Section next week - advice re various, please!

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Hi,
I know these questions have been asked a million times but please indulge a heavily pregnant and increasingly brain dead mumsnetter....

Any advice re dh's role re the section? Does he change into those scrub things and what does he wear underneath?(Having mental images of it all going farcically "Carry on").

I have bought tea tree oil and lavender to help with the wound healing. Know they can't be applied neat so can anyone tell me what the bloody hell to do with them?

I have flip flops for the inevitable shower and dettox wipes already packed thanks to an earlier, highly informative thread.

I have arnica 30 to take after the section and fennel tea to help with the digestion and encourage milk production.

Any other tips or reassurances about sections would be most welcome. DD1 was a vaginal delivery but there were some complications so this is my first section. At the moment, I'm having a bit of trouble focusing on the having the baby aspect rather than the having an operation. Silly, I know!

Can agree with all comments. Had two electives. Both fab. Bring on the big pants! I didn't have much bleeding and found 'always' pads enough. Stopped quickly, too. B/feeding great - try and get them to put babe to breast asap. I didn't have any pain but I had been advised to take pain relief reguarly rather than wating for it to get bad. Self-administered morphine for 2 days, then co-codammol for 3 days then jsut paracetamol. I also had 2 volotorol suppositories - one for delivery, one the next day - fab fab fab! Definitely accept if offered! Also agree with getting up and out of bed asap and keeping mobile - tiring but worth it. Can take it very slow. I pottered the whole time i was in hospital. Both were great experiences. Babes born Tue, out of hosptal on Fri and in jeans on Sat!

Message withdrawn

I enjoyed mine as well (it was technically an 'emergency', due to failed induction, but was not an emergency at all, very calm).

The epidural was the bit that scared me, but it was fine - didn't hurt, no bad effects, nothing. And I had barely any pain afterwards, one Volatarol supp. but just co-codamol from then on.

Have to admit, though, the first poo a week later was a bit like giving birth

v wise to take flip flops [vom emoticon] - everyone who uses the showers and toilets is bleeding so how could they stay clean?

I wish I'd thought of taking big pants - my paper pants were useless as the elastic was exactly level with my scar.

Try and keep the scar as clean and dry (esp dry) as poss as it will heal much faster that way and be less likely to come apart.

The first poo was fine for me, but didn't happen till about day 3 - and then only because my mum pointed out that my puffy eyes were prob caused by constipation . The MWs gave me lactulose when I asked for it and it worked fine.

Take all painkillers offered. I asked for some after a couple of days because my back really ached when I stood up and the cow MW said "if you were going to need more painkillers you would have needed them at the start - you can't have them now" WTF??

Make sure your dh brings in plenty of bottles of water/coke/whatever as you will get v thirsty - better than relying on ward staff to bring a jug of water from the kitchen, esp in the middle of the night. The same goes for snacks, and you don't get any tea and toast after a cs of course. I was lucky enough to get to the ward at lunchtime and I was absolutely ravenous.

I wish I'd got them to give ds to dp immediately, but I had an em cs after a long labour and was just grateful ds was ok and it didn't really occur to me that it could be done differently. The dopey MW left him on the resuscitaire for ages - we assumed he needed it but she'd just forgotten to hand him over .

Anyway, am sure you cs will go well - good luck

Can I just point out that your scar is extremely unlike to come apart(even if it does feel like it to start with)but Carolina is right,keep it dry.

mine did

just an inch of so, but of course it got infected and didn't heal over until ds was 17wo, despite me going to the surgery twice a week to get the nurse to clean and dress it.

But still in the great scheme of things unlikely,Carolina.
Mine had a bit of a 'gape' at one end when I had ds3,just where the skin didn't meet neatly.I was having a shower first morning home,bent to dry my leg and noticed a trickle of watery blood down the outside of my thigh.I swear the neighbours heard me screeching for dh,I was too scared to look and I've been a nurse for almost 20 years.

my best tips for after a section; if you need to cough, hold your tummy with a cushion and cough from your throat (as if you're pushing the cough out). tell people not to make you laugh (easier said than done). make sure you have big comfy pants.
am making tea, will concentrate adn think of more later, good luck,
xxxamber

Um, mine did too...I felt it 'go' at one end (about 1.5 ") when I sat up too fast, holding dd, after about two days. And it did get infected, unfortunately - meant 2 weeks of district nurse coming daily to pack wound.

But I think that was more a case of me doing too much too soon because I felt so good...really important not to

Wow! Huge thanks to all of you for such sound and sensible and hugely reassuring advice/posts.
Carolina- ROFL @ puffy eyes due to constipation!
Sugarfree- Also LOL @ the neighbors hearing you scream and you being scared to look (along side the casual mention that you are in fact a nurse!!) also at your ds' "enormous scrotum"!!! I have also made up a music CD so hopefully will get to listen to stuff that we like.
Leah E - I agree re the hygiene thing; I'm not necessarily having a go at the other patients but at the cleanliness situation overall
Skribble et al re snacks and drinks - thanks for that hugely sensible suggestion and also the tip about staying in jammies once I get home...
CMac re nighties and catheters - genius to point that out. Exactly the kind of obvious but completely easy to screw up common sense help needed!
Highlander - what a lovely birth you had. Cheers for the advice and for sharing your own experiences.
Norms - the hugest pants on the planet are in the bag!(and, as you personally may appreciate some fairly huge nursing bras - 34G and counting......)
Thanks for all of the advice re pooing - only on Mumsnet and that's why I love it!
Muffin - great advice re up/down stairs kit. I have a 3 storey and am wondering about getting up to bed!!!
Twig - thanks for the "chill pill" post.
You are all fab. Sorry if I didn't mention everyone; I have read and much appreciated all of the postings. Thanks for taking the time and if any other gems occur, please fire them onto the thread.

I wrote a birth plan which apparently is unusual in c-sections but there were things I wanted and the staff were very respectful.

Things I included were the fact that I wanted DH to tell me what the baby was and that he was to stay with the baby at all times, that I wanted to breastfeed and that no formula should be given to the baby, etc. The midwife read through it all (not that there was much!) and told me what they could and couldn't do. It made everything a lot clearer and made me feel more 'in charge' of my baby's birth.

I also told them I always have low blood pressure which was useful when it plummeted!

It's entirely different when it's your own guts that you think are on the floor!

SF - LOL. I imagine that the element of impartiality would be somewhat reduced....!
Reassuring to know that even nurses have their moments. As the daughter of a nurse I always found the "amazingly calm in the face of arterial blood spurts" truly bizarre. (Sadly, my mum is no longer alive so I don't get to experience it first hand any more!)

Oh, yeah - #1 tip: don't get whooping cough right after a section. I've road-tested that option on bahalf of you all, and I don't think it's likely to prove popular

Can I add

Fibogel to poo
Windeze for trapped wind

I took both and they helped. You don't want to be straining for a poo, cos' you will be frightened to, so it really moves you.

Thanks Leah and UCM.

So sorry but I can't resist.

PMSL
UCM - I almost went into labour re the ladygarden post. Thanks for being such a great fecking sport and I hope that your rose garden will return to its fragrant self very soon

Yes, UCM, you are the best sport on MN. Bless you and your LG both.

ps second whoever said Lactulose was good - not tried Fibogel, might take double doses of both this time.

Eli - I have tried lactulose last time (3rd degree /sphincter tear)and it worked pretty well desite the iron I was on having an opposing effect! I'm not sure I'd be brave enouch to combine fybogel and lactulose - your whole body might fall through your ass......then you'd have a posting to rival UCM's

Yes, you are probably right there....I have enough embarrassing history without creating any more...

Will test drive both during pregnancy (much needed) and choose the most effective for postpartum!

You may think your pants are big enough, but are they ???

I sent DH for the biggest ones he could find after first emergency section. He understood big but not high, take it from me M&S or Asda don't do the right ones, go to a granny shop (sorry any grannies) and get the chest warmer ones, if they look like they might chaf your armpits your on the right track.

Oh and forget Lactulose, get a big bottle of SunnyD it works much better, MIL wasn't convinced that it would work. She is now converted and after an op this week I see her fridge is stocked with the stuff.

PS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS BIG PANTS

So, you think big pants are fairly necessary then, Skrible?

i would also ask about the painkillers they give you - I had some via pessary that gave me diorrhea - very difficult when you can hardly walk, stand, sit etc. When I said this was happening (I was upset, as I thought I was ill and had caught a bug of some sort to add to the c-section), they said, "oh, that can be a side effect of whatever drug, so we'll change the drugs for you". Well, thanks very much!! This time (going for elective in Aug) I am going to ask this question from the word go...

def big pants - i bought the biggest/highest/granniest i could find in BHS, at least a size bigger than normal too. Sadly, I am now wearing them again at night!!