Actually, they’re not safer in general (although obviously individual cases may differ). But OBs are virtually never sued for being too interventionist, and may be sued for being too hands-off.
I have had two, one emergency and one not. The ‘not’ one was much nicer.
There is no pain, just pulling and tugging. It’s not unpleasant at all, I actually thought it was kinda neat. My husband was able to be present for both, in fact he watched the surgeries themselves and saw our sons come out. I remember a feeling of tremendous pressure on my chest right before I heard my second one cry. It didn’t last long, and the anesthesiologist was very supportive through the whole thing. In fact, I had my sons at different hospitals with different doctors and I had very supportive anesthesiologists with both of them. They stay right there with you with extra drugs on hand, should you need anything. It eased my anxiety a bit about being sliced open to know a pain-killing expert was right over my head. Anyway, when I felt the pressure, I gasped, out of shock. He just calmly told me it was ok and would be over in a second, and it was. I heard him crying and they pulled him up for pictures (Picture.:)). They were both in my arms about 15 minutes later, while they were wheeling me back to my room.
Good luck and congratulations whatever you choose to do! A c-section doesn’t make it any less special, especially when you are expecting it. From the look on my face in this picture, you would never be able to tell I just had major surgery. The overriding emotion is still happiness.
I hope I helped. 
Thanks so much, everyone. torie–squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! on those photos!
I think part of my squeamishness, too, is the sort of thing I’ve read that Shagnasty quoted. It was my belief from the reading I did when I was pregnant with my son that C-sections are overly and unecessarily done, and had a similar feeling about episiotomies. I was quite against both, though not militantly–my approach was, let’s try to avoid them, but if baby or I need them I understand things have to change. (As for the epi, turned out no one had a choice–my son came so fast, I tore. Whatever–I healed.) With my son, I didn’t have an epidural because I was already freaked to crap about having anyone mess with my back further (geez, and this was BEFORE the two back surgeries), and I didn’t take pain meds because I wanted to be able to feel and work with the pain if I could. Again, I wasn’t against pain meds, but wanted to avoid them if I could; I felt, mainly, that my body was designed to have this pain and deal with it, and barring extenuating circumstances, I would be able to. I managed to, partially I think because the labor was so fast (well, after about 12 hours of pitocin, which I swear gave me contractions I hardly felt at all). This, of course, was my experience, and I know if circumstances were different I would have been begging for pain management.
I know, logically, that I should get a C-section. The pelvis spreads something like 30% during the birth process, and a medical video I saw demonstrating this spreading on a spine showed that it puts tremendous pressure at L5/S1–where I had my two operations. No wonder the already damaged disc was ripped apart.
The pain of that herniation, particularly the second time around, is nothing I ever, ever want to experience again. It was an unbelieveable hell that completely disabled me, and what was worse, I had to lie there and watch my hubby stressed to his eyeballs while taking care of everything. He has expressed concerned about the C-section (same reason–having his wife cut open, although he is far more concerned about general anesthesia than I am), and the longer recovery. I told him, though, that the recovery of a fusion is an entirely different animal from my microdiscs. With those, it was about 8 weeks (longer second time around due to muscular atrophy) before I was more or less back to life; a fusion means I couldn’t even get physical therapy until there is bone growth, and that can be 3-6mos. That’s a long time to be restricted.
I started several threads at the time about what I was experiencing, partially just to maintain my sanity. I also came back and celebrated being ambulatory just a week post-op.
Has anyone had a C-section under general anesthesia? I’ve read many anesthesiologists won’t attempt a spinal when a patient’s anatomy has been altered. A microdisc is a pretty minor alteration to the spine, but it is altered. My OB isn’t sure if I would need to be put under.
Blah, I’m blabbering on. Sorry, it’s early, and I’m hormonal. Baby is kicking (or punching) their hello, though. Time to feed the two of us.
i wasn’t under general anesthesia, sorry. No experience there. I had an emergency section after twelve hours of induced labour because my water broke without anything happening. Little bugger refused to descend, let alone make any progress. He was comfy.
Anyway, I’d go for awake. It feels weird, but not bad, and you get to hear the baby immediately, and hold him/her soon.
I’m eight weeks pregnant, and pondering. I’d like to try for a VBAC this time, but if not, I’m going for a planned section. I wasn’t in pain, after, but I was really really tired and loopy for about a week. I’m told planned is much less stressful on the body.
I had a section under general, but under a dire emergency situation, so it wasn’t really the same as what you’ll be experiencing.
I did not get to hold my daughter until approximately five hours after she was born, and my husband did not get to go into the nursery with her during that time. Needless to say, this made establishing breastfeeding a bit more difficult than it ordinarily would have been, and it took me longer than I think I would have otherwise to feel totally bonded with her (although the PTSD from the half-hour leading up to her birth probably had a lot to do with it too). I’d avoid a c-section under general unless absolutely necessary.
Having never been pregnant, I can’t share personal experiences.
A friend of mine had twins; the kids (non-identical) were in a yin-yang position, so the doctors performed a cesarean. She chose total anesthesy, saying that she’d seen enough guts when we did dissections in Natural History. She recovered just fine. The procedure was in Spain, where C-sections are considered a last resource; of course with the kids like that and unable to turn due to it being two of them, it was clearly the best option. Her scar is vertical, but I understand the normal position is horizontal.
A fusion is NOT “a 6-12 month recovery period, then you’re dandy”. It’s a 6-12 month recovery period if you’re lucky, followed by people congratulating you on your good posture and by being a superb weathervane for the rest of your life. Based on the half a dozen people I know who’ve had one.
I had a C-section 14 years ago. You’re already ahead of me in the knowledge department. I didn’t realize that a spinal is paralyzing, not merely numbing, and that was a bit freaky. In fact, getting the spinal was the only unpleasant part, really.
Because my kid was transverse, they couldn’t do the nice little horizontal bikini line incision. My incision was from navel to top of the pubic bone. Nonetheless, recovery wasn’t at all bad. Sure, getting out of bed the first time was not a load of fun, but things got progressively better, and when the staples came out, they got exponentially better.
Good luck with whatever you and/or your doctor decide!
Think about all the things you might have fretted about the first time, and how those became so secondary as the birth approached. I was throwing up, people I didn’t know were looking up my vagina, the list goes on, none of it really mattered… even though, before labor, I spent a lot of time fretting about the undignified aspects of it. And I suspect it will be the same if you get a c-section. The weirdness of being cut open and feeling a vague tugging, that’s nothing compared to the excitement of the baby being out and in the world. At least, IME.
I had a c-section, unplanned but not of the “so urgent we’re going to knock you out and gut you” variety. Circumstances weren’t ideal, and afterwards I had some complications that meant I was out of the picture for his first hours, but my son’s birth story is still really special to me.
In your shoes, I would much rather risk being knocked out for those first hours, than possibly be debilitated for the first months of my son’s life. I understand your concerns, but you might find the negatives of a c-section utterly pale compared to the event at the heart of it.
Neither of my C-sections was done under a general, but my best friend’s was. Her daughter developed distress that required emergency intervention, and the cap came off the epidural line when they moved my friend, so she went from “laboring for a vaginal delivery” to “ok we’re having a c-section” to “ok, we have to knock you out for the surgery” in a matter of about 5 minutes. She was upset about being unconcious for her daughter’s birth, but I can tell you that in the long run it hasn’t made ANY difference at all. Sarah bonded well with her daughter, she and the baby both are perfectly healthy, and she is a fabulous mom. So even if you end up having the surgery under a general, don’t worry too much about it if you can help it. Someone upthread said it right – you’d rather be goofy for a few days after the birth than seriously debilitated for months. Best of luck!
I had a C-section for my only birth, and it was fine. It’s not exactly FUN and you will be sore for a while, but it’s not horrendous.
I had a c-section. Really it was fine. I’ve never had a vaginal birth, but I can’t imagine that the recovery is so much easier than a c-section. I needed prescription pain medication for maybe 3 days, and had no horrible pain at all. Less than a week later I was driving and climbing flights of stairs with no problem. The epidural scared me, but pretty much felt only as bad as a bee sting. It didn’t feel like I was paralyzed. It feels a little weird when they’re in there, pressure not pain. I’d do it again in a heartbeat if I had another baby. I figure it was much more pleasant than labor would have been. The no labor thing is surely a huge bonus. Oh, and I have no scar to speak of, as they cut right on the crease between my stomach and my mons pubis.
I have had two c-sections - one with an epidural and one emergency one for placenta previa which required a general.
The first one was planned, in that three or four days overdue I went in for a regular check and they found that the baby had floated up and got his neck kinked and that was the presenting bit. No amount of shoving could change his position and an x-ray show a big head and a small pelvis too, so they decided to do a section a few days later instead.
I was very scared about the epidural but it went in very smoothly and didn’t hurt. Felt weird as hell though. I got the hot flushes and cold sweats as the stuff went through me though…
Recovery with that one was smooth and easy and though I did have pain, I think (of course I don’t know!) that in total it was probably no more than a vaginal birth, just at different times and in different places.
The second was an absolute nightmare that left me traumatised for a couple of years. The thing was there was no way round it. The doctors and staff were kindness itself (apart from the theatre staff who were cold as ice) and did their utmost for me, but it still hurt like hell and for a looooooong time.
But you have to think with the second one I’d been on ten weeks of bedrest and was very anemic to begin with, so I had no power of my own to get over it. Also I think that my pain management was mismanaged and that in the states you’d get better coverage. I’m in Japan, the land of “gaman” (endure, put up with it.) Their policy was “Wait till you absolutely can’t bear the pain and then we’ll give you the absolute minimum dose a tiny bit at a time till just the edge is taken off.”
When I had another surgery two years later, I went into full blown PTSD meltdown and they said that their pain management policy had radically changed in that time, and the focus was all on not allowing pain to get a grip, to the point that I was over medicated, really! (It was nice though, I’m not complaining.)
So my normal, planned C-section went very well and I was up and about within a day or so, (not very steady and unable to hold the baby AND stand up!) but really quite fit within about ten days, and certainly on a par with my vaginal birth friends by the time the post partum check day came. Hope this helps!
Just another POV… I had an emergency c-section for placenta previa, but had an epidural.
I knew early on that I had PP and would most likely need a c-section, but started spotting at 34 weeks (among other problems).
It wasn’t an emergency, as in ‘get the baby out now!’ but more like, “Okay, sign these forms and get change into this gown. And don’t dawdle.”
Yes, sorry, that wasn’t clear! It’s not that all PP has to have generals! In my case it was because the placenta was all over the front wall and extended to the sides, so they had to cut through it to get the baby out, which they knew would result in a large loss of blood. They said a general would be better for me as they would have to be rough and fast, and also that it would perhaps slightly slow the loss of blood (lower blood pressure? Wasn’t sure about this as the explanations were all in Japanese). I ended up with some very odd pains as they gave me a (very big 
) vertical cut, then there was the pain of the placenta site on the right and then there was the pain of the cut on my uterus which was to the left and sort of round the back. Bleh!
Still I was out of hospital in 12 days, even with all that!
Oh, no need to apologize, I was just presenting another side. In hindsight, I probably should have had a general, as my PP was the same as yours; extending up the front wall and sides. They did have to cut through it, with the expected result. There’s no need to scare Ruffian, so I’ll leave it at that.
Naw, you’re not scaring me, really. I don’t need the Disneyfied version of C-sections, just a feeling of the general experience. And, as a whole, people’s general experiences have been positive. What I’m really gleaning from this thread is that a planned C-section is a very different animal than an emergency one, and that it’s not that big of a deal. That is very reassuring.
Hokkaido Brit, you talked about a PTSD-like reaction to your second surgery, and I’m so sorry you had to endure that pain and then have to live with the effects. Glad you got the medication you needed, though! Your comment actually struck me, because I think that’s part of my irrationality when it comes to this. The pain, and really everything spinal, from the last few years has wigged me out about anything messing with my back. C-sections initially spooked me because it cuts through abdominal muscles, and those support the spine. Then the idea of a needle going into the dura space made me wig–GETOUTGETOUTGETOUT! And going under general does nothing for me, either, since I hate the loopy/sick/lightheaded side effects (that, and being alone in the recovery room).
Thinking about it, I think I’ve been wanting the vaginal birth because (outside of it being the “whole experience”) I hope to be able to avoid an epidural again, while also avoid having to be put under and somehow avoiding further back trauma. Of course, that’s a tremendous gamble that I should not take (and many of you have gently helped me see that clearly–I know, I know, but my logic processors are gummed up in this area). Taking that risk conflicts with my ultimate paranoia of being in that type of pain again. So–every alternative touches off a little bit of my own type of PTSD.
Really, really…you all have been very helpful. There is reassurance here. And yes, I have to remember that no matter what option occurs, I (we) get a baby out of the deal. Pretty good deal, there.
Bibliocat, you mentioned C-section classes, and I forgot about those. I did the lamaze/birthing classes with Progeny 1.0, but there were C-section classes too (actually, I think they just met once, heh). This time around I figured almost that C-sections “didn’t count” and there wouldn’t be classes, but derrrrr. You reminded me. I’ll check them on my hospital’s website.
When I meet with my OB next week for my 20-week, I’ll ask about going ahead and scheduling the C-section. This gets tricky, because he might want to wait until I’m 38 weeks, which I understand, but with my personal and family history, that risks me going into labor before the C-section date. I would urge 37 weeks, if not 36, if the baby checks out okay. BTW–like their sibling, baby is already measuring big. They were 1 day ahead at 8 weeks, and 4 days ahead at 12 weeks. My 20 week ultrasound is Thursday–the kiddo’s brother was 10 days ahead at that point. I would bet this one is at least that far ahead, too.
Speaking of…what happens if you go into labor before a scheduled C-section date? Do they just take you in and do it early? Is that more of an emergency C-section, or is it still like a scheduled one just…rescheduled for right now?
That’s pretty much what happened with me. I’d gone to the hospital for an ultrasound and amnio to determine if the lil’ guy’s lungs were developed enough to deliver him in the next few weeks. I was due September 15th; this was August 8th.
I knew it was going to be a c-section because of the placenta previa.
I’d started spotting that morning, and after the amnio, started having contractions. They were monitoring me while they waited for the amnio results to come back, and saw that I was having contractions. Minor ones, but coming fairly close together.
As soon as the test results came back, they whisked me off to do it.
My baby just turned 13 on Saturday!
I’ve had two c-sections. On the first one, the anesthesioligist was an idiot and couldn’t get the epidural in, so after two hours of trying to get it in, I was given a general. Didn’t really like that because I was so loopy when I woke up, I was afraid to hold my daughter because I might drop her. That lasted almost all day, and I had to have someone standing next to me as I breastfed her. My son was done with a spinal block, which is where they just give one shot. That would have been great, but the doctor lost a sponge in me :eek: and the shot wore off before they were done sewing me up. Other than that it went great. And both times I was glad I didn’t have to go through labor, or an episiotomy, and I was up and about within a few days.
If you’re concerned about the C-section, you may also want to talk to your doctor/midwife about alternate birth positioning. A significant portion of women in the U.S. labor and birth while flat on their back, which is about the most horridly painful way of doing it. This puts much strain on your back, for one. Perhaps if you were to try vaginal birthing in more traditional gravity-assisted positions, and be prepared for a C-section if it doesn’t work? Of course, you must follow the advice of the attendant physician/midwife, but you may want to ask if you can keep the C-section as a “just in case” option, if the vaginal delivery isn’t going well. I’m not a doctor, just trying to give you potential options that may alleviate your fear. A C-section is major surgery, and being concerned about it is completely normal and understandable. Please discuss your fears with your birth attendant.