Sleeping after c-section

[fluffywallow]

I am having an ELCS two weeks today and have done endless research on it but the one thing I've not been able to find much about is sleeping afterwards - those of you who've had a CS what was the best way to sleep afterwards both in hospital/at home?? Propped up? On your side?

All advice welcome!

On your back. Side lying can be painful for a while unless you're propped on your side with pillows, in which case you need help to get in and out of that position!

To be honest it's been ok pain wise. Lying on my back is best but I can do my left side too if I'm feeling sore from one position for too long etc. Good luck

What has your endless research yielded. I have looked on line about various things but found little of practical use! I am trying to prepare but not be over prepared as last birth was "natural" but went very wrong. Dd was whisked away straight away and then I was taken to surgery so it wasn't exactly a normal calm euphoric experience.

I slept on my back/on my side depending on how I got comfy. I think as long as you move gently you can move yourself into whatever position feels best.

You'll get a visit from physiotherapy after so they'll show you how to manoeuvre yourself in and out of bed etc so you can ask them any questions.

Good luck! X

On my back, which was not how I would usually sleep. To get up I had to roll on to my side. You just figure out what hurts least!

After my first CS I slept propped up. After the second I lay flat on my back. Flat on my back was definitely more comfortable

Propped up with about 4 pillows, I found if I lay flat on my back without being propped up I couldn't get up! After a few weeks I could lie on my side

Thanks for all the replies, they're really helpful. If envisaged being bolt upright and unable to move position to get comfy so that's very reassuring.

Against - I also am having the ELCS due to a traumatic birth with my DD. I agree about preparing but not over preparing - I have to try and not obsess over it. I got a book called 'caesarean birth: a positive approach to preparation and recovery' by Leigh east and that was very useful, plus reading mumsnet and talking to friends who've had C-sections. My consultant has also been very informative. I think my main issue is I want someone to tell me exactly how it'll be but that's impossible. Good luck with yours, overall I do feel very positive about it and I'm hoping in some ways it'll make up for the trauma first time round.

I had a pregnancy pillow and slept on my side, propped up by it. I had no trouble sleeping!

On my back but sitting up by yourself can be difficult for a few days. I was in hospital for three nights and got used to the self-hoist thing (just like a kids monkey bars ring over the bed) and found myself reaching for it in the middle of the night at home!

MrsMac I think the physiotherapist statement depends on your hospital. I've had two c sections and never had a visit from a physiotherapist.

OP - you'll find a way of sleeping (when you have the opportunity!) that's comfortable.

Getting off and on the bed on all fours was how I moved about.

Fluffywallow Hi x
I'm having an elective caesarean on Thursday !! Eek, 2nd baby who's been lying oblique across me for weeks. ( and a traumatic tear/ torn placenta surgery after my first)
I've done lots of research on c sections, looked on you tube, Pinterest, mumsnet etc it is a huge decision and I'm scared of operations and hospitals so I needed to be prepared. And I think I am 😯

Good luck x

Good luck to you too lily! I hope it is a positive experience for you, sounds like you deserve it.

CWG love the sound of the hoist!

I had an emergency cesarean. I had no notice, but have had a really good experience, so I wouldn't worry too much about preparing. I slept on my back and side with the help of a pregnancy pillow, painkillers helped loads. The hardest part was being so cautious - waking slowly, lifting the baby and getting in and out of bed were hard for the first week, but I'm sure you'll hear this loads, just listen to your body.

On my back to sleep and then rolling over on my side to get up. Never saw a physiotherapist though.

I had an emcs so wasn't prepared at all. I was expecting recovery to be horrendous but it wasn't bad at all (I know experience will vary but I was terrified whilst waiting for the anesthetic to wear off and I didn't need to be).

Thanks Menorca and dinasour - pleased to read your recoveries pleasantly surprised you, I have to say that is what I hear more often than not. I just overthink things, and I think because I had a rough time if it before (with a natural birth) I'm worried about it happening again!

Big fat pregnancy pillow. I had my Theraline at my back for a good 10 days after and then was ok with lying flatter and on my side.

I am terrified of the pain after to be fair. While dd's birth was physically traumatic, mentally it was ok I was kind of out of it and by the time it went really wrong I was epiduraled.

Sleep on the lowest bed in the house if you can. Made a bug difference to my recovery.

The bed in our spare room is a good 6 inch lower than in our bedroom and it was a lot easy to get off the bed : you can just roll off it and stand, lot less stress on your incision.

Good luck op, you'll be fine.

Big difference, obv

In hospital I slept with the back propped up a bit and the bottom of the bed up underneath my knees as I couldn't lie flat very comfortably then when I came home I had three pillows under my head and one under my knees. It was a while before I could lie on my side but that was more to do with getting up from that position.
Hope your research has also given you info about wearing big knickers/clothes without or with a high waist band as you don't want anything pressing on your scar for a bit after.

Sleep on your back, propped up. I had a really uncomfortable night because I started getting really itchy all over my back and body (side effect from spinal wearing off) xx

Move about as soon as you're able to too, is my advice. But don't overdo it. Listen to your body.

Second csec was easy to recover from - was walking about six hours later. First csec I was in bed for 3 days and moving about was definitely harder.

I think it's very much a case of just finish out what is comfey for you. I found the first 10-14 days after my section to be very similar to the late stages of pregnancy in terms of positions that were comfortable and how easy it was to get into / out of them. After that, you start to feel much more able to move around fairly quickly.

I'm just after an ELCS on Thursday and best way I'm finding sleeping is lying propped up on my back however found this easier in hospital as the bed was set that way and u could move it up or down to suit. Pain isn't as bad as I thought would be this time arou d as I also got sterilised. I'm hoping will be able to sleep flat and on side again with next wk or 2. Hope you have a good experience of c section. I found ELCS better than emergency which is she expected. Very calming relaxing and surgeons etc all very friendly.

Good luck 😊