Question for the Mommies- Concerning Cesarean Sections

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Please do not dismiss the emotions and feelings of those of us who DO or DID feel angry or cheated out of a normal birth! Nature did not intend birth by surgery. If it had, women would have zippers on their wombs. None of us have said that we would risk the life of our child, or were not very greatful that our children were born healthy. We are entitled to our feelings and emotions and opinions. You do not have to share them, just as we do not have to share your feelings or emotions. I would not dismiss your distress over something, even if I did not understand why you were upset.

 

[HeatherLynn]

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet but get yourself a belly binder. They have post op belly belts and they make such a HUGE difference. The difference between being able to lift the baby or not. Honestly I have had 4 c sections.The emergency one was the worst. The others would even call pleasant. I am usually up the day after taking care of the baby and such. You do have to go slower but I swear the belt helps a ton. The last 3 surgeries I made it through with just advil as pain killer afterwards. Advil and my belly belts. You also seem to gain your muscle in the tummy back quicker.

Unplanned c sections are hard though. You just do not have time to wrap your mind around having to do it differently. Walk as much as you can, rest when you need to, and get yourself a belly band. I promise it will help.

As for any and all feelings that this was less of a delivery , or your less of a mom this time or any other such nonsense. Please let it go. You did what you needed to do to have a healthy baby and your a great person for doing that. I personally got given tons of crap about c sections. Well, bah, I can't have a normal delivery due to some stupid thing with my pelvis and some other women may have other issues. If we had children in the past we might have died trying to have our first child. I am so thankful they are available now.

Congrats on you baby btw

 

[emjay]

I have two children. Both by c-sections. Both different stories.

first one, my daughter, who is now 8.

I had taken prenatal, thinking it would be a 'naturel' child birth. Was terrified of that thought. haha. I'm a shy person. so, was mortified that at some point, this baby was coming out. !!!!!!!!!

However, at the due date time, nothing was happening. I did have to go in for stress tests for several days, had the membrane broke, by the doctor.

Nothing.

then, they realized she had went breech. I was too far along to do an inversion, so a C-section, planned THAT NIGHT !!!

I was already 2 weeks over. I was terrified again, by the thought of being cut open. But, I only had 4 hours to be stressed.

When I got booked in, I started having contractions, due to the dr. having broke my membrane earlier. Oh, good times, I was having. NOT.

went into the operation room, got the spinal meds, and I could feel them tugging and pulling on my belly. My hubby said it was a bit 'gross', seeing my insides laying on my ribs. ewwww. so glad I didn't opt for the mirror on the ceiling. and out she came. perfectly healthy, and very long !!! 23" long, 8lbs 10 oz.

the recovery was longer, yes, but, now just a memory. I had the blues. I think the blues was worse then the pain of recovery.

2nd baby, came almost 3 years later. I opted for the c-section this time, and had it booked two weeks before the due date.

more complications came with the second one. It took an hour in the operation room to prep me instead of the 10-15 minutes. I wouldn't freeze, they injected me in the back 3 times !!!!!! and every time they'd start to put the knife in, I'd feel it.

it took me 3x as long to unthaw after the operation and I had very mean nurses to boot, one basically treated me like a child and had no problems shaming me while helping me to breastfeed, which I already knew how to do, thanks to my first child. Not a good memory of that hospital.
On release I had a headache, which became worse and worse. the light hurt my eyes, I couldn't sleep, I was so ready to jump out my front window, off a cliff. I can't even describe the pain. I suffered for 24 hours. Apparently, it was a spinal headache, which could have easily been fixed by injecting my spinal column, with some of my blood. GOod thing they mentioned this upon my release , grrrr.

my son was born with slight jaundice. after being in the hospital, upon being discharged, he had lost the maximum weight allowed before going home.

on day 2 of being home, (I was sleeping on the couch as too much pain to get into bed.) I was awakened, mothers intuition I think. I turned the light on, my son was sleeping in the bassinet beside me. When I looked in at him, he was as red as a tomato, stiff as a board. I picked him up, not a sound, I couldn't bend him, I held him over my knee to try and get him to breath, cry, anything. He had mucous in his mouth. A problem with c-sections vs. naturally, they don't rid themselves of the mucous as well.

I yelled to my husband, my mother was visiting from out of province at the time, she came up. We called 911, and what felt like an eternity, the firemen showed up and then the ambulance.
I went with my son in the ambulance and we raced lights and sirens to the hospital, which was 20 minutes away.

we were in the emergency for about an hour, he was then taken into the ICU for a week, had needles in his feet everyday, his jaundice had flared up, he was so yellow. He had to do the light therapy, the incubator, the eye covers. broke my heart.

I was a mess, between missing my 2 year old daughter, my son in ICU, being kicked out of the hospital bed due to no room for moms of babies in there. and post partum blues, I was pretty useless.

My son is now almost 6 years old.

Point to my story. As hard as c-sections, births, first weeks go. In time, they are memories, stories.
But, in reality, new life, is a gift, it's a miracle. It's amazing !!!!!

do I wish it was easier, yes, do lots of pregnancies go smoother, for sure !!!!

I love being a mom, I love my kids, and I love having the stories.

I put myself on anti depressants as soon as I had my second, to ease the post partums, and it helped. Though, there were some tears and some heartaches, and some stresses with the hubby, as he didn't quite understand.
Do, I wish sometimes things had gone differently, yes.

But, it's past. and I am so happy to be able to say I've been there , done that and got the t-shirt.

 

[wolftracks]

I'm definately not putting anyone down.
Each and every birth is different and each and every mommy is different.
My youngest grand daughter is 14 months and my daughter is still going through PPD. She had to take off work months early and the day she was to go back, broke down in my living room and called her doctor. That was like a year ago, but she is still having problems. I actually think it might have something to do with having her tubes tied right after. She's never had a C with any of hers.
I think thought that whatever gets them here safe is the best for the babies.
I feel for anyone who is having to deal with any type of problem while at the same time, having to care for a newborn.
Motherhood is wonderful, but exhausting at best.

Oh and yes the tummy binders are great. That's something I have actually given as a shower gift. LOL Friend mentioned wanting one, so I bought it. They work wonders.

 

[chickenofthesea]

I had both my children with c-sections and loved it! Yes the scar will always be there, and yes it was a slightly different road to recovery, but I wouldnt change a thing

Everyone has different experiences, but the end result is the same! Mommyhood!

I hope those of you that did not have the best experience a speedy recovery and a strong heart. It just means that you went above and beyond the "norm" to hold that little munchkin!

 

[HeatherLynn]

Quote:
I actually loved mine too. That first one was a bit of a shocker and was definitely a learning experience but it is possible to have a positive, c section experience. Honestly I had my last one at 34 and my recovery was super fast despite being 10 years older than when I had my first. Course I just keep brining up that lovely belly binder. Its my favorite pregnancy thing ever. So useful for support before and such wonderful support and relief of pain after.