C-sections - Tell me the truth!

[Twende]

Really look into the Webster Technique. It works well. Our son turned within 24 hours of having this done.

Here is some information on it: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/chiropracticcare.html

http://www.expectantmothersguide.com/library/cleveland/webster.htm

No matter what anyone tells you a Csec is major abdominal surgery. There can be complications to you and the baby and there will be recovery time that is much longer and much more painful that birthing va ginally.

If you can avoid needing to have surgery, then that is the best.

Another possibility is finding an OB or midwife that will allow you to birth a breech baby va ginally. There are some medical people who are still trained to help a woman birth a breech but they are few and far between.

Keep trying to turn the baby. Laying on your side on an ironing board that is propped up on your couch is a great way to help the baby move. Do not lay flat on your back at this point in pregnancy as it can cut off blood circulation to your baby. Read up on ways to flip a baby. There are many of them and the techniques are varied. One that I have seen work involves you doing somersaults in the water. Another is playing some what loud rock music on the top of your uterus while relaxing and visualizing the baby turning head down. Others involve the use of lights.

Personally I would not schedule a csec before at least 40 weeks. All babies take their own time to be ready. 39 weeks can be too early for some babies.

If you do end up with a section, make sure you have someone at the hospital who can stay and help take care of you and your baby. That way the baby can stay with you instead of having to go to the nursery.

After surgery remember to change positions every 30 minutes or so. Even if you just roll from side to side in your bed. Get up and walk as soon as possible. It will hurt but moving will keep you from getting major gas pains. They hurt more that the pain of the incision! Support your incision with a pillow or a large teddy bear. This really helps when you move, cough, or walk around. Keep moving. The pain will get better.

Nurse your baby and this helps both you and your infant. Nursing helps your uterus to heal. And of course there is NO substitution for breast milk. It is the only food your baby needs for 6 to 8 months!

Enjoy motherhood. There is nothing quite like it!

 

[islandmum]

/the truth about c-sections?

Are they nice - no, its major surgery

whats it like - everyones different, one of mine was perfect, one wasnt

Are you left with repercussions - sometimes yes

Do i regret having them - NO! If I wanted to be a primadonna and have "my birthing experience" I would have zero children,.

If you're priority is to have children delivered safely and healthily and c-section is the recommendation then go for it.

Do I remember the bad things about my 2nd c-section that didnt go as planned - only when people remind me ...... and then I just laugh about it because it seems so trivial compared to the end result - healthy baby.

To be honest they couldve given me a scar that looked like the grand canyon, yelled at me through my stay, whatever ..... I just wanted a healthy birth and didnt make myself and my feelings the top priority.

you'll be fine I'm sure.

 

[daughtersrus]

I didn't read all of the replies so forgive me if I repeating anything.

I've had 3 C-sections. The first in '86 and the last in '94. Things changed dramatically so I can only imagine how they've changed in the last 18 years.

That said, with my first one I was very groggy afterwards. The pain med that they gave me were in my IV. I was in the hospital for 6 full days.

My second one was in '90. I was one of the first patients at the hospital to have a PAC for pain meds. Basically, it was a device that connected to my epidural. I pushed the button when I needed medication but there was a safety built in so that you couldn't overdose. It was MUCH better! It only gave me the pain med where I needed it so my brain was clear to think. DD was born at 9am and I was up walking by dinner! I was in the hospital for 5 days.

My last was in '94. We had a C-section scheduled but DD decided to make her appearance 18 days early. I had her just before midnight. I had similar pain meds as my second one. I was up walking by early morning the next day. My insurance would only cover 3 days in the hospital and they considered the first hour after she was born to be the first day. I was sent home after 2 1/2 days in the hospital. I was OK with that because I really wanted to be home with my other girls.

I did have a minor set back with the last one because I decided to go against the doctor's orders and vacuum. My incision opened a bit and I had to go back to the doctor to have it fixed.

A few things that no one told me. Although you are numb, you will feel a lot of pushing and pulling. It doesn't hurt but it feels kind of like when you get a tooth pulled.

With all three, I because very nauseated during the delivery (nothing like trying to throw up while you're laying flat on your back and your arms are strapped down). There was nothing in my stomach besides the green stuff that they made me drink. The nausea was because my blood pressure dropped so low. When I told DH that I wasn't feeling well with the 2nd and 3rd, he look at the blood pressure and said something. The anesthesiologist laughed at DH and told him that he had it under control and had already given me something.

I'm embarrassed to say this but with my 2nd DD, they put her right by my head before they had really cleaned her off. Having just thrown up and still not feeling well, I had to ask them to take her away and clean her off. I just couldn't handle the smell and I'm normally good at stuff like that.
The last thing that bothered me the most was after surgery I was freezing and couldn't stop the shaking. They said that was completely normal.

Like I said, my youngest will be 18 soon so I'm sure that things have changed and improved.

I wish you and your son the best!

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

I had an unplanned c-section but my DD was trying to come out sideways so there was no way it was going to happen any other way! She was also 9lb 4oz so it was never going to be easy. I had had an epidural early on in my labour and they just topped it up so I was fully awake throughout. My DH was by my side and he was the first one to hold her...whilst some people would still be grieving over this many years later I thought this was wonderful...at the end of the day I had carried my DD inside me for 9 months, it only seemed right that he got the chance to hold her. He was also the first one to feed her as I'd chosen to formula feed. I'm sure some of the 'crunchy' moms would have me hung drawn and quartered for such blasphemy but I have a very intelligent, extremely healthy and well adjusted 11 year old so my 'evil' choices can't have done her much harm!

I had a wound infection in my incision scar that needed to be left open to heal but I'm a nurse so I did most of the after care for that myself using a mirror. I just saw my practice nurse every couple of weeks so she could check on the progress. However after the first 48 hours I only had ibuprofen if I had any pain...which was not very often, and only had to be a bit cautious if coughing,sneezing or laughing hard.

At the end of the day the number one most important thing is to have a healthy baby at the end of the process. When I was pregnant my neighbour was due 2 months after me. She ended up having her son before my DD was born. He had a lot of complications...some from being prem others unrelated and he sepnt the next 4 months in hospital. Whilst I wouldn't say my wound infection etc was a walk in the park I wouldn't have swapped her experience (******l delivery of a small baby with only gas and air) for mine if the pay off was a poorly child.

Another friend had a ******l breech birth - and her poor DD is 7 now and very severely disabled from the lack of oxygen at birth. They have won considerable damages from the hospital because the doctor made the decision not to do a c section when the baby was in distress. I know that, given the choice you have, she would have taken the c section any day!

In my opinion it is better to 'grieve' for the birth you would have wished for than to grieve for a dead or disabled baby.

Good luck with the birth. I can assure you that it doesn't matter how they come into the world they are your baby that is all that matters.

 

[wvjules]

Oh the second best thing about having a c-section:

My nipples, belly button and c-section scar form a smiley face.

(*) (*)

*
(_____)

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Like many others have said...I had no problems.

My C-section was scheduled at 37 weeks for my twins.

I went in, got the spinal(SOOO not bad. The IV in my hand was WORSE!), DH came in and then the doctor delivered my beautiful babies!

I was alert...I felt nothing but a little pressure, but it wasn't painful and DS's entire amniotic sac even came out intact!

DH went to the nursery while I recovered.

I was walking around the next morning(surgery was at 4:30pm the previous day). I didn't take any pain pills until a few days later and I only took them for MAYBE a week at that. It was uncomfortable, but the recovery didn't really HURT.

The worst part for me was the 24 hours BEFORE the c-section. That waiting was HORRIBLE!

Good luck OP...

 

[SydSim]

For scheduled sections, almost all of my patients have spinal anesthesia - quick to work and wears off very fast after the surgery. You may be tired, but that's probably because you couldn't sleep the night before You'll have an IV and a catheter, plus a bandage across your lower belly.

Our patients are allowed clear liquids right after surgery, and remain on bedrest for around 12 hours. After that, they get rid of the IV and catheter, and can have regular food if they're hungry. The bandage also comes off and is left open to air to heal (most of our patients have staples at their incision). You will have pain medication ordered for you - our patients have a plethora to choose from (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, percocet or tylenol with codeine, as well as morphine or demerol - they can take their pick!). We encouraged patients to walk - the most common complaint of our c-sections is gas pain. Walking gets things moving.

Our patients stay in the hospital for 2-3 nights after surgery. Everyone recovers differently (just like everyone's pregnancy/labor is different). Some patients can do everything on their own as soon as they get up out of bed. Some need help getting the baby in and out of the crib. Some don't want to move at all. I say take your pain meds, and get to runnin'! The longer you stay in the bed, not moving, the worse you feel.

When I had my section, I felt so good on the fourth day that I told my boss that I'd like to come back to work the next week, and give me my three month maternity leave when she's teething! I was bad though- I drove a week after surgery and ran up and down stairs a lot. Because of this, I do have some adhesions, so do take it easy once you are home. Oh, and I nursed exclusively for 20 months, so the c-section didn't interfere with that.

I know it's hard, but try not to get to hung up on how much interaction you have with the baby during those first 24 hours. Holding and feeding are more than enough at that point. No one is keeping score (and the baby won't remember that you slept thru the first poopy diaper!)

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I did not have a C Section but have had NUMEROUS laparotomies (same opening) and I am sure you will be fine. I have always been up walking the halls and to the bathroom after each surgery..In fact, the quicker you start moving, the better and faster you seem to heal. I don't think your Dr is planning general anesthesia like I had, so grogginess should be a problem the day of. I totally think 39 weeks pregnant is far worse than the surgery..but 99% of the people that give birth seem to forget the bad and only remember the good (probably how the world continues to be populated!! LOL)

I did chuckle at the Ina Gaskin remark..some posters feel the need to scare the heck out of people so take it with a grain of salt.
Ina does have some amazing advice and you could pick up her book "Spiritual Midwifery"..that was all I remembered during labor..she is very hippy and groovy, but I love her.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Our patients are allowed clear liquids right after surgery, and remain on bedrest for around 12 hours. After that, they get rid of the IV and catheter, and can have regular food if they're hungry.

It's funny you said that!

I was JUST about to post this...

OP...Listen to the nurses about taking it slow with the food!

They told me to start slow with the food. Drink some water or juice, if it stays down move onto some crackers and so on. I ate in ALL in like 30 minutes!
They had brought me a tray with juice and a bunch of crackers and things.

The nurse was like, "You don't want to do that..."

I should have listened. I wanted to go see my DS in the NICU and they said I would be too sick. I thought I was FINE! I INSTISTED they bring me a chair. They did...With knowing smirks on their faces. I sat up and lost my lunch. No gagging...No warning...I layed back down and my favorite nurse(she was there a LOT of my stay) said, "Can I get you anything else?" I wanted to punch her then, now I think it's funny.

 

[Curiouser&curiouser!]

I haven't read the entire thread yet, but here is my experience.

My baby was a week late. I went in for my weekly appointment and they 'stripped the mebranes' and they sent me home. Not sure what that is but it was uncomfortable.

I went into labor a few hours later, around 11pm. Ended up at the hospital by about 2am. Was in labor until about 3pm the next day. Pushed for 2.5 hours. Then the baby started distressing, so they immediately sent me in for an emergency C-section. I was out of the delivery room and on a table being prepped within minutes (after signing the appropriate paperwork of course!).

They had to do that spinal higher than usual because I had already had an epidural. So during the C-section I stopped feeling myself breath. It was a very freaky feeling. They assured me that I was still breathing though I couldn't feel it and used the bag to pump air into my nose/mouth during the rest of the procedure. They got the baby with no issues and immediately turned down the spinal (not sure if that is the right term) and I could breath again just fine. I did not feel anything at all during the surgery.

Recovery was a bit tough. I wasn't in much pain until the next day. The first week was tough because it hurt so much to move at all. But after that I recovered pretty quickly. I was able to move around with just discomfort (which felt like nothing after the first week).

 

[nmmom95]

I have had 2 c-sections. My first son was 2 days late, and after 18 hours of labor, I had a c-section. My younger son was born at 34 weeks. I had a c-section after 14 hours of labor. Honestly, the labor was worse. C-sections are nowhere near as scary as you think. Seriously, piece of cake.

 

[SmallWorld71]

My entire birth plan focused on completely natural childbirth and avoiding a c-section. My baby boy has different plans and refuses to turn out of the breech position, so I am now scheduled for a c-section in just under 2 weeks. While I can't wait to meet my little guy, I am really freaked out about the c-section and could use some reassurance. It seems like most people who have had one found it to be a pretty good experience, but everything I read sounds so much worse.

For those of you that have been there, how was your experience? These are the things that I really worry about:

1. I'm worried about being groggy and fuzzy headed. I want to be completely in the moment to enjoy the birth and first hours and day with my son. How clear did you feel? How is your memory from that day?

2. Does the pain and recovery distract too much from the time with your child? I want to remember him, not the surgery.

3. Does the recovery really take as long as they say? I hate the idea of not feeling normal for another 4-6 weeks. Many things make the recovery sound more difficult than the end of pregnancy. Did it take you that long? Was it worse to be 38-39 weeks pregnant or 1-2 weeks post c-section?

I'm really looking for brutal honesty here. I know I don't really have a choice in my situation, but I want to be prepared!

I haven't read all the responses. You asked for honesty, so I'll give it. I've had 2 c-sections, one emergency (DS12) and one scheduled (DD8). The two births were like night and day.

With the emergency c-section, I had been in labor for days and by the time the surgery came, I was so tired that I just didn't care. The only thing I cared about was the nice anesthesiologist who was helping me through the pain. When DS was born, I had no interest and when the surgery was over, I fell asleep for several hours. DS spent his first few hours of life with his daddy. It was very traumatic for me (and DH who wasn't even allowed to speak to me) because we were in a crisis situation. It was a day before I could stand up or was allowed to eat. And, yes, the recovery was pretty slow. Bless my mother who would come pick us up every day and bring me to her house so that I could have a change of scenery.

With the planned c-section, it was a whole different story. I was wide awake, the atmosphere was very pleasant, there was talking, laughing, excitement... And, I got to hold my baby girl not long after she was born. The recovery was easier; I was driving and pretty much back to normal after a couple weeks.

So, two very different experiences.

But, and people may disagree, bottom line is that while the type of birth may seem so important now (and it did to me at the time) it really isn't important at all. What is important is that you have a healthy baby to love. I don't love my son any more or less than my daughter just because he arrived in a traumatic way. We have made up for that rocky start with so many wonderful moments throughout the years. So, don't stress about how your little boy arrives - just be happy that he's on the way!

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

I've had two c-sections. One emergency and one scheduled. The scheduled c-section went SOOOOO smooth! I was really surprised at how good I felt afterword. In the couple hours after I gave birth, I was pretty nauseated but other than that, I had virtually no pain. You've got to remember that, with a "regular" natural delivery, there is pain too and recovery can take the same amount of time... the stitches are... just in a different spot.

Anyway, here are a few things that are maybe obvious to some people but kind of surprised me about my scheduled c-section:

1. You WALK to the OR. Yup! After getting all changed into a gown and hooked up to an IV, the nurse was like "ok, I'll WALK you to the OR now!" I was all "Really??" and she said "We could get a wheelchair if you'd like..." Anyway, I just didn't expect it and other friends of mine confirmed that this is the norm.

2. Your anesthesiologist is NOT the person who gives you the spinal. The anesthesiologist will introduce him/herself to you THEN all he/she does is supervises. A nurse anesthetist actually administers the shot! SOOO *if you can* ask around your OB's office to see who is the best nurse anesthetist at the hospital you plan to deliver at. *Sometimes they can't tell you who is on call... I had an "in" at the hospital so I got someone REALLY good.

3. You go in first, get the spinal, they make sure you're doing well THEN they allow your significant other in the room. I guess this is for liability reasons??

4. Something I didn't do, but have friends suggest is to have them start you on IV anti-nausia meds BEFORE the surgery begins. I got the "patch" after and it made me really dizzy. For me dizzy=nausea therefore my anti-nausea patch made me nauseated! Once I took off that dang patch & got some ice-chips, I was fine.

Anyway, I think you'll be fine. I remember every detail of my DD's birth and my recovery was pretty quick. I couldn't lay on my tummy for a few more weeks but a lot of women can't do that anyway even with a "regular" birth. Hang in there! You'll do great no matter how you deliver!!

And CONGRATULATIONS!!

 

[badblackpug]

some people do just fine.

others don't.


You don't know which one you'll be until it's too late.



One of my friends had a surgical birth with her second baby because baby was breech.

As they cut my friend's SKIN, the baby flopped and moved to proper position.

They didn't stop.

So much for them doing it for the baby's sake. They could have stopped, but they ahd started, and they continued with the skin incisions and went further on.

Lovely.



OH and extra fun for me...no one had a CLUE that DS was so far down (and, again, posterior). The supposed doctor CUT my son's nose. And never told me.

It was after I was booted (illegally) from the hospital 42 hours post-op (while I was crying and freaking out because I lived in a 3rd floor walkup apartment building and they said "it's just Group Health regulations", then said nothing as I said "again, I have Great West, NOT Group Health, and it's a LAW!"), when I realized that the thing on his nose wasn't just a blob that we had missed when we washed him (after the nurses kept referring to him as a "biohazard"), but a cut that was bleeding and scabbing.

It's still a scar. A little blip of a scar, like a pockmark, that I can't focus on too much because I'll cry, even now.

I was so demoralized, and would get such huge anxiety and panic attacks, about it all, that I still have never written to them. Even now I feel powerless about it all.


I don't want you to feel powerless. Take back your power. "No" is a complete sentence. Get on the phone. Are you near Tennessee? Can you contact Ina May Gaskin's "farm" and see if they'd take you? (that's midwives, out of hospital, FYI)

The truth?


OK first...I had all of the women on mothering.com forums TRY to scream at me that I was heading down a bad road. They tried and tried, and when I went back and read everything I wanted to die because they had done everything they could and I ignored them.

So when someone asks, I try to tell them. I know you're very pregnant and probably sensitive and you're scared...but I don't know how much you will hear, and so I'm just laying it on the line. My problems weren't for breech, but a totally undetected malpositioning is what caused everything, along with attendants who REFUSED to believe me that EVERYONE in my family was late late late, and my husband (contributed lots of genetics to DS!) was born at 44 weeks and was under 9 pounds and perfectly awesomely fine. Everyone could see what was happening except for me, because I was pregnant and WANTED to trust people and I was crying all the time and sensitive and was watching things spiral out of control and I didn't know that "NO" is a complete sentence.


You are having MAJOR abdominal surgery on the very day you meet your new baby. You will likely be taking some pretty heavy drugs for the days and even weeks (2 weeks for me and I was still in utter agony for a LONG time) while your baby is new, and you MIGHT not remember much.

You have a greater chance of dying. That's super-fun.


Breech. Find a provider who is better. Of course, no one in the States IS better, because their insurance companies fear for themselves, so finding someone who will sit in the back of the room and knit while YOU do the work, and no one pulls on the baby's body to cause problems, is nearly impossible. Augh I hate the breech fear. (I would love to see the statistics between a properly attended (attendant sitting in a chair knitting while you work it out) breech birth vs surgery mortality, seriously)

Get into an acupuncturist's office and have moxibustion done. Find a GOOD chiropractor who welcomes families and does the Webster technique and get that baby moved. Even if you have no Webster technique people, get to a chiropractor. Often, just having the pelvis out of place slightly can keep the baby from moving.


OH and scheduling THAT far out for breech? I cannot despise your providers more. The chances of that baby moving are HUGE. But they are scheduling you. So you can't just say "give me another day". No, they've scheduled you.

Honestly, I'd unschedule that ASAP. If you start labor and baby is still breech and YOU want the risks of surgery vs the risks of unskilled attendants at a breech birth, you can still make that choice, I PROMISE you. Just unschedule it. There is NO reason for that to be happening.



During my labor (half of which was "prodromal" but no one said that word because that would mean they would be in trouble with their invisible overseers (turns out the midwives I chose were having troubles with the medical community, as the perinatal physician who was one of their life partners had just had her license yanked for cooperating with midwives)), I kept having the biggest urge to pull out the ironing board, lie down on it, and have hubby lift the end where my feet were. Sort of "re-set" things.

If I'd managed to vocalize that and have it done....I truly believe things would have changed. No one knew it at the time (2 midwives then an OB and several nurses) never even checked, but not only was DS posterior (the hips are going to explode give me heroin now pain didn't clue them in?) but he had AT LEAST one hand up at his face, and probably both. (little superman dude) And I know a woman who had a baby in just that position, so it can be done.

and so can breech. But it might be too late to find someone who can attended it appropriately.... So just get yourself moving to the things that CAN be done, and unschedule the surgery. Even if you want major abdominal surgery on the day you meet your baby, you can still let the BABY decide when he wants to be born.

Seriously? Are you seriously so traumatized about a "birth plan" that didn't go exactly as you had dreamed it in your head 7 years ago (that, by the way, resulted in a healthy child) that this has to be brought up over and over again?

You would prefer someone "sat in the corner knitting" while your baby was in distress? You would have been the 1st one on here railing against the medical community (and suing) if your child had been born with anoxic brain damage or cerebral palsy as a result of deceleration. This type of attitude is why caring, professional, well educated OBGYNs have given up the obstetrics portion of their practice, altogether. The malpractice insurance and the assault on their reputations are more than many can bear. It is sad, because there are now states where there aren't even enough OBGYNs to take care of all of the expectant mothers.

Now OP, my kids are adopted, but....

My sister had her son via scheduled section. She had an epidural and was wide awake through the delivery and immediately after in the recovery room. She held her baby immediately.

Her recovery was fine. As a matter of fact, 4 weeks post partum we were in WDW. She rode all the rides, including all the slides at Blizzard Beach. She had maybe 3 days of being uncomfortable after.

 

[PFlo]

Dear OP
Good luck with the birth. My only advice as a mum is not to get hung up on the birth. However it works out, it hurts. Only important thing is that you have a healthy baby. The next twenty years will be a mix of wonderful / tough / more wonderful. Focus on that. And dont worry about day or more of discomfort. Hope all goes well

 

[DMickey28]

My first was born via c-section after labor, dilating and pushing so it was a different experience than what you will have.

My second son was born via scheduled c-section and it was the most amazing experience.

1. I'm worried about being groggy and fuzzy headed. I want to be completely in the moment to enjoy the birth and first hours and day with my son. How clear did you feel? How is your memory from that day? I was not fuzzy in the least. Rolling into the surgery was the amazing feeling, knowing I was going to go have my baby. I was nauseous during the procedure but I remember them showing me him, I remember look back and watching him get weighed, I remember DH holding him for me next to me. I was holding him within 20 minutes of him being born in the recovery room. (That was a far cry from ODS's birth so that might be hospital dependent.) My surgery was schedule at 9:30am. They had me up by 5pm.

2. Does the pain and recovery distract too much from the time with your child? I want to remember him, not the surgery. I don't know any different but I do know that my time with my YDS after the scheduled section was much better. I was able to pull myself up to get to him in the cradle without a problem vs. laboring for a long time and then getting the surgery. Once you learn to move around taking care of your incision then it's easy. Remember to keep a pillow on your stomach and when you need to laugh or move, hold it down. It really helps.

3. Does the recovery really take as long as they say? I hate the idea of not feeling normal for another 4-6 weeks. Many things make the recovery sound more difficult than the end of pregnancy. Did it take you that long? Was it worse to be 38-39 weeks pregnant or 1-2 weeks post c-section?
With YDS I was off pain killers by the time I went home, if not before, and was moving around almost completely normally by then as well. I was almost completely back to normal minus serious heavy lifting within 2 weeks. Easter was only 2.5 weeks after he was born and I do not remember holding back at all. With my younger son I was apartment hunting within weeks and moved a whole apartment with my MIL at 6 weeks. I think the 38-39 weeks pregnant was far worse and that is only because after the first week of the c-section I don't remember any problems. Honestly you are in the hospital for the "worst" of the recovery and everyone is there to help you.

As the nurse to change your LO's diaper when he is brought back to you from anything ... tests or the nursery. If you hospital still has a nursery LET THEM take him at night sometimes. It's worth the rest and probably part of why my recovery was so easy. I RESTED. My hospital is focused 100% on the mom and the mom's recovery because then the baby's will be better. They advocate rooming in but have a nursery and really support your baby sleeping there at night. It was AWESOME, not having to be super mom right out of the gate!! They even gave me Ambien and brought him to me to nurse and took him back to bed.

Congrats ... Good Luck. My scheduled c-section and hospital experience is actually something I am really looking forward to when we decide to have baby #3!!

 

[Chelley00]

I think you've heard every experience on here, so I won't rehash my experience, but I will say this:

Having other kids at home like you do, I would say that I bonded with our youngest DS who was born by emergence c-section better than I would have had I had him naturally. I was forced to slow down, rest, take it easy and that meant I could spend more time holding him than if I would have been recovered quickly and up and moving around, making dinners, doing laundry etc. It forced everyone to help out more and made me focus on myself and DS.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

What I learned from this thread is:

1) Plan on your birthing plan going out the window.

2) Avoid Mothering .com like the plague

3) No matter which way you give birth you still end up with a baby.



OP I gave birth 4 times. All were ****** lly. And each one of those experiences varied so there is no real norm either way you give birth.

Try not to focus on the c-section itself. You'll go nuts worrying about. Focus instead on the baby that you will soon be holding in your arms.

The nurses/doctors/hospitals want the best possible outcome and seeing as they actually went thru a lot of schooling to do their job I'm more inclined to follow their lead.

I do agree with checking before delivery to see if the baby has turned. Both of my youngest were breech. DD13 was a complete breech and DD10 was a footling breech. With my oldest they took the "wait and see" approach. She turned about 2 weeks before I had her. DD10 they scheduled a c-section because footlings are the most dangerous. She ended up turning 2 days before I had her.

 

[aprilgail2]

The one thing that really surprised me after my c-section was the amount of ******l bleeding I had. For some reason, I had just assumed that as part of the c-section they would clean things out in there and I wouldn't bleed as much as 'normal' or for as long. I think I assumed that because the time i had a miscarriage at 12 weeks and I had a D&C I didn't bleed very much afterwards. As it turned out, I was wrong.

Weird- I bled for a couple hours just light and then that was it- guess it depends on how good they clean you out

 

[scbelleatheart]

I had one natural birth. He popped out in 1 1/2 hours, no drugs. The episiotomy was awful. 2nd was an emergency CS. Cord around her neck after 15 hours of labor. Thank goodness for the CS or she wouldn't be here today. Next 2 were CS and I was out of bed within 2 hours after, walking the halls. I was released after 1 day for those.
I would do a CS anytime. Quick recovery even with 32 staples. Only thing that is a reminder is a faded vertical scar from the emergency CS.
Dh was thrilled he got to hold the babies first while I was in recovery. Now, that's a good Dad!