anyone who's had a c section? advice please!

Question

Hey ladies,

Just found out today that I am having a c section. I've been scheduled in 3 weeks from today, everyone is excited to meet my little man etc, and of course I am too! But I can't help but feel really sad that I can't have him naturally :( he is breech and there is no signs that he will change in the next few weeks so my doctor has decided to go ahead with the section. Anyone who's had a section how does it work? Can I hold him straight away or do they take him away until I'm sewed back up etc? Do they break your waters before? Is it harder to produce milk after? Like how does my body know I've given birth if I technically haven't? I think I'm just feeling over whelmed after finding out! I'm sad because it's my firstborn and I just wanted to feel contractions etc

Answer

Once your body detachs the placenta it can tell you do not have a baby anymore. Your body reacts the same way it would going natural. I had an emergency csection because of stress on myself and baby after 28 hours. You can't hold the baby right away you see your lo but then you get sewed up and taken to recovery where you will be with your lo and breast feed for the first time!

Answer

I got to hold my baby immediately (after they weighed etc.) While they were stitching me up, he was on my chest. But i was at a hospital with "baby friendly" accreditation. So they're all about bonding immediately and such.
And I had no issues with breastfeeding! Continued to breastfeed for 19 months.

Wishing you all the best!

Answer

Start to finish took about an hour, baby was out in 10 min. They held him up to me, I could see him more due to him stopping breathing (he started breathing again quick). Hubby went with baby for cleaning and the anesthesiologist stayed with me. They sewed me up and in the recovery room hubby had baby and I was able to nurse the first time. We had to formula feed the first week because I had severe hemorrhaging and couldn't produce milk, I can now. Definitely use a pad or such on the insicion to keep it dry, my hospital didn't tell me and mine stayed open and got infected. Again not normal but I had everything possible go wrong.

Answer

I've had 3 planned and soon to be 4 on Friday. So they take you in the OR and get you all ready then your husband gets to come in and he sits up by your head. Then they start once baby is out they let daddy cut the cord then they lay him/her on your chest for like a minute then dad gets to go help clean, weigh, measure baby. You get sewn up and sent to recovery. Then after about an hour you are reunited with baby and daddy. My milk has always came in with in. This is how it's done where I live. Hope this helps.

Answer

I've only had an emergency c section so I'm not sure. My son was really poorly when he was born so they took him away immediately and I couldn't hold him, but in most cases you get to hold baby first. 
I did have problems breast feeding but that was due to a breast problem and not the c section itself.

Answer

I've had 2. The first was an emergency and the second was planned.

With the planned one I was able to see her after she was born, then they weighed her and brought her back to me. My husband was even able to cut the cord. I wasn't able to hold her per se, since I had an IV in,  but my  husband was able to hold her and he was right next to me while the finished up.  They wheeled me out into the recovery room, and my husband brought our daughter. As soon as we got into the room we did skin to skin and I was able to breastfeed. From the time the took her out until I got to hold her was less than an hour. Maybe 35 ish mins

Answer

I think with a planned cesarean you have a lot more options! Tell your doctor that you want to do skin to skin immediately. There might be cesarean birth plans online you can look at and see what is important to you.
I ended up with a csection, totally unplanned and I wished I had prepared for the possibility so I could have had things done my way. This is still your birth and you should have options.

anyone who's had a c section? advice please!

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