caesarean under general anesthetic

[mumofbb]

Just wondering how many ladies out there have had a c-section under gereral anesthetic. I had a pretty terrible time having my DS a year ago (really long story) water broke and due to severe infection and almost dying. They knocked me out under GA and delivered my beautiful heathly son. This has really affected me, not being there for his birth and as i was in ICU for about 8 hours i did not see him till the following day. I feel as though i missed out on so much and although i have a wonderful bond with him now it was taken me ages to come to terms with how full on this all was. Now pregnant with #2 and lots of new emotions arrising. Scared to have vaginal delivery, scared to have caesarean (wasn't there for the first one)

Anyone else have GA for baby and feel this way?

[Eolas]

I had a GA C/S due to pre-eclampsia/breach presentation/failed epi x8, although I didn't end up in ICU Samantha was sent to SCN for 4 hours... so kinda understand what its like to not be there & then to have to wait to meet your baby. I'm kinda worried about having another bub & the birth to... so sorta in the same place as you.
Just want to give you a :hugs:

[kas3]

hi mumofbb, I had a c/s under general five weeks ago. I found it very traumatic, not the c/s itself so much as I was already booked it for an elective c/s, but being told that there was a very real risk that I would die. (I had a suspected blood clot and they had given me blood thinners, then my waters broke. A vb was not possible so I had an emergency c/s. Surgery with blood thinners is risky for obvious reasons.) I'd very much like to have 1 or 2 more children - my son is wonderful :) - but I'm terrified that I won't be so lucky next time IYKWIM. The first few weeks were really hard - I kept thinking about how I came close to dying, leaving my DH to bring up our DS without me :(. I'm thinking seeing a counsellor. I'm heaps better than I was but it's still pretty tough at times.

[twinmum73]

Yes I do know how you feel, I had an emergency CS under GA. I too feel very sad that I MISSED their birth.
I will never have any more children so will not know what it is like to see them born.
It was almost enough to convince me to have another baby, so that I could go through birth (whether VB or CS) just so that I could be awake to see it. I hate that I have to ask my DH what happened - I was very fortunate in that they let him stay, otherwise it would be a million times worse.
I urge you to speak to someone, anyone that can help you reconcile these feelings, as I believe the shock of what I went through was a contributor to my PND.
Lots of :hugs: to you.

[mumofbb]

Thanks ladies, it has helped to know that there are others out there. My friends tell me i wasn't missing much (except pain) but i do talk with them quite often about how disjointed it feels even 1 year on, not seeing him come out of me, or the cord cutting or weighing etc. Hopefully this one (6 weeks pregnant now) will be a very present birth for bith me and my husband. I do have sad days every now and then but only have to read other ladies who weren't so lucky to have healthy babies to realise how fortunate i was and at the end of the day it doesn't matter how there get here as long as they do.

Wishing you all the best and thanks again for your stories
x