The Great C-Section Thread

kmalls · December 2017

I wanted to start a conversation for those who know they will be having a repeat c-section this time around. I know I personally have lots of questions and I’m hoping others with some experience can chime in. This is also a great thread for those who have NOT had a c-section but have questions anyway!

kmalls · December 2017

So here’s where I’m at: my repeat c-section (RCS) will be scheduled at my next appointment (my 28 week appt) and as that date approaches, I’m having some pretty serious anxiety about it.

This will be my 3rd c/s, but the first that is planned. I’m petrified of everything: how to handle fear of the needle (I was in so much pain the last two times that it wasn’t an issue, but I’ll be fully aware this time), fear of severe complications, fear of a terrible recovery, etc. It’s to the point where I’m seriously considering another VBAC attempt, even though last time it went terribly and I swore I’d never do it again.

Has anyone experienced these fears before a RCS, and how did it go?

ekendall09 · December 2017

For those with unplanned c/s...how was the process of going from one plan to the next? (mentally, prep in hospital) How was recovery, like what should you expect? After they deliver the baby after c/s how long before you truly get to be with the baby/potentially nurse/skin to skin etc?

kmalls · December 2017

@ekendall09 the process of going from one plan to the next (ie vaginal delivery to c-section) is shockingly fast once it’s deternined a c/s is necessary. When the OB made the call with my first due to fetal distress, I was in the OR within minutes. It’s crazy how efficient the entire process is. Because DS wasn’t doing well immediately after birth, it was quite some time before I saw him. With DD, however, I got to do skin-to-skin immediately after birth (and for as long as I wanted!) and had I wanted to, I would have been able to breastfeed right there. After I got stitched up, DD and my husband were already waiting for me in my recovery room. It was actually a good experience!

ladythrice · December 2017

@ekendall09 I second what @kmalls said, hospitals are incredibly efficient and fast once a decision is made for a C/S. Even in my case, where the C/S was called for, but it wasn't an emergency. My official diagnosis was 'failure to progress' and my medical team decided it was the best option at the time. Once the call was made, we very quickly transitioned from inducing labor to prepping for a C/S. I'll be honest, the details are a little fuzzy. While it seems like it all happened super fast I remember having enough time to feel fear and sadness that I wasn't going to have the birth I had anticipated. Once in the OR I was given a variety of drugs to combat some of the side effects I was having (shakes and nausea) so time didn't really have meaning for me... so the surgery itself passed very quickly.

Every hospital is different in terms of what they will allow in the OR for mother/baby bonding. With my DS I was not allowed skin to skin nor allowed to breastfeed until I was in recovery. I didn't even get to see him until after he was bathed (in the OR) and swaddled. They did this while I was being stitched up and DH was with him the whole time. After DS was prepped, DH brought him to me so I could see him before we were transferred to the recovery room. In recovery I was still feeling the effects of the extra drugs I received during surgery so I still wasn't able to independently hold DS for an hour or two.

That being said, the hospital where I delivered DD1 was completely different. They have what they call 'family friendly' C/Ss and those are the ones similar to what kmalls described--skin to skin and breastfeeding in the OR, delayed cord clamping (pending mom's health), etc. I changed hospitals after DS to shoot for a VBAC with DD and if the VBAC failed to have the opportunity to have a family friend environment as opposed to the sterile OR environment from DS's birth.

ladythrice · December 2017

I have a question about breech/transverse positioning and C/Ss. For anyone that had a scheduled C/S as a result of positioning, what was it like talking about options with your OB? I don't know anything about risks one way or another, just know that in the US doctors generally prefer to do a C/S instead of vaginal birth if baby is transverse or breech.

Mattel · December 2017

My c section was a great experience. DD stayed with us right in recovery and we were able to bond as a family without really being interrupted. I honestly haven’t even thought enough about the repeat but I’m sure I will have some nervousness going in.

Also, side note - there’s another c section thread from a while back with a lot of good info

Dumbgurl04 · December 2017

@ladythrice I didn't have a CS but my best friend had one and one of the reasons was because her DD was breech. They gave her options when her DD was still breech to either try and flip her or give her exercises to do to get her to flip but there was also a risk she would flip back to being breech, or she could just have a CS. She ended up going with the CS because she googled the process of a baby being flipped by a Dr and it scared her. Plus she ended up having of high blood pressure.

danjoly · December 2017

@ekendall09 my best advice would be to educate yourself about c sections. If you don’t need one great! But if you do end with an emergency or unplanned one, you’ll at least know what to expect. Our prenatal classes had a 1h part about csection so when the team called it, DH and I knew a little bit what was coming. I knew despite being under the epidural that I would be feeling A LOT of pressure. I also knew the importance of moving and getting out of bed as soon as possible Etc. I think all that made my experience a good one despite the circumstances.

ladythrice · December 2017

@danjoly, ohh the pressure... I remember telling DH, "I can 'feel' them tugging him out!" He was so freaked out lol.

tooraloorah · December 2017

@ladythrice didn't have a c/s but scheduled due to breech positioning. It was found that DD was breech around 34 weeks, so my OB had me schedule my c/s then for 39 weeks. We discussed an ECV (external cephalic version) at 36 weeks, which DH and I both agreed was not something we wanted to attempt. After that I was checked weekly to make sure she was still breech. During those few weeks, I did everything in my power to attempt to turn her. Spinningbabies.com is a wonderful resource, as is chiropractic care (a Webster certified chiro is best). At 38 weeks for my pre-op appointment they checked and DD was head down. So they canceled my c/s.

mmmmkay · December 2017

I will likely be having c-section this time around due to placenta previa. has anyone has had both a vaginal birth and c-section and can help[ me understand the differences in recovery process?

shireeallason · December 2017

@ekendall09 - I will mimic what @ladythrice and @kmalls already said. I had zero time to mentally prepare. My C/S was due to fetal distress, DS had his cord double wrapped around his neck. I went from pushing to the operating room in a matter of minutes. The dimly lit, quiet, L&D room was completely transformed and magically at least 10 people showed up prepping me for the OR. I remember being terrified and tired, crying big sloppy tears as they wheeled me down the hall. I didn't have the gentle C/S because DS was whisked away to the NICU.

I highly recommend doing some research on all of the different scenarios that could play out on game day! I regretted that part.

mcb2016 · December 2017

I had a gentle c-section and had time to mentally prepare for it. I had a failed induction and pre eclampsia. Since I had eaten breakfast I had to wait a few hours for the c section. My dh got to do skin to skin with my son as soon as he was accessed by the nicu team. I got to hold and breast feed him when they were finished sewing me up. At our hospital the mom is usually given the baby but I had a lost a lot of weight before getting pregnant and they had to tape up my loose skin which would have made it difficult to hold him. I wasn't prepared for that. Part of me selfishly wished he was wrapped in a blanket so I could see him easier.

i was lucky to have an easy recovery. I'd like a vbac but it's likely not in the cards for me. So I'm
preparing for a rcs mentally.

ladythrice · December 2017

@mmmmkay I had a C/S with DS and a VBAC with DD1 so I've experienced both recoveries. The main difference for me (for the recovery process) is that the prescription pain meds I got after the C/S greatly masked the effects of the surgery and I felt way better than I actually was which caused me to over exert myself and start weaning myself off my meds a week post-partum. Big mistake... Other than the physical differences between favoring your bottom after a vaginal birth and favoring your stomach/abs after a C/S many of my other differences were emotional/psychological. I attribute them to a C/S versus vaginal birth, but I don't know that to be the case as there were other factors that could have contributed to my emotional state (FTM vs. STM; winter vs. summer; lots o' meds vs. only epidural; etc etc)

mmmmkay · December 2017

I think what i am most worried about is breast feeding post partum from a csection and taking care of both baby and a toddler after surgery!

kmalls · December 2017

@mmmmkay for what it’s worth, I found the recovery after my second c/s (so I had a newborn and a 19 month old) to be much easier. It actually turned out to be a good thing to have a toddler as he forced me to be up and active very quickly, which for sure aided in recovery.

mikkimikey · December 2017

I had a vaginal birth with my daughter in 2006 and a scheduled c-section with my son in 2009.

I’ve talked about it here A couple times before, but when I was vaginally delivering my daughter, I had a catheter due to the epidural. They did not deflate the balloon catheter before I started pushing, and I pushed everything out with the baby. It caused all sorts of irreparable bladder damage which I have had two surgeries for now .

So in order not to make things worse, I knew I was going to have a C-section with my son. And I will have another C-section this a time around with my daughter.

I know it’s going to sound strange, but I had a way easier recovery with my son in the C-section then I did delivering my daughter vaginally. I found that I was able to get up and walk earlier, I had a way less recovery time with my son, and I overall felt better. I know that’s not the case for everybody, but I just thought I would give them hope about anybody who will have to have a C-section, that it was much easier that time around.

ladythrice · December 2017

@mikkimikey your story causes me to have nightmares. What negligence. I already have leakage issues from DD's birth and I didn't have the experience you did. I'm major Type A and I've already warned DH that during this delivery we both need to be all, "DID YOU TAKE OUT THE CATHETER?! I'M NOT DOING ANYTHING UNTIL ITS OUT." He thinks I'm crazy but holy shit how did they forget that for you?!

mmmmkay · December 2017

@mikkimikey THAT HAPPENED TO A FRIEND OF MINE TOO! they inflated the balloon too early and TONS OF DAMAGE. and yes she has had multiple surgeries since, but still isnt' fully recovered and her daughter is 4 now. so freaking scary.

the c-section info is helpful, thanks!

mikkimikey · December 2017

@ladythrice and @mmmmkay it has been a TERRIBLE experience.

So yes, make SURE everything is deflated!!

My OB said he’s never seen anything that bad EVER. Thanks bro. That makes me feel so special and good...

whatabout2ndbreakfast · December 2017

I have a question about the catheters - why did you guys have one? Not to be dense but I had an epidural with DS and didn't have a catheter but maybe it was because it was late?

Did anyone have a c-section due to size of the baby? I'm going to ask at my next appointment but I have this feeling that this baby is larger than DS was and I want to be prepared. If you get an epidural and then they need to do an emergency c-section, what happens? Do they use that site for more meds or do you get knocked out?

kmalls · December 2017

@peppersmith22 I got an epidural with both kids, then had c-sections with both. I never had a catheter with the epidural, only post c-section. And yes, they used the same site for the additional meds needed for the c-section.

I dont know too much about needing a c-section due to size of the baby, although with my daughter the OB made me panic when he brought up that very scenario. He was super dramatic and said she was on track to be 12+ lbs (wtf?). She wasn’t, she was 8.5. I would be extremely skeptical of any OB recommending a c-section due to a size estimation taken from an ultrasound. They can be WAY off.

ladythrice · December 2017

Imma put this out there... I will never have a C/S because of the size estimation from an U/S. Especially now that I've birthed two kids, both under 8 pounds, despite DH and I being marginally above average size adults. Neither my family nor his has any history of big babies. Our sizes and baby size history in our family would play more a role in determining whether I'd agree to a C/S than some freaking U/S. There error margin is CRAZY and generally about 2 pounds either direction.

ladythrice · December 2017

@peppersmith22 about the catheters... I thought everyone had to have one with an epidural??? If not I may tell them NO catheter this time around. For those of you that had epidurals with no catheter... how did you pee if your body needed to pee? Did your body just release it during labor??? Now that I think about it... without a catheter I'm going to be leaking pee everywhere I'm sure... I wonder if the damn catheter is why I leak as it is? Although I had one with DS too and didn't leak after his delivery lol.

ladythrice · December 2017

[accidently posted early] ANYWAY, I was given a catheter for both of my deliveries because of my epidural.

If you end up getting an epidural and needing a C/S, your epidural will likely continue to be the meds used during the C/S (was for me). They will simply dial up the amount of meds (probably fentanyl) for the surgery. An anesthesiologist will be standing right next to you tracking all that to ensure proper amounts. You'll likely already have an IV line that they will use to give additional meds if needed too. In some cases, where the emergency is desperate, the med team will put you under general anesthesia because its faster than using the epidural, but this is for scary emergencies.

whatabout2ndbreakfast · December 2017

@ladythrice I peed before I got the epidural, but I only got the epidural at 7cm so maybe they didn't have time to put a catheter in? DH didn't say anything about me peeing while having DS so I'm assuming I didn't during delivery.

My OB said last time I'd have to do a trial of labor, so I think that will happen again before they'd do a c-section. DS was 8lb 14oz and my husband and his brother and sister were all 10 pounders. @kmalls my doctor last time was also dramatic of having a 10 pound plus baby and they said this one is on track to be big like his brother. I don't know if they realize saying stuff like that is scary!

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