C- section tomorrow......

[nervousmum2be]

....any last minute nuggets of advice?

Hospital bag is packed (i hope with all the essentials, i used a previous list from Mumsnet); and i'm religiously taking the arnica tablets. Any other suggestions would be appreciated. NM2B x

don't ask the aneasthetist or any of the medical staff what is going on; really from your postion you don't want to know

Do you plan to breastfeed? If you do it is possible to ask to have the baby placed on your bosom ASAP, not essential but it is possible.

Your wound may leak, so always check your nightie back and front when you have visitors

You may be very constipated due to all the drugs, get some enemas

Take it very very very easy for as long as possible

Get someone to get you some vitamin E oil for you scar

ANd finally, enjoy meeting your new child tomorrow

Wishing you a very happy birth tomorrow!

I had an emergency c-section almost 10 years ago now and had to have a general, I can't imagine being awake whilst its happening, but friends of mine have said "it's like someone washing the dishes in your tummy".

You'll probably be offered some high strength painkillers after the birth, say, "yes please" and take them often!!

Good luck for tomorrow, it must be very exciting in your house today!!

Good luck for tomorrow nervous .

The one piece of advice I will offer is when the staff say "let me know as soon as you start to feel twinges of pain" do just that. Once the epidural starts to wear off get that morphine into your body asap. You're not being a martyr suffering.

Agree with suzy - check your nighty. If you can get your hands on some side tie knickers also very handy. The day after my delivery (so 9 years ago today - gosh doesnt seem so long ago) I struggled to work out how to put my knickers on with catheter still in situ - not easy!

Please post asap to let us know how it went!

AND DONT LOOK IN THE MIRRORS ABOVE THE BED

Thanks everyone. I'll post as soon as i can (or get DP to do it!) x

Good luck xxx

Set out your bedside table before the op if you can. You will have everything you need to hand afterwards.

i didnt even get to my room before the op. In fact I had to spend most of the day in recovery room as they didnt have a room for me and BUPA was paying

oh yes and bring a wire coathanger and make sure your nursey buzzer is on the bed not behind it as you really wont be able to turn round and grab it if needed neither will you be able to pick it up off the floor when you drop it because you cant reach it

Good Luck for tomorrow sweetie - get back on MN as soon as you can with all the details for us October girlies...... scary to think you will be baby number 3 and it isnt even october yet!!!

don't really know any advice but hope it goes well tomorrow

Good luck tomorrow - I've had a c-section and it was a very calm experience, the theatre staff are amazing, so kind and understanding of your fears. I felt a bit dizzy after the spinal and told them and they gave me something to stop it straightaway.

Ask them to put the radio on or take your favourite CD!

Lots of good advice and I definitely agree with making sure you say asap if you begin feeling pain when the epidural wears off. Post operative pain is not to be dismissed and it can catch you unawares because it can sometimes build slowly, but this is the point at which you need to ask for pain relief, to head it off at the pass.

Lots of luck, and most of all rest as much as possible .

I remember the lights above the bed, if you look in them, its like a mirror and you can watch whats happening. I chose not to watch though!

Good luck

best of luck for tomorrow x

Good luck!!!

Can't wait to hear about it!

You're being very brave xxx

YOU'LL BE FINE! I'VE HAD 3 MAY 1998,MAY 1999,MAY 2000!!!! IS THIS YOUR FIRST? MY SECOND ONE-THE BOY-SEEMED TO BE MORE PAINFUL AFTER THE OPERATION THAN THE OTHER TWO. LIKE EVERYONE'S SAID, TAKE THE PAINKILLERS!!!! MUST ADMIT:I CHEATED AND GOT "KNOCKED OUT".....!

I watched! You could take in music to listen to while they do the op if you like. Some people really like this. Ask to be given your baby asap - some surgeons will even deliver the baby onto you if you ask. Also, if you want to see your baby lifted out, ask them to drop the screen when they get to that bit. You can ask to discover the sex yourself rather than be told.
I personally wasn't constipated, or windy or any of the other things I was warned about. They are not compulsory
You could write a birth plan for a c-section if you like with any of the above in it.
Anything you would like to know?

And good luck! It's so wonderful when you first see your baby. An amazing feeling.

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Take in the atmosphere - I know it sounds odd but the midwives and students etc that were at my end of the operating table were as excited about the birth as if it were a natural birth - that made it special for me - memories of people chatting about all kinds of stuff.

Its so exciting - wishing you all the best - just keep focused on meeting your new little person!!

Get up as soon as you're able too - speeds recovery so they say (did with my 2nd one)
If you feel a bit constipated after drink fennel tea - gentle but effective and good for boosting breast milk apparently.
Hope it goes super well nm2b - mine was a really good experience annd recovery very fast.

what's really weird is that the less you know, the better...! i didn't have any idea what a caesarian section meant as i had to have an emergency one the first time around. as soon as i'd had her, the hormones kicked in-the most beautiful thing in the world had just been handed to me!- and i didn't know that i was meant to be limping about the place. i was like a spring chicken!!!! of course, second time around, everyone was sympathising with me so i suppose i played up to it! 3rd time around was very much like the first....just wanted to get home!

Thanks Everyone. My section went really well (hairy moment with my blood pressure after i'd had the spinal, but quickly resolved) and my gorgeous baby son Joseph was born at 11.38am on Monday weighing in at a very healthy 7Ib 15 oz (seeing as i was only 38+3 weeks!). I took your advice re getting up and about as soon as able, and we were actually discharged home Wednesday afternoon, 2 days post op.

Congratulations Nervousmum!

I have my section booked for a week on Monday (10th Oct) and I feel terrified to be honest! I have had 3 sections before though, and my recovery hasn't been bad, just nerves as I'm sure you'll remember! I too have started on my Arnica tablets, will read this thread again thoroughly next week!

BTW I also have a Joseph (Joe for short) Lovely name!!

congratulations nervousmum! Great name.