poll question-c-section complications?

The doctor decided early in the pregnancy that I would need a C-section. So I didn't have to take any Lamaze classes. Wouldn't you know it, my labor started in the wee hours of June 1st and all the doctors on the team were away for Memorial Day weekend, so I ended up with my doctor's 80 year old father (also a doctor), who had never seen me. My files was not available to the staff until Medical Records opened after 9 am and by then the baby had been crowning for hours. So it was too late for the C section and her shoulders were stuck. Everyone kept wandering by saying "Look at all that black hair". For some reason I was sure my baby would be blond, like all the relatives had been, so I was worried that these supposed medical personnel had never seen pubic hair before! The doctor (would you believe his name was "Hoover"?) tried the vacuum method, but she was stuck too tightly. Then he said the point it caused on her head would either go away in a few weeks or calcify that way. "No problem" my husband said, "We'll just dress her like an elf". By that time I felt like I was in someone else's bad dream anyway. Finally they forced her out, but it took dozens of stitches internally to repair the damage to me. The doctor shook his head and said "That baby really did a number on you". I told him he was the one who was supposed to be driving so don't blame the baby! At any rate, she is now in middle school and we both survived, but for the fees we pay, I think the hospitals should be held liable no matter what!

I have yet to have a baby but my SIL had my nephew BY C- Section 2 yrs ago. She was the picture of maternal health throughout her pregnancy, she is also a labor /delivery nurse in the hospital where my nephew was born. They specialize in high risk and traumatic pregnancies.

She went into labor at 2pm on a Saturday afternoon, went to the hospital around 6pm when the contractions became close. She was only dilated 1cm so they sent her home. She labored all night and went back in at 6am. Still only 1.5 cm., the doctor urged for a C- Section. SIl desperately wanted to have the baby naturally. All day she labored around 4 pm when the baby still had not descended the doctor began to insist on a C-section. She was still not willing but my brother and her mother were there and very concearned.

Finally her mother sent everyone out of the room and had a talk with her. Basically that not having the experience of a vaginal birth was not making her less of a woman or mother. With that and some blood showing in her urine she agreed. A 9.5 lbs, 22inch boy was born to my 5.2, 102lb.(normally) SIL at around 6pm Sunday. He had a bit of a conehead from hanging out in the birth canal for so long but that went away and he is a happy ,smart as a whip 2 yr old today.

For those 2 or 3 that want to say that bumpus is out of line in what I wrote in my first post should go back and read the first post which was written by ratherbefishin, who started this thread and look at the facts the were said ! ! !

You can't blame the Hospital because the woman went home and then got the infection. No one can say where she got infected ! ! !

Even in a Hospital you can get allmost any type of infection as soon as you go into the building because there all kinds of sick people there.

Unless you can prove that the Hospital did anything wrong you are just darking up the wrong tree.

No one makes you go where other people are sick. If you go you stand a chance of becoming sicker or catching something else and be in worse shape than when you went in ! ! !

Every time you are put to sleep for an operation, you are taking a chance of not waking up. You could die very easy on the table no matter what kind of operation you are having ! ! !

You are taking a chance every time ! ! !

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[QUOTE=bumpus

You reap what you sow ! ! !

.[/QUOTE]

Say WHAT? :no: Be nice if that was true though, because you are sowing some great seeds right now. Oooo I feel the love.

Hard to answer your poll.

I had an "emergency" cesarean several hours after my water broke with my only child. I was sad because I had wanted to have an intervention-free birth (hoping to have future homebirths) and instead had every intervention there was!! Luckily, though, my child was born healthy and happy and I did not have a serious infection.

I'd like to comment on bumpus's post to this thread, but I can't find better words than "inappropriate"

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:yeeha:

Oh, puh-leeze!

You do not develop a raging infection between the time you get home and that evening! As toxic as that young mother was, the infection had some time between the birth and the release from the hospital to brew.

If the hospital personnel were doing their jobs of cleaning thoroughly, and washing their hands (#1 mode of germ/bacteria transmission) then the rate of nosocomial infections would be much lower than it is.

Alrighty, then, where should someone in need of medical/surgical assistance go for help? The library? Perhaps the butcher shop? C'mon, Bumpus, it appears you're not thinking this through.

Of course you are. But you weigh the pros and cons, and do what you have to do. I just had back surgery in October. I am very familiar with nosocomial infections. I am also familiar with the excruciating pain I was experiencing. I worked with a doctor I can trust, and put the rest into the Lord's hands. I was tired of living because of the pain, so the surgery was an acceptable risk.

And you take a chance every time you step foot out of bed every morning. But you take the chance that you will be reasonable careful, and pray that those around you will be reasonably careful as well.

If someone develops a raging infection and it was transmitted to that person by hospital personnel, the hospital is indeed responsible for the patient's infection.

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Je ne suis pas Alice

http://homesteadingfamilies.proboards.com/

I had an emergency c-section in 1999 with DS. He was two weeks late and they induced labor. After 24 hours of labor, I still hadn't dialated past a 3 but DS had dropped and was stuck!!!

I had the "bikini cut c-section" with no complications. I had 2 stiches become slightly infected but cleaning w/ peroxide a couple extra times a day and some topical antibiotic cream and it went away in 48 hours. They never were very bad, just a slightly more red and puffy then the rest.

DS was 9lbs 12oz and 21 1/2 in long. The hospital measured his head as well because it was so large. He is just fine though, a very active and bright preschooler! I had a very difficult pregnancy. The great porcelin (sp?) god ralph and I were very well acquainted all through my pregnancy. I also have two bonus kids, so there will be no more pregnancies for me. My DH and I decieded that IF we want more, we will adopt!!!!!

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Life is too short not to enjoy it!
Smile, it makes everyone wonder what you are up too!! :baby04:
Gravity and I tend to see eye to floor

Oh, my, yes... I, too, was a very loud and frequent worshipper at that altar. I'd call for him: "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLPH!!!" (I am NOT a quiet barfer!)

Pregnancy, with the exception of maybe two or three weeks right in the middle of the nine (almost ten) months, did NOT agree with me. I lost my first child due to miscarriage in the 4th month: I was heaving my guts up almost the whole time, and when I wasn't launching, I was SO nauseated! I figured something was wrong when I woke up feeling pretty energetic and hungry one day...

It's no wonder that women turn to doctors for help. I have a feeling that the pollutants/additives we encounter everyday make pregnancy harder; we've also come to expect a favorable outcome every time we become pregnant (part of this can be blamed on 2 forces: hospital advertising; and a small brigade of women and men who have had wonderful, positive home-birthing experiences and say that it's our own fault that our pregnancies ended in surgical deliveries).

Anyway, I do remember puking... and the wear on my body... I thank God that I no longer need to worry about that... Other stuff, yeah, but unless you see a Star in the East....
:haha:

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Je ne suis pas Alice

http://homesteadingfamilies.proboards.com/

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Well some of you just missed my point, because you have already formed your opinion and can't see what I was talking about.

I have had 3 seperate operations this year, and could have died every time they put me to sleep. Also had to have 34 treatments of radiation.

They say that the cancer is gone.
There is no guarantee that it won't come back.

But I have had a sore throat ( feels like streep throat ) for 5 months now, and have been told that it may last for a whole year like this before it heals compleatly.

Some of you people have a false view about Hospitals and the safety.
Nothing Has a 100% guarantee in this world.

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I'm chiming in because i'm still quite a new mom and like telling my tale.

My water broke more than two months early, and i had the dubious pleasure of a helicopter airlift to a hospital in the city. A few days later, labour started and due to the earliness and breechness, I had an emergency c-section. Little Em was a mere 2lbs 14oz at birth. She spent 6 weeks in the NICU and has been home for 2 months.

I had a brief bladder infection not long after coming home, but no other complications. Still hope to maybe have another.

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Pythia
pythia@pagan-homesteader.com

The Pagan Homesteader
http://www.pagan-homesteader.com
A place for Pagans who live close to the Earth.

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Part of the problem now with birth is that too many docs are throwing up scheduled c-sections as easy and safe alternatives to natural vaginal births. What they fail to make understood is that a c-section is MAJOR abdominal surgery with lots of possible complications, not the least of which is post-surgery infections which can be quite severe. C-sections have their place and need, but the dramatic increase int he rates of c-section make it clear that too many doctors push women into it scheduling it or jump to call failure to progress because they would rather have a neat scheduled birth than have to hang out for a 30 hour labor.

What Bumpus so poorly put was if you are going to have major surgery, you need to get yourself informed of the risks and alternatives and not just listen to the doctor. His agenda may be rather different than yours.

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Ultra Lord is not afraid of chickens!

Gotta love childbirth stories!

My son was stillborn in 1977, they induced, then had to manually manipulate my cervic open.

My daughter was born in 79, induced and natural childbirth, we left the hospital with our daughter after only being away from the apartment for 6 hours.

I misscarried twins in 81, one month apart.

Daughter number 2 was born in 80. She was a scheduled C section, went home after 4 days and was fine. They used the new electroshock pain therapy attached to your staples, no pain pills so I could nurse.

Son was born in 82, scheduled C section.

All my kids where over 9 pounds, all 21 and 1/2 inches long, I had pregancies from hell obviously and felt sorry for the doctors and people who had to be around me. They don't put you to sleep for C sections Bumpus. If I had known it was even done I would have been one of those moms having their kids at home, but alas I was one of those high risk moms who wouldn't have had any live children if it weren't for the medical profession and all their bells and whistles. I don't go into labor, I don't dialate, my cervic doesn't thin, my cervic at 9 months plus pregnant looks/feels like a mom in very early pregnancy, making doctors think my duedates are off, to the point of the placenta stopping feeding my first son and his inutero death...or my 2nd daughters doctor (moved to a new state) who had me have an amnio for a 9 pound 9 ounce baby, the lab techs thought he had lost his mind, and my doctor in California calling him and telling him if he didn't C section me Monday he would come out and do it on his nickel!

Infection is a way of life at hospitals anymore, you had better be pretty healthy if you go there Vicki

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Vicki McGaugh
Nubian Soaps
North of Houston TX
www.etsy.com/shop/nubiansoaps

A 3 decade dairy goat farm homestead that is now a retail/wholesale soap company and construction business.

Vicki - your pregnancys sounds like mine. We planned for a hypnobirth, but when I was definately overdue and still "high and tight" we opted for a c-section and it was a good thing we did. The list of problems that showed up when they opened me up - left my doctor referring to our baby as a "miracle baby".

The only complication from the c-section I had was that my stitches didn't absorb like they were supposed to, and 8 months later are still slowly working their way to the surface.

It wasn't the birth I had planned for, but I'm glad to have my daughter!

There you go.

caberjim just said what I did not make very clear ! ! !

God Bless You Caberjim
And Merry Christmas ! ! !

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As an RN, I can tell you that the "high powered prophylactic antibiotics" are the cause for the super infections. If you use the strongest antibiotics, only the absolutely strongest bugs can survive.

Child #1 - attempted natural delivery but after 3 hours of pushing he wouldn't budge, so I had to have a C-section. No complications but very painful and uncomfortable recovery. - 8 pounds 14 oz

Child #2 - unmedicated natural vaginal delivery - 9 pounds 14 oz

Child #3 - unmedicated natural vaginal delivery - 8 pounds 12 oz



I hated having a C-section and was determined not to go through one again unless absolutely necessary. I would never ask for a repeat C-section even though I had this option for #2 and #3.

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kiva.org
Changing lives one micro loan at a time.

It sounds as if the doc may have nicked her intestines, not enough to show, but enough for stool to leak into the abdominal cavity causing a peritonitis. Without seeing the chart, of course, that is just my guess based on what I've personally seen.

I had a similiar experience. Went into labor and labored for many hours with no results. Went in for emergency c-section. While in the recovery my heart rate would not go back to normal. I spent the night in there but they (doctors & nurses) could find nothing wrong. Although heart rate was still up was sent to regular room in hospital to finish recovering before being sent home. This was in the same hospital where I had just had a child 18 months before with excellant care. The same doctors also.

Once back in regular hospital room the nurses wanted me to lie down flat on my back. I couldn't do it without feeling like I was suffocating. The nurses actually pushed me and held me down while the doctor on duty looked on. They told me nothing was wrong and I just couldn't tolerate pain. Somewhere around this happening they locked my husband out of the room to "make me lie down flat". Well this was a mistake because I was screaming in pain and my 6'5" husband busted in through the door and made them stop. This irritated the doctor and nurses (thank God) and they said they couldn't deal with me and put me in an ambulence and sent me to the large hospital in the city. All the while telling me what a terrible mother I was. What kinda mother wanted to leave their newborn child. If I didn't settle down they would send me somewhere that could handle my behavior. They though I was just being a big baby and couldn't deal with the pain from a c-section. I had delivered a baby 18 months and 2 days earlier. So I also had an 18 month at home.

Once there I started to become bigger in the stomach than when pregnant. My lungs were collasped and I had three or more (can't remember) blood tranfusions. It was finally discoverd three days later that I was not sewn up completely on the inside on both sides of the incision and was seeping blood into my body cavity therefore causing my lungs to collaspe, ect. All the blood from the tranfusions was essentially in my stomach.

Let me add that I was on the heart ward and was pretty much ignored. This might be too much info but let me lay there for three days and I never had the sanitary napkin I had on when sent from the original hospital changed. I'm not sure what they thought. I was so sick I barely remember the details. My husband had me in one hospital, a new born in another hospital and a 18 month old at home. It was total chaos. It was also Thanksgiving weekend and immediate family members were spread from Central Florida to Tallahassee to Nothern Alabama so he had no one there the first few days but my mother.

I was also told by the doctor who had delivered the baby that I had to go in for another surgery and that I was very sick and might die. They had my husband come in with my 18 month old to let me see them before the surgery.

Came out of surgery and was touch and go for many days. I really don't remember any of it just what I've been told. I was in the hospital for almost 10 days. We still do not know the full story of what was wrong or what happened to me. We could never get any answers. Like why it took so long to find out what was wrong or why we were treated like we were. I will say as soon as they found a problem attitudes changed like night and day with the doctors and nurses. The same doctor who watched nurses hold me down and berated me for being a terrible mother cancelled his Thanksgiving week vacation and stayed at the hospital with his partner who delivered the baby.

Its rather scary that we have doctors, nurses and hospital staff out there like that. I was in a very reputable(I thought) hospital. We were fully insured. I can't explain what happened. We were just so thankful that I and the child came home safe and eventually healthy. I was so sick and my husband so wore thin and so happy that I was alive we just dropped the whole situation and changed doctors.

Stephanie


There are many more details to this story but it is too long already.