Hey everyone. I have a slight problem. I am approx. 33 weeks and
I AM SCARED TO DEATH!!! As of today, we are thinking that I may need a c-section. I have all types of scenarios going through my head and sometimes I cannot get rid of this sense of doom. I feel like something is going to go wrong. I haven't talked to my dr about it but everywhere I have read, I have mainly seen that everything is going to be okay. I keep telling myself that women give birth every day and nothing happens to them. I guess it is just a matter of trusting my dr and the hospital that I will be at. The thought of a c-section scares the crap out of me also. I keep going back and forth as to which one I would rather have, a c-section or a natural birth. As of right now, I have marginal placenta previa so it is not really possible for me to have a natural birth. I don't really have a choice. I think I am just scared b/c I have never really had any type of surgery except for having my wisdom teeth taken out. I don't like the idea of being awake while ppl are cutting on me but I want to be awake to see my baby. Can anyone give me any words of encouragement or share their POSITIVE stories of c-sections? I read on one post where a ladys epi wore off. I DID not need to read that.
Thanks for any and all help.
Brandi
__________________
"I do not regret the things I've done, but those that I did not do"-- Lucas, Empire Records
Last edited by may/junemom2be; 04-12-2006 at 03:34 AM.
Many women with marginal previas can and do delivery vaginally. It depends how much of the placenta is intruding over the lower uterine segment and/or cervix. I've seen doctors let women try to labor, and wait and see how things go. If there is much active bleeding, they will call a halt to things and do a C/Section then. But I've probably seen more women with MARGINAL previas deliver vaginally than not--it all depends on how bad it is.
If you do have a C/S, rest assured that the VAST majority go smoothly. You often hear about the horror stories, b/c if someone has a bad experience, it helps them to talk about it. But the vast, vast, vast majority are accomplished without much discomfort during surgery. Painless? I can't say that--during a vag delivery there is often a lot of discomfort, too. But during a C/S the moments of discomfort are brief for the most part. If, after the baby is born, you ARE in great discomfort, THEN you can be given as much pain relieving medications (and even "put to sleep" then) as necessary so you don't hurt.
So, yes--you will hear women talk of how horrible it was for them, but please remember that this is NOT the norm. No matter how many women someone tells you they know of that suffered horribly--MOST DON'T.
After surgery, it's like recovering from any other surgery. Yes, you will be sore, AND you will be learning to breastfeed/bottlefeed so you may be sorer than the average surgical patient. But there are medications available to you that are quite safe to use while breastfeeding. Don't be afraid to take something.
Calm down! LOL. I had a section with my son 7 years ago and it went great. I will also be getting one in November when I deliver my second and last baby. First they numbed my back up a bit so that it would not hurt when they did the spinal. I was then given the spinal and the anesthiologist? was fantastic! I did not feel a thing. You go into the operating room where they perform the section. I think the whole thing took 20 minutes maybe. I only felt some tugging, but NO pain. You are numb from your lower chest to your feet; that was what scared me the most. I felt what it was like to be paralyzed. It's an awful scary feeling, at least for me. As you go into the recovery room - alot of woman(including myself) will have the shakes. I had this big time, but was assured it was completely normal. You're there for about an hour and you go back into your room. I think my healing time took me two weeks or so. I"m a big baby anyway. I know woman who had sections who are up the next day - HA! Not me!! LOL. So please don't be scared. The majority go so smoothly and do a search on here and read of others experiences. It might help. I'm confident that there are more positive ones than negative.
You are going to be just fine I had a C-section with my Daughter 2 years ago now and every thing went great ! It was actually really neat being awake during the process. I too had never had any type of surgery (except teeth) before the section. They give you the Spinal, you are extremly numb and make dang sure you are titally numb . They put up a curtain so you can not see anything and then they start. The surgery just feels like a lot of tugging and pulling. Does not hurt. Before you know it, it is all over. I personally thought the whole process was rather neat. The only down side is not being able to hold your baby right away. You can touch them but my husband held her and I just touched her I was in recoivery for 45 min's and then brought back up to my room to my husband and baby, then I got to hold her. I was not tired at all either till that night. The incision is a bad pain when trying to get in and out of chairs and Bed and in and out of Cars. Laughing too. You really do not realize how many stomache muscles you use for all of that. !! All in all my experience was great There are always going to be bad stories about everything, do not let that worry you. I am going in for another c-section with this baby.
Good luck to you and please do not be scared
It'll be fine!! Hopefully, like others have said, if your previa is marginal enough, you'll be able to deliver vaginally, but just remember that a lot of women are CHOOSING to have c-sections these days!! My sister in law had to have one, as my nephew was breech, but I was in the room with her the WHOLE time and everthing went great. The best thing for you to do would be to discuss your concerns with your doctor; he/she can give you SO much more information/advice than we can! But good luck with everything!!
You should discuss your fears with your doctor. But not to worry most c-sections go fine. I had an emergency one 5 years ago and found it wasn't nearly as bad as everyone made it sound.
Get out your DVR, Tivo, or VCR and start taping all those shows on TLC and Disovery Health (Baby Story, Birth Day, etc.) and then watch them. There is at least one woman per show (it seems, anyway) that has a c-section (and usually quite a few with placenta problems, too!). It will give you a different perspective and allow you to see how even though different docs do somethings slightly different, most of it is pretty textbook.
Thank you everyone for your advice and help. I found out today that I will definitely be having a c-section. I am going to talk to my dr. but everyone's encouragement is really helpful. It helps ease my mind. Do they give you a local or general anesthesia? Did anyone have the choice of veiwing their c-section?
Brandi
__________________
"I do not regret the things I've done, but those that I did not do"-- Lucas, Empire Records
Scared...Need Encouragement 
I had a C-section with my Daughter 2 years ago now and every thing went great ! It was actually really neat being awake during the process. I too had never had any type of surgery (except teeth) before the section. They give you the Spinal, you are extremly numb and make dang sure you are titally numb . They put up a curtain so you can not see anything and then they start. The surgery just feels like a lot of tugging and pulling. Does not hurt. Before you know it, it is all over. I personally thought the whole process was rather neat. The only down side is not being able to hold your baby right away. You can touch them but my husband held her and I just touched her
