General Anesthesia C-section anyone?

I had a spinal for my c section. I was awake for it all, didn’t feel a thing and got to be awake and present for my baby being delivered so I knew he was healthy and safe. I think your thinking is a bit narrow minded. Imagine carrying a baby for all that time, having to undergo major surgery and being asleep for it? Not knowing if something went wrong, if your baby had to be taken away etc. you’d have no idea until you woke up confused and still under the influence of the anaesthetic. I’d take being awake over that anyday! There was nothing traumatic about my section at all and it was an emergency one after my labour didn’t progress. Everyone is different in what suits them to! ☺️

I didn’t have a choice in mine as the epidural nearly killed us both and they had no clue what was happening so rushed me in and put me to sleep, at the time you don’t think about it it but looking back on it was the cause of my ppd as I had no idea what happened in the birthday and his dad wasn’t there it was very traumatic I wouldn’t recommend

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I’m so sorry you had to go through this 😔

I know on the face of it it seems really scary the thought of being awake but honestly I much preferred knowing what was going on (mine was a cat 1 emergency so there was alot of activity in the room!) - it’s not as bad as you think if that makes sense. You don’t have to see any of what’s going on. It’s sort of like having a tooth pulled, you can feel the sensation but no pain and usually the staff are distracting you anyway :) it’s far better to try and do without general risk wise

I had mine under GA,again not my choice but we both came out of it absolutely fine!

When you have a local anaesthetic you can’t feel anything but you get to witness the birth of your baby ! 🥰 I personally couldn’t think of anything more traumatic then being asleep for that.

I had an emergency c-section when my labour wasn't progressing, I wouldn't say the experience of the actual surgery was traumatic at all, for me it was the recovery I found difficult, which would be the same regardless of being awake or asleep for it. The thought of not seeing my baby straight away through my own choice would be harder for me. I think it's just down to the individual and their choices or past experiences x

Idk it wasn’t traumatic at all for me. I think being awake has benefits for baby not just mom! The baby is so brand new and has never been away from mom and that’s all they know. Your baby can’t be with you if you are unconscious and that early contact can be so beneficial for bonding and for the regulation of babies breathing, heart rate, and temperature. If you choose to breastfeed, being awake and able to initiate that as soon as possible after birth really increases breastfeeding success.

I was very worried about surgery but ultimately it wasn’t so scary! It was an unplanned c section. They have a curtain up and you can’t feel much. Your partner can hold your hand the whole time. For me, there is nothing like hearing your baby cry for the first time. I cried my eyes out. You also want that immediate skin to skin for bonding and to help with nursing, if that is your plan. I wouldn’t miss it!

I didn’t opt for GA because I was afraid of not waking up. Its a preference some people want GA some don’t. But i had to be put under because of complications so. It wasn’t by choice.

I had a cat 1 emergency c-section and honestly was thankful there wasn't anytime for a spinal and I was put under anaesthetic I was sad not to see my beautiful little girl as soon as she was born or hear her first cry but I was shaking with fear and was panicking about if she would be okay or not so for me it was the best thing ever! Sadly it was so rushed by the time my partner got his scrubs on she was already born and had someone asking for his phone to get photos but he knew it was the best thing for our daughter and reassures me daily of how proud he is of me for going through it ❤️ Please if you want to talk feel free to message me P.s you're definitely not selfish for this!

From I had researched- I had a friend that went under GA while I had not- there’s a lot more risk with being fully under. Moms that went under experienced more blood loss, had higher risk of ppd and other things. You don’t see your baby for quite a while and even then you do you’re so groggy you aren’t all that coherent. My friend does not even remember the day her baby was born. The procedure is the same whether you’re awake or not. So your intestines still get rearranged. When you’re awake they have a shade so you don’t see anything if that’s something you were concerned about. I wouldn’t call it selfish. If you don’t have the desire to be awake and don’t particularly care to hold your baby after they are born that’s your choice. There’s nothing nightmare like that happens during the procedure. It’s actually very calm and you can just chat with your partner during the procedure. I’ve had 3 c-sections. My friend said that he GA c-section was very traumatic for her.

Also to add, your partner cannot be in the room when you have GA. I personally do not do well under GA. I panic as I’m going down and again as I’m waking up. It’s just not for me

I don’t think (in the UK anyway) it’s common to be put under general anaesthetic as there are a lot more risks that come with it, so it’s not preferred unless it’s really needed!

I almost had to be put to sleep for my cat 1 emergency c section but they decided against it as I’d eaten not long before so the spinal was the safest option and I’m honestly so thankful that was the case. In the moment I was crapping myself and I would’ve probably been thankful to them putting me to sleep but looking back, seeing her within seconds of her coming out was just something else and then having that time of skin to skin straight after whilst they stitched me back up. I couldn’t imagine having to wait potentially hours until I could see and hold her and someone else give her that first feed. You just feel a bit of pulling and tugging etc and yeah it is a weird sensation but honestly it’s completely worth it to be able to see your baby in those first few moments. I feel like you’re more like to regret being put to sleep more than regretting not being put to sleep and seeing your baby

If you get general anesthetic and are put under your partner can’t be present during the birth and you can’t hold You baby for a certain amount of time while recovering and waking up where if you do an epidural your partner can be present and you can get the skin to skin contact right away and get the baby latched a lot sooner. Also usually when put under I’ve been told they give you harder pain meds post op then epidural simply get Tylenol/ Advil. My thing I said my whole pregnancy is I don’t want C-section as I was so scared to have one and the thought of it however after complication and ending up having to have one it honestly wasn’t that bad at all.

Wow thank you ladies!! So helpful and reassuring♥️

@Bex thank you so much for sharing that 💓

I had GA for mine as the spinal couldn't be done. The experience of waking up ans going under weren't my ideal. Its just a general dislike but I didn't feel any type of way about it afterwards I think I would have not enjoyed being awake

I had my little girl by GA (emergency) but not by choice, I personally wouldn’t opt for another under GA. Nothing against it, I felt absolutely fine afterwards but my partner couldn’t be in the room, and I felt like I missed out on the initial meeting our baby together for the first time and she was fully dressed when I met her at 2 hours old (she was with my partner the whole time I was in recovery for longer than expected) x

I was the MOST scared of a c section in the world 🙈😂 I am severely needle phobic and the whole idea of anything instrumental was TERRIFYING and completely weirded me out but due to the death of my previous baby, through complications of natural labour, there was not much choice but to have a C section and I faced this exact dilemma. Go under or be awake. I chose to stay awake (for fear of dying whilst under, if I’m honest, probably completely irrational but severe PTSD, anxiety etc) Anyway, what a magical, incredible experience. I just chose not to see anything at all except my baby being raised above the curtain and honestly no moment will ever compare. Also, I literally felt NOTHING. Just told myself I was laying in a lounger at a spa. 🙊😂 I’m pregnant again now, and I will be skipping into that theatre room. It’s true what people say, the second you see your baby, NOTHING else matters and for the 10 minutes before that point, you’ve got this mama 💪🏽♥️🙌🏻

didn’t want to necessarily hear about the fact there can be more complications with going under a GA i had to have one with my son who was an emergency c-section and I will be having another GA for my c-section next week to deliver my daughter, I am somewhat scared even though I know what to expect, it makes me sad again I won’t get to experience a natural birth or see my baby being born etc…. but I am having to have a GA due to medical reasons so it’s the safer option for me , of course if I could have it my way I’d be going for natural birth but sadly that doesn’t look like it will be an option unless my baby decides to try make an appearance before the schedule c-section date, good luck to everyone! 🙏🏼 x

Three sections here first one I was put under didn’t wake up for 4 hrs. And when I did come round I didn’t know what had happened, lost too much blood had to have transfusion etc etc. second was a planned section no trauma here you don’t see what they’re doing yes you feel some tugging pushing etc but no pain. Third emergency section again but was awake although they did nearly have to put me under as my blood pressure and breathing where causing them great concern. But they managed to move me to a particular position which helped everything. Didn’t help I was in a massive state anyway as my dad who passed away three weeks before was still in the morgue so I was very emotional.

I had my little girl under GA as they couldn’t numb me fully. Worst experience of my life. I woke up on a recovery table and could see my little girl being held by the midwife who then also fed her first. It was horrible to have to watch someone else do all the things I should be doing and wanted to do. Felt like it was much harder to bond and I missed that instant feeling you get when they’re passed to you as I wasn’t 100% with it for hours. I also had complications as I had a significant pph so was taken to ICU and away from her too