First time LARGE mum, LARGE baby, C section likely - terrified!

[DoesntChristmasDragOn]

Another thread with no initial post!

[highlander]

good luck artyjoe

the first view of theatre is frightening, but just say 'hello, I'm terrified' in a breezy voice and the nurses will be falling over themselves to reassure you. It will be freezing but you'll get warm blankets over you while they faff. Any pain you feel whilst they do the spinal is helpful to the anaesthetist as to how he's placing the needle - don't be frightened to tell them what you feel e.g. I'm feeling a nervey, tingling pain going down my RH side.

Get up ASAP after surgery - 5 hours should do it. Sit on the edge of the bed first and if you're OK, pretend to stand up but then sit down again. If that's OK then stand up. Don't go mad, just walk around the bed then lie down again. After another few hours make a trip to the loo - but ALWAYS make sure your DH is with you. For the first afternoon I let DH to the changing etc - he loved it!

Next day - your dressing should come off - get in the shower and make sure the wound is kept clean - a good dose of shower gel is as good as anything. I had glue and metal staples which were removed on day 4.

Don't be in a rush to get your catheter out. Whilst it's in, do go mad with fluids and fruit juices - both will help to stimulate your bowel. You should fart like crazy a few hours after surgery!

Let the nurses know that you want to self medicate with painkillers. The morphine in your spine will be good for up to 24 hours but you should take paracetamol and Ibuprofen as well to combat inflammation BEFORE you start to feel it. Take the maximum dose for 3-4 days then taper back.

Walk a lot after 48 hours, but SLOWLY! After 48 hours, my DH (a doctor) assured me that the healing process was well under way and that only a huge strain on the wound cause it to burst.

DS howling now!

Very best of luck - you'll have a wee munchkin tomorrow

[artyjoe]

Thanks so much for all your advice, lots of things I would never have thought of or anticipated so I feel a bit more armed now I have more information.

I'm still in denial at the moment so no doubt I'll need therapy after tomorrow, but hey, if it gets me through the night...

Lets hope I'll be out by saturday to post a lovely birth story

[SoupDragon]

Good luck!!

[janeybops]

Good luck artyjoe - have been following this thread. Let us know how big this 'big' baby really is won't you!! I am holding my breath in anticipation!!!! Will it beat my 11 lb 4 oz?????

[HappyMumof2]

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[Skribble]

I don't know what the head circumference was but mine weighed 11lb7oz!!!!, not chubby he looked more like a 3 month old. Right up until they sectioned me they were saying 8.5 to 9lbs ( so so wrong).

I know artyjoe might not be on for a while but any other large mums or mums of large babies or even just having a C section I strongly recommend the bath supports for baby that go into baby baths.
I couldn't bath my baby at first, but eventually I managed by being able to lie the baby in the support so that I didn't have to lean right down all the time to get my hand behind their neck.

My other baby bath tip for struggling mums is to set it up on the stand with the plug over the toilet. I had a very small toilet so it was the only way to fit it in anyway. If you are lucky your shower head might reach to fill it if not use a jug from the sink or bath. Once your done just pull the plug and let it drain down the loo.
It could never have lifted the bath even with a little water in.

[janeybops]

Skribble - you beat me by 3 oz. ds was 11 lb 4 oz!

Totally agree with the bath support thing, but after 3 weeks of struggling wiht baby bath I gave up and just used the big bath. He didn't really fit in anyway by this point!

Did you feel you missed out on the "ohhhh and how old is this little baby phase?" NO one said this to me about ds as YES he did look like a 3 month old already!

[janeybops]

HM2 - just looked up ds records and he was 65 cm, but no record of head circumference at birth. Although it was 41cm when he was 5 weeks old!

Yes it hurt me too!

[HappyMumof2]

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