Q about post-csec positions in hosp.

[MyBunnyRabbit]

hi all,
dd due in aug, will be elcs due to previous birth trauma. ds was em-cs and taken straight to nicu, didnt get chance to hold him or breastfeed.

I was kept lying flat on back for about 12 hours post emcs but confused as to whether that was just because baby wasnt with me and midwives wanted me to sleep rather than bother them with questions.

hoping to breastfeed dd after elcs but is lysing down for this long normal??

How do you breastfeed lying down?? and how soon after will i be able to sit propped up in bed??

also did you sleep sitting up first night post cs?? i asked to lie flat but midwife didnt seem keen.....i take it it would have been easier and less painful to get up next morning had i slept sitting up?? but it is ok for your scar??

tia
xx

I was propped up first night, don't know why. I'm not sure if I could have put the bed down if I'd wanted but I couldn't reach the controls. I breastfed my DS immediately after giving birth - rugby ball hold (under your arm). I carried on doing that until I could stand having things pressing on my scar.

I think I was only flat on my back whilst in the recovery room, and that included side-lying for a bit to give DD her first feed (scar not painful at that point as still having the effects of the spinal block/morphine). After that I was at a 45 degree angle for the first night, and I slept like that for the next 3 nights till I went home. I think I managed to sit up with the help of the electric bed during the first night to feed. Although a 4 night stay seemed pretty long (it was over the weekend and then DD had dropped weight so I stayed bit longer than expected), I think I would really have struggled to get comfy in my bed at home any earlier than that, I couldn't lie flat and the electric bed was a godsend.

Oh and to stop anything pressing on my scar when sitting up I had a My BrestFriend pillow which I strapped round myself and balanced that on a pillow on my legs that was positioned away from my scar.

I bf'd on side in recovery room after ELCS, fantastically nice position to feed in. After that on the post-natal ward I could move the bed up and down by a button and wasn't told I had to lie flat. I could feed on side or sitting up. It was surprisingly straight-forward.

I was flat on my back all night after the csec which was in the recovery room on the labour ward since I was still on a drip. After that I played around with sitting up and lying down on electric bed but don't remember it being an issue. I was desperate to get up and try walking as all advice on here was the sooner you do that the sooner you recover. I managed a walk to the bathroom 12 hours after the op on the ward.

I had an elcs 3 weeks ago and I was allowed to be however I wanted - the head of the bed was put up in recovery and I had no difficulty feeding propped up (was numb from the chest down so no pain on scar). I fed propped up on the bed all the time in hospital - couldn't get the hang of feeding lying down - and didn't find it painful. I agree that the electric bed was brilliant. I was up 8 hours after my op as I felt OK - I kept asking to get up, I think if you're keen they'll go with what you want within reason. From what I've heard an elective takes it out of you a lot less than an EMCS as you are prepared and haven't got exhausted labouring first. Hope it all goes well for you.