I'm afraid of c-sections!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-11-2004
I'm afraid of c-sections!
14
Tue, 03-20-2007 - 10:29pm

I went to the doctor for my 37 week visit today and he said that we're doing an ultrasound next Tuesday (my birthday) to determine approximate fetal size. He said if she is within 1/2 pound of DS' birth weight (8lbs 4oz) that it would be irresponsible for him NOT to do a c-section.

I was induced with DS a week early last time due to GD and he had shoulder dystocia. I'm already scheduled to be induced on 4/3 with this one because of that. But he's saying that if she is going to be the same size or bigger, it would be stupid to risk that again. (Luckily DS came out fine with no broken bones, etc.)

I am terrified!! I know I'm freaking myself out over something a lot of women PREFER. But I have been reading up on it a lot and now I feel worse than before! It didn't occur to me that (DUH!) I would have to have an epidural. (My last birth was natural vaginal.) And the thought of them slicing me open and pulling on my tissue just freaks me out and makes me feel a little sick.

And then I read about a catheter!!! Doesn't that hurt??

I'm also really worried about the recovery time. I already have a 3 year old at home. DH will be off for about 10 days after the birth and then my mom will be here the whole next week. But I'm just worried that it's going to be painful and that I'm not going to bounce back.

I know that after having a vaginal birth without drugs the first time, some of this may seem like a piece of cake, but labor is NATURAL and normal. Abdominal surgery and catheters and needles are not.

Yikes, I'm so freaked out. Can I have some encouragement? More importantly, some positive thoughts that I will have a happy birthday and find out that I'm worrying over nothing and I'll just get my induction!!

~Emily

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-06-2006
Tue, 03-20-2007 - 10:38pm

If you want to try for a vaginal birth, then that is your right. You are the boss,not the doctor! I had c-sections with all 3 of my kids. (They don't put the cathader in until after you are numb, btw.) Also, the ultrasounds are not 100% correct all the time on judging weight. Its an estimation. They did this same thing to a woman I used to know. They did an ultrasound when she came to the hospital in labor, said the baby was 10 lbs, and did a c-section. He was "only" 8 lbs, 2 lbs off!!! She had a choice, but the doctors scared her into a c-section, didn't even let her try to labor or push. Don't let anyone scare you in to something that you don't want to do.

Chrissy

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


 

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-11-2005
Tue, 03-20-2007 - 11:22pm

I know it's easier said than done, but try not to worry!


I had a CS with my daughter, it wasn't that bad.

Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-12-2003
Wed, 03-21-2007 - 2:55am

Gosh! I hope everything works out for you. There are women out there that give natural birth to 9, 10 pound babies. It seems strange that your doctor would want to do an automatic c-section if the baby is just under nine pounds, despite the fact that you obviously don't want to take that route. Did you have a bad experience with your last natural labor?

With the birth of my son I had a vaginal delivery but I had an epidural. I'm going to be honest, not to scare you or anything, not that this is bad because I would completely do it again. It only hurt a little to actually get the epidural. They numb your back up pretty good so when they actually put the needle it you won't feel in. In fact, I didn't even know it had gone in or even what it looked like until they took it out. All that really hurt were the numbing shots and considering I was dialated to a six and having really strong contractions anyway, the little shock-like stabs were nothing. They put the catheder in me after the epidural kicked in so I didn't feel that at all, and believe me I am scared to death of catheders. I had a friend who had to have one done for a bladder problem she was having and she was not numb like I was. Her story would horrify you. But you won't feel it. Once that epidural kicks in, from the waist down you don't feel a thing. I was able to go to sleep before actually pushing the baby out and slept for almost two hours with no pain whatsoever.

You said you have read up on c-sections and such and as far as I've heard there are certain things you can do to help your recovery. Having your DH and your mom there to help with really ease the strain for you. I had a friend that had a c-section for her twins a month before my son was born and they were encouraging her to try to be active (getting up and taking short walks, going to the bathroom on her own, etc) to help those muscles get back together. That will probably be the hardest part for you but a lot of women do it.

Just try to focus on the end result: your beautiful baby! You'll be holding her in your arms and all the fear and worry will seem so silly. She'll be worth it! Take care of yourself and I'll keep you in my prayers that the baby will be able to be born naturally as you would prefer.

Tarra
Noah - 17 months
Mackynzie Belle due 4/21/07

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-2006
Wed, 03-21-2007 - 9:07am

I had a C-section with my first. After being induced two weeks early and 14 hours of labor, it was a blessing! I recovered well enough that within 5 days I was doing all the housework, etc. My dh went back to work 2 days after I came home from the hospital!

I wanted a c-section with my second. I knew if I had a vaginal delivery it would be bad. My new doctor INSISTED that I try it and when I went into labor at 36 weeks, I gave it a try. I had a vaginal delivery, but it was horrible! I had 4th degree lacerations, tearing clear through my rectal muscle. It took longer to stitch me up then it did to push ds out LOL. Recovery time from that birth was 8 weeks! If I could go back and do it again, I'd insist on a c-section!

The important thing with recovering from a c-section is to get up and move, move, move! You will be really sore, but the more you move, the faster it works off. If your dh will be off for 10 days, then you should be healed well enough to continue by yourself after he returns to work.

For me the thing that calmed me most about a c-section was knowing that if I needed one(and I was told at my first visit I probably would) it would be best for the baby and me! I also read everything I could find and asked alot of questions so I was prepared for it.

With the epidural, you will be able to be awake during the procedure and see your baby and everything! They put a sheet up in front of you so you don't see any of the other stuff though!

Surgery is a scary thing but if you are well informed and prepared it's less scary! Here's hoping that the little one doesn't weigh too much so you won't have to have the c-section! But if you do here's some fast recovery vibes too~~~~!!

Sherri

Sherri ~ mom to Brooke and Tyler, wife to Randall and fan of Nascar's Carl Edwards

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2006
Wed, 03-21-2007 - 9:14am

lol, I'm almost jealous! I WANTED a c/s...and they wouldn't let me have one!!!

Everything is horrible "down there" since I had my son. I have this sinking feeling it will never be the same again.






Visit more pictures of Dylan!



"What if the question is not why am I so infrequently the person I really want to be, but why do I so infrequently want to be the person I really am?"



iVillage Member
Registered: 10-31-2006
Wed, 03-21-2007 - 9:21am

Of course you are afraid - it is fear of the unknown - and totally understandable.

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-17-2005
Wed, 03-21-2007 - 10:32am

It sounds to me like your dr is trying to scare you into a c-section.

Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-20-2005
Wed, 03-21-2007 - 12:17pm
I'll just send lots of prayers that everything goes as you would like and if you have to have the c section you will be able to make peace with that decision.
I was absolutely terrified of having a c section so I understand your fear. I had 3 natural childbirths and felt pretty good afterwards all things considered.
My mother had 3 cs's and when I was laboring for my first encouraged me to get an epidural because I was in so much pain.
My ds was my last baby and he weighed 8'13 and that was a big enough baby for me. He was completely out of space when my obgyn induced me 1 week early. I broke his collar bone on the way out. But 1 year later he's great.
Good luck with your decision.
Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 03-21-2007 - 2:08pm

I had 2 natural deliveries with my boys, and then a C-Section with my twins (one was breech). I'm not going to lie, I preferred the natural deliveries. With the second I didn't have any drugs, went all natural and STILL would prefer that over a C-Section. I had a bad experience with my C-Section, and the recovery was long. But I survived. I healed up, and it's all in the past.

As far as the catheter goes, you'll be numb for the insertion. When they pull it out you'll feel it, but it doesn't really hurt. It's just uncomfortable.

I'll say a prayer that the baby is small enough at your appointment that your doctor doesn't feel the need to do a C-section. As others said, you could always refuse it, but if he feels it's too big of a risk, he may refuse to deliver also. That may not be a problem for you. Maybe you don't care, and can find someone that will. I know from being a doctor's wife that the malpractice for OB is soooooo high and obstetrician's are sued so much, that they will do almost anything to cover their butts. Not to defend them, I'm just stating fact. He could be way off as to your baby's size, and he may be completely in the wrong to recommend this (if he does), but I'd go with his recommendation if I were you, just to avoid any possible risk to my baby.

Good luck to you!!

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting



Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket




Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2007
Wed, 03-21-2007 - 3:02pm

well hopefully you are worrying about nothing but it is good to be prepared. I would be worried about the sholder dyspacia too so the doctor isn't wrong about that. As far as a csection goes. I would not prefer it over vaginal and since you were able to have vaginal then that is a good sign. Maybe your first child just came a little too fast from being induced and that is why his sholder was a little stuck.

I can tell you that I had a csection and am most likely having another one with this one. I was absolutely terrified. It was the hardest decission of my life. You asked about the cathider and I have had about 3 of them. They aren't too bad and considering you pushed a baby out naurally then I don't thnk you have anything to worry about. I can describe it as a little presure and then a pop. It feels to me like a little pinch. As far as an epidural goes, I didn't have one of those. I had a spinal which is like an epidural but a little bit deeper. That was ok too. I remember sitting on the edge of the operating table and having to stay still while having contractions and she had to poke me about 5 times before she found the place. It was a little bit uncomfortable but it was not bad to me. When she found the place I heard a pop and then my left side stated going numb and I was scared that my other side wouldn't be numb. Then they laid me down very fast and the doctors came in and my husband came in. I asked them when they were going to make sure that I was numb because they said that they would do that so I wouldn't feel anything. Well they wer already inside me and I didn't even know it. You can't feel anything just pressure. After having contractions it kinds felt good in a weird way because it felt like a massage. Two people had to push on my ribs because my baby was up in them and that was a little sore after wards. They then wrapped my baby up and put him near my head and I kissed him and then they gave him to my hubby to go out and then they sewed me back up. I was a little out of it and tired. I went to monitoring recovery for about an hour and then to the room. My baby was in the nicu for 5 days so I didn't have him in the room with me but if I did then the nurses would have helped a little bit. I couldn't sit up right away so I had to lay flat for the night. In the morning I was in lots of pain but I walked around everyday and went to visit my son in the nicu and that helped alot. I would reccomend walking as soon as the next day. It is hard and painful but it is worth it. About 5 days later I went to the doctors to get my stapels taken out and they were really gental with that so that didn't hurt. Ummmmm what else? I think I told you everything that I went through. I hope that helps somewhat. I am sure you will do fine. If you have any other questions you think I might be able to answer then you can aske. Good luck with everything and hopefully you wont need a csection.

Pages