by Whitney Barthel posted in Pregnancy

Like any surgery, c-sections, as you may have gathered from reading parenting blogs, vary greatly in regard to ease of procedure and recovery. Now, as I near my fifth c-section, I'm a veteran with a lot of insight to share. Here are some of the, good, bad, and ugly aspects of c-sections and how to deal.

The good:
? If you are having a scheduled c-section, the delivery process after the spinal block is minimally painful. Unfortunately for me I have gone into active labor before my scheduled cesarean, but the pain during surgery was always manageable. Side note: Minimally painful does not mean you won?t feel things. It is totally normal to feel your organs being tugged around and to feel mild to moderate discomfort. ? Most hospitals have gotten really good at allowing mom to be in immediate contact with the baby, assuming both mom and baby are doing well. This has not always been the case, even in recent history. The first time I was able to experience this was with my last baby, Charlie. Tip: Make sure you have someone ready to take a picture of you with baby in the OR. Thank goodness one of my nurses grabbed my phone and took the first picture of my husband and I with the baby. At the time, I didn?t even think of taking a photo, but now the picture is now one of my most treasured.

? Shortly after surgery nurses will place leg compressors over your feet and legs to prevent blood clots and then place warm blankets on you. For me, it f...