I am so disappointed!! I had to schedule for a C-Section today!

Im sorry you cant have the vaginal experience... but you will have your birth your baby regardless. I felt ok enough to walk up and down the halls of the hospital the evening after I had Emma (she was born at 5:10pm and I was up the next day) I stopped walking hunched over by about the 5th day. I was back to my almost normal self by about 2 weeks later. I suggest sleeping on the couch or setting up someplace downstairs for the first week home or so. Stairs hurt. My biggest issue was getting in and out of the shower for about a month. You get through it. They do give you a prescript in the hospital for pain killers for when your home. I took them for about a week then switched to tylenol and was ok.

I feel your pain, although my baby isnt transverse I scheduled my C/s for Jan 14th... I have begun to feel much better about it (a week later).

Have you asked all the questions from your doc? If you have any questions or issues you can FM me. Although I didnt schedule my C/S from day 1 I did go through it once and now Im doing it again.

I know how you feel...at 40 wks I wasn't even dialted or effaced. I was going to the dr every 2-3 days for stress tests and was told the max they would let me go is 2 weeks. At 42 weeks because of his size (over 10 lbs) they suggested the csection. And my doctor told me that most babies weight less than their estimates. Not mine :) He was 10 lbs 13 oz. At first I was very sad to have missed out on the whole 'experience' but after he was born I was just glad to have a healthy baby and with no complications.

I had him at 12 oclock in the afternoon and the nurses made me get up out of bed that evening. I was up and walking around the next day. For the first week I avoided stairs and slept on the couch. I was also sent home with vicodin and didnt need it as tynelol helped with any pain I had. By the 2 week mark I was feeling myself and was up and around again. Feel free to Fm me any questions...good luck.

I know how you feel because I had an upexpected c-section after a couple of hours of labor. I was a little upset after but then I realized the most important thing was that she was safe and healthy. Although I did get to experience part of 'real' labor I still felt cheated.

It was rough for the first couple of weeks. Stairs are hard. Driving is out of the question for 2 or 3 weeks-some people say even longer. The pain was manageable after the first week or so. They give you some good pain killers in the hospital and when you're home you'll get a prescription for it. Not sure if you're planning on breastfeeding but if you are don't worry about not being able to because of the c-section. I had no problems at all. I did the football hold for the first 2 weeks-where you hold the baby on your side.

Ask people to help you out because you'll need it for some time. If your DH has time off ask him to take it to help you around the house.

Good luck with everything. If you have any questions/concerns or if you just need someone to chat with please feel free to FM me.

I am one of those women who wanted a healthy baby BUT will never be okay with having a c/s. I don't actually put the two events together..if that makes sense. There is NO shame in NOT wanting a c/s or being sad about it. There are thousands of women out there that feel the SAME way. Of course you want a healthy, safely delivered baby BUT again, that does not mean you cannot mourn the lose of a vaginal birth.
There are ways postions and things you can do to help the baby move along. DO NOT GIVE UP just yet...babies move at all different times. If you need help, FM me. Doctors do not always tell you about the natural things you can to move a baby.

I can say this...I wish I had NOT scheduled my c/s...I wish I had gone into labor naturally and then had the c/s when I got to the hospital. I have since learned that my doctor lied to me and that it was perfectly safe for me to go into labor (Molly was breech) and then have the c/s. Call your doctor and ask if it is safe for you to go into labor on your own. Sometimes just having some of the birth you dreamed for is important.

Here is some of the other things that I learned:

Demand that your arms NOT be tied down- they do not HAVE to be..I informed the medical staff prior to the surgery and then again on the day of the surgery NOT to tie them down.

Discuss breastfeeding with a Lacation Consultant prior to the c/s. She can help you understand the challenges of breastfeeding after surgery. I wish I had done this and it might have saved me a lot of heartache. Also, you can breastfeed in the OR. Ask the doctor ahead of time for the help of a hospital LC in the OR to help you do this.

Discuss ALL pain managment prior to the operation. understand what your choices are and how each will work and effect you.

I refused the cathader (sp?) until after my spinal...you can took.

I wish I had ask more questions and each step had been explained to me. Did you ask everything you wanted to? Do you understand what will happen and how long each stage should take?

Is there any special music that you would like played? I have read about women who have music being played and it helped them a lot.

Do you want photos taken? My midwife took photos for us...some I wish she had not taken, others I am glad she did. Discuss this with your husband and doctor. A nurse may be able to take a few photos of you seeing the baby for the first time. When you have a natural birth you get all the photos and video. With a c/s that doesn't always happen and you might feel like you don't have those special memories.

Insist on a sonogram the morning of the surgery. The baby could have moved into proper position.


Bring your very own pillow with you. And bring one with you in the car home. Put it over your incision before you put on your seat belt. This was a hint I got from my Aunt and it made a HUGE difference.

Freeze some meals ahead of time. Hire someone to clean your home the week after you come home and if you can...for a few weeks. Ask your husband to put clean sheets on the bed before you come home. Clean sheets somehow always make me feel better.

Oh, I have also recently learned that you should be allowed to eat normally 24 hours after the c/s. This is a new way of thinking. Ask your doctor about it.

Please FM me if you need anything. I mean that. I DO feel cheated! I love my daughter. But don't ever feel bad for not wanting a c/s or feeling cheated. A lot of women gave me a lot of grief over this and everyone kept telling 'but you have a baby girl and she is beautiful and healthy how can you feel anything but joy'.....but in the end I hold my baby, kiss her, love her and hate the fact that I needed a c/s. I am NOT ashamed of those feelings anymore. That is the difference for me.

The problems I am having are really post partum problems - although I did have a very difficult labor (my cervix was 'stuck' closed with scar tissue from cryotherapy (freezing pre cancerous cells) that was done like 13 years ago. I was so effaced, that 3 different OB's (mine was on vacation) couldn't tell if I was 0 cm dilated, or 10 cm dilated. Even after a speculum exam,....I could go on, but lets just say it sucked. All my birth planning went out the window. I was in so so much pain with the contractions, which I could have handled, if I thought I was truly in labor - but they kept telling me I was not in active labor, which was totally wrong. Once my dr. finally showed up and 'popped' through the scar tissue, I dilated immediately to 8cm, and was 10cm and pushing within the hour.

Anyway, my problem is 1) I feel very weird and guilty that although I was so overjoyed at having my daughter in my arms, I was so focused on that damn curved needle they were using to sew me up - it was a horrific site and I wish I didn't have to see it, I think I have post-traumatic stress over it. and 2) I don't know if I am having physical or psychological problems, but just the fact that I have been cut, and sewn, and have a scar 'down there' now, I don't even want to be touched...and I gave birth 3 months ago.

So, my problems are definitely not typical, I just have issues. The thought of going through another vaginal birth is enough to scare me out of even getting pregnant again at this point. Messed up, huh?

I had a c/s after an attempt at inducing that didn't work. I never went into labor. Honestly I was pretty grossed out about the whole ordeal, besides being scared of surgery and (needles) the sensation of hands poking and prodding around your insides is soooo weird.
I got out of the ER at about 8:45pm (1 hr 15mins) and went to sleep for the night about 2 hours later. In the morning the nurse helped me out of bed to the bathroom and after that I was walking around. You have to take it slow but it really helps to get moving.

The stairs at home were not a big deal for me, just took it slow and didn't make any unecessary trips. My biggest problem was getting out of bed, I needed assistance for almost a week. They do give you a pain med prescription, but I didn't really feel I needed it. Sure it hurt, but my thinking was the pain was not that bad and if the meds took that away how would I know if I was over exerting myself. I'd say I was 'myself' in about 6 weeks.

HTH

I had flashbacks of my surgery for MONTHS...in fact I still do. I worked with a wonderful therapist who helped me to realize that you can feel joy over your child and fear/PST over the way she was born and what happened to you in the hospital. If you need anything please know I understand. I still cry when I think about walking into the OR and seeing all of the instruments. So I know what you are going thru!

Getting in and out of bed was a real challenge. My husband stayed every night in the hospital with me and that was a HUGE help. We developed a little way of getting me up and down.

In my case...just knowing what was going to happen to me was enough to truly bring me to a very unhealthy mental place. And then seeing the instruments took me over the edge.
Yes, there is a sheet between near your face to cover it up...but you KNOW what is happening for the most part.
(this is just my experience, of course)

I think that was the vaginal birth - you do see them sewing you up if you have an episiotomy.

Michele31 - You have done a lot of the pregnant ladies a huge favor by being so informative. I got very emotional reading your post -

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Posted by SeptWed

Quick question - are you telling me that when you have a c/s that you actually seeing yourself being sewn up. Maybe i am nieve because all i do now is occassionally watch a baby story but it seems you have a sheet between you head and bottom...so i thought they stitched you up with you seeing nothing...

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For me, not only did I see nothing but also when they were ready to sew me up the anesthesiologist must have given me a little something extra because I went right off to sleep. I woke as the dr's were just finishing and I immediately butted into their conversation as if I had been talking to them for the past 45 mins (or so)! I was so embarrassed, hope I didn't say anything stupid! Even though it was unexpected I was glad about not being awake for that, because the first part was enough for me.