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6 THINGS YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT WHEN HAVING A SCHEDULED C-SECTION


HERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS WHY WOMEN SCHEDULE A C-SECTION:

  • Doctors find out by the third trimester that the baby is going to be a big baby. (8 pounds and over is considered big)

  • If you had a C-section with your previous child

  • If you are having multiple babies. (Twins, triplets, or more)

  • If you have CPD (cephalo-pelvic disproportion) which is when the baby cannot fit through the pelvis. (Which is what I had)

  • If the baby is breech where is the baby's head is facing up.

  • If you have "placenta previa", which is when the placenta is so low it covers the cervix

  • If you are HIV positive

  • If the baby has some sort of abnormality that can make the vaginal birth more risky

  • If you have a fibroid that would make the vaginal delivery nearly impossible

WHAT YOU WOULD'T EXPECT ON THE DAY OF YOUR SCHEDULED C-SECTION:

1. Your Last Pre-op

After you register/check in, you will be sent to your room for your last pre-op. The doctors will have you dressed in your gown, check your baby's heart rate, insert the IV, check your vitals/blood pressure, and they might do a last pelvic exam. It is also best to use the bathroom and empty your bowels properly before the surgery. You can be highly constipated after a c-section.

2. Your Scheduled C-Section May Not Be Right On Schedule

Expect for your scheduled c-section to be delayed. You may have to wait hours for your surgery. In some hospitals, the child/labor floor can be very busy with emergency c-sections. Keep in mind that doctors have to first attend to the mothers who are in need of an emergency c-section. I advise you to bring a magazine or book to read just in case you have to wait awhile. There are other cases where mothers may be sent home because the hospital may be too busy with a revolving door of emergency c-sections. This can cause the floor to have no beds available for scheduled c-section mothers. It is very unfortunate but it makes sense for doctors to first attend to the mothers who are in need of urgent care. However, doctors will make sure that you are still being thought of and squeeze you in for your surgery asap. (My doctor had to cancel appointments to do my rescheduled surgery, which is the sacrifice some doctors will make to care for their patient) Hopefully on the day of your scheduled c-section, the hospital is not too busy and you are able to start on time.

3. Your Right Hand Person Cannot Come In Until After the Epidural

Once you are taken to the operating room, your husband or significant other will have to wait outside the operating room until your epidural is done. An epidural is when an anesthesiologist injects a needle in your lower back that numbs your body from the waste down. It is just a tiny pinch in your lower back; the pain is not bad at all compared to what you are about to feel after the c-section. The anesthesiologist will also be by your side throughout the surgery to keep you calm. Right after the epidural, a catheter is inserted in your bladder to drain all of your urine out. It doesn't hurt once you are already numb, but if you aren't numb it may get uncomfortable. (Tip: When the nurse removes the catheter after the c-section, make sure you are laying down on the bed comfortably so it's less painful). Finally, your husband or significant other can enter the room.

4. What The Surgery Is Really Like

Once your husband or significant other has entered the room, that means it's time to start your surgery. Your hubby or significant other may want to bring ear plugs if he doesn't want to hear all the cutting, pulling, and unpleasant sounds. You are now laying down not feeling anything from the waste down.

The doctors will place a sheet vertically over your chest area so you won't see what's going on. At this point, the doctors are cutting you open to take the baby out (which takes about 5-10 minutes). You will feel movement and tugging, but no pain. You may feel pressure in your chest area which may feel like you can't breathe, but don't panic because it is just a response you get from the numbing medication as you're laying down. (That is why it is important that you DO NOT have anything to eat or drink before midnight. If you do eat or drink you will get severely nauseous during surgery).

By now, you feel a lot of tugging because the baby is coming out. The doctors may or may not use a vacuum extraction to pull the baby out. A vacuum extraction is a flexible cup placed on your baby's head that help pulls the baby out of your stomach (related articles say that complications are very rare). And finally, you are meeting your bundle of joy.

5. What To Expect When It's Time For the Stitches

After seeing your precious bundle of joy, the doctors may let you hold the baby immediately, but some doctors may have you just look at the bay so they can immediately start weighing, measuring, diapering, and giving your baby his/her necessary shots. While your baby is under the doctor's care, the other doctors are stitching you up (which takes about 15-20 minutes). If the doctor didn't need to cut you that big and you are not bleeding a whole lot, they may use glue to seal the incision back together (they used glue on me). Some doctors use stitches and if you are bleeding a whole lot with a bigger incision, the doctors may use staples (ouch). Glue is the most convenient method to close the incision because you can leave the incision alone and let it heal. With staples or stitches, the doctors will have to remove them after a few days.

6. After the Surgery........Here Comes the Pain

The surgery takes about 30 minutes from the epidural to the stitches. By now, you may not feel as much pain because you are filled with joy. However you will need as much assistance as possible once you have to get up and walk. The nurse will force you to walk to gain back your strength. Unfortunately, the pain feels like you got hit by a truck; however, the pain literally gets better each day. If you are breastfeeding, try to take the pain medication as less as possible to avoid side affects. A great item to use for comfort is the abdominal binder as it help keep your stomach in place when doing anything. If you have any questions be sure to ask your doctor and read more articles about births and c-sections. Also, before your surgery, I encourage you to pray for a healthy delivery, healthy baby, and smooth recovery.

(source: The American Pregnancy Association)

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