Emergency C-Section

[Jessiieebrook]

Hi there, I had an emergency C-Section 2 days ago and have just got home.
After being in the hospital for 2 nights sleeping at an incline on my back I really struggled to sleep at home last night and was in a lot of pain. My partner is doing pretty much everything for me and our little boy but he is absolute knackered and I just feel so guilty.
I just want any tips/advice on recovery or if there are any items people found useful.

thanks

Congratulations on the birth of your baby!

I've had two emergency sections myself!

Listen to your body. A section is a major operation. You absolutely should be resting and recovering when you can. Your body will still be trying to recover from the labour, let alone giving birth. Don't do anything too soon. The washing can wait, easy dinners and enjoy these first few magical weeks. You absolutely do not need to feel guilty for anything. If baby will nap in the cot then go back to bed yourself. If you're not breastfeeding then take sleep shifts.

Congratulations!
My experience was such a blur, all I can say is that it does get better/easier, so however hard it is now, it’s not forever.

Try not to feel guilty, you’ve just done the most important miraculous thing.
Good luck x

Do you have some support pillows to sleep with, wedge ones for sitting up or the long ones you can cuddle round?

Don't feel guilty about recovering from a major operation with additional massive hormonal shifts and sleep deprivation as a side order. It takes time to heal. It's great that your partner is doing all the right things to help you heal.

I had to sleep propped up on the sofa with pillows for the first couple of nights at home. Then I started sleeping in the bed but had to roll in and out or get my husband to help me out. It took about 2 weeks to sleep properly where I wouldn't wake up every time I changed position.
Remember to keep taking your painkillers regularly

Lots of pillows, I found a pillow under my knees really helped and to sleep a bit propped up so I was stretching my stomach basically.
Also be on top of your pain relief so that you space paracetamol and ibuprofen so you have something to take the edge off every 4 hours.
Dont feel guilty for resting. I found by day 5 I felt so much better compared to day 2/3

Wasn’t stretching my stomach I mean

I also slept sitting up. Used about 7 pillows. My husband got up in the night to change baby and pass for a feed. Then I'd wake him to put her back. My mum came to help during the day so my husband could catch up with a little sleep then. Make sure you take the pain medication. Have a spare pillow to rest on your tummy for if you cough or sneeze. Also a feeding pillow for baby to keep them off your wound. Move as much as I'd comfortable but mainly rest, I could really tell when I'd overdone it!

Congratulations on little one, hope you feel better soon. It does get better fairly quickly.

Congratulations!

It feels awful at the time, after both my sections I had a moment where I was lying down in bed and panicked because I just couldn't sit up, and cried.

But it passes quicker than it feels at the time, take it slow, don't feel bad about the things you can't do and rush into them. Things will be much better in a week.

Lots of pillows for sleeping on. Keep onto of the pin relief, alternate paracetamol and diclofenac.
Drink lots of water and then lots more,constipation will make pain alot worse and can stop your uterus contracting fully.
And rest, lots of it

I found it difficult to sleep on my side for a long time after my c-sections. I was told to stand as straight as I could as this helps stretch out the muscles after surgery.

Also, invest in some massive knickers the go up and over your scar so they don’t rub against it.

Take it easy and don’t overdo it. I found my scar would ache if I did too much in the early days.

@Jessiieebrook how are you feeling today? You have had major surgery and your body will take time to recover. Set a timer on your phone to take pain meds continuously and if you are still in pain get a GP appointment for stronger meds. Your partner is just going to have to suck it up re doing everything, you cannot lift, you will be amazed how much you use those muscles for that they cut through. Your outside scar is an indication of your inside stitches, it will be red and sore for a while. Listen to your body, it is recovering from growing a baby as well as your surgery.

Rope in all the help you can get, anyone who will drop you a hot meal round or put a load of washing on for you both and help you out. Prop yourself up if you are struggling lying down and learn to roll over using your arms to aid you in any way.

Big knickers are the answer, massive under your boob ones for comfort, usually sold in all the supermarkets. Also soft lightweight joggers that don't push on your tummy. Don't feel guilty. I am sure your partner had lovely nights sleeps whilst you had a child doing somersaults inside you and peeing every 2 hours Reach out on MN too.

The sleeping once back home in a normal bed was definitely the hardest part for me and also something that had never even occurred to me!
I found the only way I could sleep was flat on my back with a big support pillow under my knees. It took me a very long time to manoeuvre into and out of this position but I just couldn't sleep sitting propped up with pillows. This meant my husband had to do the night feeds for the first couple of weeks with me taking the early 5am one when I would wake for the day.
After about 2-3 weeks I could tolerate lying on my side as prior to that it felt like my insides were falling out!
It's amazing how quickly you do recover, just make sure you take your full course of pain meds even when you don't feel you need them to prevent the onset of pain.

I couldn't be without my teddy pillow from Dunelm after my section. I still use it now and my daughters 19 months. It just props you up in bed because trying to get up after lying down after a section was such hard work and scary and painful! I'll try and get a link. Congratulations on your new baby xx

https://www.dunelm.com/product/teddy-cuddle-cushion-grey-1000170295?defaultSkuId=30696947&dsc=CushionssCushions%5BGOO-PLA+PSB-CUSHIONS-CUSHIONS%5D&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyYTe6YuPgAMV04BQBh1ElA55EAQYAiABEgLMtvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

You will be able to stand up straight and laugh and sneeze without it really hurting soon!

I took loads of laxatives so I didn't have to push and someone told me to put a pillow on my stomach when I was going to the toilet just so it doesn't feel like everything's falling out

Don't feel bad. You've just finished growing a baby and had major surgery and two nights in hospital to boot. Your partner is on paternity leave, right? The point being he is freed up to look after you and the baby. He can sleep when the baby sleeps (or, failing that, in 2 weeks time).