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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Visitors after c-section?

27 replies

NoMoreWineForMeThen · 07/05/2012 13:50

How soon is it sensible to arrange for family to visit after a section? I'm booked for a section on Wednesday but the hospital are unable to give a time so could be first think or late afternoon I guess. Will I be 'up' for visitors that evening do you think?

Mum and Sister will be desperate to meet our twins but I'm wondering whether inshould ask them to come the following day? I'd be interested to know how others felt after their sections.

Thanks

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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MaMattoo · 07/05/2012 13:54

Did not want to read and run. My csec was delayed by a day as it was full of em-csecs all day. See how it goes!

You won't be 'up' for 24 hours, but visitors can come say a quick hello at hospital :) mobilising post c sec is slow and painful, so focus on yourself.

Congrats and good luck!

catsareevil · 07/05/2012 13:55

Could you play it by ear a bit and see how you feel after the surgery? I have had 2 cs, and had visitors in the evening both times. It was OK. Both my CS were in the morning, 1 at 8.30, and the other around 11.30.

melliebobs · 07/05/2012 13:57

I had emsc at 23:10 (wednesday) V Ill & had big complications after. My mum & mil visited at 18:00 the next day (thursday) just for ten mins each. I was still in the delivery room cos wasnt stable enough to move so they made an exception. Had proper visits the following day which was a Friday arvo

InmaculadaConcepcion · 07/05/2012 14:06

I wish I had been allowed visitors in the few hours after my section - I was bored stiff (baby was in a separate ward for the first 10 hours - but this was in Spain, so won't necessarily happen in your case!)...

belfaft1981 · 07/05/2012 16:58

I am wondering about the same thing. My last sectionas were emergency early and late evening so only had visitors the next day. This one is planned and I would really like dc to see new baby on the day. (will involve Mil coming too)
Wondering how realistic this is.

Original poster

NoMoreWineForMeThen · 07/05/2012 18:25

I think I'll let Mum and Sis know that they should be able to visit but perhaps not for the full hour. I'm sure they'll be happy with even the shortest cuddle of the twins.

Another question if I may? How long we're you in hospital for following your sections? With a section on Wed, will I be home for the weekend (assuming no complications)?

OP posts:

blackteaplease · 07/05/2012 18:43

I was home within 48 hours but I was determined not to stay longer than I had to.

SisterMaryStigmata · 07/05/2012 22:25

Hi - thought I'd reply as my section (4 years ago) was on a Wednesday morning (9am) and I had my Mum and brother visit in the evening at 7pm, I had been up and had a shower etc and felt I could handle a short visit then. I went home at 4pm on the Friday - I was ready to leave on the Friday morning but had to wait around all day for the paperwork etc to be done so I could be discharged.

Hope that helps!

Portofino · 07/05/2012 22:30

I had an emcs on Thursday morning. My dsis came Fri am. I was not ready for other visitors until Saturday. If it a planned cs, well yes you should feel better than I did, but it IS major surgery. I would be going for next morning. If you feel ready before that then you could call them....

catsareevil · 07/05/2012 22:38

You should be home for the weekend. I was discharge 24h after my CS's, but that was because I hated being in hospital and knew I would be better looked after at home.

KitCat26 · 07/05/2012 22:41

I had a elcs on the Friday morning 9am ish - I didn't know the time in advance but DH called my parents after DD2 was born.

They then visited and brought DD1 to see me, DH and new baby that afternoon at 3pm. They only stayed about 30 mins but that's cause DD1 wasn't very interested...

I didn't get up til the next day as I was catheterised for 24hrs to allow me to rest (standard for c-sections in my hospital).

I was discharged on the Sunday. (Well I asked if I could go home and they said yes, sometimes you have to be proactive!)

allagory · 07/05/2012 22:49

The drugs they use can make you sick. I begged my parents not to come late afternoon after a morning c section- but of course they had to, so they had the pleasure of watching me be sick into a bowl!

Original poster

NoMoreWineForMeThen · 08/05/2012 07:09

Thanks everyone, really helpful replies.

I haven't heard anything about the drugs making people sick before. If all goes to plan, I'll be having an epidural which I've had before without any side effects. Did you have something different allagory?

Kitcat26 I'm in total agreement about being proactive. After DD was born I recall having to 'remind' midwives numerous times that I was fine to go home 24hrs after the birth. They would have happily let me stay another night but I was desperate to get back to the comfort of my own home.

OP posts:

catsareevil · 08/05/2012 07:13

I was sick after one of my CS, not sure why, didnt have any non-standard drugs. I think it was probably a combination of major abdominal surgery and v soon after tea and toast.

MrsHoarder · 08/05/2012 07:19

It really depends on whether you are happy with them seeing you when you're rough and whether they will be keen to run to the shop to get the things you have (inevitably) forgotten.

If they don't have far to come and will bring chocolate/help you do things like brush your hair then encourage them. Otoh if they will insist on staying for ages and make you feel more obliged to act well whilst throwing up then ask them to come the next day.

claireinmodena · 08/05/2012 07:46

A lot depends in the visitors iywim!
And what the poster above said, sorry cant look back for your name, whether you're happy to be seen a bit rough! My dc came in the evening (cs at 12ish) and dd2 was a bit shocked by my appearance! Pale and with tubes all over.
I would have been happy to see my mum though and sis though. They would have been visitors of the 'helpful' kind!

Meglet · 08/05/2012 08:00

I was sick after my EMCS. 'Luckily' for me XP's parents were they to gawp at me while I did it .

IMHO let everyone know when you will be ready for visitors. Don't let them invade regardless of how much they want to meet the baby. With my second CS I kept people away for a couple of weeks and had a much better recovery. You and your new baby come first, not visitors!

melliebobs · 08/05/2012 08:03

Mine was emergency so can't comment on discharge. I was stuck in there for 6 days b I felt fine. I was up n about n moving. But on my ward people came in for planned sections on the Friday morning n home Saturday evening and Sunday morning. VERY frustrating

Ragwort · 08/05/2012 08:06

Agree with Meglet, don't promise anything - surely your visitors can wait until you get home. Look after yourself (and your babies first) - surely it will also be a challenge dealing with twins? You can't possibly know how you will feel, I had quite a difficult time after my CS (and DS was born with medical problems) - having to put on a 'cheerful' face to deal with visitors was not what I would have wanted to do.

blackteaplease · 08/05/2012 08:37

I was sick too, I had a bleed for a few hours and they gave syntocinon to stop the bleed. Cue vomiting.

I also asked to go home and had to keep reminding as my blood results took a while to come back and they had to chase them before I was allowed to go home. That and the three wees.

Lunarlyte · 08/05/2012 13:03

I had an ELCS for DD2 and, aside from DH and DD1, was happy for my parents to see me a few hours after the birth (DD2 born 11a.m, Ma & Pa visited about 3:30p.m). Didnt want to see anyone else for a few days after the birth, though. Best of luck for your section tomorrow x

Lunarlyte · 08/05/2012 13:08

Btw, completely agree with Claire: my appearance post-section did weird-out DD1 (aged 3) a little. I was pale (only lost 550ml blood) and tubes/machines were a bit in-your-face. I felt fine but be prepared to look like a patient for 24 hours! x

Poledra · 08/05/2012 13:30

Em c-s with GA at 7pm. Mum visited following afternoon, and I was delighted to see her. BUT she's one of them thar useful visitors - fills up water jugs, goes to get anything required from the shop, sorts through nightwear etc to get the dirty stuff to take home and launder, brings in clean (and ironed!) stuff.

And, of course, took her brand-new granddaughter for a cuddle and a coo ( normally 'ard as nails, me, but can still feel a little 'achey-throated' at the memory of my mum holding my new babies and saying 'Hello my darling. Aren't you just the most beautiful girl ever.' And she already had 5 DGCs by the time my first was born!).

SoozleQ · 08/05/2012 17:15

DD was born by CS at 2.55pm (technically an emergency but I'd only been in labour for 3 hours so I wasn't knackered) and my parents came to visit that afternoon/evening - can't remember the time exactly but I was still in recovery and hadn't been transferred to the post natal ward by then so probably about 5 or 6ish. It was fine and I was happy to see them. :)

TransatlanticCityGirl · 08/05/2012 23:08

I had an EMCS on Friday morning and had a super quick recovery - was on my feet by lunchtime. TBH, I almost forgot I even had a c-section at times. But I still didn't feel like having visitors until I was out of hospital, just because visitors was the last thing on my mind. I was discharge Sunday evening and had visitors at home on Monday.

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