Elective C Section Questions!!

Do you want me to lie? LOL listen my c section was great personally. My recovery was fine. But that part was probably top 10 worst parts for me. I suffered and it couldn’t go quicker. Again, everyone is different and totally not trying to scare you but that shit sucked.

The spinal was fine I didn’t feel it, although I did find that the local anaesthetic used to numb the area prior to the spinal did hurt. It was a pain that made me jump slightly but it’s over very quick. The numbing feeling happens straight away and feels like you’ve just gotten into a warm bath. I was in the afternoon slot and went to theatre at 3pm. Before this I had spoken to my surgeon who went through the process and asked if I’d like the screen to be pulled down when baby is pulled out. They told me about the catheter etc. then I spoke to the anaesthetist who explained the process of the spinal and how I was going to feel. He also asked for my consent for an ibuprofen suppository for pain relief as it’s more effective than oral. Then me and my partner were given scrubs and we got changed and walked to theatre with the midwives

I’m in England, in my experience - I had to be on the ward at 730am, you get given your bed/bay and then when everyone has arrived they sort out the order of the sections (I was first down). They give you your gown and your partners scrubs to change into and then the doctor and anaesthesiologist come round and ask a few questions/ask if you have any questions. You then walk down to theatre, sit on the bed, get the spinal and Canula done etc before laying down for the procedure. I was taken down around 9/930 and she was born at 9:54, I was back on the ward by around 11am after being in the recovery room. The spinal is not painful, just a feeling of pressure in your back. It’s nerve wracking but it all happens so quickly you don’t have time to really process the fear!🤣xx

In Canada my experience with the spinal, the worst part was the numbing beforehand. They numbed the area with lidocaine then did the spinal.

The problem is, I’ve already had an emergency cesarean, but I was given the pessary, hormone drip, pethidine, gas and air, I then opted for the epidural as I wasn’t progressing but was contracting for 12+ hours, my body was done, but they then had to take the epidural out then put the spinal block.. it was all a shambles if I’m honest with you. Baring in mind my “birthing plan” was natural labour.. If I was to have a second I don’t even know what I’d want to do.

I had my section section 9 days ago. I got taken down to the anaesthetic room, got hooked up to the blood pressure monitor then had my hand cannula inserted. Next was the spinal - I had two injections of local anaesthetic which were uncomfortable but not painful, then I didn’t feel the spinal at all as it was obviously numb. The anaesthetist then checked the spinal had worked, I laid down on the bed and had my catheter inserted by the midwife which, again, I didn’t feel as I was completely numb at this point. Once the cannula, spinal and catheter were in, I was wheeled into theatre and my husband came in, I was pumped with antisickness meds and the section started 😊

Tbh getting the epidural was 10x easier than the contractions and the mental battle of the actual procedure imo

The process of the spinal is pretty grueling to be honest. This may not be everyone’s experience but will share mine! The insertion of the medication is no biggie. Feels like any other needle. The process of going numb was pretty horrifying for me. Blood pressure dropped, felt very claustrophobic. Losing feeling to your body feels extremely weird and out of body. I was desperately wishing in my head they would just put me all the way under. It took over ten minutes to get fully numb, which is pretty typical. After you are numb, it’s no biggie, but I HATED the 10-15 minutes between walking in and the first cut. So many doctors and assistants and things happening you feel a bit like cattle. But then baby comes and makes everything better 🥰

I've had 2 c section with my first being an emergency and had both the epidural and the spinal block for my 2nd because it was a scheduled and out of all honesty I found the spinal block painful worse then the then epidura lol lol.. but again, that's just me. You could be diffrent. But all up it dosnt take long at all

They give you a numbing first which I think is like a bee sting. The actual spinal is then just pressure as the numbing stops pain. In my experience none of it is PAINFUL. There is discomfort of course, it’s an operation but I was not once in pain even in recovery. I bloody loved my c section and I’d do it over and over again. The most magical experience. The worst part for me was walking into the theatre with an unexpected 15 people stood there whilst I had my arse out 😂

Getting my IV in my arm hurt more then getting my spinal. I've had spinals and epidurals although I was in labour for both so you welcome it lol. I'm 2w pp and occasionally my back is sore if I bend really low but I've had a total of 5 needles in my spine over the last 2 years to have my 2 babies lol. 4 of those were one pregnancy though because the first epidural was manufacture defect so they removed it gave me a small spinal tap to help with pain then the second epidural then the next spinal for my c section.

I didn’t get a c-section but did get a spinal in theatre for stitches afterwards and honestly, I was so terrified of a spinal or epidural that I did my whole birth with just gas and air then got myself into such a state getting the spinal and as soon as the spinal was done, I felt so relaxed and pain free. The actual process of getting the spinal was nowhere near as bad as I expected and the staff were all so reassuring. It was nowhere near as bad as I expected so much so that I’d probably request one early on in the future. I can’t comment on the actual c-section but the spinal part was completely fine xx