Can we discuss C sections?

So, I just got back from my high risk sono and it looks like I'm going to have to have a c section. I know that as long as the baby is healthy I shouldn't be upset. I'm just so disappointed, I was really hoping to go vaginal. Can any BTDT moms give me some insight on what to expect? How's recovery? Do you get to hold the baby right away? How about weight loss and losing water weight? I have so many questions. Any insight would help to make my day a little better

Re: Can we discuss C sections?

I haven't BTDT, but I'm sorry this wasn't what you were planning. I know how disappointing that can be!

Hang in there ... just wanted to send some !

Re: Can we discuss C sections?

Posted by julesrbf

I haven't BTDT, but I'm sorry this wasn't what you were planning. I know how disappointing that can be!

Hang in there ... just wanted to send some !

Re: Can we discuss C sections?

Hi - after 27 1/2 hours of labor - I ended up with a c-section.

I held and breast fed my son in the recovery room.

I lost all of the baby weight by the time I went to my follow up appointment with GYN.

The recovery was not bad - I had to actually remind myself to take it easy at home because I was recovering from a surgery.

I know the feeling of things not going as planned - so I am sending you some

Re: Can we discuss C sections?

I had an awesome cs. I mean, could not have asked for a better experience. It went something like this

Go to hospital, start ivs. Wait.
Go into OR, dh waited outside. They gave me the spinal, hurt, but not anything youncant take.
Dh came in, the swung my dead legs up on the table. The drs chit chatted. I felt some pulling and pressure, but again, nothing painful.

1/2hour later i hear ds cry. He is taken to be cleaned up, and weighed. Brought right back to me.

You can move, and have the catheter in, so the first day you are useless.
Next morning nurse came in got me up, showed and dressed. Took some pecs in the first day or two, after that was ib prophen. Again, not bad.

Re: Can we discuss C sections?

I had a crash c-section so have to be put under. Waking up really woozy, shaking, etc... not fun. I barely remember the day and couldn't hold DS b/c I was so out of it.
This time I'm getting a sched c. I'm just looking forward to being awake. Mason was healthy when he was born so that's all that mattered. THis time I'll be happy to hear the first cry and get to hold him.
I hear it's not so bad.
They got me up the next day fast. The more you get up and walk the better. Go with DH and your LO around the hospital when you can.
You'll be fine!
I lost all the weight 2 weeks PP

Re: Can we discuss C sections?

sent you FM!

Re: Can we discuss C sections?

Jen and I had a similar experience, except I had the baby at 930 at night.

I think with a scheduled C-Section (and again, this is just from personal experience) the recovery is a bit easier. There's no other trauma to your body (ie, contractions, water breaking).

I never labored. I went to my 39 week appt, my doctor decided that the breech position that DS was in was too dangerous to wait any longer.
Sent me to the hospital for a c-section.

Got there, hooked up, relaxed w/ DH.
Got my spinal, 1/2 hour later DS was taken out. The showed him to me then I was wheeled to recovery. I was given 2 shots of morphine, because I got REALLY bad air pockets in my shoulders during the surgery.

Other than that, everything was great!
I was brought to my room an hour later and they brought DS to me to BF.
The nurses cleaned me up and I slept on and off during the night.

By 11AM the next day I was allowed to shower and by 12Noon I was eating.

I think the key to a great recovery is moving as soon as they will allow you to.

Good luck!!!

Re: Can we discuss C sections?

Was in labor for over 15 hours but DDs heartbeat kept dropping, I had a fever from labor and she had mercomium (sp?)- pooped in the fluid so they wanted her out ASAP.

Because of the above she had to go to the NICU so I didnt get to hold her until 12 hours after. That was the only bad part for me.

Otherwise, recovery was not soo bad. The best advice I can give is to get up right away, no matter how bad it is. Once you start moving it will help speed your recovery.

I was back to "normal" within about 2 or 3 weeks. If you have any ?'s or concerns, FM me!

ETA- was down 20lbs of the 32 gained within two weeks! The rest, I still have - LOL!

Message edited 4/5/2011 1:45:21 PM.

Re: Can we discuss C sections?

I too had a scheduled c/s with my first.
It was a great experience IMO! And my recovery was wonderful really. I had a better recovery than some of my friends who had v-births.

So I got to the hospital around 7:30ish for a 9:30 c/s.
Got IVs started, put me in a room and I watched TV, just relaxed with DH. Went to OR, Dh had to wait while they did my spinal. Then they let DH in and at 9:54am DS was out.
After cleaning him DH got to hold him. Once I was ready to move to recovery, they gave him to me and I held him all the way to recovery. Then they took him to the nursery to do all the test etc that they had to.

Once my pain meds were figured out and I was in my room, they brought him to me. You are "stuck" in bed for the first 24 hours. At 7am the 2nd day I was out of bed, able to shower, walk slowly etc.

I really can't complain about my recovery. I didnt need any assitance in taking care of DS due to surgery. I didnt go home on any pain meds. I really felt pretty good! My OB swore that alot of it had to do with me not having labored prior to my c/s. My body only had to recover from one.

As far as weight loss, I gained 50lbs during my pregnancy (Ds was nearly 10lbs) at 2 weeks pp I was down over 30lbs. I didnt do anything to try to lose the weight and the first 40 came off with ease. The other 10 took longer but again I didnt exercise, didnt change my eating habits etc. And I did get back to pp weight probably by 10 months pp.

Re: Can we discuss C sections?

C section was great IMO-read my birth story

Re: Can we discuss C sections?

Thank you so much everyone for sharing your stories with me! I'm def warming up to the idea!

Re: Can we discuss C sections?

I had it 1 st time and have another scheduled for June! Coming from someone who is the biggest baby!! I elected for it, I was up walking the night of , I felt nothing and my recovery was great! Even my scar healed amazing and you can barely notice it. I liked having an appointment etc, w/ DH 's schedule. They gave me the baby right away , then DH got him! I lost my weight relatively fast I had to wait 8 weeks to get my last 15 pounds off, because I couldn't do any extensive exercise . Overall my C-section was great! Even though I was terrified going in!!

Re: Can we discuss C sections?

I'm glad the baby is healthy, but I understand C-sections can be upsetting if you had planned a vaginal birth. You might consider making a family-centered or gentle birth plan to address how you would like to be cared for before, during and immediately after your baby's cesarean birth.

Some women request that the medical staff not engage in idle chit-chat and that they speak only about the birth at hand, and only in reassuring tones as they describe the moment of birth. Some mothers request that they specifically not be given any medications which are an amnesiac (which is standard before most surgeries, but this is a birth, and some mothers might want to remember it). Some mothers request not to be given sedatives at the end of the surgery so that they can remember their baby's entire first day and to initiate breastfeeding more easily and immediately after birth.

Hypnobabies offers a cesarean CD set to help mothers who know their babies will be born via C-section. It is meant to help mothers process their emotions and prepare physically and mentally for their baby's birth.Cesarean CDs

Best of luck!