1st baby elective c section in 9 days advice!

[thundercat87]

Hi. I an due to have my baby in 9 days via c section. I'm scared as hell about the risks involved a little more so cos I have a raised bmi. I just wondered if anyone could give advice or share their experiences with me perhaps of elective section? Also best things for hospital bag.. Thanks in advance xx

[GruffalosGirl]

Get yourself some big granny pants with a really high waistband so nothing touches your scar. And go for tracksuitbottoms, jeans are not your friend after a section!

You'll probably need loads of the pads for after birth, mothercare sell them. I think I went through 3 packs in hospital.

You little one will probably be small if you have a cs, you can get little baby vests and babygros. I had to send my mum to tesco for some as new baby clothes were too big.

And take snacks and drinks. Waking up starving in the middle of the night is not fun if you have to wait until breakfast for food!

Good luck, it'll all be fine

[thundercat87]

Thank you just so nervous.. x

[katsnmouse]

thunder I have/had a higher bmi and things went ok. For you....lots of nighties: loose and comfy is the way forward! Thick pads, deffo big knickers (mine were already big!). You could also think about a post c sec girdle/support belt, i didn't have one but I will next time, I like the idea of some extra abdo support. Also things to help you relax e.g kindle/ipad etc, nice toiletries to make you feel better after the op (little things make the difference) Definitely snacks and juice/water, i found the ward really warm so was constantly thirsty.

other tips-
see if they will put any catheters in your non dominant hand, and in your arm rather than the back of your hand. It will make holding the baby much easier.
Nobody warned me before hand about not lifting post c sec, so make sure you don't lift anything heavier than your bubba! If you can get someone to do that for you, all the better.
If you are using a cot, put it right up against the side of your bed and drop the side to make it easier for night time feeds.

Good luck, only 9 days til you see you new baby! :) x

[thundercat87]

katsnmouse thank you so much I can't wait to meet her.. x

[BiscuitsofYum]

After my section I craved sugar, I would have given my left arm for a can of coke!
After a section you can get a bit gassy and struggle in going. I ate lots of fruit but you could also gave peppermint tea.
Make sure clothes are loose fitting, I wore nighties in hospital, big pants also are a life saver.
Hospitals are boring so make sure you take something to do like a book or a few trashy magazines.

After your section don't over do it, its surgery after all. For the first 6 weeks focus on baby as everything else can wait. It is not fun to open your section wound up again!

Good luck!

[thundercat87]

Thanks @BiscuitsofYum x

[GruffalosGirl]

The section is not too bad, more of an odd and uncomfortable sensation than anything else. And they get you up and make you walk after about 12hrs which i was petrified of doing but if you take it slowly it's not really that sore.

The trapped wind afterwards isn't good but if you speak to the staff they will give you a drink that tastes vile but really does help get rid of it.

My section recovery was easier than my natural birth first time. You do have to have heparin injections for a while and they will try and teach someone to do them at home for you. I didn't want dh doing them as have a bit of a thing about needles so they sent a midwife to do mine.

Take the pain relief when they offer it to you even if you don't think you need it. It's always better to keep on top of pain rather than try and get rid of it once it's built up.

Try not to worry too much, it will be fine x

[thundercat87]

Thanks so much! Really helps having advice from ppl who've gone through it. X

[nilbyname]

Peppermint tea is good, and fruit juice. Going fir a poo is a bit scary!

Take your pain meds regularly and stay on top of pain, don't be a hero.

Big pants, maternity trousers, lots of pads.

Take arnica to help with healing.

[katsnmouse]

about the going for a poo...ask for lactulose...made it easier for me!!

mine was an emcs 14mo, writing this is making me realise how much i have forgotten about the whole 'experience' of a c sec.

[Pico2]

I had a VB with DD1 and ELCS with DD2.

Take a camera in to the operating theatre - DH was able to film DD2's arrival, which is brilliant to be able to watch.

Definitely get the cannula in your non-dominant hand. When I had a VB with DD1 I had a cannula in my right hand and it came out because I was trying to look after DD1. They then found it really hard to get one in when I needed a blood transfusion. I didn't have any problems with the one in my left hand when I had DD2.

During the actual CS the spinal made my blood pressure fall which made me feel a bit sick and woozy - if you tell the anesthetist they will give you something that makes you feel better. I was a bit surprised afterwards when I was rolled from side to side so that they could wipe me off. As the spinal wore off in recovery I became quite shaky, but that stopped fairly quickly. The feeling woozy and shaky made me reluctant to hold DD2, but DH held her instead.

I ate loads of fruit and didn't have a problem with wind/constipation.

Take the painkillers offered. The pain wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be, but probably because I had enough painkillers.

My CS recovery has been much easier than my VB recovery, but my crap VB recovery was why I had an ELCS.

Take a range of baby clothes with you. Our DD2 was unexpectedly big and none of the newborn and 0-1 month clothes we had with us fitted her, so we had to send my mum out for bigger clothes.

[NanoNinja]

I've just had ELCS two and it was a great experience. I'd go through it again tomorrow. PP have given some good advice, I would add:

• tell then if you feel nauseous, and they will give you something for it. My first CS, this anti nausea drug made me really spaced out for about 24 hours - I later found out that they could have reversed it, so just tell them if you are feeling bad in any way at all.
• I was advised against peppermint tea because it can have an adverse effect on milk supply.
• I really benefited from moving early on. Was a big mental block and v painful but once it's done you feel so much better
• Def keep on top of the constipation issue ( my number one lesson from the first ELCS ). Plenty of fibre, water, appropriate medication. First time round I had a bowel movement after a couple of days and then nothing until day 14 - that was not pleasant!

I was scared in advance of my first, and to a lesser extent my second - it is major surgery - but really the whole process was great. Good luck!

[Jenjen3657]

I had an elective section with my first 8 1/2 weeks ago! I was the same.. Really scared!!! To be honest I was worried about nothing! The whole thing was actually surpringly relaxed!! They spoke to me about everything!! Any worries I had they went over with me and kept me nice and calm! My advice is as soon as you feel you can get up and move about! My LG was born at 4:18pm and I was up and in the shower by 11pm, after that I kept getting out of bed ( very slowly and carefull) to change my LG and kept moving as much as I could, I was able to stop all pain killers within 6 days! The cathater is a it of a bitch but more for a moving about point as I had to carry the bag with me lol not exactly a designer hand bag lol

I took loads of baby clothes with me and used hardly any!!! As for big pants I an average a size 12 - 14 and got massive (black) pants from Tesco for about £2.50! I got size 18 - 20 and they come up to my ribs but perfect for my scar! Nice and high and loose!! Again I took leggings with me 2 sizes bigger than normal to allow for the scar! I didn't use a massive amount of pads, got mine from Tesco, £1 for a pack of 10 pads!
I took a bottle of diluting juice with me and drank that. Also when they take the cathater out (at least on Edinburgh) they said I had 6 hours to pee twice and each pee had to be at least 200ml so keep drinking!!!

I'm 8 1/2 weeks post section and honestly have healed really well, and you wouldn't know I'd recently had massive surgery!

Good luck with your section and honestly there is no feeling le meeting your baby for the first time! Don't worry and just relax and Anjou the experience!!!!! Xxxxx

[thundercat87]

Thank you so much ladies xx

[Genevieve1976]

Hi ya

Due to previous surgery for colitis years ago I was shit scared of my c section day 5 wks ago. Had panic attacks and walking into theatre was horrid HOWEVER in hindsight it was absolutely fine hun. Surgery and midwife team awesome, yes it does feel like people washing up inside you but I concentrated on my new baby ??. Deep breaths and get other half to talk to you to take mind off things, afterwards keep up with pain relief, take everything that's offered and when u go home make sure u have ibuprofen and paracetamol in buckets fulls to keep on top of it. After first few wks it will be a distant memory. Take big pants, lots of snacks and nice drinks (midnight hunger always strikes), big wet wipes for night of surgery to freshen up, straws for drinks, ur pregnancy pillow for feeding/tummy support, lip salve for dry lips. Big nice towels for shower, flip flops for shower, large box of chocolates to give to midwives to keep them sweet ??. Good luck, it will all be fine, I can't believe how nervous I was then five weeks later here I am with my son and zero sleep!! It's worth it 100% xxxxxxx

[thundercat87]

thank you so much I'm really looking forward to meeting my girl just trying to focus on that lol xx

[Smiths52]

Hello - i had my elective c section last friday (13th feb) and i was discharged on sunday. I was absolutely terrified before the op and was convinced something terrible would happen - it didn't and it is now 4 days later, i have a beautiful baby boy and the pain is minimal. Honestly, i read some right nonsense online beforehand and all i can say is, while the experience is slightly surreal (awake during op/ unfamiliar medical environment etc) the actual procedure is very straightforward and all over very quickly (1 hour ish). The anaesthetist will make sure you have all the relevant meds (they are extremely thorough with this - they have to be!). They will give you anti-nausea/blood pressure drugs etc if you need them. In fact it seemed they had an antidote for everything and any eventuality was covered. After the procedure you will be wheeled into recovery, given tea and toast, and looked after by the midwifes. They pump you full of really excellent painkillers for the first 24 hours, after that you will be given mix of anti inflammatory and paracetamol. It is worth staying on top of the frequency of when the pain meds are handed out - I was always checking when the next pain meds round was due and, even at the slightest twinge, asking for (and getting) any extra. I also suggest getting up and walking about a bit as soon as they say you can (after catheter comes out usually) movement really helps with any twinges and will help recovery in the long run. Like i say i am now at home and i am on paracetamol only. There are a few twinges still (a bit like a stitch when running) but i think they should be gone in a few days. All in all it was a really positive (if surreal) experience and i am convinced the majority of women's experiences are good. Please try to ignore the hyped up stuff online! I.e 'the gas pain was excruciating', 'i nearly puked in theatre' blah blah etc etc. While i am sure a few peoples experiences are pretty crap, all the women i have spoken to face to face had a really positive experience and as mentioned, any eventuality will be covered by the medical staff, so just mention anything that bothers you. I hope this helps (i have gone on a bit!), if you have any specific questions just ask and (while it is all fresh in my mind) i will do my best to answer. Good luck with it all! Ps. In terms of hospital bag - you might (depends on midwifes) need to take not only baby sleepsuits but baby vests as well. I just had a load of sleepsuits, but on the ward they really wanted all babies to wear a sleepsuit and a vest.

[thundercat87]

Hey thanks that's really helpful. Shit just got real they have actually brought forward my section to tomorrow due to reduced fetal movements. Arrgghhh. What bugs me is the fact these docs keep pushing me for normal del when clearly my baby is on the big side and has a high chance of being stuck.. trying to frighten me away with horror story's about women dying etc with raised bmis it's discussing. Xx

[thundercat87]

Typo lol discusting x

[thundercat87]

Disgusting lol get there eventually x

[Mumbledore]

Good luck, my section was a strangely nice experience! It was all very calm and over quickly. The worst bit for me was the steroid injections in my bum - they sting a bit! Only had those as was delivering at just 37 weeks though. Getting up and moving when you can does help, just go slowly, it's amazing how your body heals so soon. You might think everything will fall apart but it really won't! Hope everything goes well and you enjoy your new baby.