I'm having my first c section in 2 weeks

[Namechangenora40]

And I'm shitting it. I'm excited but also having major panic attacks about the spinal. Pain, and recovery. I'm literally terrified.


😪😪

[MadrigalElectromotive]

I had my first c section 6 weeks ago and it was a really good experience. Like you, it was planned so very relaxed and friendly atmosphere in theatre. The worst bit was having the cannula put in. The spinal didn't hurt and really wasn't that scary. It felt like getting into a warm bath when it started to take effect. I had a diclofenac suppository in theatre and then only needed paracetamol and ibuprofen. After about 5 days I didn't need any more pain relief and I was able to go to the supermarket. 6 weeks on I feel back to my normal self completely. All in all it was a really positive experience and nothing to worry about. Best of luck!

[nilbyname]

It's going to be really fine, and lovely and you'll get to meet your baby so soon!

My top tips-
Skin to skin as soon as you can for feeding
Stay on top of the pain post section, and take the meds you're given
Take it really easy post section, I spent the first 2 weeks in bed with baby and it was bliss! Have a baby moon!
Tea tree and lavender oil in the bath is ice
Arnica tablets for healing
Be strict with visitors and don't have too many
doing a poo or passing wind an feel weird/painful but thats normal. I made DH come with me when I did my first poo! Poor him.

[Namechangenora40]

Thank you!!

If I have a shower the next day how do I keep it dry? Someone said a hair dryer but that won't be possible in hospital? I have a saggy over hang belly too so im really worried about infection

[imjessie]

They put a massive bit of tape over the stitches .

[loveulotslikejellytots]

In hospital pat the scar dry (take your own towels). I had a dressing on for a few days anyway.

You'll be fine. I had a EMCS in January. It was 100 times better than I'd anticipated. Even though it was an emergency the atmosphere was kept very relaxed, the spinal was fine. The weirdest part was as my legs were falling asleep!

I had c sec at 9pm. I was up walking by lunchtime the next day (would have been earlier but no one could unhook me from the catheter until then). I felt the recovery was a lot better than I'd heard from other people. Just take it easy. I felt like I could do a lot, we wet shopping when dd was 6 days old, I was walking for about an hour and a half. That wasn't a good idea. I was a bit sore the next day! In hindsight I wish I'd just stayed in bed for a couple of weeks. I also have an overhang, I used the hair dryer but also laid flat airing my scar for at least ten minutes a day. That helped, I was surprised at how quickly the scar healed.

[FirstTimerAtBeingAMummy]

I had my first c section 11 weeks ago. It was an emergency one but it was done with ease. Try not to panic. The spinal isn't overly painful it's just like a scratch and you can't feel it going in etc. It works very quickly and then your legs just are not there anymore lol. They allow you to rest until the spinal wears off or the next day depending on what time you have it and then the nurses help you to get up and about. They got me in the shower 7 hours after mine. Don't worry about it getting wet as they put water proof dressing on it and it's like a big sheet of thick cling film. It's really protected. Then for recovery I was good with Ibrufen and paracetamol.
Try to relax and take it easy and your body will do the rest. You'll be surprised how good you'll feel after it. Take advantage of everyone wanting to look after you too :-) there's only so long you can milk it for ;-) enjoy the whole process and best wishes for you and your little one.

[calamityjam]

I have had 4 c sections. The last 3 being elective. It is scary the first time you know you're going to have a spinal, but like others have said, it is a doddle. The spinal needle is quite big, but they give you a tiny local injection first so you don't really feel the bigger one. The thing that I didn't realise is that you go numb all the way up to your chest, it feels weird at first but they start to open you up straight away so you don't think about it. It seems to take 2 mins from your spinal to meeting your baby. Then they close you up. They usually take the baby to check and weigh then give to your dh/p. You will then go to the post natal ward. You will have a drip and a catheter, both of which will come out over the next few hours. Ask for help when you need it, if your baby needs feeding you will need somebody to pass you the baby so please use that buzzer or have a big voice! Try to get up as soon as you can, it helps with your recovery and take your pain meds don't be brave!

[Haggisfish]

Quite a few dr say not to hair dry as it blows fluff straight in! Just pat dry with clean towel-it heals externally really quickly. They are really good at managing nerves-if you tell them you are anxious they can often add a sedative in to spinal! Just focus on the baby-when I was having my first cs, I just looked into dh eyes and we told each other all the lovely things we were going to do with dd. in fact I'm slightly damp eyed now remembering it!

[sm40]

Do you know if it's a boy or girl? If not, ask them to show you the baby rather than tell you! Ask to have baby put on you straight away. Slightly funny angle but doable. Also beware of the trapped wind the next day (well I got it badly!!). However get walking within 24 hours and walk a bit more each day. But do rest up, and keep on top of drugs. On the plus side you don't start off having missed sleep from labour. After my disastrous 4 day labour and emergency c-section I was literally raring to go after my planned one!

[Batboobs]

I'm having my 2nd c-section in 3 weeks. To be honest having read threads like this one in the months/weeks coming up to my first c-section, I thought it would be a wall in the park, but I found it to be horrifically painful and the recovery very difficult. I have also had 2 vaginal births so having experienced both sides of the coin I would say I found the recovery of those to be so much easier.

The procedure itself was fine - very calm, but I had upper back and neck pain from being slumped into an awkward position post-spinal, had great difficulty walking around for the first week, couldn't lay on my side for over a month and had random nerve pains on one side of my groin for a long while after the op. What they also don't tell you is that it can take time for your bowels to 'wake up' after such a major procedure, I think it was 24 hours before I was able to pass wind.

My scar healed up pretty nicely, they used glue, and I used to shower daily and then use a hairdryer (once at home) to dry it completely. While you're in the hospital, as it's usually only a day or two I think just keeping it clean is all that matters.

My plan this time is to insist on better pain relief, as in my hospital they like to fob you off with paracetamol, and virtually drag you out of bed after only 8 or so hours to get you moving around/or into a new ward.

[MazzleDazzle]

Congratulations! You'll be fine.

I've had 3 sections. (2 X emergencies & 1 planned)

The needle in the back bit is bloody nippy, but over fast.

I didn't feel the cannula at all.

It is surreal feeling every pull and tug, yet no pain.

Before you know it, your baby will be in your arms and you'll forget everything.

Biggest surprise: you bleed vaginally. They will wedge a pad between your legs in theatre and check it/change it regularly. (I cringed at this bit first time round. Third time? Didn't bat an eyelid.)

It is painful the first time you stand. Take every pain killer you are offered! You never know when that trolley will come around again. I brought my own painkillers last time.

Slip on flip flops & shower gel with a handle save you from bending. That will help!

You will have had a major op. Don't do too much and take any help that's offered!

Good luck!

[powershowerforanhour]

I had an EMCS a few months ago after failed induction. It was fine. I got valium for the spinal, wasn't scared but between having been on syntocin all day with no food and very restricted water my electrolytes were hard to control, I suspect I was slightly dehydrated, I was quite tired and in a fair bit of pain and this all combined to make me tremble so hard that they couldn't do the spinal without valium. They were afraid that it would make me too spaced out for the baby but it was fine. I don't remember getting the spinal but I remember them lifting (well tugging!) the baby out and turning my head to see them checking her and giving her to DH. It was fast and very professional. The recovery ward was good, midwives were ace and I felt fine and was able to start BFing quickly.
Pain wise I was lucky, felt great and only took the paracetamol out of politeness! But did start taking the diclofenac when they were sure my kidneys were OK.
One thing I found difficult was sitting up in bed- I never realised how much you rely on your stomach muscles to sit up and turn over. It is hard to get used to using your arms to drag yourself up. Make sure the guard rails on the bed are up so you can use them as handles and get visitors/DP to get everything you need within arm's reach.
The urinary catheter isn't as bad as you think it's going to be. When they pull it you have to prove that you can pee a certain amount (500ml?) all in one go or they said they would have to recatheterise. So all of us were crossing our legs till our back teeth were floating, terrified of having not saved up enough pee to pass the test within the timeframe allowed - if you pee less than the required volume in one go it doesn't count towards the total and your time is running out. Anyway, turns out that 500ml is less than I thought. When I could hold on no longer I peed over a litre...sorry if TMI! Anyway, next time I would pee earlier and not hang on.
Skin heals really quickly. Take it very easy for a couple of weeks for the sake of your abdominal muscles though. Get in and out of the car slowly and get whoever is driving to open the passenger door for you and hold a hand out for you to heave yourself out using your arms rather than using your abdominal muscles. Make them fiddle with the baby's carseat, don't try to lean into the car to do it.
Good luck and enjoy your new baby!

[Notmoreantihistamines]

Remain calm.

My husband is an anaesthetist this was his advice

Have no birth plan that isn't flexible, no one controls the birth except the placenta.MOST IMPORTANT.

Be kind to yourself, no bf nazi behaviour, do what is best for you and yours

Mixed ( formula, breast ) should be considered acceptable, at all tines, everywher, by, not only for the baby, bur also the WELFARE OF THE MUMMY

We can't all produce milk, we dont all have babies tnat latch on, fuck off with your washboard abs bikini beach ready bods We all know you are surgically enbanced.

Just go away, you are not helping anyone, shame one you fucking picture editors.

[nilbyname]

Cor- you're husbands a bit sweary!!

[Notmoreantihistamines]

No. That last bit was me, sorry.

The pressure on new parents is horrendous. Perfect baby, perfect house, perfect body, perfect husband doing night feeds with a smile on his face (!?!?!?!) all straight after birth. It is a hideous myth perpetuated by TV ads and picture editors.

No wonder people get fed up and feel inadequate.