c-section mamas? - Page 2

[treehuggermama]

Originally Posted by johnsmom

I hope this is a safe place to whine about how crappy c-sections are without judgement. IRL everyone thinks I should just be grateful to have a healthy baby (duh, of course I am) And lots of people I know have had sections and think they are a fine way to birth a baby.
So here is a list of a few things that sucked about having an unplanned section.
-coming home and seeing all my homebirth supplies
-thinking of the hundreds of dollars I wasted on organic RRL tea
-someone else getting to hold my baby before me
-finding out that baby was given VitK, eye ointment and a BATH without my knowledge or consent
-nurse who wouldn't let me have anything but ice chips for dinner after an entire day without food (thankfully there was a Tim Horton's in the hospital that DH was happy to visit for me)
-nurse who insisted on asking me over and over if I was able to "pass gass rectally"
-Having to admit that the first nurse was right and eating a donut 3 hours after surgery would cause gas to build up
I could go on and on, anyone else?

Reading your post was like reading exactly what happened to me (minus the homebirth supplies). I was GD too and they refused to feed me even juice post op even though I was feeling like I was crashing. Arghhh.

[Ironica]

I'm still bleeding. It mostly tapered off after three days, but then ramped up again. I should probably call my doctor's office :-/. Or just stop running all over town like an idiot.

I had trouble getting juice too... but only because no one in the hospital, save the dietician, seemed to know what "juice" was. "Cranberry juice cocktail" is not legally juice, and I don't do corn syrup!

I'm not worried about future pregnancies as we'd always planned on two kids, and according to the doctor there was a *ton* of scarring and adhesions, including separation of the rectus abdomini, that he prettied up while in there, so maybe my body will be in better shape after this surgery (though I doubt it). Still, I just really wanted to avoid recovering from surgery after this birth. Really really. I'm still moving like a turtle, still tender, still feel like crap. Ugh.

[chely7425]

I was feeling a ton better until I had to take the baby to an appointment yesterday on my own... I think I overdid it just a tad!! I am paying for it a bit today. My bleeding seems to be mostly gone, just random bits every now and then. I hate feeling too sore to do a lot though, the weather is finally starting to get nice and I want to get out of the house!! Hopefully soon though...

[eastkygal]

I'm crushed that I didn't get to push my sweet babe out, but I'm not really expressing that to anyone. It didn't really hit me until I got home and noticed my birthkit just half used, knowing there is a "born at home" birth certificate in the bottom of it. However, I do feel so much better about this c-section than my last one that I still grieve tremendously. I wasn't coerced this time around. It was a very necessary thing. My little girl was in real trouble and my body did everything it could to get her out. I am so thankful to have experienced labor naturally and I think me and my babe are healthier for it. I think all c-section women should (when possible) at least get to labor to the point of safety. I thank God for that intervention in this case. My dream of being a doula or childbirth educator in my rural mountain hometown is up in the air now though. I have trouble feeling qualified. This HBAC was going to qualify me for that. Now, I feel like I don't know enough personally to help anyone through the pushing stage of labor. That makes me sad.
But, overall I'm grateful and so thankful for my midwife and doula, who cared for me so very well through it all.

[kjoy2]

Originally Posted by eastkygal

My dream of being a doula or childbirth educator in my rural mountain hometown is up in the air now though. I have trouble feeling qualified. This HBAC was going to qualify me for that. Now, I feel like I don't know enough personally to help anyone through the pushing stage of labor. That makes me sad.

I'm sorry you are doubting your dream, mama.... but I really don't think you have to give up your hopes due to not feeling 'qualified'. Our MW has never birthed, and I'm sure she'll be fantastic for us. If you are a woman, and compassionate, and tuned in, and loving what you do, and believing in other women, then you CAN do it. And it seems to me (from everyone's varied experiences & birth stories) that all labors are different, right down to the pushing stage - so what I mean is that even 1 personal pushing experience would not 'qualify' you to know 'enough'. And having had C-sections has prepared you to help future C-section mamas, both physically and emotionally. You will learn as you go along in your role as a doula or educator. It's the same as any job. You can do it if you dream it.