No post natal visit or c-section advice

[Twatusauras]

I gave birth Friday and got discharged Saturday, I had an emergency c-section.

I was told that a midwife would visit me on Sunday, no one came but I got a text message telling me I have an appointment on Wednesday a bus away. I can barely stand and walk.

I phoned them today to tell them I can't make it and I'm still waiting for a midwife to visit. They put me on hold and and said due to staff shortages someone will come out tomorrow.

If I'm honest, I think they forgot to come out. She was surprised that I was given an appointment to come visit the hospital as when she had a section she didnt leave the house for a week.

I feel like I have no information about what I'm suppose to do in recovery, I know I can't have a bath but I feel so dirty, also feeling really teary for no reason.

The baby is asleep, but I can't sleep and when I want to sleep thats when she wants to cluster feed.

Call your maternity assessment or triage Centre. You should have had an at home visit the day after discharge. You have the right to refuse to go to an appointment and ask that they come to you. You need advice about your dressing as with all the ones I have used (midwife) you can shower. Also you may not feel up to it now but please contact PALS and make a complaint. Changes only come from patient complaints. No one listens to the staff. You absolutely should have had a home visit. I hope you get seen soon.

I was also given really poor follow up after my c section, so no advice there Im afraid!

I did want to say, day 4-5 are peak baby blues and it’s when your milk starts to properly come in, so your hormones are peaking. Hence feeling so tearful. It’s completely normal and it will pass.

5 months ago I was you. Emergency C section, cluster feeding baby and feeling teary every 5 minutes. It will get better, I promise.

That is really bad about them not coming out the day after you were discharged. They basically just check your wound, discuss any symptoms etc, weigh baby and do some basic checks on you both. Were you discharged with any paperwork or booklet about recovery? I was a bit frazzled in the hospital when they were quickly going through the aftercare stuff, but they gave me paperwork with info on it.

You can have a shower, just be careful not to get the wound too wet or in contact with any soap etc. I assume you have a dressing over it?

Cluster feeding....I found this the hardest. In my experience, the baby fed and fed and fed until about midnight/1am and then conked out. Can prop yourself up somewhere comfy (ideally with soft/dim lighting) and distract yourself with watching stuff? I found this stopped me drifting off and also kept me distracted enough to stop thinking about stuff for a while. I watched all the inbetweener episodes and then Friday night dinner. Easy watching and light hearted.

Did they give you much advice at discharge?

I have no advice about wound recovery, I was discharged with babies red book, a paper to give to the GP and child benefit forms. As well as pain relief and 9 days of blood thinner injections.

It still feels so fresh to me but I feel like I'm further behind than I should be. If I lay down I cant get up. I started crying today and I cant stop. I feel like I'm being ridiculous.

I had mine privately and all I got was an appointment at the local community midwife clinic to get my stitches out until I went back to my OB at 6 weeks PP! So I think normal. Fortunately it’s just over the road. And I guess I could have called the OB if I’d needed to. If you have someone to watch the baby then go and have a nice long shower. Air dry your scar afterwards. When it’s closed you can gently massage it to prevent scarring. Day 3, IDK why but your hormones just go mad and most people get teary for no reason. Promise tomorrow won’t be as bad!

I had an EMCS and I had no midwife visits, I had to travel to a clinic to be seen. They said they didn't have capacity to do home visits. It was a giant pain and meant my DH (who couldn't take paternity leave, self-employed) had to keep coming back to drive me around as it wasn't even possible via public transport if I'd wanted to, other than an Uber and errr hello, statutory maternity pay.

But OP, you can have a bath or a shower. I don't know why you would think you can't? Showering is preferable though.

Quite honestly, nobody gets much more info than that.

Recovery is individual. I felt no pain after my c-section, probably took painkillers for the first 24 hours and I was back driving as usual at two weeks. Probably the thing that I shouldn't have done was push a shopping trolley with the baby carrier on it around that time as that hurt!

Listen to your body, if things are hurting, rest up more. You've had major surgery! Do things when you're ready.

The crying - totally normally, your hormones are mental right now.

Edited to add: Here's some good general advice you might find useful https://www.mkuh.nhs.uk/patient-information-leaflet/caring-for-your-wound-after-having-a-caesarean-section though ignore the bit about driving, that's a total urban myth. It's when you're ready and could safely perform an emergency stop. You can check with insurer if you want but there is no legal requirement to do so.

Sorry to hear this OP!

I had 2 c-sections and granted I did have a midwife visit the day after discharge, but I didn't receive much more information than that. Also had to travel to the hospital 4 days after for a follow up appointment so I think it is standard!

My top tip would be to gently ease yourself into movement. The more stationary you are, the harder it is to move. Roll onto your side and do some gentle walking around the house at your own pace. It really helps and in time it becomes less painful to stand up and move about.

I would also top up on peppermint tea to help with any wind pain, and laxatives!

I wish you well op. Follow guidance for wound hygiene.

The present level of care is disgraceful. However when DS1 was born nearly 30 years ago, I had a vaginal birth,stayed in hospital for three days (baby was born at 36.4 and that was the protocol then). The midwives visited every day for 10 days. Four different ones and two students. They chatted absolute shit, all advice was contradictory, one was downright rude and had no listening skills

I discharged myself after 10 days after they left me high and dry with mastitis having given no advice to prevent it or deal with it.

When dd was born, I refused to have them in the house and it was a much better time.

My advice would be that if you feel unwell, have concerns about the baby, etc., that you contact your GP for adequate clinical advice.

I wish you well.

I definitely have a new respect for women who have had a c section, I've had 3 previous vaginal births and this one is a lot harder.

I dont know where the too posh to push came from because this is not the easier option.

With my other births I think I went for gentle walks and shopping a few days after.

Recovering from an EMCS with a newborn is tiring, it is normal to feel emotional at this stage. All your hormones will be kicking in now, I cried my eyes out on day 3.

I have done it three times (2 X EMCS, 1 planned but emergency complex surgery C section). When it is fully planned it is calmer and you are less exhausted, if you laboured and had a stressful c section you will be more tired and emotional.

Try to sleep propped up on cushions a bit and roll to your side, using your arms to push up to sitting.

Get your partner/family/friends to get baby out of cot and bring them to you as much as possible.

Take paracetamol every 6 hours and ibuprofen 8 hourly. I took paracetamol before getting up in the morning and ibuprofen with breakfast because I was more active in the morning. Then take ibuprofen after dinner to help you manage the pain getting up for the evening cluster feeding.

I know it is painful to walk, but try to do little bits around the house regularly throughout the day to reduce chance of blood clots and it helps with healing by increasing blood flow to the area, strengthens the muscles and reduces constipation. This will also help with pain by speeding up the healing and making bowel motions easier.

You can have a shower, baths need to be cooler. A small hip bath is ok if you are achy.

Try to drink lots and eat small meals regularly to help manage your blood sugar and assist with milk production.

Rest when baby is sleeping, even if you are just closing your eyes.

https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/health-information/planned-elective-caesarean-birth/recovering-after-your-caesarean-birth

What painkillers are you taking? If they haven’t given you the good stuff take paracetamol and ibuprofen on a schedule eg 7am ibuprofen, 10am paracetamol, 1pm ibuprofen, 4pm paracetamol etc. Stay ahead of the pain as best you can. And no bending, no twisting but getting up and gently walking around will help with healing.