Unexpected C-section mamas - Page 2

[DoulaClara]

Lisa- The docs at Sparrow didn't give me anything (seriously, they gave me more crap than anything else, but I digress... bluebird, I totally feel ya on being the envelope-pusher) but the midwives I am still using have given me some great advice about how to be gentle and careful with my body. Gianna will be four weeks day after tomorrow. I still have pulling muscle sensations, too. I think it's the muscular incision healing and trying to reattach itself.

My midwives, in terms of exercise, have said that at about six weeks, I could try walking and then build up slowly over time to do some more. I walk around my house, and outside a bit. I did go to a small farmer's market Sat, and was only there for about ten minutes, but it felt good to get out.

Continued hugs, Mamas. Some days still feel rotten, and some days feel like progression. And some, like today, feel like nothing. Like I'm just trying to get through the day without thinking about it.

Clara

[averysmomma05]

Agh this is my kind of thread. I had a c-section with my first dd because I wasn't dialating fast enough for the dr (and I didn't know any better then). I was determined to have a VBAC with my 2nd DD. Went in with the flu and water ended up breaking and I was throwing up to much and so sick no way could I get thru labor. So I had my 2nd c-section. I feel like such a failure alot but i'm slowly coming to terms with everything. Hugs mamas!

[velcromom]

thanks for starting this thread, I have so many of the thoughts and feelings you mamas are expressing here after my planned hba2c turned into a cbac...

even though I DID have the triumphant labor at home that I wished for, not being able to give my baby girl the birth I'd intended for her, at the very end when everything had gone so fabulously.... yes, I'm what-ifing myself somewhat even though I know that it's not productive. We did the best we could. Still, random memories and thoughts pop up and reduce me to tears so easily. I suppose after the postpartum hormone rollercoaster is over I will be better able to process this.

I was only given a few days worth of pain meds and couldn't get a refill so I weaned off it slowly to stretch it out. I've been off them four days now (dd is thirteen days old today) and am feeling pretty good but it still hurts to laugh or sneeze. This recovery is coming along much much better than my last. I'm getting exercise by putting dd in the wrap and doing laps around the culdesac (I'm up to two laps now, woo hoo). I actually did a little shopping before my appt yesterday with dd in the wrap and that went ok although I was completely exhausted by the time we got home.

[HQ Fishkiller]

I had my an unplanned c-section a week and a half ago. What had started as a normal first and second stage labor turned into a 36 hour labor with almost 12 hours of pushing. Even now it doesn't seem like it lasted that long. This was my first pregnancy and my daughter was posterior. We had planned to have an home birth and when we finally decided to transfer to the hospital I still hoped I would be able to push her out. Once we got to the hospital the OB explained to me that my baby girl had not descended past 0 station and my contractions were becoming more and more ineffective. She gave me the choice of pitocin and an epidural to see if my contractions would pick back up again and I could still try for a vaginal birth even though she believed it wasn't likely I would be able to have a VB at all and she wouldn't let me try for long before she insisted on a c-section or I could opt for a c-section. After discussing it with my midwives and my partner, I began to realize just how serious this was becoming and how long I had actually been pushing for. My baby's heart rate throughout labor stayed between 130 and 160 but my blood pressure was becoming elevated. While having a private moment with my partner to discuss all of this something in me clicked and I knew that my body was not going to be able to push this baby out, I knew that if I was able to push my baby out I would have done so long before it got to be 12 hours of trying to do it. We opted for the c-section. Once the surgical team had me open they found daughter's head so stuck on my pelvis (warning possible tmi) one of the RNs had to push my baby's head back up my birth canal and the OB had to extract her by pulling her butt out while wrenching her off my pelvis. Amazingly enough her apgars were 9/9.

We then spent the next week in the hospital instead of going home three days post op because she was a mec baby and had meconium aspiration syndrome. My daughter truly is a fighter because through all this we were able to start a good breast feeding relationship albeit with difficulty due to constant interruptions from having to administer IV antibiotics and do chest xrays. She began to gain weight right on the borderline of the nurses telling me that I would have to supplement with formula. The pediatrician finally let us go home 2 days early as long as we would administer oral antibiotics for the first five days after returning home. We have her home now and she is doing so much better the episodes of heavy breathing that she was experiencing have seriously decreased and she continues to breastfeed voraciously. I am so glad that after a rough start she and I are both well on our way to recovery. I have never felt so blessed in my entire life to have been given this beautiful gift of a daughter.

[luckydog]

Wow Heather, that is quite a story. 12 hours??? That's some feat of endurance. What a strong mama you are. Sounds like Ramona is thriving now, too - takes after her mommy.

[ShabbyChic]

I had a c-section 11 days ago. My first two children were vaginal births. It all still seems kind of surreal to me. I am not sad about it, just still kind of shocked. It was a sceduled section, due to size, position, and gestational diabetes. I went into labor 10 days before it was scheduled and was 8 cms while they wheeled me into surgery. He was stuck under my pelvis and I arrived at the hospital with pre-eclampsia, despite being fine at my OB visit 3 days before, which complicated matters more. I spent 24 hours in recovery on Magnesium. But, I still think it was not so bad. I was treated well at the hospital and they were kind to us and respected our wishes. I am healing fine. 11 days later, I still have some pain on the right side, but my incision is barely even there. I still have some pain when I roll over at night. Hud is a great nurser and will latch in any position, which has made it so easy on that front. So, all in all, again, shocking I had a c-section, but happy we are all here and healthy and happy.

[mtn.mama]

I'm sorry to see our clan is growing... but so happy that your babies are doing well! Tomorrow it will be four weeks since my water broke. Things are getting closer to feeling okay. Yesterday I felt better than I have in a month. My hormones are still sending me on twisting adventures and my poochy belly still hurts sometimes, but I'm starting to feel like (since MW assisted HBAC is illegal in AK) I can bear to go back to the hospital for another birth. That I can defy all the usual medical interventions and try to give our next baby a natural birth. And that if my body won't comply then another c-section will serve to give me another beautiful healthy baby. I didn't get the birth I wanted this time, and I won't next time unless I go unassisted, but maybe its going to be alright. Here's to another day with our new babies...
Lisa