Things you wish you'd known about c sections

[MakeAWhish]

Hi all, ok, I am having my first c section (third baby) in 5 weeks time.
Any words of advice from those of you who've had one? What do you wish you'd known/done? Essential items to have to help with recovery? Best piece of advice you were given?
Thanks wise ladies xx

Yes they don't tell you it is normal for shoulder to hurt and only offer the peppermint if you ask - but I had no idea my shoulder pain was connected to the section or they had something to relieve it so didn't mention it. Well worth being told. Also doctor can "sign" you to drive before 6 weeks - just check your insurance are ok with it if been approved as fit.

I wish I had known how much better it would be than a so-called natural birth, and how much more quickly I would recover from my c-section, even though it was an emergency one for my third child.

Had I known that, I would have insisted on sections to have DD1 and DD2 as well.

Sorry, keep thinking of things. I wish someone had warned us about the snot/gunk that babies born by CS cough up/sneeze out. We were still in the first time it happened, she went bright red and a massive explosion of stuff came out of her face. It happened a couple of times after anf it wasn’t worrying then as we knew what it was. When they don’t get squished out of the birth canal which squeezes it out of them it then has to come out by coughing or sneezing or whatever. Perfectly fine and normal but a few women on my ward had their babies do it and it’s weird when you don’t know why.

Both mine were emergencies but bring something to do whilst you wait for an elective. Most women I know who have had them got bumped and my consultant advised bringing a book/magazine/colouring book but I went into labour early.

Recovery can be absolutely fine. I didn't need pain killers after either of mine which also meant I didn't need any laxatives either. Get up as soon as you can and move about to see how it feels.

Big knickers.

Dc1 was in NICU and I was told by one of the doctors there to do scar massage once I'd healed up. I couldn't face touching it myself so dh did it. 2 sections later, I have zero numbness even though I did to start with. I also had virtually no adhesions when they opened me up to retrieve dc2. Obviously that could be totally unrelated but the doctor swore by it and everyone I've recommended it to has said they got some/all feeling back.

I'm 2 weeks post elcs and would say:
-take all the pain meds on offer, I'm still taking regular paracetamol and ibuprofen. So stock up on these.
-be prepared to still bleed vaginally (for some reason I thought you didn't with a cs) and that it will come and go especially if breastfeeding. Again stock up on pads.
-you might need to sleep propped up on pillows for the first few nights. Have lots of pillows to hand.
-keep the wound clean but dry. Lots of flannels to use after the shower.
-try to walk upright, it's natural to want to arch your back.

Any specific kind of massage @Dinosauratemydaffodils? I’d like to give it a try. Do you do it dry or with a cream?

Brace yourself when you cough

Be careful getting off the sofa because your stomach will be sore. Get everyone to help in any way possible.

Dh helped dress me for days afterwards and yes to loose clothing, I wore yoga pants -fold over waist that I didn't fold over and over sized tops. Big knickers that went higher than I would like to admit.

I had an over the cot changing mat which was bliss because getting up and down off the floor was difficult at first. Plus a breastfeeding pillow to protect the scar, I second learning rugby hold to feed if breastfeeding.

Remember you have had major surgery, don't rush anything. Good luck and I hope you have an easy delivery and a healthy baby.

Work out your pain med options and times.

There should be a 30 second edit button, prepare to hear a lot of liquid noise when they cut into you as your waters will be intact. You will probably feel the sensation of them rummaging around but no pain. Both my Dcs (EMCS then ELCS) cried when just their heads were out!

Agree with pp about pressing the button for help! I had emcs under GA and had a catheter so I couldn't get up for some time. Even when I could I struggled to lift ds, and when at home I couldn't lift him off the floor (more to do with me being unable to bendand stretch than his weight!). Things that helped were a raised changing mat/table and a moses basket on a stand.

Other things to consider - massage your scar regularly or you will lose sensation. It doesn't matter what oil/cream you use, it's the action that's important. I was too freaked out by my unexpected cs to touch it for months and the whole area is numb.

One more thing - car seats are bloody heavy. Try not to be in a position where you have to lift it on your own for as long as possible.

I think if you were slim before pregnancy then it can be difficult to accept your new body after a c section. The overhang never goes away for most people and the nhs just refer for physio which I tried but was pointless

Try not to beat yourself up if you don't have your old flat stomach back after it but it's best to be prepared... because no one ever told me and I kept waiting for it to snap back once I lost all the weight but aha that's impossible the lose skin has to get surgically removed and I was told to wait til I've finished having children before a tummy tuck

I didn't mind the numbness just the unsightly overhang of skin which no one ever talks about

In some circumstances there are protocols where the baby immediately has to go to special care for assessments: if that happens your partner probably won’t be allowed to go with the baby and won’t get time with the baby. (So should stay with you).

(This happened to me as waters had gone 5 days before DC was born by C section. DH left theatre then had to wait in a waiting room for several hours)

Pain in your shoulder is likely trapped wind!

Other than that it was a walk in the park! And once I realized that I could get rid of the wind and it was all good.

One more thing - you might have to self-administer anti-clotting injections for the week after surgery. They really hurt! Sorry there's no softer way of putting it!

Another thing to be prepared. You can ask to hold baby straight away but it might not be possible and you have to wait a while before holding baby which can feel like forever if they are still working on you.

Oh and it's cold in the theatre too!

Mine wasn't a planned one so the lack of driving was awful as we'd expected me to be driving a couple weeks post birth.

Stock up on pain killers! You'll need them.

Buy a new wash cloth specifically for your scar once dressing is removed.

I wish someone had warned us about the snot/gunk that babies born by CS cough up/sneeze out
God yes! Mine vomited up mucus for an entire day, we went through loads of outfits. In a natural birth that stuff gets squeezed out by the contractions.

Aw good luck op! It's such a strange but wonderful sensation when they took dd out (for me anyway). Bring slippers/socks and very comfy clothes that won't sit on your scar.

The one thing I'd tell myself if I did it again- don't look for the needle!

I had a semi elective last year after failed induction, if I would have known how quick recovery was I would of taken it before I let them try induction, up and about within a few hours, discharged after 22, out and about with baby 48 hours after that and driving within 10 days, due DS2 next week and having an ELCS this time

Don’t know if it’s the same for ELCS but I found it hard to breast feed after an EMCS and eventually one of the nurses did admit that it can be hard after a CS.
Was absolutely fine after a few days but it was a bit distressing at first (& it was in a militant b/feeding hospital where they really didn’t want to let DS have a bottle until my DH made a fuss and insisted. We weren’t allowed to leave hospital as DS wasn’t gaining weight but they weren’t allowing F/feeding either . As a first time mum I was very anxious and didn’t want to make a scene).

That sex hurts just as much the first time after a c section than it did after vaginal birth!

I assumed that sex would be totally normal as my vag wasn't involved in the birth, but nope, it hurt and stung like hell!

Not that you'll be thinking about sex for a while post birth, but a heads up for when you fancy it

@mumto2babyboys my DH stayed the first night, on the floor of my room. It was NHS. I'm so glad he did because he's a paramedic and the clamp came off DS's cord. Blood everywhere! The midwife panicked but he sorted it all out.

Night 2 I was on my own in the ward but that was because we have a dog at home. DH could have stayed in the chair next to me if he'd wanted.

I asked for the screen to be brought down as they pulled ds2 out so I could see him as soon as he was born.
Yes to shoulder pain and peppermint.
Take pain med every four hours (or however recommended) don't wait for it to hurt.
It didn't hurt as much as expected but don't walk about too much and rest when you can for a few weeks. Even if it doesn't hurt at the time it will ache later in the day.
Hold your baby like a rugby ball to feed, under you armpit of the side you are feeding from.

Don’t be freaked out by the number of people in the operating theatre. This is possibly more for people being rolled in for emergency sections and think that all those people = a big problem, but it’s very normal for there to be a lot of people in there and they all have a very specific job to do. This was easily the most informative session we did during NCT and I was glad of it when I ended up having a EMCS. Will be having an elective in a month or so, 4.5 years on, so am reading your thread with interest as I can’t really remember the recovery now at all.

@LittleAndOften
You were so lucky he was there and knew what to do but I believe in most wards they send the dads home at night so if it's nhs they might not let her but I suppose every hospital is slightly different about enforcing it

You were lucky you had your own room maybe that's why he got to stay over

Always worth asking for your own room op in case they have one going free