Pre-admission clinic for c-section?

[Tieko]

I just got my letter from the hospital today (after finally winning my case and being granted an elective c-section) and it contains a letter to confirm my book in date for the operation, but also to say that I have been booked in to attend a pre-admission clinic for the elective c-section. The letter states that the session can go for up to 3 hours!! I'm just wondering if anyone has been to one of these and can tell me what happens at the clinic? Will it just be me or is it a group thing? What gets discussed...and is this where I need to take my birthplan to discuss those aspects?

[noskie]

i have one of these sessions coming up too!! would be interested to see some responses :)

i know in my letter it says i will meet an anesthetist, surgeon, midwife, paed and whoever else will be involved with the operation... i just assumed it would be just me/DH and all the important people?

Ive written almost 3 pages of questions and requests to go through with them all too :o

Mine is next friday so if all else fails ill come back and fill you in after it lol :D

[HurricaneInHeels]

I'll be watching this thread, my appointment is in 3 weeks. Noskie, I'll be hanging for your reply most of all:D

[BazzasMum]

Trying to remember.... I had to fill out paperwork, and see the anaesthetist. Waited almost 2 hours just to see her so that could be a part of it ;) She talked about the different kinds of anaesthetic, which would be more suitable, side effects and did weight/height etc.

[4babycinos]

I had pre admission interviews with all 3 of my c-secs at the hospital. It was just really running through with a midwife on my history - previous pregnancies, deliveries etc, if I had a birth plan or special requests - things like bubs in recovery, dad to stay with baby etc, are you allergic to anything and then just a general chat on how I felt about it.

This is going private, so, dont know if its different publicly.

I never met my anaesthetist until the night before my c-secs when I was admitted, and never met the paediatrician until the actual surgery.

They usually say 3hrs, because it allows for waiting time to see the midwife, then filling out the forms, and if you want to have a chat.

hth :)

[Pinkzy]

I went a week before my section. Mine was quick, only about an hour and it was a one on one. Just filled out paperwork, anesthesia paperwork, menus, talked/asked about the section with a midwife and got given a little bag full of goodies...including an enema I had to use the night before my section :laughing: I didn't wait longer than 5 minutes to be seen so I hope it's a pleasant experience for you like it was for me :)

[Tieko]

Thankyou redmini! It has been a very long emotional road filled with plenty of tears, idiot OB's, and lost birth records!! By I got there in the end, and got my elective c-section in the PUBLIC system..and I am so so relieved you wouldn't believe it!

Thankyou everyone for the replies...will be eagerly waiting to hear how others pre-admission clinics go as well (since mine isn't for a while). What sort of question/requests/birthplans do other have to take to the appointment? Being my first time I'm not really sure what to expect but so far all I have is:

* Preference of a spinal over an epi (due to needle size and the fact that I don't really want a needle stuck in my back the whole time) but will discuss this more at the appointment.
* Request that the cathetar be inserted AFTER the spinal!!
* Would like to hold bubs as soon as possible after the operation
* Would like DP and bubs in recovery with me
* If something happens and I need a general, I don't want any friends/relatives to hold bubby before I do
* Going to ask at the appointment about the stomach support bands some people use after a c-section? (anyone know more about this and if I should get one?)
* Warn them that I'll probably get sick and throw up during the operation so it will pay to have those anti-nausea meds on standby...

If anyone can add anythign that I'm missing - please feel free to let me know! (I'm sure there's heaps!) I'm also fairly certain that I'll be around the boards a lot more, as this will be my first surgery EVER so I'm slightly nervous!

[HurricaneInHeels]

* Going to ask at the appointment about the stomach support bands some people use after a c-section? (anyone know more about this and if I should get one?)
I couldn't get any info on this out of my midwife, so I just went ahead and ordered SRC recovery shorts.. They better work!!

[noskie]

i had my preadmission meeting this morning :yelclap:

it said allow 3 hours but we were done in 1!! i was expecting to be jostled about much more lol

anyway, so first i saw an anesthetist who went through the combined spinal/epidural - Hurricanes she said this is the preferred method at RWH as it has the least chance of failing. They give you a general then put the spinal block in, and then put the epidural needle through the spinal block needle so they can top you up if you need it.

She went through some of the side affects and things that "can" happen and some risks, but gave the risk factors of like 1 in 2000 etc for each one so it gave me a better idea of what to expect.

I got a form for bloods to be taken the day before, so they can check all the normal levels, and a form to have blood for a transfusion on standby, which she said is done in every caesar just so its there if need be.

She was very helpful and really made me relax about the idea of having a needle in my back!!

Then i saw one of the docs on my obs team, and she went through the op itself, and what happens before and after, i call the day before to see what time im booked in for, then whether i have to fast from midnight for a morning op or from 7am for an afternoon op.

Then when we get in we wait around in a classy gown :D and then i get taken to where they do the spinal and DH goes and gets scrubbed up and dressed in his fancy outfit, then i get wheeled into the operating room when they are satisfied the epi is in and test it to make sure twice, then DH comes in when im settled and my canula is in.... oh and they do the catheter AFTER im numb hehe yay!

Then they do the op, get to see bub coming out then she gets taken to the paed room (which she said i will be able to see through a bit window so i dont miss out on anything) then she comes back once shes checked and get a cuddle, then bub sits with DH while im sewn up.

If im fine in recovery and not sick then bub is allowed in recovery with me :smiliedance: but DH has to wait in the nursery lol. If im feeling a bit off then DH will take bub and wait in the nursery for me to come out.

Oh and she said i will be given those stockings to stop clots, and the injection to thin the blood too until im up and about, usually the next day.

She did my bp, checked my breathing and had a listen to my heart, then i signed the consent form and also a form for a blood transfusion if necessary and went on our merry way!

Im kind of really excited now it seems that much more real :D

I did ask about if DH had to wait with bub that they didnt go back to the ward as i dont want everyone else having cuddles before me again, and the doc said just let the midwife know thats looking after us on the day and they will play crowd control.

soooooooooooooo if ive forgotten anything ill come back and add it lol but its exciting now coz its less than 2 weeks away omg!!

[HurricaneInHeels]

OMG noskie thank you so much, you're a star!:valentine: I'm particularly happy with the crowd control assistance, it's amazing how many people just don't get that it's NOT ok to be there on the day..:mad:

[robsgirl]

I was really happy with the RWH in Brisbane when i had my c/section they wouldn't let anyone except df hold dd2 and both of them were able to come into recovery with me and i got to hold dd2 straight away.

With dd1 at redcliffe hospital she was taken up to nursery while i was in recovery and everyone else got to see her and nurse her before i did i was so upset about that. And i was in recovery pretty much by myself.

with the support bands i was given one in the hospital by the physio people that came around very basic but it really helped.

I am having #3 on 18th November and have my pre admission appointment on the 16th. Both my other c/sections were emergency so this pre admission thing is pretty new for me. The only thing im not looking forward to is the fasting from midnight.

goodluck with your c/section teiko and noskie

[noskie]

thanks robsgirl you too! :hugs:

my first cs was also emergency, and everyone got to cuddle DD before i was even out of recovery, so im making sure the rules are stuck to this time! DH knows he has me to deal with if anyone gets near bub while im in recovery, so im hoping all goes well and i can harbour bub with me for awhile :D

Hurricanes there is a family member on DH's side that is so ridiculously OTT and i cant stand her :rolleyes: so DH is going to "forget to tell her" until we are out and back in the ward so she isnt there banging down the door all day :laughing:

[BlissedOut]

Mine was...

*Book in final details with an administrator
*Interview with anaesthetist, she ran over the risks etc... which they have to do for legal purposes
*Blood test, so they could be prepared if I needed a transfusion.

Day of...

*Weighed and measured
*Given bed and 'room' which I came back to after the op
*Stockings put on, I blame them for the loss of feeling to my toes for months following my c-section
*Asked if I want the catheter in now, or later (LATER!!)
*Had wedding rings taped (will remove next time, gunky much?)
*Wheeled down to surgery

During...

*Hilarious Anaesthetist, I had to be Spinal Tapped twice, the first failed, but that wasn't an issue, made me very comfortable
*Threw up once
*Insane tugging feeling, which was a little unpleasant, but curious

Extracted...

*Son was checked
*Hubby cut cord (recut)
*Midwife kept shoving the baby in my face and I was shaking uncontrollably from open guts, or blood loss. I kept asking her to give him to hubby
*HIDEOUS SHAKES will ask if that's normal this time around

Recovery...

*Son & Hubby came with
*Was given pain meds
*Given heated blankets (bliss!)
*Wheeled upstairs to see my mum and settle in for the night

Post-Surgery...

*Hubby kicked out 30 minutes after we came upstairs (broke my heart)
*Spent all night paging nurses to top up meds, pass the baby to me etc... Was a pain
*Ate! I had been fasting since 6am, got upstairs at 8pm, so I was starved

Next-time...

*Will aim for a morning extraction, first in please!!
*Will take off wedding rings
*Take off stockings earlier
*Will make sure there is a tasty feed waiting for me after
*Will bring our own hat and wrap for baby to be wrapped in





I went public.

[KatiesMum]

couple of things

- the stomach thing is called tubigrip. Its great and I would recomend it to everyone who has a c.

- as for nausea/spewing ... they do expect it a little. I did and the aneasth will usually have a bucket/bowl thingy there for you. My obs was poking around looking at previous surgery, so gave me some warning that I would spew so I gave DD to DH to hold...

- the no cuddles for anyone else thing - dont rely on ANYONE else. Make sure your DH understands he is to ENSURE that only he holds the baby. If someone gets past the middies - make sure he will not let go.

- being first or second on the list is SOOOOOO much better. I checked in at 6 .. went to room, shaved and prepped. Surgery at 9, back in room at 10ish .... had all day with DH there helping etc (he could stay if he wanted, but we chose not). Much much better than having to get nurses to help with bubs all night straight from surgery.

best of luck
:flowerz:

[mumtobodie]

To ensure that DH & I were the 1st to hold & bond with the baby I simply did not let anyone else come to the hospital, I was very firm on the fact that once we were all out of recovery we would call family & they could come to the hospital. They all live about an hour away from the hospital so it gave us about 90 minutes after we were back in the room to bond as a family. I had both a spinal & an epidural when I had my c section