Positive c-section at Royal Preston Hospital
Hi everyone, I wanted to write out my recent experience of c-section at Royal Preston Hospital in the hopes it gives some assurance or context for anyone else, as I used this sub extensively through my pregnancy and learnt so much from everyone, and hope to pay it forward somehow. ✨
Sorry it’s long! And if I’ve missed anything please blame newborn brain 🥴🙃
Background:
I elected for a c-section from the moment my pregnancy was confirmed viable at my 6 week scan (IVF pregnancy after 5 years TTC). Whilst my initial booking in appointment in Preston was delayed, everything else since under the hospital trust and local midwife team’s care has been really positive.
C-section prep:
In the days prior to my c-section I had to take the below (which was given to me at my final hospital consultation the week before):
- specific antacid tablets (omeprazole once a day for two days prior)
- an anti-sickness tablet the day before
- plus the pre-load drinks day before / morning of procedure to supplement meals and reduce nausea after the procedure. (The drinks tastes of nothing at all (bland!) so nothing to worry about if you’re wondering!)
C-section day:
My c-section was scheduled for the afternoon (I was informed via Badger App a week before) so my partner and I arrived at the Delivery Suite for 12:30pm. After a brief wait in a small waiting room initially, me and my other half were set up in a private room with a bed and chair and rested there between separate consultations and paperwork with the anaesthetist, midwife and surgeon over the span of an hour or so. Everyone was really friendly and accomodating and gave us chance to ask questions in each consultation. We then knew our approx time to head to theatre (3pm), so just chilled out as best as we could.
After changing into our gowns and me with my slippers we walked to theatre together with the midwife and met the full surgical team of smiling faces. This was about 3pm. We were again talked through every step as it happened from the cannula, spinal etc. I was gently laid down on the table and we put on our music playlist too. My partner stayed by my side throughout. There was a lovely buzz in the room as everyone was so positive and communicative. There was lots of preparation, and the surgical team setting up, including shaving me down there (I hadn’t seen what was going on down there for a long time so god knows what they had to deal with! 😂)
Baby’s birth:
Before we knew it after about 10 minutes of the surgical team working away, including sucking out the extra fluid I knew I was carrying in my womb, I finally heard my baby’s cry for the first time, and the curtain was dropped whilst one of my favourite songs played in the background 🥰 he was born at 15:56. It was such a blur in retrospect!
My partner and I cried as we saw his little face for the first time, and the midwife team helped take lots of photos of the baby as he emerged whilst me and my partner were just in awe and in shock.
We were really looked after by the team, I was sewn back up (I was in a baby daze I didn’t notice anything) and baby was placed on my chest for cuddles and loads more photos kindly taken by the midwives.
Recovery:
Then I was being wheeled to the recovery ward for immediate checks, my toast 🙌 and compression socks added to my very numb legs. I had my cannula still attached and a blood pressure sensor on my finger too. It felt very weird not being able to move or feel my legs 😩
After what felt like 15 mins I was wheeled to the maternity ward to find a cubicle for the night. Our ward was thankfully quiet, just one other couple in their cubicle.
The njght’s stay:
We had our bags out (I was in such a daze I don’t remember how they got there!) and made ourselves comfortable, with baby in his little bassinet. I was checked over every 15 mins by different midwives for the first hour or so, then about every 30 mins next hour or so. I had my pads changed regularly as I was bleeding, my blood pressure taken etc. I was also offered pain relief (morphine) when the anaesthetic wore off which I gladly took. I kept on top of the midwives to keep asking for this, the ward was short staffed and I did have to keep chasing up my pain relief a few times.
At one point late in the night a midwife helped me to the toilet in our ward for a shower, and to try wee. I had to wee in a small cardboard container and I had to pull the emergency bathroom cord once I’d filled it, to bring a nurse out as they had to see I had wee’d.
Our first night I didn’t sleep lots as I was admitedly uncomfortable from the cannula/legs slowly recovering from spinal etc, and because I was in awe of our little one and obsessing over his every breath.
my partner was able to sleep next to me on a fold out chair in our little cubicle. Really private and relatively quiet, dare I say calming?!
The next morning:
The next day I had breakfast and lunch from the catering at the hospital, and my partner headed home briefly, when he came back baby had his checks with the midwife and we just had to have a final assessment with a midwife at the bedside before we could leave. We left around 3pm and headed home to enjoy our newborn bubble!
All in all I have such wonderful memories of my c-section experience. I’m recovering well now and loving being a mum.
Best of luck to everyone approaching their baby’s birth! 💜