C-Section Recovery Must Haves and Top Tips!

[RT5463]

As per the title really!

I’m looking for those little nuggets of wisdom and the items that you couldn’t have lived without following a C-Section.

I’ve done a lot of reading but there are always pearls of wisdom from those who have gone through it themselves.

For example, the friend who told me about the perineal spray bottle after my vaginal birth will always hold a special place in my heart 😂 So I’m after the C-Section equivalents!

Thank you ☺️

Massive pants.

Things to prevent/treat constipation.

Scarf, dressing gown cord or similar to loop round your toe or bed post so you can pull yourself up with arms not stomach muscles.

Water bottle with straw.

Good food/multi vit - things like zinc, magnesium etc help with wound healing.

Summer PJs and flip flops for boiling postnatal ward.

When moving around/coughing/sneezing etc hug a pillow into your stomach. I got a god awful flu like virus on post natal 😭

Don't try do too much. I felt bad waking DH when I was on shift with baby so was lifting in and out of next to me. But I definitely felt it pulling and ended up getting a bit upset and in pain. He 'told me off' and I woke him to move baby after that and was much much better.

Stay on top of pain management.

If breastfeeding have a massive water bottle you can open one handed and a box of snacks near you at all times.

I've had 2 c-sections

Definetly some sort of laxative for a day or two afterwards, In my experience I had no stomach muscle use for a while so couldn't.. go 😳

obviously loads of painkillers and make sure whoever is going to be supporting you afterwards is aware and prepared for you to be pretty sedentary for a few days.

take it slow, don't try and get back to housework/ making dinner and all that before you're ready, it'll take at least a week but more like 2 Maybe get one of those u shaped back pillows. Getting off the sofa, out of bed will be painful so try and make it as easy as possible.

if you say sneezing fairies or pineapples (idk why) in the build up of a sneeze it will usually kill the sneeze. Do it! Sneezing within the first week or two will be horrendous avoid it at all costs

in my experience day 1 was ok pain wise

days 2 and 3 are horrendous but just stay of top of painkillers and keep telling yourself it's only temporary and from days 4 onwards it tapers off day by day untill after about 2 weeks you're ok again

Have had two. But also following for my third!!

Dresses only really if possible. Anything around my waist was tender!! Even nightdresses etc no pjs.

i wish last time i had bought some syrup for constipation or similar to make poos softer.

loved flexi fit soft big pants from Marks and spencers

also you still need maternity pants, I bled heavily for at least a week both times and then sanitary towels for a further 2 weeks.

When getting out of the bed ect, roll onto your side first and bend your knees and then sort of get your legs over the bed. Much easier than getting up straight.

DO NOT drink any fizzy drinks for a few days. The trapped wind is horrendous.

I got dried prunes for the constipation that worked and menthol tablets that I took on the ward - to prevent gas.

Start movicol twice daily 3-4 days before

Peppermint tea for trapped wind worked wonders for me.
I also treated myself to some nice scar massage oil for when the wound had healed too.

Start picking up parecetamol and ibuprofen each time you go food shopping- you'll get through a lot. Keep taking them religiously so you stay on top of the pain.

A small heated blanket on a low setting is great on your wound.

Keep wearing maternity leggings and/or dresses.

And take it easy, there's no award for recovering the quickest, you've got this

Wine and Air tag on the remote....
I'm joking

But all the above

Mini fridge on your bedroom or next to the sofa - wherever you will be spending most time

Maternity pads - some people aren't told how you still bleed

Hand sanitizer so you don't have to wash your hands every time your dribbled on

Extra long phone charging cable so you're not having to bend or twist at funny angles to reach it in the hospital bed.

It's irrelevant but everyone's mentioning maternity pads and I just have to tell this story. We were staying with the in-laws at the time I had my elective section due to renovations in our house going over time and it not being ready to live in yet blah blah blah..

well, obviously I'd just had my baby and it was about 2 weeks later and I'd gone out with my sister. I came home and one of my USED maternity pads was in the kitchen bin, I was so confused because wtf? I was obviously putting them in our bathroom bin. So I asked my partner if he'd done it he said no, so I asked my MiL about it, she looked mortified but confessed that while I was out, the bloody dog had stolen one out the bathroom bin and ran round the garden with it in his mouth, and my FIL had been chasing him around to get it out not knowing what it was. I actually wanted to die and I wish I never asked. I'd have died a happy lady without ever knowing that happened 😶‍🌫️😭😭

Peppermint tea
Chewing gum
Peppermint capsules (all the above for the trapped wind)

Frida mom disposable knickers
Maternity pads (you will still bleed quiet a lot)
Or High wasted cotton pants that go above your belly button and a few sizes up (I've got both)

Nightie or loose fitting high wasted pjs with button down shirt for hospital.
I didn't pick one up in the summer when I should have for in hospital so instead I've got nursing vests. Then while the catheter is in I can sit in just my pants in the hospital bed with a nursing vest on top. Easy for breastfeeding too.

Plenty of paracetamol and ibuprofen for when your home (most hospitals won't give you this to go home with) I've honestly got about 15 boxes of each I got some every time I went shopping. I'll take 2 paracetamol, 2 hours later, 2 ibuprofen, and repeat so I'm constantly dosed up. Even if you feel you're ok, don't miss a dose. It's easier to manage pain than let it creep up on you.

Laxatives or stool softeners. (You can also ask your hospital for some upon discharge but have some ready at home just incase)

Femfresh wipes to help you freshen up down there inbetween showers due to the bleeding.

Hot water bottle

Handheld fan (apparently the maternity wards are roasting)

Large water bottle with a straw.
Extra long charging cable.

Place baby items high up so you don't need to bend down.

Compression socks for when you're home.

Ensure you have support round the clock at home for the first couple of weeks or very least the first week. Your job will be to feed baby, have baby cuddles and rest. Try and move around little & often (to the toilet and back say) but don't over do it.

Be prepared for the blood thinning infections after that you self administer at home. Have an ice pack handy to hold on the area for a few minutes before doing them.

It you have a bed at home without a bottom head board to do the cord trick mentioned by PP. have plently of pillows to prop yourself up comfortably, you'll probably find you'll be sleeping upright for the first few days at least.

Batch cook if your partner isn't a great cook. So you're getting plently of nutritional easy food in post op to aid recovery. I've frozen casseroles, stews, cottage pie, bolognese, chilli etc.

If you have a bedside draw, stock it full of things you'll need within easy reach. Lip solve, nipple cream, breast pads, pain killers, snacks etc etc.

I've also done a nappy caddy full of my post natal care stuff for in our ensuite. So it's all within easy reach or if I need hubby to bring me something instead of explaining what or where it is, I can just say, can you bring me the caddy from the bathroom. (As you'll also both be sleep deprived).
Husband will also have the next to me crib on his side for the first couple of weeks, when baby wakes he'll pass baby to me for feeds (breastfeeding) to avoid my hurting my incision.

Keep your incision clean with plain water in the shower and ensure you dry it properly. Trick is to lie on the bed for a short while unclothed after your shower and let it air dry as much as possible.

I've also brought the frida silicone scar patches for after my 6 week review to help promote healthy scar healing. And also look into scar massage - can help with scar tissue, overhang etc etc.

Best of luck ❤️

Full Briefs - Asda do really comfy, cheap ones.

Lactulose - (I cannot stress that enough, cos without Lactulose pooing is NOT pleasant at all. You need it to be soft, trust me. Constipation after surgery is horrendous, and painful.)

Primark Boyfriend PJs (so soft and comfy). I bought a couple of pairs of them.

Dressing Gown and Slippers, for on the ward. You don’t wanna walk around barefooted, trust me!

Lilets Maternity Pads. They’re nice and big, and keep you well protected from leaks.

Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. This is usually what they recommend as pain relief when you go home.

Avoid fizzy drinks for a few days, as you will probably have trapped wind after the surgery. Usually the hospital gives you hot Peppermint Water to help you with this. Always accept it. It tastes gross, but it so helps.

Start taking Arnica tablets 10 days before and continue for a fortnight after, this will reduce the pain from the bruising considerably.
I bought big disposable knickers on a roll, they were invaluable.
Have some snacks and possibly a flask of tea/coffee as you can wait hours in hospital for food and drinks.
All the above is good advice especially having something to help pull yourself up.

Bear in mind that peppermint can affect milk supply.

Lactulose which is a stool softener and helps you poo afterwards without causing contractions that might hurt.

Maternity pads / high waisted knickers

My biggest tip though is the opposite of a lot of people here - I recovered super fast from 2 c sections within 15.5 months of each other despite being overweight and 40 - I believe the reason is that I mobilised and got active pretty fast and regularly (standing, walking, etc). I’m currently 10 days after my second c section and physically in great shape / stoped pain killers 3 days ago. Don’t let fear stop you from moving around as that’s what helps your body heal.

Super organised hospital bag so you can direct people to the right things, packing cubes good here.

Long phone cords and snacks for hospital and enjoy the overnight catheter.

I stayed in one night and the walk to the car pick up was really long and quite an effort. Just to mentally prepare, and prep your partner to carry everything, do multiple trips.

I recovered really well, was doing school run with the pram about a week later, walked a lot, driving by 3 weeks.

Longer term it can be hard to engage the stomach muscles so Pilates and strength exercises v important.

I've only had one c section with my twins. There's loads of great advice above.

I would only add, take the decent drugs they offer you. Morphine as the epidural is wearing off. Then they offer you another one after so many hours. I declined this as the morphine made me woozy and I wanted to see one of the twins in Nicu. I hadn't even met him since birth.

Big mistake, it was just after 24 hours and I was in agony. Trying not to make a fuss. In the end I said can I have the morphine now please....no!! They only let you have it within the first 24 hours. They offered me paracetamol, I sobbed huge snotty sobs!!

Massive knickers!

Take your paracetamol and ibuprofen like clockwork. One missed/late dose and you'll feel it.

Don't be a martyr. Take the oromorph if you need it.

It will hurt to stand straight but you need to.

Move slow. Take the help. Don't push it. Months later you'll move wrong and feel a twinge. I moved house 3 months later and my scar hurt from the stress and exercise. It did when I overdid it for a few years. See a doctor if it hurts too much.

Just a side note. You should take arnica tablets if you're planning to breastfeed. I asked my midwife and she said they don't advise this. X

*shouldnt

Agreeing with the above. I would add slippers you can slip your feet into and don't need to bend to put on. Could be flip flops if warm but this weather isn't toasty!

Once you feel recovered after some weeks, still don't hoover. It seems to be the worst activity for making you sore after.

Don't be frightened by the pain at first (when painkillers wear off) you really do recover remarkably quickly. I've had 3 now. 1 emergency, 2 planned.

Oh always accept the Oramorph!
It tastes rank, but it really helps with the pain management. I even asked for some just before I was discharged, and luckily they obliged. I definitely needed it.

Bring peppermint teabags with you and drink plenty of it for the first few days. Gas afterwards can be very painful. Also bring windeeze for the same reason.

I'd say accept the oramorph if you need it. If you can manage without, especially if planning on breastfeeding, do.

I'll admit I'm allergic so wasn't really an option for me. But there was a clear difference in the babies in my bay on the ward as to whose mums had had opiates and those who hadn't (all of us were breastfeeding). They were much more sleepy and had more feeding issues and their discharge was delayed because of it until mum stopped taking it. Obv if formula feeding it isn't a problem. Another mum friend of mine took it for best part of a week (and 1 million percent she needed it) and she was kept in for full duration of taking it and she admitted herself afterwards she felt the withdrawal.

Oramorph has its place, but opiates are addictive and pass through to baby both in your body when pregnant and in breastmilk. Take if you need. But avoid if unnecessary.