c-section @ 38weeks

A4D

Hi every1 am 26 weeks pregnant on my 3rd pregnancy
had a previous stillbirth and m/c in 2011
due to my blood been too thick and clotting the placenta i am on 2 injections of innohep a day and asprin tablets was at my doctors today and she said ill more then likely be sectioned at 38weeks
i jus looking for people's experiences of a section really as am scared to death

Neyite

I'm so sorry for your losses

I know someone who had several C-sections. The first was after failure to progress during a natural labour, and then had another 3 after that. They were fine, and she was fine afterwards.

Its an advantage that she knew the exact day she would give birth.

A4D

thanks,,yeah at least u no what day ur baba is going to be born but i cant help worry i am a worrier anyway

Neyite wrote: »

I'm so sorry for your losses

I know someone who had several C-sections. The first was after failure to progress during a natural labour, and then had another 3 after that. They were fine, and she was fine afterwards.

Its an advantage that she knew the exact day she would give birth.

2xj3hplqgsbkym

I too am very sorry for your loss.
I had a natural vaginal birth first time, then had to get an epidural after the birth for a repair.
Due to the tear and scarring I will also probably have to have a section, so like you I am scared and anxious about it, so I hope you don't mind me joining your thread.
Could people answer these questions;
1. If it's a planned section and I'm not put to sleep will my partner be allowed in?
2. Will I see whats happening?
3. Will my husband see whats happening? (neither of us want to)
4. Are you groggy during and for ages afterwards?
Thanks

Mink

A4D so sorry for your losses. I've not experienced a C section but there's others here who will chip in their two cents. As far as I've heard, an elective is usually quite a calm straightforward affair - it's not as dramatic as they make C sections out to be on shows like One Born etc.

Rosebush... as far as I know...
1) I've not heard of anyone being put to sleep for an elective and generally partners don't attend only in the case of emergencies and where the mother is under a general. For an elective I'd say they'll give you a combo of a spinal block & epidural & you will be completely alert & pain free. Discuss all this with your practitioner as it will all need to be agreed with you anyway.
2 & 3) If you guys don't want to see what's happening then they certainly won't show you. I actually don't think they will show you or your partner what's going on for fear of it being traumatic, making ye faint etc. They keep a screen up. You'll just hear funny sucky/slurpy noises but the surgeon will probably explain to you what he's doing as he's doing it.
4) I think you're only groggy after being under a general in the case of an emergency. You might have some reactions to the spinal/epidural like feeling nausea & getting shivery but you'll be alert & able to hold your baby etc.

Also bear in mind that it normally only takes a couple minutes to make the cut & then get baby out. But then you could be lying there another 30-40 minutes getting all sown up. But daddy can bond with baby then.

Wyldwood

A4D, I had a section 20 years ago when my daughter became distressed on delivery. My hubby was allowed in with me. I had an epidural & was wide awake. I couldn't see anything as they put a screen up across my stomach & could only feel some suction but no pain whatsoever. This was in Cork. The recovery is a bit slower & your hospital stay will be extended. Afterwards you won't be able to drive or do heavy lifting for a few weeks but other than that it's no different to normal recovery. It's nothing to be afraid of at all. I would have had another section no bother if I had had any more babies but she was my last. My daughter -in-law has had 2 in recent years & no problems either.

Hope this helps
Oh & I got to hold my baby straight away.

Molly1

1. If it's a planned section and I'm not put to sleep will my partner be allowed in?
2. Will I see whats happening?
3. Will my husband see whats happening? (neither of us want to)
4. Are you groggy during and for ages afterwards

First of all I'm so sorry for your losses, I can't imagine how awful it is. I have an emergency section with my first, I personally would not recommend this, it was like a double whammy, getting to push and then to be told your getting sectioned and I found it very hard to recover from. However on my second I had an elective section, recommend by the doc after the first was so bad and I have to say it was much better and I recovered quickly from it. Your brought to the theatre, numbed up with a spinal block, then they put a curtain up so you can't see and your partner comes in and they deliver your baby. Then your partner takes the baby and your stitched up. It was a lot calmer than the first one. Your not allowed out of bed until the next day. The only trouble is you can't drive for 6 weeks, but if you ask the doc for a note you can drive after 3.

Rosebush to answer your questions:
1. Your not put to sleep, just numbed from your chest down.
2. You won't see what's happening, there's a curtain in front of you.
3. Your husband might see something, think my husband did but not much.
4. Your not groggy afterwards but your given morphine in tablet form and that can make you a bit groggy. Your legs will be numb for a good while.

Hope this helps. PM me if you want to know anything.
Mx

Molly1

First of all I'm so sorry for your losses, I can't imagine how awful it is. I have an emergency section with my first, I personally would not recommend this, it was like a double whammy, getting to push and then to be told your getting sectioned and I found it very hard to recover from. However on my second I had an elective section, recommend by the doc after the first was so bad and I have to say it was much better and I recovered quickly from it. Your brought to the theatre, numbed up with a spinal block, then they put a curtain up so you can't see and your partner comes in and they deliver your baby. Then your partner takes the baby and your stitched up. It was a lot calmer than the first one. Your not allowed out of bed until the next day. The only trouble is you can't drive for 6 weeks, but if you ask the doc for a note you can drive after 3.

Rosebush to answer your questions:
1. Your not put to sleep, just numbed from your chest down.
2. You won't see what's happening, there's a curtain in front of you.
3. Your husband might see something, think my husband did but not much.
4. Your not groggy afterwards but your given morphine in tablet form and that can make you a bit groggy. Your legs will be numb for a good while.

Hope this helps. PM me if you want to know anything.
Mx

Princessa

Yes your husband will certainly be allowed into the theatre with you, he will just have to gown up and wear the appropriate hats and face masks etc.

Neither of ye should see anything if your partner sits on the chair provided beside your head. Although as the other posters mentioned you may hear noises etc but just think of the beauty that your baby is coming into the world .

The spinal that they give you can cause low blood pressure and some women experience nausea and maybe a little vomiting but this does not happen to everybody.

You should remain pain free for 24hours after the section, either the anaesthetist will give you morphine with the spinal or they will give you a Pca pump and you can press a little button to deliver morphine.

Hope this helps.

barremic

Hi, I'm due to have one at 39 weeks also because of pelvis problems. Am getting very nervous as well.

I have had lots of surgery before but never I was never awake for any of them. I have been told it will be a spinal block, curtain up, and my partner will be allowed in.

The doctor said last week it shld take about 30 mins in total. And that we won't see anything with the curtain. I was also told that they will try to have me on my feet withing a couple of hours, as it aids healing and circulation. And travel socks will have to be used again for circulation.

I'm also planning to take some arnica tablets to help with healing.

Hopefully this thread will help a few of us with advice etc.

Emcm

A4D I am so sorry for your losses. You must be so excited to be so far on and have your date but I can completely understand your fears.

I am currently pregnant with my 4th and due to be sectioned this day fortnight. My first 2 births were induced due to pre eclampsia and as a result I ended up having extremely long and traumatic labours the second resulting in my child ending up in Special care and initial scans showing brain damage Thank god further scans revealed all was ok and I have a wonderful inquisitive 3 and a half year old. But needless to say on pregnancy number 3 I did not want a repeat performance of what I can only describe as the most traumatic time of my life. So together with my consultant we agreed an elective section.

Like you I was scared but at the same time I felt a sense of control which I didn't feel in the labour ward.

I can only go by my experience in Cavan hospital but hope this answers your questions I was given a spinal and felt nothing , they start procedure without your partner / husband and then they are taken in as baby is about to be born. My husband sat at my right shoulder and there is a curtain / sheet blocking any view of nasty stuff but low enough when baby is born for doctor to hold up your wee bundle. They then after washing down weighing baby give baby for you to hold. My husband and baby were then taken back to ward when I was stitch up and monitored this all took about an hour. Then you are back to a special C section ward to be with your baby and be monitored. You have to lie for about 12 hours and you have a morphine pump for pain. You can't really move only your top half so you rely on nurses to give you baby to feed I still breastfed.

You are sore as you would expect to be after an op but the morphine helps. I had by baby at 4pm and was helped out of bed at about 6 am. It's very important to walk around as although it hurts it does help you heal better and you still have the morphine pump.

I personally didn't like the morphine made me feel a bit fuzzy about head and a bit sick in tummy so I opted to stop it by lunch time on day 2. I then was put on Difene and panadol. I had my baby on Monday and was out on Thursday although they normally keep you 4 nights but I missed my other 2 so much they took pity on me and I think there is mo place like home!

I hope this helps alleviate any fears you have and this day 2 weeks I will be doing it all again so it can't be too bad !!

Best of luck to you all xxx

Lisha

Hi

A4D i m sorry for your losses in the past.

I had an emergency section nearly 5 years ago. I was in labour with my son, after an induction, I did not really dilate much. Baby went into distress and off I went for a section.
A spinal block was given into spine which numbs you from waist down.
Husband gowned up and then came in. (I did not want him there for needle part, I assume he could have been there if I ok'd it. )
He stayed totally at my head end, which was what we both wanted.
I felt nothing at all just a sensation really. The curtain blocked our view.
Then they lifted out baby and showed him to me, they just weighed him and then i HAD him. You can move your head neck arms and turn a small bit and sit up a bit. You will need someone with you as much as possible but it's amazing how quick you recover. But you have to take things slowly.
I was in Cork CUMH and was left in bed for 24hrs after birth. THe nurse helped shower me then. That was the worst. But its all better from there.

I used a tea tree shower gel from bodyshop as it is antiseptic felt it could not hurt. ( I did not get infection)
I also used arnica tablets and I really felt they helped recovery.
I did not drive for 6weeks after, again I felt it helped recovery but I think I would have been able after 4weeks to drive,. I was lucky that Nana was on hand to help.

After the section take all the pain meds they wil give you. I highly recommned the difene suppositories for the few days after.

I was so excited to be going home I did not take pain meds, big mistake, fill up again on tablets before drive home, (I had 1hr drive)

PLease be sure you and OH really know how to put car seat / base if using into car. We did not. a taxi driver helped us:D

Take it easy at home , take all the help you can and keep visitors to a minimum.

Post is a bit long so I ve highlighted the tips.

(If it helps to hear, my second was a horrible traumatic vagianal delivery, I was on antibiotics for 4 months after due to persistant UTIs. I dont intend going for No3 but if it happens, I know that I ll be asking for a section )

Best of luck and take care:) and also to Emcm and barremic:)

Lisha

Oh also I also continued taking iron tablets and pregnacare tablets after birth. It can only help. As long as it suits you to take them of course

yoda2001

I had an epidural on my 1st child and a very managed labour. I felt like a beached whale and totally helpless. On my 2nd I was determined to avoid the epidural and did pregnancy yoga and prepared myself well. I had a natural birth, which was great in terms of recovery afterwards.

Then on my 3rd... I was quite confident but my waters broke at 36 weeks. I ended up having an emergency section. I was so scared. Nobody had ever talked about their sections and I did not expect to be having one.

I got the epidural and didn't feel a thing except for a bit of 'tugging' (!) My husband was present. Baby came out crying which was such a relief. They cleaned him up then they let me say hello and took him away again. The docs chatted away to each other while they stitched me up. It was all quite relaxed.

I felt I was very aware during the birth, but groggy in Recovery afterwards. Baby was kept in for a week and I was in for 5 days. I used to shuffle over to the SCBU to see/feed him several times a day. I was glad to have my nights sleep. I was expressing milk for him. I took the painkillers whenever they were offered.

After the week I was home to walking kids to school, 3 hourly night feeds etc. The only thing I missed (terrribly) was not being able to drive. I have no family nearby. Everyone else was working. I did try driving after 4 weeks but it hurt too much so I waited for the 6 weeks.

My wound caused me no hassle whatsoever. It healed really well. You will be so delighted to have your babies that it will all be a distant memory.

Hope everything goes well.

Emcm

@ Lisha

Did you start taking Arnica tablets before or wait till after the surgery ?

I only heard about them a couple of weeks after section so didn't bother but heard they are great!

Lisha

Emcm wrote: »

@ Lisha

Did you start taking Arnica tablets before or wait till after the surgery ?

I only heard about them a couple of weeks after section so didn't bother but heard they are great!

check with atenatal nurse but Im nearly sure I too k them after section, that evening. I THINK they can be taken before but really am not sure
It was at prenatal classes that I heard about them

yoda2001

There are different strengths of Arnica. I could only get the weaker ones in the health shops. I believe that you can get stronger ones online.