re: Having a C-section? Q&A and chat *here*

Quoting Epic Jo:“ Oh man, what a bad experience. Mine was rather uneventful, such as my labor. I bled and started having ... [snip!] ... no turning back at that point. They accidentally ripped my catheter out. I'm certain that was the worst part of it all.  ”

OMG! How did they rip out your catheter?

I'm getting told this time that I could possibly have to have a c-section for various reasons, and it terrifies me!

Something I learned, that made a huge difference:
Listen to your nurses!
If they want you to do a lap around the ward, do it, and more if you wont hurt yourself. The more you listen, the quicker you heal!

Quoting Fullofpoo(21 weeks):“ OMG! How did they rip out your catheter? I'm getting told this time that I could possibly have to have a c-section for various reasons, and it terrifies me!”

They were fumbling with my IV's and acting a fool once they were given the go ahead to perform it.

What are you terrified of?

Quoting Fullofpoo(21 weeks):“ OMG! How did they rip out your catheter? I'm getting told this time that I could possibly have to have a c-section for various reasons, and it terrifies me!”

Inhale all good info you can.
Everyone has a biased story about how awesome/crappy their c-section went. I don't find those helpful at all.

i'm just going to put my feedback in here:

the title is great, the facts shared are alright but not sufficient...

i don't know exactly how to approach the fact that c-sections are far too frequently used b/c it's easier than dealing w/ a laboring woman and/or b/c doctors have not been taught how to non-invasively rotate a breech baby, and/or are not willing to do VBACs (for legal purposes although they magnify the threat while in reality repeat c-sections have a very serious laundry list of risks associate w/ them as well).

there are scary statistics associates w/ c-sections that i believe women might need to have their eyes opened to...

e.g. a CDC study in 2006 found that out of 5.7 million american babies born, those born by cesearean w/ no medical risk factors were three times more likely to die than babies born vaginally.

those are some scary numbers...

i've done some fairly extensive reading on the topic and between that and listening to a plethora of women on here who are forced into "emergency" c-sections or c-sections b/c the baby is "too big" (aka macrosomia) -- i can only conclude that way c-sections as currently practiced in the united states is bodily abuse of women at the hands of the medical profession due to the medical world being unwilling to back up and look at the research and the wisdom of non-invasive procedures such as external manipulation of the fetus to rotate it.

there are studies that refute the frequency of macrosomia (too big to pass through the birth canal) as a justification for c-section (not to mention the known inaccuracy of ultrasounds when it comes to accurately estimating weight/size of the fetus in the first place).

all that to say, i don't think that most of the women on here who've had c-sections truly needed them. some did. many did not, many were put into the medical maze of labor and birth and when their labor failed to progress in accordance w/ the hospital clock, were then forced to take pitocin, increasing fetal heart rate, putting them on the table for a c-section.

at the end of the day, this major abdominal surgery which slices through seven layers of your stomach/uterine tissue... infection, blood loss, uterine rupturing, and so on, are just an index of how violent this process truly is-- despite the woman being drugged to high heaven.

that's my feedback-- that we need more disclosure on the true nature of why c-sections are currently so prevalent.

Quoting Mara:“ i'm just going to put my feedback in here: the title is great, the facts shared are alright but not ... [snip!] ... heaven. that's my feedback-- that we need more disclosure on the true nature of why c-sections are currently so prevalent.”

Can I include this in the OP? Sorry I'm such a FAIL. I just found what I could on March of Dimes and took some info from other people.  

Quoting Epic Jo:“ They were fumbling with my IV's and acting a fool once they were given the go ahead to perform it. What are you terrified of?”

Ouch, that sucks! I've had so many catheters put in my I don't think I would have felt it, lol.

I think surgery just in general scares me, and one that involves me being awake is even scarier! Seems kind of childish, but there is just something about it.

Quoting HeatherOO7 Epic:“ Inhale all good info you can. Everyone has a biased story about how awesome/crappy their c-section went. I don't find those helpful at all.”

Yeah I don't either. It's kind of like the whole epidural deal. I had a smurffy experience with mine that has messed me up for life, but I don't generally tell people that because I wouldn't want to sway there decision simply because of my story. Everyone is different and sometimes it's hard to not push a certain idea upon someone simply because of our own personal experiences. I feel like if I ask for stories, all I'm going to get are the bad ones that make me even more nervous and panicky so I refrain from asking question I don't truly want to know the answers too.

Quoting Fullofpoo(21 weeks):“ Ouch, that sucks! I've had so many catheters put in my I don't think I would have felt it, lol. I think ... [snip!] ... scares me, and one that involves me being awake is even scarier! Seems kind of childish, but there is just something about it.”

IMO, is a good thing that you are a bit scared. I hope it prompts you to research all you can.

The points Mara made were great. Take a look at them.

Quoting Mara:“ i'm just going to put my feedback in here: the title is great, the facts shared are alright but not ... [snip!] ... heaven. that's my feedback-- that we need more disclosure on the true nature of why c-sections are currently so prevalent.”

Hmmm.
I think that most of these women will get their c-sections anyway. We push the fact that "we are not doctors,you should listen to your doctor", and this seems more like a scare tactic than a place to get help when you are afraid.
I like the idea of being honest, but not slamming the heavy book of facts on a scared woman.

Quoting Epic Jo:“ IMO, is a good thing that you are a bit scared. I hope it prompts you to research all you can. The points Mara made were great. Take a look at them.”

I just read through them and I agree. When I went into labor with Caleb I wasn't even in hard labor and I told them OB I wanted a C-section (I was joking) and she was willing to do it! I was like, "WOAHHHH, Hold your horses!"

Quoting Fullofpoo(21 weeks):“ I just read through them and I agree. When I went into labor with Caleb I wasn't even in hard labor and ... [snip!] ... and I told them OB I wanted a C-section (I was joking) and she was willing to do it! I was like, "WOAHHHH, Hold your horses!"”

I have to admit I was afraid of vaginal delivery when I had Maddy. (I was all of 16 at the time).

After going through the C-section recovery I was a bit depressed at the turn out. All in all though I had a good doctor and a wonderful nursing staff to ease my fears.

Quoting HeatherOO7 Epic:“ Hmmm. I think that most of these women will get their c-sections anyway. We push the fact that "we ... [snip!] ... to get help when you are afraid. I like the idea of being honest, but not slamming the heavy book of facts on a scared woman.”

I'm not trying for a VBAC, regardless. The drs tried to turn Gav when he was breech, but he turned breech at 39 weeks and I have a heart shaped uterus. It was definately the right thing to do as there was no way he was budging and I couldn't deliver vaginally...

Quoting Epic Jo:“ I have to admit I was afraid of vaginal delivery when I had Maddy. (I was all of 16 at the time). After ... [snip!] ... recovery a bit depressed at the turn out. All in all though I had a good doctor and a wonderful nursing staff to ease my fears.”

I wasn't afraid at the time, but what happened with Caleb has scared me to death of this labor that's coming, lol.
I think it makes all the difference on how well the nurses treat you and what not. I have a great team this time, but last time I had NO support whatsoever.

Quoting EpicCrapBag:“ I'm not trying for a VBAC, regardless. The drs tried to turn Gav when he was breech, but he turned breech ... [snip!] ... shaped uterus. It was definately the right thing to do as there was no way he was budging and I couldn't deliver vaginally...”

How do they try to turn a breech baby? You'd think I'd be more knowledgeable on these subjects but I was in a bad mental state when I was pregnant with Caleb so some of this is still pretty new to me.