Cesarean Section Support Only Thread June 2005 - Page 3

[Ligmom]

Hi everyone

I have been meaning to join in this thread. I am a mama to three terriffic little boys...my first was a C-section for FTP, 2nd a medicated hospital VBAC, and 3rd an HBAC. I feel blessed to have my boys AND blessed to have had such a variety of birthing experiences I wanted to offer my support to all of you...whether you have just had a c-birth, or are planning another, or are trying for a VBAC. I am glad there is a place for women at Mothering to discuss the different experience and emotions that go along with surgical birth

Kim--glad to see you are doing well Just 3 more weeks and Miss Katie will be in your arms! yeah!

[mcs]

hello- I am scheduled for a cection on monday at nine in the morning- it will be my first child and she is a footling breech. I had planned and read and planned till I felt this funny bump in my side (head) and then tried every every trick to coax her into turning, but alas this little lady has tied her self up in her cord. I am really thankful that I will be able to have her with the "safety" of a cection, but wonder too if I lived in another time/place if I could still have her vaginally. I was not afraid of vag. delivery, but I am afraid of sugery. I met with the anesth.. yesterday and told her that I tend to have a strong reaction to any meds. She blew that off, but said that I will only be given the spinal and past that, I will have a choice with all else. What would you think? True or not so true?

I wish that I would have found this thread earlier as I did not think to ask my dr. (the back-up for my mw who I had been seeing until the last few weeks) some questions that you have mentioned here. For example- the eye wash. Can I mention these types of things while laying on the table? Or could my dh mention it?

Also, I feel just terrible about it, but I am jealous and just plain sad that my dh will get to be with her first (they said that she can maybe come one hour after to the recovery, but probably three hours- hopefully, dh will work his charm.) I wonder how those of you have had previous c/s have delt with these feelings. Or, how you have delt with the hospital staff. My mw will also be there to advocate for us, but the nursing staff and she are not on the best terms- I don't want to set myself up for disaster. And lastly, what in the world do I DO in the recovery room? If I can't feed and fondle my baby or talk to my dh who is with her- what do I do? Just stare at the wall? Watch television? I don't know. Ok, I am sorry to bombard you all with so many questions, but the day after tomorrow will be too late to ask them. Thanks for starting this thread- I was wondering why no body had. mcs

[OnTheFence]

Ligmom - WELCOME!

Note to thread readers: Ligmom lives local and on my call list when Katie is born, so she will hopefully be able to let you know how things go for me.

[chantald]

MCS: Many hugs for you!
With my first child, I was not able to see him, but for a moment, in the OR and then not again for 2 more hours. It made me feel really disconnected from him. With my second c/s things were different and I was so surprised at how much this helped me connect with my daughter.. luckily we were at a different hospital whose policies allowed all these things to happen. It won't hurt to ask if these things can happen.. they can only say No.. right..?

Double layer suturing for my incision closure. Here in my area, most OBs won't touch a VBAC with single layer sutures. This was non negotiable...

The OR staff at this hospital told DH to bring his camera.. it was one of the sad things about my first child's birth.. we had no photos.. We had not even thought to ask about this and were thrilled . Our OB had DH stand and take photos while she was being removed.

The warming table was near my head this time.. instead of across the room, and I was able to watch and be near my baby as they worked on her.


I was able to hold her on the table before she went to the nursury. This really helped me connect with her..

We had declined the eye drops and vit K when I went into labor, that is allowed here, but because of the labor I had and the injuries she sustained from it.. my MW and Doula felt that it would be prudent to get those. So they were administered in the nursery.. We also decline the Hep B vax and she did not get it at the hospital or later either..

My DH went with her to the nursery and I had a doula and she was able to be right outside the OR waiting..and she would go back and forth between, giving me the updates etc. If you don't have a doula, see if a family member can do this

I was able to recover in my own room, not a recovery room and my baby was brought to me as soon as I was in there. This was an hour later.. but more because of surgery complications than anything else.

I was able to breastfeed her as soon as I saw her, the nurses were good at this birth center and that helped.. If you are planning on nursing, have the phone #s of people who can help you on hand and call them right away.

They put morphine in my IV during the op and this makes me throw up.. so ask if they do things like that.

I had a spinal with my second and an epi with my first.. I liked the spinal better...

the ICAN website has a good white paper on planning a family centered c/s birth..


many hugs to you!

Chantal

[OnTheFence]

MCS,

When you arrive at the hospital, ASK to speak to someone in the nursery and the lactation consultant before your 9 o'clock surgery. Tell them you do not want the eye ointment because this is a csection and there is NO RISK of your baby getting an STD since you are not having a vaginal birth. Express to them that you plan on breastfeeding and would like to nurse in recovery, and if possible be able to recover in a L&D room. If they can't let you recover in a L&D room DEMAND that they bring your baby to your to nurse. Make it known that your DH is to be with your baby at any and all times for any proceedures.

Make it clear to your doctor BEFORE she cuts you, that you would like double layered sutures (in case you want to VBAC next time) and I would make it clear that you want NO sedatives during the suturing phase. Ask for Zofran for nausea. It's not too late to say something! Just don't let them bully you. Be more than willing to work within the confines of their rules but tell them you would like them to bend or break some of them to make this a good experience for you and your baby. Also try to talk to the LC, they often will go to bat for you to get your baby to you in recovery quicker.

[Ligmom]

Kim, Thanks for the welcome

MCS--I second the excellent advise given to you by OTF and chantald. If you don't want your daughter to have the eye ointment you can decline it. They may try to tell you that it is a "must", but as her mother it is your right to refuse any medical procedures you aren't comfortable with. Definitely ask for the LC. She knows the importance of early breastfeeding, and will likely go to bat for you to bring your baby to you as soon as you are able to try to feed her. With that in mind, don't worry if you aren't able to feed her right away, but do stress to the staff that you don't want her to be given bottles or pacis(and let dh be with her to make sure)...I know many women who didn't get to nurse their babies until many hours after birth and baby was able to nurse quite well anyway

We will be thinking about you and looking forward to your update

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by mcs

And lastly, what in the world do I DO in the recovery room? If I can't feed and fondle my baby or talk to my dh who is with her- what do I do? Just stare at the wall? Watch television? I don't know. Ok, I am sorry to bombard you all with so many questions, but the day after tomorrow will be too late to ask them. Thanks for starting this thread- I was wondering why no body had. mcs

I would hope that you can have your baby with you. I only just found out that the policy at my hospital is to allow the baby to be with the mom, but I missed out on that last time due to overcrowding in the OR section of the maternity ward. I had to go down to the main post-op (for the whole hospital). As to what I did...I spent an hour wondering how my baby and dh were doing, while I lay flat on my back, watching my bp/pulse monitor (nothing else to do), listening to the delirious woman next to me coming out of general anesthetic and being asked every five minutes if I could wiggle my toes yet. That hour was probably the worst part of my entire c-section experience...the worst part of both of them, actually. I hope you get to hold your baby - or at least have someone with you who can carry on a conversation!

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by Ligmom

I know many women who didn't get to nurse their babies until many hours after birth and baby was able to nurse quite well anyway

We will be thinking about you and looking forward to your update

Just to second this - with my first c-section, an emergency, I was separated from my son for over 12 hours. (I saw him long enough to fall in love and touch his cheek while they were transferring me from recovery to the maternity ward.) I was coming out of general anesthetic and a sedative, given to me to help me sleep, when they brought him to me the next morning. I did have rough start to breastfeeding, but I nursed him exclusively for 4 months, and weaned him at 9 (*sigh* - in a misguided belief that I needed to if I wanted to ttc). It all went very well.

And, my mom was separated from all of us for extended periods (c-section rules in '63, '68 & '69 were a lot different) and the nurses didn't support breastfeeding. She still breastfed all three of us.

So, while I hope you get your baby with you immediately after surgery, it's definitely not a death knell for the breastfeeding relationship if you don't.

[mightymoo]

MCS - its worth noting that many many many hospitals now a days have no seperation at all for the mother and baby after a c-section, especially one in which you are not under general. My DD was cleaned up after the birth and handed to my DH, who held her right by my head through the rest of the surgery and then walked back with her while they wheeled me back to the L&D room for recovery (where we nursed immediately) and an hour later when we moved to our postpartum room, they had me carry her. I would make a big deal about that - there is no good reason to seperate mom and baby like that!

[mcs]

Thanks so much for your kind (and swift) responses. I wish, I wish that while I waited for 4 freaking hours at the hospital yesterday for my bloodwork, that I had thought to ask to speak to the LC. I will though, certinly speak w/ her first thing on monday. Unfortunatly, the law in NY state requires that all babies (unless you take the hospital to court) recieve the eye ick, but I will ask again b/c of the c/s. And so forth...all great suggestions that I will try to follow.
I think because of the original disapointment on finding that I would have a c/s, that I have been a little too passive. You have all really bucked me back up- and just in time. Thanks again and again. I will let you know how it all goes when we return next week. mcs

[chantald]

Originally Posted by mcs

Unfortunatly, the law in NY state requires that all babies (unless you take the hospital to court) recieve the eye ick,

I live in NY and could opt out of the eye ointment, we were not going to have it but in the end chose to do so because of birth trauma... I think it has more to do with "hospital policy" than anything else..I was offered to opt out prenatally.. at one of my MW visits...

Chantal

[OnTheFence]

Mandatory and the law are too different things. In the state of Alabama it is mandatory, but you can opt out of it. You can refuse any medical treatment for any reason, and that of your children. So if they tell you its the law, tell them to site it for you -- the law that is with a written documentation that it is illegal for you to refuse it. Hospital policy is just that policy and policies are meant to be broken.
At the hospital I am going to its policy not to allow cameras or video in the OR -- but my doctor said its here OR and *F* policy, she said we can take all the pictures and video we want. Guess who is going in there with a full roll to take? And I plan to get DH to do some graphic ones -- I had some really good ones of them pulling my first child out of the incision, and I want them this time too.

[mcs]

I guess that I am not so sure now- my mw told me at the very begining of the pregnancy that it was state (could it be city?) law- trusting her, thinking that I had read the same, and knowing that I don't have the money to sue a hospital, I did not question her further. I will, for curiostities sake, ask her about it today when I call with my list of other questions, but it is really not the very most important thing to me. I feel a little tricked though, and I don't like that. Thanks for the info. mcs

[mightymoo]

Ugh, getting closer to D-day. I'm wondering if those of you who have had planned c-sections could share your experience with me.

What were you told in terms of eating before the surgery? When was the last time you were supposed to eat? Similarly when were you allowed to eat something (liquid, solid) afterwards? How long a hospital stay did you have?

Thx

[SweetTeach]

MCS, I also live in NYC (Brooklyn) and from what I understand it is the LAW, not hospital policy to have all the newborn stuff administered to your child.
It is a no-consent law as well, so if you say you don't want it, and your child leaves your presence, these things will be administered.

Parents have refused, and from what I understand, they had difficulty leaving the hospital with their child and cases were opened up on them by CPS (I think citing neglect).

If you are birthing at home or in a birth center, I know that many midwives will "work with you" IYKWIM, but in a hospital in NYC, your hands are pretty much tied.

I am working with a hematologist to find out if a Vit K shot would be potentially dangerous to my child (s/he will have a 50% chance of having my blood clotting disorder which causes the blood to overclot...Vit K encourages more clotting).

Docs at the hospital I'm delivering at told me I need to get all of this in writing and in my files AND announced to all staff (signs up, etc) and I may even have to contact the Dept of Health pre-birth to make sure that they understand why my child shouldn't get this shot AND so I don't have to go through a CPS investigation for refusing it.

Bizarre.

[OnTheFence]

Originally Posted by mightymoo

Ugh, getting closer to D-day. I'm wondering if those of you who have had planned c-sections could share your experience with me.

What were you told in terms of eating before the surgery? When was the last time you were supposed to eat? Similarly when were you allowed to eat something (liquid, solid) afterwards? How long a hospital stay did you have?

Thx

The guideline is nothing to eat or drink after midnight, however if I get thirsty before 6am I will have a little bit of water because my scheduled csections are not until 12:30 pm. Also the week of the surgery I eat lightly and normally take something like MOM two days before hand -- I eat a really good meal the night before, something I really enjoy, and then a snack right before midnight.

I had ice chips in recovery, and then once I got to my room I was allowed to have liquids, juice and water -- nothing heavy, by the evening meal I could have soft foods. The next morning I had a regular diet. I got a milk shake in the middle of the night with my last csection. My first csection I was starved for four days and I think that contributed to my poor recovery.

One of the things to get gas moving, because some doctors say you have to pass gas before eating or leaving is to chew gum and/or rocking, drinking something heavier than juice like a milk shake does the trick too. With my first csection I was kicked out of the hospital, literally - on the morning of day 5 (it was a Friday, and I had her on Monday at 1). When I got home I was in such horrible shape, I even passed out entering my house, and threw up all that evening. With my second csection I left in less than 48hrs. I felt great and was eager to get home to my other children. My plan this time is to leave Sunday afternoon (around the 48hr mark) if I am feeling up to it and there are no problems with the baby (we have ABO incompatibility and so its like a wait and see thing)

I had a really wonderful experience with my planned csection. The doctors and staff worked hard at giving me a great experience. I don't think I could have asked for a better birth experience. I feel confident that I will have that again. Everyone was made pretty aware that my first experience was traumatic and an emergency, so it seems they put that extra effort in to making sure things went smoothly. I also mentally prepared for it. Like one thing I kept in my mind was that I would feel pressure and pushing, that I would get nauseated, etc. That is why my sister was there, she talked me through all that. I did not want a quiet atmosphere in the OR because it was like that the first time and it scared me. So at my last csection they actually talked about funny commercials on TV and stupid songs on the radio. I told my current OB she could yap about anything, her new house, her ex husband, or sing but I definitely wanted a lively OR and I even told her if things start F-ing up to fake it until its all over with. I feel confident in her skills and I have built a great relationship with her over the past year so I'm of the belief I will have another great experience.


Just 19 more days,
Kim

[Storm Bride]

My planned section was for 1:00 (actually happened at 2:24). I was told not to eat anything after midnight the night before, and no fluids after...I think it was 8:00 am. After surgery, I got nothing to eat or drink until I got up to the maternity ward (after my hour in post-op). Then, dh got me some much-needed water. I was on liquid diet until I passed gas - about two days. I talked to my OB about that this time, and he told me that studies indicate that the "no food until you've passed gas" thing doesn't really seem to hold up. And, he agreed with me that a person recovering from surgery needs to build up their strength. So, he basically told me that if I wasn't passing gas, I should just lie. :LOL

Once they switched me off the liquid diet, I was on the usual hospital diet until I was discharged...that was three days later.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by OnTheFence

Like one thing I kept in my mind was that I would feel pressure and pushing, that I would get nauseated, etc.

It's amazing how different it is for everyone. I don't recall any nausea with either section - and I'm prone to stomach upset when I'm nervous or, as was the case with section #2, flat-out terrified.

Kim...does the "pressure and pushing" bother you? My imagination goes into overtime, and I can't help thinking about what the scalpel is doing - that's the only thing that makes me feel ill!!

[OnTheFence]

Originally Posted by Storm Bride

Kim...does the "pressure and pushing" bother you? My imagination goes into overtime, and I can't help thinking about what the scalpel is doing - that's the only thing that makes me feel ill!!

Nope, because the first time I felt cutting and pain, so pressure and pushing was good to me. I didn't feel pain. I knew what was happening. My OB at the last section said "we are trying to push him out" -- he was stuck.

I had a baby shower today. Really cool, all girly stuff!

[chantald]

MCS ishing you the best tomorrow

I have always felt a lot of pressure with both sections.. The first it felt like I could not breathe and that was scary.. The second was better and I didn't feel too much until they had to really work to get DD out.. she was very very stuck...
They add morphine to the drip and that always makes me puke.. although this time I did not puke until I was back in my room.

Both my c/s were not scheduled.. the first, I had nothing to eat because of an induction.. the second. I had eaten regularly but threw up most of it during labor... I had been drinking lots of water and the MW had me sip some gingerale towards the end.. to boost my sugar...

My first c/s I was on a liquid diet for two days... bleah.. With my second c/s, I had it at 11 pm and by 8 am i was eating a HUGE and normal breakfast!! It tasted SO good too...They do not offer a liquid diet at the birthing center..

If I decide to have a third c/s.. I will be having it at the same birth center. I really like their policies.. well... most of them anyway... much more than the bigger hospital that is also near here..

Chantal