After c section in hospital

[wineapotamus]

Hello hello.
I had my son by emcs nearly 6 years ago and am booked in for elcs on 6th March for baby 2. Am wondering what happened to you overnight after section re: looking after/ picking up baby? I think we were both so traumatised and shell shocked last time that we slept a lot but I can't really remember. I'd love to hear recent experiences. Could you pick up the baby? Did the midwives come? Were they nice? Did you feel supported?
Thanks

[JohnLapsleyParlabane]

I'm my hospital they let someone stay with you, sleeping in the chair by the bed. I had my mum the first night and my husband the second.

[sotiredbutworthit]

I had the same experience and was pleasantly surprised this time! Had a lovely experience, my wound wasn't as sore and I was in a better place mentally! I was home the next day!

[wineapotamus]

Ooh I'd love it if dh could stay but I don't think he was allowed last time. I wonder if it's changed. I'll ask at my next midwife appointment.

[Trainspotting1984]

My husband was alleged to stay x

[welshweasel]

DS was in a cot right by the bed and I made sure I had everything I needed on the bedside table. When he woke I buzzed for the midwife (because he needed blood sugars checking before feeding and sometimes needed formula fetching from the fridge) then changed his nappy whilst waiting for them to come. Managed to put him back in the cot afterwards. A couple of times I was so tired they changed him for me and did the formula top up/settled him again. Although short staffed I found the midwives and HCAs to be brilliant. I was in 3 nights and it was fine.

[Trainspotting1984]

Allowed even

[wineapotamus]

Sotired were you able to pick up the baby overnight or did you have to press the buzzer? Thanks for your positive story, it helps me not to feel too apprehensive!

[wineapotamus]

Thanks Welshweasel. So could you pick your baby up?

[sotiredbutworthit]

I picked him up, had a cuddle etc. Needed a little help to begin with while the spinal wore off but otherwise ok!

[milkmoustache]

I also had an elcs after having emcs for DD. The elcs was completely different, calm, even relaxed, and I just didn't feel like I had just been run over by a lorry like I did the first time. I hope you find that the experience is a million times better, as I did!

[wineapotamus]

This is all so great to hear! Last time I couldn't twist to pick my ds up, and couldn't latch him on, resulting in a midwife feeding him formula overnight while I made sad pitiful noises about wanting to breastfeed and tried not to cry. I ended up coming home at my very insistent request after 2 days because I felt I couldn't take care of him properly in hospital. Horrid start all round, so it's lovely to hear you all found it ok!

[perfectlybroken]

I had ds2 in a cot right next to the bed and was able use the buttons on the bed to get myself upright, lift him out, feed him, change him on the bed (have what you need right next to you) and put him back. I think the midwives would have been fine with being buzzed to pick him up for me, but it was a very busy ward and they may not have been able to come straight away. With both my emcs I found the midwives wonderful. Second time round I rushed home as the ward was so busy, but regretted it as I was very sore and the electric bed really helped. Had to sleep sitting for a week as it was so difficult to get up once I'd laid down.

[perfectlybroken]

Aww sorry to hear about last time, surely they should have been helping you to breastfeed? I think one c section can be as different from another as one birth from another, so hopefully you'll have a better experience this time.

[TheLongRains]

I think you'll find it very different :) after my ELCS, I was able to lift my baby from the cot to my bed to feed, and made sure I had everything within reach before my husband went home (he was allowed to stay late, but not overnight). Once I was on the ward it was all fine, and midwives were around plenty to help, but I didn't hugely enjoy my night on the recovery ward. They wanted me up and out of bed at 11pm to get me walking (??!!), which I know is to help recovery and such, but I was exhausted and wanted to sleep! They also brought me toast at weird hours. But they were exceptionally busy that night, so I guess they just had to do what they could when they could.

If you can have someone stay with you,I imagine that would be ideal, but don't panic if you can't :) it should be much smoother than an EMCS. Good luck!!

[milkmoustache]

And I've just remembered that breastfeeding started much better after the elcs: with DD's birth, I'd been in for about 3 days while they tried to induce labour, so I had tons of drugs in my system which really slowed down the milk supply. It came in much faster after the elcs.

[Sparrowlegs248]

I had ds by elcs in 2015. He was born at 12.35 lunchtime, my spinal worked incredibly well and it was late evening before I could really move much. I didn't get up until the next morning. The mw were lovely, changed nappies and passed ds to and from me. I had the catheter removed at around 5am and went for a shuffle to the toilet at about 7am.

[Chocolateorangegoblin]

Same as the poster above, I used the bed buttons to raise myself up to the same height as the cot to pick DS up. Had everything else on the table next to me, it was fine.

[CityMole]

I had an elcs. DS was in a crib next to my bed and I buzzed when I needed them to lift him to me (I had my section late in the day, so my legs didn't really come back to life until the next morning). I had no trouble breastfeeding him, and it was so nice to snuggle him in bed while feeding. When I was finished feeding I'd buzz for the nurse to put him back in the crib, as it was just out of reach beside my bed. I think things are a LOT easier with an ELCS!

[Oliversmumsarmy]

You stayed in 2 nights!!!!

my hospital want you out after 24hours. 6 for a non c section

[wineapotamus]

This is all v promising! Thanks. While you're here, can I ask you if you had to take nail varnish off hands and feet before section? I had a pedi last time in my overdue 10 days to cheer me up, and vividly remember in the newborn sleep deprived days thinking "My life has gone to hell in a handcart and I don't recognise myself in the mirror but my toes look nice". Was hoping to do that this time too, but am reading conflicting advice...

[TheLongRains]

I think the advice is generally not to. I was told I shouldn't by the hospital, but I know not all hospitals say this explicitly. I'm not sure of the reasoning though - maybe something to do with being able to see your nails' colour in case your oxygen levels are dropping and you go blue?! Or maybe it affects those things they put on your fingers to monitor you? Not a clue!

Are there any other nice things you could do? New button front nightie? (so no elastic on your wound and can easily unbutton for feeding?) Nice new slippers?

Check with your midwife though - they may know more about whether a pedicure is a real no-no :)

[wineapotamus]

I will check with my midwife, good thinking. I
will get a haircut maybe instead, or some posh heavy duty concealer!

[savagehk]

I didn't have a cs but did have a very heavy epidural (baby was going to be delivered by cs if the forceps didn't work).

I couldn't walk for several hours due to the epidural, so couldn't get baby in/out of cot by myself. I decided that was perfect time for skin to skin, propped myself up on the bed fairly upright, cushions either side by my elbows, with him in my arms & we stayed that way most of the time till I was discharged.

Theoretically midwife would have come if I buzzed, but I did buzz several times as my very annoying drip thing had run out of fluids (so was beeping keeping everyone else in the ward up), someone did come to check when I buzzed eventually but wasn't fast by any means. Depends how busy the ward is.