C-section, how to prepare yourself

ani_mal

Hi

I was scheduled for C section on 20.07, because baby is in breech.

I want to know what to bring to the hospital to make myself more comfortable after the C-Section.
(clothing, towels, arnica tablets?..)

also if you have any experience and advice on what to do and what not to do after, I would like to hear it please.

would you recommend epidural for C-section or the spine block (is there any difference?)

Pixie 98

Hi Pet,

I am a mum of two both born via c sections.. and another due in September!!! . I'm a lowrise/bikini wearer, and the incision for the c-section falls across the same lines that the elastic band does. Same with the pants. So any low rise or underbelly maternity pants/panties will rub against the incision. I'd recommend some higher waist pants and panties. Hope this helps!
. Don't buy expensive big panties cos you'll more than likely have to throw them away afterwards due to possible staining, and make sure they are cotton as your wound needs to breath.
Other than that everything is pretty much the same - babies outfits, wash stuff, magazines, pacifiers, nappies, comfy loose clothes for going home, nighties etc ..

Best of luck and I hope all goes well
Pixie x

disco girl

Hiya,

I'm pg on no 3 and this will be my 3rd section (due in Jan) as both my previous pg's were breech!

Pack your bag as normal.

What I have found is that wearing a nightdress is better than pyjamas as the elastic on pj's can rub off the scar. BIG knickers....ones that will go over the scar as they are more comfortable.

Just take in the bare amounts of what's needed, chances are you will be in for 5 days after and you can have more stuff brought in for you.

Afterwards you will need to take it easy.

Under no circumstances do any heavy lifting.

You won't be able to drive for a while after...they normally recommend 6 weeks but do give yourself a good 4 weeks.

No hoovering!

If you get offers of help, take them....

I've had all mine in the Rotunda, and I was never given a choice, it was always a spinal block.

If I can think of anything else, I'll let you know

Good luck

Grawns

I bought a casesarean section belt online in preparation but I never used it as I had minimal discomfort. My friend was very glad of it though. Perhaps worth investing just in case.

I found the giant black m&s knickers the best, get at least a size or two too big as they have to accommodate a giant pad for the discharge which is the same as if you had a vaginal birth. Check these out Bargain


There's really nothing else. It's all very calm but exciting so try not to worry.

January

Yep giant knickers are a god send, I used Penneys, 2 euro for 5 pairs. Sorted.

I'd pack as normal if you can get someone to bring stuff in and home for you.

A skipping rope (or just a rope...), tie it to the end of the bed and you can pull yourself up nice and easy, it's hard to pull yourself up after a section.

One word of warning, the first cough will probably leave you crying... Brace yourself, hold onto your stomach and try and cough as softly as you can. I thought my scar was ripping open the first time it happened to me.

ani_mal

LAdies

do any belts supporting after C-section bring relief? or they are just to protect the scar?

disco girl

adrieanne__x wrote: »

One word of warning, the first cough will probably leave you crying... Brace yourself, hold onto your stomach and try and cough as softly as you can. I thought my scar was ripping open the first time it happened to me.

+1

I used to put a cushion against my scar and cough as gently as possible.....

ani_mal

I can't wait it to be over. I can't wait to get feelings in my fingers back, to sleep on my belly, to move normal... The pregnancy has its for and against

did it take long for you to feel better? how long the scar was "touchy"?

disco girl

It can depend on yourself, how easy you can take it after the section...how well you heal, what type of stitches they use etc

I heal well so I'm normally not too bad afterwards.

Just try and take it easy on yourself (as much as you can!!)

Are you getting excited now??

Do you know what you are having??

Grawns

ani_mal wrote: »

I can't wait to be it over. I can't wait to get feelings in my fingers back, to sleep on my belly, to move normal... The pregnancy has its for and against

did it take long for you to feel better? how long the scar was "touchy"?

I felt fine within a week or two ( left hosp after 4 days -skipped (and ran) out of the place) but it was my first baby so I got to lie around all day practising breastfeeding. bliss! Even though I would definitly opt for a section again I know it would be different when you have a toddler to mind.

The scar wasn't touchy ( more numb) as the wound is internal. I didn't have stitches externally just tiny butterfly band-aid strips which washed off before I left the hosp. The skin there still feels a little numb but the scar after 17 mths is a thin fading pink line. Will go white eventually.

Post pregnancy, It's brill when you don't have to get up to go to the toilet every few hours - and you feel like a supermodel for a few days after giving birth ( look how thin I am ), but you have be up to feed your baby every few hours all through the night. Co-sleeping and breastfeeding made it work for me.

ps. don't know anything about the hands, best of luck, you'll be so happy soon

Grawns

ani_mal wrote: »

LAdies

do any belts supporting after C-section bring relief? or they are just to protect the scar?

They do protect the scar but other than that I have no idea. There are different inserts in the pack. I sent my unopened one to a friend who had her 2nd section after failed vbac. She had a hard time recovering from her 1st though as it was emergency and seemed to feel a lot of discomfort on her 2nd too so was delighted with the belt.

I have a suspicion it was because she sent hours in labour in each instance before op.

ani_mal

that is loads of good advice. thank you so much.
it is bit scary cos you don't do it everyday, and it is always a surgery.

how was your breastfeeding? did you have milk despite the C-section? did milk came along as well? Im bit scared that I might not have milk..

implausible

ani_mal wrote: »

I can't wait it to be over. I can't wait to get feelings in my fingers back, to sleep on my belly, to move normal...

I was really looking forward to sleeping on my belly too, but because I'm breastfeeding, my breasts have been too big and uncomfortable so I can't:(

Ah well, in another few weeks maybe...

ani_mal wrote: »

how was your breastfeeding? did you have milk despite the C-section? did milk came along as well? Im bit scared that I might not have milk..

My milk came in no bother. 3 days after the section I had 2 rock-hard boulders on my chest . Your milk is supposed to come in a bit later after a c-section than a vaginal birth, but mine came in at the same time as other girls in the ward who had had vaginal births.

Das Kitty

Great advice from the ladies above. Just thought I'd tell you about the only part I didn't expect. You can feel the operation happening, it doesn't hurt but you can feel it and it's not a pleasant sensation. Feels like shuffling about and I personally could feel my stomach being jostled and it made me sick. It takes about 10 minutes but the stitching up takes about 45 and that feels horrible too.

I think if I had known this in advance I would have dealt with it better!

Grawns

My milk came in very quickly too but I had my baby bundled up beside me in the bed a lot of the time. Lots and lots of skin to skin contact. Your baby will probably get jaundiced ( most breastfed babies do). If that happens, ask to express your milk and for the baby to be cup fed until he/she perks up. Worked like a charm for me as jaundiced babies get sleepy and won't nurse.

Don't depend on help - I got none. My experience is they ignore breastfeeders until jaundice has set in and then start waving bottles around.

Demand lots of pain medicine ( every 4 hrs mimimum and the strongest permitted - codeine please) as I think that was the key to me feeling so well so soon. By the day I left I was okay with paracetamol only. Make sure you get up and walk about within 24 hours. Remind them about this if they forget. Your catheter should come out within 24 hours too.

Knowing all these things in advance meant I could demand the right treatment cause everyone is so busy busy busy. Push that call button and don't be afraid to make a fuss if necessary. You will be very emotional and vulnerable after birth and will probably cry your eyes out at some point. Hormone madness.

The more knowlege you have the less stressful it will be. I think I watched a 100 sections on baby shows on tv and I read every book going.

metrovelvet

I think my section was very different. I was put under general and the whole thing took about 15 minutes. Didnt feel a thing. Pain killer was morphine and staples instead of stitches. I also ended up with kidney failure so was on a catheter for a couple days.

Jump rope excellent idea.

Also, I had the option of having the baby in the room with me or leaving him in the nursery. I had him with me but it may have been better to let the baby be in the nursery as it's next to impossible to get out of the bed to get the baby. Also you will need to recover.

ani_mal

I got my "granny pants" today, piece of rope, arnica tablets and all I miss is probably patience.
Can not wait for the baby, we still don't know is it a boy or a girl.

Just concern about my husband to be left on his own for 5 days at home with 2 cats.

ani_mal

Grawns
that's pretty hectic experience. Our docrot just brushed my husband off, when he started asking questions, but probably because its his 1000 c-section, yet 1 mine.
Anyway, I guess I need to be aware of all things that can happen. I found Cavan maternity ward VERY nice people and answering my needs and my demands (as I always ask many questions-to which they do not know answers most of the times)
my husband and I will not let them ignore me, c-section it is too much of a surgery, not just a cut.
We will see what to do with the baby for the night. I know my pain treshold is very low so I need to find out first about any possible pain killers.

thanks all of you for info, good or worrying better to know cos it helps you to prepare and deal with it bit better.

disco girl

Good luck you'll be fine hun

Don't forget to let us know what you have

implausible

metrovelvet wrote: »

I had the option of having the baby in the room with me or leaving him in the nursery. I had him with me but it may have been better to let the baby be in the nursery as it's next to impossible to get out of the bed to get the baby. Also you will need to recover.

I felt so useless when I couldn't lift my baby out of the cot after my section, but the nurses in Lkenny were fantastic. I pressed the buzzer whenever he was hungry and they put him into the bed with me to be breastfed and lifted him out when he was done. I was so happy to be able to do something for my baby.

Grawns

Best of luck tomorrow

January

Best of luck,

Das Kitty

Good luck, you'll be great!

disco girl

Good luck tomorrow

ani_mal

so.. I went thru this
it was grant to the moment when they stick spinal in my back, then I got very emotional..
anyway, wasn't that bad, the only bad thing about c-section is that you cant see your baby for an hour after the section, due to woman condition.
anyway, stiches not so bad, bit pulling, but not so painful.
Morphine was a disaster didnt so anythinhg to me, only viomiting too much so I stoped taking it.
today 4 days after Im grant. nothing so scary now.

wolfpawnat

Congrats ani mal

disco girl

Congratulations ani mal

So did you have a boy or a girl??

Das Kitty

Congratulations new mummy!

Grawns

Congratulations.

January

Congratulations

Hope new baby is well x

ani_mal

thank you everyone.
I can recomend one more thing after C-Section or maybe even after natural birth as well.
supporting belt, Belly doesnt swing, doesn't "float" and it feels better and easier to move around with this belt,.(sorry for Polish web site, but I cant find the belt anywhere else)
I totally reocmmend this belt after birth and during pregnancy
great support for back and belly a well, during and after.