C section advice

[Dartfordmummy]

In a couple of weeks time I am due to have an elective caesarian as baby is breech.

As I have never experienced a caesarian delivery before I would be very grateful for any practical advice on survival either during and/or afterwards.

Hi Dartfordmummy,

i has a breech baby and pre-eclampsia last september and booked in to have a c-section which actauly ended up being an emergency. It really was great (the c-section). calm and professional in everyway.
practically: before, wax or shave your own bits or they will do it. coz mine became an emergency they did it which was okay, but i remember thinking, if only i had done it myself. buy knickers that are 2 or three times bigger than you wear. buy the biggest you can (i mean ugly granny pants as they will not dig into your scar after - belly warmers ) i had mine exactly 6 months ago and i still wear them to double check they are not digging into scar (silly i know).

when you go to theatre enjoy the experience as your special experience. in theatre i felt nothing but joy and actually looked up into the light/mirrors where you could slightly see what was going on.
after the op lift nothing heavier than your baby for 6 weeks to prevent hurting yourslef/ splitting the scar. i was very good and had no problems.
honestly the worst bit was the first time you have to stand. (normally nextday) brace yourself and just do it with their help. once you have done that you will soon recover better and be out of hospital. when you walk, walk tall.
when you shower just take care then hairdry your scar eveytime on full power. it thoroughly dries it and prevented minr from getting damp and infected.
anymoreinfo needed just ask x

You should be fine during. It doesn't take long. The epidural is a bit scary but also doesn't take long.

I hadn't expected to be immobilised completely from the chest down for so long (a few hours) and you will need to take account of that. Also you will be on a drip and catheter for I think about 12 hours afterwards. Hopefully your recovery will be good, but you will feel pretty wobbly as your stomach muscles won't be in the best shape. You need to make sure you and your partner ensure there is enough support for you during the night while you are still in hospital. If you have successfully breastfed lying down before, and your hospital offers the option of a bedside cot (rather than one of those plastic container things) you might want to ask for that.

Make sure your partner understands that you have had major surgery and that you will need support.

You can breastfeed almost immediately and you should be offered your baby for feeding in the recovery room. Your milk may take a while to come in, especially if it is your first child, but don't worry - it will come. Mine didn't arrive until I left the hospital and I had to fight to leave without "establishing feeding".

I went into my c-section expecting not to bond immediately as me and the babies hadn't been through the "miracle of birth" together, but actually was pleasantly surprised. Even if it doesn't happen instantly remember it can be the same for plenty of people who have had a natural birth.

I'm sure it will be brilliant. Best of luck with it all.

BIG disposable knickers, loads of um.
Bending can be sore so you just rip them at the side and chuck them along with sanitry towel into bin.

Other than that big knickers that do not go anywhere near your scar/wound as knicker elastic sits directly over it and it is very very uncomfortable. So knicjer elastic needs to come up and sit under your boobs!

When they tell you not to hoover/lift/ etc do as they advise, its not a pretty sight when those stiches burst and any way, your body will tell you that you are doing too much because you will have pain.

oh and dont be silly and not take pain killers, take them even if you dont think you need them because its highly likely that when they wear off, you will be sore. Keep on top of the pain for however long you need to.
You can function SO much better when you are well pain controlled.

I remember my c section with fondness.
I suppose my bit of advice is to make sure you've got plenty of pads for bleeding afterwards. I didn't realise that i'd still bleed for quite a few weeks, silly me! Also, i second what was said about taking the painkillers when offered, even if you don't think you need them. Good luck, its a special moment.

suppository is the way to go for pain relief, they are wonderful I had a GA for em section so was aloud up the same day.

I can't remember wearing big knickers though and don't remember any problems with knicker elastic but then my scar was numb and if I had run my finger over I couldn't feel a thing.

Good luck

positivebirthchoices.blogspot.com/2011/03/caesarean-natural-way.html

Don't be shy in badgering the midwives for pain killers. They really don't tell you anything about pain relief. I had no idea how often I could/should have been taking pain killers (on the ward, this is, not at home) and they don't just come round and give them to you once the next lot are due. They seem to expect you to know when you're due some and then ask for them. In my case, I was (or at least should have been) on paracetamol 4 hourly and diclofenec 8 hourly. I was told off by one of the midwives for not keeping on top of the painkillers and that there was no need to be a martyr when I was in pain the next morning . Thanks for that, midwives.

Definitely BIG pants. I'm normally a size 10 and got packs of size 14 granny bashers from M&S thinking they would be fine. I was a bit shocked at how big and swollen my stomach still was once baby was out and the size 14 were still a bit snug. I was still wearing the big pants 4 months after the birth although have now reverted back to my normally little knickers now after my other half threatened to destroy all my big pants!

Whilst it'll be great once your baby is born and being introduced to you whilst you are being sewn up, don't do what I did and laugh too much when the midwife dropped a clanger about my baby's sex. Cue the surgeon sticking his head over the barrier and telling me to stop laughing and keep still as he had nearly stuck a needle through my bowel!

You'll probably get the shakes due to lowered blood pressure while you are on the table. This is completely normal and nothing to worry about. It's just nice to know in advance that it might happen so you can be be prepared for it.

When they get you up to have a shower the next morning and tell you to take the bandage off your stitches, the wound really will not look anywhere near as bad as you might imagine it will. I was terrified to remove the plaster, thinking it would be gross and I could do myself some damage. In reality, there were 5 little stitches and the wound looked really clean and neat.

Overall, I found the actual CS to be fine but being in pain and a bit swollen for weeks after the birth to be more difficult. Take it easy, don't lift anything other than your baby and keep taking the pain killers.

Good luck and I hope you really enjoy your birth.

Damsels - that's a really interesting little film. Do you happen to know where that technique is used?

It is so interesting. I not entirely sure where it is used but I think queen charlottes in London. I felt very left out of my previous elcs and if it has to go that way again I'll insist it is like this. E.g I remember there was some DREADFUL tune on the radio that was blaring away in the background. It is def worth discussing with consultants and midwife. Send them the link!

The point about it being a once in a life time event is SO important

Here is an article about it
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6028478.ece

I loved my elcs experience!

I was pretty much pain free and still am 3 weeks down the line - i took painkillers for my entire stay at hospital and didn't need to after 3 days. I had an extra strong dose via suppository and so it took a while to wear off.

Don't be surprised if your catheter bag fills quickly and do check it so that it can be emptied regularly.

Put on your big knickers as soon as they put the maternity pad on you in recovery. The nurse gave me mesh knickers to put on. 4 hours later, blood leaked everywhere when i walked.

Don't be scared if you see huge black clots when you change your pad especially if you haven't been mobile for hours. This is just blood that has pooled.

I took arnica 30c pillules - not sue if this helped me to be pretty much pain free but many mothers on here have suggested it.

The only downside was that it took 4 days for milk to come in - not sure if related to cs.

good luck.

I am another CS adorer. Our DD was born while I was asleep, my choice to have a GA. Unfortunately I wasn't given any advice so got myself out of bed the next morning and went for a wander with my IV fluids and catheter. I needed a fag. I wasn't told not to not do anything, I think CS are pretty unusual in Oman. I drove myself and DH and DD of course home from the hospital. I understand that is not allowed in England.
My pain levels were fine, and I didn't bleed a lot afterwards at all. In fact, only three days of blood.

I've had great c-sections too (1 emergency, 4 electives number 5 (& final) booked for June) - the electives were fabulous joyful experiences.

I had a pph after my emergency but no complications after the others - I've always been mobile the same day (ask for the iv out asap & you can still have a shower while the catheter is still in - I like to get up showered & changed on the first day before visitors), pretty much pain free (do not wait for the pain to start take pain relief on schedule) and back to normal within a 3-4 weeks (including lifting toddlers & driving). I had skin to skin in theatre, breastfed them all in recovery.

Not sure what the cover the wound with now as my c-section was over ten years ago but they put a long plaster over it. Taking that off the day after was agony as i'm the type to just take it slow rather than ripping it off. So my advice is rip it off yourself or get a midwife to do it for you.
As your name is dartfordmummy i'm guessing your at Darent Valley hospital. This is where i had my first with section. It had only been open 6 months when i went in.
You might get the shakes after when your walking around too they called it milk fever which is horrible. Make sure you don't sit up too quick because of you blood pressure.

Hope that helps

I had an emergency cs 3 weeks ago today...my labour was very complicated and long...then whizz out she pooped via the sunroof. Wish i'd had a elective now!

I'm still bleeding, not that bad now tale end of period level.

Don't let them give you any drugs which stop you pooing...make sure you double check when the MW's come round. Nothing worse than needing a poo but not being able to do one..it's a right pain in the ass.

I had the shakes due to the spinal, but it goes very quickly.
Get the MW's to help you with everything..inc passing you your baby, winding, changing nappies etc etc.

Take off the wound cover in the shower get it quite wet and then remove. Mine didn't hurt. MW can do it if needed, they should offer.

Your catheter bag will fill very quickly so ask for it to be checked esp at night.

Take arnica with you.

My milk took a week to come in, but like I mention (horrid labour which I think didn't help along with the cs)

Good Luck...it was be brilliant...

Brilliant vid of the natural cs, hope mine is just like that!