can anyone tell me what the process of c/s is?

[Fuchsia!]

hi i was wondering if anyone would like to share there elective c/s story so i can be prepared the best i can be? Can you tell me from start to finish like could you feel anything or what was the hardest part and i would especially like to know what happens b4 they start cutting you open. Thanks i know it's alot to ask!!!

[becca74]

www.birthrites.org (http://www.birthrites.org) is packed with info about this :thumbsup:

[harvey123]

I had a c/s about ten weeks ago. I wasn't planned but I still found it to be a postive experience. This may be a little too much info but it's always nice to know.

When I was in hospital they shaved me and made me have a shower and use a antiseptic wash just to clean the area. I think you get to do this at home if you're booked in. Then you put on a surgical gown and some of those stockings that are meant to stop you getting DVT. I was between sizes so they just made my toes turn blue (I was given injections after the operation to prevent clotting). I was then put on a surgical bed and wheeled up to the operating theatre (I found it to be a weird trip because not quite what you expect leading up to having your baby). My husband came with me thru all this. Once at the theatre you get you to check all the paper work stuff and my husband got dressed in surgical stuff. Once they're ready for you, you get wheeled in and lifted onto the operating table. I then had the spinal block done. They get you to sit up and lean as far forward as possible and they numb your back and then inject the spinal block. My husband says the reason why there were so many people in theatre is that it takes at least two to carry the needle, so I'd advise against looking. Once that's be administered you lie back down and they put one of your arms out straight and out a drip in and all their monitoring stuff on that hand, so you have one arm free. Once you start to go numb they put the catheta (sorry about spelling) in, you won't feel anything with the spinal block you're numb up to your chest. My husband was with me thru all of this which made it not too scary. This all only takes about ten minutes or so. I had to wait a bit until my obs. showed up, once he was there they put the curtain up between your chest and your tummy. From the time they started, it was only a few minutes until we heard our dd cry. You feel a lot of tugging while your baby is being born which is a little off putting. She was shown to us and then checked and my husband got to cut the cord (I know it's already been cut but it's still a nice experience). Then she was given to us to hold, you only have one arm free but you can still have a pretty good cuddle. Once you've had a bit of time together, my husband got and dd waited outside and I was then in surgery for about twenty minutes - it went really quickly. And then I was put in recovery, just a ward near the surgical ward with my husband and our dd until I could feel the spinal block starting to wear off. Then I was wheeled back down to our room. I wasn't allowed to get up until the next morning but by mid-afternoon most of the spinal felt like it had worn off. I never really suffered any real pain from the incision. I was only given panadol when in hospital and everything healed up ok. I was up and about the next day and even went outside the next day.

At the time I was pretty upset about having a c/s as I really had my heart set on a nutural birth but for us it was the only way to get our dd out safely. Even with those feelings I still found it to be a positive experience. Lots of people will have strong opinions about c/s being sterile and that you don't get to bond, etc. But it's what you make it. The best thing to do is find out all you can and see even if you can see one doen on video (foxtel has lots or they'll have it at antenatal classes).

Hope all goes well.:thumbsup:

[Fuchsia!]

thanks heaps for that, im so nervous, have you found it hard to do housework and stuff? cause i got a 3yr old boy and im worried that i won't be able to do everything. I'm not going to have much help as my partner doesn't live with me cause he works away and he can only get 2 weeks off and my mum will only be able to help a little.

[MrsMiggins]

I had an elective in Oct 05 with my DD. (Fair warning - this is long & extremely detailed!!! Hmmmmm..... just finished typing it & read over it - it reads more like a birth story!!! But hopefully it gives you a good picture of exactly what we went through.)

I was booked into the hospital & told to arrive around 10am for a 12 noon (I think...???) c/s. When we arrived, we went to the birth suite and told them we were there, then we sat down in the waiting room with a few other women (who were all in labour!) I think we waited for a bit over half an hour before a midwife came to take us up to the ward to get ready for the op. I was so nervous!!!

Once we go to the ward, she showed us where to put all our stuff, then gave me a hospital gown to change into. Then she came back & shaved the top of my bikini line. We waited around a bit more, then we got introduced to a new middie (there was a shift change or something, I'm not sure) but I was glad, as she was much, much nicer & friendlier than the first middie!!

I then had a couple of theatre attendants come and wheel me downstairs to the operating theatre. DH & the middie followed along behind. I kind of felt like I was in ER or one of those movies where they do the subjective camera angle of the patient looking up at the ceiling, lights whizzing past as they're wheeled around the hospital! I was laughing about it with the theatre attendants who were pushing the bed & they made me feel much less nervous!

Once we arrived, DH was taken away to "gown up" and I was taken to the prep area. I thought DH would have been able to come in with me, but he wasn't (some hospitals do allow this though). They had a look at DD via u/s so they knew where she was sitting, where the placenta was etc (I had placenta praevia & DD was breech).

(Don't let this next bit put you off, but I'm including it because it's what happened. I have no bad feelings about it at all, in fact I actually have a bit of a chuckle about it now!)

As mine was elective (ie: I wasn't in labour & so there was no real hurry) they let a student anaesthetist practice putting the spinal in. It wasn't much fun at the time, but like I said, now I can have a bit of a laugh - generally at people's horrified expressions when I tell them what happened - it actually wasn't as bad as it sounds!

I had to sit up, hunched over a nurse who held me still while they put the spinal in. She missed completely on the first attempt and (after apologising profusely to me) tried again. I had another nurse asking me to describe exactly what I could feel going on, as that would help them find the right spot. I could feel a slight sort of tingling around where she was putting the spinal in, and it was quite uncomfortable, although not exactly painful. I had to try & describe exactly how it felt & where I could feel it. This went on for 80 minutes (:eek:), at one stage they were seriously discussing giving me a general, as they really couldn't get the spinal in properly, but I practically wailed in abject disappointment & begged them to keep trying. I was glad I did! They eventually got it right & I could feel my legs go numb almost instantly.

They helped me lie back on the table & then wheeled me into the operating room. At this point, DH was shown in & I will never forget the look on his face! He had no idea what had been going on for so long (no-one had informed him - he'd just been sitting outside waiting) and had been very concerned something bad had happened!

The attendants then (jokingly!) asked me to hop up onto the operating table, and that lightened the mood somewhat again & I was so excited because I knew that any minute now we'd finally get to meet our beautiful little girl!!!!

They got me onto the operating table and put the screen up. DH was shown where to sit. The midwife came & stood next to DH and was all excited (she'd just found out herself that she was expecting her first bub!) I had a nurse standing at my head who was able to describe to me exactly what was happening with the surgery. I had requested this in my birth plan.

I can't actually remember a lot of the details at this point, as it all seemed to happen so quickly, and I was so overwhelmed by the fact that I would finally get to see our baby!!!

I know they did a few little tests to see how much I could feel (not a thing!!) and there were the usual preparations of the surgical tools etc. The next thing I knew I could feel a bit of movement and asked the nurse if they'd started and she said they had. I was a little annoyed, as I had asked to be told step by step what was happening, and she didn't even tell me when they'd started!! But she did keep me informed from that point on, telling me what they were up to and when the baby could be seen. I'm not really sure how long that took - I think it was only about 5 or 10 minutes.

I could hear them suction out the amniotic fluid & the Dr commented how the fluid was very good & clear, then mid-sentance he said "Oh wait, now it's not!" DD had decided to poo everywhere on her way out!! There was a lot of tugging & pulling (which felt... I don't know exactly. I can really only describe it as weird!!! It kind of felt like I was glued to the table & they were trying to pull me off!) Next thing I knew I could hear this baby crying, but it sounded really far away. I wasn't sure if maybe there was another OR nearby & perhaps it was another baby (sounds stupid, I know!!) and I kept saying "Is that her? Is that my baby?" But they must've thought it was a stupid question, because no-one answered me!! :laughing: Then they brought her around the screen and we saw this tiny, wrinkled, screaming, pink bundle for the first time. I remember very clearly thinking that she didn't look at all like a newborn!! I was saying to DH "Where's the camera?!! Quick, quick! Get a photo!!!!" But he hadn't thought to get the camera ready and it was too late - they had to whisk her away to get checked out & wrapped up. One of the OB's who was looking in got a few pics & said he'd email them to us, but I've no idea who he was and we never got them!

DH went over with the midwife & nurses while they checked DD out & cleaned her up. DH managed to get a few photos at this stage! He came back & reported that she was perfect and had a small nick on her bum from the scalpel, but that it was only tiny & didn't even need a bandaid.

A few minutes later she was brought over to me all wrapped up in her blanket. She looked so tiny, but was no longer crying and DH helped me to hold her up near my face. She was just incredible!!!

DH and I held her there for a while & the nurses took some photos of us together. It was a bit hard for me to hold her, as I had tubes & wires everywhere. There was also not a lot of room between the screen & my head, which made it difficult!

After a while, DH took DD just outside the OR and sat with her while they stitched me up. That only took about 15 mins, but it seemed to take forever!!! I just wanted to be with my baby!!!

I was meant to have DD while I was in recovery & be able to feed her in there, but they had a patient code just before we went in, so DD & DH couldn't come in & had to be sent up to the ward while I was in recovery. Again, this was so frustrating for me!!! I got really cold though as the anaesthetic started to wear off & they had to keep piling hot blankets onto me. I also got very shaky & itchy too, so I don't know how I'd have gone if I had been trying to breast feed DD!!

After about half an hour or so, I finally got wheeled back up to the ward & got to hold & feed my beautiful DD.

As for the recovery, I found the first 2 days to be excrutiating (although I didn't want any strong pain killers, so that was probably more my doing!!) but after that I found I recovered very quickly. I felt I could do everything as normal within 2-3 weeks, but I did try to take it easy until the 6 week mark.

I know it's nerve-wracking, but I'm sure you will be fine!!! Do you have a birth plan for your c/s? Some people find that helps. I know I did. There is a good one on the birthrites website becca74 linked to above. I actually used part of it for mine.

All the best!!! :hugs:

[annb]

i am 4 weeks post elective c/s and have been driving for 1.5 weeks and basically after coming out of hopsital was pretty much able to do most things
I have a 2 yr old and even tho I didnt think I would be able to I have been able to lift him easily but just dont make a habit of it!
washing, ironing, cooking, cleaning are unfortunately jobs I am also able to do :(

[SassyMummy]

Okay... this may be a tad long... but here you are...

I had an 'elective', but highly unwanted, caesarean in July 2005. The sole purpose for my c-sec was because I was 14 days overdue and would not go into labour (had 3 failed inductions). I had my c-sec less than 24 hours after I was told I was going to have one. I went into my caesarean not wanting it at all, and I think that affected my overall perception of it.

I went in early morning, and lay about in bed for a bit. I already had a maternity room available to me... I'd been staying in there during my inductions, so I don't know if everyone gets to sit around in the maternity ward while waiting for their c-sec.

A woman came in with an electric clipper and asked me how 'tidy' I was 'down there.' I wasn't too sure if my pubic hair was up to par, so I went into the bathroom with that woman and she took a peek. Said she didn't need to do any extra clipping, and left me alone again for a while.

I cried in my bed for some time, when a nasty midwife came into the room to insert my cathetar. It was dreadful. It really hurt quite a bit. Actually, it was more extreme discomfort than pain, but it was horrible. They insert a tube into your urethra (wee hole - different hole to where the baby comes out/penis goes in, etc), and push it up into your bladder... then blow up a part of it, like a balloon, so it stays put. Your urine just leaks into the tube and into a bag... you won't feel the urge to pee, it'll just slowly leak. Whatever you do, try to avoid getting this done BEFORE your anesthetic. I thought it was common practice to get it BEFORE, but BubHub has taught me otherwise. Get the anesthetic first!

The cathetar gave me a weird sensation. Have you ever had a urinary tract infection, where you feel like you need to pee, but can't, and have a sort of itchy/tingly/burny sensation down there? Well the cathetar, for me, felt just like that. I cried.

I had to get naked, and put on gross surgical clothes with an open back, and my hair was put under a little cap (like a cloth shower cap). They put me in the bed with all these blankets and tinfoil... and it was actually quite hot and uncomfortable and I wanted them to take it off.

After a fair bit of waiting around, I was wheeled from maternity, to surgery. There, I waited in some sort of surgical waiting area, amongst other people waiting to be operated on. There was a man next to me who looked quite sick - it kind of freaked me out.

DP put on some hideous surgery clothing too... shoe covers as well. He looked like an idiot, so it kind of lightened my mood a bit.

A surprisingly good-looking man came up to me and introduced himself as Josh, the anesthetist. He explained a few things to me, but I didn't really listen too much, so I can't remember what he said.

Soon enough, I was wheeled into a small room full of cabinets and needles and all sorts of scary looking stuff. It was only slightly bigger than a walk-in robe... but there seemed to be heaps of people in there, gawking at me. DP wasn't one of them, he wasn't allowed in at that stage. It was horrible, because I think the worst part of the entire thing took place in that room.

First, they needed to put a drip into my arm. All of my veins constantly hid, and so they had trouble finding one. They'd inject pethadine into an area to numb it slightly (and i do mean, SLIGHTLY), before stabbing that area numerous times in numerous spots, looking for a vein. It really hurt quite a bit, and I was freaking out. My blood pressure rose, and so they gave me some sort of oxygen mask, telling me it was for hte baby, not for me. It wasn't very nice, the air in the oxygen mask was all sweaty and gross... but I did what I was told and breathed it in anyway.

There was a REALLY MEAN anesthetist in the room. He never ever spoke to me, except to yell at me. He was a *******. He spoke ABOUT me as if I was some sort of object, like I wasn't even there. He took over the job of inserting the IV drip... stabbing me with pethadine in FIVE places all over my arms and hands. Pethadine stings btw, it feels like hundreds of hot pin pricks when they inject it... it wasn't pleasant. He finally found a place in the fourth place he'd injected the pethadine (which annoyed me, because he'd stabbed me in an extra spot for no reason - and it was on the inside of my arm, near my elbow... it bruised quite badly and I was scared people would think I was a drug addict...lol).

Anyway, the IV was in, and so now it was time for the spinal morpheine. The main thing I remember about this, was getting yelled at (by the mean anesthetist) to bend over more... which, as you probably know, is a near impossible task for a heavily pregnant woman. Some wet stuff was poured down my back. It ran into my bum crack and made it all tingly and numb... and I think it was some sort of antibacterial stuff. Anyway, they kept on poking me for AGES trying to get hte spinal in, but they kept going off-centre and therefore not getting it in right. Luckily, it didn't hurt. Or, maybe by that point, I was just so stressed and scared, I couldn't feel it.

Eventually they got it in, and they quickly leaned my back onto the bed, and wheeled me into theatre, where DP met me.

The mean anesthetist ran ice from my face, down my body, telling me to let him know when I could no longer feel it. It was really weird when i realised I couldn't feel it from just below my boobs down. They realised that they anesthetic had worked, and moved me onto a table.

A curtain was quickly put up infront of me, and they began. It was really odd... being able to feel people touching you but not being to control your body or feel any sort of pain... just a numb touch sensation.

I sucked on oxygen, and they got to work. I don't know who was doing what... maybe they did introduce themselves, but I don't remember that happening. I could feel lots of tugging and pulling, but not much else. DP was beside my head, and a midwife/nurse was talking to me. I felt really weird and kind of high... and wanted her to explain everything to me in gory detail, but she wouldn't.

I knew they had gotten my baby out when I felt my stomach drop. I then heard a bunch of gross gurgling noises... which was them sucking out amniotic fluid and such.

DD didn't breathe for 11 minutes, but I was too involved in my own goings on to care too much. It's really awful to remember not caring, but at that moment in time, I just didn't. They showed her to me, very quickly, and all I remember thinking was that she had a massive head. lol. I also saw her on her way out of the room. I didn't touch her, just saw her quickly.

DP left the room with her as I was stitched up. When they do that, you feel the most INTENSE pulling and tugging. Feels like they are trying to rip your skin off your body... it's crazy. But it doesn't hurt, it's just strange.

I was taken to recovery where I threw up all over myself several times, and had my maternity pads changed for me. That was a bit awful... having someone else deal with your menstrual blood. I felt really helpless and pathetic at that moment.

After a bit over an hour, I was wheeled to the special care nursery where DD was for observation (due to the fact she didn't breathe for so long). A middie put her on me, and tried to get me to breastfeed, but I couldn't have cared less about breastfeeding. I couldn't even sit up, so I don't know how she expected me to breastfeed. In the end, she milked me like a cow and fed DD a little colostrum from a syringe, and I was taken to my room. DD didn't join for for a few hours.

The most incredible pain occured the next day when I got out of bed. The burning sensation of my incision scar hurt like hell. IT's the worst pain I've ever felt. But I soon learnt to cope with it, and work around it... and I was okay.

I hope that helps... I tried to keep a bit of the personal stuff out, so it's just straight-forward, but I know some of what happened to me is just case-specific.

[Fuchsia!]

hi thanks for all replys they have been a great help, im still really scared but i will get over it! If anyone still has anymore storys i would still love to hear them. But anyway thanks again!

[Shellfish]

I had an elective caesarian three and a half weeks ago because my bub was measuring very small (2kgs @ 36 weeks) and I was told that he would not survive the birth canal.

I stayed in the hospital the night before (and so did my husband) for monitoring. We woke up at 8, I showered and changed into a gown (no stockings), I walked to the delivery room with my husband and midwife. My husband was whisked away with some of the other male dr's to change into his scrubs and I sat on the edge of the bed, my blood pressure was checked and I was given a drip (for diabetes), and the clip thing was put on my finger (I can't remember why..). Alcohol was rubbed on my back (very cold), then the numbing injection was inserted (it hurt but the nurse was chatting to me to take my mind off it) then the spinal block was given (I didn't see it so have no idea what it looked like which is fine with me). Then I was 'laid down' and my gown was lifted right up to my waist ( a little uncomfortable with about 9 other people in the room) and the anaesthetist was checking my progress..can you feel this? are your feet tingling? etc etc Once I was numb, the cathater was inserted and tapped up. Then I waited while all the various drs, nurses and assistants came over and introduced themselves and told me their jobs. Then my husband came in and sat next to me on the right - next to my head and he held my hand. Then a giant screen was put up in front of me so I couldn't see past my chest. My obs came in and chatted to me a little, so did the paediatrician. Then the anaesthetist came over and chatted to me while the op was going on, small chit chat..what's your favourite movie etc, and told me to tell him if I tell anything at any time (I felt nauseous which is pretty common) and before I knew it I heard crying and my little bub was born. He was whisked away and checked by the paediatrician and I held him for about 15 secs before he was taken to special care with my husband. I stayed in the delivery room for about 40 minutes while I was 'finished off' and then I was wheeled into the special care nursery to see my baby again briefly. Then I went back to my room and was ploughed with drugs (which didn't work and in the end I demanded something stronger and was given morphine). I got horrible tremors and shaking for the rest of the day and felt really really ****. That evening I managed to lift myself into a wheelchair to my baby but to be honest, emotionally I was still not that attached and I was in a lot of pain and it took a few days before I actually warmed to my baby (now he is the salt of the earth!!!). When the cathater and tape were removed, they took a layer of skin with it :eek: . I was able to drive after two weeks and was still taking voltaren and nurofen for about three weeks after but haven't taken since and am feelling fine now. A caesarean isn't necessarily the ideal way to have a baby but my bub is healthy and that's all that matters (a hundred years ago women were relieved just to surivive child-birth, so I won't complain).

Good luck

[Africamum]

I had an elective C/ Section at 37 weeks and it was a positive experience.

I had to be at the hospital at 7am in the morning (I was 2nd on the morning schedule). We were taken up to our room where the nurse was waiting to do the usual obs. I put my stockings on (they fitted fine) and at some point I had inflatable things put on my legs to maintain circulation in my legs although I am not sure when.

After being shaved and dressed in my backless gown I was taken down to theater while my husband went to scrub up. I next saw DS when I was going through some paperwork with the nurses.

Next station was the anaethatist, he was a really nice man who worked part time and specialised in maternal anaethetics he was very nice and very friendly, speaking to both me and DH. He got me to curl up into a ball on my side and showed DH where to hold me as he numbed the area on my back and went to insert the epidural - unfortunatly I moved away from him on the bed :( and DH was told to hold me tighter as he had another go. (He then had some old clamp things that he have to DH for removing hooks out of fish!. It didn't take long to go numb and then the catherter when in. I cant remember when the IV drip went in but it must of been when I was with the anethatist. He then did some tests to make sure I was numb before they wheeled me into theater.

The staff introduced themselves and were very nice. The cloth went up! The anaethatist sat on one side and DH on the other, the anaethatist kept us informed during the entire surgury and kept us as relaxed as we could be. It is an odd feeling having your bits tugged at, I remember feeling very claustrophobic at not being able to move.

The lowered the screen just before the pulled DS out. I got to say hello and then he was whisked away to be dried DH followed DS. Once he was wrapped I then got to hold him for a while. I knew before hand that he would likely need to go to NICU for a while for monitoring so after a while i let him go - babies are not easy to hold when you are numb and have wires everywhere. DH when to get DS settled in NICU.

Hearing the monitors is very odd, I could hear when my blood pressure dropped which was very odd - they just pushed more fluids get my bp up. The vitamin K was injected in stages into my IV and I could feel that go through my body.

After they finished stitching I had the urge to vomit which was horrible. They gave me something to settle my stomach.

I felt good when I got back to the ward, my pain was managed well and although I was very tired and a bit vague I spoke to most of my family on the phone. I did not see my baby until very late that day and did not breastfeed for 17 hours after (now I cant get him off the boob). DS was fine he just needed monitoring (2.48kg). I was not allowed up until the next morning but was out of bed as soon as I could. I was given good drugs early and my pain was well managed, by day 4 I wsa trying to minimise myself to panadol and took some panadol for my first week at home.

The epidural came out the next morning, I am not sure when the IV was removed. If It wasn't for bubs I would have been released on day 4 as I was quiet mobile by that stage the doctor said that I had recovered as well as if I had an VB!.

Establishing breastfeed was an issue compounded by the nursing staff! I eventually left hospital and sorted that out myself.

Although things happened a little slowly around home I was walking every day, doing household tasks and driving after a week. Drove 6 hours to Kalgoorlie and back after three weeks and packed up ready to move country after 6 weeks.

My SIL who had a C Section 1 week after me could tell you a entirely different story.

Goodluck