Having a Scheduled C -section? Relax it’s not that scary.

What to expect when you’re having a scheduled C-section? I hear loads of people ask this. Women who are pregnant, women who are afraid of the what ifs and women who just wanted to be curious.

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Our second babies birth story was happening during the beginning of the 2020 Pandemic.

I was about three weeks out from my due date. We had a scheduled c-section for the 20th. People during this time just was unsure exactly how to treat this new virus because it had taken over quiet suddenly. I had a friend over seas in Italy and they were on mandatory lock down orders for already two weeks.

Flights were being canceled. Vacation plans were being postponed. Anything you had plans for were suddenly having to be canceled. Luckily, my sister and I had just had our baby showers before the no group gathering had gone into effect.

(We were only 2 months apart. Plus my brother just had his baby a few weeks ago. We couldn’t have planned it if we tried. Talk about our mom getting grandbabies all at once.)

I was still working out during my fit boxing classes and Brazilian jiu jitus. And I was coming up on the last week before I deliver.

Having a baby is one thing, adding in this whole uncertain pandemic is another.

When you plan for a schedule c-section, it may sound like the scariest thing you have to do. But honestly, it went pretty smoothly.

Why are we having a scheduled c-section?

Because why not! ( That’s what I said to some people who were being more hypocritical then concern) But truthfully, everyone has there reasons and you should respect the parents decision.

Our reason was because I had complications last time and resulted in a c-section, it’s for the best health reasons that we just schedule to have a c-section this time around.

What to expect for a scheduled c-section?

I must have searched that question alot before going in. But to my surprise, my experience was better then the stories I read.

When you’re planning a c-section, you will have your baby at 39 weeks instead of 40. This is so you don’t go into labor before your scheduled date. It would kinda defeat the purpose.

Your last check-up appointment at the doctor’s office will be when you schedule the date to have your baby. (Surgery)

After picking the date, you will sign paperwork, and will be given the time to come in for surgery. Mine was at 5’clock in the morning. Which compared to last time, sounded a whole lot better then showing up at midnight.

Since we are having a baby during a pandemic, we were only allowed one visitor to come in after delivery. We was also allowed only one support person, which was obviously going to be my handsome man. Neither people could have sick symptoms or a fever, or they wouldn’t be allowed in. 

Showing up for our Scheduled C-section

It’s 5’clock in the morning. I’m hungry, nervous, and I have to pee for the 3rd time since I woke up. But, we are going to have a baby today!

  We get our temperatures checked as soon as we walk in and we fill out a checklist asking if we have any symptoms or have been traveling. After we check no for all questions, we get a little sticker saying we are all clear, and preceded to the elevators towards the baby delivery floor.

When we get to our room, we fill out more paperwork, stuff like our information, babies name information, and provide more nitty gritty information.

Once we finish with all that fun stuff, I’m to change into the nurse gown, and get my iv line set up so I can start fluids before surgery. They gave me two big bags, plus a small one to finish off before my actual surgery took place.

(I was also pricked a couple times before they could find a vein. I’m thinking this had to do with me getting iron supplements through the iv for 2x a week for 6 weeks straight and my veins was just getting tired of being pricked.)

Off to Surgery! A.K.A. Time to have a baby!!

So, for this part, handsome will come in later after all the prep work as been done.

I get wheeled into the (cold) surgery room. Everything is silver and shiny and cold. They even said it’s chiller then normal in here. Just my luck.

This was my second time to be this room. Last time I was already high on pain killers and was ready to have my first baby already. This time, I still have my wits about me and I have to get the spinal tap. (Epicudual)

Normally, getting told to sit and hug a pillow so my back is a little round would be easy, and last time I had no problem, but this time I guess I was bigger then before and it was hard. I had to sit a little differently to get into position for the spinal tap because I just couldn’t breathe in the other one. (Thanks baby bump)

If you like to see and hear all the details, they are happy to tell you what they are going to be doing before doing it. Me, I’d rather not see the needle and just let the nurse do his thing and numb me. Literally all over, you will be numb. You will barley be able to lift your arms. You will now be laying down and begin to get prep for surgery.

If you are thinking about the “what if I can still feel” they will double check before the doctor comes in and the doctor will make sure you can’t feel anything also. Now I will say this, you will still feel the tugging and pulling but as for the pain, you shouldn’t feel it. And if you start to, tell them, they can pump more medicine into you.

At this point, I felt like throwing up but without anything coming up, hence the no eating before surgery rule. Sometimes the medicine does this. After a few hacks of nothing, I started to go back to normal.

After they prep my belly, washed, sertizled the area, and covered the area with a surgery drape, it was time for my handsome to come in. Also for the doctor to come and begin surgery.

Cutting, birthing a baby!

Ok, so before I go into the nitty gritty of having a c-section, if you don’t know me already, I used to be a Veterinary Technician for a long time and the process of spaying a female dog is very similar to humans getting a c-section. So, in my mind, I was just going through the steps.

First, the skin layer gets cut, followed by the muscle layer and final layer to the inside. (By the way, I was very happy when my doctor cut down to the muscle layer and said “Boy, would you look at those Abs” ) I was very pleased with myself for staying with my workout routines. They also made me feel better after I did them. Now back to surgery.

Next, they will remove your bladder out of the way. (Not removal from body, just move over to the side.)

Cut open your uterus and fish for baby. You will most definitely feel this, it’s not pain, but pressure that you will be feeling. And depending on how baby is positioned, it will be a little or a lot. My luck, I had a lot of pressure and felt like they were up by my lungs, making it hard to breathe for a bit.

After that uneasy pressure, tugging feeling, a baby is born!

Half way done with surgery!

My dear Macey didn’t waste a minute to start telling us how she felt about getting pulled from mommas belly.

She literally cried the entire time I was getting cleaned and stitched up. You have so many emotions going through you at this point. I think the only time you are happy to hear a baby scream and cry is during this time. Reassuring you that baby is ok.

After your baby is out and breathing air instead of fluid, that’s really the only thing you are thinking about. Besides the obvious, when can you hold your baby.

It may take 40 minutes after getting stitched, cleaned up, and wheeled back to your room before you can actually hold your new bundle of joy. I think it was an whole hour before I could hold my sweet Macey in my arms and do skin to skin with her. Right after she was born, I started to have the whole “going into labor symptoms” so  I had to wait. I would get freezing chills, then get all hot afterwards, and uncontrollable shaking. It was ruff but it only lasted 15 minutes. After that I got to finally give comfort to my new sweet baby girl.

Recovery Time

This time around, I received a special bandaging placed on the incision area. It had a pump that created a suction and it helped me feel like my guts wasn’t going to fall out. You only have to wear it for a week, then it’ll be removed. So I would suggest having a robe or pajama’s with a pocket to hold it better.

That’s pretty much all you have to expect when you’re planning to have a Scheduled C-Section.

I’d be happy to answer any of your questions below.

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