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When I had my daughter I had a pre-surgery blood test done 2 days before the surgery where they put a hospital bracelet on that I kept on until the day of the birth. When I went in they checked the band and admitted me. Then I went into a triage room where I put on a hospital gown and cap for surgery and they asked me tons of questions (health history, etc.) and hooked me up to monitors that monitored the baby's heart rate. I got an IV put in around this time, too. After awhile my doctor came in to talk to me about the surgery, ask if I had any last minute ??s, etc. I then had my pubic hair shaved in the area where the incision would be made. Also, there was a lot of paper work that I was filling out...I remember birth certificate info., newspaper info, a paper about shaken baby syndrome and some others. Before I knew it it was time to go, so I was wheeled into the OR. DH had to wait outside the OR while I was given my spinal, which I barely felt. Then they put the cathether in and dh was allowed in. The were checking my vitals and giving me oxygen and checking my incision area to make sure I was numb. Then the nurse anesthetist just starting asking me questions about my older son and distracted me and before I knew it I could feel some tugging and pulling sensations (not painful, though, just weird), so I knew she had started the surgery (my doc, that is). At one point I felt really nauseas, but they gave me meds for it into my IV and then I got really itchy on my face and chest, but they have meds for that, too lol, so then I was just comfy, warm and sleepy... really cozy feeling!! My daughter decided as they were getting ready to pull her out to turn around and go back in and turn breech, so I was cut a bit wider to get her out, but don't worry, very few babies do this. My doctor had never seen it happen before! Anyway, I didn't feel anything, it just took longer than a normal c-section. So they got her out and while they were working on her and cleaning her up I was being st_tched and the nurse anesthestist was trying to explain to me what had happened with my daughter and telling me that she would be going to NICU and answering my questions... and so it seemed like a really short period of time because there was so much going on... then my daughter had been suctioned and was breathing pretty well, so dh was allowed to hold her up to me for a minute before they took her to NICU. Shortly afterward I was taken to recovery and was there for about 45 minutes. They just monitored my vitals and when the spinal started wearing off they asked me if I needed pain meds... stuff like that. Then I was wheeled to NICU (my whole recovery bed!) to see my daughter for a minute or two, then I was taken to the room I'd be staying in. As soon as I could feel my legs (maybe 2-3 hours after surgery) I got up and got in a wheelchair to go see my dd again, but usually they will wait several more hours before getting you up and out of bed for the first time. I was in for 4 days. Recovery time was about 6 weeks for me, but I was feeling much better after about 3 weeks. That's all I can think of right now... probably others will remember some things that go on that I am forgetting! Good luck with your babies!

With my experiences they have both been fairly pleasant. I'll explain the scheduled one since that's what it sounds like you'll be having. After check in the nurses did the usual triage stuff with wt/bp/temp. checking. Then they asked what seemed to be 100 questions about your med. hx, your preg., and your family med. hx. When they get you to take you to the operating room your spouse may not get to go right away. They took him and let him "dress" while doing my spinal. With both of my c-sec's he had to wait until after the spinal was given before they let him come in. When first on the table they will give you the spinal. Both of the anasthe. docs did mine with me sitting upright but bent over. If you've had an epidural I'm sure it's similar-otherwise it's like a really bad bee stinging you. One of the docs did so well I was numb and my legs felt like blocks of wood before I was laying flat. The other one I guess didn't "hit it" right off and they had to tilt the table to have it run up my spine, that took about 20 min. to numb me that time. They keep poking you with a needle waiting to see if you are numb. They wait till you are numb up to nipple line before starting the procedure. They put a sheet up at about nipple line as well so you can't see what they are doing. You never feel cuts or anything just some pushing/pulling and pressure release when the baby is out. The nurses care for the baby, dad can hold him/her while they sew you then off to recovery. My first recovery was a little harder, my second was a breeze. Had pain like burning at the incision when trying to get up or down. Some cramping. If you have a high bed at home I recommend a step stool beside it for the first couple weeks. I walked a little bent the first couple days. Overall, that's all I remember being bad was the stinging. They gave me percocet in the hospital after the first c-sec. but the 2nd day I quit taking it--made me too fuzzy and I worried about it with nursing. I took Motrin after going home. With the second c-sec. I didn't take it at all, I took Lortab the first night then Toradol till I left. I took nothing at home that I remember. Toradol really helped the stinging/burning. I may have been longwinded but hope this has helped!

sahmof2 & jonimom I give you both an A+ for explaining it the way you did. It is exactly the stuff I wanted to know about, so thank you for taking the time. One question I have, is what about v____al bleeding after delivery, I presume you still have that. If so, when does it start, and for how long after the birth?

I never had a v____al birth, but I bled for 6 weeks post partum after both of my c-sections. One tip is to make sure to ask them to catheterize you after the spinal is in. I don't know why the wouldn't not do that routinely for your comfort, but I had to ask for this both times when the nurse came in to catheterize me before I even went to the OR.

I bled for about a weekish, after all 4 of my c-sections. Started bleeding immediately after my c-section was over. Good luck with your c-section! :)

I bled for about 6 weeks after each of my c-sections.

bump

My story is pretty much the same as sahmof3 (I have had 4 c-sections). I bled for about 6 weeks with the 1st 3 sections. With my last one, I bled for about 2 weeks and then spotted on and off for a few weeks after. Do ask for your catheter to be put in after the spinal (sometimes you have to ask them to do this--due to the need to have extra nurses available to help with your legs). I did feel nauseous with all of them (actually got sick with the first 3), but they gave me meds. for the nausea. If you feel any itching (usually the face), ask for something. It is common to itch, but can really be bothersome. Try to get up and move and soon as they let you--the sooner you move and keep moving, the better you feel. It will be hard the first week at home, so try to have someone with you (espcially if you are having twins). Take it easy--even if you feel good, if you overdo it, you will feel it later--as well as your bleeding will increase. If they give you staples, they usually take those out in about a week. You feel so much better once those come out--but they do pinch when they remove them. I have 2 suggestions---ask your nurse to give you extra "panties" for home. They are like netted underwear and they are so comfortable when you still have st_tches in-otherwise it seems my own underwear always rubbed on the staple area or caught on it. Second, this may seem weird, but I did it with my 2nd one (would have done with the others if available), but ask if they have a mirror (not the one for v____al delivery--an overhead mirror). I found that by watching my son's c-section, my mind was not on the tugging, but on the birth of him.