scream
I was kept in hospital for 5 days, as my heart rate was high and when they thought i was ok, they then thought DS had an infection.
The advantages of being in hospital were having regular meals brought to you, along with plenty of pain killers, and having a bed that you could raise using the buttons on the handset, which really helps as it took every ounce of strength to get out of bed. I think we underestimate just how much we use our tummy muscles. The biggest problem i had was if DS cried i couldn't pick him up out of the cot at the side of the bed, as i couldn't twist my body because of the wound. And if i got out, i couldn't get back into bed with him as i need to use both arms to get myself into bed. And if i got him to sleep, i couldn't then get out of bed to put him in the cot. Re standing and walking, i was hunched over a lot, as they put a sticky covering over the wound, which meant my post baby flabby belly was sticking to the covering, and it felt like if i stood up straight, i would rip my stomach open. But as soon as they let me have a shower,(DS born 7.49 am Friday, shower wasn't until the Sunday afternoon) and i could wash the sticky stuff away, i was able to walk much better. It really was the getting in and out of bed or up from a chair / being able to transfer DS that were the problems. But the staff are meant to help by passing babies to you, but they were very busy and i just didn't know this is what they are there for and felt like i was really a useless mom. If i need another CS, i will be pressing the buzzer every time i need to, as i tried to stuggle without buzzing, and he nearly rolled off the bed the once. They also didn't tell me that if you need to cough or sneeze, it will hurt and feel like you are about to pop your wound open, and all you need to do is hold a pillow against the wound when you cough or sneeze (i had a general anaesthetic because it was a proper EMCS and so my throat was sore and irritable from the tube and so this would really have been helpful to know before!)
Re breastfeeding, the first feed was whilst i was lay down, they put him alongside me, and he fed very quickly after i came round from the anaesthetic so i have blurry memories of this. But feeding was fine, and the wound is so low that feeding won't cause any issues. My biggest regret is that it was under GA, which meant i was out of it and so have no memory of him being born, and DP wasn't allowed in the theatre, and he didn't see him until about 2 hours after he was born. And when i woke, i thought he was in the cot until i realised i was staring lovingly at a teddy bear, and DS was in fact in DP's arms!! would go for a spinal next time!!
Eating was fine, i was actually famished when i woke up, they like you to not eat much to start with, so DP was dispatched to bring provisions! Took about 4 days to do a poo, that wasn't pleasant as they give you iron tablets and again you are using tummy muscles and you really don't feel like using them!. Weeing was fine. I can honestly say i never felt any pain, they give you so many tablets and injections. And they give you prescriptions to take home which i think cover about a month? It's the poor mobility that i found the hardest, like i said, twisting, getting out of bed (even rolling over in bed you use tummy muscles), getting up from chairs. And my insurance said i wasn't allowed to drive until i was signed off ok by my doctor at my 6 week check up. Only really lasting effect is that i have a droopy tummy that i don't think will ever go, and i have lost virtually all sensation between the scar and my tummy button. Sort of like when you go to the dentist for a filling and your nose goes numb and you can barely feel it?!