My Birth Story – an elective Caesarean Section

[It took me a lot of time and in my mind an unnecessarily high amount of stress and effort to get the NHS to let me have an elective C section, it only being agreed 3 weeks before m(y due date, and being scheduled for the day before, and finally happening on the day after, as we were put back due to emergencies, which of course I completely understand. You can read more about why I wanted one here and the process here, I'm just thankful I had a supportive midwife and GP]

When we arrived at the hospital at 8am we were put into a room and told we were first that day, due to being sent home 2 days before, hurrah! I was given a gown that opened at the back to put on, & Sam some scrubs... (They just about fit him in an xxl, but his clog things were at least 2 sizes too small!) I was asked if I had taken the pills that they had given me to minimise stomach acid, and when I last ate or drank anything (no food after midnight and no water after 6am!)

Last picture with le’bump!

Various people came in to introduce themselves, first the head surgeon with about 5 students. He had a feel of my bump (leaving my foo-foo on display to all!) and looked through my notes then said the head still hadn't engaged (so lord knows how much longer I would've waited if I'd not had my section that day!) then the anaesthesiologist guy came in, with a student and someone observing from another hospital... He explained how the spinal block would work, and gave me the opportunity to ask any questions. Then along came Pauline to say hi, she would be looking after me after the op, checking blood pressure and giving painkillers etc. Our midwife was Badil (I think she was Swedish?) who stuck a canular in my hand (after being reminded she should give me a local anaesthetic first!) for the various things that needed to be dripped in to me, and taped over my wedding rings as I couldn't get them over my swollen sausage fingers by that point! I'd taken out/off all my other jewellery, but managed to sneak in with waterproof mascara and filled in eyebrows!

At about 9.25 they came to get us, and just as we walked into the theatre I decided I needed a pee, so toddled back out again, then Sam decided he needed one so he went out… then with relieved bladders we were ready to go!
The spinal wasn't half as bad as I expected, there was some cold spray (lots of it!) that made me jump, then a local, then the actual needle to administer the block... I was asked to hunch over with a curved spine and push  backwards against the anaesthesiologists thumb, which is no mean feat when you've got a large bump in the way! Sam watched all this from the front so he didn't have to see anything sharp, they said husbands often faint so just don't give people the option anymore! I should mention at this point that I could see out of the window to the Marina, and watched a boat slowly work its way out to sea when I wasn't hunched over! It helped that it was gloriously sunny too! Once that needle was in and had done its business,  I was spun onto my back and laid flat, my gown whipped up to form the screen so I couldn't see my lower half, and then a catheter was put in so I didn't piddle all over the operating table. Then the table was tilted slightly to the left, I forgot to ask why though! I thought I'd find someone inserting a catheter awkward, but it happened so fast and I didn't feel it anyway!

Looking slightly nervous pre-spinal

Some more cold spray was used to determine if I was numb enough in the right places, I was, so it was all systems go! Sam was seated next to my head on the left, Marc the anaesthesiologist just behind me and his assistant next to him. They did a role call (12 people including us! Students and onlookers etc) and then got to it! Sam and I chatted to Marc about amusing stories from working in hotels, some of which he couldn't believe, but it kept my mind off the strange tugging sensation I could feel... And then before we knew it the surgeons assistant (her first assist apparently!) said ‘okay we're almost there, do you want us to hold baby up so you can see?’ YES obviously I'd been waiting 40 weeks and a day to know what gender this baby was! We heard a sucking noise, which at first I thought was the baby crying but was them suctioning blood/amniotic fluid out, THEN the unmistakable cry of a new-born who’d been dramatically whipped out into the real world! A few seconds later they lowered the screen a little and showed us this waxy baby, a girl with a full head of dark hair! (I may have got watery eyed at this point!) She looked pretty angry to be whipped out of her comfy space to be honest! She was taken to be wrapped up, and Sam went round to cut the cord and take a look at her!

About 3 minutes before she arrived, judging my the clock! (Plus 8 of the 12 people in the theatre!)

Less than two minutes later Sam was back with her all wrapped in a towel, and oh my god she was amazing! Thick dark hair and long legs! After a minute or two the midwife asked if I wanted her on my chest, so she was carefully placed there so I could hold her (not skin to skin as I was still in a gown and she was in a towel) but we literally just sat and stared and got a bit teary with each other! I seem to remember saying ‘its a girl, a GIRL’ a fair amount, as 95% of people had predicted that she would be a he! We were asked what we were going to call her, and everyone said what a lovely name, and made predictions for her future (an investigative journalist!?)

 

First cuddles!

After about 25 minutes (of stitching up time!) someone apparently shoved a painkiller up my behind (I have no recollection of this, and didn't feel it obviously) and then we were wheeled into recovery. The next hour is a bit of a blur of cuddles, skin to skin contact and attaching Athena to start to feed, which was painful, but so worth it! I was allowed to try and eat some bread and tea after a little bit, which I promptly brought back up, and the same thing happened when I tried again, only this time there was nobody with me to give me the sick bowl (I was napping), and I spectacularly vomited fountain style whilst lying on my back, so it went all over me, the pillows, the floor… LUCKILY I wasn’t holding Athena, she was safely in her crib thing out of harms way! Sam and the nurse arrived back at the  same time to find me covered and looking very sorry for myself! The nurse helped to change me and I was given an anti sickness something or other in my cannula as well as the drip, and a liquid oral painkiller as by this point I'd vommed up 4 paracetomol!

Latching on and skin to skin

We were told we would be taken downstairs to the post-natal wards once a bed was ready, which was at about half past two, so by 3pm we were downstairs in a bed on a ward of 4 other new mothers. Every so often someone came to check out my blood pressure and temperature, and changed my catheter bag. It was SO AMAZING not to feel like I needed to pee every 12 minutes, as I had for the last 4 months of my pregnancy due to her head being practically IN my bladder for so long. Sam went to find some hot food as he was starving, and I napped a little with Athena on my chest… when he came back we took lots of pictures to send to various relatives and friends, and just sat and gawped at her/each other with complete shock!

That night was spent with her mainly on my chest alternative between feeding and sleeping, but I really didn't get much rest because of all the various noises, the lady next door had a baby that spent most of the night crying, and the other two women snored. Long story short, I was ‘released’ at about 7pm the next day, so only spend 36 hours in hospital. They just wanted to know that I was passing urine okay once my catheter was out and that I was mobile (I had a shower and stood up straight the moment I felt I could, as my stitches didn't really hurt much at all!) and gave me a load of various painkillers to take home, along with 7 little needles with something or other in to inject myself in the belly with to help prevent blood clots, which wasn’t an issue for me as I'm fine with needles. Sam had headed off home with most of my bags (obviously I had packed as if I would be in for 3+ days as I was told 3 is about average after a C section) and had comeback with the car seat, so once I was dressed (I wore the clothes I had worn in the day before) we called a taxi and headed home! Sitting in our living room, only the day after but with a brand new baby was surreal, I'll tell you that for nothing!

So there you have it, the story of how Athena arrived in our lives on June 6th 2013!

Nesting, C Section & week 39 update

I have never been the sort of person who keeps a tidy house. My mother had a fridge magnet that declared:

 

and I’ve always remembered it… plus I like to live in a home that feels lived in rather than like a show-home. However for the last couple of weeks I have been obsessed with having a sort/tidy/clean of the whole house! It’s most unlike me but I've actually quite enjoyed it! I’ve tackled more or less every area of our house, and the amount of black bin bags we’ve gone through is pretty high! Sam even joined in and got rid of a load of clothes too (I’ve yet to tackle my shoe collection but however!) But I figured it’s way better to do all this before we move, and before I'm having to take it easy after a C-Section! The bathroom has been cleaned from top to bottom (including all the grouting) as has the kitchen and the whole place has been hoovered thoroughly!

I’ve also stocked the freezer up with dinners (so far 6 main meals, like curries, bolognese etc, and 3 cakes!) so that when neither of us feel like cooking when I'm home from hospital and sleep deprived we can just bung them in the microwave and make rice or something else easy to go with them! None of this is normal behaviour for me, so it is definitely the ‘nesting’ instinct taking over! Most bizarre, and I honestly didn't think it would happen until it did!

If you read my post on choosing a C-section a few weeks ago then the outcome is that it was finally agreed by a consultant. Even if one agrees then another one has to it turns out, but it would be far too convenient for them to do that on the same day, so we managed to get another appointment a week later, which resulted in another week of worry and strain… The consultant that day didn't turn up to work however, but we met with a wonderful doctor who listened (again) to all my concerns, was upset that the NHS counselling service still hadn't given me an appointment (been waiting since march!) and said that he would ‘nip up to the labour ward and find an obstetrician’ for me. Fifteen minutes later (we made awkward small talk with the medical student who sat in on our appointment) he was back, but on his own. I genuinely thought it was an outright no, but it turns out the lady who he spoke to agreed it after looking at my notes and had signed off. He ran me through how the operation works, highlighted the risks (which I could quote back to him verbatim by this point, statistics and all) and we signed the consent form! Obviously at some point after the baby arrives I'll write about my experience, but as you can imagine we were both so relieved and the date is in the diary!

Briefly, the only new symptoms I have experienced since my week 37 update is some extreme acid reflux, some slightly stronger braxton hicks type pains in week 38 and then in the final week, the absolute swelling of my feet, lower legs, arms and hands. I have tattoos on both feet and they look warped at the moment! I look elephantine! I can’t get my wedding rings off and can only wear about 2 pairs of shoes that I own. 

It’s pretty uncomfortable and I’ve been attempting to rest and put my feet up but I also didn't want to waste my last few days of ‘freedom’ sat on my bum, and have various lunch/tea dates with friends which has been lovely! My piddling/sleeping cycle has got worse and I really not getting much sleep at all because my cold means I cant breathe through my nose during the night, so I get a gunky mouth and a bunged up nose, paired with the fact that it’s getting warmer, night times are no fun at the moment! Lets hope the baby sleeps through and I can get some sleep (wishful thinking haha!)

My next post will be post-baby, so see you on the other side!

Bump update: week 37

So the last couple of weeks have been a bit of a nightmare, truth be told! On Wednesday I'll be 38 weeks and I am suffering!

After the disastrous consultant visit (I wrote about it here, and also wanted to express my thanks to those who commented and tweeted after that post) I then went further into anxious mode, until my MW appointment last Wednesday. As ever she was completely supportive, horrified that the consultant hadn't listened to what I had explained and brushed me off as a 'first time worrier', she got right on the phone to the hospital to make me another appointment with a different consultant, who I met last Monday, and who agreed (yay!) but said that it had to be signed off by a second doctor (he then helpfully gave me a prescription for some iron tablets with someone else's name on, cheers doc!) BUT I am seeing the 2nd consultant tomorrow morning, so hopefully my months of not knowing will be over!

And as for symptoms...
We went through some new symptoms (itchy body, including feet and some slight swelling in uncomfortable places) and my general tiredness levels, my MW took some blood and advised me to call the next day at 5pm, however by 10am the next morning I had already had a call from the hospital asking me to call back to discuss my results, worrying, but super quick service! SO it turns out my iron levels had dropped lower than they were last time they were checked (30 weeks, I think) even though I have been taking Feroglobin iron supplements and eating well, and the blood test that measures liver function was also low, (as recognised by the itchiness, which is very scientifically clever!) so that needs some tablets, but I said I already had consultant appointment on Monday, and could I wait and sort it all out then, the answer was yes, as long as the baby is still moving as normal (which it is, phew!) although I had been experiencing some really painful twinges all that morning.

She said it was probably just the braxton hicks getting a bit more powerful, or that I was just doing too much, or the baby was getting more confined as it grew, or a combination of all of these things. It was a pretty stressful day at work too (stupidly I was on my hands and knees scrubbing things and checking under beds ready for a butt-load of visiting VIPs) but after a 2 hour nap the pain seemed to have eased off by that night (last thurs!) and has since reduced to bearable levels and pretty much remained that way.

I've also developed some skin tags and changes to a couple of moles, mainly around my neck, a few google searches tell me this is normal and that they will go after the baby arrives, but the moles changing I am going to get checked at the Drs just in case!

Other than that, my symptoms have more or less remained the same (frequent piddling!!) but the aches have got worse, especially first thing in the morning! If it didn't take me so long to wash and dry my hair I'd move bath times to the morning but I think a warm bath before bed helps me unwind, so I'm not really willing to change my routine! I look like a decrepit old lady until at least mid day when things have eased up a little!

I am due to finish work on 23rd May (this Thursday ) and have more or less finished the handover to the person who will be managing the hotel for me in my absence, but it's going to be so strange not having to be on call 24/7 and not knowing what the hell is happening, but I'm sure I'll get over it pretty quickly!

I have been told I am having a leaving party on Tuesday too, hurrah! I'm meant to be going to a meeting (with dinner and a stay over) in Bournemouth on my last day, it'd mean I get to see all the people from the hotels in my region before being off for so long, and have a proper catch up, BUT I am inordinately worried I'll go into labour and Sam won't be there and I'll have to make someone drive me home in the middle of the night or something... I'll see how I feel the day before and decide then!

Anyway, I will keep you all posted on the yay/nay C-section meeting! Also, I'm moving about 7 weeks after the baby arrives, (blog post here on my other blog) any tips?

To C-section or not, that is the question…

 

I want a C section. It is something that I have been thinking about and considering since about 5 months of bumpishness. Surprisingly my mum then suggested it before I had told her I was thinking of it a few weeks later, as it turns out she had a pretty nasty experience with me, and was kept in for for a week post birth with various complications (And a surgery) even though I weighed just under 6lbs. She’s as petite as me and she said if there was an option for me to not have to go through what she did (potentially) she thinks I should take it.

MY other reasons in brief are:

• husband was almost 11’7 at birth, was two weeks overdue and after almost a 2 day labour just wouldn't come out, so was an emergency c section.
• his sister was then a c section 3 weeks early as she was over 9 lbs
• his older brother was born with a brain defect that meant he effectively lived like a 4 month old till he sadly died at 18, and although this is not genetic it still fills me with fear
• I am SO anxious that if I attempt to do it naturally I will end up having to have a C section anyway
• I do not want to go overdue, the baby is already measuring 2 weeks ahead with legs at almost full term. The consultant I saw on Friday reckons ‘7lbs’ at birth but I just do not believe him.

I am still waiting for an appointment with the ‘wellbeing’ clinic to discuss my anxieties, but have been waiting for this for 6 weeks now (good one, NHS) and the consultant basically shot me down and said ‘all first timers are anxious’ but I know most people are not to the extent that I am, and so for that reason I am going to (I think…) call him back on Tuesday to tell him I definitely want a C-section. I know it is my right to ask for one, and I also know that the Brighton hospital was told to get their rates of C sections down, hence his unwillingness to book it in when I saw him.

The few people I have mentioned it to have actually been a lot more supportive than I thought they would be, apart from one person saying ‘oh, well its okay if you don’t feel that maternal yet’ which I took to be a stupid statement and ended the conversation quick sharp. If anything, I personally feel that I will probably have more of a connection with the baby if I haven't gone through potentially 2 days of hard labour to get it out.

I have weighed up the pros and cons, I know it is ‘major surgery’ but people have them every day and survive. I have a network of people to support me afterwards and know that I can cope with the pain, as I've had my appendix out in the past (Admittedly I wasn't carting a baby/pram around right after, but I have a chunky husband to do that for me now!)

What are your thoughts on elective C sections?