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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

c-section recovery advice - toilets!

14 replies

hockeymum · 01/02/2006 07:56

I'm due an elective section in a couple of months, having had an emergency one with dd 3 years ago. Trouble is, our new house only has a downstairs bathroom and none upstairs where all the bedrooms are. Whilst that is great in the daytime, I'm a bit concerned about the constant toilet trips in the night for the first week or so after the section (they kick you out after 1 1/2 days here). Do you think it'd be worthwhile trying to lug a bed downstairs to sleep for the first week? I seem to remember going to the loo every 2 hours overnight last time, after every feed and I don't remember whether I would have been able to do that so soon after a section last time.

What do you think? How have other section recoverers coped with loo trips?

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Twiglett · 01/02/2006 08:00

they cannot kick you out if you are not ready to go .. after a section the standard hospital time down here (london) is 5 days and you have to ask to be released earlier

I've had 2 electives and haven't had urgent trips to loo with either so can't help you decide where your bed should be

Laura032004 · 01/02/2006 08:01

I don't really remember them being a problem, but we had upstairs and downstairs toilets. Would a porta-potti be an option?

NotQuiteCockney · 01/02/2006 08:31

We put a bed downstairs. I found it good, as I could just give up on going upstairs for the first week or two.

I hated being in hospital, so was happy to get out early and sleep in a weird place.

NotQuiteCockney · 01/02/2006 08:31

It's also nice having a shorter trip to pee in the middle of the night, before the baby is born. We moved downstairs a few weeks before each kid.

WigWamBam · 01/02/2006 08:32

I didn't have a problem with it - either with urgent trips to the loo or with getting up and down the stairs. I would be surprised if they kick you out a couple of days after a section though - check with your midwives with regard to how long they are likely to keep you in.

batters · 01/02/2006 08:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

uwila · 01/02/2006 08:45

I've had two sections. As I recall, the painful part is getting to a standing position. But walking once I was standing wasn't a problem. So I wouldn't have minded too much having to go downstairs. Are youplanning to take Arnica. I think that helped a lot, so would definitely recommend it for a speedy recovery.

Also, London hospitals do not routinely keep you in for 5 days. I had DS at Queen Charlotte last may and was discharged 48 hours later. I even said I wasn't sure I really wanted to go home yet (because I wasn't expecting great assistance at home) but then I decided I was okay and did go home then. My previous section (in Epsom) I was discharged afer 3 days. ! 1/2 days seems awfullly short, but I can't say I'm surprised.

vickiyumyum · 01/02/2006 08:46

i went home after 2.5 days with ds2 and my elcetive c/s, don't remeber it being a problem going to the loo, i think it was less than while pg.
i would do whatever you feel is best, if you have room for a bed downstairs and someone to bring it down for you then go for it, i would have thought if you keep uptodate with your pain releif that you would be fine though.

Original poster

hockeymum · 01/02/2006 09:35

I was out after 48 hours with dd 3 years ago and that was after a very complicated emergency section! I've been told after electives it is 1 1/2 to 2 days now as the local hospital is so overfull. I don't think I was ready last time and was lucky something else didnt go wrong at home BUT was desperate to get out as I had no sleep in hospital and terrible mean cows as midwives! I'd be glad to come home after less than 2 days this time because my DH and other family know how much help I will need this time and will do a much better job than the hospital at giving me the care I need, I'd hate to spend 5 days in there!

It wasn't really the urgency of going to the loo, it was just that every time I woke up to feed (2 hourly) I woke up enough to need the loo. I didnt have stairs in my apartment last baby so dont know how hard it would be to climb them in the middle of the night, I do remember it hurting a lot to lift my leg into the bath to have a shower so wonder whether it hurts to climb the stairs a few times a night. On the other hand it might be very good at avoiding DVT and blood clots to exercise the legs at night.

OP posts:

TuttiFrutti · 01/02/2006 09:43

I agree with Uwila, the painful bit is sitting or standing up, and once you have got there I didn't find walking any more painful. So I don't think going up and down stairs will be your biggest problem, and I wouldn't bother moving a bed downstairs. Good luck with it!

uwila · 01/02/2006 12:38

Also, if moving a bed downstairs means you won't have anyone lying next to you (who could help you sit up) you might actually be worse off downstairs.

janinlondon · 01/02/2006 13:05

Don't recall having to get up frequently for the loo after CS, but as I was up every two hours feeding anyway it may have happened without me noticing! And as Batters and Uwila have mentioned, 5 days in hospital is certainly not routine in London. I was also asked to leave at 2 days, but they couldn't get the pharmacy to make up my drugs in time so I stayed on for 3. Increasingly hospitals are needing to move the more able of us out to make beds available. My hospital closed to new births for three days in the week I was there. So one and a half days is probably not such a surprising amount of time.

Original poster

hockeymum · 01/02/2006 18:40

Uwila - can you tell me anything about arnica? I've heard of it before but not sure where to get it from, what it does or how much to take - thanks.

Also, has anyone else used tea tree, aloe vera gel or taken vitamin C for healing?

OP posts:

uwila · 01/02/2006 21:19

Arnica is available at helth food stores (like Holland and Barrett). Get the strong stuff and eat it like candy. I recovered much faster from section number 2. I don't really know if that's due to it being planned rather than crash, different hospital, different surgeon, or to the arnica. But, the way I see it is it can't hurt. It's like little tiny mints.

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