ELCS thurs...any advice/ tips greatly appreciated.

[Shortybabe7]

Hi. ELCS booked for this Thursday. Know this topic been done before but some quite dated. Any tips appreciated from what to pack, recovery tips. Anything really...

I had a Cs on Tuesday (found out 12 hours before that it was necessary so I wasn't so well planned)

Big pants and trousers that won't rub or sit on the wound site. My best recommendation is new look maternity pants - bigger and looser than cheap pants from sainsburys etc, and I'm living in new look two pack black maternity leggings

I'm using a maternity pad between my wound and pants for a few days now my dressing has come off

Shoes/slippers to wear in hospital that you can slip on without bending and can be worn with/over compression stockings (mind you I wore flip flops with the stockings in hospital - it was quite a look!)

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How exciting that your bundle of just will be here tomorrow!

I've had two c-sections. First was emergency, second was elective. I remember being so nervous before my elective. My first one was a bit of a blur.

You will be fine. Pack big pants, pads and comfy clothes.

Also, maybe a bit late now but a couple nights before my section. I popped to Tesco and bought eight bottles of water. Popped them in the freezer, then somehow remembered to take them with me to the hospital. The water was still cold 24 hours after my daughter was born (and she was born in July). It was amazing. I couldnt make myself drink the room temp water they provide you with and they make sure you can pee before you are discharged. So the cold water was great!

Good luck!

Also recovery, take it easy! Take as much as you can from family. Don't over do it (I over done it with both when I shouldn't of). It will be painful. But it gets less and less every day. And you will soon feel back to your normal self!

Make sure you ask for lactulose and eat some prunes and keep hydrated. The worst part of recovery for me was constipation from the painkillers, it was horrendous.

Good luck

TMI alert

You might want to ahem...prepare yourself before you go in. My section scar sits in my pubic hair and the first time they dry shaved. OMFG the itching as the hair grew back over the scar. I suggest your DP and some hair removing cream - you don't have to go too far down.

And afterwards take everything they give you - especially the peppermint stuff. They don't seem to mention the wind that gets trapped because they rummage around in there. It can be really painful and the stuff they give you really helps.

Yes, yes to the stool softening foods / meds! Last time the hospital neglected to warn me that codeine causes constipation and wow did it indeed. Horrendous and easily the worst part of my recovery.

I have a big bag of prunes & dried apricots in my hospital bag this time around