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Childbirth

Preparing for csection - tips for good experience and recovery please

34 replies

GingerbreadPudding · 07/01/2015 09:58

I'm having a section on 15th jan and would love to hear from ladies who have any suggestions for the section experience itself and good tips on what to pack for the hospital stay (I'll be in a private room and my husband can stay over).

Any tips for making the operation itself a more 'pleasant' experience, particularly for bonding with my little one?

Any tips for coping and experiences of if they have to take her away for resuscitation (she's being born at 37 weeks as I have obstetric cholestasis)

Anything I should be buying and taking with me to help make the recovery easier?

Anything I should prepare now or do once I'm home from hospital to make my recovery run as smoothly as it can.

Any breastfeeding tips?

I've had a horrible pregnancy with lots of pain, immobility, bile itching etc, and I am so determined that the birth will be a turning point for us. I can't wait to meet my little girl!

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Goodmum1234 · 07/01/2015 12:26

Having had two cs I hopefully will be able to help. Batch cook before going into hospital and try to organise some help with housework and looking after baby for when u come out, obviously if that's possible!! If not don't worry about housework!
Tips- rest by staying in bed even tho you may get little sleep. They'll let you out as soon as you've showered and are happy that you're mobile. I couldn't wait to get out!!
Brace yourself for the first time u have to stand and walk, it does hurt but you'll be fine. It's normal and won't tear. I had a mantra 'feel the fear and do it anyway!'
I got terrible trapped wind so took peppermint oil in hospital and it worked.
Once home- stay in bed as much as you can, I was naughty and co slept bit my god it helped. I hardly left the bed for a week except to shower and change baby
I had confidence in myself, and my baby let me know what to do this time. (Unlike with dd1 where I found things so hard ??)
After showering blow dry your scar and lay over edge of bed to allow fresh air to circulate. After a month or so u might need talc if u have a slight overhang.
Never vacuum or. Iron or do the dishwasher for six weeks or you may hurt yourself internally. It honestly takes a long long time to fully recover and you do yourself no favours trying to do it all.
Focus on you and baby, good luck hth xxx

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GingerbreadPudding · 07/01/2015 13:42

Thanks goodmum. Can I ask - how do you 'take' peppermint oil? Neat? On your tongue? And what is the talc for with an overhang (or don't I want to know?!). Thanks for all the tips - I will start batch cooking!

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mewkins · 07/01/2015 13:44

Take lots of water into hospital- my elcs made me really thirsty!

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Heels99 · 07/01/2015 13:47

Take breastfeeding cushion.

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seaoflove · 07/01/2015 13:59

You can buy peppermint oil capsules - whatever you do, don't swig from the bottle Grin

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imip · 07/01/2015 14:03

Just have peppermint tea (4 c sections here - worked every time!).

Get yourself some post surgical pants, you can get them on amazon and I've also got them from mothercare before. Look online and shop around. They allow your sound to breathe, I cannot tell you how many hcp I've impressed with my choice of pants post baby! They are a bit like fishnets, can still wear a pad and can be washed a few times. I wore them til the scar fully healed.

Enjoy, each time I recall seeing my babies for the first time, I well up - an amazing feeling :-)

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imip · 07/01/2015 14:04

Wound to breathe, not sound to breath!

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GlowWine · 07/01/2015 14:09

Can someone research the peppermint suggestion please? I too was advised (by MW) to drink peppermint tea (ok tea, not oil) as I really struggled with trapped wind, esp first time (two EMCS).

Much much later (years after DD2) found it on a list of herbs that reduces milk production when BF. Used if engorgement is a problem and also later during weaning and advised to avoid all other times. No wonder I had little milk ?!? Who knows, I successfully exclusively BFd both times to way past 6 months but I never produced much of it!

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GingerbreadPudding · 07/01/2015 14:41

Just read that some say peppermint can hamper milk production but apparently windeze doesn't and you can take that breastfeeding. Thanks for the heads up on that.

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GingerbreadPudding · 07/01/2015 14:42

I can't find post surgery pants on amazon imip. I don't have a mothercare near me. Are they called something different? I've found what look like super control pants but I'm thinking they might be sore on the wound.

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Northernexile · 07/01/2015 14:50

Yes trapped wind and also constipation can be a problem, so plenty of fluids and Windeze and Lactulose if necessary.

Make sure you take nighties not pjs for after, and pants-wise I just bought some granny pants a couple of sizes too big and they we're perfect.

I have found a widgey cushion useful for feeding (I'm 6 weeks post my second CS), and DH did all the changing, lifting her in to bed etc for me for the first week or two at night.

Just take it really easy, and make sure you take all the medication offered to keep on top of the pain. I felt pretty good after two weeks this time.

Good luck!

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thelittlebooktroll · 07/01/2015 14:50

I had a planned section and it was a calm lovely experience. I had no problem bonding or breastfeeding and recovered really quickly even though it was my second section. Best of luckSmile

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fruitpastille · 07/01/2015 15:10

I've had 3 sections.
For the op... You can often take your own CD to play (my dh lovingly made his own then forgot it!)
Agree with surgeon beforehand that you can have skin to skin straightaway if baby is OK. I had dd on my chest while they sewed me up.
Op itself is fine, worst part is canula and keeping still for spinal but you have a midwife to support you. I was a bit emotional but they get baby out quite quickly - within 15 mins and then you can relax a bit.
You can't eat or drink beforehand so a nice snack for after might be good but personally I felt a bit nauseous.
Have plenty of water and orange juice to help prevent constipation.
First trip to the toilet can be tricky after spinal but you will have a catheter initially.
It is a struggle to walk for the first few days but each day is better than the last. I drove at around 4 weeks.
NO hoovering for a few weeks. The outside heals quickly but inside takes longer. Take your painkillers.
Breast feeding - was v hard for me but not due to section. V shape pillow is handy.
Big size high waist pants and over the bump yoga trousers to wear. I was also fine with bigger size PJ bottoms in hospital.

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nilbyname · 07/01/2015 15:16

Stay on tip of pain, don't wait to feel sore, take your meds post section regularly.

You'll have injections at home to be given by the mw, they are not scary or sore, but are in your tummy so a bit freaky.

Rest. Reat lots. Stay in bed, have a babymoon and say yes to people dropping off food, running errands.

Big pants with a sanitary pad runnin horizontally across your scar feels nice.

Take arnica orally and , tea tree oil and lavender in your bath helps healing.

You will get constipated so eat well. The fist poo is scary but you can do it!

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Jackiebrambles · 07/01/2015 15:21

Yes to nighties rather than pjs. Get one with buttons so you can bf easily.

I bought a pack of 5 black 'granny pants' from M&S in a 14-16 size (I'm normally 10-12). They go right over your wound so won't hurt or irritate it. Plus they are black so good for the post birth lochia.

They are also the most comfortable pants known to man!!

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Number3cometome · 07/01/2015 15:38

Hold a sanitary towel or pillow over your wound when you cough or laugh or sneeze!

V pillow is amazing.

Try and get up and about as soon as possible (and safe) afterwards.

Listen to the advice about nil by mouth - very very important.

Take some simple linctus with you, for some reason I developed a cough after my C-section (1st one -GA) and the coughing made it horrendous.

Make sure you don't try and bend or lift anything. Nice loose nightdress or very loose pjs.

Don't be put off by paracetamol - it is incredibly effective IF taken in regular doses. On it's own, it's shit!

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DidThatJustHappen · 07/01/2015 15:41

If there is a risk baby might go to NICU / SCBU then check with the team / DH about what you want to do - they asked us if DH wanted to go with them upstairs and I was in no state to make decisions with a bunch of surgeons fiddling about inside me. He stayed with me but then I was lying there thinking he should have gone.... I would have liked them to have asked us before, as I knew DS would definitely be going to the NICU. The c section itself was not too bad at all - just weird. My DH cleverly kept chatting to me about random stuff like holidays and all the food I had missed in pregnancy which kept me relaxed. I was worried about the catheter and spinal block hurting when they came out... Didn't hurt at all. Don't be afraid to ask for painkillers after - particularly if you have to get out of bed to see DC in NICU - one midwife refused to give me codeine day 2 after section as "you won't be able to take it home with you". I went home with a big pack of it so she was VERY wrong and I couldn't get out of bed without it!

And if they do have to resuscitate it is scary but doctors are pretty amazing in my experience.

All the best!

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Number3cometome · 07/01/2015 15:43

And if they do have to resuscitate it is scary but doctors are pretty amazing in my experience

Absolutely, baby is in the best hands.

My sister had DN at 37 weeks with OC, she was born absolutely fine weighing a healthy 7 1/2lb xx

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mupperoon · 07/01/2015 15:49

Dunno whether this applies to you but my other half set up 2 changing stations at worktop height, one upstairs one downstairs, so I didn't have to go too far or bend unnecessarily.

I had a c-section belt from Mothercare that was really good.

My milk took 6 days to come in and was not plentiful - I started on fenugreek capsules and 5 months later my girl is EBF and I have tons of milk. Definitely don't give up on the advice of midwives or HVs or MILs, I was told for weeks to give up but I am bloody glad I didn't.

Good luck!

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DidThatJustHappen · 07/01/2015 16:01

Number3 yes exactly the baby will be in great hands! My DS was delivered at 29 weeks and 2lbs by semi elective c section (I had a few hours warning after a couple of weeks of hospital bed rest) and he is now doing great. The baby doctors work miracles. My first baby so I didn't find it too weird not having him with me to start with as the only thing I knew. After a few days I found it really tough but at 37 weeks hopefully if your DC does need help they won't be away from you for too long.

I second M&S very very large black pants (bought them on recommendation of my consultant who recommended them over the surgical ones - I got size 16 and am usually a 12).

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jimijack · 07/01/2015 16:15

Big knickers are a MUST. Preferably v cheap ones so you can bin them.

Have a wee table by your chair/ sofa for:
Remote control
Drinks
Snacks
Tissues
Wipes
Phone.

Bf was no issue, I was given steroids 3 days before my cs at 37 weeks. Baby was absolutely fine just tiny. Soon fed him up with bm.

Get up & do stuff as soon as poss. It really helps with recovery time.

I had no choice. I was pushing the pram through the snow taking ds 1 to & from school 2 weeks after section as dh had gone back to work & we had no one at all to help. Also had washing, cooking, cleaning & dishwasher to sort. Took painkillers & cracked on. The really annoying thing was that I was so fat &swollen, I couldn't do my coat up, so was bloody freezing on that track to school!

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TinyTear · 07/01/2015 16:19

use a maternity pad on the scar to absorb any leakage, but yes, after shower and if you can, lie down with it getting some fresh air

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imip · 07/01/2015 18:08

Oh ffs! It's under images - sorry dd4 is insisting on drawing around my hand!

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Goodmum1234 · 07/01/2015 19:49

Sorry about the delay, I've been busy with 15 week old all day

The mw bought me oil in a little cup and I drank it like a shot!! Didn't know about it suppressing milk supply tho but only had one.

Sadly after a week of trying to fb I just couldn't again!! Ended up feeding baby formula like the first time but this time did not beat myself up about it!!!! I have a healthy baby who Is making great progress and I am In a great mental state due to not putting pressure on myself this time.
Yes to massive pants- primark three sizes bigger to what u normally are!!!!im 16 and wore 22!!! They were beauts xxx

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