What all is going to happen during my c-section?

Question

I am having twins, a boy and a girl. My baby boy is still breech at 36 weeks. I know I am going to have a c-section. I get to talk to my Dr about when exactly tomorrow. I know they are going to cut me open, but what else will they do to prep me for surgery? I have never had any kind of surgery in my life. I am not freaked out about it right now, but I know me. I will be kind of freaking out the day of. I just would like to know what to expect. Is there an epidural involved? Am I asleep for the event? What happens? How long does it take to heal afterward approximately?

Answer 1

Epidurals are quite common now for C-sections.  Sometimes, they give general anesthesia's, it will  be determined at the time of the surgery.  Healing is dependent on a lot of things...  Ask your doctor and he should explain a lot to you.  You also will have a chance to talk with the anesthesiologist before your c-section.

Healing is a little different for everyone.  But, you will be up and walking at least by the next day.  And, there is pain medication if needed.

Happy Babies!!!!!

Answer 2

Before they do the c-section.....you will not be able to eat the nite before to make sure your stomach is empty. (sometimes the numbing medicine can make you sick).  They will shave your tummy to the top part of your groin area. They will use a spinal tap instead of an epidural. It is injected in your spine and feels like a bee sting for about 1 minute until you are completely numb from your b***s down to your toes. You will be awake for the entire event. The nurses will cover you up so that you can't see what they are doing on the other side. And trust me.....YOU WILL NOT FEEL ANY PAIN!!! The doctor will probably have an assistant doctor or 2 with him/her with some nurses. They will make an incision straight across....big enough to get your baby out. The cut will be below your panty line. After they open you up.....it takes about 5 minutes to get the babies out. During this time, you will not be feeling any pain.....just waiting to hear your babies' cries. You are allowed one person in the room which will probably be the father of your children. After the babies are born....the doctor will either use staples or self-dissolving stitches for your incision. After that.....your babies are taken to the nursery and you will be in the recovery room for about 1 hour to make sure that you are okay after surgery.

You will be in the hospital for about 2-3 days depending on your healing process. And, it takes about 8 weeks to be cleared to work again. YOU WILL BE SORE AFTER YOU GET HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL SO TAKE IT SLOW AND TAKE ALL THE HELP YOU CAN GET.

AT THE HOSPITAL.....ALLOW THE NURSES TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BABIES....THIS IS THE TIME TO SLEEP AND REST.....YOU'LL NEED IT ....TRUST ME. ONLY VISIT WITH THE BABIES AT FEEDING TIME.  When you get home.....you'll have all the time in the world to get to know them.....so, get all the rest you can at the hospital.....trust me....been there and done that!!!

Answer 3

Hi, I also have boy/girl twins although they are almost 4 now.. I also had a c-section both were breech, so there was no chance of me delivering natural. You won't be allowed to eat or drink anything before your surgery because of the meds they give you, they can upset your stomach. Generally unless there's complications they found before hand, they will give you an epidural, and you won't be put under. The whole thing doesn't take very long, the babies are out in just a couple short minutes. As far as recovery, it varies from person to person.. I think I was walking the next day, but it was a couple weeks before I was pretty much back to normal. Congratulations on your twins, they're so much fun!!

Answer 4

I don't know what variation there is in the procedure from place to place (or even since you are having twins) but here is my experience:

I found out the day before I had the caeser that bubs was still breech and was booked in the following morning as I was already full term. They gave me the paper work to fill in the night before (lots of questions about your medical history basically and a consent form). When I got to the hospita, I was taken into a small room to have a monitor placed over my belly to check bub's heart rate and monitor and contractions (It was really interesting. I'd had a few mild braxton hicks to this point but once I had that monitor on I could see the contractions even when I could not feel them but after about half an hour I could feel them. I don't know if they were getting stronger or whether it was because I knew they were happening but they actually started to get a bit painful). Anyways, in the small room, a nurse went over my paperwork, I had to take off any jewellery, had the IV (drip) inserted, put on a hospital gown (so attractive) and waited for about 2 hours (all while the monitor was keeping an eye on bubs. They gave me a brief run-down of what would happen too. In this room, hubby stayed with me the whole time and various family members were allowed to pop in a few at a time.

Finally, they came and got me in wheelchair... I think more to protect my modesty while I was in the hospital gown. Hubby left at this point to go put on his scrubs and I was given a hair net.

I walked from outside the operating theatre to the table ... everyone was trying to help me cover up which I thought was funny,... it was just all the hospital staff who were going to see me half naked anyways. So into the operating theatre and up on to the table. Had to sit on the side and hunch over a pillow to open up the spaces in between the vertebrae of my lower back. They gave me a local anesthetic which kind of stung. (I almost started crying at this point cos I was sososososo scared of the epidural... I had always said I didn't want one). Once the local anesthetic kicked in I had to hunch over again and stay relaxed (the sting from the local made me tense a bit but it is very important to stay relaxed when the do the spinal block). THey did the spinal and it did not hurt at all. Just felt like someone poking me quite firmly in the back. They then helped me turn around and lay on the bed as I was already losing the use of my legs. They shaved the top of my pubic hair (yay fun LOL) and I think it was around this time that hubby came back in all prepped. THey used a clamp thing to show me that I wouldn't feel any pain... they clamped in to my upper body where is stung a tiny bit (not bad though) then clamped it lower and lower to make sure the epidural kicked in in the right place.. I couldn't feel anything from just under my b*****s down. THey then inserted a catheter (actually they did that before hubby came back).

The whole time I had an aneasthesist next to me telling me exactly what they were doing.... he said... ok your just going to feel a bit of pressure on your lower abdomen then about 2 minutes later he said "how does that feel" I said "fine" he said "good cos they cut you open like a minute ago!!"

About 30 seconds later I heard a big gushing sound as they sucked the amniotic fluid out then they pushed around a bit to get bubs out and then... we had a little girl less than 5 minutes after they started cutting. They lowered the curtain a little bit to show us then whisked her to the table to make she was ok and wrap her up warm and cut the cord (which hubby was able to do). THey wrapped her and bought her over for our first cuddle. I had her for about 5 seconds when I had to throw up so hubby took her while I did that and they gave me some meds to stop the vomiting. We had about 5 minutes of cuddle time while they stitched me up (but I was totally unaware that that was happening as my attention was elsewhere)_ and hubby took little Lucy while I was taken to recovery where I stayed for about 45 mins to have my temperature, blood pressure constantly checked and whether the epidural was wearing off .Finally they wheeled my up to my room and hubby came with bubs and we had our first feed and then we were left alone for a while.

I had regular checks over the course of the day and the next day they removed the catheter and was able to get up and have a shower. I was ok on my legs and the pain wasn't too bad.

as soon as the epidural wore off I was encouraged to sit up in bed. I was surprised at how hard this was as you have NO core strength.

I was given regular pain meds and never really felt too sore. The morphene made my mouth itchy and often woke myself up scratching the top of my mouth with my tongue LOL.

It was probably about 2 weeks before I felt able to move easily but it is really important to hold yourself back and follow all the recommendations about waiting for at least 6 weeks et

Answer 5

First off, congrats on your twins....Second- relax...it will all be great! :)  The doctor will probably ease a lot of your fears tomorrow.....you may want to watch some videos online, if you don't think they'd freak you out anymore.

With mine, (semi-emergency, baby's heart rate was very low) I had previously had an epidural, so I'm not sure how they normally go about that- but yes, you will have some type of medicine/epidural type process...your husband (or partner) will be given a gown and hat and mask. You'll be awake. Sometimes they need to strap your arms down. (I had mine strapped down, it wasn't too bad)  You'll lay there while they prepare everything- my nurses talked amongst themselves, and would talk to me some also.  They will assure that you are numb, and start the surgery.  They put a screen up so you can't see what they are doing- don't be afraid, it's for your sanity's sake I'm pretty sure. :) I think I had a nurse by my head, talking to me through it until my husband came in (they didn't let him in until the first cut was made)

They take the baby out,  and show you...then they work on the baby. (or babies, in your case!) You get to see the babies for a minute, take a picture possibly- you're still laying down this whole time.

The babies and your partner will leave to go meet everyone else, and for the nurses to  do their thing with them. The doctor sews you up, this took about 45 minutes. My husband chose to warm our baby naturally by taking his shirt off and holding him close until I got there. It was very sweet. About the second day, they will usually let you attempt to stand up. TAKE YOUR PAIN MEDICINE! lol...I forgot one dosage (not sure why the nurse didn't bring it to me) and my body went into a small state of shock (Shaking badly). It's really not as bad as you fear though.... You can't carry much of anything for the first six weeks.

I hope this helps you out...let me know if you have anything else you'd like to ask me about it