Anyone have an emergency c-section?

[Sonya]

Just curious to see how you it has affected you. I always said if I had to have a (regular) C-section that it wouldn't bother me, but the fact that DH couldn't be there with me and I wasn't even awake for it really has be bummed. I don't feel like I've given birth!
Anyone have any positive or negative experiences?

 

[Talking Hands]

My first was an emergency section. I was a bit bummed but it was fine once I got my preemie home with me.

 

[debster812]

Sonya,

Mine was not exactly an emergency, but the doctor did tell us it was urgent . DH did not make it into the ER until they were about halfway done, and quite frankly, I was stoned out of my mind on painkillers and the epidural. My doctor told me something, that I think I told you once before. His goal was to send a healty baby, and healthy momma home from the hospital. How the arrived at that did not matter.

Please do NOT let anyone (yourself included) diminish your experience. Pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood are not contests. You carried that cutie pie for 40 weeks (or so), you gave birth (via surgery), and you are a great mom!

Positive experience, heck yeah, I have my handsome boy. You have that sweet red fuzzy headed little dumplin'.

Please don't beat yourself up over it.

Debbie

 

[KimRaye]

Well, I have 1/2 a related experience. The c-section was planned and, I was to stay awake. Complications arose and, they gave me general anesthesia. I was very scared and disappointed.

DS was born about 9am and, at noon, they still hadn't brought him in to see me for the FIRST time. Talk about distraught! I was certain something was now wrong with him! Nothing was tho, just a stupid nursery at the hospital.

Anyway, I know that after coming out from the anesthesia, I briefly forgot what I was doing or, why I was there! It didn't help that NO ONE told me if I had a boy or a girl! I had to ask, through my stupor.

15-1/2 years later, he's all mine! Trust me, you'll feel it too!

Don't be bummed tho, you surely DID give birth and, when in doubt, check your scar!

 

[palmtreegirl]

I had one and felt the same way afterward!

I went to doctors for my check up and when they took my blood pressure it was sky high. I told her that I had taken it at Wal-mart over the weekend, just had a feeling I should, and it was high then. So she looked at me and said well, you're going to have this baby today then. Ended up having an emergency C-section, I was awake but very dopey and my memories are really fuzzy. I didn't get to see him till around 4 hours later and I was so upset! I kept yelling at DH telling him to go find him. I felt the same way as KimRaye described in her post.

Don't be bummed tho, you surely DID give birth and, when in doubt, check your scar!

Couldn't have said it better myself! I use to check my scar hourly for awhile-lol.

 

[Dream]

Hee hee....hard to believe you've given birth?? When that little angel wakes ya at 2am....doesn't that feel real???
I don't mean to minimize...sorry....I know many women who have felt like you are now. But when you start feeling badly about this....go in and hold that sweet little bundle....who is healthy and strong....who you carried for 9 months. Then don't feel "bummed"......feel blessed.
Congratulations by the way!!!

 

[imgoingtodisney]

broke water at 3am Thurs morn, went to doc 9am Thurs morn and was sent home
started heavy contractions Th night so was admitted to hospital
At 7am Fri morn they took DS by c-section after I was fully dilated!
Doc said he didnt think my birth canal was wide enough. Both DH and a friend went into the operating room w/me - this was in 1992

Was so drugged that first day that DSs first milk was from a bottle - was never able to breast feed

 

[EdiePA]

DS#1 was born by emergency cesarean birth and I was so knocked out by the anesthesia, that when I finally was with it enough, I asked, "Did I have a puppy or a kitten?" I didn't get to see him until 12 hours after he was born and I was a nervous wreck. One thing that did help was a letter from a friend, that explained that I had made the best decision for myself and the baby and that time would heal these emotional wounds, too.

Fast forward two years, I was pregnant again and talked it over with my doc, who decided to let my have a trial of labor with DS#2. He was born vag. and it was a very healing experience. I got to hold him in my arms for a long time -- the nurses had been told by my then H that I needed to make up for birth experience #1.

Would I have survived a second cesarean? Yes. Would my life have been less complete without the second birth? No. I think having gone through both, I realize what a dis-service we do to ourselves by beating ourselves over what type of birth experience we had. You did the best you could for yourself and the baby -- that's what really matters.

Edie

PS - a good book on this subject is Silent Knife.

 

[jel0511]

My first DD was born my emergency c-section. I had been on bed rest since 31 weeks with pre-eclampsia. I was constantly being monitored, 3 Dr visits a week, as well as weekly 24 hour urine tests. Well, at one check-up the results of my 24 hour urine showed I was spilling too much protein, meaning I was eclamptic, not pre-eclamptic anymore. I was told to immediately get to the hospital. I was able to stay awake, but was also so drugged, that I don't remember much at all. I was depressed about it afterwards, and the infection that I got 1 week after didn't help either!! But, I came to realize that it doesn't matter how you give birth, you successfully brought a healthy child into the world, so goal accomplished. I also didn't get to see DD until approx 5 hours after birth, and then it was only for 5 minutes. I really didn't get to spend any time with her until the next day. Now, my second child was born my successrul V-BAC and did I feel more involved yes, it definately was easier, but it doesn't dimish my experience with DD. If I have a third, what would I want, a healthy child!!

 

[ryanpatricksmom]

My experience for the first was very similar to Jel0511's, although I was put under. Back in 1979 when my first was born, it was still pretty unusual to stay awake during a C-section and frankly I was so frightened that it seemed like a blessing.

My second was a VBAC, however RP was born holding his breath and quite purple! He was wisked away to the neonatal intensive care ward and I actually spent less time with him than my first .

Truth is, I brought each of them home after 1 week (can you imagine, you used to stay in the hospital for a full week after a c-section?), and didn't really give their methods of arrival a second thought.

 

[figmentvi]

I had to have an emergency c-section with my youngest DD. As soon as my contractions started, I had a very weird feeling that I needed to get to the hospital right away. Good thing. The umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck and if she dropped any further down the birth canal, she would have strangled.

So needless to say things moved pretty quickly and I didn't really have time to think about it. I had two other children naturally, so I didn't really miss the "experience". I was just eternally grateful that modern medicine was there to save DD's life.

LOL EdiePA....."did I have a puppy or a kitten ?". ROFLMBO. I know just how you felt. My two older children are girls and I was so convinced that I was going to have a boy, that I didn't even think of a girl's name. So my husband named her "Andrea" while I was still out of it. I didn't quite get the hang of the name for a while. Poor thing, I kept forgetting her name and for the first few weeks of her life, I kept calling her Adrian.

 

[Serena]

me.

Actually in Lamaze classes the very first time, they warned us that this could happen. That some women don't actually feel like they have given birth because of a c-section.
Sonya, my feeling is, it sure wasn't anyone else.
That baby came from you. Thankfully they were able to help it and you by being born an alternate, faster route.

I almost lost Kelsea, because of where the umbilical cord was, she almost died being born the so called "normal" way. It was a total emergency, they raced me to the operating room, tied me down and was cleaning me at the same time, then totally knocked me out. I was terrified, but all that matters is that she was a healthy baby. It doesn't matter if she came through my stomach or my nose, she's mine.

 

[annemariec]

Originally posted by debster812
Sonya,

Mine was not exactly an emergency, but the doctor did tell us it was urgent . DH did not make it into the ER until they were about halfway done, and quite frankly, I was stoned out of my mind on painkillers and the epidural. My doctor told me something, that I think I told you once before. His goal was to send a healty baby, and healthy momma home from the hospital. How the arrived at that did not matter.

Please do NOT let anyone (yourself included) diminish your experience. Pregnancy, childbirth, and parenthood are not contests. You carried that cutie pie for 40 weeks (or so), you gave birth (via surgery), and you are a great mom!

Positive experience, heck yeah, I have my handsome boy. You have that sweet red fuzzy headed little dumplin'.

Please don't beat yourself up over it.

Debbie

I had a similar experience. 10 hours induced labor on increased doses of pitocin. I didn't get an epidural until the last hour. Got half doses of a milder narcotic until the nurse came in and said I couldn't have it anymore! Talk about being wiped out! (I was scared to get the epidural.) I had told my DH that my worst 2 fears were getting the epidural and having a C-section. I had both. (The baby was on the cord and it was urgent that I have the C-section.) Later, I told him it wasn't bad. The LABOR was!!! My gosh. I was holding on to the side rails for dear life, like a little tiny boat getting thrashed on rough seas! It took me a few days to get over it. No kidding. I was exhausted. I felt like I wasn't my best for my new baby after all of that! I didn't mind the surgery at all.

Fast forward to now. I'm due again Aug. 22nd. I'm having the C-section. I don't want to go through the labor and the possibility of having a section too. I'd rather just have the section. My sister asked me if I'd miss having the baby VBAC (I think that's the acronym.) I told her heck no!!! It's the goal of having my precious baby in my arms. Not the process, not to me. IMHO, enjoy your baby!!! Don't fret over how he came into the world. You have a wonderful outcome!!

*** A funny side story, I was laying in the bed with the Anesthesia guy beside me adjusting the dose of meds in the syringe. He squired the excess in the air and I saw it hit my surgeon in the eye!!! (He was standing at the foot of the bed.) I asked him if he had just squirted him in the eye as he was blinking profusely and touching his eye. He said, yes --- but I'm ok. Right as they were wheeling me in the surgical suite! It was like something right out of a comedy!

Annemarie

 

[JeniC]

Its scary either way. With DS it was an emergency and DH couldn't be there, with DD it was planned but he left the room with DD so I was still alone for the biggest part of it. I think it depends on the staff that are working on you, I was lucky to have wonderful nurses both times that held my hand and comforted me.

 

[Mskanga]

It depends on what you consider emergency, if you mean decide having a c-section when you were already pushing and then the doctor decided to perform a c-section , then I guess I didn't have it.
In my case , the first time it was decided very quickly when dd's heartbeat rate dropped to 0 a couple of times, but dh was allowed into the OR with me, only after they have given me the epidural. I stayed awake through the entire procedure, didn't feel a thing except for the pressure of the doctor pushing on my belly , but nothing else. DH also videotaped a good part of it.
I'm glad we went ahead with it because dd1 had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck three times and she would have never made it out alive ,plus she was also breached.
DD2 was a planned c-section and the same thing, dh went in and stayed with me, this one was actually better and dh also videotaped it.
I definetely know I have given birth, I have a scar to remind me, LOL.

 

[becka]

Sonya - I posted something eerily similar back when DS was around 4 months old. I got some great advice - you should read it when you get a chance.

http://disboards.com/showthread.phps=&threadid=263117&highlight=+birth

I still occassionally linger over my feelings about the c-section but as time as gone by I don't think about it nearly as much. I do plan to try VBAC if and when we get pregnant again if possible but if there is any danger than I would not hesitate to go the c-section route again.

{{hugs}} Don't hesitate to PM me if you need someone to talk to about it.

 

[Mskanga]

Fast forward to now. I'm due again Aug. 22nd. I'm having the C-section. I don't want to go through the labor and the possibility of having a section too.

That is one of the big reasons why I opted for the planned c-section the second time, I thought, no way in heck I'm going to go into labor for hours and then maybe end up with a c-section anyway, I really didn't mind having a c-section.
One huge reason for me too was that I wanted to make sure I made it to the hospital ( two hours away ) , and a planned c-section was the only guarante.
I really didn't mind, I actually started all the testing, I had the weekly check up that same day in the morning and everything was fine, I was told the baby was in position. Don't ask me why I insisted on knowing the baby's position during labor, that's when the doctor couldn't determine , in the meantime her heartbeat dropped a couple of times, they took an ultrasound and saw her breached. The doctor suspected the cord around her neck but didn't say anything, I was the one to suggest c-section while he was explaining what was going on , and he said if I was not afraid, that was the safest thing to do for the baby. I really wasn't afraid, I had total faith in him. I didn't feel any less happy or proud because of the way my dd came into this world, didn't have problems after that either, I was just happy to have her.
If I was ever to have another child, yes you guessed it, I would have another c-section, but I am not having anymore children .

 

[jfranklyn]

I can sort of sympathize with you on this on. Back in December of '02 I had an URGENT c-section with my 2nd child. I had quite an easy delivery with my first 4 years ago (induced, 6 hours of labor, 2 hours of pushing) and was expecting a similar experience this time.

I was induced again, but this time the baby never engaged in the canal, and was sort of hanging off to the right pushing down on the corner of my pelvic bone. He was NEVER going to move down on his own the doctor said - and they tried everything. So they decided to do a section - and it seemed to me like it was just at the right time because things started to go badly as soon as I got the epidural started. In the end it was fine, and we both survived beautifully.

However, I understand what you're saying about not feeling like you gave birth. I sometimes get the feeling like I "cheated" the 2nd time - or wimped out. I don't know why I feel that way, lord knows that incision still bothers me 6 months later and was certainly more painful than my ******l birth ever was. But I guess there is something about the experience of all that pushing that makes you feel like you accomplished something - and without it, it's almost anticlimactic. One thing that was nice was that a few days later my doctor came in for his daily visit, and we sat and talked about it all over again - why it was necessary, how to focus on the outcome, etc. I guess that our feelings are shared by alot of people, because he didn't seem to think it was unusual at all to feel that way.

Anyway, I try and focus on this: I have a beautiful baby boy that, 100 years ago, might have died in-utero because he couldn't find his way out. Thank the good Lord that there are skilled surgeons who can see to it that we have healthy babies.

 

[Gail T AGAIN]

Originally posted by Sonya
Just curious to see how you it has affected you. I always said if I had to have a (regular) C-section that it wouldn't bother me, but the fact that DH couldn't be there with me and I wasn't even awake for it really has be bummed. I don't feel like I've given birth!
Anyone have any positive or negative experiences?

Although I did not have a C section please don't do this to yourself. YOU did a bigger job giving birth to Sam that most of of have done ( not that we all just spit out our babies) . Does it really matter how he got into this world and into your arms, he is here and will give you more joy that anyone else. Please take care of yourself and be pproud of you little, (Sam) (meaning really really BIG) accomplishment of getting where you are now.

 

[annemariec]

Sometimes I think the TLC channel does a disservice to women with all of the (mostly) easy deliveries they air. It's all roses, wine, and smiles. Same with the classes I took. The videos all looked like the deliveries were relatively easy. After my delivery, I told DH I wished they would have presented a more balanced approach to the realities. Dagone. Talk about a shock. I didn't get to use my candles or music that was suggested in the classes. (Actually, my sister told me not to bother packing them. Which I didn't.)

I'm sure a balanced approach isn't really done so as not to scare women in a sensitive time. I understand that. But, I do think the "rosy" presentation effects women's expectations and adds to their feelings of inadequacy (for lack of a better word). And that's a shame.

Annemarie