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Planned c-section. What do I need to know?

MistyhfMistyhf member
in C-sections
Went to OB today. We discussed scheduling a csection. I have a low lying fibroid that may cause problems at delivery and they are also concerned about bleeding after delivery. My OB and MFM feel that a planned csection is the safest way to go. That way OB is in control of the situation. They are also concerned about the possibility of a hysterectomy due to the fibroid. I also have bad endometriosis and a general surgeon will be present to help if a hysterectomy is needed. I am a planner and I feel better if I know what is going to happen. But, I am nervous about surgery. What do I need to know? What will help with recovery? We have a while to get prepared. Looking at a csection the first week in November.
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Re: Planned c-section. What do I need to know?

  • SlapdashaliceSlapdashalice member
    Just found out that I will be having one too- first week of October.  I have never had surgery or a baby before.  Yikes!  I will be following the replies on your post!
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  • teachermotherteachermother member
    I have had 2 cs they are a breeze! I had never had a surgery either. Recovery is longer but I did not know the difference. Honestly the thing I hated the most about the cs was having a catheter :( and you can't get up for 24 hrs when other ladies just had a kid and r up walking around. .. you feel nothing but are awake the entire time to see and hear your baby come into the world! With my first child I labored for a day+ then had a cs that was...rough...the 2nd was easy peasy!
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  • LyndseylovesHughLyndseylovesHugh member
    edited July 2014
    teachermother said:

    I have had 2 cs they are a breeze! I had never had a surgery either. Recovery is longer but I did not know the difference. Honestly the thing I hated the most about the cs was having a catheter :( and you can't get up for 24 hrs when other ladies just had a kid and r up walking around. .. you feel nothing but are awake the entire time to see and hear your baby come into the world! With my first child I labored for a day+ then had a cs that was...rough...the 2nd was easy peasy!

    I was up and walking around the same day as my c/s, probably less than 12 hours later (but I honestly lost track of time so I'm just guessing on the hours, but it was the same day).

    I've only had an unplanned c/s after 36 hours of labor and 2.5 hours of pushing, and that recovery went so well that I'm having a RCS on Monday. I have heard from many other RCS moms and my ob that this c/s and recovery should be even easier since my body will not have gone through labor first.

    As for what helped me recover...get up and walk as soon as you are able to, that seemed to help me a lot. Stay on top of your pain meds! If they tell you that you can take them every 4 hours, take them every 4 hours! And remember that you just had major surgery so don't push it.

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  • skylilyskylily member
    I wouldn't fret about a CS. It is a much more controlled environment should anything go wrong. I find comfort in that. When DS was born, I had an unplanned CS. Water broke 4 weeks premature, and after laboring throughout the night they discovered the next morning that he was breech.

    I can't imagine there are honestly too many things you NEED to know. They will tell you everything you need to know before, during, and after you go through everything. Make your plan to simply be "show up at hospital - hand yourself over - they'll take care of the rest."

    Recovery for everyone is completely different. Although I would HIGHLY recommend you abide by the prescribed meds part. I didn't. I felt good considering the trauma my body went through and decided to skip a dose here and there. At night, when trying to turn over to get comfortable - I thought I was going to bust open. The pain was very high. When you feel good - you can get over confident. Once I was home I felt fine. Tried to do laundry and had to sit down. Something so easy became painful. Sitting on the couch knowing dinner needed made or laundry needed done drove me insane ESPECIALLY because I felt fine. Talk about feeling like a prisoner! Your body will let you know when you've done too much, though. GET HELP for things like housework. Seriously - enjoy this time holding your baby because it will not last. The nursing aid to my OB told me to take advantage of those 6 weeks. What other time will you be treated like a queen in your lifetime? BEST advice I received postpartum. DD is due in 5 weeks for me and my son will make sure I don't have THAT time again lol.

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  • 73jewels73jewels member
     As for what helped me recover...get up and walk as soon as you are able to, that seemed to help me a lot. 
    This. My son was born at 8:55 AM, I had additional surgery (cyst removal) and was in recovery by 11 AM.  I was up and moving around (slowly) by 6 or 7 PM that night, had the catheter removed the next morning (I wanted it out that night but they wouldn't do it b/c they were worried about me getting up in the middle of the night to pee), and was in the shower by 9 AM the next morning.  Get up and move around, just be careful and don't push it
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  • harmonicbabe26harmonicbabe26 member
    edited July 2014
    Mine was planned as well. My DD was frank breech, we were monitoring her position since about 33w and she never turned head down, even attempted a version and it didn't help. My experience was fantastic and I am totally going for a repeat cs this time around. All others already said everything I would have said. The only thing to add that comes to mind is do not let others scare you with horror stories of 'a friend of a friend of a friend' or 'i read this on the internet'. And remember this is just as good of a way to deliver a baby as any other! So disregard anybody who might be giving you grief or trying to make you feel guilty. Nobody ever did that to me and I never thought there could possibly be any stigma around a cs untill I came to the Bump and saw some people's attitudes haha... Everything will be ok! Good luck!
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  • skylilyskylily member

    harmonicbabe26 said:
     The only thing to add that comes to mind is do not let others scare you with horror stories of 'a friend of a friend of a friend' or 'i read this on the internet'. And remember this is just as good of a way to deliver a baby as any other! So disregard anybody who might be giving you grief or trying to make you feel guilty.
    This.  With my first I heard horror after horror story. And EVERYONE had a tougher time.
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  • jazzyexpojazzyexpo member
    I had two very nice csections. My advice, don't feel bad if you send your baby to the nursery every night. I didn't with my first and went home exhausted and don't remember much from that time. I did with my second and it was a saver at night. I went home feeling rested and able to take care of a toddler and a baby. So, take help when offered! Like others said, get up and walk as soon as you can. Don't skip a dose of pain meds. Don't over do it when you get home and listen to your body. Congrats on your little one!
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  • KriztynKriztyn member
    Listen to your doctors with how to recover. Don't over do it.. take your pain meds until you don't need them. Don't be afraid to ask family to help you out that first week (if not longer!). I was shocked at how fast I recovered. I labored for 20 hours and pushed for 2 before ending up with a Csection... I would have to say it was MUCH better than pushing... haha
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  • Stace0616Stace0616 member
    The c-section itself went very smoothly didn't feel much besides the numbing needle prick in my back and then some pretty intense pressure pulling the baby out because he was breech. I was not very prepared for the recovery. My nurses were a little behind on my dosages and OMFG did I feel it. By the time I got brave enough to start buzzing for them when it was time for a new dose it was time for me to get discharged.

    At home, I would recommend setting up everything you need by a comfy chair or couch. I set up an ottoman in front of my recliner and used it to change the baby on, put a Boppy on there to feed him, and kept my pump nearby to minimize how much I needed to get up. You may want to look into a Rock n Play to keep next you for the baby to nap in. I finally got a Snoogle for Christmas and it was the best thing that happened to me. It got me through the last trimester which was pretty miserable and helped me get comfortable enough to sleep after the c-section.

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