Best wishes for your upcomming birth. It will be interresting to see what your Ob says tomorrow. I can only gather that perhaps they'd prefer to do a general in case there are any probs during the op because of the praevia. Hopefully they can give you a spinal/epi instead.
My only advice to you is if you do end up with a general and you are concerned with how you might feel about it afterwards talk to your OB about what things they might be able to do to help normalise the birth so-to-speak. I know that if I had to have another general I'd want bubs birth filmed so that I could see it and hear his/her first cries etc. I'd want the placenta kept so it could be shown to me (these things interest me but might make you squeamish) I'd want bub wrapped up in a blanket that had my scent on it and I'd want bub given to me for skin to skin as soon as I woke up in recovery.
As for the length of the general, I think I woke up in Recovery about 45 min to an hour after bub was born.
Hi Mara, thanks for your words of advice. I will definately take these on board.
It looks like a general is my only option. I am quite petite so any sudden blood loss could put both myself and bubs in danger, therefore they would prefer to have the c/s performed under general - gives them a more relaxed environment in which they can control any complications quicker.
I have now come to terms with this, but also feel horribly bad for DP who will not be allowed in to the operating theatre.
Can anyone clarify whether the recovery time for a general is just as good as if you had an epi/spinal? I understand that at least I'll be able to be up and about if I'm able to, whereas the epi may have taken a little longer for me to get back on my feet?
Soulful, basically as soon as bub was born and taken to the paed table a nurse went and grabbed DH straight away from the next room and took him into the theatre and over to bub. He was then with bub the whole time until I woke up. he said he remembers sitting on his own in the room next to the theatre and suddenly hearing a baby cry and thinking Sh#t, that's my baby and no sooner had her heard bub that a nurse came to get him.
As for recovery time. Yes I could move my legs and everyting straight away but i still had a catheter in until the next morning and as soon as that was out I was able to get up and have a shower and move around. I wasn't in any pain really.
soulful, are you having a appointment with the hospital or OB again, before bubs is born? Maybe write out any questions you have about the birth.. With my GA with DS, my DH had to wait (not sure where though) for them to bring DS to him on his way to maternity. He was allowed cuddles, once back in maternity, they took a photo, which was then bought down to me in recovery.
DH was NOT allowed to bathe DS for some reason, yet with my DD 8 yrs before, (different hospital) he was encouraged to be the person who gave her, her first bath. Because of them not allowing DH to bathe DS, he was about 6 hours old before i even held him and that was only because DH went and had a few stern words with a midwife or two.
With my DS also, I had the catheter in until the following morning, so there was no getting out of bed till then for me.
As for recovery time, I think it will differ from each person. I was unlucky enough to not have the spinal work with my DD, no reason why? just told that sometimes it happens. I opted for a GA with DS because of this reason. I woke a lot quicker with DS (not sure on times?? may have been around 45 mintues) than I did with my DD..was about 3 hours from her birth to me being taken back to my room.
I like Mara's suggestion of a video camera Also you could ask if they could take photo's for you. We were allowed to take a camera in for someone to take pics for us, but that was when it was going to be a spinal. Not sure about a GA.
I just wanted to add that I've been doing a lot of reading as to why I felt the way i did after my CS. Why I had bonding and Breastfeeding problems and I just thought I'd share that when we have a CS with no labour our body totally misses out on the ****tail of hormones that help us and our babies bond, nurture and be nurtured after birth. We don't experience the peaks in oxytocin, adrenalin, noradrenalin or prolactin like someone does with a spontaneous VB. I have read that one way to help our bodies to turn on these hormones after a caesarean is to make sure that bub is not washed and that when you wake up have your gooey baby placed on your chest for cuddles and quiet time straight away. I have also read that having warm baths with your baby helps to switch on these hormones. A bit hard to do in hospital I know, but something to consider once you are home.
I am by no means saying that you will have the challenges that I did, but thought it all very interresting and relevant to mention
HTH
Last edited by ~mamaspice~; November 2nd, 2009 at 11:58 AM.
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and that was only because DH went and had a few stern words with a midwife or two.
Also you could ask if they could take photo's for you. We were allowed to take a camera in for someone to take pics for us, but that was when it was going to be a spinal. Not sure about a GA.
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