Positive elective c/s stories??

[Jandals]

Thanks Peg. I'm already starting to feel a little nervous. I think it's partly the unknown factor and also that there are risks associated with a c/s. Although for me there are a lot of risks if I was to have a VB too I just hope I don't freak out when going in to theatre. Hopefully DH will keep me cool, calm and collected

Thanks for your opinion on the undies. At my last appointment at the hospital the midwife said the physio will give me something called tubi-grip to support my tummy if I need it so think I'll leave the firm undies at home.

I think the pad is just to give a bit of extra padding - not to soak up blood or anything. More of a protection factor from what the others have mentioned.

We also have to be at the hospital at 8am with the c/s booked for 10am. Not sure how accurate they are with the times though. What time was your DD born? I guess as a public patient it will depend a lot on any emergencies that pop up. I hoping it will be all go from when we arrive so I don't have too much time to over-think what's about to happen. Will have to try and focus on the fact that we'll be meeting our baby very soon.

It's a bit strange knowing exactly when he's arriving. Most of the girls in my Belly Buddies group are going mad not knowing when their babys will arrive, and I remember feeling like that with DD. So it is nice to know I only have 4 sleeps to wait, but a little scary at the same time. How's that for confusing

[briggsy's girl]

the pad on the scar site is definitely just to make it more comfy. stick it to the inside of your undies (if you are planning the higer cut ones rather than low cut) and it puts nice padding on it. i didn't think of it at the time, but then, i didn't have too much pain so wasn't thinking of the scar at all! lol

the tubigrip mentioned is just a circular elastic type band - if they feel a need to apply extra pressure/support they will put it on you. i didn't have any need for it though! be prepared, you may have a drain in when you come out of surgery. it's just to make sure any swelling or bleeding that is happening in the muscles etc is drained away. comes out a day or two after bub arrives. that was probably the most annoying thing for me - that damned drain! i kept forgetting it was there (again, lack of pain meant i wasn't conscious of things) so i'd stand up and go to move, and drop the drain lol. the tubing was long enough that it could hit the floor without hurting me at all.

make sure you pack comfy clothes for your bottom half - i had plain colored pj pants with a draw string so that i could dictate how firmly they pulled on me - they were a size or three too big but so comfy after DD arrived. i also had light trackies - same deal.

good luck for your c/s!

BG

[Peg]

be prepared, you may have a drain in when you come out of surgery. it's just to make sure any swelling or bleeding that is happening in the muscles etc is drained away. comes out a day or two after bub arrives. that was probably the most annoying thing for me
BG

i agree on that one, the drain is awful. I only had it for my 2nd c-s and i remember that when the nurse was taking it out it really hurt. thankfully it only stays in for a day or two, but much better if you dont need it in at all.

[Jandals]

Thanks girls I have a good supply of nanna knickers. Made sure I held them up on me at the shops to see that they sat nice and high. Sexy

I just have one more question Is there anything that makes it more likely I would need a drain, or is it just one of those things that depends on how the surgery goes?

Thanks again for the support and advice that all of you have given It's made me feel a lot more prepared going in to this c/s thing. I will definitely be back to let you know how it went. Only two more sleeps

[TaRhLi.]

Hi Jandals

Hope all goes well for you, I thought I might add the tale of my elective c/s to give you another positive spin. For me my c/s was a breeze and everything went to plan... Here goes...

I was booked in for a c/s at 9am (lucky first on the list), arrived at hospital at 7am and was shown to my room and told to get myself all settled in and to change into my gown. The midwife came in and did some routine checks, blood pressure on me and check baby h/b and position. Once all settled, unpacked and in bed waiting to see the anaethetists and dr to explain the procedure. Once all done I was wheeled down to theatre with DH by my side, while all the checks were done on me DH was taken away to get changed and I was taken to have my spinal put in.

As I have bad veins, it took a while to find a good vein for my drip but once found and drip established it was time for the spinal. So sitting up hunched over the local needle went it, wow made me jump as it is like getting stung by a bee, then the spinal injection, didn't feel a thing but the medication took effect immediately and before I was laying down again my legs were completely numb (I'm not too tall so the medication moved quickly). Then wheeled into theatre, but because the spinal hit so fast I started to feel sick so quickly onto the table and some extra meds put into my drip to help with the nausea.

Once on the table it was explained the catheter was being inserted and a wedge was placed under my side to take pressure off my main artery, then the screen was put up and all systems go. I didn't feel much at all, only pressure as they were moving the baby around to get to her. I only knew she was born as all of a sudden I felt immense relief that I could take a deep breathe again from the baby being moved out from under my ribs. Baby was then taken to the resus table to be checked out and DH went over to see her, all o.k although she took 2 minutes to start breathing and cry and she also had a forcep mark on her head where they had to get her out. While this was all happening the dr's finished up with me and stiched us all up.

I was taken to recovery for monitoring, baby was with me the whole time and DH went off to change back into his normal clothes. After 30 minutes I was taken back to my room (around 10.30am) and baby was put on my breast for feeding straight away. After about 45 mins, the midwife then took baby to be weighed and measured but this was all done in my room so once born she never left my side. After spending about another hour bonding with my baby the midwives then came in and gave me a bed wash and helped me to change into my own nighty.

By around 1pm that afternoon, I was getting feeling back in my legs and could move them around and sit up in bed (although you do have morphine in the spinal which last for about 15 hours so you feel fabulous) but of couldn't get up as the cathetar stays in for 24hrs. Next morning after the cathetar is out the midwives helped me to get up and shower, not an easy thing to do and yes you are in a lot of discomfort although I found the worse thing was that my legs were all like jelly but once the blood started flowing back into them I could walk with help. Midwives got me into the shower on a chair and left me to it (it was nice to be able to shower myself even if sitting down) and once finished they came back to help me get all dried and dressed.

By the following day I was able to get out of bed myself (slowly) and was sitting in a chair during the day as it was easier for me to get up and down as you had the arms of the chair to help you. Everyday got better and better and within a week I was able to walk around fine, it just took a little longer to get out of bed.

Just to add, I didn't have a drain and only had 1 stitch in my tummy which was removed before I left hospital (5 days). All up I found my c/s to be very positive and have no hesitation of going through it again. Just a word of note though, after I came out of surgery all I wanted to do was sleep (due to the meds) and I didn't have that excited glow about me of just having a baby. It is completely normal to have all different kinds of feeling after a c/s so don't be surprised if you feel differently than what you expect.

Good luck and I hope your c/s is smooth sailing, will be looking forward to hearing how it goes.

[Peg]

I just have one more question Is there anything that makes it more likely I would need a drain, or is it just one of those things that depends on how the surgery goes?

im not 100% sure but i think it is dependent upon the amount of bleeding....its used to allow the wound to drain properly. Although barely anything came out of my drain, it really wasnt necessary.

[rufalina]

Good luck hun. I know it will go well for you. xo

[briggsy's girl]

all the best for the birth of your bubba!

re the drain - i'm not sure if my size had something to do with it (i'm a big person) - or the fact i had more bleeding than expected - i think it comes down to what happens in the surgery itself. i know i read about someone having their stitches out later on - i had internal disolvable stitches and just tape on the outside, so didn't need them out. i did get the drain out - it wasn't the most pleasant, but as soon as it was out i was fine. just a wee bit of burning as it came out, but i was ok straight away afterwards - was actually a relief to not have to remember the damn thing!

[Peg]

We also have to be at the hospital at 8am with the c/s booked for 10am. Not sure how accurate they are with the times though. What time was your DD born? I guess as a public patient it will depend a lot on any emergencies that pop up. I hoping it will be all go from when we arrive so I don't have too much time to over-think what's about to happen. Will have to try and focus on the fact that we'll be meeting our baby very soon.

I dont remember the exact time, I'm sure we got started about 10am. I was in the maternity ward before lunch time because i remember the ladies were bringing in the lunch trays around. As you are booked in for C-s, i dont think they'll leave you waiting around for too long. The longest part of the c-s is the preparation. You'll get to speak to the medical team prior, your midwife will shave you and i think she even had a quick check on bub....but you'll be in and out before you know it.

good luck with it, be sure to come back and let us know how it all went.