Tips for csection!

[nutelladipper]

Hi all, I'm having my first c section (in fact first surgery!) in 10 days.
I wondered if you could share your before, during & after tips?
Thanks

Big knickers!

For my first section I had some big maternity pants, but for the second I bought M&S granny pants in a size bigger than normal.

I was told to have peppermint tea (I can't, it smells foul to me) and peppermint to help release trapped wind, but I didn't suffer with that.

Ask for a dry dressing as opposed to the rubberised-sucks-all-moisture-away-from-the-wound dressing as they just harbour bacteria. (6 months and 5 courses of antibiotics later after emcs...) oh and big pants. And make yourself sit up (slowly!). And peppermint tea! Good luck!

I'm having one in four weeks, so following with interest!

Keep up with whatever painkillers they give you. If it's a busy ward (where isn't? ) then find out how often you are meant to have them in case you need to prompt someone for them.

I have had three CS. It's normal to feel shaky - tell the anaesthetist how you are feeling. I also felt very itchy around my neck /chest. I did suffer with trapped wind and in my hospital they made me a 'shot' of warm peppermint water. I even brought my own peppermint oil third time round.

Yes to big pants. Nighties are easier to manage than PJs for the loo etc as you don't have to try and pull trousers up. My tummy was tender afterwards and looked like a weird lumpy alien - I think the surgery disturbs the bowel. I'm fine now btw! I also took the sort of snacks in with me that I might have if I was recovering from being ill as I knew from experience I would lose my appetite the first couple of days. I also brought cartons of full sugar Ribena as my fail safe method of keeping my energy up until I felt like eating.

CS babies may not cry right away at birth.

They will want to get the catheter out and get you mobile asap as apparently this is better for recovery.

Make sure you don't drop your shower gel in the shower! Have someone with you at first trip to the loo and shower in case you feel wobbly.

Follow the nil by mouth instructions to the letter.

Sorry all a bit random remembering different things! Good luck!

Oh you may be given Clexane injections in the side of your tummy for a few days afterwards. If so you may have to self administer them at home - search Clexane injections on here and there were a couple of threads with good tips on doing that.

Only 18m ago but struggling to remember!

If you need to cough (or laugh!) then hold your scar, press it down while you cough.

Take the painkillers when they're offered even if you're fine. They take a while to kick in by which time you might not be fine and you never know when the drugs trolley will come again!

Get mobile asap and doing a wee

Don't overdo it at home. I had an 18m old toddler and felt lazy sat on the sofa whilst family ran about helping so tried to do too much and all it does is set back your recovery.

Good luck, I loved the experience of just lying there pain free and my baby being handed to me. Much easier than the normal delivery id had before!

Big knickers
Dresses or "over bump" clothes - under bump = on the scar.
Sports cap water bottle so you can drink lying down.
Shower gel on a hook (Radox do this)
Shoes/slippers you can slip on without leaning down - crocs or birkies are perfect
Dried fruit and liquorice to snack on to ease the first post cs poo!

A online grocery shopping account
A sling that puts the baby's weight on your back.
A box of cereal bars to leave by your bed.

Trying to think of anything to add here.

Yes yes to big pants. One of my midwives jokingly asked to see what pants id brought because one woman had just brought thongs

Rest rest rest! I overdone it and it backfired for me. Some days you think you're fine but honestly don't over do it. When someone offers to help take it.

If you get bombarded with visitors stand your ground. You've been through major surgery and you need a rest . We were and DP kept 'feeling guilty' about not letting these people see the baby and would say 'it'll only be 10 minutes' which would turn into hours. I'd end up going hours without eating and would be exhausted.

You will have to do the clexane but the midwife will show you what to do. DP done it for me.

Start taking lactulose as soon as you've had the baby. Take a bottle into hospital with you. Surgery and codeine based pain killers will constipate you. Come off the codeine based ones and just use paracetamol as soon as you can,

Congratulations!

My first section was a shocker. Thought I'd be able to keep my pants on for starters! Also I was surprised by the amount of people in the room (which was rather disconcerting considering my gown was pulled up to my chest with my fanjo on display!). The epidural was nippier than I expected, but over quick and the op was painless, though there was a fair amount of tugging to get my wee one out. Then they popped in a catheter (as well as some painkillers up my bottom!), which was painless, but cringey.

Things to take:

Cleansing wipes - I was bed bound, my face felt like a greasy oil slick, all I had was face wash!

Reading material - you may get bumped down the list if emergencies come in.

Sanitary pads - no one told me I would bleed! Imagine my surprise...

Painkillers - I sent my husband out for painkillers so I had my own supply. it was easier popping 2 paracetamol than nagging the nurses and getting no where.

Afterwards, I was sent home with a syringe pack. I had to inject myself in the thigh every day for a week, though someone else could do it if you showed them how. They also make you wear those compression stockings during your recovery.

Both of my c-sections were emergencies, yours will be very calm by comparison. Good luck!

Thanks all. These are great.
I've already got the large pants sorted????????

I'm 16 days post elcs.

Nil by mouth from midnight the night before. Take book with you, plus snacks, lactulose , big pants (sainbury 5 for ?6 have been fabulous) maternity pads - you Will have some blood loss. I still am now.

I had a spinal which i didn't react well to due to another condition but once that was sorted it was fine. I felt nothing, including the catheter going in and baby coming out DH said 'some force' was used but I honestly didn't know.

The first day/night the midwifes passed DS to me, i stayed laid down.

Up the next day, it WAS painful, really quite bad for a couple of days but only when i tried to move. I could have had oramorph but didn't feel the need.

lactulose was needed. I didn't have trapped wind but its comMon. I did have lots of wind though!!

Take all painkillers offered. Take it easy. Good luck!

Don't go overboard on maternity pads though- I only needed them for less than a fortnight after my first cs and had loads left.

The hospital gave me lactulose to take home.

Lip salve and hand cream - not cs specific, but maternity wards are really hot and dehydrating.

I cannot emphasise enough how much you should try to prevent the constipation! Everything BeatieBo said, basically (my hospital provided the Lactulose). Plus drink loads of water and eat dried fruit. I found the pain from the cs very manageable but the discomfort from constipation was horrendous!

My best tip is - don't worry about it and enjoy the whole experience! I loved mine.

Some great tips from everyone already. I would add to the list that after mine I used the maternity pads folded over and curved in my knickers against my scar. It made me feel more supported and bolstered and acts as a cushion between scar and any knocks.

I'm 4 weeks post emcs. I third taking something for constipation. I was stuck on the loo for a whole evening and had to use um manual extraction .

I had my catheter out and got up around 12 hours after the op it bloody hurt and my dh had to wash me as I couldn't stand and wash myself. I found putting my arms around dh's neck and him pulling me too a sitting position was easiest, also needed help getting my legs into bed for the first night or two.

If you can rest then do it, my babies were in special care so I didn't get much opportunity to rest and I had an infection and I'm still struggling.

The actual operation was fine, you can feel the pulling about but it doesn't hurt.

Good luck, you get to meet your baby soon!

Constipation is scaring me!! X

I asked for something for constitution in hospital as i felt the need to go but no way was i going to 'push:! They gave me lactulose and 12 hrs later i was going for a wee and the poop just came out! Don't get senna or anything else as it can give cramps and explosive toilet episodes which you want to avoid!

I have been a bit constipated still but haven't been taking the lactulose and its been manageable. Keep forgetting.....

Also, I just remembered the itching. It can be a side effect of the spinal that not everyone gets, i did and was horrid. Was given something for it in hospital.

Getting in/out of bed. Plenty of pillows so you are propped up. Roll onto side,assume a recovery position and push with upper arm to get body upright.

Don't worry about the constipation, I was a bit daft and didn't think to take steps to prevent it (drank less than usual in hospital because the water was a bit yuk, didn't eat fruit, said I didn't need any Lactulose when discharged). If you do all that you should be fine. It was the initial toilet visit that was the problem (5 days after cs!), I was back to normal after that.

Also see how you feel afterwards about painkillers. Some hospitals give cocodamol as standard (mine did) but some give paracetamol instead, especially as I think there's a bit of concern over taking codeine when breastfeeding. I think I could have managed fine on paracetamol tbh, but when i mentioned this in hospital they discouraged me from trying. The codeine also contributes to constipation.

Yes I remember the codeine causing problems when I had that after my two vb so I'll approach with caution!

I had paracetamol and diclofenac. With the option of oramorph.

Have you heard of seeding? Might be worth having a look at.

Don't use a hair dryer to dry the scar area after bathing- as suggested by m/w and later advised by GP as the cause of the infection, cleared up with a/biotics.
Agree with the getting up from flat method, try to engage pelvic floor, roll on one side and use arm to push up. Try to find pelvics at all times (lol still looking)

Seeding? I'll google!