(no subject)
Feel free to skip this, it is more for my records. This is a post I wrote to someone who is facing the possibility of a c-section and is mourning the loss of a homebirth, a natural birth and control of her birth.
Although I would never ever schedule a c-section and had not planned a c-section with Aston I had made a just incase plan, and am very grateful for such. I can say although I hate the fact that I had yet another c-section, that Astons actual birth for what it was, was positive. Infact I even said to him in the recovery room that I would have another baby even if it meant another c-section. OK so the idea of having another baby and having a c-section is a disgusting thought but hey what will be will be, and im not scared of that anymore... I am more terrified of never being able to carry another baby, or have another child.
This is what made things positive for me.
~ Catheter after Spinal
~ Spinal Anaesthesia (mainly because for me an epi is too patchy) the cons of this against the epidural is that it takes longer to get feeling back in your legs, so getting up and about is delayed some.
~ Sex not to be announced (even though you know she is a girl, it is still incredible to see it instead of being told it), the screen to be lowered and baby shown to me so I can see for myself.
~ I want to talk to my baby as you are removing the baby, the first voices I want my baby to hear is mine.
~ No morphine - Morphine made me drowsy and I want to remember, first seeing my baby, and first breastfeed.
~ I want to wear my own clothes (I wore my own tshirt into surgery, it didnt matter too me if it got bloody, it made it less medical and didnt get dirty at all)
~ Sutures, not staples, double layer closure.
~ Pethidine PCA, to be hooked up and explained to me, but will start to use once in my room, not while in recovery as the first couple of hours are important bonding time.
~ Umbilical cord to be left long so I may cut it myself in recovery
~ Baby to be left covered in goop and not dressed (because you are planning this section, take your own cuddle rugs in with you to wrap baby in as the theatre is kept quite cold) No nappy to be put on baby until I am in my own room and settled (you will get covered in poo, but that is something that meant a lot to me, because that is what would happen in an unhindered homebirth)
~ Baby to be given straight to my support person and no checks to be performed untill breastfeeding is established and I am settled in my room. This includes weighing and measuring etc (apgars can/are performed visually as soon as baby is born)
~ Baby to be brought straight to me, and I want to breastfeed on the table, my support person will help me with this (even if you cant get baby to latch on, the skin to skin is awesome, but it is a little awkward as baby is kinda upside down)
~ No injections, blood sugar checks (if required) until after breastfeeding is established and I am comfortable in my room
~ My support person is to stay with the baby at all times, if resussitation or NICU is required my support person is to stay with the baby and nothing is to be performed without our informed consent (obviously this is within reason)
~ Breast only, no formula, sugar water
~ I wish to continue breastfeeding/holding my baby while being taken from recovery to my room.
~ If I have a single room, I would like my support person to stay with me the first night.
~ Placenta to be kept and I would like to see it once in my room, and the different parts shown to me
I never had my arms strapped down, if the OB that is going to perform your surgery wont allow them not to be, request a different OB. As it is likely to be a planned section you have more of an advantage in that respect!
If I had planned my c-section, I would have made sure I had the camera, a blanket for the baby as soon as he was born and my own music for in the theatre.
I used cloth right from the first nappy also, as that was important to me.
Make sure you make multiple copies of your plan, and hand one out to everyone that you will be working with. Make sure your hubby knows your wishes as he will be your biggest advocate if you cant be. Make sure to empahsise the things you WILL NOT compromise on!
Remembering the first few hours of my babies life is the biggest improvement on my first c-section, this was establised by no morphine as it makes you drowsy, breastfeeding on the table and baby being left like a newborn, not cleaned and sterile. I took the blanket off Aston in recovery and just covered us in a blanket so we could have complete skin to skin, unlimited breastfeeding and smelling of baby. Once in recovery no one else held my baby till I let them, baby slept in my room and mostly in my bed. Make sure you dont try and be a hero, take the drugs BEFORE it gets too bad, as it takes longer to get on top of the pain, than it is to keep it under control. Remember it is major abdominal surgery, so take it slow.
Allow yourself to grieve, and dont let anyone throw the 'at least you have a healthy baby' card at you. If you are sad about it, you have every right to be.
I am sure there is more, and I am sure some of it wont apply to you. But this is YOUR birth, and just because it is surgical doesnt mean you cant be in control. Be firm with what you want, and be firm with what you need. There is no reason at all, unless there is an emergency with baby or you, that it all cant be adhered too. You may also have both your husband and your midwife in the theatre with you. If you dont understand anything, make sure to tell them, and ask for it to be explained again.
Although I would never ever schedule a c-section and had not planned a c-section with Aston I had made a just incase plan, and am very grateful for such. I can say although I hate the fact that I had yet another c-section, that Astons actual birth for what it was, was positive. Infact I even said to him in the recovery room that I would have another baby even if it meant another c-section. OK so the idea of having another baby and having a c-section is a disgusting thought but hey what will be will be, and im not scared of that anymore... I am more terrified of never being able to carry another baby, or have another child.
This is what made things positive for me.
~ Catheter after Spinal
~ Spinal Anaesthesia (mainly because for me an epi is too patchy) the cons of this against the epidural is that it takes longer to get feeling back in your legs, so getting up and about is delayed some.
~ Sex not to be announced (even though you know she is a girl, it is still incredible to see it instead of being told it), the screen to be lowered and baby shown to me so I can see for myself.
~ I want to talk to my baby as you are removing the baby, the first voices I want my baby to hear is mine.
~ No morphine - Morphine made me drowsy and I want to remember, first seeing my baby, and first breastfeed.
~ I want to wear my own clothes (I wore my own tshirt into surgery, it didnt matter too me if it got bloody, it made it less medical and didnt get dirty at all)
~ Sutures, not staples, double layer closure.
~ Pethidine PCA, to be hooked up and explained to me, but will start to use once in my room, not while in recovery as the first couple of hours are important bonding time.
~ Umbilical cord to be left long so I may cut it myself in recovery
~ Baby to be left covered in goop and not dressed (because you are planning this section, take your own cuddle rugs in with you to wrap baby in as the theatre is kept quite cold) No nappy to be put on baby until I am in my own room and settled (you will get covered in poo, but that is something that meant a lot to me, because that is what would happen in an unhindered homebirth)
~ Baby to be given straight to my support person and no checks to be performed untill breastfeeding is established and I am settled in my room. This includes weighing and measuring etc (apgars can/are performed visually as soon as baby is born)
~ Baby to be brought straight to me, and I want to breastfeed on the table, my support person will help me with this (even if you cant get baby to latch on, the skin to skin is awesome, but it is a little awkward as baby is kinda upside down)
~ No injections, blood sugar checks (if required) until after breastfeeding is established and I am comfortable in my room
~ My support person is to stay with the baby at all times, if resussitation or NICU is required my support person is to stay with the baby and nothing is to be performed without our informed consent (obviously this is within reason)
~ Breast only, no formula, sugar water
~ I wish to continue breastfeeding/holding my baby while being taken from recovery to my room.
~ If I have a single room, I would like my support person to stay with me the first night.
~ Placenta to be kept and I would like to see it once in my room, and the different parts shown to me
I never had my arms strapped down, if the OB that is going to perform your surgery wont allow them not to be, request a different OB. As it is likely to be a planned section you have more of an advantage in that respect!
If I had planned my c-section, I would have made sure I had the camera, a blanket for the baby as soon as he was born and my own music for in the theatre.
I used cloth right from the first nappy also, as that was important to me.
Make sure you make multiple copies of your plan, and hand one out to everyone that you will be working with. Make sure your hubby knows your wishes as he will be your biggest advocate if you cant be. Make sure to empahsise the things you WILL NOT compromise on!
Remembering the first few hours of my babies life is the biggest improvement on my first c-section, this was establised by no morphine as it makes you drowsy, breastfeeding on the table and baby being left like a newborn, not cleaned and sterile. I took the blanket off Aston in recovery and just covered us in a blanket so we could have complete skin to skin, unlimited breastfeeding and smelling of baby. Once in recovery no one else held my baby till I let them, baby slept in my room and mostly in my bed. Make sure you dont try and be a hero, take the drugs BEFORE it gets too bad, as it takes longer to get on top of the pain, than it is to keep it under control. Remember it is major abdominal surgery, so take it slow.
Allow yourself to grieve, and dont let anyone throw the 'at least you have a healthy baby' card at you. If you are sad about it, you have every right to be.
I am sure there is more, and I am sure some of it wont apply to you. But this is YOUR birth, and just because it is surgical doesnt mean you cant be in control. Be firm with what you want, and be firm with what you need. There is no reason at all, unless there is an emergency with baby or you, that it all cant be adhered too. You may also have both your husband and your midwife in the theatre with you. If you dont understand anything, make sure to tell them, and ask for it to be explained again.