ELCS - top tips and how to adjust an IKEA cot to be a co-sleeper!

[legallyblond]

Sorry, slightly random.

First, I had DD vaginally, but now 30 weeks with twins and am having an ELCS. Please please could you give me your top tips over and above what I needed for a natural birth (eg, my top tip generally is black towels!)..,

Also, I'm really worry about lifting the babies for bf... Could I convert our IKEA cot into a co sleeper and would that actually help? The ikea cot is designed to have a side removed and it should be fairly easy to adjust the height, but what about the "gap" between the bed abc the mattress and should the cot be fixed to the side of the bed somehow? Also, does it really help? Don't you need your legs down in order to lift a baby, if that makes sense..?

My friend lent me something like this item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=151012534606 and it was invaluable. It's very difficult sitting up to get out of bed and this meant you could use your arms to help you. Our baby slept with us for the first week (I know, bad bad bad) but you have such limited mobility post c section there is no way you are going to roll a) onto your c section scar and then b) onto the baby. Not sure how practical co sleeping is with twins though?! After the first week it was loads easier mobility wise. I also got thrush from all the antibiotics they pump into you (sorry if tmi) so would also recommend those probiotic drinks. Electives are usually much better than emergencies though so fingers crossed it goes well for you.

Oh and you have to jab yourself / get husband to jab you to help stop your blood clotting when you get home for about a week. In a way that was almost the worst bit for me!

I've had 2 ELCS and no anti clotting injections or antibiotics. Don't think it is usual for most people.

You'll be mobile enough once you are out of hospital to pick up one baby. Holding 2 wiggly newborns might be a challenge though!

My top tip is nightdress for hospital not pyjamas. Ask for as many pain killers and as much help as you can get. Don't be shy!

Also bring food. You'll be nil by mouth til babies are delivered in case you need GA. A stock of nibbles is a god send for when you are allowed to eat again.

Take arnica tablets for a few days before and after. Drink loads before and after to avoid constipation a. Massive massive granny pants a couple of sizes too big, so they don't irritate your scar.

Beyond that - enjoy. I'm almost 3 weeks post elcs and feel absolutely brilliant. Found the recovery very easy indeed, just a struggle sitting up for the first couple of days, that's all.

Good luck.

We converted our cot. We tied it to the bed with rope, drilled holes to get the height perfect, and then pushed the mattress over to meet the bed and stuffed the gap on the far side with tightly rolled towels. Worked perfectly and is now on its second child!

Oh, and if you want to avoid lifting baby you could lie them on a muslin and just pull them to you. Might need your partner to put them back though!

Fruitsalad are you me?? Just came on to say exactly what you said although we didn't even need to drill holes, the level of the cot at the higher level was perfect for our bed. We lashed it to our bed frame with short bungees.

Turkeyboots you have given me hope, thank you! Had emcs with #1, now preggers with #2 and dreading getting him/her out. Maybe an elective would be ok after all :-)

If you're having a cosleeping cot, does it not make it really difficult to get out of bed post CS as you need to climb round the cot to get out? Or will you be in bed without a partner and be able to climb out the other side?

We're going to put the Moses basket on top of the cot, as we have no stand. I figure it will be high enough for me to pick baby up without too much difficulty. Cosleeping is not our thing though, so this will hopefully work for us.

Yes jolly, that's one of my concerns. I'm fairly relaxed either way re co sleeping... Didn't with DD but she was in a cot right next to us for a year and I never had any hesitation in letting her sleep in with us with my bra open just to get some sleep on bad nights....! It's not do much the co sleeping, it's the question of whether the co sleeper will be easier re lifting... I can't quite imagine the mechanics! Tempted just to wake DH up each time for two weeks to pass them to me!!

I had an EMCS and then abdominal surgery for a burst appendix 4 weeks later so I was not very mobile for ages - at first I just gingerly rolled over to DH's side of the bed to get out, and as I got more limber I could get out the end of the bed.

It was annoying initially BUT a) it got better very quickly and b) it was balanced against my almost complete inability to pick DS up out of a Moses basket, crib or cot and feed him sitting upright - so having him right there to pull towards me when he needed feeding was absolutely worth a little bit of annoying manoeuvring when I got in and out of bed. DH did all night nappy changes as well