c-section...some reassurance please...

[HOMum]

Hi All,

I am 38 weeks tomorrow, and my baby is still breech, went for an ECV on Friday (which was awful) and didn't work. I am now scheduled in for a c-section on the 2nd August.

I kept thinking the baby would move just in time...appears that they are just too comfortable!

I have gone full circle, from planning a homebirth and all things natural to surgery and a stay in hospital. I am disappointed but know that essentially it is out of my hands, and it is the best thing for baby.

I just want some reassurance really, that it isn't so bad...

So any positive stories, things that would have made your stay at king's better perhaps?

Thankyou in advance

[Saila]

there's a great thread on 'what to take to hospital' on here somewhere

I found that really useful (especially things like flipflops for communal bathrooms and a fan for hot wards)

there's also loads of threads on c-sections and how people have found them no problem at all (my sister's had three now and left hospital 2 days after her last one)

a C-section is the safest option for you and your breech baby

good luck

EDIT here's one but not the long one i was thinking of ... just looking for you now

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,464777,465049#msg-465049

some other helpful links... tip - just do a search for flip flops! :)

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,439587,439884#msg-439884

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,355183,355209#msg-355209

x

[HOMum]

Thankyou, I will do a quick search for these threads x

[Moos]

Hi, sorry no time to post now, more later, but in short:-

-had planned a regular hospital delivery which escalated to emerg. C-section

-wasn't what I wanted BUT

-felt very safe and well looked after by fantastic senior registrar and her team

-they explained everything well and were v. reassuring and professional

-birth is amazing and joyful to experience even in a theatre. Will never, never forget the first wobbly cry, the huge bearded anaesthestist roaring 'It's's a boy!', the overwhelming emotion and beauty of the arrival of one's child

- 3 day stay in King's afterwards was OK-midwives very nice and patient though very busy. Food awful, get visitors to bring some, you'll be hungry!

- recovery a bit slower than for vaginal birth, you have to take it easy, which was difficult for impatient me. Scar sore for a few months but otherwise quickly felt normal.

It's fine.

A few things to think about and prepare for though, will post later.

Best of luck!

[snowboarder]

Here...

Good luck!

[Rhubarb&Custard]

It will be fab.

Have had two c-sections at Kings: one, unfortunately was an emergency under general anesthetic (a whole different ball game) and the other an elective.

The elective C section was lovely. The theatre staff were so warm and friendly (and humorous), and they did much to quell my nerves. Lots of banter, and much reassurance. The theatre we were in that day was sunny and bright, and overlooked Ruskin Park (if I remember correctly).

Recovery back on the wards was fine; but would just say don't be afraid to ask for help. The midwifes are rushed off their feet but you will need them - e.g. to help lift your baby to feed etc., so press that button! They keep you dosed up with pain relief for quite a few days - so you should feel OK. I was up on the second day for a shower, and it's good to have a friend or partner there when that happens to give you a hand getting back on your feet.

Things to pack; your own pillow, ear plugs (A MUST), BIG pants that can cover your scar, and flip flops for walking about in / having a shower (all of which you can chuck later).

I was home on day 3 with both C-sections - again don't be afraid to ask to leave if you feel up to it; I thought I'd recover much better being at home (even after the trauma of a general anesthetic section)- which I did.

I still find it incredible how quickly I did recover. Stitches (or whatever they're called) were taken out only a couple of days after getting home. I found a few drops of tea-tree oil in the bath really helped heal and sooth.

I hope it will be an absolutely wonderful experience for you. Best of luck, and much joy x

[Moos]

OK, so back at home and time for a little more.

R&C's experience will be much more valid than mine, as an elective must be quite a different affair from the rush of an emergency C-section.

But some things to think about:-

- there will be loads of people in the theatre- 12? 15? so be prepared

- I was anaesthetised from below the chest, not sure what your options are but worth discussing in advance and making your preferences clear. It's a bit freaky being conscious but completely unable to move your body, be mentally ready. It helps immensely that the team is very calm, very professional and clearly know what they're doing so I was able to trust them to take good care of me, which they did.

- after my son was born he was whipped off to be weighed etc. before I could see him, and after a minute or two my husband was summoned down from his place by my side to pick him up. He then brought our little boy to see me a good few minutes after he'd been born, all wrapped up. No chance of the nice skin-to-skin, perhaps because I was still anaesthetised though my arms were not.

- Father and son were sent to the recovery room, but I was left in the theatre for quite a while (well, it felt like quite a while) before I was moved and could join them and have a proper cuddle and first attempt at feeding.

I think if you plan better than we did all of this may be unnecessary. Not that it was disastrous by any means but if I'd known this was how things would be I'd have asked for more immediate contact with my boy, to have him delivered onto my chest if possible (my husband thinks it wouldn't have been, though) and definitely that we would not have been separated. During the operation they are very firm about keeping fathers/birth partners on the mother's (i.e. non-business) side of the little curtain, but afterwards my husband had to walk past the operating table to pick up our son from the paediatrician, and saw my un-sewn-up insides, which I think he'd have preferred not to see. Probably part of the unplannedness of the whole thing, but best avoided.

There's also a mental barrier to the c-section experience, it took me a while to get over the sense that I had failed to give birth properly (whatever that means), which is silly as logic surely dictates that a proper birth just means that you healthily deliver a healthy baby!

Since you'll be in King's for a couple of days, I'm sure it's worth taking the advice someone gave here recently and asking for a breastfeeding counsellor to visit you - one can't get too much help.

Do PM me if you want any more info but in the meanwhile hope it all goes very well and let us know how you get on.

Best

Moos

[jollybaby]

Regarding anaesthesia, elective c sections are usually done using spinal anaesthesia (as Moos described) rather than a general unless there's a very good reason not.

[alfie]

Have you had, or been offered, an appointment with a theatre midwife to talk things through? I was in exactly your position with my first - breech, failed ECV, booked in for elective - and ahead of the section I was a complete mess about it.

However I had a very reassuring meeting with the head theatre MW at Thomas' where she answered all my questions, explained the things they could do (music, lowering the curtain for the birth, skin-to-skin etc) and what they couldn't (candles in theatre, partner cutting the cord). I spent most of the meeting in tears but came away feeling at least a little bit in control of the situation.

In the end my waters broke four days before my planned section date and I ended up having a very calm, celebratory "emergency" CS. Due to the unexpected timing we were completely without the music I'd planned to organise the day before and I hadn't packed a bag with all the things mentioned above but it was still a good experience. I had a spinal block, rather than an epidural, apparently because of the lack of urgency with an elective. The anaesthetist was great - very chatty, explained everything that was going on, ribbed my husband endlessly.

All in all, mine was much closer to R&Ss experience above than a rushed, unexpected emergency CS. Definitely take flip flops and big knickers; I was made to walk around on day 2 which felt awkward but is much the best thing for recovery and avoidance of DVT. Can't speak for Kings but the postnatal care at Tommy's was patchy at best, despite the amazing teams in the labour wards.

Good luck with everything!

[nylonmeals]

We had elective c-section at kings due to fibroid operation on uterus less than year before.

Alfie asked if you have met your theatre midewife? we hadn't but we met with gemma john who did the actual operation twice and that made all the difference. lovely and reassuring to have a friendly face. I found the whole experience to be calm and quite wonderful (i hope that doesn't sound smug) Its incredible that we have the option of treatments like this. Also my husband found the birth really empowering, he loved the fact that he was totally needed - from doing all those nappies on the first day when you can't get out of bed, moving the little one from the cot to my bed. Its a real team effort.

We had skin to skin, breast feeding worked perfectly. In an ideal world I would have wanted a vaginal birth but honestly the baby is the most important thing not the way that he or she enters into the world.

Good luck! x

[Countjc]

hiya

One of those original threads was in response to me and I have to say all the advice was spot on and really made a huge difference so thanks to all of you who posted.

Jayd5, like you it took me a while to get me head round a c sec but as many of the others have said if it is the safest way for you and the baby then that is best.

I'll try not to copy too much of what was said above but just a few things that went on during mine that might help you. Lots of people in the room but the anaesthetist is the one who was with me the whole time and she was amazing. Kept me really calm throughout and looked after hubby too. When they put the spinal block in your blood pressure will prob fall quite a bit which feels a bit weird and scary but that is a good sign that it is working, just keep talking to the anaesthetist and explain how you are feeling. she gave me something that raised my blood pressure a bit but i was yoyoin g around quite a bit througout the op.

they were great about lowering the curtain and giving my son to me once he had been checked and we got skin on skin for a bit but then i lost a bit of blood whilst they were stitiching me up so they took him and husband off and they had a nice time bonding together which i think was really special for him.

As you will see in the old thread and from many people the post-natal ward is a bit manic mainly due to their being not enough staff and so many women and babies. I found all the midwives etc to be amazing but just rushed off their feet. 3 mindwives and 50 women on the first night- mental! try to have someone there to keep hassling for your pain relief as mine kept coming late and it did hurt once the relief wore off (dont want to scare you but just to be realistic) we were out after 48 hours which was pretty unbelieveable as i went in a wheelchair unable to walk and walked out!

if you can get up and about do when you feel ready as that definately helped me- i had a lovely health care assistant who helped me practice walking and showered me and things.

one last thing and i will stop prattling on! My milk came in pretty late which was possibly due to the c sec or maybe blood loss but it was about day 6 so my boy was pretty hungry.

please feel free to pm me if you want to know anything else and thanks again to all of those who reassured me before my op!

j

[gwod]

I've had 1 vaginal delivery, 2 emergency c sections and 2 planned c sections. The planned c/s were my best deliveries, I am equally bonded with all my children, and feeding success or failure bore no corelation of methods of delivery. I think very relatively few women's births go according to plan - I feel as though its training for motherhood, starting to teach us to be flexible from the outset - in my experience loads of it goes in a different (and often better)than I had invisaged beforehand!

The theatre is a calm and businesslike place (much calmer than delivery rooms in my experience) you can talk and ask questions as the procedure takes place.

The downside is a longer stay in hospital but that's not much of a price to pay for a safe delivery. Dont let the guilt get to you - there's plenty of time for that later (...shall I go back to work?...can I afford the education I would like....do I read to him enough etc etc!!!)

Be calm

All will be well.

[nunheadmum]

I was in your position with my first - elective c-section for breech. And the delivery itself was a lovely experience.

We went to the pub the day before and chose our list of potential names (didn't know the sex), met with our NCT group the evening before. Going in was very calm and organised - luckily we didn't have to wait long. The 'preparation' was a little clinical - getting changed and being shaved in a little side room but not so bad really.

My only point to watch out for was if the midwife tells you that you can't do anything you really want to. We wanted the baby delivered onto me but were told by the midwife that the surgeons didn't like doing it. When the aneasthetist came, we asked him and he said, should be okay with the doctors but the midwifes don't like it. In the end we checked with the consultant doing the delivery and, as we expected, she was fine with it and our daughter was delivered straight onto me and was breastfeeding in minutes. Other than a quick check by the midwives, she stayed with us with no more than a towel thrown over us until well into the recovery room - indeed it was only when she wee-ed on me that I reluctantly let them put a nappy on her.

I found the theatre staff lovely - the aneasthetists were great at putting you at ease, chatting away in a really relaxed manner. I had music to put on but in the end didn't really feel it necessary - the atmosphere was so positive.

Compared to my second 'natural' delivery, it was ten times better. The ward is the worst bit of the experience - may be better if you get better room-mates - I've had horrors both times. Don't be afraid to call for help and keep calling till you get it. Whatever they say, you're bed-bound and can't do things for yourself or your baby. In the end I had my baby sleep with me in the bed as I couldn't get her back into the cot. Also whatever food you order, it's for the next day so the first day you'll get the last occupants choice. Probably better to send someone out for Nando's or whatever your preference! And if you feel fit to leave sooner than they are saying, do fight your corner. I was off painkillers within 1 day and left after 2 days. But equally if you feel you need longer, fight for that too - or ask someone else to, if you don't feel up to it. If you aren't getting the answers you need from the folk you are talking too, ask to see someone more senior or your consultant. I've found consultant much easier to have a reasoned discussion with and get real answers.

Hopefully your little one will turn last minute and you'll be able to get your homebirth. But if they don't, an elective c-section can be a good experience. Given the choice again, I'd chose a c-section over a natural birth.

Good luck, whatever happens!

N.B. Should there be another bump later on, having had a c-section doesn't rule out a natural birth with all the bells on - you may just have to fight a little harder, if you chose to go that route.

[darlin']

Wow! So many positive experiences on here. I've had 2 elective c/s now, first due to Placenta Praevia and second due to very unusal situation where baby wouldn't stop turning up until 41 wks(breech in morning, cephalic by lunchtime, transverse by tea time etc!)I felt just like you- totally disappointed that I couldn't do it "properly", but both times were fantastic, calm and slightly surreal really! You sit in waiting room reading a mag calmly with poor women on all-fours moaning in labour next to you (I felt such a fraud!) and then get called to go through and have the preparation done etc.

Op itself is quick, surreal and amazingly light and jolly. I expectedtbe operating theatres you see in the movies but they are so bright and casual- completely different. My husband actually videoed the births for me (told him I wouldn't believe baby had come from me if I didn't see it....I know, weird!)Hubby is allowed to stand up and look just as baby is coming out so if u want pics (or sneaky video!) then go for it. I've watched both births SO many times now and it's not that gruesome- tummy is covered with plastic stuff.

Be prepared for very bizarre sensations and strong tugging- you won't feel pain but you might think you are going to. It just won't happen.

And all the advice on here for the post-natal is brill. I stayed 4 days first time and 48 hours the second. Moving as early as possible makes recovery much, much faster. Take peppermint oil or tea for the very painful trapped wind (seriously) and arnica to help healing.

It will be wonderful! X

[ClareC]

Hiya,

I had an emergency (albeit not crash) ceasarian back in January at Tommy's.

Can honestly say that it was absolutely fine and a pleasant experience, far less painful than I ever anticipated and the recovery was much faster than I imagined and nowhere near as painful as I expected (far faster recovery than friends who ended up with episiotomy's!)

I had the operation on a Sunday night (left theatre around 9 pm), was in a recovery room with one to one care until 4am when I was moved to the ward. Was up and walking by lunch time on the Monday (@15 hours after op) and discharged Tuesday afternoon, less than 48 hours after Op.

The theatre staff were amazing, couldn't fault them. I wasn't at all scared and I held my baby whilst I was stitched up etc.

If you feel sick during the op tell the aneathatist, they give you something to stop the sickness which works! Doesn'y happen to everyone but worth being aware of.

One word of advice after the op is to not allow your bladder to fill ie go often!!! I made the mistake of allowing this to happen and it was really painful given the proximity to the wound internally!

In terms of packing, I didnt use any of my day time clothes until I was discharged! Big Bridget pants a must (Primark do some great ones which are cheap enough to be used as disposable), and high waisted clothing that doesnt end at the wound - maternity leggings were perfect!! A maternity pad, pad to wound works well on clothes that do end at the wrong place!!

Other advice is don't overdo it!! They say rest and no housework etc, def follow this advice. The only time my wound hurt post op (other than bladder situation) was when I overdid it at home! If it hurts, listen to your body and stop what you are doing and rest.

My partner helped me by getting up in the night and giving our baby to me to feed and then changing her nappy and putting her bsck to bed whilst he was on paternity leave - saved me keep getting in and out of bed which is awkward for the first week or so.

My scar is barely visible now, only 10cm long and so low it can't be seen even when wearing a bikini.

I can honestly say I would definitely choose to have a ceasarian if I have another baby.

[Au'Lait]

I guess you've had you little girl by now, hope everything went smoothly and you're feeling ok. Looking forward to an update when you're ready.

[new mother]

I've had elective sections both times and would thoroughly recommend.

NO pain while on the painkillers (day of operation plus one day) and then home doing normal things. I decided not to take more painkillers each of those day 3s, and there was zero! (Wondering whether I have ANY nerves in my stomach to explain why no pain after cutting but hey, why complain)

I had "spinals" ie not epidurals (which also go into spine). If you do too, you have to watch bp carefully. I have v low bp and it dropped to alarming levels and had to be dealt with immediately both times. The anaesthetist was totally expecting it. Also had dissolvable stitches and they errr dissolved.

Was told to wax bikini line as shaving encourages stubble that grows through scar and can get infected. Waxing regrowth is slower and the scars heal ages before it coems through.

Was told to take it easy on my return home but didn't bother. I think this activity was a mistake but you will have such a flood of energy you won't be able to bear being in bed. Force yourself! I carried washing and all sorts of things Day 3 onwards both times and I was a fool.

good luck. you will have a wonderful experience.

[newcomer]

You've probably had your c section by now but in case there are others who are going through the same thing I wanted to give my thoughts. I too planned a home birth but ended up having a c section. - operation itself really not bad at all- you don't feel a thing

- DO NOT RUSH after the op. They tell u to take it easy for a reason - I had no probs bonding with baby. In fact, I was taken aback by how strongly I felt

- if u plan to breastfeed, use the time in hospital to get lots of help from the midwives

- careful when you first stand up. You might feel woozy and sometimes the lochia is heavy

- every mother takes time to recover from birth. A c-section at least is something that strangers (partic. men) 'respect' as being a major operation, so tell everyone you meet in the first 6 weeks that you've had a section and you might be surprised how helpful some people are with, eg, helping you lift car seat into taxis, etc

- c-sections often are gentle on babies, as opposed to forceps/ventouse so that's somethng to feel postive about! Less risk of misshapen head, etc. And usually much less risky than breach delivery Hope it went ok...

[HOMum]

Hi All,

Yes all went to plan with the elective section on the 2nd.

We now have a beautiful baby girl called Ruby, who so far has been a delight! ... she has been very good for mummy and allowed her some good time to sleep and heal.

I had a very positive experience.

My oakwood midwife was unable to join me for the c-section as originally planned, but it didnt matter in the slightest. By chance I had a lovely midwife called Stephanie, who also performed my ECV the week before, so I felt very relaxed and lucky as she new all about my birth plan etc.

I had all sorts of plans if music etc, but when we entered the theatre room it just went out of the window!! Everybody was lovely, cheerful, informative and chatty! The room was bright and airy, and I could see trees blowing in the distance... It certainly wasn't the dingy, dark, scary room I was for some reason expecting!

I felt really comfortable and they did an amazing job!

Ruby was actually born with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck THREE times (so there was indeed a reason she wouldn't budge :) - clever girl) - and things went a little quiet, whilst the amazing operating team did their job, but not once did I feel worried, everything was under control and soon enough we heard her hearty cry.

I stayed in hospital just over 48 hours, and actually had a private room - I know I am in the lucky few.

Whatever way you give birth - and a lot of the time it doesn't go to plan - it is all so completely worth everything in this world, a c-section was beforehand 'my worst nightmare', I don't like hospitals, have never had an operation and I wanted to do it 'naturally'. But it just doesn't even matter now that she is in my arms.

Just to add, King's were great from start to finish.

[charlottep]

Congratulations to you and ruby, a very heartwarming story!

[Smiler]

Congratulations! Thanks for the update - glad all's going well. How jammy to get a private room - you struck gold there!

My emergency C-section was kind of like you describe and is good to hear positive stories.

[Countjc]

Really pleased for you jayd5 and glad to hear you and Ruby doing well.

[caroline_green]

Congratulations!!! how wonderful, I'm glad all went well :))