Warning- detailed description of recovering from c-section.
Early in the pregnancy, I had thought that I would have to have a c-section delivery. Carter had turned and was vertex throughout most of the pregnancy but Ainsley stayed transverse (sideways). I didn't bother with lamaze classes or labor and delivery because I wouldn't go through any of that. During one ultrasound, we saw that Ainsley was vertex too so suddenly the idea of going through labor was a possibility. I was torn with that choice. Should I or shouldn't I? Everyone thought it would be better to go natural since I would have major surgery to contend with for my recovery. The issue was that there was still the chance that I would have to have an emergency c-section in the case that Carter gets delivered and Ainsley goes breach or her heart rate slows down, etc. My friend recently went into labor, pushed for two hours and then had to have a c-section. It is very likely. So then I wondered why people want to go through a natural delivery anyway since it would take much much longer (labor can extend to several hours), the pushing sounds horrible and can also be exhausting, less time spent with the babies out of me where then I wouldn't be taking full advantage of the hospital care. In the end, it didn't matter. Both babies remained in their original positions and it was a c-section we went with. Carter was delivered first and Ainsley went breech and was delivered a few minutes later.
Having gone through that process now, I can see why nurses had favored a natural delivery over a c-section when they said I wouldn't have major surgery to deal with. So I'll share what I had to deal with so others who may have a c-section know what to expect. You get a spinal block with a c-section and it's a needle that goes into the middle of your lower back. An epidural sounds the same except with a spinal block, you get really numb. The numbness travels upwards into the chest where breathing becomes a little labor intensive. The babies were delivered within half an hour of getting started so that was very time efficient. My doctor did a great job because every nurse and person whose seen the incision complimented her handiwork. The drugs are strong, so strong that hours after they removed my catheter, I still couldn't pee. This lasted through the middle of the night when the tech nurse working finally had to do a straight catheter which is a one-time drainage. This wouldn't have been so bad but it took her three times to actually be able to insert it and that was with the help of another nurse. By the morning, I was stressing over being able to pee on my own so I wouldn't have to go through the same thing again. When I finally heard that trinkling sound into the toilet, I was over-ecstatic about letting the nurse know. That was until my dr tells me that she didn't want my bladder overextended so I would have to be able to go on my own again in two hours or else we would have to do another catheter. Funny, I had no problems going again.
Every four hours, I got percochet which was good stuff and totally needed. Everytime I tried to roll over in bed to either side, I felt a sharp, stretching pain on either side that felt like skin ripping. Turns out under the stitches are two knots on either side holding the stitches in place so that was what I was feeling. I also had strong ibuprofin to help with the headaches and swelling. When over fours passed without the percochet, I would feel heavy pressure cutting into my lower stomach region as if something is holding my guts in or I'm about to be cut in half. I have about two percochet pills left at home now after another prescription so I don't think I'll get more and need to make it last. I still get that heavy pressure feeling too which terrifies me to think of what it will be like when I'm completely out of drugs.
Oh, no driving for two weeks and I've even heard six. The region around my incision gets swollen and feels somewhat numb. That numbness is from nerves being cut in that area so that will remain until the nerves grow back. I haven't tried to do exercise or even move much. It's just like the last two months of my pregnancy except I'm uncomfortable in a different way and have two mouths to feed.
I don't know how this compares to delivering naturally. I almost feel like I didn't give birth to them sometimes because I didn't feel myself actually doing it. Is it weird that I even think that?
Ok, enough words.
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