Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Childbirth

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

Naive C-section question!

31 replies

TwoDrifters · 12/12/2015 22:26

I know this may be a stupid question (!) but what does one wear for a C-section?!

At the moment, my baby is breech and unless he turns in the next fortnight, they have booked me in for an ELCS.

I am packing my bag ready for the hospital and assume I will need clothes/provisions for at least a couple of nights but what does one wear during the procedure itself (if anything)?!

TIA for any help/advice! Blush

OP posts:
MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 13/12/2015 13:04

Yes just be warned about the blood. I was ok for the first day because I still couldn't move my legs. The second day I got up out of bed and it was as if someone had chucked a bucket of blood. It just poured out of me. Thank god my dh was there and he ran to get a nurse. Poor love, she had to clear it up. You might be lucky and not have that much but be prepared!

Oh and yes, you'll probably have a catheter in you too. You'll find that you are connected to your bed by a bag of your own wee. I don't actually remember anyone putting mine in or even mentioning it. Mind you I went into shock after my emcs and blacked out for a few hours. Poor dh was left literally holding the baby. I found when I tried to get out of bed that I had a tube coming out of me.

Oh and just so you don't give up all hope in the future, that was my first dd. My second dd, two years later, was born perfectly normally, quick labour and quick delivery. It doesn't always follow that once you've had a cs you automatically have to have one next time.

bimandbam · 13/12/2015 13:13

All the above plus something nice for your tea! I wasn't transferred to the maternity ward until after they had all had their meal and was bloody starving. Hospital brought me the vilest chicken salad sandwich that I suspect was left over from lunchtime. Luckily dp was picking my mum up for the evening visit so she brought me a little picnic.

And you will have to wean yourself off the big knickers. Ds is 2 today and I still have my huge knickers (and keep buying more).

VenusRising · 13/12/2015 13:20

Disposable knickers in a huge I mean huge size are your friend.
No need to worry about lochia getting everywhere if you can just dump the pad and knickers at the same time, at least 5 packs, extra large.

Make sure you know where your scar is going and try and neaten your pubic hair there. I had very painful regrowth through my scar as the midwife quickly shaved me with a bic razor just before they started.

I had skin on skin in recovery, and wore nothing except the hospital gowns.
I breastfed, so had babes latching on just after they were born.

Try and get a yoga pants or some nice soft topped leggings for going home.
Don't have any frills or lace around where your boobs are- my nipples were extremely sensitive to seams and lace and in the end I wore my yoga pants, and a lovely vest tee shirt inside out.

I wore hospital gowns in bed as I bled all over my nighties, and I figured why ruin my nice clothes when the gowns are laundered by the hospital?

Get an appointment set up for a physio and a lactation consultant if you're planning on breastfeeding.

Try and stand up straight as soon as possible, and lower your shoulders and relax your neck. Take all pain meds offered and ask for more if you're in pain. Get your iron levels checked before you're discharged. The last thing you need to be is anaemic from blood loss.

Bring peppermint capsules for the wind.

Good luck, and keep us posted on how you get on.

TwoDrifters · 13/12/2015 18:00

MsAdorabelle bim and VenusRising thank you all so much for your advice! It is all being duly noted and stuck to! THANK YOU!!! Flowers

OP posts:
bimandbam · 13/12/2015 22:01

Oh and don't actually take that much with you. I was only in 24 hours the second time so needed very little. Travel sized toiletries are completely fine. A couple of nighties, loads of knickers and something to go home in is fine for your. Half a dozen babygros and vests for baby. A nice blanket too.

Try and get up and moving as soon as they take the cathater out. It does hurt a bit so swag some oramorph half an hour before. I had two elcs for breech babies. The first 11 years ago they wouldn't let out of bed for 24 hours and I held the wall for a week walking around. The second exactly 2 years ago today I had him at about 11 am and was out of bed by 6 am, home by 1pm and did the school run a few days after.

Take your pain relief whether you think you need it or not. Have as much nice food as you fancy and plan on doing absolutely nothing apart from cuddling your newborn for at least a fortnight.

I feel quite nostalgic now for when DS was born. Was just having a cup of tea about now with an oramorph chaser and settling down for the night staring at my delicious squishy newborn. Sigh. Think I have something in my eye.

TwoDrifters · 13/12/2015 22:47

bimandbam Oh now I can't wait! :: passes over tissues ::

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread