July 2019 Moms

C-Section Mamas

I didn't see a place for mama's to talk about past or future c-section worries, questions, etc.. So I thought I'd make this thread.

I'm a stm and had to get a c- section with my first due to failure to progress after trying to be induced with preeclampsia. Some hospitals require a repeat c- section and some doctors encourage vbac. I've made the difficult decision to have a repeat csection and would love to hear other mama's stories. 
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Re: C-Section Mamas

  • One of the things I'm super worried about is whether my SO will be allowed in the room with me during the surgery. He was with me for my first csection but that was in Florida and I am now living in Connecticut. Everything seems so different here. What are your experiences with having the father present or not? 
  • I'm a STM who is also having a rcs. I had to have an emergency c section the first time around because baby's heart rate was dropping too quickly (I was in labor for 19 hours and was not progressing, so they induced me. This had bad results on my son and I and led to a c section).

    this time around I'm using a different doctor who only recommends a rcs because she didn't do the first one and doesn't feel comfortable letting me try a vbac. I'm definitely not thrilled to be having another c section but at least I know what I can kind of expect 🤷🏼‍♀️
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  • tova24 said:
    I'm a STM who is also having a rcs. I had to have an emergency c section the first time around because baby's heart rate was dropping too quickly (I was in labor for 19 hours and was not progressing, so they induced me. This had bad results on my son and I and led to a c section).

    this time around I'm using a different doctor who only recommends a rcs because she didn't do the first one and doesn't feel comfortable letting me try a vbac. I'm definitely not thrilled to be having another c section but at least I know what I can kind of expect 🤷🏼‍♀️
    That's how the hospital was where I had my first csection, they don't even allow vbac unless a mother has already vbaced once already. The doctor I'm seeing now is pro vbac and super pushy about it but my gut is telling me to have a rcs and I've decided to listen to my intuition on this one. 
  • I had an ECS with DD after 27 hours of labour and 3 hours of pushing. Luckily a specialist finally checked me right before they were going to use the vacuum. The position she was in would have killed both of us had they actually attempted a vaginally delivery. Despite the trauma of the situation, my CS experience was good. Recovery was fast and easy, the scar is barely visible and I had no complications. I was given the choice of atempting a VBAC this time but have opted for a RCS.

    I hate surgery of any kind because I am terrified of anesthesia, but I still feel that at my age it is the safest choice for me personally.

    SO will be in the room and will go with baby while I get stitched up.
  • @hestia14 How myomectomy differ from having a c-section as far as scarring?  I'm curious since after a CS you're often in the clear to attempt vaginal birth if enough time has passed and your scars have healed well, but less than 18mo postpartum you can be at risk for uterine rupture. 

    @PeacefulFrenzy I haven't heard of any friends or acquaintances in any states who haven't been allowed to have a partner in the surgical suite for a planned cs. I've heard of some hospitals allowing 2 people to be present. The only exception I've heard about is in the case of an emergency, often there isn't enough time to allow a partner in the room before the surgery must be performed. 

    I had a CS at 41w with DS. They told me I had to have an induction, and I was terrified of pitocin and the possible complications that could arise from that. Since they estimated he might be 10lbs, they allowed for an elective CS instead. As it turned out, and wasn't diagnosed until much later, I have spina bifida occulta, which meant that they couldn't make entry at L5 for an epidural when they were prepping me for surgery.. which would have meant that I couldn't have had an epidural for induction. So it all kind of worked out the best way it could have, given the options. 

    This time I am working with a midwifery birthing center. I'm working towards a vbac. They will ultrasound my uterus to check scar integrity closer to due date but it's been almost 5 years and they are confident that I would handle it well. If something goes awry, we'll pick a nearby hospital as plan B to transfer my maternal care to. 
  • @mananbebe Fibroids can either grow off a stalk (like a mushroom), on the surface of the uterus, or be embedded into the uterus. If they're on a stalk or surface level, there is minimal scarring involved, but mine were deeply embedded. The doctor literally had to dig them out of my uterine wall. 
  • My daughter was an emergency c.  She tried to come out hand first.

    I got an infection afterwards.  We aren't sure if it is from the c-section or from the after care, but I nearly died.  This time, I opted for a c-section for a few reasons:
    1) I can ensure that everything, including me, is totally sterile, there is no rush.
    2) I wanted a great surgeon in case I needed a c.  I could not find a great surgeon who does vbac.
  • @PeacefulFrenzy it's great that you are going with your gut! I would hate for a dr or anyone else to push you into a situation you aren't comfortable with. 

    As for your hubby being present, I'm pretty sure it's allowed. You can always ask your dr ahead of time. My hospital allowed my doula to be with me and even let me pick the music that was being played in the OR (Elton John all the way!)
  • @PeacefulFrenzy I had a Scheduled CS with my first due to breech position. Our hospital allowed one support person for anything that wasn't an emergency. I don't think you'll have any issues!

    As for this time around I am with the same practice and they feel comfortable planning for VBAC at this point. If any of the later ultrasounds turn up any scarring concerns we will adjust then. Fingers crossed!! 
  • @hestia14 Oh my goodness, that makes complete sense why it would be so traumatic for scarring. How long did it take for you to heal from that? I have had a few friend had large uterine fibroids removed but I was never aware of the extent of it. 
  • Planning for a second vbac here. My middle baby was footling so it was an unexpected (but not "emergency") CS. Hubs was there and I was awake.

    @Panaceia was your baby in transverse lie?

    @mamanbebe I was induced twice with no epidural so it's possible. Unpleasant... But it's doable. Did you have apprehensions about induction in addition to the pain? I'd be interested in hearing.
  • @mamanbebe I was out of work for two weeks and was doing ab workouts within...a month? Even at the end of my first week, I had to sit down while taking a walk outside. I wasn't able to comfortably sit cross-legged on the floor until three weeks out. I've heard from women who've had a myomectomy and a c-section say the myomectomy is way worse to recover from! I sure hope so since I'll have a baby to take care of... 
  • @tova24 and @Panaceia I had a similar situation to both of you. Failed 36-hr induction with a dropping heart rate that led to emergency c-section. We got lucky they did it when they did, M was born with an AGPAR score of 2 (just a heartbeat). Lucky for us, they got him breathing before we were even aware he was out (I was having a panic attack due to the suddenness and being afraid of surgery). 

    I have an OBGYN in the same network of doctors (just moved recently) who is encouraging of a vbac but only if conditions are right, and they want me to have the baby before 40wks. Absolutely no induction because the meds increase the chance of the scar rupturing. The longer we go, the more I'm considering a scheduled c-sec as a better option, despite the recovery period, because I was so tired, stressed, and anxious after the long labor that I'm pretty sure it was a trigger for my PPD. Plus, given my due date, I am thinking I'll schedule for 7/18/19 if they let me - how cute would that birthday be?!
  • @foodislove I feel like picking a date is one of the plus sides of a scheduled c-section. There are a few family birthdays in July I'd like to avoid, plus we'd have a definite countdown to work with. I'm pretty sure DH and I are gonna get zero sleep the night before, though :p 
    Funny story: my mom had my sister when I was in kindergarten, so she explained to me ahead of time that the baby was going to be born on a certain day. This led my five-year-old self to believe that all moms choose their baby's birthday, and that "rushing to the hospital" was just made up for TV. :D 
  • @hestia14 That's adorable!!! Don't all pregnant ladies wish, ahahaha.
  • @cbeanz The pain wasn't actually my apprehension at all, I did not know about the issue with my spine until over a year postpartum. It was the risks from pitocin that were freaking me out. My mom, sister and a handful of close friends have had pretty jarring experiences, so I was feeling like I had a better chance of coming out of things smoothly if I planned the C, rather than risking the failed induction. And as it turned out, DS had rotated in the womb and the induction would have likely led a CS anyway. 

    @hestia That does sound sound pretty rough. From my own experience, the CS recover wasn't so bad after I got home. I think the most painful part of it was just the uterine contractions that push out the old lining combined with the healing incision. I would be doubled over in pain every time I went to the bathroom :( 
  • @Cbeanz She was actually a persistent brow presentation but her head was bent all the way back and she was coming out basically shoulders first.
  • @Panaceia Whoa! That is so scary! I've actually never heard of that before. 
  • I am having a repeat c/s. My first was because I had pre-e and also developed HELLP syndrome and the baby needed to come out asap. Because of the HELLP I wasn't able to have an epidural and I wasn't actually awake for delivery and was given general anesthesia. This time around I just hope that I am awake for the moment my baby takes their first breath, I feel like I got robbed last time.

    @peacefulfrenzy I am in CT and husbands are allowed in the delivery room with a c/s. Mine was not because I was under general anesthesia, but otherwise he would have been able to be there.

  • My first was a difficult birth resulting in 5 1/2 hours of unmedicated pushing and a vacuum delivery. She was only 7 lbs. They assured me that was probably because she was my first🙄 My second was worse. 3 1/2 hours of pushing this time and an emergency c-section because she was face up. I've had a hard time accepting that I've never been able to get a baby out on my own and maybe never will. I'm trying for a VBAC this time. They say I have a good chance since my first was vaginal, but at the same time I've always needed help so they won't give me false hope. That's good. I'm just trying to come to a place where I can accept it! The best I can do is try. So I understand that it was a difficult decision for you. I think I used to feel a c-section was sometimes the "easy way out". No way! It's much harder than a vaginal birth!
  • @Cbeanz I hadn't heard of it either. The surgeon explained it to us and drew a diagram afterwards because I couldn't picture what she was saying. Aparently it's super rare. Oddly enough as a baby DD would turn on her side and fall asleep with her head bent as far back as humanly possible. So I feel like for some reason it was a comfortable position for her that just ended up getting exaggerated when they broke my water:/ We're just lucky they caught it before they tried using the vacuum.
  • @Panaceia I just googled it to see what it looked like, and yeah I'm glad they caught it. That's actually really cute that she would sleep like that as a baby. My breech baby is 4 now and still afraid of being held upside down so I tell myself that's why she was breech haha!

    If you ever see pictures of Frank breech babies they keep their legs up by their head after they're born!
  • @Cbeanz my DD feet are sticking out the top of her swaddle in all the hospital pictures from being frank Breech 😆 she wasn't ready to be unfolded yet!
  • So I had an ECS with my first after a failed induction at 41W and failure to progress. I had an RCS with #2 and will have an RCS with #3. Neither my doctor nor my DH are willing for me to try a VBAC because the chance of rupture are too high for me. My DH is worried sort of overall because I nearly hemorrhaged out with #2 (and was pretty close with #1 too) because my doctor did not listen to me when I said I was a heavy bleeder.  This doctor is far more willing to listen to me, so I am less apprehensive than I have been. 
  • @Cbeanz That's adorable:) It's crazy how some behaviours in the womb actually continue after they are born! I wonder if new LO will have any habits that are already being created in there.
  • With my first I pushed for about an hour and a half with NO progress, so a C-section was actually a relief. My second was almost exactly 18 months later and that was the cutoff for when they would let you try to VBAC. I didn't feel strongly that I wanted to try, so we did a repeat C. This third baby will be a scheduled C as well. 

    I actually like the 'familiarity' of another c-section. The recovery is a B, but at least I already know what to expect. My only worry is that I passed out while he was placing my epidural last time, and I am not sure why. I didn't even know it had happened until everyone in the room was saying weird things like 'do we need to start a resuscitation?' and 'I don't THINK that was a seizure.' I had no idea they were talking about ME!  I just feel like tipping over while someone is jabbing a needle into your spinal cord isn't terribly HELPFUL in the process.  :|


  • My daughter was footling breech and my water broke at 36+4. Had a c-section and a really pleasant experience overall. I’d like to try for a vbac this time around, but I’m open to a csection again if needed. 
  • I'm a STM and pregnant with twins. I had a scheduled c section with my first due to him measuring big and me having gestational diabetes. At my first appointment my doctor asked if I thought about vbac or wanted a repeat c section and the option was weighing heavy just due to risks. Found out I was pregnant with twins so the choice was made for me to have another c section. Thankfully mine will both be planned so they will be more calm than hectic. My Dr did a fantastic job last time and I healed nicely and fast. Hoping for the same thing this time around. 
  • I labored with our first and ended up with a cs and it was more emotional than anything. With our second we went back and forth on vbac or rcs and we ended up doing the cs. I loved it and it was such a different experience from the first. I wasn’t out of it from laboring for so long before it and was able to do skin to skin in the or. We’re going straight for a cs again for this baby and having them tie my tubes at the same time. 





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  • First was 30+ hours of labor (induced) and an hour of pushing and he never engaged. Heart rate started to get a bit too high so they went for a c/s. It was a rough one... delivery was fine but finishing was really hard and I felt a lot of it. 

    Second, I was working towards VBAC when a NST showed no movement. He was fine but it turned out the cord was wrapped which was probably why he was so still. Anyway, had a “scheduled” rcs late that afternoon and it went so much better. Relaxed atmosphere. Anesthesia was right. And everything felt better. 

    I have no choice for #3 but super zen about that. I’ll take a scheduled c/s over one after hours of labor anyday. 
  • I had a c section after 60 hours of labor last time because my labor stalled. My son wasn’t positioned well. The c section was a lot easier than I expected. Recovery was smooth. Since we waited more than 18 months I’m cleared to try for a VBAC with my midwife. My midwife, husband, and I have decided we will cap my labor at 24 hours this time. If I’m not having a baby at that point we will transfer to the hospital for a RCS. 
  • @nerdtoyourmother that's interesting.  Tthey only did a c-section after an hour and a half?! Did they try a vacuum or anything else? I pushed for 5 1/2 hours with my first (granted I was transferred from birth center to hospital) but she was delivered with a vacuum. My second was.  3 1/2 hours of pushing and they tried the vacuum again and tried getting me in different positions but ended up with a cs. 
  • I had an ecs with my dd. I think I labored for about 5 hrs but I got a fever. They tried breaking it but it wouldn't break. Then dd's heart rate started dropping. Oh also I was stuck at 4cm the whole time. After I saw dd she had to go straight to the nicu to start antibiotics bc of my fever. The CS recovery was fine but I had to stay longer so they could figure what caused my fever. My obgyn said I can do either a vbac or RCS. I'm not sure what I'm doing yet. 
  • I had an ecs with my first. My water broke at 38 weeks, laborered for about 18 hrs, started pushing but my temp spiked and I got an infection. They only let me push for an hour and a half and then the baby’s heart rate starts getting too high and they didn’t feel comfortable having me push any longer. Even though this pregnancy is 1 yr after my last, they said that I could try for a vbac and that’s the plan. Although I recently found out that my placenta is low lying so that may foil my plan. If a rcs is needed, then I’m fine with that too. 
  • edited January 2019
    @kingdommom I think there were a few factors... This was happening on a Tuesday and I hadn’t really slept since Saturday night, so I was exhausted. I had been on pitocin and got to a 9 or 10 around 3pm (when they said it was go-time). We waited until 6pm for him to come on down, and he never did... I started pushing when he was still at a -3 to try to get him to the point where I could push him out. 

    After the hour and a half, she said I hadn’t moved him at all and was just squishing his head. *sigh*
  • @nerdtoyourmother Ugh! So sorry! Then I would probably do the same and choose another cs too! In some ways I feel like that would be a relief to go that route. But there's just something in me that wants so badly to have a natural birth. And since they say I have a fair chance I'm going to give it a try. But also trying to mentally prepare in case it doesn't end up that way. 
  • edited January 2019
    @kingdommom I have nothing but support for mamas who want to go a different route than a repeat c-section, and I CELEBRATE when it works out the way they want!

    I would have to compare threads to answer this myself...have you considered a doula? When I was pondering whether or not I was interested in trying a vaginal birth, I thought that a doula might be ESSENTIAL to the process. I feel like in the birth INDUSTRY there can be so many factors working against your decision, and it would be so helpful to have an extra voice in your corner. Not to mention the championing voice she would be to YOU through the whole process! 
  • @nerdtoyourmother I have thought about it. I'm one that normally just wants my husband and the physicians/midwives present. But it's definitely something to consider!
  • @cb123391 Curious as to what week they schedule a CS for twins? I am thinking it would be earlier than a scheduled CS for 1?  I am not having twins, but I have always wanted them! Maybe next pregnancy... 

    I had a CS with my son because he was breech and they couldn't turn him. Recovery was painful but overall it went really well. I haven't totally decided whether or not to do a RCS or VBAC but I am leaning towards RCS. The doctor who did my CS said that all my babies will likely be breech in the future based on the shape of my uterus, so I may not even have a choice this time anyways. 

    Question: This is so vain, but my CS scar from last time is so small and pretty much invisible now. I have friends who hate their CS scars. I think it had something to do with the doctor who did the CS/stitching. I am a little worried that my second CS will result in a worse scar. Anyone else concerned about it?
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