When I was pregnant, I did everything right (exercised, ate healthy, avoided “dangers” like deli meat and blue cheese dressing, avoided alcohol, etc.) yet at my 39 week appointment, the baby still hadn’t engaged. “Give it time,” said my doctor. “It will happen soon.” OK – I’ll drink the Kool-Aid and believe you.
Suddenly I was in labor. (Well, not all that sudden. It started at 3:00 a.m. and I didn’t realize it was labor until about 5:30 a.m. when I was having trouble doing my warm-up for my workout DVD. Duh.) By 7:00 a.m. I was in observation, the room they make you go in before they decide if you can stay or have to go home. I got the stay! Hooray for contractions! (Mine started and stayed about 2 minutes apart from the get go.) Then came my doctor who said, “Baby still doesn’t seem to have dropped, let’s do a quick ultrasound to be sure.” Sure enough – breech. Stinker!
Gettin’ the juice!
With her head snuggled well behind the placenta, there was no really hope to turn her and the contractions were HURTING so we agreed that a C-section was the best option. Suddenly I sat there laboring in the observation room by myself. Hubby was off changing into scrubs and the medical team was all getting prepped for surgery. I used that free moment to call my mom. Her words when I told her I was having a C-section? “Oh honey, I’m sorry.” All of a sudden I was kind of a mess. Excited yes, but starting to think that maybe this wasn’t such a good thing.
Most women I know are aware that a C-section is a possibility. Labor is unpredictable, after all. Few of us though take the time to really research and understand it. My biggest regret was not knowing what to expect AFTER the surgery. To help prevent you from falling into my footsteps, here are a few of the things I wish I had known, and now I will for next time!
You can’t sit up. You’re not dumb, nor am I. I realize this is a surgical operation, but I was still surprised that I couldn’t really sit up – even after returning home. I slept propped up with pillows so I could get out of bed to respond to baby’s needs. If I laid flat, my husband had to wake up to “shove” me out of bed.
Just like a vaginal delivery, all that was in must come out. With all of the pushing moms do to squeeze that baby out. You would expect a lot of, you know, drainage. With a C-section it is really no different except you didn’t stretch it all our down there so maybe you won’t be as sore? I don’t know, never pushed out a baby. All I know is you still get a plastic “squirt” bottle to do what they call peri-care. In other words, spray warm water all over your nether regions to clean it up before you’re mobile enough for a shower. Awesome.
Catheters. In a previous post I mentioned you need to check your modesty at the door. No doubt. I actually knew my surgical tech on a personal level and asked that someone else put in my catheter. There are just some things friends don’t need to do for each other. Don’t worry, they will wait until you’re good and numb before placing that sucker. Then a nurse will come in when you least expect it and remove it (probably 12+ hours later) when you are expected to be able to walk yourself to the bathroom. Oy. I remember that catheter offering a nice reprieve from the CONSTANT runs to the bathroom you experience those last few weeks. They may also “threaten” that if you don’t go #1 on your own in a certain time frame they will re-cath you. Pass the water!
A little queasy, but no longer pregnant!
Nausea. I am one of those lucky people who never be addicted to pain killers – they make me so ill. I was doing just fine throughout the surgery, heard baby cry, Hubby left to cut the cord, etc. All of a sudden I told the anesthetist, “I’m gonna be sick.” All I could do was turn my head a let ‘er rip. All. Over. My. Face. In recovery they helped clean me up but man, I was a MESS. (See photo above.) Luckily, once I was in my room the nice nurses gave me some magic drug to stop the queasiness. Vomiting with a six-inch slice in your abdomen don’t mix. They will also tell you to hold a pillow against your incision when you cough or sneeze. Take this advice.
Nurses still want you to breastfeed right away. I was literally in Recovery for minutes, long enough for the nurse and husband to bathe the baby, then they handed her to me and encouraged me to breastfeed. I had NO IDEA what I was doing, but they were helpful and let me take it at my own pace. One thing I would recommend is to try different holds. Football worked best on one side and cross-cradle o the other. This may change as baby grows; it did for me. Football was nice though, as it kept pressure off the incision.
Try to walk the next day. I took baby out in her bassinet for a few laps around the birthing center a couple of times each day. Using the bassinet helped me stay upright and the walking just felt good after being in bed all the time.
Showers are frightening! You will fear the death droplets of water. Fear they will tear you open if they touch your incision. Rest assured, you’ll be fine. Some warm water running over that cut will actually feel good, and I believe, facilitate faster healing.
Sutures and scars. I was SHOCKED when, at about 9 weeks post-op, I developed a large purple, pimple looking thing right on my incision line. It was a Friday night and I planned to call the doctor’s office on Monday morning. Sunday night it started to itch so I went to the bathroom, cleaned it and pressed gently on one side of the bump. Out popped a little white piece of something that crumbled when I squeezed it. I pressed again, another white piece. Each was the size of a grain of rice. Not large. I asked an OB nurse about it and she said it was a small piece of suture coming out, not a big deal. Well, THAT would have been nice to know! I’ve heard stories of incisions rupturing completely at 12 weeks and I was a bit nervous, but once those pieces came out, the bump went away and I had a healthy scar in no time.
I truly hope this doesn’t scare you. Having a C-section is not something to be afraid of, but it sure helps to know that these things are totally normal!
Did you have a C-section? What surprised you most during or after surgery?
I’ve had three c-sections and all were completely different. The first one was at 39 weeks due to preeclampsia. They gave me way too much medication and I was in and out of it for 48 hours. My poor husband, who knew nothing about babies, had to do everything. My second one was a surprise. I knew I was having a c-section but was surprised when I went into labor at 34 weeks. It was the easiest of the three, even though baby was 12 lbs 11oz. I did have recovery problems because I developed a spinal headache from the epidural and had to go back for a blood patch. My third c-section was just three weeks ago. It was an emergency section because my fluid levels were so high that they were lowering babies heart rate. I was extremely sick after this one. Lots of vomiting. I also had my tubes tide. C-section recovery was great but I’m still sore from the tubal.
I went into my first pregnancy preparing for natural childbirth. You just never know what will happen.
Every delivery is different – that’s what they say, right? Sounds like you had a little bit of everything! I’m impressed that your c/s recovery is going well at only 3 weeks pp…way to go! Also, I can totally relate on the nauseous feeling. That, and the intense shoulder pain I had (from air getting into the joint, I’m told) was some of the worst of it. Glad you – and kiddos – are all doing well!
So I just noticed how many spelling errors I had on my comment. That’s what I get for typing something long on the iPhone, lol!
For my first baby my labor was induced and we pushed for over two hours before they decided I would need a c-section. Our second baby was a planned c-section. For me the biggest thing I didn’t expect the second time around was what a difference the full day of labor and hours of pushing actually made. It gave me time to feel prepared and I was so exhausted I was ready for that baby to come out. With the planned c-section we showed up and I was in surgery literally within the next hour. It was terrifying how fast that happened and it was mentally difficult for me to wrap my mind around being pregnant one second and having a new baby the next.
Just my personal experience, but I do feel like that could contribute to post-partum depression. I am so very grateful I had my husband by my side (almost) the whole time.
Thank you for sharing your story! I have been thinking a lot about how I want my next delivery to go. I am almost certain I will have to have a c-section again, but I am hoping that my OB says it’s OK for me to go into labor on my own. I work at the hospital and live 12 minutes away, so odds are I won’t be far from the birthing center, but I’m not even pregnant yet so I guess I have some time to discuss it with him! All I know is that, like you, I have a hard time coming to terms with the immediacy of a scheduled c-section. AND I’m not sure how I’ll do with the date looming ahead of me for weeks to come at the end. We shall see!
This was right on the nose! my first two babies were c-sections and my 3 post c-section babies were v-bacs!
There is truly a difference in the ability to bond also. Going through labor creates these “love hormones” I had heard bonding might be an issue but I had no idea my chances of postpartum depression would be sky high. I had never labored with either c-section. Not to mention if you do gain any weight after a c-section you get this nice little “c-section apron” because fat hates to grow on such a deep scar. Im so happy with my choice to do 3VBA2C with my other 3 children.
Wow – that’s a lot of babies; good for you!! I had to LOL at your “C-section apron” comment.
Never heard that one before – but it can certainly be true. Thanks for posting, mama!
For the most part our experiences were so different. I was induced and 52 hours in labor they decided an emergency c section was the right call. My dtr had the umbilical cord around her neck.
They didn’t shave me. I was able to sit up and in fact slept with my top half elevated. I used no drugs after the surgery even ibuprofen. When we went home I even was able to walk up the 4 flights to our apartment.
I just wanted to say that so your readers know everyone is very different. That’s why sharing our birth stories is fun. Never the same as your BFF. Thanks!!
Indeed! No two experiences are ever alike. I am so curious about what my next time around will bring, if I am so lucky! Hope you’re recovering well and able to tackle those stairs these days.
I had to have an emergency c-section at 28 weeks and I had no clue what I was in for. I didn’t know you’re completely strapped down, unable to move even your hand. That bothered me the most and I literally had an anxiety attack. The recovery went well though and I surprised at how little pain I was in. I took motrin once or twice and that was about it. I refused the Percocet b/c they just made me loopy.
Many women don’t educate themselves about a C-section because they think “it won’t happen to me.” I fully admit to being one of those women! However, I do believe that if you know going it what it will be like, you’re more able to relax and just go with the flow. Hopefully if you have to have another c/s someday, you have a much more calm experience.
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Throughout my whole pregnancy, I kept telling Kyle that I would be fine as long as I didn’t have to have a C-section. Well, lo and behold, after 10+ hours of serious labor and 2+ hours of pushing, the OB said there was no way Kinsley was coming out the good old’ fashion way and that I needed a C-section. I was devastated but knew she had to come out somehow (and thank goodness I elected to have an epidural about 6 hours in!! Even though I had hope to labor without one). After Kinsly came out, she was checked out then Kyle too her back to our room where he proceeded to do Kangaroo Care until I was stapled up and taken care of. As soon as I got in the room, I started trying to breastfeed. This was at around 6:00AM and by this time I was EXHAUSTED! So we had some issues with BF but eventually we got the hang of it
I agree that the going from lying down to sitting up with not pleasant but was manageable. I was given IV pain medication (Toradol) the first 24 hours, which was amazing! I think started in on oral pain meds and I made myself take one every 4-6 hours for the next 3 days. I knew it was a low dose and would not affect my baby and it allowed me to function with little to no pain! I have already begun to think about our next pregnancy (in a few years) and am trying to decide on vaginal vs elective C-section. Now that I have been there, done that, it definitely is not as bad as I had imagined 
Thanks for sharing your story, Bridget!
I have put a lot of thought into the idea of a VBAC, if it’s even an option, and I am still undecided. Labor, for the few hours I was in it – was so NOT FUN! (Not that it was a big surprise.) I was surprised by how hard it was to concentrate on anything. I couldn’t even watch a TV show without losing track of the storyline. Taking oral meds is tough when breasstfeeding, you worry so much about what’s being passed. I stuck with ibuprophen and did OK, but I know many moms need something stronger – no shame in that! If I needed it, I was taking it. YOu better believe I had my T3 prescription filled and ready to go.
Thank you for sharing Kinsley’s story – I never knew she had such an exciting entry into the world!
I had a csection with all my kids the first one however was a surprise so I was in labor and the doctor came to check on my progress and nothing had changed in 21/2 hours do he says we are taking her out the sun roof(he thinks he is a comedian lol) next thing I know myom and boyfriend are gone getting scrubs and I have nurses shaving me nobody told me anything about it! I love your blog because some of those things would have been nice to know befor hand!
Ah, yes. The shaving! I forgot to include that little gem!
I joked with my nurse that it was like being at a really un-relaxing spa. And yes, everyone suddenly just DISAPPEARS! You go from having people all up in your business, then – nothing – until they come to get you for surgery. It’s kind of funny actually. Enjoy it, your last moments of peace before it gets crazy again!
I had forgotten about the shaving as well. Oh, the memories. This is getting me mentally prepped for the next one!