It is hard to believe that it has been ten days since Carter was pulled out of my belly.
Seriously, he was forcibly removed via a large incision in my stomach.
Knowing that c-sections are so common, it is still hard to comprehend the process. It was brought to my attention by one of the many nurses who took care of me last week that caesarians are one of the few remaining "common major surgeries" now that so many are done with small incisions and scopes. Basically, she was telling me to respect what my body had endured and cut myself some slack in regards to the healing process. As I recover, I try to remind myself of this every day.
Keep in mind, my first c-section was a completely different experience. I had to be put completely under anesthesia and miss out on the entire experience due to my low platelet count because of HELLP syndrome. Moreover, this meant that Colin missed out on the experience as well since he could not be with me in the operating room.
This time things were different. As far as birthing experiences go, I am convinced that we had the most mellow experience possible. We were borderline boring for the nurses. Rather than being the high-risk sick patients, the nurses barely had anything to do for us. However, this does not mean that the experience was not a little surreal and crazy for us. This was all new.
My doctor and a labor and delivery nurse both did their best to talk me through the process and set expectations. All things considered, they did a pretty good job. Still, I feel like I was not completely prepared for what this experience would really be like.
I am aware I am not a highly trafficked mommy blog, but I want to put this out there in case someone stumbles across this and wants to know what to really expect when expecting a c-section.
1. Your scheduled c-section is not a priority.
In my situation, a micro-preemie coming into the world took precedence over my cushy little full term procedure. Don't get me wrong, if anyone understands the urgency of a premature birth, Colin and I feel pretty well-versed in what these people were about to experience. That does not change the fact that we were sitting in our birthing suite waiting hours past when we anticipated our delivery. This can be a little nerve-wracking. In an effort to keep this in perspective, I know a couple that was sent home twice (once for each baby they have) because the family birthing center was full and there was no room for them. That would be even worse I think.
Lesson here: You are not as important as you think you are! If you are told your delivery is at 5:00 p.m., be prepared for it to be anytime after that.
2. Shower first, but prepare for a different kind of bath before the procedure.
You are not trusted to take a shower before your procedure at home and apparently a shower still will not get you clean enough! You will be given an awesome hospital gown, adult-sized baby wipes soaked in chemicals, and very explicit instructions. Good luck maintaining your dignity as your partner helps you scrub down your large, pregnant body. Also, you get to thoroughly coat the inside of your nostrils with thick, syrupy iodine formula. Ain't no germs gonna be on you!
Lesson here: Prepare to feel sticky and gross until you get to take your first post-op shower. Also, get that crap out of your nostrils ASAP once you are back in your room. It starts to ball up in your nose and itch. You will have dark reddish-orange boogies going on until you can clean it out.
3. You are not completely numb during surgery.
This was the part that really freaked me out. After the numbing agent was placed on my back (this is literally the most painful part; it feels like a bad burn for a few seconds) and the needle was injected into my spine, (which I actually felt despite the numbing) my feet and legs almost immediately felt warm. The anesthesia caused a quick drop in blood pressure, which translated to dizziness and nausea. Also, I reacted to anesthesia by shaking vigorously as if I was freezing cold. So there I was, dizzy, nauseated, and shaking violently as they helped me lay down on the table. As distracted as I was by all of this, I quickly realized that I could not move, but I could feel them preparing me for surgery. Trying not to sound completely panicked, I reminded the doctors, nurses, and anesthesiologist that I could feel what they were doing. They reassured me that I would not feel any pain and that they would to a "pinch test" before cutting me open to ensure that the anesthesia was doing its job.
Lesson here: You don't feel the pain of having several layers of your body being cut open, but you do feel pressure and movement as you are being operated on. This is seriously one of the craziest experiences I have ever had.
4. To them, this is just a typical day on the job.
As I was lying there on an operating table, everyone around me was carrying on regular conversations. In addition to checking in and telling me what they were doing and how it was going, there were a variety of matter-of-fact conversations and little jokes happening. Thankfully, I had Colin there to talk to so I could feel like one of the gang rather than the human who was cut open.
Lesson here: Be prepared to find out how doctors and nurses interact socially during common surgeries. Rest assured that you may hear things from your doctor, such as "Your insides look really healthy and great!", that will actually make you feel a little better about what is going on around you.
5. The first 12-24 hours after surgery are deceptive.
Even though I could move my legs a few hours after surgery, I was still numb. The anesthesia is combined with pain meds and I was quite comfortable following surgery. Actually, I did not experience any pain around my incision and in my stomach despite having several layers of my body cut open, a baby pulled out, and a tubal ligation. I was so impressed with how I was handling all of this. Then the next afternoon happened. A little over 18 hours post-surgery, the pain set in. Oh, I am not so tough after all. Percocet please!
Lesson here: Enjoy the deceptive hours after surgery when you feel comfortable. Not to freak anyone out, but I have a pretty high pain tolerance and the pain since has been pretty brutal.
6. Be kind to your body. After all, you have endured a lot.
My doctor told me the tubal would not affect my recovery. That being said, I thought there was something seriously wrong once the pain set in. Perhaps my memory from my first c-section is a bit fuzzy, but I don't remember it hurting so much. I mean, I went to a concert five days post-surgery! Here I am, ten days post-surgery, and I am still in pain. Fortunately, several nurses confirmed that many patients have expressed that the tubal does make a difference in the pain levels during recovery.
Lesson here: This too shall pass. However, don't be scared to take your pain meds. I am on my second prescription, but I requested a more mellow pain reliever and I am only taking them at night so I can function during the day as best as I can.
7. Be flexible about giving birth.
Even though scheduled c-sections are more common nowadays for a variety of reasons, I believe that most women imagine experiencing childbirth the way the body intended. Rather than dwell on the fact I was robbed of this opportunity because I got sick with Jackson (and I was unwilling to brave the risks of a VBAC), I have to accept that this was my path. Sure, I did not endure hours of labor and the pain of natural childbirth, but I did get a taste of it this time around. As I was on the monitor waiting for my c-section I was having pretty considerable contractions. The way I look at it, I am enduring the majority of my pain after delivery rather than during delivery.
Lesson here: No matter how it happens, you have grown a human and given them life by having them taken out of your body. I don't believe that there is a big conspiracy in the medical community and that doctors are incentivized if they can get more patients to deliver surgically. If you feel that is the case, you have chosen the wrong doctor. Childbirth is unpredictable and can be risky; consider being flexible about how it happens and just be happy that everyone is alive and well when it is over.
Besides, according to several labor and delivery nurses I have met, this is truth:
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