It was right for me and my baby. (Caesarean Section)

Member Name: hypno06

Product:	Caesarean Section
Date:	27/12/08 (95 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Safe delivery of my baby when he was breech.

Disadvantages: Restrictions after the birth are impractical and frustrating!

This is just my experience of having a C-section. Please take it as such and not as advice as to what should or should not be done! (there, disclaimer over - sorry, but childbirth is such a personal thing, that everyone has the right to decide what they do!)

Anyway, my children are now 13 and 14, and when I had them it seemed to be before the days when every pregnant celebrity booked themselves in for a section and were labled "too posh to push". Sections, even just a few years ago, were still considered mainly to be used as an emergency or if there was little likelyhood of a "natural" birth being successful.

My first baby was born, with assistance, via "the normal route". It was a difficult birth but she arrived, eventually, fit and healthy.

My second baby was breech, and at 38 weeks I was advised that I could attempt to have him naturally, but that due to the complications with my first one, the midwife advised me to opt for a section.

My Aunt had had a baby just a couple of months before, and ended up having an emergency section, meaning that she was given a general anaesthetic and sent to sleep, waking up a few hours later to find a baby by her side. At the time I remember thinking that I wonder if she felt at all "robbed" of the childbirth experience, - going to sleep pregnant, and waking up as a Mum, and whether that short time when you are "under" would hinder the bonding process.

So, when a section was advised, all I could think of was that if I went ahead and attempted a natural birth, I might well end up going they way of my Aunt and having an emergency section.

By electing for the section in advance, I could opt for an epidural, meaning that I would be awake for the procedure and would see my baby as soon as he was brought out of my tum.

So, the section was booked, and this in itself was a huge benefit. My husband was a long distance lorry driver, so every time I got a twinge with my first baby, I panicked in case he was the other end of the country (thankfully she arrived on a weekend so he was home!) but by having a date and time allocated, hubby was able to book time off work, and I was able to arrange childcare for my other baby - no ringing around in the middle of the night for grandparents or neighbours to help out! All very civilised!

But, because sections at that time were still associated with emergencies, I had a few days of worry - there was little information around, and no internet at that time to do research with, so other than my aunt and a friend who had both had emergencies, and one of those had disabled twins, so slightly different circumstances, I had no one to ask. I felt a little "lost" although nowadays I would have got onto google and found reviews on dooyoo to give me people's experiences!

Anyway, the big day came, and I arrived at the hospital. It was very strange because I was on the maternity ward, yet I wasn't in labour - I was taken in 24 hours before the section, so had 24 hours of watching other women being wheeled around in labour, and coming back with bundles of joy - and I didn't have so much as a twinge! I felt a bit of a fraud being there - most surreal!

However, it was soon my turn, and I was prepped for theatre and given my epidural. The whole team were very relaxed and welcoming and my fears of "emergency" were soon allayed. My husband could be with me during the birth, although he seemed more fascinated in the procedure than he did with me! Blood and gore....!

My baby boy was delivered safely, and I was stitched up and returned to the ward.

My only negative experience was that my baby had "goo" in his lungs - apparently this is common with babies born by section because they are not "squeezed" through, and so the lungs cannot clear themselves - this meant a few hours in the special care unit in his first day, which was un-nerving for me, because I didn't understand what was going on, but he was soon brought back to me.

So, no bonding issues, no feelings of guilt that I didn't try and have a natural birth, and no hesitation to say "if it is right for you and your baby, then do it".

Afterwards, it is a bit of a pain (literally, obviously as you have a wound that needs to heal) - it is a bigger procedure than I had ever thought, and that means being very careful for 6 weeks. The midwife gives you a list of things you should not do - like lifting your hands above your head - which is fine if all your kitchen cupboards are base units, but not if you need to reach for your Mugs out of a wall cupboard! The other one that was laughable was "try not to go up the stairs more than once a day" - so how are you supposed to go to the loo........

Anyway, these restrictions made things a little difficult - not being able to pick up the car seat, for example, or being able to lift my toddler up for a cuddle - these things were far more frustrating than I could have imagined, and it is this that made my section hard. Not driving for 6 weeks was a mere inconvenience - I could get round that one without emotion.

I have had no long lasting effects of my section - apart from a neat scar (I did ask if the surgeon could do a tummy tuck at the same time, but he was having none of it!), physically and emotionally things settled down nicely.

So I would say to anyone, whatever your reasons for choosing a section - whether your choice, or whether you are advised to have one for either your health or the health of your baby - do what is right for YOU without guilt.

Summary: All in all a positive experience for me and my son.