Experienced c-section ladies, can you help?

[kickingking]

I'm thinking ahead to my planned section (two weeks - argh!) This will be my second elcs.

With my first, baby was born about 10am, and I then spent a lovely day breastfeeding, cuddling, eventually having visitors and floating on a cloud of morphine bliss.

On the post natal ward, at about 10pm, I was asked if I wanted to get out of bed and have a shower. I said no thanks - I've no idea why now, I think I was just tired.
I was actually helped out of bed the next lunchtime when DH was there, and he helped me have a shower and get dressed.

I've since been told that the sooner you get out of bed, the quicker your recovery tends to be. Is this true? And if you get up and have your shower without a relative to help you, does a midwife help you? There is no way I would have been able to manage completely alone in the bathroom - if I had showered etc. when I was first offered, would someone have come with me?

The other slightly random thing I never worked out in four days on the post natal ward, was what you are supposed to do with your baby when you shower every morning and go to
the loo. I was told off for leaving my baby alone while I went to the loo, so I ended up waiting til I had visitors in the evening to shower. Everyone else on the PN ward seemed to have a partner turning up at 9am every morning, I didn't have that last time and won't this time either. So what do you do about showering and going to the loo??

Any

Not sure what the random 'any' is doing there

Hi When i Had a c-sec a midwife helped me shower afterwards ( 6 hours after ) lol. They got me up and moving once the epidural had worn off!

& if i needed the loo etc i would just go :/ Or when the baby needed a bottle i had too leave the room to get 1, and ure not aloud to take baby out the room so u have too leave them for a few minutes!
Good Luck With everything :D:D xxx

I was encouraged to get out of bed about 20 hours after my EMCS. The midwife took the catheter out, and sort of guided me to the bathroom and helped me undress and then did basic things for me like turn on the shower, pass me my shower gel and then passed me my towel after I'd got out. Obviously she saw me starkers, but at that point nothing mattered! And then she helped me back into my dressing gown, reminded me to put a new pad on and helped me back to the ward. by this time I was absoluitely knackered, very pale and not really walking - just shuffling and not really able to speak. It took everything out of me. By the next morning though, I felt much, much better. I wouldn't have been able to get up much before I did, and I think my recovery was actually very quick.

I always left my baby in the crib when I went to the loo and showered. Mine slept all day and was awake all night! He eventually dropped off at about 7 am, and that was well before breakfast and visiting, so I had nowhere else to put him if I wanetd to go to the loo and shower. I was kicked out 2 days after my EMCS though.

Yeah, I just left the baby when I went to the loo - couldn't workout what else I was supposed to do and I was only going to be minutes. It was the showering that bothered me as post cs i took quite a long time to get undressed and dressed.

My recovery was good, but I was just wondering if it would have been even better if I had got out of bed that night.

I'm glad to hear somebody will help you in the bathroom - I can't decide if it would be better or worse for a midwife to see me naked, bleeding and crying than DH. He claims to have blocked the post cs shower from his memory, not sure how he would have coped with seeing a vaginal birth

Brilliant questions. Thanks for asking. I'm at the end of my first trimester but think I'll need another section for health/safety reasons.

Last time, I was afraid to move so laid there all afternoon/evening/night and hardly moved a muscle. The next day I waited until my other half arrived in the early afternoon and he helped me shower. I had wanted one sooner but was still so worried about getting up.

In hindsight, I wish I'd had more support with moving around and shall be asking for it this time. This time I'll have another older child wanting my attention too and I don't want to be sitting around constantly.

I was actually thinking about it in bed this morning. The lady in the bed opposite me didn't even use the ladder thing to sit upright, I couldn't understand how she did it. And she went home in her pre-pregnancy jeans . (not that the last bit is important).

I think with me, it was partly state of mind. I didn't bother getting dressed until I went home. I hope I don't do that again.

Mine was slightly different in that it was an emergency c-section but one was planned for 3 wks later so not a complete shock. Maybe I hadn't prepared myself properly and was still in a little bit of shock regardless.

Sorry, I've rambled all over your thread but kind of voicing the same concerns to clear them in my own mind too!

VickityBoo when was your first baby born? I was supposed to have an elcs between 38 and 39 weeks, but it is has just been moved to 36+2 as I have developed polyhydramnios.

I'm trying to establish what I can expect from a 'just' premature baby by elcs, and it sounds like you had one?

Hi - had emcs nearly 6 weeks ago. Staff nurse got me out of bed 4 hours after - literally as soon as the spinal block wore off. I was on an open recovery ward and heard the girl who's had her section an hour before me being gotten up - she was screaming and crying and I lay there dreading my turn. Turns out I had nothing to worry about - it was fine - a bit sore but nothing like I expected! Think it was more the anticipation and fear that made her cry.

My baby was in scbu and I was able to walk down to see him (about 5 mins walk) about 8 hours after surgery. Stay on top of your painkillers - my consultant commented on how it was good to see me 'walking upright' as apparently a lot of women walk bent double - she said it'd help me heal.

The 2nd and 3rd nights were tough when I got up for the loo - sore bending etc but because ds was in scbu I missed getting painkillers throughout the day (was with him rather than on the ward). I was fine and most of the soreness had gone completely after a week. 6 weeks later and apart from a nasty tummy overhang (lol) I feel champion - and have done for weeks!

I think getting up and about asap makes for a speefy recovery :)

Btw - I was terrified of having my first bath - was convinced my scar would be screamingly sore - it's weird but it doesn't hurt or sting at all! Very odd!

She was bang on 37 weeks.

Another lesson I learnt there, a day earlier and she would have had so much more help, I'd have had more support. As it was, I had this tiny beautiful girl with jaundice (that wasn't spotted until we were home) who had to be on a heat mat in the crib and didn't have much in the way of extra care. I didn't know what to do so treated her as I expected to be treating my newborn. She didn't gain weight after the first 6 weeks and has had trouble gaining weight since. My midwife this time agreed with me that if a similar situation comes up again, I should insist on more help.

The staff weren't really at fault, it's the 37 weeks isn't prem rule. She was smaller than some prem babies!

I am not worried about the chance of delivering at 37 weeks this time but am a lot more aware which is a good thing.

kickingking your baby falls before 37 weeks I expect you'll have lots of help and support. Babies born then are pretty much normal, just sometimes small. Our lo had a heated mat in her crib to help as she wasn't able to regulate her own temperature your baby may need similar. They can still be lifted out etc, as normal. There isn't a lid on it like an incubator.

babycaneearly that whole getting up and about early is what I really want to achieve this time. Well done you! You sound like you do an amazing job - the added incentive that your baby wasn't next to you must have spurred you on so much.

Good to hear you're both home and well.

No concerns about this one being small, the other reason for the early delivery is that it's huge! Could be 8lbs at 36 weeks I suppose that'll help with keeping warm?

babycaneearly I, too, am impressed by your speedy recovery. Walking up to SCBU hours after! Wow.

I found recovery from the second section harder than the first. Just be gentle with yourself. I don't think you need to panic about getting up earlier - just do it in your own time (within reason, obviously. I would guess any time within 48 hours would be fine). I was determined to get up earlier with DD2 and forced myself up to the loo and insisted on the catheter being out and I hindered my recovery quite badly. I wont go into details because the chances of it happening are minute, but listen to your body, it isn't a race.

Lol - thanks Vickity / Kicking - tbh it was my first baby, wasn't expecting the cs and was just desperate to see him.

Def think getting up early made for quick healing though. I was walking slower than usual (and don't get me started on speed bumps - made for some interesting taxi rides to scbu once I'd been discharged home - poor taxi drivers!) for maybe a week and a half / 2 weeks then pretty much back to normal. Like I said - first couple of night were rough and sore but that was my fault for not keeping on top of pain management! Good luck :)

I had a shower twelve hours after an EMCS without any help but the door was open behind a screen and I'm sure they offered to help.

I was one of the fortunate ones whose DH was there all day but you can't not go to the loo all day. I'm sure they kept asking me about whether I had peed and pooed - it can be an indicator of how you are recovering I think. Could you ask your community midwife about it?

kickingking wow! Okay then no worries there lol.

Yes, I have a long list for my community midwife! I hope she can see me, my next appointment is booked for after the date for the cs! !

Hi op.I've had 2 csections, 1st was emergency, 2nd elective. 1st one was offered the help from healthcare support worker to have a wash at the sink in the middle of the ward with no screen around it! I declined, asked her if she was joking, she was not! When Dh came in he helped me to the shower (i shuffled along using the crib to gold onto as it was on wheels) he helped me into shower and we had the baby in the crib with us as it was a huge room. 2nd time, midwife looked after the baby and had lots of cuddles with him while a lovely healthcare support worker helped me with the shower and helped me get dressed. (dh was on the nursery pick up at the time). I found 2nd time much easier as I knew what to expect.I asked for help and used the call button alot-that's what its therefore and was sad to leave the ward in the end as everyone was so lovely (unlike my 1st experience!)

I've had 2 elcs, at 38+3 and 38+6. With the first, I was up and walking to SCBU within about 4 hours; dd was only there about 24 hours but walking was realistically the only way to get to her! I was only in hospital 2 nights and took no pain relief once I got home. So with the second I followed the same plan, up and walking within about 6 hours that time and home in 48 hrs. I'm sure getting up and about helped my healing; I was fine within a couple of weeks (and back in normal jeans in about 10 days first time! Second, not so much ...)
However; I heal well and quickly as a rule whenever I hurt myself, which has to be a factor. I also had amazing surgeons (nhs); when I had the second op the surgeons commented on what a fab job the first one had done, which I guess can't hurt either. Don't overstretch yourself; take it at your own pace.

Oh, and I left the baby when I went to the loo if I had to! I think the loos were next to the midwives desk so they could keep an eye out.

I had an emcs 6 weeks ago and was also worried about showering and going to the look etc when my baby was with me (she was actually in scbu for a few days first). I actually found that the other mums on our little side ward were happy to keep an eye out when someone wanted to go somewhere for a few minutes. We were all chatting to each other anyway so it was easy to ask them to watch the baby. Newborns seem to sleep so much anyway it was easy!

Ditch the morphine. It isn't routinely prescribed. Ask for a Diclofenac suppository at the end of the CS.

Yes, the quicker you're up and about, the better you'll feel. Prevents DVTs etc if you're weight bearing. Make sure when younstand for the first time that you have someone with you. Wriggle your toes before you get up, and make sure you have full sensation across your toes.

As for being 'told off' for going to the loo. Tell them not to be ridiculous, you wouldn't take a baby into the loo at home would you? Is security on the post-natal ward that bad? I left DS2 at the nurses station to have a shower.

Hi - newbie to MN but have 6 kids and had 5 c-sections and recognise a lot of the above experiences. Things I remember most about recovering are... the importance of moving around regularly once you are able to get up; keeping on top of the painkillers (incl. up to 3 weeks afterwards if you have other little ones at home that you are chasing after); do your physio exercises regularly; don't push yourself too hard and make sure you take as much rest as poss. I also took arnica before and after op to help reduce bruising - worked for me!

Scars seem to merge now (8 years since last op) but always a little overhang! I go to the gym regularly and tummy exercises not a prob. Don't try to get back to them too soon after an op though - respect the 3 month lay-off and take the doc's advice.

Hope this helps...

When ds was born by elcs, he was in scbu for 8 days, a nurse wheeled me up to see him whenever I was able, and would take expressed milk to be put in his feeding tube. The staff were amazing, I could not have walked for a couple of days after having the cs, and would no way have managed to have a shower.

Just remember, everyone is different and has different experiences and different recovery times, so don't beat your self up if you don't feel up to it, keep up with the pain relief, and remember the nurses and MW should help you, whenever you need it.

With dd I was discharged 12hrs post cs... less said about that the better.

I had ds by emcs 6 months ago. He was born at 3.30 ish. At 5.30 I was up and sitting in my chair, moving about tentatively. Asked for a bowl of hot water at 8pm and had a good wash standing by the bed and showered alone as soon as the catheter was out the next morning. I was up and caring for ds as soon as I could move my legs. It really does aid recovery. I just wheeled ds to the nurses' station in his goldfish bowl on the way to the bathroom. They cooed over him and I wheeled him back afterwards. In fact a couple of times he came into the shower room with me.

I had a cs at midnight, was given a strip wash a few hours later. At midday the next day they got me out of bed and into the chair but I felt dizzy so went back into bed. I was eventually fit for a shower at about 6pm, a midwife helped me to the shower. I think I showered alone sitting in the chair, then called for assistance with drying as I was still wobbly.

Re the loo, you will have a catheter in for the first bit until you are fit to get out of bed. After that you need to do 4 wees before they will let you go home (drink drink drink). Can't help with who would watch your dc as my dh was there all the time. I would either leave them at the midwife station or ask a neighbour to keep an eye on them.