Birth Story
Leigh (first birth - 34 years)
My caesarean experience was very positive, but then I had researched the options open to me. I also had a number of doctor friends that I could turn to for interpretations of medical opinions. In the end I elected for a caesarean without exhibiting any recognised medical need for one (beyond my own fear of childbirth). I do not regret my choice for one minute. Indeed should I be lucky enough to conceive again, I will choose a caesarean next time too. I am convinced that the speed and success of my recovery is due to a combination of my husband's presence, the quality of the staff at my hospital and in particular my own positive attitude about the whole process.
We checked in at 7am on the agreed day (6days before my due date) and sat for most of the day in the ward as one emergency caesarean after another took my slot. At 2pm we went into theatre. The staff were fantastic. Everyone was very relaxed and the anaesthetists were very friendly and chatty. My fear of needles was respected and they did their best to make this manageable. They made a big show of testing the anaesthetic, which was very reassuring. By the time the surgeon arrived in the room with his staff (nearly an hour later) I was flat on my back and ready for them. I was glad that I had done as much research as I did as really there were no surprises for me, I even knew that the sudden pressure on my lungs at one point was nothing to be scared of, this was downward pressure being exerted on my upper chest to help push my baby out and it was quickly over.
My husband was beside me for the whole preparation and surgery. As soon as our baby girl was delivered she was lifted over the screen for me to see and my husband went with her to the other side of the room while she was checked out. He then brought her back and showed her to me. He kept up a running commentary about what she looked like and what he thought and how well I was doing throughout. It was a big help particularly when at one point I became rather pre-occupied by the rummaging in my abdomen which had starting to feel quite uncomfortable. I mentioned this to the anaesthetist and they topped up my drugs immediately after which I was able to concentrate again on my little girl.
While it all seemed a bit surreal, this was nothing new; my entire pregnancy had felt rather surreal too. In recovery my husband and I sat and looked at our baby. Really at this point we didn't feel like there was anything we could say it was just so amazing and awe inspiring to be holding our baby.
Once back on the ward staff were excellent for the most part. The only exception being that on the first night my urine bag was allowed to completely fill and overflow. Despite this, my recollection of the support I had from the staff was good, much better than I had expected from stories I had heard from friends. No one gave my baby formula, something I had been quite adamant about in my birth plan. I was shown how to breastfeed (all the discussions and demonstrations in my antenatal class still didn't prepare me for the difficulty in getting her to latch on. Nor did I expect her rooting to be pretty much constant for the first few days). But I found I could immediately pick her up and hold her for hours. I was out of bed in less than 24 hours, though I did feel as if my innards were sinking. Cupping my hands round my bump helped. The first toilet trip was far less scary than I had been led to believe and I had been snacking on fruit and drinking peppermint tea from the minute I got back on the ward and I suspect this helped as I never really had any constipation or trapped wind.
I had a shower on the 2nd day and was told to remove my bandage. I was very scared about doing it having no idea what I would really find beneath (it was the one thing I had avoided doing during my research - looking at scars on the web). As it turned out I couldn't bend enough to see and when my husband looked at the scar for me he was amazed to see a fine pink line, no blood and not a stitch or hole in sight.
My only complaint about the hospital was the noise, being on an open ward is quite noisy and there were no private rooms available. During the second night on the ward a young woman (with no English) in spontaneous labour was put in the bed next to me on the post-natal ward. Despite having a caesarean scheduled for the next morning she was left to labour (noisily and alone) for the whole night. She was clearly terrified and at no point did I hear any attempts to communicate with her and reassure her. Responsibility for her got passed back and forth between hospital departments while people argued about beds. Needless to say, none of the new mothers slept all night and I discharged myself at 8.30 the next morning having previously intending to stay another night.
Once back at home I was in my element. The hormones really kicked in and I was euphoric for weeks. There was no sign of the baby blues that I had been led to expect, (indeed 8months on and I have still not had any depression, though I am knackered most of the time). While I did find walking a little painful for the first 2-3 days I could manage everything as long as I took my time. Washing my hair in the shower for the first couple of weeks caused the odd twinge if I twisted suddenly but that soon went. I was using paracetamol as sparingly as I could, but in the first 10 days I did feel that I needed it every six hours.
I went out for a walk alone 4 days after arriving home and as a family we went out for our first lunch date 7 days later and had numerous visitors before that. I was driving 2 or 3 times a week by 5weeks having driven for the first time at 4weeks. The difficulties that I had with breastfeeding were the standard ones that you would expect however you give birth - pain and discomfort during "letdown". My little girl and I established pain free feeding by about the third week, though a bout of thrush on my nipples in week 8 was incredibly painful. As soon as I realised what that was, both my baby and I were treated and breastfeeding went back to normal.
The only irritation that has extended beyond the 6 weeks recovery period is getting out of bed and this I think is purely because I have taken my time getting back into full on exercising. I only really started exercising after 7months. It is not that I cannot get out of bed, but simply that I don't leap out of bed in the way I used to. I am slower.
All in all a fantastic experience and one that I hope to repeat once more.
Leigh's partner has also written his account.
Comment from Pinkpegasus - 11 Mar 2006
Thanks for posting such a positive story re caesarean births. I have fought to have a c-section against policy and after 33 weeks, have finally been granted one on non-medical grounds due to fear of childbirth (though I feel this is a medical reason). I am feeling so positive towards my section, and hope that my experience is as enjoyable as yours. I also feel that my decision of having a section will prevent any post natal depression that I probably would have got if I had been forced to deliver naturally. Thanks again.
Comment from coxymum - 19 Jul 2006
Your section story is inspiring. I'm due to have my second 'elective' ceasarean next Friday - both due to breech babies. Your story mirrors my first experience and because I've been anxious lately, I was worried I'd missed some horrific part of the experience that would meet me head on next Friday. But, it's fine isn't it?! The worst thing is not being able to move around as quickly as you did even in late pregnancy stages!! But it passes. I've actually bought a 'cesarean belt' from bumpto3.com. It's a support belt to put around your abdomen - you know the feeling after a section when you try to walk, that your tummy's gonna fall out?! - clearly psychological, but it allegedly provides reassurance and comfort. Plus its got a pouch which goes down over the incision, with a plastic shield to prevent bumps and bangs and baby kicks! And..a hot pad and a cool pad - your choice. I'm looking forward to trying it.
As for the shower experience - yours was just like mine (and likely everyone elses). You think 'oh my god, take my bandage off? Already? Surely not. And you dread what's behind the bandage. I couldn't believe it - exactly as you say - nothing there except a thin pink line. Unbelievable.
Clearly, a natural vaginal birth with no complications (and pref no tears, stitches, etc.) is the best choice due to recovery time. And a cesarean isn't the 'easy option' at all, but I do believe that a baby being brought into the world in such a calm friendly environment has got to be good for everyone.
thanks again for your thread - I'm now feeling more positive about the forthcoming event now that I know there isn't anything I've missed. Even looking after my 3 year old, although it will be hard (she'll be emotional, so will I), it was more that I couldn't remember whether I was in lots of pain after I got home last time. My husband said I wasn't and that the only thing he remembers was me saying that the skin felt weird (numb). Oh and taking the concotion of drugs that the hospital gave me, purely for fun!!
Comment from Guest - 24 Jul 2006
Glad your first experience was such a positive one. Time does seem to numb our memories whether we have a caesarean or a vaginal birth.
These pouches sounds rather good, I will check those out thank you. I am having a 2nd caesarean in December and with a toddler crawling over my scar I think a bit of padding might be helpful.
Incidentally I mentioned the 'tummy falling out' sensation to a number of friends who had vaginal deliveries and they said they had it with their births too, so I suspect the sensation is more to do with our muscles having been stretched by the pregnancy than by the surgery itself.