Hi Ladies,

Well Im booked in for mine on the 9th April and just have a few questions I wondered if any of you could answer. Id rather hear from ladies whove actually been through it, rather than ask my consultant who can only tell me based on whats meant to happen I guess!

1) Im actually more scared about the epidural than the actual surgery - do they give you any pain relief before it? I guess if you have to have one in natural labour your probably already gas and aired up but when its a planned section can you request pain relief for it? I quite fancy a go on the gas and air to be honest! lol.

2)At what point does your partner come in? Is it after youve had the epidural and when their ready to start surgery? or do they come in from the start?

3) Do they strap your arms down>? Ive seen this a couple of times and wondered if its standard practice?

4) Can you take in a CD or have music on - i really dont want to hear them cutting into me to be honest!!

5)Has anyone else had anything else done at the same time - I am having a cyst removed from my ovary and just wondered if anyone else had and how long it took etc?

6) Will I be able to hold my baby straight away so we can have skin on skin? (obviously unless he needs special care immediately)

7)Will my OH and baby be able to stay with me while they sew me up?

8) Ive heard things about ladies being sick throughout a section due to the weird feeling in your tummy? is this common?

Thanks girls!! xxx

sorry Bee, i cant help you but great topic - shall keep my eye on it

1) Im actually more scared about the epidural than the actual surgery - do they give you any pain relief before it? I guess if you have to have one in natural labour your probably already gas and aired up but when its a planned section can you request pain relief for it? I quite fancy a go on the gas and air to be honest! lol.

if you are nervous and think it will help then you can ask to use it while they do the epi, they dont give pain relief before unless your alread contracting, but after the epi is in the give other drugs in the IV, something to relax you or morphine usually

2)At what point does your partner come in? Is it after youve had the epidural and when their ready to start surgery? or do they come in from the start?

my hubby was in with my while i got the spinal im not sure why as im sure that in most cases they wait ouside until your on the table and preped

3) Do they strap your arms down>? Ive seen this a couple of times and wondered if its standard practice?

i didnt have my arms strapped down but they asked my to keep the IV side in the same place

4) Can you take in a CD or have music on - i really dont want to hear them cutting into me to be honest!!

the radio was on for us, most places will either allow you to choose or just have the radio on and if not just ask

5)Has anyone else had anything else done at the same time - I am having a cyst removed from my ovary and just wondered if anyone else had and how long it took etc?

not sure on this hun, i had problems with bleeding and my womb wouldnt contract but i was given a general at that point so wasnt aware i was in there an hour n half extra, a straight forward cyst should not add on much more time though, id imagine maybe 10 mins

6) Will I be able to hold my baby straight away so we can have skin on skin? (obviously unless he needs special care immediately)

i think this varys alot place to place but either you or hubby will be able to hold buba while your being stitched, skin to skin may have to wait just untill u are in recovery though as there isnt much room while the sterile screen is up

7)Will my OH and baby be able to stay with me while they sew me up?

normally yes, but some hospitals like oh n buba to wait in recovery

8) Ive heard things about ladies being sick throughout a section due to the weird feeling in your tummy? is this common?

im not sure hun, i wasnt sick and didnt feel a thing, not even that ' washing up ' feeling id read about


thats my experiance hun x x

I haven't had a c section but when there was talks about whether I would have one or not I asked about pain relief during the epidural because I am so needle phobic. I got told I could have gas and air while they were giving me the numbing injection before the actual edpidural going in. Maybe ask your consultant and explain how nervous you are xxx

1) Im actually more scared about the epidural than the actual surgery - do they give you any pain relief before it?
The epidural shot is bearable. I have a very low threshold for pain, and cringe at the pain of needles. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

2)At what point does your partner come in? Is it after youve had the epidural and when their ready to start surgery?
My partner was called in right after they opened me up and just before they pulled out the baby.

3) Do they strap your arms down>?
I wasn't strapped coz I remember holding the baby right after he was born.

4) Can you take in a CD or have music on -
I didn't but I think it really depends on the hospital you're at.

5)Has anyone else had anything else done at the same time -
Nothing yet, my ob was asking me if I wanted my tubes tied. I still can't decide.

6) Will I be able to hold my baby straight away so we can have skin on skin?
yes, as soon as he is cleaned up, they lay him on you.

7)Will my OH and baby be able to stay with me while they sew me up?
Usually my dh takes photos of the baby then leaves soon after.

8) Ive heard things about ladies being sick throughout a section due to the weird feeling in your tummy? is this common?
I was fine with both my previous c-sections and actually slept through it until the baby cried.

Hiya, based on my planned section

the spinal block dident hurt but before your given that i got a horrible drink to settle my stomach acids which was worse

my hubby got in after i was prepped

The radio was on already and i had a great banter with the staff throughout the procedure

I felt the tugging and heard the baby squeak like a mouse when his head was half out my tummy which was surreal. it did feel like someone was washing dishes in my tum

I dident get skin to skin straight away due to the midwifes checking baby

My hubby was in for a while then came to recovery with me and baby who by this time was snuggled beside me in the bed

I wasent sick but was shivering like mad just afterwards which is normal for me after any op.

Thanks for sharing your experiences girls...its really helpful for preparing mentally for it. Any one else like to share? xx

Hiya, I just got back from my planned section on friday.

1. I got a numbing injection in my back before the spinal whch stung a bit but wasn't that bad. then when the spinal went in it felt like slight pressure but no pain

2. my partner was in the room while I was being prepped and then walked through into theatre when I went

3. No the put my arms in supports to keep them in the right place but they weren't strapped

4. i didn't but they were playng radio 1 i think lol

5. no sorry

6. culdn't have skin to skin in theatre. When he was born they lowered the screen so i could see him, then they checked him over, wrapped him in a blanket and helped me hold him next to me. He stayed there until I went to recovery where they took the blanket away and he was just in has nappy and helped me have skin to skin and feed him

7. My birthing partner stayed with me the whole time.

8 Didn't feel sick. You can feel rummaging and pressure, but it never bothered me

All in all I found my section a very positive experience and have no regrets choosing it over a vbac and it certainly is so much better than the emergency I had before.

xxx

1) Im actually more scared about the epidural than the actual surgery - do they give you any pain relief before it? I guess if you have to have one in natural labour your probably already gas and aired up but when its a planned section can you request pain relief for it? I quite fancy a go on the gas and air to be honest! lol.

I had a spinal. First the anesthesiologist injected a numbing medicine into my back with a small needle(I did not feel it at all), after that he inserted the spinal. I was numb and did not feel a thing. I was scared to death too! But, it was no where near as bad as I thought it would have been.

2)At what point does your partner come in? Is it after youve had the epidural and when their ready to start surgery? or do they come in from the start?

Here in the US your partner/husband comes in right after the spinal.

3) Do they strap your arms down>? Ive seen this a couple of times and wondered if its standard practice?

They did not strap my arms down. They did however ask that I keep them layed down and try not to move them. Not sure why, maybe to keep the IV from being moved.

4) Can you take in a CD or have music on - i really dont want to hear them cutting into me to be honest!!

I could have, but chose not to. You can not hear them cutting you. I didn't anyway.

5)Has anyone else had anything else done at the same time - I am having a cyst removed from my ovary and just wondered if anyone else had and how long it took etc?

I didn't have anything else done, so can't answer this one. I hope it doesn't last too long for you.

6) Will I be able to hold my baby straight away so we can have skin on skin? (obviously unless he needs special care immediately)

I wasn't able to hold him straight away. They took him over to the cleaning station and cleaned him and did his foot prints and checked his APGAR test. After that his daddy held him. I actually didn't hold him until he was like 2 hours old, my choose obviously, due to the spinal medicine. It made me shakey and itchy. Not sure if it affects everyone the same.

7)Will my OH and baby be able to stay with me while they sew me up?

My husband and baby stayed with me until everything was finished. My husband walked beside my carrying the baby in his arms as they wheeled me back to my room.

8) Ive heard things about ladies being sick throughout a section due to the weird feeling in your tummy? is this common?

I have heard of this happening, but I didn't experience this. From what I have heard it is common and nothing to worry about. I did however tell them most of the time after I have surgery I get sick to my stomach. I think they gave me some medicine so I wouldn't. Maybe you could ask your doctor or midwife.

great thread!!!

now that the days are coming closer i cant get it out of my head either .... the first time i was put to sleep with air gas so i have no idea what was going on ..now my obgyn says that they dont do that anymore and that epidural is what im gonna be having... im getting panic attacks its not even funny...

im glad everyone says that its not that bad...kinda makes me feel better .... thanx for sharing... im gonna keep my eye on this thread ...