Csection yesterday - daren't move. Tips please!

[Rarfy]

Hi

As the title says i had a csection yesterday morning. They've removed catherter this morning so i know i am up and around today but i daren't bloody move.

Anyone have any tips? Is it mind over matter. Ive kept on top of meds so no real pains whilst laid in bed but i did get a shock last night when i stood up to get changed.

Why on earth i thought i would just be up and about i had no idea. Feel a right dick now!

Congratulations!

Bite the bullet get up and get moving! The first time is the hardest but every move after that gets easier.

I stopped painkillers after a few days so could feel when was doing too much.

You can get signed off to drive by doc when you feel ready there is no mandatory 6 weeks from the insurance company.

Ask to see a physio if your unit has one - mine did and she was amazing for showing me how to get up from lying which is what I found very difficult/upsetting. And take all the drugs. Congratulations!

Moving about is essential. The quicker you move the chances your recovery will be quick too. Don't do house work on anything major but do get up about. Go down for meals and so on. When at the hospital they told me to use baby crib to trolley to the bathroom and so on. This is also prefentive measure for not getting blood clots. When home let people help. There is going to be a moment when you get home that you will feel much pain but if your mess schedule is regular it should not be too bad. Once that happens you will be on the up heal. I had csection with my 3rd and my milk took longer to come in. My last baby bf best out of my 3 I think regardless.

Well i am pleased to report that being up and about today us a million times better than yesterday. Dont get me wrong its still difficult but it is not frightening or upsetting me like yesterday and...they are hoping to send us home so just hanging around now. I say hanging around -im going to brave the shower. Figure hospital one be easier to get in and out of than our over bath one and i really do need to freshen up.

You'll feel loads better after a shower and although things like getting in and out of bed will be harder at home I think it's just easier to be comfy. You can loll about in any old position that feels comfortable and don't have to worry about what anyone thinks.

Firstly congrats

Haven't rtft so apologies if this has already been mentioned but when you feel that you need to cough or sneeze hold a pillow on your c-section scar and if you have trapped windwhich is very common in abdominal surgery drink some green tea it really does help. Being mobile really is important easier said than done after major surgery
When getting up lay in your side then push up with your arms and get my swing your legs down get someone to help. Amazing how much we need our stomach muscles for
Be kind to yourself and try not to over do it it will take a good few weeks to heal properly so take it slow.

Just re read that back sorry for the typos. But I wouldn't advise getting your dp to push you up in case your stitches open up.

1. No lifting anything heavier than your newborn. Including full kettles of water etc.

1. No hoovering (ha!) or ironing for quite a while. Don't even try.

1. Move around the house, but very short walks only (if at all) for the first week, and continue to take it easy thereafter. Even after a few weeks your muscles won't be healed fully inside.

1. Keep the wound clean and fully dry. Pat dry with a towel carefully and if possible allow it to air dry (whilst you are wearing a dressing gown perhaps) before putting on underwear.

1. Any support you can get for sitting and/or getting up especially from bed.

1. Try not to laugh it reaaaally hurts!

1. No jeans/underwear that the waistband of goes anywhere near the wound for a good while. Very big knickers, either maternity over the bump or oversized full cotton briefs are perfect as are stretchy maternity leggings.

1. Expect your tummy to look and/or feel bruised.

1. Any sign of infection, get yourself to the doctor. Don't wait for the midwife. They can't prescribe antibiotics if you need them. If you do need them and the infection is under the wound (ie pus oozing from a small hole, skin looking red/purple in a particular spot more so than the rest of the wound, anything that looks angry) you'd need anaerobic ones (metronidazole) not amoxycillin. The wound should be fairly neat and the skin around it healthy looking. Just because you've had a CS doesn't mean it should look angry, overly red/purple, or ooze anything. If anything looks amiss- get it checked out. Don't be fobbed off by MW or receptionists.

10. Keep up with painkillers and/or anti inflammatories if prescribed.

11. Congratulations!

Congrats!!! I remember you from the Jan 2019 babies thread :D! I’m 3 weeks post section and recovery can feel like it takes forever esp with a newborn to take care of. These things helped me most:

1. Fennel tea instead of peppermint. Just as effective against wind but without affecting milk supply.

2. Support girdle for the first 4-5 days. I used one from the hospital and it helps to keep the surgery area compressed.

3. Try not to give in to white carbs/potatoes and make sure everything you eat is wholegrain or contains fibre (fruit, veg etc). Drink tons of water, take Lactulose and/or magnesium stool softeners. You won’t be able to “push” on the loo very well since the stitches hurt for about 2 weeks.

4. Go to the loo after baby has been fed and there’s ideally someone keeping an eye on him/her. Nothing adds to the stress of post section poo than a screaming baby.

5. Put your feet up on a chair when eating if the stitches hurt, or have someone bring meals while you’re in bed/on the sofa.

6. Dry incision site with a hairdryer set on cool after getting out of shower.

7. I also had loads of post partum sweating (nobody warns you about that!) and would wake up soaking after each nap/sleep. The sweat can irritate the csection scar so I dressed in layers and sometimes slept with my hand just under the knicker waistband so there’s a bit of air between fabric and skin.

8. Painkillers + shower + fresh clothes will make a world of difference. The first few days are so icky with pain, lochia, sweating, cramping but really try to take 15mins for self care and look after yourself first.

Good luck and enjoy the newborn days!

Pornfluff I forgot about the sweating! And nobody does tell you about it! Basically night sweats for weeks where you wake up drenched - hair, body, everything. Tis awful. At first you wonder what the heck's going on but it all does settle down - it's just hormones.

I wonder if that happens with VB as well as CS? I've never had a VB.

Thanks everyone. Had a shower and felt great however think left myself sat too long when home and sofa is lower than i remembered so harder to get up than i thought it would be. Think might sleep there tonite tho as easier to get up off than the bed lol.

I slept on the sofa my first week at home because it was easier to get into/out of than my bed

It feels impossible at first but the more you move the quicker you'll get back to normal! And have some form of peppermint, it saved me.

What I found shocking when I had my c section is that they sent me home with supermarket strength painkillers - paracetamol and ibuprofen! Ridiculous. Luckily I had stronger painkillers at home. I suggested to them that if I were a man I would be given something decent considering I had been cut through to my insides. This was proved when a male relation had abdominal surgery and was given something that actually worked. Congratulations by the way. It gets easier very quickly.

Thanks everyone. We have ended up in bed. Bit drafty downstairs. Ive managed the stairs got into bed and got onto my side. Feed and meds due at 12 tho so see how we get on with gettong me back out and back in lol.

Glad you are both home. Hopefully will be easier for rest and get to know each other

I struggled gettinf back out so ended up trying to sleep on the nursing chair. Managed about an hour all night i think.

Had midwife round today who has told me i have to get into bed and rest properly so we're giving it another go tonight.

Ive just done something bloody stupid - was scheduled to take a paracetamol and took another diocodeine instead. Wont do me any harm will it? It was my 4th today since midnight (1st one at midnight). Think last one will have been this afternoon sometime.

I have had two, just take it easy. Walk slowly. Got out of bed after two days (but this was 40 years ago!). Everything will come back slowly, just try and do a little more every day. Put baby on a pillow on your lap to help you feed. I promise you it gets better and you will be normal again!

Thank you. 4 days post section and had my first proper sleep last night so much better today. Thanks for everyones support its massively helped.