10lbs 10oz, I knew that they weren't seeking an easy out and I had to think of what would be best for my baby. My sweet doctor put it easily for me. A vaginal delivery would be the lowest risk for me (although with her size, that wasn't guaranteed) and a higher risk for her. A C-Section could have more complications for me; but less for her. There wasn't even a choice for me after considering that.

Let me tell you, I had an amazing experience! We arrived at nine and both DH's parents and my own were already waiting at the hospital (first time grandparents). The staff couldn't have been nicer and took note that I was extremely nervous/scared crapless. I was also hungry and thirsty (nothing to eat or drink after midnight) and focusing on that was driving me a little crazy too. Once the nurse set up my IV and began to push fluids into me, my thirst subsided.

My midwife came to my birth anyways, even though she technically served no purpose in the OR. I've grown to adore her and she kept me calm, chatting and laughing through the whole thing. DH had to wait outside the OR as I was prepped, and he said he was incredibly nervous. When he walked into me laughing and joking, he instantly relaxed.

Believe it or not, one of my biggest fears about the surgery was the spinal. I'm the kind of person who absolutely loses her MIND if my foot falls asleep and I cannot immediately rouse it.

After leaving DH in the ante room, I was wheeled in to the OR and prepped for my spinal. Every prick and poke I'd been warned would be a 'big stick' was actually not a big deal at all. After straddling the operating table and getting the novicaine, the actual spinal went it. It sent a couple of startling shocks down my spine towards my butt. Afterwards I felt only pressure and the tingling began in the tips of my toes and worked its way up. Before I knew it the drape was up and my husband was at my head, holding my hand. My anesthetist was fantastic, telling us that he himself was once in the same position (his wife had two c-sections). He kept telling us how perfect the surgery was going and that there was nothing to worry about

The tugging and pulling was a bit of a strange feeling, but they prepared me for it. I was a little surprised that I could still feel them touching, and cutting and moving things around, but there was NO PAIN. Such a strange sensation! Once they got in and into my uterus it was discovered that she was no where near engaged and they had to push rather high on my chest to work her down and out.

The release as they pulled her from me was satisfying and she let out a great big throaty cry, which immediately made me and DH cry ourselves. Her apgars were 9/9 and a few minutes after being suctioned and evaluated, she was brought to us, all 10lbs 7oz and 23 inches of her!!! My midwife pointed out the linebacker like width of her shoulders and assured me we made the best decision possible. She most certainly would have gotten stuck if we went ahead and tried an induction. If she miraculously didn't get stuck she would've done quite a bit of damage on her way out, that was certain.

DH took her to the nursery for some skin to skin, and I have the most beautiful photograph of them from this time. I went to recovery where honestly the most difficult part so far was realizing that my feet and legs would still not move. Now that I had the time to focus on them, it was starting to freak me out. Now that my adrenaline had calmed down a bit I was beginning to become aware of all the tubes and attachments running out of me, and the blood pressure cuff inflating and deflating at regular intervals.

Thankfully, just before I hit full on panic mode, DH was allowed to come down and visit after a little while, and shortly thereafter they brought Rowan down to nurse. I had not had any leakage (?) or anything prior to that moment, so when the L&D nurse grabbed on and squeezed, I was more than a little shocked to see a small bead of colostrum dribble out. This was the first time I really got to hold her and it was incredible. I felt a little detached at first, but that was mainly due to the exhaustion that finally set in after three nights of not sleeping and all the people around me. They took her away again after a little while.

I don't remember how long I spent in the recovery room (maybe an hour?). During this time, my DH was getting to spend quality time with our LO. I was eventually wheeled back to my room where my parents, DH's parents, my grandmother, uncle and best friend were waiting. It was a little overwhelming in my post-surgical state. I held Rowan again, but then realized that because both times I'd seen her she'd been placed into my arms-I needed to see her face.

Oh. My. Goodness. This little pumpkin was adorable, but completely and totally looks JUST like my DH. After studying her sweet little face for a good long while, I finally found something-her left ear came to a tiny little elfin point-JUST LIKE MINE. I've since come to recognize my big mouth and appetite, but in that moment with my little girl, I fell so deep in love.

I was very worried that my C-Section would rob me of so much of the natural bond and connection that a vaginal birth provides you with, but it did not. While I didn't get to hold her right away, I couldn't have imagined a more perfect birth.

The recovery has gone well. If I can give any advice (which I gleaned from previous posters) it would be to take the meds as they're offered to you! I had some serious cramping from my uterus contracting down (especially when I was nursing/pumping). It didn't eliminate my pain, but simply kept the really hard stuff at bay. I was up and walking around as soon as I could (the next morning), which definitely helped, but know your limits. 'Voiding' (bladder or bowels) was extremely intimidating at first. Running the water in the bathroom and sitting forward on the seat helped with the former, and time (and Colace) helped with the latter. The gas pains as your guts get working again are kind of rugged, so take the Gas-X if they have it.

I devoured every one of these birth stories in the weeks (and months) leading up to welcoming my little girl, and they were all so inspiring and wonderful. If there's anything I can say in closing; it's that while plans may deviate from what you expected, that all of us Mama's are brave-no matter how we bring our babies into the world.

JustGoWithIt · May 2014

Yes, there are horror stories out there, but you can find those about any situation. I had a CS w/DS#1 and am actually having a RCS in July. I'm not going to lie, the first few steps you take when you can finally walk again are not fun, but in the grand scheme of things it was a small price to pay for my son to get here healthy. You will have to take it easy the first week or so, regardless of how much pain meds you take, but I was pleasantly surprised with my experience. I did not get skin to skin last time, and plan to ask about it specifically this time. I understand my hospital has changed their policies in the last 4 years, so I'm hoping skin to skin can happen sooner for me this time. Don't hesitate to ask you doc any & all questions! Good luck!

Mama-Bear · May 2014

You will be fine. I was terrified for my first c/s, I blocked everything out from the time after I got the spinal until I heard my first baby cry. It'll hurt to cough, sneeze, blow your nose, and laugh for a while, it won't be terrifying to use the bathroom or have sex. After my first c/s I had to remind myself to slow down because by the time I got home I was sore but felt better than I expected.

I had a 2nd c/s last May and my recovery was rougher. I was sore longer, I was walking a lot slower because I just couldn't move. I took all of the pain meds available to me (Motrin and Percocet) for 2 solid weeks after delivery.

Even though the recovery from my 2nd was rougher than my first, neither was as bad as I'd made it out be before my first.

ETA: For my first c/s the babies stayed with me in the OR while they stitched me up, DH held them next to me. When I was wheeled back to my room (there was no recovery room, they have LDRP's so everything other than the surgery takes place in the same room) the babies were put on my bed for me to hold and they stayed with me until that night. I was able to nurse as soon as I was back to the room which was probably 30 minutes after they were born. I know some very pro-BFing hospitals will actually help you nurse in the OR by someone holding the baby. Good luck to you.

mysticl · May 2014

Was recovering horrible? No. It wasn't fun but I didn't have any complications. However, I did have some issues at home. The only places in our house I could sit at first were the dining chairs and the bed in the guest room. That made breastfeeding very difficult until we bought a glider. I could not sleep in my own bed. It is kinda high and I couldn't get in and out of it so I slept in the guest room. I also slept sitting up against the wall the first few nights because I couldn't lay down (or get up from a laying position). I was okay in the hospital because the chairs were meant for patients and you use the bed controls to sit you up and lay you down. I probably could have used another day or two in the hospital.

Immediate skin to skin was not presented to me as an option and I was in no condition at the time to ask about it. I was shown my son from a few feet away and then they took him away. They brought him back to me in the recovery room.

SarahA918 · May 2014

I'm sure I would've been freaking out too if I had a week to prepare! I had about an hour, though, and I was mostly worried about my 29w 3d baby to worry much about myself. I hate needles but within that hour I had nine of them. The spinal was definitely the coolest ever though! As soon as they got it in, my legs started to feel very heavy and I still had to scooch down so I could lay on the table. It was cool how fast it worked. I don't know if they numbed me really well or I just wasn't paying attention, but I didn't feel any pressure or pulling or anything at all. I did have to stop one of the anesthesiologists right in the beginning bc he wanted to give me the play by play. No thank you!! I just tried to relax and think positive thoughts. My mom and I made our last minute guesses about the sex (which I found out about five minutes after he was born-they rushed him out to the waiting NICU staff that had just arrived from another hospital). I have read that some hospitals still let you do immediate skin-to-skin after a csection so definitely ask your doctor. The only thing that was kind of shocking was how long it took them to finish closing me up when it didn't take very long to get him out! It makes complete sense, but it wasn't something I ever thought of before.

JSS1002 · May 2014

I had an incredibly easy recovery - my first day post-op I felt like I'd never walk again, but a friend of mine who has had 3 c/s said "two days from now you won't believe how much better you'll feel" and she was totally right -- and at the 2 week point I felt 100% back to normal, and like I could work out again - the doc cleared me to go for walks and it was great. I barely have a scar (don't have a bikini body anyway, so I don't really care about that, but it's a nice perk). No issues breastfeeding. No issues bonding. No issues at all that were related to the c/s...

nolagal79 · May 2014

I had a great recovery from my C. The very next morning I was up and took a shower all on my own. The next afternoon I was a little sore but that was my own doing - getting up and down too much. By the time I got home - 5 days later due to blood pressure issues unrelated to surgery - I was back to my normal self with zero pain. At it's worst, for me, my pain was a 4/10. You've got this!! My advice is to get up and move as soon as the nurses/your doctor clear you!

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