C section tomorrow

[addler]

Just planned a c section for tomorrow after developing pre-eclampsia, somehow without any symptoms at all

I had a homebirth planned so this is completely the other side of what I wanted, so any advice or tips would be much appreciated as bar the actual procedure I haven't put a lot of research into it.

If you had one what did you find most helpful afterwards? Anything you wouldn't bother with again?

DP is taking a month off with paternity and annual leave so will have the practical support there at least.

The procedure is fine, as you don't feel a thing, but the recovery varies from one lady to another. I was up and about in a fashion, after two weeks and back to normal within a month.
It's fantastic your partner has a month off. Mine only had two weeks and I could really have done with him home for a month, especially with the pandemic as my support was not there, as I can't have any of my family and friends round to help me and I was still in recovery mode at two weeks.
I couldn't stand up straight for a few days after my section, so don't even try and straighten up. You will feel like you're being ripped in half.
My main advice is get your partner to do as much as possible with baby whilst you rest. Nap as much as you can and drink loads of water and eat!!
It's totally brutal but on the flip side if you heal well it's really no where near as bad as what I thought it was going to be. First two weeks are the hardest but every day you will feel a little better. Just don't try and do too much too fast, you'll regret it!
I wish you all the best for tomorrow! I'm sure everything will be amazing. Best feeling ever when your baby just appears from behind a screen! Quite surreal seeing as though you won't feel anything! 🤪 🥰🥰🥰

Stock up on painkillers as the hospital won’t give you any! Paracetamol - if you take codeine make sure you have lactulose (didn’t with my second and the constipation was the worst!!!)
Write down when you take your painkillers and space then out to get the benefit!
Set up what you need in all your toilets. Pads, nipple pads etc. Assuming you have more than one toilet.
Changing areas for baby on both levels - if you live in a house!
You’ll feel much better in two weeks - but take it easy! You won’t regret resting - you will pushing yourself.
Get the fragmin injections done in the morning!
I took a pillow to rest on my stomach under the seatbelt for the drive home - really good!
Set yourself up a comfy corner in the lounge!!
I used a towel with my husband pulling one end to get up as I found sitting up the hardest.
Easy to put on clothes and slip on shoes!!!
I’ve had two! I’d do it again!
Hope all goes smoothly!! Exciting!

Don't be shy about asking for pain meds and keep on top of them.

Get arnica surgical strength tablets. They help with the bruising inside and out.

Big pants are needed that won't irritate your wound.

Sod the housework and accept all offers of help.

Good luck. The procedure is fine but recovery does take a wee while.

Peppermint tea
Tena pants
Take ALL the painkillers
Comfy shoes/slippers
Pillows to prop yourself up in bed so it's not as much of a strain on your stomach muscles to get yourself back upright
Take all the help you can get in the first few days/weeks

This is great, thank you everyone. Just got home from the hospital and hastily changing my 'transfer bag' into a 'c section hospital stay bag'. Still doesn't feel quite real that suddenly the baby will be here tomorrow!

Aw congratulations.

My DD is turning 4 tomorrow (she was an emergency section)

Main tip for me is pain relief for in hospital and after at home. I was only given paracetamol and it was nowhere near enough. Eventually after i nearly passed out in the shower i was given oramorph and it was so much better. make sure you ask for this if you need it as you won't be offered it routinely.

Also dont be shy to press your buzzer for help lifting baby in and out of the crib, again i wish i had done this more.

i was up and about quite comfortably after a week.

all the best. so exciting to be meeting your baby x

I had a cs for my first baby in October as he was breech. As everyone has said, the first few days were pretty brutal for me not really pain per say as I kept on top of the painkillers but I just felt like I’d been hit by a bus. However you really do make massive strides each day and by 1 week on I already felt massively better.

• take all the drugs provided on schedule like clockwork. I was just given ibruprofen to take home from the hospital so I supplemented with the allowed dose of paracetamol too for the first week.
• don’t feel bad about ringing the buzzer constantly for the nurses to move the baby to and from the crib. I didn’t do this and had a sleepless night
• get up and walk to the toilet as soon as you can/ they suggest in hospital. It feels like an impossibility but once you’ve done it - you feel like a superstar (and very relieved your legs work!)
• take lacultulose / stool softeners and drink a TON of water
• big cotton pants and put a maternity pad horizontally on then so it cushions your scar.
• showering every day helped me feel normal and I dried my scar with the hairdryer on cool
• take it reallly easy!!! Accept all help and really abide by the guidance about lifting etc for at least 2 weeks

Good luck- I was terrified but it was a really positive experience looking back now.