C-Section - 2 ways! (Caesarean Section)

Member Name: dougal868

Product:	Caesarean Section
Date:	19/10/08 (94 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Safe arrival of baby in difficult circumstances

Disadvantages: Loss of mobility immediately after the birth

I have had a c-section with each of my two children however I had a quite different experience each time!

I had my first daughter in September 2005 after generally quite a healthy pregnancy other than the developing gestational diabetes towards the end. I had been told that with the diabetes they wouldn't allow me to go much beyond my due date as this could pose a risk to both my baby and me. Not really looking forward to an induction I was very relieved when my waters broke at 7.30 on the morning of my due date! However, the lazy little so and so didn't fancy budging to I was monitored for a couple of days then induced anyway - tut!

The induction went on all day with horrible contractions in my back and not a lot of progress at all. By the evening they decided that baby was twisting round the wrong way and I'd have to have a section - eek! Now, I'm not too much of a wimp but the thought of having a needle in my back for the epidural made me feel ill but after pleading to be knocked out with a general anaesthetic they managed to convince me that an epidural was the way to go! The anaesthatist duly arrived and had a good go at getting the needle in but had a hell of a lot of trouble. Apparently I have a slightly curved spine (news to me!) and he ended up phoning for someone to help...this is not what you want to hear at moments like this, especially when the contractions are still coming! Eventually, on attempt number 9 he got it in - hooray! My husband was later able to inform me that the failed needles were coming out bent - eek again!

Once they get the epidural in, everything moves really fast. They get you laid down and you soon lose touch with your legs! They put a cloth screen up in front of you and you can feel them touching you but no pain at all. You feel them yanking you around as they pull baby out and it is truly the most bizarre thing I have ever had done to me!! But soon you hear the best sound ever - your very own baby crying. Now, as she'd been in a bit of distress they only let us see her for a second before she was whisked off to be checked over but she was all good and soon brought back over to say hello properly. This is all a great distraction from the fact that your being sewn up at this point!

The whole process is in fact very quick and it wasn't long before we were whisked off to the recovery ward. Unfortunately is was around 10pm by this point so hubby had to go and it was just me and bubs. The drawback of the section of course is that you can't use your legs for quite some time so it's difficult to get into the swing of looking after baby however, they do sit you up pretty quick so you can have a cuddle and attempt a feed.

My second daughter was born in August 2007 and was also a section but things were a lot different! Again, I developed gestational diabetes which was expected to happen but again, it was easily managed. However, like before, I wasn't allowed past my due date and because I'd previously had a c-section I wasn't allowed to try another induction (although I'm not sure I would have wanted to anyway) so I was booked in for a section on my due date.

Going in for an elective section is a completely different experience. I was booked in the day before for a pre-op assessment where they take down various bits of your medical history, tell you what's going to happen during the operation and measure you for the oh so sexy surgical stockings you wear in hospital after the section - lovely! Then on the day of the section you go in quite calmly like you're going to any other hospital appointment, get changed into a gown and casually walk to theatre!

Again, we had the problems with the epidural not going into my back and had various strange feelings and numbness shooting down my leg but it was more like 6 tries rather than 9 this time - thankfully! Again, it all happened very quickly but was far less rushed/panicky than before as baby wasn't in any stress at all. Unfortunately, this time the epidural made me feel really ill so they kept having to give me shots of something or other into my hand to make the queasiness pass. It worked and was great! Again, all the pulling, pushing and yanking my legs around then soon baby starts yelling :o) All very calm and wonderful to hear! Then quick sew up and off to recovery.

The elective was so calm it was actually almost pleasant and, although the emergency one was fine and went well, it was completely different the second time around!

On both occasions I had very little pain and refused almost all of the painkillers the midwives tried to give me! ...although they did insist on sending me home with boxes of them 'just in case'! But I think they're still in the cupboard. However, I realise that I was probably a bit lucky and, although I was back to normal driving, hoovering, etc after just a few days, a lot of other women are in a great amount of discomfort for a few weeks. The worst I had was a bit of a tight feeling around the scar. The wound also stays numb for around a year after you have the section and I'm not sure that you every get 100% of the feeling back there.

For me I've been left feeling a bit disappointed that, although I have two beautiful girls, I've never actually experienced giving birth properly and we're very unlikely to have any more so that's me missed my chance I suppose! But, having said that, it needed to be done and I didn't exactly chicken out! Both sections went extremely well for me and my children and over all they were very positive experiences.

Summary: Two positive experiences for me!