Caesarean Chatter - May 2005

Welcome to the caesarean chatter thread for May 2005!

Did you have a caesarean? Was it an elective caesarean or an emergency caesarean? How did you feel about it? Share your experiences here!!

Hi Girls,

Looks like I`ll be joining you girls as I`m booked in to have a c/s tomorrow (Tuesday) at 5pm due to having a small pelvis.

Min - you were saying the Widest transverse diameter of your pelvis measures 10cm, I`m not far off at 10.4cm, hence why he will not fit.

Take Care

Deeanne

Good luck for tomorrow Dee :)

yeah Dee, the sonographer was saying it is known as a funnel shaped pelvis where it is quite wide at the top and very narrow at the bottom.

the only reason they found out early with me was because of routine tests they always do due to family history of caesarians and small pelvis's we all have the same body type and so far have all ended up with tiny pelvises

That's really weird cos my mum has a small pelvis & had to have 4 caesareans, but they didn't test me at all :-k Maybe they don't do it in NSW.

Good luck for today Dee! Hope everything goes well...I'm sure it will!

I have just been given the time i have to be at the hospital for my c/section on the 24th May. Nice and early wake up for me 7.15 we have to be there for.

Also have my check pre-admission appt for 13th May.

Wow Michelle thats great to have a date, pity about such an early wake up call, but I guess if it were me I would have trouble sleeping anyway...

I do like it being early saves me being worried all day and counting the hours down. Nothing worse than watching the clock.

Good luck with today Dee. :)

Nic

Good luck Dee!!

at my last obs app., i was advised that a ceasarian would be the best for me considering my last labour and the slim chance of me having a successful vbac. when he told me that last year at the mater, 2 babies died as a result of unsuccessful trial of scars, my mind was made up.
so why do i feel judged when i tell people about having a ceasarian this time? its crazy! i feel compelled to explain myself and even when people (particularly women) hear it along with the fact that my ob has advised it, they still make comments like 'you know, if you really want a vbac, you can demand one'.
:mad: drives me up the wall.

beck

All I can say is tell em to mind their own business, that you will make the decision that is best for you, and your baby. I get the same response when I say Im trying for a vbac, "dont you know its dangerous, shouldnt you have another csec!" so dont let em pick on you, you do your research and make tthe best decision for YOU!!!!!!!! =D> =D> =D>

People should really mind there own business and be happy for you anyway hey? Im sure if someone really wants a vbac, there gonna investigate that, without your input.. and on the opposite, your not going to just book a csection for no reason..

Whilst there are many things to do with preg/birth/parenting etc which i am an advocate for.. I would never force it (even just by guilt) on to another person.. and I hate it when people try to make you feel that your ideas on the matter (as if its not your body, your baby) are wrong and dangerous (or whatever there prob with it is at the time)..

argh anyway.. just wanted to let yous know that those people are not you, to make your decisions...

K :)

beck IKWYM I often feel judged when I say that I had a c/s and even though it wasn't what I wanted I had to have one. Its so wrong. Australia does have a high rate of c/s but a low rate of neo natal death, so I guess I'd prefer a living healthy baby.

I have a question. I ended up having a emergancy c/s last november for my daughter. I'd like to have a vbac this time but I don't think they will allow it as it is tooooo soon. I have been told by my sis that ur not meant to fall pg within a yr of c/s as uterus needs time to heal and that I will almost def be booked into another c/s. I was wondering what you guys think and whether I can still demand a vbac if I feel I can handle it and it's not too risky later in pg?

I was told katkins that if I had another baby in the next 2 years there is a risk of needing a c/s depending on how my muscles are tolerating being PG... because they get so stretched and the healing of the scar needs to be pretty good for it to tolerate labour.

lets hope they will let me investigate how well healed it is before they decide then hey?

My Ob told me the "dangerous " period was when the births were less than 18 months apart, there is lots of info out there, you really need to research vbacs well, to be able to understand them, I had a csec 18 mths ago, am trying for a vbac in a few months, lots of statistics out there, uterine ruptures are actually VERY rare, so look into it, and do whats best for you!!!!!

I just had my first antenatal appt and I spoke to the midwife who said she doesn't see any reason why I can't try for a VBAC as I had dilated fully and I only had a c/s because Kat got distressed. I will of course discuss it at my next visit which is with the Ob and see what he thinks but I HOPE I will be allowed to try for a vbac.

Kerrie, that is great news! This is something I have been concerned about too, as I was told the same as Christy... wow, you will be a great inspiration for me!

I never realised that having a c/s would be so painfulllllllllllllllll, thank goodness Mark was allowed to stay with me so he helped me get up out of bed, onto the toilet, off the toliet, showered, dried my legs and put on my undies. The pethidene did absolutely nothing for the pain except for making me totally out of it, once the drip was taken out they put me onto Panadene Forte so found some releief with that pain killer, they also gave me ponstan for the awful after birth pains I was experiencing.

What I was very unimpressed about is how each Midwife at my Birthing Hospital asked me WHY did I have a c/s???? With all the Midwives asking me I was starting to feel really uncomfortable that I`d had a c/s,I felt like they didn`t approve at all. As you all know it was far from my first choice but having been diagnosed day before the c/s as having a CPD my OB decided a c/s was the way to go, so I took his advice.

When Matthew was born my OB plus a couple of the theatre staff commented that there is no way I would have been able to get his head out vaginally. When my OB discharged me from my Post Natal Hospital he again commented that I`ve got a very big boy and that he`s glad he made the decision to do the c/s.

At my Post Natal Hospital, one of my Midwives asked how my labour went I commented 'Oh I had to have a c/s due to CPD" her comment was 'Well a c/s is hard work also" Now how different were the 2 hospitals I felt like a lot of extra weight had lifted off my shoulders by her comment.

It`s now been 10 days since my c/s and today I`ve only had to have 1 lot of Panadeine so the pain is no where near as bad as it had been.

Take Care

Deeanne

Dee, C/s's are very hard and I know how people look down on you for having one. Most of us would not choose to have one if we had a choice, but if it comes to the crunch, we all do what is best for our babies. Congratulations on ur lil boy. I'm sorry you are in so much pain. It takes time to heal and I know what you mean about having to have help to do everything. My Dh and the nurses had to help me for quite a while and then I used the pull bar to get out of bed. The burning pain (internal) does ease and I'm sure it won't be too long and you'll forget exactly how painful it is.... For now, just try to take it easy (I know it's hard with a newborn) and take heart at the fact that the babies settle down at around 6wks and so does the pain from the c/s..... Enjoy ur lil bundle of joy.... just wait for his big "hello mummy grins" it will make everything but the joy of being a mum fade from memory.....

IKYWM

I had elective c-sec. They estimated Jaykob was going to be 11 1/2 lb so i booked myself in!
My doctor made me cry at all my appointments, saying that I was possibly going to kill my baby!
It turned out that c-sec was my best option, (size/ head circ / etc)

And he came out healthy and alive!

All the midwifes asked me why... I just said Size... they never realled judged me but ut made me a little uncomfortable.

I was also judged for having a GA and not staying awake.

We all make choices in life that not everyone agrees with, but no-one knows YOU better than YOU.

do what makes you feel safe and happy. Choices exsist so that we can make them.

Dee - gosh, I didn't realise you were in so much pain! I didn't find mine overly painful at all really. However, it think it was because I had been in so much pain for the previous 5 days with "prostin pain" (bloody contractions I say!) so the c-section and recovery weren't so bad for me. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I was able to get up and moving around the next day. Yes, I was tender but I didn't hobble around any less than the girls that had had tearing from their natural births.
I guess each experience is different. I know a lady who was in heaps of pain because she had an emergency c-section that was done reeeeallly fast. It was done so fast that her DH wasn't even allowed in there. Don't know all the details but they told her she would be pretty sore because they had been quite rough to get her twins out.

It's been 8 weeks now and I don't even have any more itching now. I am still wary of the scar but I don't feel it any more so I guess that is good!

Oh, and as for being judged about having a c-section, people can just shove it up their pie-hole!
I hate it when people ask "So, were you able to do it all naturally?" like you have to have a perfect birth for it to have been a "successful" birth.
I just explain to them that we tried but Gabby was being strangled by the cord and they soon shut up. Imagine if I had plugged away at it (although I doubt that I would have been allowed to)?? There's a reason why the c-section exists.
I will be having an elective one if I have another baby. No way in hell am I going through any part of labour again if I can help it, LOL ;)

Hi Deeanne,

I' m with you on the pain scale!

I knew girls who had had caesareans and they never told me how much it would hurt. I thought the midwives had gone completely mad when they expected me to get out of bed on day two. The special care nursery was only across the corridor but it was such an effort to walk that small distance to see my baby. In comparison to the vaginal birth of my first, it was definitely not the easy way out.

I had my hubby doing all the same things and was just as amazed that by day 10 I felt so good.

I'm hoping it will be easier this time just because I know what is coming but I'm also going to ask my OB about my pain relief options, got to be prepared!

Dee I'm with ya on the pain thing as well. I was ok when laying down, but as soon as I went to get up & walk man did I know it.

Worse thing for me was that I had had so many internals over the previous 16hrs that I was all swollen & tender down below as well. One of the midwives told me it was as if I had given birth twice.

Hi girls,
I was just wondering, regarding the pain, were you given Voltaren anally? I was having them 4 or 6 hourly for the first 5 days at least and had no pain?

Nope, not me. I was offered Panadeine Forte which I can't take cos I'm allergic to codeine, so that gave me some other sort of tablets but I can't remember the name.

I was given voltaren tablets, a slow-release pain killer, panadol and another one but I can't remember what it was called. I was also taking maxalon to get my milk to come in.

Hmm... maybe I wasn't in so much pain because I don't have a means of comparison like you, Kerryn iykwim? Also, Sarah, you had a bit more of a rough time before the c-section. Even though I had gone into labour, I had an epidural at the beginning stages.
Or maybe I have forgotten the pain already, LOL.

You might have a point there Deb. I had the epidural after 26hrs in labour and it kept wearing off. Problem was that I was in 2nd stage labour for more than 5hrs & had about 10 internals in that time too which would have contributed to the pain I guess.

Kerryn, you poor thing having to walk to the special care nursery after your c/s, it's like they deliberately put it as far away as possible hey! :)
After my c/s, one of the midwives threatened to put my DD in the special care nursery for 24 hours, I was terrified of having to walk that far.

One of the women in the room with me had her c/s in the morning and they made her get out of bed in the afternoon!! I had mine around 3am, and they told me around 5pm that arvo, that they were going to get me out of bed for a shower. When the time come I was still tired from my epidural/pethidine/GA, and told them I didn't want to and could i do it in the morning, which thank god, they let me do!

I was terrified of coughing. It felt like my insides were going to spill out everywhere! 8-[

It's been almost 5 and a half years since my c/s, and I still remember it like it was yesterday.

Nic

I had my c/s at 5:30pm and by 5:30am they were getting me up and into a shower. Yes it was VERY painful, but for me it hurt most when I stood up after sitting/laying down. Once I was walking and upright, it wasn't so terrible.... The thing that got me down was I developed a bladder infection also (a BAAAAD one) and they didn't believe me so I suffered days with it making me get up and down every five-ten mins and nothing to help it. Eventually I DEMANDED some antibiotics and within a day or two of getting them my symptoms were improving, my pain had lessened and I was able to go home. I just found the pain of the infection on top of the stitches was almost unbearable. Being unable to sit for long enough to feed my baby was even worse and I ended up with post natal depression. The c/s was painful, don't get me wrong, but the pain was bearable except for moving from sitting to standing or laying to standing. My DH was great and got me to put my arms around his neck and he'd help me up so U jsut bent my knees and used them to lift me not my tummy muscles.....

Wow girls - I have just been catching up on all of your posts...I am now scared as I am having an elective c/s in 17 days!!! I was advised to have a c/s due to a bladder problem - but I am totally OK with it! I also have GD and my OB thought that initally the baby might be too big (as I am not that big) but it seems to be under control and bubs should be average!

You have all gotten me thinking about the pain now.....I have been prepared to cope with it and am still doing pilates and walking everywhere, but I am nervous now....I will be taking all of the pain killers on offer I think!

Dee - I am sorry that you are in so much pain! I hope that it gets easier for you very soon....

I will keep in popping into this forum as I am really interested in what you all have to say....

Megan

Hi girls,

We covered caesareans in our antenatel class last night and a positive thing was that when they take your baby away for the checks they only wrap and not dress him/her so they can be taken back for skin to skin contact with the mother. I didn't know where to post this but I thought it was really good. Hopefully I will have a natural birth but it is good to know about caesareans and other unexpected outcomes in case they happen.

My SIL had a caesarean 13 months ago and her scar is still sore. My boss had one last Nov and she is 100% better and does not have any problems now.

Megan - You will be fine, just think you will be holding your baby!

Skin on skin time depends on how baby is coping with delivery. I know with me they just flashed Kat at me (I didn't even get a clear view) and took her off as she wasn't breathing as well as they would have liked.... I got to hold her hand after I got out of recovery and got to hold her the next day. I remember the first time I held her I cried.....she was so perfect...

Megan,
I had Voltaren suppositories and had no pain so ask for them. Well I should say, I had them from about 24 hours post op. For the first 18 hours post op I was completely out of it because I had a general anaesthetic and some morphine so was not feeling anything.
I find it really interesting how hospitals/doctors vary in what pain relief they give. These voltaren suppositoires were great as it deliverd the pain relief right to the site of the pain.
Sarah you are probably right in that what you go thru prior to the c/s probably affects your recovery. I really didn't get to second stage so did not feel I had put any pressure on my body prior to the c/s.
Nic, I had the beginnings of a cold when I went into labour so by day 2 I was coughing like crazy. That was absolutely the worst part of the whole recovery ie. trying to cough delicately so the wound wouldn't hurt.

Skin to skin contact, what's that LOL?! Zander was taken away for an hour while I was in recovery & when he came back he was dressed & all rugged up. He was fine though as far as I'm aware, noone has told me there were any problems....

My c/s was at 1.30am and I was forced (I had a less than nice midwife) to take a shower at 11.00pm. Yes I felt better for it, but I struggled to walk the 6 or so steps to the bathroom.

Lucky you Kat, getting DH to help you out of bed. My midwife said that I absolutely must do everything on my own. I had to try to get in & out of bed on my own which was pretty tough to start with. I was told by one midwife not to try & get up while holding the baby cos I needed my strength just to get out of bed. The nazi midwife came in later when I buzzed to get the baby put in his cot so I could go to the loo & she went right off telling me I had to learn to look after my baby properly by myself :shock:

I left the hospital on day 3 - baby born Sunday am, went home Wednesday noon. I just couldn't handle being yelled at from this midwife over everything I did! Once I got home I had Aaron helping me do everything!

Wow so much chatter :D

Ok...I was up and on the go around 3am post 6pm c/s. I got really anxious from the drip they had me on which had morphine in it & I ripped it out in the middle of the night & insisted on taking a shower #-o ... so after the shower I wanted to sit instead of lay in the bed & was up and walking within a few hours, however...I found laying down to be excruciating I couldn't roll over for 4-5 days. And like Sarah I had 20 hours of labour with multiple internals and epidurals which were wearing off... so I think that had a lot to do with it. I was given brufen & panadol, and the meds would wear off after 5 1/2 hours exactly. But by day 3 I was walking around good and really just wanted to get home.

I've posted this before, but when Matilda was born, DH took her with the nurses & he had skin to skin contact with her within minutes of being born, then when at 15 minutes I was finished with everything she & I had skin to skin contact, but DH had it first....we made that decision first that if anything happened she would have skin to skin contact with someone ASAP....