Post csection catheter and bleeding

[Nibblonian]

I have my ELCS booked for next month, after a traumatic vaginal first birth.

I've got what feels like a silly question if anyone can help please! So I know the catheter will be in place for possibly 12 hours or so after surgery, but I'll obviously be bleeding during this time. Do you wear your massive pants and maternity pad whilst the catheter is still in (will this kink the tube?) or simply lie on one of those bed pads and bleed 'freely' until the catheter is out and then on with the pants and pad?

I had Dd by ELCS at around 3pm and my catheter was taken out the next morning. And yes, in post op, I had a big mat under me and a huge maternity pad kinda tucked inbetween my legs.

Feeling had come back in my legs quite quickly but not enough to walk to the toilet etc so I guess that's why the catheter was left in until the morning.

My bleeding was checked a couple of times overnight and a midwife got me to lift my bum up slightly to just whip the old mat out and shove a new one under me. She was a pro, honestly, 3 seconds and it was done.

By 10 am the next morning I was up, showered with my granny pants and nappy on 😂

Hi, I had an elective last June and this was my biggest worry! I told my nurse I wanted it out ASAP, the spinal wears off quite quickly so basically as soon as I could move my legs I started drinking alot of water. The nurse removed it for me and helped me to the bathroom when I felt I needed to go. There was minimal bleeding for me, I had an emergency c section in 2018 and I remember heavy bleeding whilst trying to get up and mobile. I think if it's planned then normally you loose less, in my case especially.

Good luck!

I was basically dressed by the midwife once I was taken through to recovery and pretty sure I had a pad and the (huge) pants I'd taken in with me. Not aware of any issues with the catheter.

It's the second option. They get a big sanitary pad with no sticky backing, and pop it between your legs, and have a absorbent pad under your hips as well.

They keep the catheter in while you're numb, so you can't feel that you're bleeding, and there tends to be less bleeding after a section (so I'm told, I've never done the non-section version)

My recollection is I didn't bleed hardly at all immediately afterwards. The catheter is because you can't move - so they would have to put your pants on for you. But I recall the catheter disconnected and it was removed and I put on pants then (I was just about able to stand and do this). You can't 'bleed freely' as you'd have a wet and dirty sheets!
But honestly there isn't anything the midwives haven't seen or been asked.

I hardly bled in the first couple of days.
I think I was bottomless, just had a non sticky pad between my legs with the catheter off to the side.

In my hospital the catheter is removed about 6 hours post op - thought to aid recovery. You have a mat and a large sanitary pad on the bed but there's normally not loads of blood. The nurse who removes the catheter will help you put knickers on straight after removing the catheter.

I was not having any pants/pads when I had the catheter.

The issue with me was that I was unable to pee when they took it out 12 hours after the birth. I could walk but not able to pee.

I didn’t know and they asked me to drink a pint of water… then I wanted to pee and I couldn’t and I was sweating and crying and begging them to put it back again.

They put it back for another 24 hours… meaning almost 2 days bleeding without pants!!!

It was one of the worst experiences ever!

Finally I managed to pee a tiny amount and I was extremely happy!!!!

In my experience (2 emergency sections) you just have a pad whilst the catheter in. With my second it was removed as soon as I got to postnatal and then I had six hours to pee or it would have to go back in.

I let the tap run in the bathroom, this helped the urge to wee while I was sat down. I knew I needed to wee and the trickle noise helped me relax and empty my bladder. Hopefully a useful tip.

I had a ELCS back in May and they just tucked a pad between your legs and you were on those big absorbent mats while the catheter was in. My catheter was in 6 hrs while the numbness wore off and then I was given 6 hrs to pee a decent amount, otherwise they would have put it back in. Your bladder can become lazy because of it apparently. Make sure to drink plenty of water to get everything working. You might find your desperate to pee but your body just won't and it takes a few tries. I found the big absorbent pads the worst bit as the ward is always so hot and they can get really uncomfortable and sticky sitting on them