C-section questions

[Naturenamespourhomme]

Evening

I'm 36 weeks and baby is breech so waiting for appointment to find out my options.
I've never had an operation of any kind so the after care and recovery from a section is worrying me. I had the best shower of my life after my first- can you shower after a c section?

Also, is there the option of music, softer lights etc or does that depend on the hospital?

Any other experiences/tips you think it would be useful to know about?

Thanks

Oh, shower.

First c section I was in the high dependency room and couldn’t leave the bed for 24 hours (hell, i’d lost a lot of blood so had drains and pumps and stuff so couldn’t get off the bed and ended up with a very numb bum for about a year. But that won’t happen to you!).

This time I got up after 4-6 hours, I really made them let me, asked for the catheter out etc and showered the evening after she was born at 11:30am.

My recovery from this latest textbook c section has been an absolute walk in the park, really amazing and WAY better than my vaginal birth which took years!!

Also my 2 c section babies had such a chilled entry into the world and it really shows in their behaviours.

I love c sections!!

Best of luck OP.

Get some c section pants. Expensive but I really felt it helped my recovery. I got mine from mothercare but think John Lewis and boots so them. £40 for 2 pairs.
Supportive band round the waist but not as much as Spanx so when you cough or sneeze you don't think you'll burst open! I wore them for a month!

Lots of water especially when the catheter is in.

The staff are amazing at calming you. I'd a wobble as soon as I sat on the table for the spinal but someone distracted me and it was over before I knew it. I'd never had an operation before and had only been in hospital before for baby no 1.

The anaesthetic made me feel nauseous but as soon as I said they flipped a switch and I felt fine immediately. This was before the birth.

Baby comes out quick and then you're so busy looking at baby the 30 minutes it takes to stitch you up goes quickly.

I was asked what music I'd like but left it up to them as they were doing the important bit and they put on some classical music which was really soothing.

I recovered really quickly luckily but I was prepared from loads of tips I read on here but didn't need them at all. A long scarf to wrap round the end of the bed to help hoist yourself up. A pillow for your incision for the car journey home. Both I had with me but I didn't need.

My recovery was much easier than my forceps delivery!

Good luck!

Again thank you and I'm glad others are finding it as useful as me! I've got my clinic appointment tomorrow so we'll see what the outcome is but you have made me way more confident about a positive section.

Who knew about the wind!! Peppermint tea will be on my list!

I've started to read about gentle sections after reading about them here. I'm incredibly squeamish and generally don't like to know what's going on in procedures... I"m not sure I could handle seeing the baby come out but obviously want the best thing for the baby...

Oh another question! Can you wear PJs? With my first I wore a nightie before and after for... ummm access... If the exit route is different, are pjs ok?

I did. I had the catheter snaking down my leg. Just be careful not to forget it's in. Also I had my biggest pyjamas so the waistband wouldn't rub.

Also you don't have to watch baby coming out if you don't want to. They can do the gentle stuff anyway.

Best of luck for tomorrow.

Oh I didn’t see anything of me when the curtain was lowered! Just the baby. Otherwise they take it away and wrap it up and put a hat on then bring it up to you I believe :) I think that’s what happened with my first. I liked that. When I had the curtain lowered the baby then came right up to me and was so covered in vernix it was pretty gross tbh 😄

You’ll be in a gown with knickers off during and after. The incision is very low so they need you naked for the op and then you have the catheter etc. I think I put my knickers back on when the midwives helped me out of bed.

Ah I see I may have misunderstood the question. I was talking about wearing pyjamas postnatally once I was up and moving around by myself. As PP said, you'll be in a hospital gown during, and for a short while after the C-section.

No, you need to be naked under the hospital gown. I forgot to take my knickers off and DH had to stuff them into his jeans pocket before he changed into scrubs for theatre. 😳