If you had a bad labor followed by c-section for your first

[sonrisa]

And are deciding between a VBAC or scheduled c-section for the second:

I can't personally speak to a VBAC. There are definite advantages to a successful VBAC, especially if you want many kids.  

I can say that a scheduled c-section recovery is sooooo much better than an emergency c-section recovery after a long, hard labor. My first was born on Nov. 19th. This one was born Dec. 17th. I felt better with less pain and greater mobility on Christmas Eve this time than last time - even though I was seven days post-partuum instead of 5 to 6 weeks. 

Even my kid is doing better: Since she wasn't contorted and compressed for 40 hours, she doesn't have the same musculoskeletal issues and can nurse better. Better nursing means better sleeping and happier baby :-)

[Amy]

Thanks for this - I had an awful recovery from my first, unplanned c/s and am super hopeful that this 2nd one will be better

[starlily]

I'm really glad you had a better experience this time around.

[Deleted]

Glad to hear that. I had an emergency C section with my second, as she had turned head up and had her cord wrapped tightly around her neck while I was in labor (labored until I was at an 8 or 9 before they did the section) and am having a scheduled C section this time and wondered how it would compare.

[sonrisa]

Dec 28, 2013 16:43:10 GMT -5 starlily said:

I'm really glad you had a better experience this time around.

Thanks!  I am too. I feel like it was almost therapy and exorcized some of my left over demons from last time. 

[dukesilver]

I'm so glad to hear this. I had an unplanned c section 9 days ago, and while I'm actually feeling pretty good, I've already been wondering how I will proceed should DH and I decide to have another child. Not to mention some of the emotional toll the c section has taken on me. I'm glad your experience this time has been a good one.

[sonrisa]

Dec 28, 2013 16:54:04 GMT -5 dukesilver said:

Not to mention some of the emotional toll the c section has taken on me.  

Last time left me with a lot of emotional baggage (as is obvious to anyone who has seen my posts about it). I feel like this cleaned that up. My body might not be capable of birthing a child. Thanks to modern medicine, I still get to be a great mother to two wonderful girls :-)

[sonrisa]

Dec 28, 2013 16:59:13 GMT -5 gravytrain225 said:

Good! How long after your csection were you able to hold her and such?

I told them I wanted delayed cord cutting, only as much evaluation as was medically necessary, then skin to skin. They accommodated all my wishes.

I heard her yelping. DH helped cut the cord, they checked for signs of distress or other trouble then plunked her right on my chest, under my gown, to snuggle while they put me back together. So a few minutes if we count from point of exit but about an hour before the actual surgery was completed. The pediatrician finished the check up (weight, length, etc.) after I was done, but they skipped the bath until overnight :-)

[sonrisa]

Dec 28, 2013 17:09:56 GMT -5 gravytrain225 said:

Dec 28, 2013 17:06:37 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

I told them I wanted delayed cord cutting, only as much evaluation as was medically necessary, then skin to skin. They accommodated all my wishes.

I heard her yelping. DH helped cut the cord, they checked for signs of distress or other trouble then plunked her right on my chest, under my gown, to snuggle while they put me back together. So a few minutes if we count from point of exit but about an hour before the actual surgery was completed. The pediatrician finished the check up (weight, length, etc.) after I was done, but they skipped the bath until overnight :-)

And then were you with her from then on?  Did they make you go to recovery alone or anything?

We were never out of the same room except the heel prick for the genetic testing (they wheeled her into the hall by the doorway and DH went with). For about 23 hours and 50 minutes a day, I could hold her all I wanted. 10 minutes a day of pediatrician check ups in room with me.

[sonrisa]

Dec 28, 2013 17:22:04 GMT -5 gravytrain225 said:

Dec 28, 2013 17:15:15 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

We were never out of the same room except the heel prick for the genetic testing (they wheeled her into the hall by the doorway and DH went with). For about 23 hours and 50 minutes a day, I could hold her all I wanted. 10 minutes a day of pediatrician check ups in room with me.

Can I ask one more question?  Last time, Ethan was in the NICU for my entire stay.  I had a c-section, and I seriously can't imagine having a baby in the room with me while trying to recover myself.  Was it hard having the baby with you?  I don't think you would be up to do doing diaper change and stuff, who did them?  Did you feel rested enough with having the baby in the room with you?

DH also roomed with us. He or the nurses did all the diaper changes. All I did was nurse, sleep, cuddle, and take medication. I would have missed her if she was elsewhere :-) However, some hospitals have well baby nurseries where you can send the baby if you need a break. 

[speckledfrog]

Dec 28, 2013 16:43:10 GMT -5 starlily said:

I'm really glad you had a better experience this time around.

This is exactly what I was going to say.  I am just so fucking happy for you.   

[Yankees21]

I'm only on my first, but remember how concerned you were, so I'm so glad things went better this time around.

[sporklemotion]

Congrats sonrisa-- I am so glad it went better for you this time! I am also happy to hear your LO is doing well, and I hope things stay great.

We are probably one and done (I can't really imagine another for a while and I am seriously AMA so I can't afford to wait much longer if we were to try) but I did think about this in the unlikely event we try for two. My OB pretty much said he'd recommend a repeat c-section because of the difficulties we had this time. My recovery has been relatively easy so far, but the birth itself was rough, both physically and emotionally. I do think, in my case, the actual c-section was only part of the issue-- the overnight labor and 3+ hours of pushing before the section took a lot out of me.

gravytrain225: I saw the baby over the curtain as soon as she came out and DH took and brought me pictures to look at while they sewed me up. I held her as soon as I got into recovery and did skin to skin there-- maybe an hour after she came out? I was pretty out of it during the surgery, though, so it was fine for me to have that delay. She came right up to the room with me and stayed there. She did spend some time in the nursery the first night-- they said it was because she was gasping on saliva when lying on her back and needed someone to stay up and watch her. I'm not sure if this was the "real" reason or if it was because DH and I has been up for almost 2 days at that point and needed some sleep.
She was with us for most of the hospital stay. I got lots of help from DH and the nurses, especially the first two days. Initially, all I did was hold her a bit and nurse her, and other people brought her to me, burped her, changed her, and swaddled her. As time elapsed and I gained strength I started to do more to care for her, but it wasn't until the last day or so that I would pick her up, nurse and Change her, and put her back into her bassinet without someone nearby to take over if need be.

[Deleted]

Sonrisa-- you are do lucky that you were with her constantly. What a wonderful hospital to allow that! I had to sit in recovery by myself the entire time and didn't get to hold her until I was out. It stunk.

[JayhawkGirl]

Dec 28, 2013 16:50:45 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

Dec 28, 2013 16:43:10 GMT -5 starlily said:

I'm really glad you had a better experience this time around.

Thanks!  I am too. I feel like it was almost therapy and exorcized some of my left over demons from last time. 

I agree completely! My first was 3.5 hours of pushing then a cs. Hellish recovery. This time has been light years better, even though I've been far more active than I should be so soon due to family stuff.

I'm so glad you've had a better experience and I agree, scheduled csections are so, so much better recovery wise.

[Jalapeñomel]

God sonrisa I'm so happy for you that this delivery went so much better than the last one.

[MrsAxilla]

I opted for the C the second time (I labored for 24 hours after an induction the first time). I just didn't want to go through all that again. As it turn out, she was lodged weird, so I would have needed a C anyway. So glad I didn't try to VBAC just to end up with another ER C. Like sonrisa said, between DH and the nurses, all I had to do was rest, nurse, and cuddle. When DH had to leave to see our son, he had the nurses check on me more often. They'll hand you the baby, put it back in the bassinet, change diapers, swaddle, fetch you water, help you to the bathroom - the nurses are really great.

[pescalita]

sonrisa I'm so glad it went well!

Like MrsA, I chose RCS just because I had done 22 hours of induced labor and just didn't feel the need to do it again. J was 1.5 lbs bigger with a huge head, so I'm confident it was the right decision. Even after losing a liter of blood in recovery, I felt better quicker with #2 (first day was about the same).

gravytrain225 In both surgeries MrP followed the baby to get weighed and stuff, then brought them back in and he held them while we "met", they hung out a little bit and then left again while I was stitched up. A was taken to the NICU, and J was given right to me in recovery. MrP held onto him for awhile when I lost the blood and they were getting that stopped, but he was with us the whole time. We all roomed together and MrP took on most of the baby care, I nursed, held him some while MrP slept. I only took care of myself (bathroom/cleaning up) or worked on walking around when I was out of bed in the hospital. I didn't get super great rest, between hormones, being too hot, nurses and assistants and whoever else trapsing in at all hours. Plus J just didn't sleep well in the hospital bassinet. We sent him to the nursery the last night to get some rest.

When we had A I remember thinking how weird it was that people had babies and they were just perfectly healthy and went to the room with them and stuff. I was a little freaked out about it TBH, but it went well.

[pacificrules]

I'm really glad to hear this. I had an (unplanned, but not emergency) c-section the first time, much to my disappointment. I had a lot of emotional baggage after that and felt like a failure. I thought for sure I'd be passionate about a vbac, but now that I'm pregnant I feel really torn and 'blah' about the decision.

[willrun4wine]

this is good to hear, I am really scared to have another. Congrats & enjoy every second!!! 

[runblondie26]

Aww, I'm so glad it went smoothly for you and you're feeling good. I know you had expressed anxiety going into it.

I 100% agree with you. The second time was so calm and easy compared to the the chaos of an emergency csection.

[statlerwaldorf]

Dec 28, 2013 20:50:27 GMT -5 @mjmksb04 said:

Sonrisa-- you are do lucky that you were with her constantly. What a wonderful hospital to allow that! I had to sit in recovery by myself the entire time and didn't get to hold her until I was out. It stunk.

This is how it was when I had DD.  I had issues with my blood pressure and it was 12 hours later until I was able to hold her and try to nurse.  I have moved and am so happy that the hospital here does not separate mom from the baby during recovery.