I am a registered nurse and just wanted to put your mind at ease that everything you described happened prior, during and after were all safety precautions. Yes it can be so overwhelming to see all those people in the OR. The part of your video where you talked about the doctors and everyone doing a attendance or roll call, at least in the U.S. is called a Time Out and that's where they all repeat who the patient is, their roles, what the surgery is for etc. To make sure they have the correct patient ect. It's all for safety. Also I know there are a couple nurses because I know at least one of them is the count nurse and they literally count all the instruments used, gauze or anything they put near you or on you in surgery, to prevent leaving anything behind inside you. I'm not an OR nurse but during my rounds during nursing school I got to see two C sections. I'm so glad you and William are doing well. Continued prayers for you and your family 💗
I'm a first year nursing student and I haven't done medsurg just yet but I can see how all of these things must seem extremely stressful to the pt are just necessary to ensure no mistakes are made
I'm a nurse. The attendance report is called a "time out". It's an additional safety measure performed to ensure the right patient is present for the right procedure with the right medical team. So happy for your beautiful family. This video is so informative and helpful for mamas who are expecting a csection. ❤
Thank you so much for making this video🙏 i had an emergency c-section and i was not prepared at all. I nearly died and stayed 3h in the operating room… stayed 3 days in the ICU and had 8 blood transfusions… i always feel ashamed about my experience and i felt so guilty in the beginning cause ive met my son when he already was 5 hours old… but in the end i GAVE BIRTH and i have a wonderful baby boy 🥰 Our bodies can really do miracles 🤩 i cherish every moment with him and thank the lord, im even breastfeeding him since day one 🙏☺️
Oh my goodness, you should be so proud of your journey, not ashamed! Congratulations on your little one being born, on you fighting through this journey, and on successfully breastfeeding. Every mom is a warrior-no matter what your journey looked like, it is an amazing one. 👏
Please do not feel ashamed! ❤️ You did what was right for both you & your baby given the circumstances. There is no right or wrong way to give birth. No one should feel ashamed of how their child was brought into the world! Be proud of yourself mamma! You’re so strong!
Same my experience sounds similar to yours. Let me tell you , I’ve had 4 vaginal deliveries and 1 csection and that c section was way harder than the rest. Don’t ever feel guilty. Your body is amazing.
I went through the same inadequate feelings after two traumatic failed inductions and transfusions and complications and all that. God is good!! He’s healed our emotional wounds in His time.
This was so fascinating! Thank you for sharing. I had a scheduled c-section in the U.S. and my prep was a bit different. No food or fluids after midnight and that was really my only prep. I had to wait a couple hours for mine because emergent c-sections took precedent. They had a struggle getting my IV started because I was dehydrated, but once they got some fluids going, I felt so much better. I walked down to the OR just with my nurse. The only person in there when we got there was the scrub tech setting up. The anesthesiologist came in to do my spinal (I believe my anesthesiologist did a lidocaine shot first-felt like a bee sting, and then I didn't feel any pain) and then I was helped to lay down and they got started. It was sooo fast. They had my son out in under 10 minutes and then the rest was an exam and then they closed me up. I was pretty shaky (which I was told was totally normal). After surgery, they covered me in warm blankets which helped with the shaking. Once I got settled in the recovery room, I was able to hold my son which also helped my shaking (it stopped within a half hour or so). Normally, my hospital wants you standing as soon as you can. I was a little nauseous a few hours after surgery which delayed getting up, so I ended up standing on my own about 12 hours post surgery. I was stiff and I felt sore standing straight, but it improved the more I stood. Once I was able to do that, we shuffled to the bathroom and removed my catheter, and then from there I was able to use the bathroom on my own, albeit slowly and very gently. I stayed in the hospital for 3 days post surgery and honestly had a great experience. It hurt to laugh or sneeze for a few days, but that got better with time, and a pillow definitely helped. The day we came home I was able to shuffle into the pharmacy for my pain meds. I just took it slow and easy, but I was able to shower by myself two days after surgery. My nurses were incredibly kind, the doctor performing my surgery was really communicative, and my anesthesiologist was a champ! Honestly, the whole experience was so positive and my recovery was so easy that I would 10/10 do it for my next kid. I felt pretty much back to normal in terms of my core and ability to move within about 6 months. I know birth experiences vary widely and I want to say that every birth experience is valid and no one else's experience should invalidate another's. I just hope that sharing my story helps anyone nervous going into a c-section.
I am 29 weeks pregnant. Due to my unicornuate uterus it’s likely i will have a c-section. Thank you for sharing this. I cried throughout the birth portion of the video. What an absolute blessing it is to be able to create a little human. Thank you.
I had several in the room with me - nurses, anesthesiologist and doctor. The bright lights and room of strangers was overwhelming, yes, but everyone was very kind. They turned on their pop music and started singing and swaying while I was being prepped. It made me smile. Im sure they could tell I was terrified, and they did their best to help make me comfortable.
This is so interesting to watch as a nurse and see what information you picked up and remembered and things that surprised you throughout the whole process! I have no doubt that mums expecting c-sections are going to find this super helpful.
I had a surprise cesarean after two natural births ~ it is so different. It was my little sons' birthday yesterday and I reflect so fondly on the experience.. even though it is very painful and humbling. I remember when they were delivering him I said it felt like there was an ocean in my belly 🌊 the birth of a baby is the most beautiful experience in this life. Blessings to you and yours.
You should be so proud of yourself Delilah, for making this video. It will give so many women a little more peace of mind if they are going to go through this - planned or emergency. My daughter needed an emergency c-section after a 48 hour labour that wasn't progressing and she and baby were both getting so tired. She was fairly poorly afterwards, and I needed to be with her daily for a month after hubby returned to work. She used to get very tearful at not being able to care for her baby the way she had envisaged...it was hard to witness, but I helped her in every way I could to do as much as she was able. I became expert at positioning pillows just right for her and baby to be comfortable together! On a different note...your telling of the stool softener gave me a little smile, in the best way. I had a total hysterectomy 15 years ago while still quite young, and as a nurse in that hopsital, I think the midwife thought I was capable. She handed me a suppository to insert myself!! I had asked for something as I could NOT push down! Can you imagine, trying to lift a leg onto the edge of the loo...it took me 15 minutes. I really should have called her in to do it for me! It was 3-4 months before I felt myself again, and yes, a full year before the tummy and scar feel normal. Even now, all these years later it can give a little itch now and then. I still use aqueous cream all along the scar, just to keep the area supple. It's almost invisible now though. Much love to you all going forward, you are a delight to watch and listen to - even though I'm older by at least a generation and a half!
This is so cool for me to listen to because I had an emergency c-section and you remember sooo many details that I don’t. When they started to close me up, I swore I felt pain and the next thing I remember was waking up in a recovery room with one nurse and I was shaking because I was so cold. But all we truly care about are our babies being okay ❤️
Wow your experience was so humane and beautiful and calm compared to my rcs. No drinks, antacids or stockings or spinal tap numbing, no attendance call or explaining, no announcing my name or any respect during the procedure. No nurse keeping me company or taking pics..then left to recover alone in a basement without seeing the baby. I still have ptsd from it and had a wonderful vba2c last year which was healing! Congrats:)
Thank you, thank you, thank you. My emergency c section was the hardest thing I've ever done. Thank you for validating c section birth. Thank you. Thank you
I had an emergency c section, and it was wild. Some things were the same as you and others were not. I actually ended up singing hymns during my c-section, and my anesthesiologist played hymns for me that I sang along to! And then as my doctors were stitching me up they started singing along with me. I really felt the Lord's presence through that experience. Honestly though afterwards I constantly felt like I had to defend why I had had a c section, and I felt oftentimes judged by those around me. It actually made me feel guilty at times for the way my birth turned out. Thank you for sharing your experience with us all! This video is actually really helpful to feel more comfortable knowing what to expect!
Thank you for making this video. I'm 27 weeks pregnant and honestly the thought of a c-section has been really daunting up until now. This helped calm my nerves about all outcomes ❤️
Amazing how accurate you described everything. I had a C-section 20 days ago and seeing the video made me emotional. For me, I did felt the spinal and it was so painful. Recovery is something else. Congratulations mama on being so brave for you little one. We are not alone.
I feel so proud of you sis. After going through all this, it's easy to slip into depression, bitterness, etc. But you are so strong in the Lord ! You are doing well and healing real good ❤️ Big Big bone squeezy hug😘 You're a lioness mama💯
I just want to say thank you so much for sharing your pregnancy journey. I watched these videos when they were first posted because I love your content. I came back to these videos because I am currently 24 weeks pregnant with my first baby and have also been diagnosed with Vesa previa. Having watched these videos before finding out my diagnosis made it a little easier to grasp what was happening because I knew a little bit about it. However I still relate to your fear about having a c-section. This video has helped me prepare mentally for what will most likely be my birth outcome and I just want you to know how grateful I am for your content and authenticity. Sending you and your family lots of love from Alberta💛
This is a very good, detailed description of what happens! Great job! I had an unplanned c-section with my first. (And a successful v-bac with my second!) The whole process actually went easier than I anticipated, but it still is a lot for your body to go through. And it certainly does take a year to get back to yourself. My second recovery with a v-bac was night and day different and easier. I couldn’t believe the difference!! Now looking back I can see how hard it was, but still was truly a life saving operation that I would do in a heartbeat. The only difference being in America, they stayed on top of my meds, and brought them to me. Thanks for an awesome, ACCURATE video!
Everyone’s experience is so different! I had an unplanned c-section and it was all actually so much easier than I expected. I thought the procedure itself was so cool, and as long as I took the Tylenol/Advil combo I felt no pain. I was going on long stroller walks by the end of the first week! It’s not that easy for everyone but it’s also a very pleasant experience for many :)
I had an unplanned (but not emergency) c-section following a failed induction. I had a fairly positive experience despite the circumstances. The number of people in the OR was overwhelming!! And the recovery was tough, I couldn’t have done it without my abdominal binder. Taking it slow in the first few weeks post surgery was really necessary, but so hard because I had a newborn hahaha. Thanks for sharing your story Delilah - more of us who had c-sections need to share our experience because it definitely isn’t talked about a lot!
I’m in the hospital rn in the same boat, not sure if it counts as emergency but I needed a c section after an induction resulting in 30 hours of labor including 2 hours of pushing got nowhere. They did say that after all that pushing, I needed the c section because there were major risks to pushing more
I have not had a c-section but I still want to thank you for this video. From day 1 I was terrified of c-section and anything thag could result in one (including epidurals). We were briefed on them in our birthing classes, but from a real biological/scientific point of view...it honestly just terrified me more. Im not sure that hearing a first hand experience has cured that fear, but it has definitely provided me with more insights and knowledge of what to expect as a mom, not a biology student. And I think this is as much as I can expect for myself at this point.
Mother of 2, both c-sections. The first was an emergency at 32 wks that required me to be completely under. The recovery was difficult (3 days ICU, 10 day stay), unable to get out of bed until day 5. My son weighed in at 3 lbs and spent 42 days in NICU (we actually brought him home on his birthdate). Because it was an emergency they did a vertical incision instead of horizontal. It was terrifying, so much so that it took us seven years to have our second child. It was a completely different experience. I was able to have a more traditional c-section with a spinal and my husband was able to be with me during the procedure. We were also able to go closer to full term (38 wks). Things I learned...the sooner you are able to get up and walk the easier the recovery (5 hrs with #2 vs 5 days with #1). A regular maxie pad makes an awesome covering for a vertical incision. When you go to stand, or if you need to cough, or sneeze (anything that requires those abdominal muscles) hold a pillow to the incision area. The added support is welcome. Know the direction of the cut on your uterus. It is possible that you may have a vertical incision in the abdomen and a horizontal on the uterus. The type of incision you have on your uterus will usually determine if a vaginal birth is a later option for you. If you are subject to motion sickness let your anesthesiologist know. I am very sensitive to motion and began to experience motion sickness symptoms during delivery. The movement of internal organs for access and delivery will have you feeling similar to riding a roller coaster. I tried to brush it off, thinking I was nauseous from nerves. Fortunately, my doc recognized something was wrong and asked and in a matter of seconds was able to give me an IV cocktail that stopped the feeling. And finally, remember you still gave birth. I felt like a failure. I believe that by sharing birth stories it helps other women to see there is no single way to becoming a parent.
I love L&D nurses because they're (In my experience) the most thoughtful people. I feel like in the moment you don't think to take photos but they do and its so nice to have those afterwards.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I genuinely appreciate hearing everything that happened, during the birth of William. You are helping so many ladies by sharing this! 💕
I had a planned c-section 5 years ago next month, and everything you said was pretty true to my experience as well. Although my nausea got so strong during the surgery that I was dry heaving and then ended up falling asleep on the table. 😳 I also lost a lot of blood (enough that a blunt nurse said to another nurse it was “a bloodbath in here” as they were wheeling me out 🤦♀️, and I think the dry heaving and falling asleep was from the blood loss. Of course the pain is long gone, but even at 5 years later I still have a numb area on the left side that I expect to stay numb forever. I was so nervous for a c-section, but it’s still one of the things I am most proud of myself for! Bravery is not being unafraid of something, it’s doing it in spite of being afraid. ❤️
I had an emergency C-section with my first baby. She had maconium and it was a really rough experience. My baby was in the NICU for 18 days but she's healthy and have a normal life. I'm grateful she's here and I hope I never have to have another C-section. I've had 2 vaginal births since. Thank you for sharing your experience. Your kids are so cute together.
Thanks for sharing. Your birth story with William has been very impactful to me, during my pregnancy. I cried watching your birth video, not being able to image the pain of a c-section and then not getting to see or hold your baby for so long. And now that exactly how my birth is going to go. They found a compilation at 34 weeks, and now I’m preparing for surgery and then her being immediately taken away by the Nicu team to be stabilized. It’s really difficult to wrap my head around, but I’m thankful to see how everything went for you.
I had an emergency c-section after 36 hrs of labor and no progress past 7cm (water broken for almost 24 hrs) I did not expect the shock shakes I got after surgery. The actually surgery was fast! Recovery was HARD. I was completely dependent on my partner and couldn’t care for my newborn the way I had expected 😔
Coming accross your channel has been amazing during the last couple of days of my pregnancy. I had a previous csection with my first born and my second baby is now due on Friday ! i LOVE your channel , your home , your style , Sending you many blessings and looking forward to the next upload 🌹❤️
Very good and thorough Csection video. Pretty much exactly how all my csection and recovery went. Definitely one of the best “what to expect” videos about C-section. I will recommend it to all!
I had my cesarean section on June 26th! It was so wonderful to follow your pregnancy journey (it was actually how I found your channel)! It felt like I had a friend who was pregnant at the same time as me. You would upload a video and we would be having the same symptoms, it was so much fun! I heard I had to have a cesarean section around the same time you did as well, and it was also shocking. Watching your videos helped me feel less alone, and more normal for feeling like I did. Watching your vlog especially of the birth helped prepare me emotionally for the process! My process was very similar, however my baby girl decided to come early despite the fact we had a scheduled cesarean section in a few days. So our cesarean section was more like an emergency one. They knew they had to do one, but it just ended up being faster than expected. I also had to drink the nasty drink, and take the medicine and antibiotics, however I did not shower or wait for an hour. My baby was breach, and they moved pretty quickly. I did experience some nausea at the very end when they showed me my baby and then took her away. I told the nurse I felt like I was starting to feel nauseated and light headed. And she gave me some medication through my IV For it. In a few minutes I felt a lot better. The lead doctor let me choose the music to listen to, which was really nice of her. I think from the time I entered the operating room to the time I held my baby was about 30 minutes. She started feeding right away! I’m really thankful for all the people that helped deliver my baby, and my wonderfully loving husband who was there every step of the way ❤️ And to you! For documenting your journey and helping people like me who are going through something similar!
I had a c-section because i chose to have one ( I am an or nurse so knew what to expect). And it was the best decision ever. It was a bliss. My recovery was so much easier than I expected it to be. I was up and walking 6-8 hours after the surgery and never needed much painkillers at all. It was amazing. I did start wearing a belly-binder though 8 hours after the surgery for whenever i was getting out of bed and i think it helped a lot. Totally going for a c-section in the future again.
Thank you so much for being so transparent and honest! I am not pregnant right now but my husband and I will be trying in a few years so I love learning about pregnancy, after birth care, etc. Your channel has given me so much useful information and I can't thank you enough! You are such an amazing mama 💗
What you were describing about how your incision is feeling now and muscles are feeling now I feel the same way !!!! So glad you shared that aspect of it. I'm still recovering from c section now as well.
I’m a NICU nurse in the UK and I want to say thank you for entrusting your precious baby in such a sensible and safe way. I cannot even begin to imagine how hard it must be to not have that time with your baby in the hours after you’ve given birth. I would be shattered and SO tearful, even tho I’d know it was the most safest place for them to be. Also, every aspect of hospital care you spoke about sounds very normal xx I had an emergency section with my 1st baby and the recovery was brutal. I had a vaginal birth about a year and a half later and it does not hold a candle to how HARD a section recovery was.
Hi a doctor from germany here. So in an OR for a simple procedure you need at least 3 nurses, 1 Anaesthesiologist and a Team of 2 Doctors. And the Attendance List is called Team Timeout so nothing is missed and everyone is again informed about whats going to happen usually the leading surgeon initiates it. It was a very good sumary of how a c-section works and it is very interesting to see how it is percived from a patients point of view. Love your content !!
i ended up having to have a c-section after a 26 hour induction. my contractions started as soon as they gave me the cytotec but i never progressed more than 7cm and my water had been popped for a while so they told me the best method for my son to arrive was the surgery. i'm still working through all of the emotions of not being able to have the vaginal birth i wanted so badly but my sweet almost 4 week old is here and that is the most important part.
I had an emergency c-section, my placenta abrupted during labor so it was a quick thing for sure. Very similar other than my spinal didn't take well so they had to put me fully under to get baby out. So grateful for the medical intervention option and such a great team I had. My husband was with me the whole time which is unusual with me being put under but so glad they let him stay, baby was not doing well so my husband was able to get 1 picture to show me when I woke up and they let him trim the cord quickly. Hardest part was waiting to be able to get to the NICU to see and hold baby for the 1st time. Again so grateful for such amazing care for us both.
I had 2 c-sections first emergency after 36 hr of labor. Everything was a shock. But the second time I was able to relax a lot more, but the meds made she shake and I was nauseated. The smells got me the second time we were all talking about life and I stopped and said "whatever you are doing smells like cool ranch potato chips." The whole room laughed. There were 10 or 12 people in there. I'm so glad your baby and you are doing well. 💕
Love your detailed description Delilah, no one describes the gory details ever anywhere, it's all a glossed over and very much sanitised version. I feel the younger you are and the harder is surgery recovery, I had specifically asked my Dr for postoperative pain management during my 2nd c section. As post my 1st I was in immense pain and had fever of unknown origin, also I requested to not be on IV fluid for more than time required as I had bloated and swollen post my 1st c section. Also they have to check for bladder damage hence Nurses keep an eye on urine output, as uterus and bladder are situated on top of one another. Some momma's breezen through surgery without major complication and feel them selves in couple of months, but for some the physical, mental and emotional healing takes longer which is fine. Just remember that spacing of another child post abdominal birth has to be thought about more carefully as it can take toll on women's body, so this is my 2 cents worth of wisdom, hope it helps everyone
Hi Delila. I’m in recovery at the moment after having planned c section @ 47 yrs old. Overwhelming is an understatement! I had so much anxiety my BP was 191/100. I’m healthy baby’s healthy..so I guess it was all worth it.
I also had a scheduled c section 3 months ago, and it was not a nice experience, I’ve not really processed it either. I cried so much watching this, for some reason it just helped me so much & I can’t explain it. Thank you , thank you so much ♥️
Thank you for this video…I already had a c-section before (3 years ago) but like you, it was all a blur and it was an emergency c section so I got to put all the puzzle together just now watching it and I definitely remember most of the things you talked about. I also cried a little when I first heard your son cry because it reminded me my son’s first cry too. I am gonna have a scheduled c section in literally a month so it definitely helps to remember because you’re right, you can barely find this type of information about a c section. Thank you again and I hope you, your little one and your family are doing well. And it definitely takes maybe even over a year to finally feel human after a csec
Just had an unplanned C-section yesterday, it was the hardest thing I've ever been through and way more painful than my vaginal delivery i had with my first baby. C-section is definitely no joke, something i never want to experience again
Holy moly! A planned c-section is way different than an emergency! Listening to everything you had to do in preparation sounds overwhelming. For my emergency, I literally just felt like a vegetable - so many people coming in and out of the room before and during the surgery. I couldn't do anything for myself - I wasn't even allowed to get up and walk. I was literally just hanging on for the ride.
I had an emergency C section two months early I had to get a magnesium infusion which left me feeling buzzed and out of it for 24 hours after the surgery and I couldn't see my son until the infusion was done. I was so shocked the first time trying to get up...I had only been in bed for 24 hours and I nearly collapsed my legs felt so weak hanging on to my husband. I'm not sure if it was the magnesium wearing off, but I managed to get into the wheel chair. It took over a week before I got to hold him because he needed "minimum stimulation" which broke my heart keeping him in a covered up box with no one to hold him his first few days of life. I was so relieved for you when you shared your journey and he recovered so well!
Although I've never had a c section, I had a major spine surgery many yrs ago. I, too, had NO CLUE how much cruddy things nurses had to do. It takes an amazing person to do that!
Wow thanks for posting this. I’ve only had natural births but i know c sections are always possible if need be. Glad to know what happens. I would be nervous if i ever had to have one because healing from a natural birth is painful but nothing like this! Props to you for going through this and I’m glad you guys are ok!:)
I had an emergency C-section, 12 years ago due to pre-eclampsia. I had an epidural prior so I was awake during the surgery. I remember having my arms strapped down and I was shaking/shivering so badly. The surgery itself was the easy part.....I contracted MRSA in my c- section incision site and developed a double breast infection. I couldnt breast feed and I was sick for over a month.
I had a planned c-section since my baby was breech and I did not expect the recovery to be so hard. I felt so miserable. I couldn’t walk normally for about two weeks but it was all worth it 💕
I have worked as an x-ray/CT tech in ER, OR, outpatient, & inpatient settings. I have also worked as a doula where my clients have had home births and c-sections. When I had my son, I wanted a vaginal birth but I have a huge uterine fibroid that blocks my cervix from the baby so there is no way a baby can get out without help. Even though I have worked in OR's, it is always a little disorienting to be the patient. I was so nervous about the epidural/spinal block even though I have assisted with lumbar punctures. After that, my midwife came in and held my hand until my husband was able to join us. It was such a sweet act of service. The c-section went so much easier than we expected and it was such a joyful moment for my husband to announce the sex of our son (something we decided to wait to find out about). My son had a little trouble coughing up some fluid at first and needed a few mins of supplemental oxygen so they had to take him to the nursery. My husband went with our son and I was left alone with the staff while they closed me up. That was something I had worried would happen but it gave me a few moments to process everything that had happened and pray prayers of joy and thanksgiving. I thought about how we found out we were pregnant, how we told people, all the scares and complications we had throughout the pregnancy, and then everything that had happened in the previous hour. It was a beautiful experience and I would do it again without hesitation. My recovery was much easier than I expected. My only difficult experience was breastfeeding. He lost a lot of weight and I felt like it was my fault. We had to supplement with formula for about a month or two until we got his tongue tie fixed. I know not everyone's experience is as great as mine but I want to offer encouragement to those nervous that there are wonderful c-section experiences.
I had an unplanned emergency C-section last Friday on the 10th in the US and because of that I had to take these preop medications but no drinks besides the sip of water but I had eaten earlier in the night cause I had no clue I was gonna need the C-section I did have a reaction to one medication they gave me not sure which one but I had gone into labor water broke and then contractions started the worst part was the fact that the doctor was at another hospital so I had to wait for an hour till he got there and the contractions are no joke so it kind of made sitting still for the spinal a little tricky but the nurse I had was amazing. I really appreciate you making this video because there aren't that many out there that talk about this.
I'm an OR nurse in Canada, so C-sections are very routine to me, but it was very interesting hearing your perspective of it! Anytime I've been in a C-section room (during the day, night is a bit different) there are usually at least 3 of us OR nurses to start, sometimes one leaves once the baby is out. There's also always 2 maternity nurses to take care of baby. As for doctors there is always 1 anesthesiologist, 1 pediatrician, 1 OB-GYN and and assistant (sometimes your family doctor if they are available). Sometimes there are extra people, mostly students or new hires learning. So that's a minimum of 9 people in a fairly small room (I've worked in both big city hospitals and rural and they are all the same size- too small!) When the anesthesiologist asked you if you felt anything before they started, most likely they pinched you with what's called a tissue forcep, basically looks like tweezers with some sharp tips. They do this before they make the initial incision to make sure you wont feel any pain. It was interesting to me how you described the sensation as the baby kicking. Out of all the surgeries I've watched, I still consider a C-section to be one of the most brutal. Not in terms being dangerous, it's more aggressive than most surgeries because you can't really take your time. To separate your ab muscles they literally pull them apart, a doctor on each side. This heals much better than cutting them. Once they make an incision in your uterus, they push the baby out in a way that looks very much like a vaginal delivery (the opening they make in your uterus isn't very big, its still a squeeze to get the baby out). Sometimes when they stitch up the uterus, they pull it out of the abdomen. To this day it is one of the only things that makes me queazy in the OR for some reason. In a routine C section, the baby stays with mom until they are almost done the surgery. We still encourage skin to skin (we try to put the monitors away from the chest to facilitate this). Someone has to usually supervise mom holding baby just incase her pressure drops or most often times if she feels nauseous (a very common side effect). Normally your partner would go to the recovery room with baby ahead of you and they would stay there with you the whole time. It seems like you overall had a good experience besides Will having to go to NICU. I delivered my first child 6 months ago, and I was scared of having a c-section mostly because I thought I would picture every step while it was happening lol. I also didn't want my coworkers operating on me haha. I still had to have the OB I work with deliver my baby, but I at least got to choose my favorite!
First csection was an emergency and brutal recovery! I got preeclampsia during induction. I held on for 26 hours no epidural but lord had other plans. Second baby I went back and forth but after progressing in my pregnancy and seeing some similar signs from my first pregnancy my ob and I decided to schedule a csection. Let me tell you! The second was a breeze within 6 hours I was up and walking to the restroom and discharged by the second night. I didn’t need narcotics which I did with the first one. And was able to see my baby being pulled out. Since I wasn’t heavily sedated. I say to every mama do what’s best for you, baby and your family. God has a plan. It’s okay to be heartbroken about your plans not going as you wanted just don’t dwell or stay in that state of mind. No birth is easy. All birth is beautiful. 💗
I had an emergency c section on the 9th of this month! I was only 29 weeks pregnant and my waters went and was 2cm dilated for 3 days. (baby girl is doing amazing and is in the nicu) they came in and told me bubba is stressed I'm going into surgery now. Not even 30 minutes later I was on the operating table getting ready. The drugs they gave me was horrible, the ones that developed babies brain. It felt like I was burning with acid from the inside! I can remember everything during the c section but the moment I was wheeled out the door I don't remember the next 8 hours. Got to see my baby 12 hours after she was born. I was so scared during it I wanted to be put to sleep and shouted at the doctors to stop telling me what they're doing since I was so scared! The tugging and pulling was the weirdest feeling ever. I'm so grateful for all the doctors, nurses, nicu team, midwives and my boyfriend for how wonderful they were and so supportive. It was so overwhelming but I'm so pleased everything came out OK! I'm still healing, only 11 days post but taking things slowly
So much of your story reminds me of my birth experience with a third degree tear, except my pain lasted weeks and weeks and I couldn't walk for over a month. I'm so sorry that you still have pain and tenderness at your incision 😢 Thank you for sharing your birth story
Planned c-section due to breech baby and huge fibroids at my cervix. I was SO scared, but it was a really positive experience. The recovery was tough (especially barfing right after they moved me onto a gurney for hours) but I was expecting it to be much worse. I’m 7 months pp and I forgot about a lot of those little details. It was kind of nice re-living it again.
There were so many people in my emergency Caesarian too. That was the first thing I thought but when I was brought in the room. It was overwhelming. Thanks for sharing your story. 💜
Had an emergency c section under general as no time for spinal. Was awful walking up alone with no baby, once I met her it was days better she felt like she has mine. The first thing they said when I woke up was I thought your baby was going to be still born, I will never get over that. Even soo would gladly have a planned c section next time to avoid the likelihood having to have general again. Have a happy healthy 1 year old which is the main thing
So, about the spinal versus epidural thing (and just trying to be helpful since you asked in the video) - the difference isn't one-shot vs. continuous. There are two different ways to do an epidural, and one of them is just a one-shot type of thing, and the other is the kind that is more continuous. The difference is the area in which it's placed (and I think the strength of the numbing medication is stronger with a spinal as well? They don't want you feeling anything, whereas, with the epidural it's okay if you can still feel some of it.) But yeah, with the spinal, it's placed several vertebras higher in the spine, so that it doesn't just numb part of the belly and down, it numbs the entire belly and down. So the area where it's placed is the difference that makes it a spinal rather than an epidural.
I've had 3 c-sections and I totally agree that the first 24 hours are really excruciating,but God always gives us the grace to do it. Same with the center part of the wound taking longer to heal.
Omg that made me cry 😭 remembering my first pregnancy when he was born premature 28 weeks with an emergency c section. It was exact same thing except he did not cried. At least you had a planned one . I was in labour that night not knowing what was happening, went in to 10 cm at home. When I went to the hospital in the morning they had to do a c section right away I was shocked when they told me you’re having a baby 😭 he stayed in the NICU for over 2 months. now he’s almost 3 years. For my second pregnancy I educated my self for the whole 9 months and went for a VBAC with no epidural, I had the most beautiful experience .. women are powerful with a c-section or natural birth and we should be proud
I had a planned c-section, turned to emergency c-section (went into labor a week early with my breech baby). It was actually sooo much better than I had been so nervous and anxious over.
I have a breech too!! Will attempt a vaginal delivery if baby comes before due date (which is in 5 days!!) after that, it's a c-section. A bit stressed about all the uncertainty.
I was diagnosed with hypertension at 29 weeks. At 31 weeks I was admitted to her hospital for SEVERE preeclampsia... I made it to 32+1 weeks pregnant. I was induced and everything was going great. I made it to 6cm and then the nurse ran in. They couldn't find a heartbeat... so I was rushed to the OR for a crash c section. They administered general anesthesia and had to get the baby out in 2 minutes or less before the baby would he affected by the anaesthesia. My experience was very traumatic and very rare.... thankfully God was with me and kept my baby alive. She spent 4 weeks in the NICU and now she is almost 3 months old. ❤
I was planning a water birth with my son. We went overdue by 9 days, so I went to have an ultrasound and stress test. the ultrasound revealed my amniotic fluid was low and the doctor suggested I go to the hospital to be induced at that moment. we were going to our birth center next and wanted. to see what our midwife said. The Midwife checked me, I wasnt showing any signs of labor at all and she said I needed to be induced within 24 hours. This was very shocking because I was planning all natural water birth. Next morning I was induced with the balloon first, UGH... it was not fun! It took 9 hours to get to 4 cm for it to fall out. Labor progressed with help of pitocin, I did not respond well to pitocin and my labor was hard the entire time. The next morning I had only progressed to 6 cm. My water broke on it's own and I was in excruciating pain and needed help, because I hadnt rested at all the whole night. I asked for epidural, got it, and my baby's heart rate started dropping, they moved me all around and the main doctor came in and asked how long this was going on. He said we have to do an emergency c section NOW. so I had no preparation and it was disturbing and scary, so many people in room but very good communication and support. They forgot to get my husband who came in when I was cut open and he was traumatized. but our baby arrived safely and alive. His cord was wrapped around his neck and was choking him during my contractions so I am glad we had an emergency c section. He is 3 now and WILD!!!! I was thankful we were able to deliver my baby safely no matter the means!!
This is a fantastic video thank you for filming it, im 35 and don't have children but, when I was born I was born double breached, as result the midwife nurse who checked on me at weeks old noticed something was off with my legs, both my hips were dislocated so wore a splint for a year. After this, it was picked up my right leg was growing normal and my left leg was an inch shorter which got fix with an operation at 12. I was always told that if I have kids I MUST have a c section with my births I wouldn't be able to give birth normally so thank you for this video
Hi! OB RN here. (Specifically post-partum). You did such a great job. Seriously. Moving is key for recovery not only because you’ll be stiff & sore if you don’t, but because you can get a DVT or clot in your leg, (if it breaks off & goes to your lung or brain it can be deadly) & you can develop post-op pneumonia (don’t think you mentioned it but your nurse probably made you use an incentive spirometer or breathing measurement tool) & moving can help move your bowels so you can pass gas-I know, we’re totally gross but if your bowels don’t move the gas pain will feel worse than the incisional pain & narcotics can’t help it. If your bowels have stopped completely, it’s called a paralytic ileus & the treatment is not to eat or drink… & then just wait… for days. Oh! & the gas pain can be felt up in your shoulders or back too. It’s bad. People don’t like to talk about risks of c-sections but there are SO many… I’m glad we have science to help us figure it all out & keep you & baby safe through it all. Well done mama!! Thank you for sharing! It’s important.
This video is so helpful. I am pregnant with my first child and just recently diagnosed with Intrauterine Growth Resistriction. At this point we don't know why he is so small, no issues with his organs, or genetic conditions, so far placenta, cord and fluid look good. And I dont have any illnesses or addictions, I am healthy etc. Anyways I was told that they have to do ultrasounds every two weeks and if he has stopped growing then I will go into an emergency c-section but babys with this can't handle stress of a vaginal birth so I will probably have no other choice to have a c section even if we can make it full term. Honestly that was really devastating for me but now that I have accepted it some, it is nice to be able to hear other peoples experiences and learn what to expect since I just kind of always took for granted that I would probably be able to have a vaginal birth.
thank you for making this video. as a midwife that is frequently present in OR during CS it's very insightful to hear your perspective. and congratulations
I have had 2 c-sections but this was over 30 years ago. With my first baby I was almost 2 weeks overdue and had finally gone into labor. I had an ultrasound that night because my doctor was concerned about my ability to deliver a large baby. I am very petite and only weighed 110 lbs myself at 9+ months pregnant. They thought the baby did not weigh over 7 lbs so they let labor progress. I don't remember about the last 2 hours of labor because I was in hard labor with no epidural or anything. They decided to do a c-section because my baby's heart rate was dropping. Back then they put you completely under for a c-section. One of the nurses took pictures of them taking my baby girl out of my tummy which was so cool to see. They cut me vertically instead of horizontally like they do now. Oh my I was in pain as soon as I woke up. My daughter weighed 9lbs 3ozs, 22 1/2 inches long so the ultrasound was off my quite a bit but that was pretty new technology back then. I remember holding her like over my shoulder to burp her and her little legs would rub my incision and wow that hurt. I was all alone during all of this. I had no help and I remember taking a cab from the hospital to my apartment just sobbing the entire way home. I had post partum depression really bad. I loved my baby more than I ever thought I could love anyone but it was really difficult time. I had to go back to work as soon as possible so my doctor released me at 5 weeks post partum. I honestly don't know how I did it but I had a sweet baby and together with God's help we made it through.
Really helpful to hear your experience. I just found out that baby has an umbilical complication that makes me more likely to have to deliver by c-section. I’ve been really anxious about it but I feel better knowing a bit more of what it might be like ❤️ thank you
I had a C section for my twins last summer and I totally forgot about the "Roll Call" they did before they start..wow..thx for the step by step memories 😭❤
I have had 2 emergency c sections. Even knowing it was best for my babies and myself in those moments, I had some deep processing to do later. I think there is still quite a lot of shame associated with c sections or, on the flip side, selfishness ( like the Mom did not want to push). I think they can still be so misunderstood. I do not regret mine at all. I am here and healthy. I have 2 beautiful boys who may not have made it had very well trained and well trained people not been around us.
I had an emergency c section and it was awful. My uterus tore on either side of my incision and so recovery was much longer and harder. Since it was an emergency c section, I had little time to prepare myself mentally. Now 6 months on, both me and baby are fine, so in the end everything worked out 😊
Glad to see you got to wear your glasses! I had surgery years ago and getting wheeled through the hospital while pretty much blind was really intimidating to me.
I had an emergency csection after my son's heart rate quickly decelerated. We went from 0 to 100 in 5 seconds. I was wheeled naked down to the operating room, put under general anesthesia (as I never got to the stage of an epidural) and that's all I remember. I'm pregnant with #2 and hope to do a scheduled csection and actually be awake this time! So, be thankful you were awake for your baby's first cry - probably not something people think about.
So interesting hearing your experience! There were a few similarities to mine a month prior, but a lot of differences! No sponge bath. No ice cube tests. I also had a TAP block and if it's possible for people to get it, I highly recommend. It's like a spinal block but for your abdominals so you don't have that initial pain. I was also rolled into the OR on my bed. And they used an inflatable bed deal to transfer me from the OR bed to/from my bed. Thank you for sharing your story!!
If any mom's are considering c-sections but are afraid of it, please look into Gentle C-sections. It definitely is not heard of as often but is an alternative to most C-section protocol's
Whenever there is a c section, you might expect (speaking from a Dutch perspective): -an anesthesiologist and anesthesia nurse -GYN/OB, maybe two or someone in training/resident -Pediatrician and specialized nurse -2 OR nurses
I had a csection in australia 4.5months ago and it was honestly the best I could have hoped for. Mine was planned but I only had a weeks noticed. I showed up that morning and was told mine was moved so mine was first up. I was petrified as it was my first baby and had a panic attack the whole time but it had nothing to do with how the procedure was going because it was so calm and they told me everything that would happen just before it happened and everyone was so nice. They put my music on for me, they introduced themselves to me and what they did. The worst part was getting the canula (needle in the hand for the IV, etc). My husband was there and it was honestly so quick and calm and easy and if I wasn't freaking out I would have honestly had a great time. The after surgery was obviously uncomfortable and the first shower made me feel like I was gonna die but after the first 24hrs of recovery I was all good. Will definitely do it again if I have any other babies 😊
I'm in Ontario and July 9th 2020 after 42 hours of labor I had a c-section as well. (I have a video on it in Spanish with English subtitles). I honestly skipped researching too much into c-sections not expecting one. I had always joked about wanting one to avoid birth pains, but obviously that changed once we became pregnant. I do work in healthcare and have worked with post surgical patients for a decade, so I probably knew more than the average mom going into it, but there were still a lot I wasn't expecting. Like the fact that you can have a reaction to the epidural and it can climb up your spine instead of just going down your spine.. that was a little major complication I had on the operating table . 😳 Due to this my husband did skin to skin for the first 3-4hrs while I was under constant observation in recovery. I had seven people in my operating room (OB, a family Dr, my midwife, respiratory therapist, anesthesiologist, and nurses) at the start. Not sure if they changes once things starts going wonky. Mind you my c-section was urgent, not an emergency, but urgent. And i agree with you, despite being awake, it is such a blur! So kind of the nurse to snap pics!! Our Anesthesiologist tried to after asking for my husband's phone and didn't get anything 🤦🏽♀️ (he was older...) Let's see what birth baby #2 brings in March 2022!
Thank you so much for sharing this video so insightful. You did absolutely amazing what a strong resilient woman. Hope you have a speedy recovery you did amazing. Congratulations again. His absolutely gorgeous. Xoxo
I also had a unplanned/spontaneous (but not emergency) c-section. Differences for my case: I was numb from belly button downwards; also felt like it was a big child-kick, as they pulled her out; I had pain-killers for two weeks from that day on and really needed them (I’m definitely not a pain-killer-Person); laughing, coughing, sneezing, crying was painful; the worst pain was nursing at the same day and day after, cause it led to the post-contractions, while having big issues with my gut, which hurt and on top not being able to move a lot - this was so much pain. Almost more than the contractions before the c-section. It’s so important to drink a lot for the first few weeks. And also to really take it slow. It took me some time to be able to do a normal walks outside. 5 days post operation I could take a walk for 10 minutes. That was it. The most blessed part for this whole c-section topic for me was, that God really prepared my heart to let go of my plans but be really open for whatever comes during birth. That really helped my husband and I to fully trust the doctor as she decided for a c-section very quick. It helped to kinda re-focus on the way to the operation room and be at peace with what will come now. If you read this before having a c-section: just let God have all your fear and sorrows. He is holding you and your baby and the whole situation in His mighty hand. He will comfort you and will be with you. Be blessed.
Hi i loved this video i can relate to this i had a emergency c section and it took a whole year and a half to be completely healed i still have some pain when i move but overall it was a ok experience 💓 💗 you are a champ when it came to your surgery i wish u all zhe best and william is a beautiful little boy congratulations and lots of love from richmond bc
I'm about to have my third C-section in 6-7 weeks. My first was unplanned and a super positive experience. I felt in control. I asked for the heart monitors to be placed on my back so I was even able to do some skin to skin! With my second my spinal was ineffective, and after baby was out they pumped me full of all kinds of drugs without explaining to me or my husband what was happening. We both thought I was dying! I feel like I've worked through it as much as I can (it was definitely traumatic), and I am able to recognize that it was a VERY rare situation handled VERY poorly by anesthesia. I have a meeting with the head of anesthesia at a different hospital before I give birth to go over what happened and that's giving me a lot of piece.
I had an unexpected (technically but not really emergency) c-section also in Canada, but on the east coast. Somewhat similar but I went from “let’s do some practice pushes” to being in the OR (which felt like entering a spaceship lol!) in like 20 min. Husband was with me the whole time. Did not have an antibiotic soap shower- just got painted with some weird pink antiseptic. I had a wild case of the shakes for the duration of the procedure!
HEY FELLOW CANADIAN! I'm in Alberta :) I was super motivated to have a vaginal birth and didn't even look into the possibility of a C-section. Then during the birth things went sideways and an emergency C-section was needed. I could see a scheduled C-section being a lovely experience but my lack of mental preparation and worry for my baby made it not a great time lol. Thank you for doing this video. If I had seen this before my C-section it probably would have alleviated A LOT of my anxiety.
I had 3 c sections for serious heath reasons....tried VBAC after but was never dilated enough... 🙄 The first time is the worst but it gets easier. The recovery gets faster and pain decreases each time... At least in my case. The incision area is very low and bikini friendly. 😁👍 The first time the scar from the incision was very painfull when the baby touched it with his feet and was also getting thick despite creams but it was corrected in the next times. My doctor is very proud of that 😂😂😂 3 kids now and I feel great... All feeling came back and the scar is small, soft and beautiful to me. So proud of it. It gave me 3 healthy babies and I am still around to love them 💕 Thankful
I had an emergency c section after about a 24 hour labour (baby was undiagnosed breech) so I had less than 10 minutes to absorb what they were telling me. 26 months later, I still feel some numbness or itching around the incision. It goes away as quickly as it comes, but it’s there. I saw a pelvic health physiotherapist starting around 6 months postpartum and that really helped me with recovery. Something to consider 🙂🙂
Thank you for sharing all this!! I learned SO much! I only have one kid so far and was able to do a vaginal delivery. I feel WAY more prepared if I ever need a c section now (and I did take a birth class!). Thank you.
I am a registered nurse and just wanted to put your mind at ease that everything you described happened prior, during and after were all safety precautions. Yes it can be so overwhelming to see all those people in the OR. The part of your video where you talked about the doctors and everyone doing a attendance or roll call, at least in the U.S. is called a Time Out and that's where they all repeat who the patient is, their roles, what the surgery is for etc. To make sure they have the correct patient ect. It's all for safety. Also I know there are a couple nurses because I know at least one of them is the count nurse and they literally count all the instruments used, gauze or anything they put near you or on you in surgery, to prevent leaving anything behind inside you. I'm not an OR nurse but during my rounds during nursing school I got to see two C sections. I'm so glad you and William are doing well. Continued prayers for you and your family 💗
RNs are heros. Thank you!
You explained it soooo well 💖
This was honestly the most unnerving part of my csection. I understand it’s for the benefit of the patient, but still terrifying.
I'm a first year nursing student and I haven't done medsurg just yet but I can see how all of these things must seem extremely stressful to the pt are just necessary to ensure no mistakes are made
I'm a nurse. The attendance report is called a "time out". It's an additional safety measure performed to ensure the right patient is present for the right procedure with the right medical team. So happy for your beautiful family. This video is so informative and helpful for mamas who are expecting a csection. ❤
Thank you so much for making this video🙏 i had an emergency c-section and i was not prepared at all. I nearly died and stayed 3h in the operating room… stayed 3 days in the ICU and had 8 blood transfusions… i always feel ashamed about my experience and i felt so guilty in the beginning cause ive met my son when he already was 5 hours old… but in the end i GAVE BIRTH and i have a wonderful baby boy 🥰 Our bodies can really do miracles 🤩 i cherish every moment with him and thank the lord, im even breastfeeding him since day one 🙏☺️
Oh my goodness, you should be so proud of your journey, not ashamed! Congratulations on your little one being born, on you fighting through this journey, and on successfully breastfeeding. Every mom is a warrior-no matter what your journey looked like, it is an amazing one. 👏
@@MariaandMontessori thank you so much 🥰 every childbirth is different and no matter how it went, it should be celebrated ☺️
Please do not feel ashamed! ❤️ You did what was right for both you & your baby given the circumstances. There is no right or wrong way to give birth. No one should feel ashamed of how their child was brought into the world! Be proud of yourself mamma! You’re so strong!
Same my experience sounds similar to yours. Let me tell you , I’ve had 4 vaginal deliveries and 1 csection and that c section was way harder than the rest. Don’t ever feel guilty. Your body is amazing.
I went through the same inadequate feelings after two traumatic failed inductions and transfusions and complications and all that. God is good!! He’s healed our emotional wounds in His time.
This was so fascinating! Thank you for sharing. I had a scheduled c-section in the U.S. and my prep was a bit different. No food or fluids after midnight and that was really my only prep. I had to wait a couple hours for mine because emergent c-sections took precedent. They had a struggle getting my IV started because I was dehydrated, but once they got some fluids going, I felt so much better. I walked down to the OR just with my nurse. The only person in there when we got there was the scrub tech setting up. The anesthesiologist came in to do my spinal (I believe my anesthesiologist did a lidocaine shot first-felt like a bee sting, and then I didn't feel any pain) and then I was helped to lay down and they got started. It was sooo fast. They had my son out in under 10 minutes and then the rest was an exam and then they closed me up. I was pretty shaky (which I was told was totally normal). After surgery, they covered me in warm blankets which helped with the shaking. Once I got settled in the recovery room, I was able to hold my son which also helped my shaking (it stopped within a half hour or so). Normally, my hospital wants you standing as soon as you can. I was a little nauseous a few hours after surgery which delayed getting up, so I ended up standing on my own about 12 hours post surgery. I was stiff and I felt sore standing straight, but it improved the more I stood. Once I was able to do that, we shuffled to the bathroom and removed my catheter, and then from there I was able to use the bathroom on my own, albeit slowly and very gently. I stayed in the hospital for 3 days post surgery and honestly had a great experience. It hurt to laugh or sneeze for a few days, but that got better with time, and a pillow definitely helped. The day we came home I was able to shuffle into the pharmacy for my pain meds. I just took it slow and easy, but I was able to shower by myself two days after surgery. My nurses were incredibly kind, the doctor performing my surgery was really communicative, and my anesthesiologist was a champ! Honestly, the whole experience was so positive and my recovery was so easy that I would 10/10 do it for my next kid. I felt pretty much back to normal in terms of my core and ability to move within about 6 months.
I know birth experiences vary widely and I want to say that every birth experience is valid and no one else's experience should invalidate another's. I just hope that sharing my story helps anyone nervous going into a c-section.
I am 29 weeks pregnant. Due to my unicornuate uterus it’s likely i will have a c-section. Thank you for sharing this. I cried throughout the birth portion of the video. What an absolute blessing it is to be able to create a little human. Thank you.
I had several in the room with me - nurses, anesthesiologist and doctor. The bright lights and room of strangers was overwhelming, yes, but everyone was very kind. They turned on their pop music and started singing and swaying while I was being prepped. It made me smile. Im sure they could tell I was terrified, and they did their best to help make me comfortable.
the photos the nurse took are so beautiful and impactful!
This is so interesting to watch as a nurse and see what information you picked up and remembered and things that surprised you throughout the whole process! I have no doubt that mums expecting c-sections are going to find this super helpful.
I had a surprise cesarean after two natural births ~ it is so different. It was my little sons' birthday yesterday and I reflect so fondly on the experience.. even though it is very painful and humbling. I remember when they were delivering him I said it felt like there was an ocean in my belly 🌊 the birth of a baby is the most beautiful experience in this life. Blessings to you and yours.
You should be so proud of yourself Delilah, for making this video. It will give so many women a little more peace of mind if they are going to go through this - planned or emergency. My daughter needed an emergency c-section after a 48 hour labour that wasn't progressing and she and baby were both getting so tired. She was fairly poorly afterwards, and I needed to be with her daily for a month after hubby returned to work. She used to get very tearful at not being able to care for her baby the way she had envisaged...it was hard to witness, but I helped her in every way I could to do as much as she was able. I became expert at positioning pillows just right for her and baby to be comfortable together!
On a different note...your telling of the stool softener gave me a little smile, in the best way. I had a total hysterectomy 15 years ago while still quite young, and as a nurse in that hopsital, I think the midwife thought I was capable. She handed me a suppository to insert myself!! I had asked for something as I could NOT push down! Can you imagine, trying to lift a leg onto the edge of the loo...it took me 15 minutes. I really should have called her in to do it for me! It was 3-4 months before I felt myself again, and yes, a full year before the tummy and scar feel normal. Even now, all these years later it can give a little itch now and then. I still use aqueous cream all along the scar, just to keep the area supple. It's almost invisible now though.
Much love to you all going forward, you are a delight to watch and listen to - even though I'm older by at least a generation and a half!
This is so cool for me to listen to because I had an emergency c-section and you remember sooo many details that I don’t. When they started to close me up, I swore I felt pain and the next thing I remember was waking up in a recovery room with one nurse and I was shaking because I was so cold. But all we truly care about are our babies being okay ❤️
Wow your experience was so humane and beautiful and calm compared to my rcs. No drinks, antacids or stockings or spinal tap numbing, no attendance call or explaining, no announcing my name or any respect during the procedure. No nurse keeping me company or taking pics..then left to recover alone in a basement without seeing the baby. I still have ptsd from it and had a wonderful vba2c last year which was healing! Congrats:)
Thank you, thank you, thank you. My emergency c section was the hardest thing I've ever done. Thank you for validating c section birth. Thank you. Thank you
I had an emergency c section, and it was wild. Some things were the same as you and others were not.
I actually ended up singing hymns during my c-section, and my anesthesiologist played hymns for me that I sang along to! And then as my doctors were stitching me up they started singing along with me. I really felt the Lord's presence through that experience.
Honestly though afterwards I constantly felt like I had to defend why I had had a c section, and I felt oftentimes judged by those around me. It actually made me feel guilty at times for the way my birth turned out.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us all! This video is actually really helpful to feel more comfortable knowing what to expect!
Thank you for making this video. I'm 27 weeks pregnant and honestly the thought of a c-section has been really daunting up until now. This helped calm my nerves about all outcomes ❤️
Amazing how accurate you described everything. I had a C-section 20 days ago and seeing the video made me emotional.
For me, I did felt the spinal and it was so painful. Recovery is something else. Congratulations mama on being so brave for you little one. We are not alone.
I feel so proud of you sis. After going through all this, it's easy to slip into depression, bitterness, etc. But you are so strong in the Lord ! You are doing well and healing real good ❤️ Big Big bone squeezy hug😘 You're a lioness mama💯
I just want to say thank you so much for sharing your pregnancy journey. I watched these videos when they were first posted because I love your content. I came back to these videos because I am currently 24 weeks pregnant with my first baby and have also been diagnosed with Vesa previa. Having watched these videos before finding out my diagnosis made it a little easier to grasp what was happening because I knew a little bit about it. However I still relate to your fear about having a c-section. This video has helped me prepare mentally for what will most likely be my birth outcome and I just want you to know how grateful I am for your content and authenticity. Sending you and your family lots of love from Alberta💛
This is a very good, detailed description of what happens! Great job! I had an unplanned c-section with my first. (And a successful v-bac with my second!) The whole process actually went easier than I anticipated, but it still is a lot for your body to go through. And it certainly does take a year to get back to yourself. My second recovery with a v-bac was night and day different and easier. I couldn’t believe the difference!! Now looking back I can see how hard it was, but still was truly a life saving operation that I would do in a heartbeat.
The only difference being in America, they stayed on top of my meds, and brought them to me.
Thanks for an awesome, ACCURATE video!
Everyone’s experience is so different! I had an unplanned c-section and it was all actually so much easier than I expected. I thought the procedure itself was so cool, and as long as I took the Tylenol/Advil combo I felt no pain. I was going on long stroller walks by the end of the first week! It’s not that easy for everyone but it’s also a very pleasant experience for many :)
Exactly how I felt with both of my c sections ♡
I had an unplanned (but not emergency) c-section following a failed induction. I had a fairly positive experience despite the circumstances. The number of people in the OR was overwhelming!! And the recovery was tough, I couldn’t have done it without my abdominal binder. Taking it slow in the first few weeks post surgery was really necessary, but so hard because I had a newborn hahaha. Thanks for sharing your story Delilah - more of us who had c-sections need to share our experience because it definitely isn’t talked about a lot!
What abdominal binder did you use?
@@amanamanasra6304 the hospital sent me home with one! I wish I knew which one it was!
I’m in the hospital rn in the same boat, not sure if it counts as emergency but I needed a c section after an induction resulting in 30 hours of labor including 2 hours of pushing got nowhere. They did say that after all that pushing, I needed the c section because there were major risks to pushing more
I have not had a c-section but I still want to thank you for this video. From day 1 I was terrified of c-section and anything thag could result in one (including epidurals). We were briefed on them in our birthing classes, but from a real biological/scientific point of view...it honestly just terrified me more. Im not sure that hearing a first hand experience has cured that fear, but it has definitely provided me with more insights and knowledge of what to expect as a mom, not a biology student. And I think this is as much as I can expect for myself at this point.
Mother of 2, both c-sections. The first was an emergency at 32 wks that required me to be completely under. The recovery was difficult (3 days ICU, 10 day stay), unable to get out of bed until day 5. My son weighed in at 3 lbs and spent 42 days in NICU (we actually brought him home on his birthdate). Because it was an emergency they did a vertical incision instead of horizontal. It was terrifying, so much so that it took us seven years to have our second child. It was a completely different experience. I was able to have a more traditional c-section with a spinal and my husband was able to be with me during the procedure. We were also able to go closer to full term (38 wks). Things I learned...the sooner you are able to get up and walk the easier the recovery (5 hrs with #2 vs 5 days with #1). A regular maxie pad makes an awesome covering for a vertical incision. When you go to stand, or if you need to cough, or sneeze (anything that requires those abdominal muscles) hold a pillow to the incision area. The added support is welcome. Know the direction of the cut on your uterus. It is possible that you may have a vertical incision in the abdomen and a horizontal on the uterus. The type of incision you have on your uterus will usually determine if a vaginal birth is a later option for you. If you are subject to motion sickness let your anesthesiologist know. I am very sensitive to motion and began to experience motion sickness symptoms during delivery. The movement of internal organs for access and delivery will have you feeling similar to riding a roller coaster. I tried to brush it off, thinking I was nauseous from nerves. Fortunately, my doc recognized something was wrong and asked and in a matter of seconds was able to give me an IV cocktail that stopped the feeling. And finally, remember you still gave birth. I felt like a failure. I believe that by sharing birth stories it helps other women to see there is no single way to becoming a parent.
I love L&D nurses because they're (In my experience) the most thoughtful people. I feel like in the moment you don't think to take photos but they do and its so nice to have those afterwards.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I genuinely appreciate hearing everything that happened, during the birth of William. You are helping so many ladies by sharing this! 💕
I had a planned c-section 5 years ago next month, and everything you said was pretty true to my experience as well. Although my nausea got so strong during the surgery that I was dry heaving and then ended up falling asleep on the table. 😳 I also lost a lot of blood (enough that a blunt nurse said to another nurse it was “a bloodbath in here” as they were wheeling me out 🤦♀️, and I think the dry heaving and falling asleep was from the blood loss. Of course the pain is long gone, but even at 5 years later I still have a numb area on the left side that I expect to stay numb forever. I was so nervous for a c-section, but it’s still one of the things I am most proud of myself for! Bravery is not being unafraid of something, it’s doing it in spite of being afraid. ❤️
I had an emergency C-section with my first baby. She had maconium and it was a really rough experience. My baby was in the NICU for 18 days but she's healthy and have a normal life. I'm grateful she's here and I hope I never have to have another C-section. I've had 2 vaginal births since.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Your kids are so cute together.
Thanks for sharing. Your birth story with William has been very impactful to me, during my pregnancy. I cried watching your birth video, not being able to image the pain of a c-section and then not getting to see or hold your baby for so long. And now that exactly how my birth is going to go. They found a compilation at 34 weeks, and now I’m preparing for surgery and then her being immediately taken away by the Nicu team to be stabilized. It’s really difficult to wrap my head around, but I’m thankful to see how everything went for you.
I had an emergency c-section after 36 hrs of labor and no progress past 7cm (water broken for almost 24 hrs) I did not expect the shock shakes I got after surgery. The actually surgery was fast! Recovery was HARD. I was completely dependent on my partner and couldn’t care for my newborn the way I had expected 😔
Coming accross your channel has been amazing during the last couple of days of my pregnancy. I had a previous csection with my first born and my second baby is now due on Friday ! i LOVE your channel , your home , your style , Sending you many blessings and looking forward to the next upload 🌹❤️
I’m a student midwife and want to say THANK YOU for sharing! This information is invaluable for parents ❤️
Very good and thorough Csection video. Pretty much exactly how all my csection and recovery went. Definitely one of the best “what to expect” videos about C-section. I will recommend it to all!
I had my cesarean section on June 26th! It was so wonderful to follow your pregnancy journey (it was actually how I found your channel)! It felt like I had a friend who was pregnant at the same time as me. You would upload a video and we would be having the same symptoms, it was so much fun! I heard I had to have a cesarean section around the same time you did as well, and it was also shocking. Watching your videos helped me feel less alone, and more normal for feeling like I did. Watching your vlog especially of the birth helped prepare me emotionally for the process! My process was very similar, however my baby girl decided to come early despite the fact we had a scheduled cesarean section in a few days. So our cesarean section was more like an emergency one. They knew they had to do one, but it just ended up being faster than expected. I also had to drink the nasty drink, and take the medicine and antibiotics, however I did not shower or wait for an hour. My baby was breach, and they moved pretty quickly. I did experience some nausea at the very end when they showed me my baby and then took her away. I told the nurse I felt like I was starting to feel nauseated and light headed. And she gave me some medication through my IV For it. In a few minutes I felt a lot better. The lead doctor let me choose the music to listen to, which was really nice of her. I think from the time I entered the operating room to the time I held my baby was about 30 minutes. She started feeding right away! I’m really thankful for all the people that helped deliver my baby, and my wonderfully loving husband who was there every step of the way ❤️ And to you! For documenting your journey and helping people like me who are going through something similar!
I had a c-section because i chose to have one ( I am an or nurse so knew what to expect). And it was the best decision ever. It was a bliss. My recovery was so much easier than I expected it to be. I was up and walking 6-8 hours after the surgery and never needed much painkillers at all. It was amazing. I did start wearing a belly-binder though 8 hours after the surgery for whenever i was getting out of bed and i think it helped a lot.
Totally going for a c-section in the future again.
I want to have a second c section too but we are at higher risk for hemorrhage so I’m not so sure. :(
Labor and delivery RN here and it sounds like you received excellent care!
Thank you so much for being so transparent and honest! I am not pregnant right now but my husband and I will be trying in a few years so I love learning about pregnancy, after birth care, etc. Your channel has given me so much useful information and I can't thank you enough! You are such an amazing mama 💗
What you were describing about how your incision is feeling now and muscles are feeling now I feel the same way !!!! So glad you shared that aspect of it. I'm still recovering from c section now as well.
I’m a NICU nurse in the UK and I want to say thank you for entrusting your precious baby in such a sensible and safe way. I cannot even begin to imagine how hard it must be to not have that time with your baby in the hours after you’ve given birth. I would be shattered and SO tearful, even tho I’d know it was the most safest place for them to be. Also, every aspect of hospital care you spoke about sounds very normal xx
I had an emergency section with my 1st baby and the recovery was brutal. I had a vaginal birth about a year and a half later and it does not hold a candle to how HARD a section recovery was.
Hi a doctor from germany here. So in an OR for a simple procedure you need at least 3 nurses, 1 Anaesthesiologist and a Team of 2 Doctors.
And the Attendance List is called Team Timeout so nothing is missed and everyone is again informed about whats going to happen usually the leading surgeon initiates it.
It was a very good sumary of how a c-section works and it is very interesting to see how it is percived from a patients point of view.
Love your content !!
i ended up having to have a c-section after a 26 hour induction. my contractions started as soon as they gave me the cytotec but i never progressed more than 7cm and my water had been popped for a while so they told me the best method for my son to arrive was the surgery. i'm still working through all of the emotions of not being able to have the vaginal birth i wanted so badly but my sweet almost 4 week old is here and that is the most important part.
I had an emergency c-section, my placenta abrupted during labor so it was a quick thing for sure. Very similar other than my spinal didn't take well so they had to put me fully under to get baby out. So grateful for the medical intervention option and such a great team I had. My husband was with me the whole time which is unusual with me being put under but so glad they let him stay, baby was not doing well so my husband was able to get 1 picture to show me when I woke up and they let him trim the cord quickly. Hardest part was waiting to be able to get to the NICU to see and hold baby for the 1st time. Again so grateful for such amazing care for us both.
Oh and ask for the belly binder! It makes a huge difference in helping with movement and the pain
I had 2 c-sections first emergency after 36 hr of labor. Everything was a shock. But the second time I was able to relax a lot more, but the meds made she shake and I was nauseated. The smells got me the second time we were all talking about life and I stopped and said "whatever you are doing smells like cool ranch potato chips." The whole room laughed. There were 10 or 12 people in there. I'm so glad your baby and you are doing well. 💕
Love your detailed description Delilah, no one describes the gory details ever anywhere, it's all a glossed over and very much sanitised version. I feel the younger you are and the harder is surgery recovery, I had specifically asked my Dr for postoperative pain management during my 2nd c section. As post my 1st I was in immense pain and had fever of unknown origin, also I requested to not be on IV fluid for more than time required as I had bloated and swollen post my 1st c section. Also they have to check for bladder damage hence Nurses keep an eye on urine output, as uterus and bladder are situated on top of one another. Some momma's breezen through surgery without major complication and feel them selves in couple of months, but for some the physical, mental and emotional healing takes longer which is fine. Just remember that spacing of another child post abdominal birth has to be thought about more carefully as it can take toll on women's body, so this is my 2 cents worth of wisdom, hope it helps everyone
Having children isn't something I want in my future, but I loved hearing about your experience. Thank you for sharing. I am so proud of you Delilah!
Hi Delila. I’m in recovery at the moment after having planned c section @ 47 yrs old. Overwhelming is an understatement! I had so much anxiety my BP was 191/100.
I’m healthy baby’s healthy..so I guess it was all worth it.
I also had a scheduled c section 3 months ago, and it was not a nice experience, I’ve not really processed it either. I cried so much watching this, for some reason it just helped me so much & I can’t explain it. Thank you , thank you so much ♥️
Thank you for this video…I already had a c-section before (3 years ago) but like you, it was all a blur and it was an emergency c section so I got to put all the puzzle together just now watching it and I definitely remember most of the things you talked about. I also cried a little when I first heard your son cry because it reminded me my son’s first cry too. I am gonna have a scheduled c section in literally a month so it definitely helps to remember because you’re right, you can barely find this type of information about a c section. Thank you again and I hope you, your little one and your family are doing well. And it definitely takes maybe even over a year to finally feel human after a csec
Just had an unplanned C-section yesterday, it was the hardest thing I've ever been through and way more painful than my vaginal delivery i had with my first baby. C-section is definitely no joke, something i never want to experience again
Holy moly! A planned c-section is way different than an emergency! Listening to everything you had to do in preparation sounds overwhelming. For my emergency, I literally just felt like a vegetable - so many people coming in and out of the room before and during the surgery. I couldn't do anything for myself - I wasn't even allowed to get up and walk. I was literally just hanging on for the ride.
I had an emergency C section two months early I had to get a magnesium infusion which left me feeling buzzed and out of it for 24 hours after the surgery and I couldn't see my son until the infusion was done. I was so shocked the first time trying to get up...I had only been in bed for 24 hours and I nearly collapsed my legs felt so weak hanging on to my husband. I'm not sure if it was the magnesium wearing off, but I managed to get into the wheel chair. It took over a week before I got to hold him because he needed "minimum stimulation" which broke my heart keeping him in a covered up box with no one to hold him his first few days of life. I was so relieved for you when you shared your journey and he recovered so well!
Although I've never had a c section, I had a major spine surgery many yrs ago. I, too, had NO CLUE how much cruddy things nurses had to do. It takes an amazing person to do that!
Wow thanks for posting this. I’ve only had natural births but i know c sections are always possible if need be. Glad to know what happens. I would be nervous if i ever had to have one because healing from a natural birth is painful but nothing like this! Props to you for going through this and I’m glad you guys are ok!:)
I had an emergency C-section, 12 years ago due to pre-eclampsia.
I had an epidural prior so I was awake during the surgery.
I remember having my arms strapped down and I was shaking/shivering so badly.
The surgery itself was the easy part.....I contracted MRSA in my c- section incision site and developed a double breast infection. I couldnt breast feed and I was sick for over a month.
I had a planned c-section since my baby was breech and I did not expect the recovery to be so hard. I felt so miserable. I couldn’t walk normally for about two weeks but it was all worth it 💕
I have worked as an x-ray/CT tech in ER, OR, outpatient, & inpatient settings. I have also worked as a doula where my clients have had home births and c-sections. When I had my son, I wanted a vaginal birth but I have a huge uterine fibroid that blocks my cervix from the baby so there is no way a baby can get out without help. Even though I have worked in OR's, it is always a little disorienting to be the patient. I was so nervous about the epidural/spinal block even though I have assisted with lumbar punctures. After that, my midwife came in and held my hand until my husband was able to join us. It was such a sweet act of service. The c-section went so much easier than we expected and it was such a joyful moment for my husband to announce the sex of our son (something we decided to wait to find out about). My son had a little trouble coughing up some fluid at first and needed a few mins of supplemental oxygen so they had to take him to the nursery. My husband went with our son and I was left alone with the staff while they closed me up. That was something I had worried would happen but it gave me a few moments to process everything that had happened and pray prayers of joy and thanksgiving. I thought about how we found out we were pregnant, how we told people, all the scares and complications we had throughout the pregnancy, and then everything that had happened in the previous hour. It was a beautiful experience and I would do it again without hesitation. My recovery was much easier than I expected. My only difficult experience was breastfeeding. He lost a lot of weight and I felt like it was my fault. We had to supplement with formula for about a month or two until we got his tongue tie fixed. I know not everyone's experience is as great as mine but I want to offer encouragement to those nervous that there are wonderful c-section experiences.
Gosh, I think I would have been crying the whole time. You're so strong and brave Delilah ❤️
I had an unplanned emergency C-section last Friday on the 10th in the US and because of that I had to take these preop medications but no drinks besides the sip of water but I had eaten earlier in the night cause I had no clue I was gonna need the C-section I did have a reaction to one medication they gave me not sure which one but I had gone into labor water broke and then contractions started the worst part was the fact that the doctor was at another hospital so I had to wait for an hour till he got there and the contractions are no joke so it kind of made sitting still for the spinal a little tricky but the nurse I had was amazing. I really appreciate you making this video because there aren't that many out there that talk about this.
I'm an OR nurse in Canada, so C-sections are very routine to me, but it was very interesting hearing your perspective of it!
Anytime I've been in a C-section room (during the day, night is a bit different) there are usually at least 3 of us OR nurses to start, sometimes one leaves once the baby is out. There's also always 2 maternity nurses to take care of baby. As for doctors there is always 1 anesthesiologist, 1 pediatrician, 1 OB-GYN and and assistant (sometimes your family doctor if they are available). Sometimes there are extra people, mostly students or new hires learning. So that's a minimum of 9 people in a fairly small room (I've worked in both big city hospitals and rural and they are all the same size- too small!)
When the anesthesiologist asked you if you felt anything before they started, most likely they pinched you with what's called a tissue forcep, basically looks like tweezers with some sharp tips. They do this before they make the initial incision to make sure you wont feel any pain. It was interesting to me how you described the sensation as the baby kicking. Out of all the surgeries I've watched, I still consider a C-section to be one of the most brutal. Not in terms being dangerous, it's more aggressive than most surgeries because you can't really take your time. To separate your ab muscles they literally pull them apart, a doctor on each side. This heals much better than cutting them. Once they make an incision in your uterus, they push the baby out in a way that looks very much like a vaginal delivery (the opening they make in your uterus isn't very big, its still a squeeze to get the baby out). Sometimes when they stitch up the uterus, they pull it out of the abdomen. To this day it is one of the only things that makes me queazy in the OR for some reason.
In a routine C section, the baby stays with mom until they are almost done the surgery. We still encourage skin to skin (we try to put the monitors away from the chest to facilitate this). Someone has to usually supervise mom holding baby just incase her pressure drops or most often times if she feels nauseous (a very common side effect). Normally your partner would go to the recovery room with baby ahead of you and they would stay there with you the whole time.
It seems like you overall had a good experience besides Will having to go to NICU. I delivered my first child 6 months ago, and I was scared of having a c-section mostly because I thought I would picture every step while it was happening lol. I also didn't want my coworkers operating on me haha. I still had to have the OB I work with deliver my baby, but I at least got to choose my favorite!
First csection was an emergency and brutal recovery! I got preeclampsia during induction. I held on for 26 hours no epidural but lord had other plans. Second baby I went back and forth but after progressing in my pregnancy and seeing some similar signs from my first pregnancy my ob and I decided to schedule a csection. Let me tell you! The second was a breeze within 6 hours I was up and walking to the restroom and discharged by the second night. I didn’t need narcotics which I did with the first one. And was able to see my baby being pulled out. Since I wasn’t heavily sedated. I say to every mama do what’s best for you, baby and your family. God has a plan. It’s okay to be heartbroken about your plans not going as you wanted just don’t dwell or stay in that state of mind. No birth is easy. All birth is beautiful. 💗
Been waiting for this video , my mom had a C section with me when I was born and I have always wanted the full detail on it all🧡
There are a ton of educational videos!
I had an emergency c section on the 9th of this month! I was only 29 weeks pregnant and my waters went and was 2cm dilated for 3 days. (baby girl is doing amazing and is in the nicu) they came in and told me bubba is stressed I'm going into surgery now. Not even 30 minutes later I was on the operating table getting ready. The drugs they gave me was horrible, the ones that developed babies brain. It felt like I was burning with acid from the inside! I can remember everything during the c section but the moment I was wheeled out the door I don't remember the next 8 hours. Got to see my baby 12 hours after she was born. I was so scared during it I wanted to be put to sleep and shouted at the doctors to stop telling me what they're doing since I was so scared! The tugging and pulling was the weirdest feeling ever. I'm so grateful for all the doctors, nurses, nicu team, midwives and my boyfriend for how wonderful they were and so supportive. It was so overwhelming but I'm so pleased everything came out OK! I'm still healing, only 11 days post but taking things slowly
So much of your story reminds me of my birth experience with a third degree tear, except my pain lasted weeks and weeks and I couldn't walk for over a month.
I'm so sorry that you still have pain and tenderness at your incision 😢 Thank you for sharing your birth story
Planned c-section due to breech baby and huge fibroids at my cervix. I was SO scared, but it was a really positive experience. The recovery was tough (especially barfing right after they moved me onto a gurney for hours) but I was expecting it to be much worse.
I’m 7 months pp and I forgot about a lot of those little details. It was kind of nice re-living it again.
There were so many people in my emergency Caesarian too. That was the first thing I thought but when I was brought in the room. It was overwhelming. Thanks for sharing your story. 💜
Had an emergency c section under general as no time for spinal. Was awful walking up alone with no baby, once I met her it was days better she felt like she has mine. The first thing they said when I woke up was I thought your baby was going to be still born, I will never get over that. Even soo would gladly have a planned c section next time to avoid the likelihood having to have general again. Have a happy healthy 1 year old which is the main thing
So, about the spinal versus epidural thing (and just trying to be helpful since you asked in the video) - the difference isn't one-shot vs. continuous. There are two different ways to do an epidural, and one of them is just a one-shot type of thing, and the other is the kind that is more continuous. The difference is the area in which it's placed (and I think the strength of the numbing medication is stronger with a spinal as well? They don't want you feeling anything, whereas, with the epidural it's okay if you can still feel some of it.) But yeah, with the spinal, it's placed several vertebras higher in the spine, so that it doesn't just numb part of the belly and down, it numbs the entire belly and down. So the area where it's placed is the difference that makes it a spinal rather than an epidural.
I've had 3 c-sections and I totally agree that the first 24 hours are really excruciating,but God always gives us the grace to do it. Same with the center part of the wound taking longer to heal.
Can we please have a C-section musthaves or things you would have packed in your bag now that you already had one??? Love your videos Delilah. 💞
Omg that made me cry 😭 remembering my first pregnancy when he was born premature 28 weeks with an emergency c section. It was exact same thing except he did not cried. At least you had a planned one . I was in labour that night not knowing what was happening, went in to 10 cm at home. When I went to the hospital in the morning they had to do a c section right away I was shocked when they told me you’re having a baby 😭 he stayed in the NICU for over 2 months. now he’s almost 3 years. For my second pregnancy I educated my self for the whole 9 months and went for a VBAC with no epidural, I had the most beautiful experience .. women are powerful with a c-section or natural birth and we should be proud
I had a planned c-section, turned to emergency c-section (went into labor a week early with my breech baby). It was actually sooo much better than I had been so nervous and anxious over.
I have a breech too!! Will attempt a vaginal delivery if baby comes before due date (which is in 5 days!!) after that, it's a c-section. A bit stressed about all the uncertainty.
I was diagnosed with hypertension at 29 weeks. At 31 weeks I was admitted to her hospital for SEVERE preeclampsia... I made it to 32+1 weeks pregnant. I was induced and everything was going great. I made it to 6cm and then the nurse ran in. They couldn't find a heartbeat... so I was rushed to the OR for a crash c section. They administered general anesthesia and had to get the baby out in 2 minutes or less before the baby would he affected by the anaesthesia. My experience was very traumatic and very rare.... thankfully God was with me and kept my baby alive. She spent 4 weeks in the NICU and now she is almost 3 months old. ❤
I was planning a water birth with my son. We went overdue by 9 days, so I went to have an ultrasound and stress test. the ultrasound revealed my amniotic fluid was low and the doctor suggested I go to the hospital to be induced at that moment. we were going to our birth center next and wanted. to see what our midwife said. The Midwife checked me, I wasnt showing any signs of labor at all and she said I needed to be induced within 24 hours. This was very shocking because I was planning all natural water birth. Next morning I was induced with the balloon first, UGH... it was not fun! It took 9 hours to get to 4 cm for it to fall out. Labor progressed with help of pitocin, I did not respond well to pitocin and my labor was hard the entire time. The next morning I had only progressed to 6 cm. My water broke on it's own and I was in excruciating pain and needed help, because I hadnt rested at all the whole night. I asked for epidural, got it, and my baby's heart rate started dropping, they moved me all around and the main doctor came in and asked how long this was going on. He said we have to do an emergency c section NOW. so I had no preparation and it was disturbing and scary, so many people in room but very good communication and support. They forgot to get my husband who came in when I was cut open and he was traumatized. but our baby arrived safely and alive. His cord was wrapped around his neck and was choking him during my contractions so I am glad we had an emergency c section. He is 3 now and WILD!!!! I was thankful we were able to deliver my baby safely no matter the means!!
I feel you- we had the same situation 🙏🏻❤️
This is a fantastic video thank you for filming it, im 35 and don't have children but, when I was born I was born double breached, as result the midwife nurse who checked on me at weeks old noticed something was off with my legs, both my hips were dislocated so wore a splint for a year. After this, it was picked up my right leg was growing normal and my left leg was an inch shorter which got fix with an operation at 12. I was always told that if I have kids I MUST have a c section with my births I wouldn't be able to give birth normally so thank you for this video
Hi! OB RN here. (Specifically post-partum). You did such a great job. Seriously. Moving is key for recovery not only because you’ll be stiff & sore if you don’t, but because you can get a DVT or clot in your leg, (if it breaks off & goes to your lung or brain it can be deadly) & you can develop post-op pneumonia (don’t think you mentioned it but your nurse probably made you use an incentive spirometer or breathing measurement tool) & moving can help move your bowels so you can pass gas-I know, we’re totally gross but if your bowels don’t move the gas pain will feel worse than the incisional pain & narcotics can’t help it. If your bowels have stopped completely, it’s called a paralytic ileus & the treatment is not to eat or drink… & then just wait… for days. Oh! & the gas pain can be felt up in your shoulders or back too. It’s bad. People don’t like to talk about risks of c-sections but there are SO many… I’m glad we have science to help us figure it all out & keep you & baby safe through it all. Well done mama!! Thank you for sharing! It’s important.
This video is so helpful. I am pregnant with my first child and just recently diagnosed with Intrauterine Growth Resistriction. At this point we don't know why he is so small, no issues with his organs, or genetic conditions, so far placenta, cord and fluid look good. And I dont have any illnesses or addictions, I am healthy etc. Anyways I was told that they have to do ultrasounds every two weeks and if he has stopped growing then I will go into an emergency c-section but babys with this can't handle stress of a vaginal birth so I will probably have no other choice to have a c section even if we can make it full term. Honestly that was really devastating for me but now that I have accepted it some, it is nice to be able to hear other peoples experiences and learn what to expect since I just kind of always took for granted that I would probably be able to have a vaginal birth.
I haven't had a CSection but all the prep you described happened with both my D&Cs following my miscarriage. Always safety first!
thank you for making this video. as a midwife that is frequently present in OR during CS it's very insightful to hear your perspective. and congratulations
I have had 2 c-sections but this was over 30 years ago. With my first baby I was almost 2 weeks overdue and had finally gone into labor. I had an ultrasound that night because my doctor was concerned about my ability to deliver a large baby. I am very petite and only weighed 110 lbs myself at 9+ months pregnant. They thought the baby did not weigh over 7 lbs so they let labor progress. I don't remember about the last 2 hours of labor because I was in hard labor with no epidural or anything. They decided to do a c-section because my baby's heart rate was dropping. Back then they put you completely under for a c-section. One of the nurses took pictures of them taking my baby girl out of my tummy which was so cool to see. They cut me vertically instead of horizontally like they do now. Oh my I was in pain as soon as I woke up. My daughter weighed 9lbs 3ozs, 22 1/2 inches long so the ultrasound was off my quite a bit but that was pretty new technology back then. I remember holding her like over my shoulder to burp her and her little legs would rub my incision and wow that hurt. I was all alone during all of this. I had no help and I remember taking a cab from the hospital to my apartment just sobbing the entire way home. I had post partum depression really bad. I loved my baby more than I ever thought I could love anyone but it was really difficult time. I had to go back to work as soon as possible so my doctor released me at 5 weeks post partum. I honestly don't know how I did it but I had a sweet baby and together with God's help we made it through.
Really helpful to hear your experience. I just found out that baby has an umbilical complication that makes me more likely to have to deliver by c-section. I’ve been really anxious about it but I feel better knowing a bit more of what it might be like ❤️ thank you
I had a C section for my twins last summer and I totally forgot about the "Roll Call" they did before they start..wow..thx for the step by step memories 😭❤
I have had 2 emergency c sections. Even knowing it was best for my babies and myself in those moments, I had some deep processing to do later.
I think there is still quite a lot of shame associated with c sections or, on the flip side, selfishness ( like the Mom did not want to push). I think they can still be so misunderstood.
I do not regret mine at all. I am here and healthy. I have 2 beautiful boys who may not have made it had very well trained and well trained people not been around us.
The nurse snapping pictures on your phone🥺 how thoughtful
I had an emergency c section and it was awful. My uterus tore on either side of my incision and so recovery was much longer and harder. Since it was an emergency c section, I had little time to prepare myself mentally. Now 6 months on, both me and baby are fine, so in the end everything worked out 😊
Glad to see you got to wear your glasses! I had surgery years ago and getting wheeled through the hospital while pretty much blind was really intimidating to me.
Uagh, horrible. I feel you...
I had an emergency csection after my son's heart rate quickly decelerated. We went from 0 to 100 in 5 seconds. I was wheeled naked down to the operating room, put under general anesthesia (as I never got to the stage of an epidural) and that's all I remember. I'm pregnant with #2 and hope to do a scheduled csection and actually be awake this time! So, be thankful you were awake for your baby's first cry - probably not something people think about.
That must have been so scary ❤️ I am so thankful I had that moment!
So interesting hearing your experience! There were a few similarities to mine a month prior, but a lot of differences! No sponge bath. No ice cube tests. I also had a TAP block and if it's possible for people to get it, I highly recommend. It's like a spinal block but for your abdominals so you don't have that initial pain. I was also rolled into the OR on my bed. And they used an inflatable bed deal to transfer me from the OR bed to/from my bed. Thank you for sharing your story!!
If any mom's are considering c-sections but are afraid of it, please look into Gentle C-sections. It definitely is not heard of as often but is an alternative to most C-section protocol's
Whenever there is a c section, you might expect (speaking from a Dutch perspective):
-an anesthesiologist and anesthesia nurse
-GYN/OB, maybe two or someone in training/resident
-Pediatrician and specialized nurse
-2 OR nurses
I had a csection in australia 4.5months ago and it was honestly the best I could have hoped for. Mine was planned but I only had a weeks noticed. I showed up that morning and was told mine was moved so mine was first up. I was petrified as it was my first baby and had a panic attack the whole time but it had nothing to do with how the procedure was going because it was so calm and they told me everything that would happen just before it happened and everyone was so nice. They put my music on for me, they introduced themselves to me and what they did. The worst part was getting the canula (needle in the hand for the IV, etc). My husband was there and it was honestly so quick and calm and easy and if I wasn't freaking out I would have honestly had a great time. The after surgery was obviously uncomfortable and the first shower made me feel like I was gonna die but after the first 24hrs of recovery I was all good. Will definitely do it again if I have any other babies 😊
Thank you! Im 31 weeks pregnant & in Australia too. considering a planned c section. This helps my anxiety so much.
I'm in Ontario and July 9th 2020 after 42 hours of labor I had a c-section as well. (I have a video on it in Spanish with English subtitles). I honestly skipped researching too much into c-sections not expecting one. I had always joked about wanting one to avoid birth pains, but obviously that changed once we became pregnant. I do work in healthcare and have worked with post surgical patients for a decade, so I probably knew more than the average mom going into it, but there were still a lot I wasn't expecting. Like the fact that you can have a reaction to the epidural and it can climb up your spine instead of just going down your spine.. that was a little major complication I had on the operating table . 😳 Due to this my husband did skin to skin for the first 3-4hrs while I was under constant observation in recovery.
I had seven people in my operating room (OB, a family Dr, my midwife, respiratory therapist, anesthesiologist, and nurses) at the start. Not sure if they changes once things starts going wonky. Mind you my c-section was urgent, not an emergency, but urgent. And i agree with you, despite being awake, it is such a blur!
So kind of the nurse to snap pics!! Our Anesthesiologist tried to after asking for my husband's phone and didn't get anything 🤦🏽♀️ (he was older...)
Let's see what birth baby #2 brings in March 2022!
YOU LIVE IN SASK? ME too! That is so cool. I rarely hear of youtubers around Saskatchewan
Thank you so much for sharing this video so insightful. You did absolutely amazing what a strong resilient woman. Hope you have a speedy recovery you did amazing. Congratulations again. His absolutely gorgeous. Xoxo
I also had a unplanned/spontaneous (but not emergency) c-section. Differences for my case: I was numb from belly button downwards; also felt like it was a big child-kick, as they pulled her out; I had pain-killers for two weeks from that day on and really needed them (I’m definitely not a pain-killer-Person); laughing, coughing, sneezing, crying was painful; the worst pain was nursing at the same day and day after, cause it led to the post-contractions, while having big issues with my gut, which hurt and on top not being able to move a lot - this was so much pain. Almost more than the contractions before the c-section. It’s so important to drink a lot for the first few weeks. And also to really take it slow. It took me some time to be able to do a normal walks outside. 5 days post operation I could take a walk for 10 minutes. That was it.
The most blessed part for this whole c-section topic for me was, that God really prepared my heart to let go of my plans but be really open for whatever comes during birth. That really helped my husband and I to fully trust the doctor as she decided for a c-section very quick. It helped to kinda re-focus on the way to the operation room and be at peace with what will come now.
If you read this before having a c-section: just let God have all your fear and sorrows. He is holding you and your baby and the whole situation in His mighty hand. He will comfort you and will be with you. Be blessed.
Hi i loved this video i can relate to this i had a emergency c section and it took a whole year and a half to be completely healed i still have some pain when i move but overall it was a ok experience 💓 💗 you are a champ when it came to your surgery i wish u all zhe best and william is a beautiful little boy congratulations and lots of love from richmond bc
I'm about to have my third C-section in 6-7 weeks. My first was unplanned and a super positive experience. I felt in control. I asked for the heart monitors to be placed on my back so I was even able to do some skin to skin! With my second my spinal was ineffective, and after baby was out they pumped me full of all kinds of drugs without explaining to me or my husband what was happening. We both thought I was dying! I feel like I've worked through it as much as I can (it was definitely traumatic), and I am able to recognize that it was a VERY rare situation handled VERY poorly by anesthesia. I have a meeting with the head of anesthesia at a different hospital before I give birth to go over what happened and that's giving me a lot of piece.
I had an unexpected (technically but not really emergency) c-section also in Canada, but on the east coast. Somewhat similar but I went from “let’s do some practice pushes” to being in the OR (which felt like entering a spaceship lol!) in like 20 min. Husband was with me the whole time. Did not have an antibiotic soap shower- just got painted with some weird pink antiseptic. I had a wild case of the shakes for the duration of the procedure!
HEY FELLOW CANADIAN! I'm in Alberta :) I was super motivated to have a vaginal birth and didn't even look into the possibility of a C-section. Then during the birth things went sideways and an emergency C-section was needed. I could see a scheduled C-section being a lovely experience but my lack of mental preparation and worry for my baby made it not a great time lol.
Thank you for doing this video. If I had seen this before my C-section it probably would have alleviated A LOT of my anxiety.
I had 3 c sections for serious heath reasons....tried VBAC after but was never dilated enough... 🙄 The first time is the worst but it gets easier. The recovery gets faster and pain decreases each time... At least in my case. The incision area is very low and bikini friendly. 😁👍 The first time the scar from the incision was very painfull when the baby touched it with his feet and was also getting thick despite creams but it was corrected in the next times. My doctor is very proud of that 😂😂😂
3 kids now and I feel great... All feeling came back and the scar is small, soft and beautiful to me. So proud of it. It gave me 3 healthy babies and I am still around to love them 💕
Thankful
I had an emergency c section after about a 24 hour labour (baby was undiagnosed breech) so I had less than 10 minutes to absorb what they were telling me. 26 months later, I still feel some numbness or itching around the incision. It goes away as quickly as it comes, but it’s there. I saw a pelvic health physiotherapist starting around 6 months postpartum and that really helped me with recovery. Something to consider 🙂🙂
Thank you for sharing all this!! I learned SO much! I only have one kid so far and was able to do a vaginal delivery. I feel WAY more prepared if I ever need a c section now (and I did take a birth class!). Thank you.