C section aftermath
1) Physical
It's just a C section... But it's not. It's a surgery where they slice you open! They don't slice you open when they take out the gallbladder or the appendix anymore. (Funny aside: my father from Philly asked if they do the c sections "laparoscopically," which is just hilarious! I explained to him that when they remove gall bladders through a 1 cm incision, they chop it up first and then place it in a plastic bag before pulling out the mush through said incision. Can't usually do that with a baby, not unless you wanna get sued...) I was ordered for q 1 hour O2 sat checks, so in my haziness and exhaustion, I was subjected to sleepus interruptus every hour. I was confined to bed with a foley - and thank god for that. I wasn't allowed to eat, or drink; only ice chips. When they finally allowed me to stand up, I inspected the incision, and found some insane number of stitches, which I totally didn't expect. Trying to pee for the first time was an adventure, because apparently, Foley catheters and spinal anesthesia make the bladder nice and numb, so you can't actually feel the urination process. I was also in denial about the pain, and tried to stay away from percocets, but after taking a short lap around the nurses' station, I realized that there was no way to avoid them if I wanted to be sanely comfortable enough to say, hold and breast feed the baby... Now, one week later, I'm still doubled over often, and need help getting up. But slowly and surely, we're on our way.
2) Emotional
It always bugged the shit out of me when people joked about c sections as a much better alternative to the messy, yucky, sex organ-altering vaginal delivery. Usually, it came from knuckleheaded idiot boys, who'd guffaw about, ahem... maintaining the integrity of the vagina? That's an edited version of what they'd really say... And this is coming from me, who's skeptical and judgemental towards the "natural childbirth" movement. Biologically speaking, though, vaginal birth is the intended way, it's safer for mom and baby, and has a much more rapid recovery. Plus, I always thought, I was made for child rearing, what with my large breasts, and wide hips. And everything was going so swimmingly, quick, easy, I was thinking the kid was just going to fall right out of me... I never thought I'd end up with a C section, despite teh fact that I know statistically 30% of women have them, and of my friends who've had babies, literally half had c sections... and then bang! they have to cut me open! ME! With the hips and all! I was so very very disappointed. In the days following, I kept thinking, maybe I should have argued with the doctor? Asked her to try something else? I still think that. I feel like I cheated somehow. Not only was the first half of labor relatively easy, I didn't even have to eject anything out of anywhere, and a baby was just removed out of me like a growth? It made the whole labor experience anti climactic, almost. It's funny to say that, because, of course, it's very climactic, there's a BABY! And it dawns on me that I have a giant scar on my belly (it feels giant). You know, I cried when I was told I'd need a route canal. This is a few degrees higher. And post partum hormones multiply everything by 10 to a 1000.
3) Logical
So, VBAC is a hot topic. Vaginal birth after C section. There is a 1 in 200 chance of having uterine rupture. "Uterine rupture" sounds so horrendous, that people in the past would automatically get scheduled for a repeat section. My friend, for example, wasn't even given the option for VBAC. Interestingly enough, it's tough to make evidence based recommendations on this topic, because no good high level evidence really exists. But insurance companies are starting to use VBAC rates as a quality measure for hosptials and obstetricians. I don't recall what number they're looking for, but I feel like it's about 30%? I used to think, who in their right midh would take ANY risk of a horrible thing like UTERINE RUPTURE!! But in light of this experience, the spinal anesthesia, the paralyzed bladder, the pain, the guilt... VBAC for me, thanks.
It's just a C section... But it's not. It's a surgery where they slice you open! They don't slice you open when they take out the gallbladder or the appendix anymore. (Funny aside: my father from Philly asked if they do the c sections "laparoscopically," which is just hilarious! I explained to him that when they remove gall bladders through a 1 cm incision, they chop it up first and then place it in a plastic bag before pulling out the mush through said incision. Can't usually do that with a baby, not unless you wanna get sued...) I was ordered for q 1 hour O2 sat checks, so in my haziness and exhaustion, I was subjected to sleepus interruptus every hour. I was confined to bed with a foley - and thank god for that. I wasn't allowed to eat, or drink; only ice chips. When they finally allowed me to stand up, I inspected the incision, and found some insane number of stitches, which I totally didn't expect. Trying to pee for the first time was an adventure, because apparently, Foley catheters and spinal anesthesia make the bladder nice and numb, so you can't actually feel the urination process. I was also in denial about the pain, and tried to stay away from percocets, but after taking a short lap around the nurses' station, I realized that there was no way to avoid them if I wanted to be sanely comfortable enough to say, hold and breast feed the baby... Now, one week later, I'm still doubled over often, and need help getting up. But slowly and surely, we're on our way.
2) Emotional
It always bugged the shit out of me when people joked about c sections as a much better alternative to the messy, yucky, sex organ-altering vaginal delivery. Usually, it came from knuckleheaded idiot boys, who'd guffaw about, ahem... maintaining the integrity of the vagina? That's an edited version of what they'd really say... And this is coming from me, who's skeptical and judgemental towards the "natural childbirth" movement. Biologically speaking, though, vaginal birth is the intended way, it's safer for mom and baby, and has a much more rapid recovery. Plus, I always thought, I was made for child rearing, what with my large breasts, and wide hips. And everything was going so swimmingly, quick, easy, I was thinking the kid was just going to fall right out of me... I never thought I'd end up with a C section, despite teh fact that I know statistically 30% of women have them, and of my friends who've had babies, literally half had c sections... and then bang! they have to cut me open! ME! With the hips and all! I was so very very disappointed. In the days following, I kept thinking, maybe I should have argued with the doctor? Asked her to try something else? I still think that. I feel like I cheated somehow. Not only was the first half of labor relatively easy, I didn't even have to eject anything out of anywhere, and a baby was just removed out of me like a growth? It made the whole labor experience anti climactic, almost. It's funny to say that, because, of course, it's very climactic, there's a BABY! And it dawns on me that I have a giant scar on my belly (it feels giant). You know, I cried when I was told I'd need a route canal. This is a few degrees higher. And post partum hormones multiply everything by 10 to a 1000.
3) Logical
So, VBAC is a hot topic. Vaginal birth after C section. There is a 1 in 200 chance of having uterine rupture. "Uterine rupture" sounds so horrendous, that people in the past would automatically get scheduled for a repeat section. My friend, for example, wasn't even given the option for VBAC. Interestingly enough, it's tough to make evidence based recommendations on this topic, because no good high level evidence really exists. But insurance companies are starting to use VBAC rates as a quality measure for hosptials and obstetricians. I don't recall what number they're looking for, but I feel like it's about 30%? I used to think, who in their right midh would take ANY risk of a horrible thing like UTERINE RUPTURE!! But in light of this experience, the spinal anesthesia, the paralyzed bladder, the pain, the guilt... VBAC for me, thanks.
Comments
Anyway, I hope you and the baby are doing well!