First Prenatal Appointment

~Jennifer - posted on 12/19/2009

I had a spinal block with my second C-Section - it was much more effective than the epidural I had with the first c-section, and the numbness didn't last as long as it did with the epidural....that might be a good option to talk to your doctor about.

Mel - posted on 12/19/2009

I havent even had any appointments yet nor made any but I hope whatever happens it goes well

Sharon - posted on 12/18/2009

You had a shitty anesthesiologist.

My back seriously fucked up. But all three of my epidurals were just fine.

My third epidural was done by a moron. At first it only affected half my body and the nurse says "well lets roll you on you side, you know, gravity." REALLY? You fucktard.

I looked at her and said "get that anesthesiologist back here". I did lay on my side and it didn't do jack shit.

I also told her, "I am not paying for a service I didn't recieve. Iam going to be billed for an epidural to stop pain, and you haven't done that."

So dickhead comes back and blows a massive amount of the anesthetic into the drip cath ad WHAMMO I can't feel shitola. My legs were like massive amounts of meat.

It was overkill.

Anyway - crappy anesthetists are out there.

Mary - posted on 12/18/2009

Couple of thoughts...
Chances are, unless you have horrible scoliosis or other significant back issues, your next epidural should work just fine. The hardest thing for people to understand is that it is all done by feel...and placement is a bit of an educated crap shoot. Sadly, an epidural's efficacy is directly dependent on it's placement. Even when it is in the right place initially, the tiniest shift in placement (not wholly uncommon in labor) can effect how well (and where) it works. If Brayden was a section for true fetal distress, they just didn't have the time to screw around with replacing and dosing the epidural - general is the quickest method. Here in MD, they typically do spinal-epidurals for scheduled sections...a spinal is less difficult to place, and give a better block, although it does have a limited duration. They give you a spinal dose, and then place the epidual catheter for post-op pain management. Something to look into to see if that is an option where you are delivering (you can typically request a pre-op consult with anesthesia if you have concerns).

Second thought - most women find the recovery from a scheduled C/S much easier for the simple reason that they are not physically exhasted and depleted from laboring for hours first. It's a less stress on you, and your uterus.

Third - I was 37 when I conceived, and 38 when I delivered. My husband was 42. I had no testing. Although the quad screen is better at predicting Down's than the the old triple, it is not perfect. I too, knew that I would not be willing to have an amnio d/t both my history, and that small risk of miscarriage. It may be rare, but I have seen it happen, and once was one too many times for me. I also knew that for me, I wouldn't terminate, so what was the point? Another occupational hazard is that I personally have delivered 3 undiagnosed Down's babies...and all 3 had the 1st trimester screening, and all 3 had been negative.

Krista, I agree - having a baby under general, without your husband there, is about as bad as it gets. I'm sure it was necessary, but I would be heartbroken as well. I wish you a MUCH better birth experience this time - fate sort of owes you =)

Krista - posted on 12/18/2009

My only fear with this c-section is that I'm going to have to be put completely under again. I feel like I got ripped off from hearing my son's first cries and being able to see him right away. It's sad to say, but in the NICU for the first time, I didn't even know who my own baby was because I was so drugged that I couldn't get a clear look at him. I don't want that again.
As for my recovery....I was up and at it the very next day with Brayden. I had to be. He was in the NICU and I was in the maternity ward. I was avid about breastfeeding so they would call my room every 3 hours to wake me up and make my way there to feed him. The pain was intense (I let my husband go home to take care of the animals), but it had to be done. I think if that hadn't happened, my recovery would have been worse.
Another thing that worries me is that Brayden is a HUGE mama's boy. The kid jumps on me all the time. I'm afraid about him wanting me to pick him up and lay him on my stomach and what not. I guess I'll have to take it as it comes.

JL - posted on 12/18/2009

I was told to have an elective C-section with my second because of the way things went down with my first pregnancy, which I had to have an emergency C-section with my first one. From my expereince with both my C-sections...the second was better and I recovered much faster. I think it was because I was aware of what was going to happen and I as well as the doctors were prepared for it since it was not an emergency but an elective one. I got to pick the date and my husband was able to come in. I got to talk thoroughly with all the nurses and docs who would be there that day before hand. So I was very comfortable throughout the C-section. I joked around and had full on conversations with the docs while they were doing the C-section. Just knowing how it goes down and what to expect made a HUGE difference. I was not sick afterward like with the first. I was in pain but felt so much better and I was up and moving around the next morning and by the next evening I was walking around making the rounds in the OBGYN unit.

Krista - posted on 12/18/2009

I'm actually living in a totally different city now so I'm definitely going to be at a different hospital with a different anesthesiologist. I'm also considering going to a chiropractor just before my due date, which if there's one good thing, it's that I'll know WHEN I'm having the baby and having my spine aligned. This way, it can't be that my back is screwed. :)

Dana - posted on 12/18/2009

Ahh well, shit I can't help with anything.lol I think I do remember reading your c-section experience somewhere now. That does blow. Can you go to a different hospital or find out if they've got a different anesthesiologist? The epidural part is scary enough as it is, no need to make it worse by unneeded worry of incompetence. I also say fuck that to the testing. It does seems to have too many of false positive results and I feel the same way as you, I'll take what I get and move on thank you.

Krista - posted on 12/18/2009

Yes, I had a c-section with Brayden due to fetal distress. I was also induced. It was probably the worst c-section performed, which is why I'm bummed. The epidural didn't work for me (not sure if it was done wrong or if my spine was wrong...lol) and so I had to be completely put under. Kevin was NOT allowed to be in there with me, either.
As for the birth defect testing. I live in Canada...home of free shit. It's basically a service they provide so that you're fully aware of what you're getting into. I just don't like the false positive rate because if you test positive, you then go for an amniocentesis, which carries a miscarriage rate. You can definitely take thyroid medication while pregnant, it's completely safe. We're unsure right now if it's severe enough for that, but that's why we're getting more tests done.

Dana - posted on 12/18/2009

Have you had a C-section before? Don't be bummed, I'm sure everything will be fine. I've had one so if you're new to them I can help with any questions you may have and if I can't then I'm sure Mary can! Why do they want to do prenatal birth defect testing? Do you have risk factors? Will you be able to take anything for the thyroid or is there anything you can do naturally to help activate that sucker?