As I’m sure everyone knows seeing as I can’t stop crowing about it, Taylor is now here, arrived safely by CSection on the 23rd November. CS wasn’t my first choice, having had a positive normal & spontaneous delivery at 39wks with Kieran, and originally I had a homebirth planned this time.
Then I got diagnosed with gestational diabetes and homebirth became a no-go. I was a bit gutted to be honest but at the end of t day, it’s what is best for baby that counts and it could have been too dangerous to have him at home had things gone South!
My first birth story HERE was very positive, very full on and still makes me chuckle, so I’m guessing I was very lucky. This is my CS story.
Time at last! 8am 23rd November and we were at the hospital with bag and baggage! I was put in a side room and put on drip to control my blood sugars etc and was having to test every hour. This went on throughout the day and at 3.35pm it was time to walk down to the theatre, drip and all. Thankfully the staff took pity on me and lent me an extra gown to cover my modesty in the open backed gown, as I had forgotten my dressing gown so the walk would have been great fun for anyone behind me! Walking into theatre and greeted with cheerful “hellooos!” and an almost casual feel was somewhat unreal but not at all disturbing. Lots of banter and joking, and a great atmosphere put me right at ease. Now bear in mind I have never broken a bone, or had a tooth out, let alone had surgery, so I was very surprised that I wasn’t a quivering wreck. The actual “op” didn’t bother me at all. The spinal anaesthetic I was more apprehensive about.
Up on the table/bed I was given a pillow to hunch over (not over-easy at 38wks pg!) and the anaesthetist did his magic. The one thing I really disliked was when he had to push his thumb onto my spine and I had to push back against it hard. That was quite painful to be honest (and I told him so!) but didn’t last too long. No pain from needles or anything else, just that, which I presume is to move spinal fluid or something. Whatever the reason- yup, it hurt!
Very quickly the spinal took effect and this was the weirdest thing I have ever experienced. A warm bum feeling, then strange legs, then I was laid down and “prepped”. The anaesthetist asked me many questions, could I feel “this” and “that” and how did “this feel”. I must admit this I found a bit strange. I couldn’t quite get round the fact that I could feel people touching my legs etc yet in a minute I was going to be cut into. I panicked slightly at one point and told the anaesthetist I couldn’t breathe (he had told me I would be more aware of my breathing as I was numb and couldn’t “feel” myself breathe) but he was very reassuring and did point out I was doing a good job of talking for someone who couldn’t breathe lol!!!
After that the screen was put up and we started listening to music and were chatting with one of the nurses who then said “another minute or two and we’ll see baby!”. What??! I hadn’t realised they had started?! A few minutes later and the most beautiful sound in the world, my baby was crying! They lifted him over the screen so we could see him, then off for a quick wipe, check and wrap and I had him in my arms. I wasn’t aware of it, at all, but the theatre team just carried on getting rid of the placenta and membranes and sewing me up beyond the screen. The second I had Taylor I burst into tears… relief, and huge amounts of joy and satisfaction at finally having my boy here safe. I was secretly worried about how I would feel having a CS and having the baby handed to me “on a plate” as it were but there was no difference in how I felt when Kieran was born. Taylor was properly checked out then and Roy had more cuddles and before we knew it, screen had gone, my insulin/glucose drip was gone (as was my gestation diabetes- literally baby out GD gone – that is weird in itself!), and we were on our way to the ward. I couldn’t believe that in such a short time my baby had been delivered, I’d been cleaned, stitched and sorted, and didn’t feel a thing, apart from a very slight movement occasionally but that was all.
Despite CS not being my first choice by far, I am very happy with the experience, as is Roy (which is very important as it is his son’s entrance to the world too!). I’ll blog again later about my recovery so far, aftercare and severe allergic reactions (always a drama queen me!) and the differences after CS to after “normal” delivery, but wanted to get down a brief account of the ins and outs. It isn’t anywhere near as “full on” an experience as I suspected and again, another very positive birth experience for me.
I had a lot of information and personal accounts of CS from C&C readers before the event and this really helped so another big THANK YOU to all of you that commented, tweeted or emailed me. It really was helpful and reassuring and very much appreciated!
