C section.

Whitwankstah · July 2014

Hello, this is my first pregnancy and I'm having an elective c section. Can someone tell me what to expect from a planned c section, like from the moment you go into the hospital and so forth? Thanks

WashingtonQueen · July 2014

Every hospital has it's own procedures and operations. Someone here could tell you what their hospital was like, but that has no meaning to your experience. I'm sure your doctor would be happy to fill you in if you asked him/her. They are experts on the subject pertaining to your own hospital.

smfdjo · July 2014

As the PP said every hospital is different. My experience was arriving an hour before, registering, heading to L&D, changing into a gown while being hooked up to monitor baby. They ask you all sorts of questions. Than when you are up, they wheeled me back into the OR, hubby had to wait outside while getting the spinal. Then he came in and sat by my head. I didn't feel anything other than tugging, few minutes later LO was born. Than I was sent to an area where I had to stay until I could wiggle my toes...after that I was in my room. The baby was with me the whole time.

baloneydisc · July 2014

They push on your stomach to make sure your uterus is contracting correctly. They do it with vaginal births too.

TheNutt · July 2014

my husband was there when they put in the epidural which was done in the "get ready room" for both my CS's. I am dreading that damn needle again.

jnnfrrose6 · July 2014

I had to arrive 2 hours early. You also can't eat or drink anything for about 12 hours prior. Same as everyone else on going to a pre-op room and changing I to a gown and answering a whole slew of questions. I also had the IV done here (that took 3 tries, awesome), catheter put in, incision area trimmed, and the anesthesiologist did their job in the pre-op room so DH was there to hold my hand for that. Doctor came by to check in on me and then we headed to the OR. DH had to wait in the hallway while they got me on the table and ready to go and then he came in to be by my head. The anesthesiologist is your friend in there. Make sure you tell them how you're doing throughout, even if it seems insignificant. The midwife had the press down on my lower rib area when the OB was getting DD out and that hurt, but it was a pain from her pressing so hard on me, not from the surgery. We were team green, so they had DH look over as they got her out and he announced it was a girl. She was checked and cleaned up quickly, brought over to me for some quick loving and pics, then DH went with her to recovery while I was stitched and stapled up.

In recovery, DD was bathed and then given to me to start nursing. We stayed in recovery until the epidural was turned down enough for me to start feeling/moving my legs a bit. Moved to the PP room and you can't eat anything except "clear food" for awhile longer. About 12 hours after the procedure the nurses help you up to the bathroom to clean up a bit and start peeing on your own again. I had to call for a nurse the next 2 trips to the restroom to make sure I could move ok and that I was having enough output. Epidural came out the next day and staples were removed and sutures put on the day I left.

glreding · July 2014

I appreciate this post, as it has been four years since my last C-section, and I'm scheduled for another one in 2 days. I do remember getting there about an hour-and-a-half early, but I think that was just us. I think we were asked to get there an hour early. We went in, were walked to my room, and answered questions and completed paperwork. I do remember they weighed me. I hadn't weighed in a while because I didn't want to know and was shocked at my weight gain, so that stands out to me. I changed into a gown, and they inserted the catheter before the epidural (hate, hate, hate catheters)! I can't remember if hubby was in the room for that or not. Some more time passed, then they wheeled me to the OR in my hospital bed. I remember being asked to curl into a "C" as much as I could and thinking, "They want me to curl forward?!?" I remember that I was dreading the epidural needle, but I was in so much pain and discomfort from the stupid catheter that the needle didn't even bother me. Once the epidural started working, I was great. They laid me out on a table shaped like a "T," and my arms were spread out to my side. They laid heated sheets across my arms and the top part of my body and would replace them as needed. That was nice. My hubby didn't get to come into the OR until the doctor was just about to pull out DS. He wasn't allowed to look over or behind the screen. They brought DS around the screen for hubby and me to see him, and then hubby exited the room again while the team finished. I remember other people talking to me in the OR, but I couldn't tell you their roles. Then, DS went to the nursery, where my husband was able to show him off to waiting family, and I went to recovery. I was there for about an hour, and then taken back to the room where I started and DS was brought in so I could feed him. Nurses removed the catheter and got me up about 12 hours after surgery, which was AWFUL but necessary. I almost passed out, and they had to give me oxygen. They made me try to pee on my own, which I couldn't (wasn't avoiding - just couldn't) and returned me to my bed. A few minutes later they said they would have to get me up again to try to pee because if I didn't, they would have to reinsert a catheter. I promised them I would pee on my own and did!! I went home a little over 48 hours after my C-section, and it really wasn't that bad. I remember being afraid of the staples holding my incision, but that wasn't as bad as my imagination, either.

I'm a little nervous to do it all again in two days. We've moved, and I have a different doctor at a different hospital, so it will be almost like a new experience for me.

Whitwankstah · July 2014

Thank you for your replys

sort of knowing what to expect takes the anxiety out of things.

glreding · July 2014

I did forget about the nurses pushing on my lower abdomen, which hurt and was totally gross, but I knew it was necessary.

kaiyagirl29 · July 2014

Each hospital is different....and depending on your specific situation ( whether you're high risk, any complications, etc) also plays w/ how things are done. W/my CS, they bring you into an antepartum room the morning of the CS and get you in a gown (stripped naked underneath), in a bed, and start your IV and take vitals....possibly other pokes for other things. As you nervously wait for your turn to go, you pretty much wait in bed while family/friends keep you occupied, and nurses and your Dr. Will come into explain what's gonna happen with the procedure. They'll put a little hair net type thing on your head....give your partner- or who ever is gunna be in surgery w/you- a little get- up to wear as well. You'll also sign some paperwork pretty much agreeing to the surgery. When they're ready, they'll either have you walk down to the OR or wheel you down in your bed....your partner will have to wait in the hall as you go in and get up on the bed. They'll have you sit up and push your back out (sometimes they'll have you hug a pillow to help) while they give you your epidural or spinal block( whichever they use). Once that's done, you'll lay down and get all numb from the waist down. They'll then give you a catheter.... Hang up the drape so you can't see down there, you'll get a prepped and they'll get all their tools and stuff ready. You'll usually have your anesthesiologist at your head an they'll talk to you throughout the procedure. Keep in mind, there'll be lots of people in that small room. So be prepared. Once you're ready, they'll begin and should talk you through what they're doing. You may feel some tugging and pressure....usually right before the baby comes out. But everyone's different. Once its time to get baby out, your Dr should tell you. Once he/she is out, depending on your hospital, they'll show him or her to you then take the baby to be checked out, wrapped in a blanket then bring him/her to daddy (or whomever is w/you) to take to you to see and kiss! At some point, they'll have to take baby to the nursery for weight and all that fun stuff and your partner will go as well while you get sewn up. Once you're done they'll wheel you to a recovery room, which may be your postpartum room as well. You'll then wait for the baby and your partner to come see you as well as any guests if you wish. As for recovery, that's a whole nother story....and is different per person, per hospital. But in my opinion, a CS wasn't as bad as people make it out to be! Good luck and congrats!

kaiyagirl29 · July 2014

I think the pain from them having to come in every so often and push on your abdomen was worse than any other pain I had. That was the worst! They don't prepare you for that....until they come in to do it for the first time!

ConversationFear · July 2014

smfdjo said:

As the PP said every hospital is different. My experience was arriving an hour before, registering, heading to L&D, changing into a gown while being hooked up to monitor baby. They ask you all sorts of questions. Than when you are up, they wheeled me back into the OR, hubby had to wait outside while getting the spinal. Then he came in and sat by my head. I didn't feel anything other than tugging, few minutes later LO was born. Than I was sent to an area where I had to stay until I could wiggle my toes...after that I was in my room. The baby was with me the whole time.

This is pretty much exactly what my BFF told about her elective c-section. She said it was all over in about an hour, from check in to baby crying.

maybebride · July 2014

I didn't see anybody else mention this, most said the opposite, but some hospitals keep baby with mom the whole time, even with a c/s. Myy son never left us (my hospital does rooming in unless medically necessary or you ask for baby to go to the nursery, which they discourage). Apgar testing, cleaning up, and weighing were all done in the OR with dad by his side while I was stitched up. He was done before they were done with me and daddy brought him over to do some cheek-to-cheek with me while they finished. Then, he rode in the bed back to our room where we were doing skin-to-skin and breastfeeding within an hour after birth. And I know my hospital now allows skin-to-skin in the OR if you want, which I am happy about should we have another.

The rest of my experience was similar to what others have described. My recovery was very easy.

kaiyagirl29 · July 2014

My hospital is doing this new thing called "Kangaroo Care"..... Its where they want as much skin on skin with mommy and baby as possible. So they now post pone the baby's first bath for 24 hours and post pone weighing, foot/hand printing, etc. For an hour after birth. They want the baby the have as much bonding as possible. So no matter what kind if birth you have, they bring you the baby and want it with you a lot. So they may also do this too....even with a CS!

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