An idiots guide to ELCS :)

[ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts]

I am 37+4 and will most likely be having an ELCS due to polyhydramnios and breech baby. (the CS isn't booked yet but that's an entirely different thread!)

Anyway, I am looking for information of what happens before, during and after a CS (first birth was natural).

Is it scary? I'm not fearful of it, perhaps a tad anxious but nothing that you wouldn't expect me to be.

Someone told me today that for 6 whole weeks after you can literally do nothing and for the first two weeks it is impossible to lift your own baby. That the MWs shower you because you are so incapacitated? Were they just scaremongering and exaggerating or does it sound like she was giving an honest/accurate description?

I want to be prepared mentally for what to expect, what the spinal is like, how it feels to feel them rummaging inside you and mostly about the recovery procedure so if anyone would like to share their experiences I'd be very grateful :)

OP - You have heard a lot of rubbish.

I had my elCS in the morning, got up for toilet that afternoon (ok, that was hard). Next day, I took my own shower and could pick up my baby. The following day, I didn't need painkillers at all and felt fine.

Obviously, you need to be careful how you get out of bed, avoid coughing etc but you will not be "incapacitated" after your elCS. Far from it - recovery from my vaginal birth was much slower & much more painful.

I have had two sections for various reasons, the first in 05, the second in May this year.
The first few days are tough; I think the second day is probably the worst as you try to start moving around for the first time. The midwife will offer to help you in the shower if necessary but I was okay on my own both time, if a little timid to begin with.
Both my sections have been good experiences (probably because they were planned rather than medical emergencies).
Depends on your hospital but I had two nights in hospital before I went home, and this time around all women in my area who had a CS had to take injections for a further 7 days at home to prevent clots; whereas previously it was on a scoring system.
Lifting the baby is fairly easy; and my DS was 10lbs so not a lightweight .
Afterwards; just try not to do too much too soon. I felt better fairly quickly (I think that you always feel better once the stitches/staples are out, whether just a state of mind, I dont know) but would over do it (i.e. get someobdy else to lug around the washing for the washing machine!)

Hi everyone this is a fab thread. I'm expecting twins and will be having a ELCS

Could I ask why some of you had a drain? It sounds awful.

I'm truly petrified it's keeping me up at night worrying .. Silly me read another thread that scared the life out of me.

I'm not completely sure why I had a drain, but a friend who had a section a couple of weeks after me didn't and got an infection, and was told the risk of infection was higher without one. Sorry I can't be more helpful!
If you have pain relief when the drain is removed, it's fine. I've been reliably told this by quite a few friends (oramorph seemed to be the drug of choice). Unfortunately for me I seemed to have sadistic midwives who didn't see the need. I took it out myself in the end (DH was absolutely horrified!) as I needed to in in complete control of the pain.
I think as long as you are clued up it's just one of the many things that you can demand are done properly.

Each person has a different experience.

I had a very pleasant ELCS, OH was in the room with me and I got to hold the baby straight away. The epidural was fine, didn't bother me at all, I didn't feel any pain just tugging when they pulled the baby out and while they were stitching me up I was lost in the baby anyway!

First evening I couldn't get up, but I was up the next morning, showering by the evening of the second day. The first two days I had a bit of trouble lifting the baby from the cot but OH and MWs helped. Bf was no problem (well it was painful but due to a latch issue not the ELCS). I stayed in hospital 4 nights and took all the painkillers available, then was on paracetamol for another week, decreasing doses. I was walking around fine a weel after the op, driving at 4 weeks and riding at 7 weeks. My stitches were out a week after the op and you can hardly see the scar now (3.5 months).

This is a great read as it's full of little nuggets of information that I've never found before, despite my research. I'm not even pregnant yet, but my one and only operation (a bog standard tonsillectomy as an adult) had nasty complications and made me rather phobic of the whole idea of surgery. I'm pretty impressed that some of you recovered from a c-section faster than I did from a tonsillectomy!

One question, is it true you have to shave your fanny? If yes, do you do it yourself in advance?? Only I imagine with a big pregnant belly that is a logistical nightmare!

Nooooooo you don't have to shave!

If you dont shave, they will do it before the operation, as the incision is under the pubic hair line.

Better yet, go for a wax the day before your elCS. At least, you won't worry about itchy hair regrowth around your scar days after the CS.

Thank goodness for that felix! I have heard all sorts of weird things, and shaving was one of them so doctors could insert the catheter. It made me because my dh manages to find his way around there without shaving and he isn't medically qualified. Sorry for slightly hi-jacking your thread, but thank you for your c-section mythbusting!

You don't have to shave or wax the entire fanjo btw, just 2cm or so off the top.

You do have to shave CoteDAzur?? Perhaps it depends on how high your pubes grow? (Sorry for TMI!) I realise if the time came I probably wouldn't care at all, but the idea of anyone shaving me grosses me out!

Ah that explains it. I can sleep easy now lol.

Remember to buy massive knickers (not ones that rest on your scar area) and a big sports type bottle to fill with juice or water whilst in hospital as it's much easier to drink out of whilst reclined.

And don't forget peppermint tea- it will help with the dreadful wind you get after your section.

I have had an emerCs and an elective one. My elective was at 11am and at about 6pm that evening they made me get up out of bed and sit in a chair so they could sort my bed out etc. Felt ok to do so. The following day I was able to get up and walk to the toilet, shower standing up etc.

My biggest tip is to keep taking the painkillers. Don't try and be brave and do without them because you feel ok, it will hit you like a tonne of bricks of you over do it and then you can't take the painkillers quick enough! Having said that I was off all painkillers within 10 days and feeling fine.

My elec CS was actually a good experience and I was terrified beforehand, no exaggeration..

Oh and your first poo afterwards will be like a house brick, best keep some pain killers back for that

Oh and it can't have been too bad because I am about to do it all again in December

My best tip is: Get up and walk to the toilet to pee that first night. It will be hard but you will feel much better afterwards.

Xkatyx, I had an elcs for twins 8 months ago, it was totally fine & with twins you're almost certain to get your own room! Having had my first by forceps after 36 hr labour, I'd say there was very little between them. Yes, the recovery is a little longer for a cs, but I didn't have that 'hit by a bus' feeling that I had after labour! I was up & had a shower the day after the cs, out after 3 nights. Twins likely to be wee bit lighter too, mine were 6lb each, so could pick them up the same day as cs.

Good luck! So exciting!

My -ahem- regrowth didn't itch because I was still fairly numb.

Nothing really to add about the pre- and intra - operative period. Good advice so far. I had an EMCS after failed induction. It was great and would do the same again. Bear in mind...

1.They put a catheter in. Brill because you don't have to get up to wee. But remember it's there if you get up.

1. You still bleed after. In theatre they'll put a pad between your legs, but probably no pants. If you get up, pad will fall, blood everywhere and support tights ruined. So probably don't get out of bed till catheter removed!
2. big over the scar knickers.
3. I had no drain.
4. try to do as little as possible in the first week: you will heal better.
5. the home visiting MW may remove the skin suture after about 10 days. If she does you then need to take it extra easy again for a few more days. I didn't and the skin wound opened slightly and fluid leaked out. Not a big deal, but if this happens go straight to your GP for antibiotics. I did this and had no problem. A friend of mine didn't want to bother the GP over christmas, and ended up back in hospital herself over new year with a serious infection.
6. Not being able to drive is a myth. Your insurance company won't care: mine certainly did not. Drive when you are ready, I drove after 3 weeks.

8 You will be numb around the scar for some time. I am still 18 months later. I assume it is permanent. I was getting the occasional twinge from the scar until recently too, but I think it was nerve damage rather than actual pain. 9 Apart from the numbness and occasional twinge, and having some baby weight to lose, I would say I was fully recovered by 12 weeks.

Doing too much too spoon feel crap today Day 5. It's hard trying to be normal mum to toddler as well. Make sure you gave help. Dad is not enough on his own but bless him he's trying so hard.

Just to add (although again I want to say each person is different and obviously some people might lose more blood, get an infection or suffer a lot with pain)

• I never had a drain in, no infection or problems with the scar either.
• 3.5 months later the scar feels completely normal, I can press down the full length of it and it's not even hard in that area.

What a fab thread, thanks ladies (possible cs due to naughty low lying placenta). Apparently I should find out at my 34 scan in 3 weeks and see a dr after if it's still misbehaving!

Hi everyone

I'm due to have a c-section as I'm having twins.

I have been looking at all threads to do with c-section, this one seams the less scariest.

I'm petrified to say the least .. I have had 3 normal VB.

My main worry (other than babies health) is basically bleeding to death!

So I was lookin for ladies basically who have had heavy bleeds to tell me that it isn't so scarey and they can sort it out.

Silly I know but i just can't shake the fear I can't sleep most nights worrying about it.

I have had 2 ELCS (I think ECS are scarier and more complicated)

My first was 6 years ago, showered myself 24 hours later and was walking around carrying DD and out of hospital 3 days after. Recovery was ok and 3 weeks after I felt normal and was driving with consent of gp. (check insurance but most companies don't have a policy on it)

2nd ELCS was in may and I was up 12 hours after and showering and released on day 2! Driving again on day 16. Recovery was really quick!!!

With regards the procedure I didn't feel anything, yes it strange knowing what they are doing but u r so focused on hearing the baby cry and then so focused on the baby that it flies by! I fed within half hour of baby being born and had no trouble breast feeding despite being quite sick after from epidural.

xkatyx if you bleed too much you will have a transfusion, which is completely painless. You won't bleed to death - they will notice if you lose too much blood, trust me.

Thank you, I feel so silly constantly worrying about this.

It's all I keep thinking about so I thought if I spoke to someone who has had one and tells me it's ok and not blue flashing light madness I'll be ok.