hayley I had an elective c-section with dd. It was a lovely but very sereal experience. I walked into the ward at lunchtime, sat around reading magazines for a few hours while they worked through the list and an emergency section. Met the anethatist and surgical registar to be talked through everything and sign concent.
Was taken to the delivery ward at around 3.30, scaned to check dd hadn't turned then taken to have the spinal. Once the spinal was effective, they checked with an ice cube, I could feel the presure but not the cold, taken into theater. Dd was out within about 20 minutes, usually quicker but she was propperly wedged under my ribs! After a quick check, maybe 90 seconds I was able to have skin to skin with her. The midwife with us took pictures, then took dd to put on nappy and vest. Dh got a cuddle while most of the stitching up was done, but was taken with dd to recovery while I was cathetrised and moved onto a bed.
Dd breast fed in recovery and I was back on the ward by 5.30. High as a kite on the reminants of morphine from my section. Dh rang around our families and let me talk to my very supportive manager from work when he rang to tell her the good news (I've just about forgiven him now...). When morphine wore off I was very tired but not in pain, so dh went home about 7 and I woke just to feed dd until the following morning. Didn't need pain relief in the night although was offered, just had paracetmol in the morning.
Had the cathater out at 10ish and was able to get up and move around with reletive ease. Showered the following morning, wasn't able to earlier as the running water made me feel sick, possably a side effect of the morphine. Was able to go home 48 hours after c-section. Found it took a little while to pass urine after cathater was removed but was told this was normal and did easily after about 5 hours, they record the volume! The worst part for me was removing the dressing in the shower and seeing stitches for the first time, I'd make sure to ask how they closed if I had another as the wire and beads were a bit of a shock.
At home the thing that irritated me most was the reminats of the sticky dressing. Eventually removed with lots of baby oil on the midwife's recomendation, before remembering my dad had dressing removal spray for his ilinastomy! Pain was no worse than a mild period, although I used to have horriable ones as a teen so might not be the best judge of it, managed with either paractermol or iburophen. Wire that closed the wound was removed at 5 days by the midwife at home.
Once the wire was removed I could comfortably push the pram and carry dd in sling. Dh and I walked out to the shop once the midwife had gone as I was desprate to get out the house. Needed to take things a bit slower but up and down a steepish hill was managable. I don't drive but when midwife discharged me after 14 days she said to visit GP to get signed off to drive rather than wait for 6 week check.
I had a fantastic experience. I had been expecting a much longer hospital stay and to be in pain. But all I really experienced was tightness of the wound, no discomfort unless I moved suddenly or too fast. I felt as much as myself as I could with a newborn by 10 days.The only thing I strugled with was loading and unloading our washing machien for a couple of months, but it's in a stupid built in thing so the door is at floor level.
Hoping for a vbac this time around all being well. Mostly as I'd like to try not to spend more than one night in hospital and don't want to worry about lifiting dd. But wouldn't be worried if I do end up needing another section.