Types of C-Sections: Emergency Cesarean? | Sarah Lavonne

Did you or someone you know have a cesarean birth? Chances are you know someone who has, maybe they described it as an emergency c-section, but was it really medically classified as an emergency?

I'm here today to have an important conversation about the types/classifications of c-sections - schedule, unscheduled, urgent or emergency c-sections and help you decipher maybe which type you or someone you knew had.

I'd love to know what kind you had, what you thought you had, and if this video helped clarify some things for you! Comment below!

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Disclaimer: all information shared is for educational purposes only and framed through the lens of birth in North America. Please consult with your doctor before attempting any of the suggested things. Anything mentioned in any of my videos is never to replace the advice of your doctor or midwife. Make sure to check with them before you try anything suggested in my videos and if you have any further questions. I do not give out medical advice.

[joshuahammes]

My wife just had an emergency C-Section last week due to a prolapsed cord. The kicker is that she had made it to 10cm when her water broke and the cord prolapsed. And the cherries on top are that (1) she spiked a fever during labor so we were placed in an isolation room, and (2) baby couldn't keep his temp up and was admitted to the NICU a few hours after.

My wife made fun of me for how much I watched your videos during her pregnancy, but I can't say enough good things about how well your videos prepared me for something that you really can't prepare yourself for.

[ryanelisabethharvey]

My mom had two emergency C-Sections in the 90s and ended having a Vbac after them. She was so empowered because of how rarely this happens! She said Nurses aided her the whole way. You all are amazing!

[monicaisales]

I had an emergency c section due to my little ones heartbeat.. fastest 6 minutes that I have ever experienced! Saved his life 💗

[JulianeDuarte]

I had a routine c-section and got emotional when you started talking about an emergency. Wow what us woman’s goes thru to have our baby in our arms ❤️

[esky]

My son crashed during labor, they LITERALLY ran me to the OR, put me under and had him out in 5 minutes. I didn't even get to sign the papers myself or have my husband in the room. I'm pretty mine falls under emergency. 😅

[kbert]

Definitely an emergency c for my son! Baby decelled and I was rushed immediately down the hall really quick. No convo at all. General anesthesia and my husband wasn't allowed in. I can't imagine it being called anything else other than emergency. Thank you for validating everyone's stories. 18 months later, I'm still working through it.

[wednesdaywithjulie]

Mine started as an unscheduled and ended up being urgent. We were doing all the routine stuff and then all of a sudden the nurse was pushing my bed by herself and calling everyone to the OR. After delivery I could hear my nurse talking to others in the room and she let them know the baby's HR dropped suddenly. Thank you for talking about this 💕

[jacquelinex]

Yes!! I am so happy you made this video!! You have to make more videos about birth trauma!! I went into labor so confident about advocating for a vaginal delivery (I binge watched your videos when I was pregnant!!) But then we ultimately determined, at the last minute, that a cesarean was probably the best route (41+2, 10lbs 4oz baby, meconium staining and sunnyside up position) I was so unprepared for a c section and my anxiety was through the roof going into the OR, but it was going to be okay because I would get to hold him and have skin to skin and we’d be out in no time! Well, my epidural was so strong that I had no use of my arms. And then, I heard a panicked nurse behind the curtain announce that there was a sponge missing from the count. I went into full on fight or flight mode, except I was paralyzed from the neck down. It took them 2 full hours to close!! (I asked for my chart) And it took 1h 15m AFTER Carter was born, and me screaming at the anesthetist before they give me any kind of sedation to calm me down!! Carter is 13m old now and I still suffer from the trauma. Please do more videos on birth trauma!!!

[brittanymacintyre]

Please please please do the birth PTSD video. My last birth was so so scary and took about a year of counselling after to help me cope day to day. I did actually speak to you on Instagram briefly about it, so thank you for acknowledging me then. I am pregnant again and very nervous for this time around.

[shellyr.]

My mom’s doctor jumped on the side of the bed to cut her open *while* they were running to the OR 😬 Definitely no time to talk about it—but I’m here 23 years later!

[anabellepascual]

I had an emergency c section a month ago. It was very traumatizing and I’m still not sure how I made it through it. I was labor for about 12 hours and everything was going okay at first but then my baby’s heartrate dropped or stopped. I’m still not even sure about what happened. I was rushed to the OR and I remember being so scared. I had my partner there but I reallly wanted my mom and I remember crying for her. I felt when they made the first incision and I remember yelling and the nurses telling me that it was just pressure but it felt like intense burning I can’t even begin to describe the pain. I remember passing out and waking up when they were stitching me back up and it was taking foreverrr. I asked the doctor what was talking so long and she said they were making me bikini ready. It was traumatizing, the whole thing and I went home feeling kind of empty even though I had my healthy baby. I don’t think I’ll ever be the same after that experience honestly.

[MoreThanJustSkinDeep]

My brother- and sister-in-law’s baby didn’t make it after an emergency c section. The baby’s heart rate dropped while she was pushing, and they couldn’t get the baby out in time. I’m due in March and really would like to have a vaginal birth, but I have such a fear of the same thing happening to me. I would love if you made a video on that topic! Of truly emergent cases like that, how common they are, and why we should or should not be worried about them...

[jess]

I had an urgent csection. It’s the term used by my amazing angel of a nurse who saved my mental health during delivery.
I progressed super quickly and went from spontaneous water breaking to pushing in less than 4 hours. Early on, they thought baby would be out in a few pushes. 6 hours of pushing with an hour break half way (so 7 hours later) and a failed vacuum intervention, the doctor told me she wasn’t comfortable letting it go any longer and I needed a csection.
I failed the “poke test” and ended up under general. The next 3 days in the hospital were miserable and uncomfortable, though I have almost no memory of the first day after waking from anesthesia.
I’ve wondered ever since why partners aren’t allowed in when general is used. I have a friend whose husband was at a different hospital, but mine wasn’t, so we both kind of ‘missed’ our baby’s birth.
I’ve also since learned, thanks to a visit to the dentist, that I’m somewhat resistant to local anesthesia, which makes me wonder if that’s why my epidural stopped working and the spinal never worked at all. I want another baby so badly, but I have to admit I’m scared of needing a csection under general again.
I know anesthesia is technically a different medical field, but I’d love a video talking about what to expect, different options, risk, benefits, potential side effects, why/how general is different.

[officiallydenise]

I had an emergency C section. I felt like I was living a nightmare. I wished I wasn’t me. I was suddenly being prepped, had a catheter put it in (shudders) and then wheeled to the OR. Then I had the epidural, then quickly put on the Operating table and prepped for operating. There was around 10-15 doctors/nurses in the room. I wasn’t sure if I was numb and asked the nurse next to me if I was really numb and he looked at me and said, “they’ve already started.” The only thing I felt was when they pressed down really hard on my top abdomen to push baby down. Anyway, they got my daughter out quickly but then…there was silence. For about 5 minutes. And then all of a sudden I heard her cry. Best moment of my life. She’s now 8 years old.

[chyannehainstock]

Thank you for talking about this. I had an emergency c-section with my first. Planned c-section with my second - they said it was less risky than trying a V-Bac. But have always felt guilty about both. I'm in my 40's. Happy that there are women out there teaching the next generation.

[alondraruiz]

I’m so so glad you talked about this because I thought I had an “emergency C-section” but after a failed induction and my baby Being sunny side up the Midwives all rallied together and talked me into Having a C-section because I Labored for such a long time and they were all so proud of me but tbh I had such a traumatic experience they did every form of induction you could think of the foley bulb was the worst because the midwife said my uterus/cervix was off to the side idk it was so soooo awful. My contractions were 2-3 minutes apart for the longest time. It was awful 57 hrs of Labor. 52 without the epidural ughh and all of that to end up getting a C-section

[theheartofthehome]

I had an emergency c section and it was terrifying. It happened so fast, and the anesthesia didn't even hit.all the way before they started intubating me. I thought I died. Everyone was yelling, I was terrified because they weren't giving me a spinal.. I didn't know what to expect.. they were splashing betadine on me, asking for knives, I heard the doctor yell, "Let's go! I have a baby with no heartbeat here" One of the scariest hardest things I've ever had to go through.

[michellelrobison]

Scheduled c-section for breech baby (also wrapped in the entire length of the chord, which was not known until the procedure and caused it to take over 15 minutes to get her out after the incision). Grateful for modern medicine, because there was no way she could have come out!

[kenleekatelin]

I had an emergency c section November of last year.. so traumatizing. I was laboring normal and talking with family in my room at 10:55 and literally back in the room holding her at 11:30. Her heart rate dropped very suddenly during labor the dr had me push twice then looked at me and said “we need to take her now.” And i could tell by her tone there was zero time to talk about it. Luckily she got her out very quickly even if it was painful 🥴

[mzts]

I had an emergent C-section with my baby #1. I was in labor for about 16 hours but my cervix stopped dilating at 4-5cm, my baby was not coming down, and her heartrate was going down and coming back up. On top of that, my water bag had burst 6 hours prior and there was indication that my baby had passed meconium when the water bag burst. The whole thing was an emotional experience for me back then. I was so disappointed as everything didn't go according to plan. But now, I'm glad I've overcome it, after the birth of my baby #2 via successful VBAC.