Positive stories about C/Sections please.

[bonkerz]

Ok so i have a date set for my elective ceasarian section. 19th December.

Although i am at ease with my decision (loads of reasons for this choice and nearly all of them emotional) I need you lovely mums to give me good positive stories ONLY please.
I am aware of the long recovery time and the high risks involved with major abdominal surgery, what im after is reassurance about bonding and breast feeding etc after the birth.

TIA

Don't forget to write a birth plan. I wrote one for my elective with DD and the staff said it was unusual but they read it through and followed it. There were a few things they couldn't do but they explained these and having a plan made me feel more 'in charge' of my birth.

It was the same as my one for DS. Things like I wanted DH to tell me what gender the baby was, I wanted to breastfeed and that the baby wasn't to be given formula, etc. etc. Things I knew would make me weep afterwards if they didn't happen (hormones!).

I found recovery hard but the birth was fantastic! Also I found breastfeeding harder with DD but that might have been down to her. Managed to feed her for 19 months so did pretty well!

Have an excellent day on the 19th!!!

Don't forget to write a birth plan. I wrote one for my elective with DD and the staff said it was unusual but they read it through and followed it. There were a few things they couldn't do but they explained these and having a plan made me feel more 'in charge' of my birth.

It was the same as my one for DS. Things like I wanted DH to tell me what gender the baby was, I wanted to breastfeed and that the baby wasn't to be given formula, etc. etc. Things I knew would make me weep afterwards if they didn't happen (hormones!).

I found recovery hard but the birth was fantastic! Also I found breastfeeding harder with DD but that might have been down to her. Managed to feed her for 19 months so did pretty well!

Have an excellent day on the 19th!!!

LOL at Fruitful's no hoovering for a year... I agree - After about 6 weeks my very houseproud MIL asked me if I was able to hoover (as this would be her main concern) to which I replied I couldn't. She, shocked, asked when I would be able to and so I, deadpan replied 'oh a good few years yet'........

Irons can be a bit heavy too

bonkerz good luck on the 19th - I'm due an elective on the 9th Jan after Emergency c-sec last March.
To move around in bed, practice bracing with both feet to lift your bottom from left to right and vv.
To get out of bed quickly brace up lift bottom then roll onto your side and push up with your forearm/elbow this eliminates any movement on your stomach and makes moving around a lot easier. I was walking around the ward less then 12 hours after mine much to my own surprise after hearing stories about not feeling 'yourself' for 6mths.
dd actually started on formula due to the fact that she had no suck reflex for the first couple of days but we kept working on the bf and got that picked up to full time shortly afterwards. No problem with bonding with her even though I had to beg for her to be put with me in recovery a good while after birth.
Second the Arnica thing for bruising etc. I made the mistake of buying low rider knickers as I'm really short waisted and things that are 'waist high' actually go to my ribs but they finished right on the scar which wasn't very comfortable at all.
Overall the c-sec was such a positive experience for me (even an emergency) that I begged and pleaded for another this time around.

bonkerz, about the not being able to drive for 6 weeks: it is a good idea to check your car insurance policy. some state that after surgery like cs you are not allowed to drive for a certain period, as you wouldn't be covered in case of an accident. mine didn't have anything like that so i was behind the wheel at 3 weeks, as dh had slipped disk, and couldn't walk, so i had to drive to hospital and pick up his drugs.
no milking the 'just had major surgery' for me (family are all abroad)....

I found mine to be very positive as without it i wouldnt have my son.

I would recommend taking arnica, getting enoromous(like 2 sizes bigger realhigh waisters)blackpants and a black and white camera, lots of wind tablets(as you will find it traps in your shoulders/back and will leave you uncomfortable.

I am so glad i got mine and wish you the best of luck.

Bonding wasnt a problem but feeding was which i dont think was really connected to the section.

I was told to get my own food after the section which was very hard and i had to get dp to bring in lots of bottles of mineral water.

both of mine were c-sections - one emergency and one elective sort of.... and I would not have had it any other way... I have two beautiful daughters, I recovered very well - esp. after the second one. With no2 it was great that I could plan the child care for my dd1 and know what was happening in terms of the birth.

Bonding no problem - despite dd1 being in ICU/SCBU for the first three weeks of her life...I simply got to see her before she was taken away - did not get to hold her or anything but no problems with bonding -0 but we knew this would happen so were prepared for it. Dh got to hold her. With dd2 - she was given straight to me and stayed with me - breastfed her straight away.

Someone else mentioned Arnica - swear by it -0 am sure it helped me heal with 2nd section much quicker desptie having a non walking two year old with sn.

I did not have to waer those gorgeous tights - as long as I moved around and got my legs moving... which I did - and they do not use them in Australia - they tend to get you up and moving as soon as possible.

I found that I did not want pain killers during the day - helped to know my limitations in terms of pain etc - only used them at night to get some sleep.

Although I have not had a vaginal birth - I donot feel any less a woman/mother etc - despite the fact prior to dd1's birth I was very very very anti c-section......