I thought I'd share with you my C-section experience on this little corner of the web of mine, as I remember when I was told I had to have a C-section (because Lily was bloody breach and I will touch upon that in another post), it was literally the end of the world as it wasn't something I wanted and then I found myself forever searching the internet for other peoples experiences. I found it all a bit of a mixed bag really, some were 'good', some were not so good. So whilst that day is still fresh on my mind, I thought I'd contribute my experience and hey, its kind of nice to read back on it all as well.
Now, this is going to be quite long (with some gory details thrown into the mix also), so I suggest you grab a cuppa and some biscuits if you decide to stick around and read through this all. You have been warned.
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Side note - Me and Lilys dad, Ade, first met and had our very first date on Valentine's Day of 2018. We had been talking for a few weeks and who would have thought a year later on the very same date we would have a kid together, crazy!
On the big day and before I arrived, I was told I had to take an anti-acid tablet which I had picked up a few days prior when meeting with the anesthetist for my pre-op, (this is to see if you are allergic to anything i.e the drugs they administer you and a general assessment for the operation), fun stuff. The anti-acid I had was called Ranitidine and this was to reduce the acid in my stomach which would prepare my tummy for the operation.
At the given time of half seven (ugh to early for a pregnant gal!), me and Ade arrived at the hospital and we were then brought into a room with six other 'couples'. I found this odd to be in a room with six other couples, to be honest. I really thought we'd be taken into our own room as that's what the 'Youtube videos' I'd been watching continuously the nights leading up to this day suggested. Also, I think it was the fact that no one told me what to expect on the day but hey, in my hospital you are brought into a room with six other couples sitting around on chairs in a circle on one side of the room. (Unless they do that in all hospitals and I'm just being dumb).
On the opposite side of the room there was a hospital bed with a curtain, and one by one your called in to have your observations done. I was first to be called in to have obs which is rather nervewracking when you're sitting in a circle with six-plus other people as you don't know what to expect. So they called me in, they just checked my blood pressure (which was slightly high but fine), temperature (fine), a billion of basic questions about my health during the pregnancy and in my case, a few scans with a portable scan device just to double-check she was still breech which of course she still was, that was Sassy socks' favorite position at this point, there was no way in hell she was going to turn. I also got given some 'rather sexy' compression stockings to put on there and then and for some unknown reason, they just reminded me of Alice In Wonderland.
After a while, the Anesthetist called us to a side room one by one to talk through the operation one last time and to double-check the information I gave at my pre-op was all accurate on their part, which thankfully it was. When I came back into the room with the six other couples, we were then handed a basket full of knitted hats and a very small nappy, as c-section babies only can wear a hat and a nappy in theatre as well as been swaddled in a towel until you go up to the ward and then you can dress them into the outfits you have brought with you. I could not believe how small the nappy was though, it had been six whole years since my last baby, was that how tiny they were?!, YES!! Oh my life.
A little while later after we were all given our 'stylish' hospital gowns to put on nearer the op, one of the nurses' read-out where we were all going to be on the list for the op. I was about the third or fourth and I think at that point for me, (I can't speak for Ade), that's when it started to feel even more real, ''I'm about to go into theatre and have my stomach ripped open, yay''. But I tried to not think of it like that, the most important thing was I was going to meet my second baby girl for the very first time and I really could not wait as I was literally done with having a baby's head push up on my stomach now. So after another hour of waiting around for my turn, I was told to go into the toilet to get changed into my rather 'fashionable' gown as I was next, eeek!, hey Vogue, call me.
Eventually, after much more waiting around, we were finally taken down into the observation/recovery room where I would be brought back to after the operation had been and gone to be observed for an hour or two. I must admit, it felt rather dreary and a bit like a cattle market, almost like you were waiting to be slaughtered, (dramatic), but after all its a hospital, it's not meant to be the happiest of places. On one side of the room to the left of us behind a curtain, the woman that went in before me was recovering and all you could hear was a baby murmuring, machines beeping and talking amongst the doctors and her family. To the right where we were waiting, there was a massive observation window where nurses and doctors were writing up paperwork and talking amongst themselves. Ten minutes later a woman came in to put the IV needle in my hand to get me prepped for theatre and at that point, I think I wished I was a bloke.
After ten minutes, I decided that all of a sudden I was dying for a wee and it took us quite a while to find someone to show me where the toilet was as I was literally due to having the op there and then. So whilst searching the narrow corridor, all I can remember is nurses, doctors and surgeons dashing around and beds coming up and down, it's like I just need a wee before you rip me open, its not too much to ask for, right?! Especially with a baby's ass on my bladder, you would think a baby's head would be worse but I think it's about the same.
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After coming out of the toilet (I got to have my wee, yay), they took me and Ade straight down to theatre. Now, this is the point my heart was slamming against my chest, I'd never been in an operating theatre before and I'd only ever seen them on the telly. A million thoughts were now buzzing around my head, some not so nice ones like ''will I make it out alive"? as after all, it is an operation aka major surgery and like all operations, it comes with risks. But then again the thought of it being an actual Woman's hospital and they do this type of thing every single day, to them it's just like extracting a tooth. I just had to trust them.
When entering the operating theater, the first thing that struck me was how narrow the operating bed was, was I really going to fit my ass on that? well, it seems I did, it was nothing like Holby city. What also struck me was how blue everything was, well duh, its a hospital.
From that moment on it was all systems go. I had no time to think and take it all in. I didn't know half of these people that were surrounding me even though they did introduce themselves, to me they were just all surgeons and it all just happened so fast. Everyone was asking me questions all at once and telling me various different things that were going to happen during the operation, whilst at the same time propping me on the edge of the bed and giving me a pillow to hug whilst I leaned forward and they put a needle in my back (spinal block/epidural) which to be honest I didn't feel a thing. Hands off to the people that do this job by the way, it was literally like being in Gordon Ramseys Hells Kitchen, people were just dashing everywhere with no time to think and just do, it was pretty manic.
After five minutes, I remember feeling a cold tingly rush going through my legs as the medicine was making its way up in my body, I was literally going numb from the waist down and what a peculiar feeling that was. Then, a team of people rolled me over from being sat up and then laid me down as I couldn't feel anything.
After five minutes of giving the spinal block/epidural to fully work, they inserted a carfiter into my bladder and I was then asked the dreaded question, 'Could I feel anything?'. I really anticipated this question, mainly due to my anxiety as I had been having thoughts that it wouldn't work and I would literally feel everything. Ade and a few others burst out laughing because the look on my face whilst I tried to move was priceless it seems. I honestly wish we filmed it now. The good news was I couldn't feel a thing and from then on again, it was all systems go.
All I can remember at this point is a big blue sheet propped up right in front of me so I couldn't see what was going on down there and a person standing behind my head asking me if I was ok, do I feel sick?, (as they had mentioned one of the medicines makes you feel a bit sick and it kind of did, so they gave me something to make me feel better but it wasn't to the point where I was going to throw up either. I can also remember Ade sitting on a chair next to me to my right and a bright light shining down on me like you have at the dentist. From then on, I started to feel drained, but I do think that was all the medicines that they had pumped into my body as well as my carousel of emotions.
Fifteen to twenty minutes had passed of what seemed like forever, and Lily was finally here. When I first heard her start to cry her lungs out like she literally had a set of lungs on her, I just thought for a second, 'omg what was that?', because I literally felt next to nothing. The websites, Youtube videos, and forums suggested that you may feel someone almost rummaging around in your belly with a tugging and pulling sensation, but I only ever felt someone almost giving it a bit of jiggle which I know sounds super weird but personally that's all I could describe it as for me. At this point I was feeling all sorts of emotions, happy, excited but mostly drained and dazed still, I just wanted to hold my little girl and cuddle her all day.
After bringing Lily into the world and checking her all over, they finally brought her around to me and put her on my chest as I had asked for the skin to skin contact. The first thing that struck me was how red she was and how her chin was shaped like a bum which we now know she definitely has her daddy's chin lol! I don't remember Isabelle looking anything like that but she was so beautiful. To give me credit, I think at this time I was just so dazed and also so bloody happy to finally have this baby out of me and to meet her for the very first time, that it was all just a range of emotions going over me like a tidal wave. We also had a good five to ten minutes to admire our gorgeous daughter.
A few minutes later of us just literally adoring our baby girl, a lovely cheery woman who was with me during the whole procedure (I swear she was an assistant for something as 'assistant' rings a bell in my head, but there was just so many people its hard to think who was who and which role was which). But anyway, this lovely woman offered to take a picture of the three of us which is the one I've included and that just made it for me. I might have not got the birth I wanted but that simple tiny suggestion really meant something to me, it made the experience so much better, I really can't explain it and it probably sounds silly but thank you cheery assistant, that really put the cherry on the cake.
Whilst I was being sown up which took for bloody ever, Ade and baby Lily were taken down to the recovery room where they would wait for me to arrive back. Honestly, I felt nothing being sown up and I actually felt quite bored staring at the lights and the blue sheet that had been my view for the last forty-five minutes or however long it had been. All I wanted to do now was go and cuddle my newborn baby girl but unfortunately, my bikini line was not going to magically sew back up itself and I give credit to the surgeon, he did a fantastic job down there.
When I arrived back into the recovery room, I finally got to have cuddles with my baby girl and I for the life of me, could not stop staring at her. I was then asked if I'd like some tea and toast. Now I don't drink tea or coffee, I find it disgusting and pointless (yeah I'm that weird person), but I was also still so drained and dazed that I just said yes. toast, on the other hand, YES PLEASE!!. I gave Lily to Ade or she went into her cot whilst I phoned my mum to let her know I was ok.
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<---- hormones="" nbsp="" p="" talking="">It's funny because it was like nothing had just happened. I was propped up in bed having my toast (minus the tea), happy as larry, It didn't look like I had just had surgery and brought a baby into the world. I think the people around me couldn't believe it either. I also had a nurse sit by my bed doing paperwork whilst observing me for an hour or so, as well as being seen by a few doctors and by that time, it was time to be wheeled up to the ward.
When I was wheeled up to the ward, I was lucky enough to have my own room. I was then introduced to the nurse that was going to be looking after me, as well as a few others that weren't my named nurse and told about the catheter that had to stay in for another twelve hours and to be honest, thank-feck, I did not have any energy what so ever to move and I was dreading the moment of when I'd have to get up and about, the first time is always scary.
After a while, we dressed Lily in her first-ever outfit. I originally did have 'the first outfit' all mapped and planned out but again, I was still so drained that I just told Ade to put on anything he found in my suitcase. An hour later, little madam decided it was time for the first dreaded dirty nappy which of course was daddy's job (perks of having a c-section?), It was that bad that we had to change her outfit all over again.
After that was all sorted, we finally had a few hours to ourselves to gaze at our new baby girl, par from nurses coming in to do obs and stuff but obviously, that was ok. I literally could not take my eyes off Lily, I just did not want to put her down and sometimes still don't, even though she is one years old now and does not sit still. I was so happy and exhausted but girl power y'all.
At 6pm (visiting times) my parents arrived with my six-year-old daughter, Isabelle. I really wished I filmed Isabelle when she came into the room as her jaw dropped to the floor, 'who is that little baby in mummy's arms, is that the baby that's been in mummy's tummy this whole time'. Isabelle absolutely adores her little sister, she is always kissing and playing with her now but sometimes does a get a bit jealous as we've nearly all been through when a new sibling is born, it's natural so we just have to include her as much as possible and work with it. But on the whole, Isabelle adores her and Lily always smiles when Isabelle enters the room.
My parents, on the other hand, adored little Lily but were too frightened for the life of them to hold her as she looked so delicate. It was then time for Ade to go and he would be back the next day as they don't let the father's stay which I think is personally a bit crap.
After everyone had gone home, it was my time to be completely alone with Lily and I'm not going to lie, it felt rather daunting. I had been surrounded by people all day with help from Ade and my parents and I'm not one for asking the nurses for help as I don't want to bother them so to be left with a baby whilst recovering from a major op was a tad terrifying.
It's not that I didn't know what I was doing as being a mum second time around, I've taken it like a duck to water, but I think it was just the anxiety of having to get out of bed the very first time and the pain that was going to come with it when I had to change her nappy and get things I needed. Feeding her, on the other hand, was easy as she is bottle-fed so I brought the SMA PRO First Infant Milk From Birth Starter Pack which was reachable on the table next to me. If you are bottle-feeding, they are very handy as there is no fussing with having to make up a bottle or anything, especially when your not in a great state yourself. I really wish they had them when Isabelle was a baby, I would definitely recommend them.
Even though I was exhausted, I still wasn't able to sleep and I probably would say I only got about an hour or two in. I think I was just high on morphine, emotions, and that it was just being in a different environment, hospitals are not the easiest of places to sleep, especially with nurses coming in every few hours to do your observations.
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At half four in the morning, the nurse decided it would be "a great time" for my catheter to come out and told me to get up and about to go and pee in a bedpan. I had no help with getting out of bed and the sensation and pain of getting out is absolutely horrible the first time (I know I'm sorry I wish I could lie to you right now). My lower abdomen felt full and painful and it almost felt as if my insides located in that area were all going to fall out which obviously they weren't, it was just a very strange sensation. I eventually made it to the toilet and the pain of trying to crouch down and pee in a bloody bedpan was an absolute nightmare, honestly, it was worse than labor with Isabelle. I was moaning in pain in the toilet and thank feck I had my own bathroom.
Unfortunately for me after ten minutes of trying to take an agonising pee, nothing was happening so I shamefully went back to the nurse along with my bedpan which at this point was filled with blood (sorry gory details alert!). So the plan for me at this point was to go back to my bed and put the catheter back in and I was to try again in a few more hours.
Fortunately, this is a common problem that can sometimes happen after abdominal surgery and its just a temporary shutdown whilst your body reboots its systems (I'm literally a computer LOL!). Luckily, I never had a problem with my bowels which is the most common one I read takes a while to get going again. you can ask for laxatives but obviously, there's not a laxative type of thing for the bladder to get it going again (oh bodily functions talk, how lovely!). I never read many people having a problem with the bladder side of things. Trust me to be the odd ball but the hospital reassured me it was common.
At the same time as my bladder trouble, I was also told I'd have to move rooms as a woman that had just had a c-section needed it so I was moved across from my room onto a ward with three other women.
I spent a total of four days in the hospital (Thursday to Sunday). I could of gone home sooner but because of my bladder issues they kind of had to keep an eye on it. The reality of them four days was me walking around the ward to the various doctors rooms to have Lilys checks done whilst leaking blood everywhere, aswell as at the same time carrying a bag containing my own urine in it, along with an achy abdomen and walking like a ninety-year-old zombie and oh yeah, I still had my sexy Alice In Wonderland compression stockings on that I had to keep on for about two weeks so I think its safe to say, I was rather glamorous.
Thankfully, by Sunday I could finally pee on my own again, yay! They were going to send me home with the catheter in the end if I couldn't get going but with a lot of determination with drinking shit loads of water, it got itself back up and running again, oh the relief. I did not want the added stress of having to look after a baby and a bloody catheter dangling between my legs, trust me that thing is not easy to walk around with.
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Finally, I could go home, well back to my parents where they looked after me. The walk out of the hospital wasn't that bad. I think it just felt weird being in the outside world again after being cooped up in hospital. The car journey home wasn't that bad as they say it is with the bumps of the car, a bit achy but on the whole nothing major and trust me, my pain threshold isn't that great.
It took me a total of four to six weeks to recover but by the 4th week, I was pretty much back to normal. The first week I didn't shower (I know terrible, I feel so embarrassed admitting it on the interweb but this is reality and I'm going to be honest about it), but I was BLOODY scared of the water hitting my scar and the pain. I can't stress this enough also but please don't do a me and not keep up with the painkillers, definitely keep up with them, they help ALOT in the first two weeks and by the third, you can maybe try going down to paracetamol but I was on Codeine after a few days of trying to wing the painkillers. So please take the painkillers. A midwife that came out to see me during the first two weeks could not believe I had just been taking paracetamol to the point that she called me super-woman because most woman during that early time are taking the strong stuff.
So on a whole, the C-section wasn't so bad after all, by the fourth week I was walking to the other side of town and getting Lily's pram off the train by myself and Lily is now a happy and healthy one year old with a great set of teeth and a little monkey thats always on the go, she's completed our little family and I'm on cloud nine still.
Thanks for reading if you got this far.
Emmy. x