To not travel around on busses 5 days post section with baby?

[TrappedWindArse]

I had a section Tuesday morning and have not long arrived home with baby (see previous post about being stuck on the postnatal ward after a hemmorage, no sleep, annoying visitors - yay)

Midwife came round yesterday to check in with us and said I have to take baby into the nearest clinic tomorrow (Sunday) for my day 5 post birth check, to weigh baby and remove my dressing.

The problem is it's 3.5 miles away and I don't drive. I'm exhausted, anaemic and still not able to walk very far. I'd need to use public transport and to be completely honest I'm just not up to going anywhere yet let alone miles away with baby in a sling.

I remember these checks being done at home with my other children but apparently that has changed. Possibly because it falls on a Sunday? I don't know.

Anyway, WIBU to say I'm sorry i just can't do that and ask for somebody to come to us instead? I know the midwives are very over stretched at the minute but I genuinely feel it will hinder my already slow recovery.

Will that go against me somehow and make me look negligent for not complying?

I'm a bit stressed.

I’m glad mw came out OP. Feel like mine were here every day at some point?! And my baby was born in the second lockdown ? I removed my own dressing? ( maybe this is just scotland?)

• I had a slight infection in section scar and was given dressing at Minor Ailments through the chemist. And you should get calpol etc under Minor Ailments too I’m the same : fortune on taxis , no direct buses. Absolute pain in the arse. They tried to book me into the hospital which was miles away from us £12 taxi each time , thankfully was able to use the one just down the road but still a LOT of taxis

Best of luck with breast feeding! I couldn’t see from your updates , what exactly the issues are : please get checked for latch , a tongue tie, get a pump to get your milk going and there’s NO shame in combination feeding or just sacking it altogether.

Sections mums milks can be dodgy at first.
We combined fed, and it was great. I’d recommend this - even if you can manage a breast feed once a day until your out of the Baby Crazy Newborn stage: you can always drop formulas and get your supply going again!
*we were aaaaages not latching and using a nipple shield until one day baby just got the knack! Now we’re no formula, only boob and baby will happily take bottle from DH or DGPs as he’s always used one.
And you must pump or feed between 12am-4am until your supply is properly up and running
Congrats!

Not a chance would I do that. 5 days after birth I felt it was an achievement to go for a 10 minute walk.

I had my 5 day check too today. We went to the clinic but only because my partner could drive me there, I wouldn’t have gone otherwise.
I’m sure they would have come out to me though if I had asked as one midwife popped out yesterday just to help me with my latch. My 7 day check is at home.

Wouldn't advise public transport so soon after the c-section, I was in the hospital about a week after mine, 1st day I burst one of my stitches and ended up with a nasty infection just going to the corner shop. You also have more added risk of covid around you and your baby being around so many people in an enclosed space.

Just say you can't get there and they need to come to you. Stand your ground and don't let them push you into something because it's easier for you. I had all mine at home for weeks after my C

YANBU at all!

In the “olden days” you wouldn’t have been discharged from hospital until 10 days after the c section.
You cannot be expected to travel on public transport with baby (and all the paraphernalia) so soon.
You were definitely not being unreasonable.
I hope you stood your ground.

I feel like I got mugged off now, actually going on a bus then a long walk the other side five days post section! I really should have said no- and I was doing really well after my ELCS- up and out of hospital the next day, a walk in the park on day 2, but all quite slow paced and close to home.

But I was having an awful time trying to breastfeed and was so worried the baby had dropped too much weight I duly went to the clinic. He hadn’t but I was a bit all over the place, and I can’t say it contributed or not but the next night, the Monday, I was admitted back to hospital without my baby for an infection.

And no I don’t drive and have no intention of doing so- I hate it, there’s no nowhere to park here and there’s no bloody need in zone 3.

I would insist on someone coming to you. So many people underestimate how major a surgery a c section is. I have had 2 so I feel for you. Even midwives and health visitors can't totally understand unless they experience it first hand themselves. I insisted on people coming to me for appointments. My 2nd child I had a c section and cancer so I just couldn't manage much at all. There will be plenty of women who can go in to their appointments no problem. You are not one of them. That is ok.

I would not want to do this 5 days after a caesarean. It would involve lifting the pram up and down in places. Sitting in potentially unsuitable chairs, bending to respond to baby, your hormones all over the place, milk coming and huge fatigue. Although mild exercise is good for healing this is major surgery and it is still early days. Sadly the system is planned around limited resources and not the mother's needs. I totally understand that you're not up to it and your YANBU . I hope you find another solution - home visit, car or taxi with someone accompanying you. Its important the wound is checked for infection x

Oh Christ no, you could pull your stitches and end up with a herniated wound. Don't even think about it.

You can drive post-section when and only when you could perform an emergency stop without pain. It's a higher test than most people think, and for good reason.

Glad they came to you. I had to travel back to hospital for mine post c section. And although my partner drove me, I still had to hobble down long corridors pushing a pram days after major surgery. Not easy at all

This is rubbish. You shouldn’t have to go on public transport five days after school section, no. How come the midwives can’t do a home visit on a Sunday?
Where we live our midwife came every day for the first ten days I think, and was contactable all the time if we needed her. We’re not in the uk & here it’s normal to stay in hospital at least 3 days after giving birth (usually 5) which I think is necessary, esp after a section.
I haven’t rtft but I hope you managed to come up with a solution that worked for you…

YOU CANNOT GO! this is awful to expect any one just post surgery to have to travel. You say you have no way of getting there someone will have to be sent to see you. even a district nurse

Can’t drive / fair enough if you could drive comments are ridiculous. You aren’t allowed to drive for 6 weeks anyway.

The expectation is the father gets you there. If he can’t drive you then taxi.

You can push for someone to come to your home but I had a hard time with that and I had a broken leg so I’m not optimistic for you.

I can’t quite believe what I have just read to be honest. It really, really fucks me off the way a large amount of people dismiss a c section without taking on board the fact that it’s MAJOR surgery. Hugely major. And it disturbs me that some of the people who do the dismissing are midwives! No wonder mums feel so much pressure to be ship shape so fast before the body has even healed.

I hope you didn’t go to this appointment OP. Absolutely ludicrous that you are expected to at 5 days post op - I can’t even explain the absolute fucking agony I was in at this point - I was lucky to get down the stairs. The trapped wind alone had me on my knees.

The midwives I had were wonderful and came to me (pre covid) but if covid is the big issue here, then surely common sense tells the people telling these women to travel to a clinic in the middle of a pandemic so soon after giving birth when the baby is brand new and mums immune system is on the deck is backwards logic?! Especially via public transport!

For what it’s worth - I also think women who had natural births shouldn’t have to do this, either - a c section recovery is hard work but Jesus Christ I cannot even imagine how it feels down below after delivering something the size of a watermelon out of something the size of a small lemon. The stitches underneath make me wince just thinking about them.

I know a lot of midwives are literally just doing what they are told by those above them but really, home visits aren’t banned, they’re a must post birth. We hear so much about covid affecting so many services but I really think pregnant women and new mums have took a massive hit and it’s not been addressed at all.

I was asked to go to my nearest clinic for my son’s five day check - this was almost three years ago so nothing to do with Covid. My DH took me as I’d had a c-section, PPH and more surgery and was anaemic so in no fit state to go on my own.
Hope you managed to get it sorted. xx

Hope you haven’t had to give in and get public transport or a taxi. You shouldn’t be expected to go anywhere after abdominal surgery let alone lifting a baby plus whatever you have to carry with you on and off a bus or train. Make them come to you… Congratulations

No no no. That could cause you a lot of stress and be detrimental to you and your baby. Stay home and recover, if they’re that bothered they will come to you. This is a crucial time and you should not be expected to do that. It’s awful they have put that pressure on you. Congrats on your baby and hope all goes well xxxx

@PinkiOcelot

They can’t expect you to travel on public transport 5 days post caesarean miles away. Fair enough if you could drive, but no.

I thought you weren't expected to drive 5 days post Caesarian either?

Phone saying your not well enough to attend.
I do get cross when I hear all the NHS staff have hero status when 60% seem not to be working. Of course the NHS work hard, don’t we all. If we don’t then we’re sacked. They’re paid to work hard. None are paid minimum wage!
COVID is blamed for lots just now but I’d not risk taking a newborn on public transport or myself.
Congratulations on your new baby. I know you’ll try keeping you both safe and that’s not going on public transport.

[quote TatianaBis]@Platax

See my following post @21.54 [/quote]
Still didn't get it quite right (yawn).

And I note you've ignored the question about your claim that you absolutely need a car if you live in inner London.

None of my children went to any checks exept one at hospital a couple of weeks after birth. I also didnt have any miswives or so called HVs calling. Just went home and stayed in bed for 3 weeks witout any interfering visitors. No o e knew I had the babis for days and no one got near them. That way they got healthy and happy and so did I. I have scales at home if I want to weigh them. I Would know if there was anything wrong and go to hospital. Get your rest and tell them " oh dear I forgot"." Oh dear I missed the bus". Can I re arrange for next week.......
Much better for you and for baby.

When csections were done 9 years ago, you had to stay in hospital for 5 days as a rule as it’s a huge surgery! Then I waddled out the hospital: I had also hemmoraged and was shattered after having my twins. My recovery was slow too, it’s really hard going. Just call them and ask them to visit you. You need to be at home ❤️