my C section story for Ethan

[Steph_reynolds]

I get asked a lot about my C section experience, from mom s that are facing a c section themselves, and, since the story is quite long, I have decided to post it as a journal, so that I can just give a link for those who wish to read it. 

I had to show up at the hospital at a INSAINE hour, like, 6 am, and fill out some papers for insurance and get my last bloodwork.  I had to drink some yucky, chalky stuff (only about a shot glass) to neutralize any acids in my stomach, just in case the anesthesia made me sick (it didnt).  I was taken to the room which would be "my room" and was given my iv lines and everything, so they would already be in place.  2 nurses came in and shaved the area real good where the incision would be made.  (first advice from me, if you end up with a c section, SHAVE the night before, or, have some one do it for you.  the nurses use an electric razor thingy, and, it kinda hurts, and, leaves razor burn, cause, they use no cream or anything).  then, I was taken to the operating room.  that was a bit eerie, until the anestheseioliogist started making conversation, and, he was quite funny.  he painted my back with the iodine, and gave me the local anesthetic to numb me up before giving the spinal.  I kid you NOT when I tell you in all gods truth that the worst part from beginning to end, was this local anesthetic, and, that is only because the medicine itself burns when it goes in.  this only last, maybe, 15 seconds.  then, he told me to lean into the nurse (my DH wasnt allowed in just yet) and put my head down into my chest as tight as I could.  he then administeted the spinal.  it felt really weird, but, it wasnt painful.  he finished up, and told me to swing my legs onto the table FAST because soon, I wouldnt be able to move my legs.  boy, he was right, I tried to wiggle my toes RIGHT after putting my legs up, and NOTHING.  then, 2 nurses came in, and administered my catheter, which, again, didnt hurt at all, cause, i had already had my spinal.  right after that, (at this point, I had been in the room, MAYBE 7-9 minutes) my OB and my DH came in together.  they were hanging the sheet, and, I gave them STRICT instructions NOT to give me a play by play of what was going on, just to do it, and, let me know when they were taking him out.  so, my OB and her partner stood behind the curtain, and talked about Dr Padgetts son playing baseball for clemson university the following year.  maybe 5-8 minutes later, my OB said "Steph, your son is about to be born", and, I saw my DHs face when he saw him, and, they took him over and weighed him, and cleaned him up (this took under a minute) and, brought him to me to see and kiss, and DH and he left the room to go see our parent and familly that had traveled in for the birth.  they took, maybe 2 minutes to get me closed up, and, right at 30 minutes after he was actually born, I was taken into the room, and they brought me my son.  I breastfed immediatly.

I kept the baby in the room with me.  I filled out the paperwork for the birth plan and everything previously, so, the nurses all were aware that I did not want him having a drop of formula.  they only came and took him when the pedi was making his rounds, or, to do the hearing tests, and, pku and vax's and things like that (this was back when I was still fully vaxing). 

they came in on Wednesday morning (the morning after the c section) and removed my catheter, which I was very upset about, as, it was nice not to have to get up and pee after 10 months of a bathroom dash every 10 minutes.  right after removing the cath, the nurse helped me to shower.  she was so very nice, and, it was not awkward at ALL.  after getting my shower, I started walking (the nurses had come and taken the baby to get his bath, and his checkups while I was showering).  I walked back and forth to the nursery, walked around the mommy and baby suites, and, just kept moving.  I had been told by more than one person that this was a very important part of the healing process, that the faster you started moving around, and, the more you did it, the faster you would heal.  so, that's what I did.  I didn't take my pain meds that were prescribed, I took aleve.  I had to stay the rest of that night, and, the following day, they came in and gave me a suppository (which I was NOT excited about, lol).  after my OB had made sure that the suppository had "done its job" (when I say made sure, lol, she only asked), she told me that she was going to go sign the papers for us to be released.  that she had seen me walking and doing well, and keeping the baby with me at all times, and the breastfeeding was going good, so, she was fine with letting me go home a day early.   I got my C section on Tuesday morning, and went home Thursday at about 11 am. 

when I had my first son, we had not yet bought our own house, we lived in an apartment, on the 2nd floor.  our apartment had 12 foot ceilings, so, we actually had to climb TWO flights of stairs to get to our door.  climbing the stair, 2 days after my c section did not bother me at all.  I took it slow, obviously, but, I have seen people say that after their C sections, that the stairs were excruciating, so, I was scared to death to climb the stairs, even though everything else had gone so well.  it was ABSOLUTELY fine. no pain from that whatsoever.  in fact, there were only 2 things that bothered me at all after my c section.  there was a little "twinge" of pain when I was trying to climb up into my husband's tall truck (it was about a week, maybe week and a half before I could climb in no problem like before), and, it was painful to try to sit up out of bed (like doing a sit up).  I quickly learned the sit up/roll combo that worked very well.  I was back to 100% within 2 weeks,. and, Id say that is a generous number.  it was probably before then, but, I just kept moving, and did things for myself, and, all was well.  I took care of the baby, breastfed him, carried him, we even all went to Target the day after being released to buy a breastpump. 

one other thing, to care for my incision, I would cut the absorbant cores out of maxi pads, and, cut them down the middle, vertically.  I would put a pretty generous line of neosporen plus pain relief across the entire incision, then, I would lay that pad core across it, to guard it from being rubbed by my panties.  I changed it, probably 4-6 times a day as needed.  when I went to the OB to get my first post partum exam, my incision was healing SO well, she was just amazed.  when I went to get my staples removed, she said that my incision was probably the best looking heal she had ever seen, that it was very likely that there wouldnt even BE a visable scar.  there isnt. if I point out where the incision was, you can look hard enough that you can tell, but, there is absolutely NOT a big glaring scar across my middle.  you wont see it unless I show you where it is.

[MSugarKane]

Jul. 11, 2009 at 11:02 AM

congratulations!!

[Caidens_mommy]

Jul. 28, 2009 at 3:11 PM

Thank You for answering my post, I enjoyed reading your journal entry:)