Caesarean Chatter #3

[Debbie Lee]

Melinda - I started shaking when I had the epidural put in so I was shakey for about 3 hours. I wasn't too phased by it but Mum kept saying that I felt cold. I had one of those blow-up heat blankets put over me and they kept it on until I got back up to the ward. Looking back, it was a pretty freaky experience but I didn't care at the time.

Sarah - I didn't get to cuddle Gabby straight away either. I will be insisting on it next time. I will also be more gun-ho about BFing asap for a reeeeally long time. I only got to feed Gabby for 10-15 minutes whilst in recovery. Not long enough!

[{sarah}]

Yikes, Kellie that is a long time.

[Debbie Lee]

Wow, Kellie!! Why the delay? That's ridiculous!
Gabby was taken to special care for the night but we got a good couple of hours with her before that happened.

[Melinda]

Wow Kellie, that's amazing!!! I would have been pretty upset that I didn't get to be with her if I were you!

[nic]

I didn't get to hold DD for about 4 hours. They took her back to the maternity ward with DH while they waited for me to wake from the GA. Once I was back in the room, DH bought her in and they put her in bed with me to keep her warm as her temp was low.

One thing I didn't even think about at the time was how DH didn't get to cut the cord. It was a month later on when my BIL and his wife had their first child and the two dads were swapping stories. BIL was telling DH how he got to cut the cord, and I just felt so bad.. Here I was going through all these emotions and I hadn't even given a thought to what DH's expectations and hopes were.

Nic

[layla]

Geez, everyone's experiences are sooo different.

Sarah was given to me straight away and I had her for 2 hours before they took her to the special care nursery. (Her breathing was too fast and she had some kind of infection.)

I too had the shakes soooo bad! I couldn't believe how strong they were and how I couldn't control it. Not nice!

I have got the bruised feeling in my back where the needle went in. I thought it was because they had to do it twice (see birth story for details) but you guys have it too. I guess it will go away after a while.
8-[

[hishersandours]

Add another one to that shaking list...I wasn't even aware I was shaking until they handed me the babies each time, and it was like WOA, ok you can take the baby now!! The only thing I really felt was being so cold.....

Geezzzzz Kellie that must have been the longest 5 hrs of your life..

As for getting or not getting bubs straight after delivery, with my last baby Tim, they handed him to me straight away, then my XDH had his cuddle as they wheeled me into recovery... By this time I was sitting up so I got Tim back again, XDH went down to make his billion phone calls and in the meantime they decided I could go back to the ward.....Instead of taking Tim away from me, they put his plastic crib on my bed, and wheeled me down, and I was still holding Tim...We got back on the ward, back into my room and here I am STILL holding Tim.....I was so ****ed off, it was like "ok I've had enough now, someone can take him" LOL..... some mums would have killed to have that amount of time with bubs, proves I'm never happy.......LMAO

[Debbie Lee]

LOL Lisa - it's like you got the total opposite!
They asked me if I wanted to hold onto Gabby while they wheeled me back to the ward but I handed her over because I was too scared I was going to drop her or something, LOL. It's a bit of a weird experience holding something so precious when you can't feel the lower half of your body.

Being the first child and so overwhelmed by everything that had and was happening i didn't stop to argue.

Kellie - I was the same way. I just kind of accepted things without question. It's now, when I look back, that I want to know why they did things a certain way. I wish I had had the peace of mind to ask more questions. Next time I will definitely be firing away!

[Deejoy17]

And here I was thinking 3 hours was bad enough to go without seeing Matthew.

I also agree being my first baby I was totally overwhelmed by everything going on and what we had already been through 4 days beforehand, next time things will be different if I have to have another c/s.

I don`t recall shaking, it just took 3 hours for the spinal block to start wearing off so I could be taken to the ward to see Matthew.

Layla - the bruised feeling I had has worn off, only very occasionally now I might feel something. By the time Matthew was 3 months is when it started feeling better.

[tiggy]

Hello lovely ladies!!

I was wondering if I could join you? I am having a caesarean in December at 34 weeks, am very scared about the whole thing. Had 2 before William, who was a vaginal birth that ended in uterine rupture. When they did the repair they cut me up and down, not along the bikini line. I really hated the twins and Lily's caesars but know that this time I have no choice and only want to bring my babies home safely and will do whatever it takes.

[*Megan*]

Wow girls - I feel very lucky with my c/s experience. I held my baby as soon as he was born - my DH got to cut the cord (at the babies end) and then he went into recovery with Finlay to wait for me to be stitched up. I breast feed him in recovery and he didn't leave me for a second! Sorry to hear that some of you were without your bubbies...

Tiggy - I hope that your c/section goes really well in Dec - hopefully you will pop in before then though!!

Megan

[Deejoy17]

Tiff - I can hardly believe you are already 17 weeks along, the time sems to have flown (for me anyway). Good Luck with your c/s in December.

[Melinda]

I agree - I can't believe that you're 17w already Tiff!!!

[tiggy]

Deejoy and Melinda,

Yep 17 weeks of hard slog! Halfway there now!

Roll on December! Roll on two healthy babies1

[Melinda]

Tiff,

I'm just wondering......when you had the uterine repair and the up/down incisions etc, will that mean that you will have to have the c/s incision in the same place, or is it ok to do a LSCS?

Incidentally, just on another topic, does anyone else think that the flabby flappy bit left is as a result of the c/s (for those of you with flabby flappy bits LOL). I know that I have more stretch marks after the c/s than the day I went into hospital LOL so I'm just wondering if the stretching/pulling down there has permanently affected the skin making it hang a bit? It's pretty unsightly and unattractive! I'm actually worried that since I'll be having a c/s next time around, if it will end up worse and if I'll end up with tummy hanging down around my knees! ROFL Please reassure me someone!

[tiggy]

Melinda,

I'm hoping to just have the LSCS and that they will leave the classical insision line alone. The rupture went along my old scar and down towards my cervix so they didn't actually have to cut into my uterus at all, just the skin and muscle layer. I think it will make things pretty tight at the end, with scar tissue everywhere but guess I will jump those hurdles when they come!

As for your floppy belly question, I definately have a noticable apron and it has stretched more with each baby. Some doctors will do a mini apronectomy in OT after the caesar as they say it helps with the healing of the scar (which sits under the floppy bit)!!!! I don't think there is any way of getting rid of it, even after I lost all the weight, excercised and dieted my little buttocks off, it was still there smiling at me in the mirror!