Transverse Lie – C-Section experience 2017

I was 30 weeks pregnant when we found out my baby was transverse. Her head was on my left side close to the belly button. Her legs were having a blast kicking me under my ribs. I’m sure she left some black and blues inside my right ribs. Her back and butt were lying comfortable on top of my uterus. I was in constant pain and always gasping for air, since she was also pressing my lungs. It sounds terrible and it really was. I felt like my insides were being ripped apart. I would go to the bathroom every hour at night. Every morning I would get out of bed crawling backwards and when I would get up, my pelvis, uterus and back would hurt so much. I really wanted to do vaginal birth so I did some Spinning Baby Yoga, hoping that she’ll turn. But I stop because I felt that there was an important reason the baby was transverse. Maybe she had the umbilical cord around her neck or who knows. My doctor was afraid that I would go into labor because the main concern is that if/when the water breaks, that the umbilical cord will become crimped and cut off oxygen to the baby, resulting in brain damage or still birth. Another major concern is cord prolapse, again when the water breaks, that the umbilical cord protrudes through the vagina, again cutting off oxygen and nutrients to the baby.

My doctor told me that he would have to do a classic c-section, which means that he would have to cut vertical to be able to get the baby out safely. The reason for a vertical cut was because she was lying transverse with her back to the uterus and if he would cut horizontal, he wouldn’t be able to grab any limbs to pull her out. So, he needed to cut vertically to grab her leg or arms, since her back was facing down. So, I was ready. We program c-section on my 39 week pregnant. I got to the hospital at 10AM. The nurses prep me. They took out blood, 3 times. They inserted a urinary catheter, we listen to the babies heart, then the anesthesia.

Most C-sections are done under regional anesthesia, which numbs only the lower part of your body — allowing you to remain awake during the procedure. A common choice is a spinal block, in which pain medication is injected directly into the sac surrounding your spinal cord.

It is easy to confuse a spinal block and spinal epidural because they are both injections into the spinal area. For a spinal block, narcotics or anesthetic is injected once with a needle. For a spinal epidural a catheter is placed in the epidural space to allow continuous anesthesia. In other words, when you get an epidural, they’ll leave catheter in your back, so that you can get a constant infusion of numbing medication for as long as your labor lasts, whereas a spinal block is just one shot of medication.

Don’t worry about the pain. Seriously, don’t worry because is just a pinch and everything goes numb in like 3 minutes or less. Just make sure you don’t move when the needle is going in. You will be sitting like in a slouch position when they do the spinal block.

Then they’ll lay you down and strap you up like Jesus on the cross. They strap you to make sure you don’t move during the procedure.

When I was ready, the doctor came in and even though half of your body is numb. You still feel some tugging and pulling. Then 10 minutes later, I hear the baby cry. My husband left to spend quality time with the baby. By the way, my baby was 8.1 pounds and I only gained 35 pounds. No wonder she was transverse. She was so big that got stuck sideways or got to comfortable on my pelvis, Anyways, I was 45 minutes in the operation room and then back to my room. The whole thing was like an hour. I started to feel my legs an hour later the baby was born. Then, the big news. My doctor didn’t do the classic c-section. He didn’t cut me vertically. He cut me horizontally and stuck his hands inside to flip her over and was able to grab her arms and legs. He was so proud of the incision and how he was able to maneuver the baby inside -to flip her over- that he took pictures of my incision. He is the BEST!!! My incision is so tiny. I also don’t have stretch marks. It seems like nothing happen down there. My baby was transverse but was able to come out thru a horizontal incision. I’m so happy she’s healthy.

If your baby is transverse, you might still have time for the baby to turn. It depends of the amount of fluid. But don’t do the inversion. Too dangerous. If you have to do a c-section. Go for it. You might not have to get cut vertically. But the most important thing here is the babies health.

I hope I answered any questions or doubts you had about a transverse baby.

Hope I answered the questions you had.

Michelle vs. Michele

If you already know me, you know how silly I am. But most people describe me as crazy, nuts, or loquita. But it’s okay. I take it as a compliment. For everyone else who doesn’t know me, you will. Let’s start with my name. My real name is Michele with one L. But when I was a Sophomore in Memorial High School, in West New York, NJ, I decided to do a little experiment. It all started in my Math class. I was taking a test and decided to write my name with 2 L’s (Michelle) because I wanted to see if my teacher would notice, but she didn’t. Then I did the same thing in my History class, but he didn’t notice, either. So, I thought my English teacher would definitely notice…she didn’t. I thought to myself: What the hell! I tested all of my teachers and nobody questioned me. How can they not see the mistake? I even got my High School diploma with my fake name. I went to the extreme on getting my drivers license, college diploma, passport, social security, and everything else with MicheLLe. After that, there was no turning back. To make matters worse, or to the extreme, after I became a journalist, my experimental name has been published in a magazine, newspaper, and on websites. At one point, during my early 30s, I tried to go back to MicheLe but I couldn’t. My hand is so accustomed to it that I automatically write double L’s. Plus, I’m even convinced that my name has 2 L’s. My birth certificate is the only existing document with my real name. But I wonder if I get married and sign the wedding certificate as Michelle with two L’s… Would I really be married? I know it’s a stupid question, but then again, I’m the brainiac who decided to do a little “experiment”. Today, 20 years later, I realize that it was a dumb experiment. But, I found out that I’m the only idiot on earth who would actually add extra letter to their name for no good reason. Yep, that’s me, Michelle. Not Michele. Michelle