# OMG! I just found out what happens in C-sections. How can husbands \*watch\* that stuff? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 24, 2013, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831 "2013-03-24T18:28:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/1 "2013-03-24T18:28:47Z")
Just found out where babies come from, sometimes. Tell me if this, what I was told, is true: Doctors place stomach and intestines–all those coiling tubes and stuff–on top of the womans body, and then go into the uterus for the prize. The woman is awake. But so is the husband. The guy who told me the story said he was in the room and for some reason they had to do an emergency C-section. So they set up a screen so the mother couldn’t see, and then he fainted. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/2 "2013-03-24T18:31:37Z")
That is NOT standard procedure for C-sections. I’m sure there are plenty of actual c-sections to be found on youtube. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/3 "2013-03-24T18:50:20Z")
Isn’t the uterus in front of the intestines? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/4 "2013-03-24T18:54:14Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > That is NOT standard procedure for C-sections. I’m sure there are plenty of actual c-sections to be found on youtube. I kind of figured, but it’s a nice fresh morning outside, and didn’t have the heart. ---
**Author:** ![onemind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/85f322/32.png) [@onemind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/onemind)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/5 "2013-03-24T19:13:47Z")
I stayed behind the screen, sounded like a sneaker that was stuck in the mud coming free. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/6 "2013-03-24T19:18:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Isn’t the uterus in front of the intestines? Yes, and a little below. Nothing but the uterus is cut internally in a Cesarian. I’m guessing **Leo** ’s wussy friend saw the placenta and umbilical cord come out before the baby. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/7 "2013-03-24T19:40:22Z")
Your friend is confused, or the mother was in some seriously unusual distress or had really weird anatomy. +1 for “it was probably the placenta and umbilical cord he saw.” And most dads stay up on the mom’s end of the screen and don’t look around it. He’s up there at her head, sitting on a chair (or stool), holding her hand and mopping her brow and trying not to look like he’s going “OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!” inside. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/8 "2013-03-24T19:55:27Z")
I watched my wife’s, she could even see part of it but didn’t want to look. So she demanded I watch intently and give her a play by play, I did and can instantly visualize it…it didn’t bother me too much because it was emergency C-section(pre-eclampsia) her BP was through the roof and urine looked like Cola drink so hey life saving medical procedures. I even took pictures, it wasn’t gory at ALL. The OB surgeon was skilled, her scar is invisible and he avoided any blood loss by cauterizing all wounds instantly. She asked me what that smell was that reminded her of cheese puffs, I said your fat burning. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/9 "2013-03-24T19:58:35Z")
Who will you show those picture to? I have no children, but I always imagined witnessing some sort of Aliens-like scene. I learned the hard way not to share this thought with pregnant women. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/10 "2013-03-24T20:01:08Z")
I’ve seen a bajillion c-sections and never saw a bit of intestine. That’s just silly. Ever seen a full term pregnant woman? The baby is \*\*right there \*\*poking out the front of her abdomen. Easy to get to without having to move stuff around. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/11 "2013-03-24T20:05:20Z")
ETA (I should make this my signature): Whenever I say “I was told” entirely in the passive with no further description, the teller is almost always not my friend. In this case I talked to the guy at his kid’s birthday party in a restaurant–hence the topic came up. If all my “I was tolds” in GQ referred to a friend of mine, by now in your eyes the friends I keep would have caused quite a harsh judgement. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/12 "2013-03-24T20:06:45Z")
> [@onemind](#): > > …sounded like a sneaker that was stuck in the mud coming free. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/13 "2013-03-24T20:08:11Z")
This is the reason internet videos tend to focus predominantly on the beginning of the pregnancy. Much more entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/14 "2013-03-24T20:10:54Z")
I watched the whole thing while holding her hand softly…and the handrail tightly. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/15 "2013-03-24T20:11:42Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > This is the reason internet videos tend to focus predominantly on the beginning of the pregnancy. Much more entertaining. Haha! ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/16 "2013-03-24T20:15:11Z")
No, the intestines are not removed but after the baby is removed, the uterus is ‘exteriorized’, the cavity cleaned, the uterine incision closed, the ‘gutters’ washed, and the uterus placed back in for the closing of the abdomen. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/17 "2013-03-24T20:20:08Z")
I better not ask where the blood comes from when ladies are unwell. OK, check this: Later that _very same day_ a dog-park acquaintance told me that he heard, for sure, that people can bleed tears from their eyes in non-traumatic or late-stage disease conditions. He told me this as I related my shock, horror, and incredulity at the C-section story. Dogs under our feet were causing a ruckus, so I’m not sure if his comment was a can-you-top-this story of what can happen during labor. So I could’ve added _that_ to OP as the cherry on the cake (an unfortunate metaphor here, I admit). Somehow I thought that would muddy the issue (see previous parenthetical point, and add one unfortunate pun used without the writer knowing so at first.) So, now that the OP has safely been put to bed–although horror stories from husbands are always accepted–what’s up with tears of blood? In this case I _have_ watched a video of it, the bad guy in the first new Bond movie, whatever it was called. Any other occurrences? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/18 "2013-03-24T20:26:34Z")
Oh, that one’s totally true. And horrifying to witness. Apparently it’s painless though, although the underlying condition causing it may or may not be. [Haemolacria](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haemolacria). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/19 "2013-03-24T20:28:12Z")
I watched both my wife’s. The only correct thing about what you were told is the part where “the woman is awake.” And if you’re grossed out by the C-section, just wait until you see some of the stuff the baby’s waiting to do! ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831/20 "2013-03-24T20:54:02Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Oh, that one’s totally true. And horrifying to witness. Apparently it’s painless though, although the underlying condition causing it may or may not be. > > [Haemolacria](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haemolacria). From your cite: Acute haemolacria can occur in fertile women and seems to be induced by hormones. [2] like endometriosis which is abnormal epithelial uterine tissues inside other body organs that get engorged by estrogen and manifest especially with menstrual period. So, holy shit the guy was right?! Or is this state of fertility gone after conception? If it’s true, I have to tell this to all the father’s whose wives are expecting, to give them something else to worry about. Expectant mothers I’ll spare. I get bacterial conjunctivitis constantly, another cause mentioned in the cite. If it’s really bad I could tear blood. Wow. How bad is bad in this case? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/omg-i-just-found-out-what-happens-in-c-sections-how-can-husbands-watch-that-stuff/653831.md?page=2)