Maternity Pads after a caesarean?

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To all you experienced mums who have been through a C section...I have to have an elective on Dec 11th due to two prolapsed spinal discs and wondered whether I need to add maternity pads to my hospital bag, ie is there any vaginal leakage after a C section op?

yes you'll need them.

Ooh yes, you will need them. You bleed just the same as if you had delivered normally.

Great, thanks for quick replies, yet another item to add to my already bulging hospital bag

Buy lots. I can guarantee you'll still need more when you get home from hospital.

Get the decent normal period towels. Maternity ones are like bricks but they don't seem to draw down the blood into the towel.

you will bleed after a c section birth

the bleeding is from the site where the placenta was, so regardless of what mode of delivery you have, you will bleed.

boots do a slim maternity towel, and they are great.. you will need lots, and my i advise massive cotton granny pants,that come up to your belly button, paper ones can be skimpy and seem to cut into yuor scar .

Agree with lulumama about huge pants. Get the biggest granny pants you can find - it will make such a difference. I found some that went almost up to my armpits. Looked daft but meant my scar healed pretty well.

Righto, pack huge black Granny pants also. Thanks all

Got the Arnica 200, peppermint tea, and fruit juices. Anything else for a C section hospital bag?

another vote here for big granny pants and dont bother with specially labelled maternity pads. Just get some highly absorbant normal ones (iirc i used tescos own range of high absorbancy ones and they were great)

LOL High absorbancy - sounds like something NASA may be using! LOL

eye mask to block out hospital bright lights
nice smelly moisturiser and body lotion
face cleaning wipes in case can't bear to make it to sink
ipod
spare pillow or bf cushion
a novel

i try to pretend that rather than being in hospital i am in a fabulous health spa, i find the delusion makes it much easier

good luck!

Mazzystar...I'm all for a touch of healthy delusion....many thanks!

Defo bigs pads and pants. I had an emergency C section so wasn't at all prepared. DP had to drive round on a Bank Holiday monday after 4pm looking for "Big" pants. Luckily he did find a Tesco that was open and ended up explaining to the shop lady .

U cushion or a pillow to support baby when feeding.

a found a sarong useful as I was able to tie it above the c-section. very handy for the first couple of days. you won't need to bend down to pull pj bottoms up that way.

Don't forget a mirror to make sure your lippy is on for the new baby photo

I look fab in ds2's (ecsect) pics, and like I've been through washing machine cycle in ds1's (ventouse with only gas and air) delivery

Brilliant advice, many thanks all

big pants are the way forward - and the cheaper the better! i got mine from primark last summer.

i also wore wrap dresses after the birth (actually pretty much lived in them for most of the pg) as they are great, tie up well and don't go anywhere near your scar.

and start taking the arnica a few days before your date for the section - it does wonders. i had an emergency and managed to get some down me in the few hours before it, and my scar healed really well.

of course the usual flip flops for the showers, and cleaning wipes just in case it's grubby or not very nice in there iykwim.

o'h and cleansing wipes for yourself in case you are bed bound for any length of time...

I used my husbands boxer shorts after my sections, they were great and it means you dont have to go out spending money on huge pants. Bring an old towel, it was hospital policy that anyone who had a c section had to have a catheta in for 24 hours so I was in bed for all of this time. It was so uncomfortable and sweaty because the mw put those disposable bed protecters on top of the sheets and it made me so itchy and sweaty.So an old towel would have been much more comfortable.

ROFL @ Flibbery.....washing machine cycle.

I looked the same and I hated DH for taking those shots....my mother took a set of them home and even my hard as nails sister who is a criminal lawyer broke down in tears!!!!

All cameras will be smashed should they point themselves towards me this time.

Oh thread......I did not have a problem with the paper nackers as I enjoyed just throwing the whole thing in the bin, I could never bring myself to throw cotton pants in the bin its a poverty mentality you see.

beeper the primark ones we almost as cheap as the paper ones! and after one wash (if they weren't too horrid to be chucked already) the elastic started coming away so they had to go!

the old towel is a great reminder for me as well for next year

i wore a pair of leggings a few days after the CS. i found they pulled the floppy tummy in nicely as it was a bit of a jelly belly and i found it hard to roll over onto my side in order to get out of bed.