C section Tuesday morning and terrified

[Mummylanie3]

I have my pre op tomorrow and c section Tuesday morning and I'm terrified this is my 4th baby second section 1st was an emergency 18 years ago worried about it all and the recovery after as I'm a single parent as my partner left at 8 weeks and no contact since my other children are 18/14/8 so no little ones to run round after but I'm getting myself so worked up about the whole thing

I've never been through that, but good luck and I hope things go well for you. Do you know what you're having?

It's a daunting time but really a planned c section is a different world to an emergency one. I have seen three women after c section and they were no more incapacitated than any women I have seen after a "normal" birth. One of these women was also single. I was in awe of them and I think you will surprise yourself in how strong you can be when you have to. Look at what you have done already. Raised three children and got through a pregnancy alone in a very strange time. Look, you are basically a hero already. If anyone can do this, you can.

Please don't worry , l was intensely terrified before my first c section, worried all the way through the pregnancy.....and it was a doddle.

I had a second C section with no 2 and didn't worry at all, again it was fine.
This is what l wish someone had told me before;

There is NO PAIN, not during, or after...YAAY
You can get up within 12 hours and shower...l did.
You can walk around slowly as soon as you get home.

Things l could do within 4 days were;

make tea/coffee, look after baby single handedly. walk very slowly upstairs/cook as long as there was no bending or pan lifting,
Hang washing on indoor airer as long as someone else loaded/unloded washing machine......

I would strongly recommend divvying up all jobs between other dcs on a timetable in kitchen before birth. Firm pep talk as to what is expected and the importance of pulling together for a couple of months.

What l couldn't do,
exercise for 6 months, felt to fragile around middle.
Hoover or mop for 3 months without some pain.
Lift shopping bags for 6 weeks without discomfort.
Change bedlinen for 3 months.

Get these tasks outsourced to DCs...

Plan ahead, and then plan some more...congratulations on soon to be baby!

@cherrychops100 yes I'm having a girl. That's for all your kind words think my main issue is the spinal I had meningitis last year and they did a spinal tap it should have took 20 mins ended up taking 1 hour 40 mins cos they couldn't get the spinal in right place