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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

C section questions (some covid related)

23 replies

northernmamax · 29/07/2021 18:39

Hi everyone.

C section is officially booked in for 2 weeks today.

I was just wondering anyone who's had a c section through the pandemic, how long does your partner get to stay with you after the baby is born when you go on the recovery ward?

Also, does anyone have any tips/advice on how to make things easier for myself while I'll be alone with bubba in hospital. And any recovery advice would be fab x

OP posts:
clickychicky · 29/07/2021 18:43

I had about 2 hours but I think I was lucky.
Put everything in a bag you can place on a chair. And organise it

clickychicky · 29/07/2021 18:44

And the midwives know you will need extra help as don't have partner so buzz if you need them. Also have slippers you can slip on and off

iloveicelollies · 29/07/2021 18:53

Hello. Had c section 2 weeks ago. In leeds. Dh came in with me at 7am and was allowed to stay with me in run up to theatre at 11. We were told beforehand this was allowed. He was allowed in theatre obvs and recovery. I was in recovery till 5 and he was allowed to stay whole time. Then he had to go. He wasn't allowed to visit next day unless I was staying in. Which I wasn't, they'd told me I'd likely be discharged in the early evening. Then the only other lady on my ward was discharged at 2 and they told me since it was empty then my dh could actually come in till I went home. Normal protocol would have been that he comes to collect me only. If you're staying in another night we got a 2 hour visiting time slot for dh to have. In terms of hints and tips. Make sure you bring tons of nappies. You'll be surprised how many baby gets through. And nappy bags. Ask the mw or mwsw to help you unpack so things are on your level without you having to bend. Bring tons and tons of snacks as and squash. I was absolutely ravenous. Bring your own paracetamol so you don't have to keep asking them for it. I was incredibly itch after the spinal. I think had I brought some moisturiser it would have helped with that. It would be good to bring an extension lead plug so you can easily reach chargers for phone etc. I packed everything in labled little bags like baby gros, vests, my underwear, so I didn't have to plough through bags for stuff. I recommend ear plugs as it's noisy af. Good luck x x

ivfgottwins · 29/07/2021 18:54

My DH had one hour with me. But our twins were in NICU which had unlimited visiting hours so whilst it was awful having premature poorly babies it meant he could see them more than he would have been allowed to otherwise (1 hour only on the ward and not allowed back until time to pick us up to go home)

Just10moreminutesplease · 29/07/2021 18:56

I think it depends on the hospital and which midwives are on duty. My DH was allowed to stay into the evening but this was very much an unofficial nudge nudge wink wink kind of thing (I loved those midwives).

I’d advise bringing snacks and drinks in case you’re not kept well stocked (I was starving!). A long lead phone charger and some slippers.

Once your partner leaves, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Staff may be busy but you’ve just had surgery and everyone reacts differently to that.

Oh and get your DH to put your bags on the chair so that you can reach them without bending! If you are moved onto the general maternity ward you may have to ask a midwife to do this but it makes life so much easier (bending straight after a c section is tricky!).

Good luck OP Smile

Mammyofasuperbaby · 29/07/2021 18:58

My husband was with me from arriving at hospital at 6am to leaving at 2pm (around 2.5 hours after section). We were lucky though as the wards were quiet and the midwives let him stay longer especially as it was becoming clear there was something very wrong with baby.
I stayed in hospital for a month with baby as he was very sick and needed surgery so have no advice on packing as that went out the window for us. That said make sure you have everything to hand, call the nurses if you need any help and very long chargers are a must

sarah13xx · 29/07/2021 19:16

Following!

Mine is in just under 2 weeks. I know at my hospital they’ve said my partner has to leave when I leave the recovery room, so it will usually be max 2 hours they said. He’s not allowed to come to the ward but might get back in for a visit that night. He’s not even allowed in to collect us, the staff take baby, bags and me to the front door to meet him!

sarah13xx · 29/07/2021 19:20

Putting bags on the chair sounds like a good tip, totally hadn’t thought of that. I’m taking sliders instead of shoes to go home in so I don’t have to ask them to help me get my shoes on

iloveicelollies · 29/07/2021 19:23

@sarah13xx him not being allowed in to collect was protocol in Leeds too. But they were lenient and let him come in early and hang out as ward was empty.

Recovery I was told would be 2 hours but I had reaction to spinal and then another couple complications so he got much longer than he would have done.

Another tip I've thought of is a toiletry bag with a hook to hang up so you don't have to be bending down in shower, or definitely shower gels with hooks. Buy the Sanex zero type stuff as baby skin so sensitive.

I found the massive tena lady disposable briefs the best for bleeding afterwards.

I also would recommend , if you're like me and delirious with lack of sleep but unable to sleep as worried about baby being ok, ask the mw staff to baby for a couple hours at the desk. They offered to do that for me and it was such a relief just to get a couple of hours.

Original poster
northernmamax · 29/07/2021 19:32

Ohhhh dear I don't know why all these comments are making me so much more nervous.

I knew it would be tough, but realising you're literally on your own after major surgery is making me crap my pants a little bit!

Is it bad or is it manageable? Honestly? I was excited but I'm scared now lol

OP posts:
ivfgottwins · 29/07/2021 19:37

@northernmamax

Honestly for me it was fine - and I nearly died due to placental abruption and haemorrhage - I was out of bed within 6 hours - on feet the next day - but I had to be if I wanted to see my babies in NICU in different part of hospital and home after 2 nights (without babies though). Driving within 2 weeks.

I didn't have any morphine and was on paracetamol and ibruprofen only

Sunshineaftermorningrain · 29/07/2021 19:39

I didn’t find it too bad @northernmamax and I hope you have the same experience. Good luck Flowers

To answer your question DP was with me for a couple of hours.

clickychicky · 29/07/2021 19:44

I didn't know any different so was fine for me. Make sure you ask midwives if you need help they might take a while to get to you but they know its tough without anyone to help. Drink loooooads of water once they take catheter out as they'll want you to prove you can wee ok.

It's was nice on the ward not having to worry about loads of other visitors seeing you vulnerable and trying to get to the loo.

Take wet wipes for yourself and an all in one shampoo/shower gel so you don't have too many bottles to take in with you. If you have those surgical socks they can help you with those.

clickychicky · 29/07/2021 19:45

I was in 3 nights. If they offer you painkillers when you first get to the ward take them as the anaesthetic will wear off.

SazCat · 30/07/2021 04:36

I had a c section in April. We were told to arrive at 7.30am and I was given a bay on a ward, DH couldn't be with me tho. Not too bad for me as I had my op at 9.30 but another last s waiting till 5pm.

He joined me as I went into theatre then stayed in recovery (about an hour) then got 2 hours on the ward. He could have visited the next day but I was discharged anyway. He was allowed to come into the ward to collect us.

I second the above to get him to put your bag on the chair so you dummy have to bend, and and items you will want sooner out for easy access. A nurse helped me get my toiletries out when they took me for a shower after a few hours.

Take lots of snacks and some be afraid to ask for extra pain relief if needed!

td89 · 30/07/2021 05:11

I had a section 2 weeks ago at an NHS Lothian hospital and the rules were much more relaxed than some of the previous replies.

We were told to arrive at 7.30am and my husband stayed with me on the ward until I was finally taken for my section about 5pm. After the birth he was allowed back to the ward with me but had to leave when partner visiting hours ended at 8pm. The following day he was allowed back at 1pm and could of stayed until 8 again but I was discharged about 4.

I would agree make sure things are close by on the chair and that your phone charger is plugged in. Definitely don't be afraid to use the buzzer to get help from the midwifes. I would suggest taking a water bottle with a straw or a straw to make drinking easier if you've got limited mobility still when your partner leaves.

backtoworkigooo · 30/07/2021 05:14

DH came in with me at 7am and we were only ones booked for that day so out of theatre by 9am and onto recovery ward.
TIP ask for you gown to be put under your armpits so they can slip baby in easily for skin to skin while they're stitching you up.
DH allowed to stay on recovery ward but had to leave for a few of hours when I was moved onto postnatal ward until visiting hours kicked in at 3pm. Then he had to leave at 8pm when visiting was over. Back in the next morning as I was discharged at 11am.
You can raise the beds up and down by remote control which makes teaching things much easier. Stick to pain medicine schedule so it doesn't get chance to kick in and don't refuse any pain medication they offer while you're in. I kept my catheter in overnight as then I didn't have to worry about getting up for a wee. Take lots of lactulose or fybogel etc as the surgery and painkiller will give you constipation.
Expect lots of swelling esp in your legs for a week or so after. Try to get moving even just standing still the evening after your surgery, helps with the swelling.
The pain isn't that bad, catheter goes in after your spinal and don't feel a thing when they take it out either. I was driving 2 weeks after both of mine.

India999 · 30/07/2021 06:19

I'm booked in for ELCS on Monday at 7am and my husband is allowed to stay until 10pm.

sarah13xx · 30/07/2021 06:27

@iloveicelollies that was nice he got to stay! I’ll need to check if mine has a hook, I think it does. For some reason I haven’t thought about what’s actually going to happen after he leaves and during the first night 🙈 I think I’m just so worried about getting over the first part but it is going to be really difficult. Hate asking for help but I think I will need to

@northernmamax I’m in a weird place where I’m telling myself it will be fine, no big deal etc purely because it’s so close and if I start worrying myself now I don’t know what I’ll do but then so many people love to say ‘it’s no walk in the park’. I’m telling myself it is at this point purely to keep myself calm 🤣

Jellybean81 · 30/07/2021 06:43

I had a c section in a large London teaching hospital over 2 weeks ago. Partner was able to stay with me throughout, including spending the night in an uncomfortable chair on the postnatal ward. There was no point in us both being exhausted so the second night he went home to sleep.
The midwives were busy so I didn't ask them for much help - this meant baby ended up co sleeping on second night as I couldn't lift her in and out of the cot.

Amichelle84 · 03/08/2021 10:20

It depends on your hospital so you should ask them.

For me during lockdown 1 he was allowed with me at all times, he was with me in the 2 days I was in hosp leading up to it, and then all day every day after.

We did have a private room (don't know why we got that) and our baby was in NICU for 5 days and I was in for 3.

mrssunshinexxx · 03/08/2021 12:52

After birth 5 hours but only becagse my mum had recently very suddenly died and to say I was a mess was an understatement I had serious anxiety as my husband leaving me so they bent the rules which I will forever be grateful for my hospitals policy was and still is 30 mins after section

mrssunshinexxx · 03/08/2021 12:54

I had emc @northernmamax it's manageable don't panic x

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