Did anyone support you to have a wash after Csection?

[Jamjarcandlestick]

I need to do a birth review but something I’ve been thinking tonight:

Was my experience of post Csection support normal? I felt disgusting dirty due to having dirty/blood stained sheets and not being supported with a wash…

I had an unplanned C-section for failing to progress (I had been transferred in 12 hours prior for potential sepsis from my homebirth). I had been labouring at home for a couple of days by that point.

By the time I had ended up in theatre I was a complete sweaty mess, I had been throwing up since I went into labour and I threw up in my hair continuously during theatre. I ended up being sedated after DD was born due to some complications.

By the time I came around properly on the ward I had leaked through my pad and onto the sheets. I remember thinking the whole day that I just had to be patient as surely somebody would be around soon to help give me a wash and sort my bed out. I have never felt so incredibly disgusting and it didn’t feel sanitary to have DD in with me. We were just given puppy pads to make do.

I get lost in timeframes but I think my sheets were finally changed when I was made to get up in the evening. The emergency buzzer was pressed by the HCA as I blacked out and then blacked out a few times. Definitely in no state (IV in both hands and catheterised too) to be taking myself to the bathroom to give myself a wash.

DH asked the HCA if he could have some support to give me a wash as when I had got out of bed blood had gone everywhere again. He was given one of those disposable sick bowls, and some extra towels as I didn’t bring any flannels (only shower pouf). DH is an amazingly supportive husband and he definitely wanted to do his bit but he was fully supporting my weight and there was just so much blood.

The next day my cannula was blocked and ended up with a fair about of different IV liquids on my sheets. One looked like blood as it was an iron/blood replacement. I still leaked my blood onto my sheets. DH asked for hours for just clean sheets as he didn’t mind changing them but again, spent hours in disgusting sheets, feeling disgusting.

Third day, I managed to use every ounce of my being to drag myself in the shower and gave myself a proper wash before being discharged.

People ask me all the time that surely I’ll skip straight to a planned C section next time. Laying in my own bloody sheets, covered in my own sick with layers of dried on sweat wasn’t the vibe I was going for when it came to bonding with my new born daughter. Cannot imagine doing it again.

Is this normal NHS protocol these days or was it just unlucky?

It sounds like a horrid experience and not mine at all.
I had an EMCS (cat 1). Once I’d been wheeled back onto the labour ward, I told a nurse/midwife I’d felt a clot pass so they changed my pad (partly to check not bad bleeding). I had my DS at 2.19am, catheter and dressing was removed at 3pm and I got myself up and showered by 4pm. Midwife came in at 5pm to check if I had tried standing up and I had to explain I’d already been up and showered and washed my hair! It was an effort but I managed it myself, though I was in a private room with an en-suite so wasn’t too far to walk. We were in for 4 days as DS was on antibiotics and my bed linen was changed every morning.
My pre birth care was appalling and nearly caused the death of DS but post birth was pretty decent.

I had a straightforward vaginal birth so was able to get up and shower soon afterwards but I’m shocked that so many recovering from c-sections got zero help with washing! Is this the case for patients in other areas of the hospital who have had major surgery and have limited mobility?

I reacted badly to the spinal anaesthetic so was in no fit state to stand in a shower. I cried when they suggested it. A lovely auxiliary nurse gave me a bed bath. She was so so gentle and didn’t make me feel embarrassed at all. She was just lovely. I wept again with tears of gratitude

Your experience sounds unacceptable OP. I’m sorry you had to go through that

I was given a bed wash with a flannel by a nurse. Might have had better treatment though as I lost blood and got put on my own room, I only showered after 3/4 days. The midwives took the baby while I did. I’m sorry your experience was so traumatic- it’s appalling.

This sounds horrific and not what I would expect to be the norm. I'm so sorry you went through this.
I had an unplanned c section in the early hours. 12 hours later was advised I could get up and shower if I wanted to and that they would help. Midwife and HCA helped me to the bathroom. I was catheterised and had a cannula. HCA stayed close by and then hurried off and changed my sheets when I told her I felt OK. I was wobbly and bleeding but OK. HCA then came back to help me out and even took a towel and dried my legs off for me! I never would have asked or expected that and was, quite frankly, a bit mortified.. but she said 'if I'd just had major surgery and achieved a shower only a few hours later I think I'd appreciate someone drying my legs for me.' Beautiful human🥲 Took not even 10 minutes but meant the world to me.

Oh you poor thing. For both the lack of care and the terrible birth experience

for people reading this who might be scared of an upcoming c-section please be aware it’s not usually like this. My c-section was straightforward. No excess bleeding. No vommitting. No fainting. Please speak to your midwife if this post scares you.

but back to OP, I’m so sorry you have had such a traumatic experience. I’m assuming lack of funding is causing staffing level issues and no one should have gone through what you went through.

im also very sorry you had all the vomiting and faunting. That misuse have been horrendous

I didn't have a c section but did have a spinal block and was in a bit of a state after a long labour and forceps delivery. A midwife brought me a washing up bowl of soapy water to clean myself and then spent 15 mins with dh fawning over what a great Dad he was for changing the baby's nappy while I tried and failed top mop up all the blood and ended up then sat on wet and bloody sheets. In the morning I was woken, told that they would take the catheter out and I could go for a shower, problem was I still couldn't move my legs properly at that point, had to wait for dh to arrive to help me later thar afternoon.

That is terrible. I’ve had 2 sections (both in the last decade) and both times a HCP has given me a bed bath in recovery, and helped me into my nightdress etc.
They changed my pad too because I was still numb.

The following morning, once I was on a ward and my catheter removed, I went to have a shower by myself (but I could walk/hobble by then).

I’m so sorry this happened to you! My second and third births were planned sections and the nurses put knickers on me and came regularly to check and change my pads until I was mobile, so there was no blood on the sheets. Both times I wasn’t particularly dirty so I waited until I got home to have a shower, by which time I could do it myself.

The first birth was vaginal and I had forceps, a 3b tear, episiotomy and lost 2.9l of blood. The nurses told me to keep the pants off overnight and just have the maternity pad and incontinence pads under me, to give the wounds as much air as possible. In the morning I stood up, completely forgetting I was minus pants, and there was a gush of blood all over the floor. Husband and I immediately thought it was another PPH and rang the bell in a panic. A lovely midwife came in, immediately figured out what had happened, comforted me, gently ushered me to the shower, and helped me wash. The floor was then cleaned and I think the sheets were also changed. At no point was I made to feel silly. I was more grateful than words can say.

Midwives also taught me and my husband how to change the baby, and walked around with her so I could get some sleep the first night when I was in recovery. The same night they sent my husband to sleep in our amenity room free of charge, as it was empty anyway (since I was in recovery). This was at the Chelsea and Westminster, so a pretty busy hospital, in 2019, 2022, and this year.

I’m so sorry you had such poor care, it sounds appalling and very traumatic!

No excess bleeding, vomiting or fainting in my sections either. I’m so sorry you had such a horrible time!

I had an emergency C section during covid after 2 days of labour in 31 degree heat, i was a total mess. No help given to wash afterwards and i was in hospital on my own for 3 days after. Nicest shower ever when i got home

Threads like this make me so upset and angry about the poor care that so many women receive. I'm sorry for all of you who have had such awful experiences

Emergency section at 6am, told to take myself to the shower at 4pm. So no, no help and blood all over the floor as I stood up.

Oh that sounds grim, my experience was quite the opposite. About 5am a really lovely HCA noticed that I was awake and came and gave me what I can only describe as a full bed bath, washed me down, changed my pad and sheets, even brushed my hair. Fortunately I was very well and it wasn't really necessary, but I felt so cared for, it was 14 years ago now but I still remember it.

I had no help at all. I had an emergency C section with my 3rd after hours in labour and preeklampsta. Had it been our 1st child we would never had had more. I signed myself out as I didn't see any reason to stay after two nights. The ward wanted me to stay. My husband could only stay 9am-4pm and it was a 4 bed room sharing one toilet/shower. So many people and soo much noise. Hardly saw a nurse or a doctor.

I had 5 sections in 3 different hospitals. I was helped to wash in all of them and treated very well (except not getting pain killers from one midwife after the last one). Your experience sounds utterly awful. Complain.

My section baby is 18 now and post natal care was bad then too. Not enough overnight staff to help 40 mothers and babies, no sheet changed or help washing. And no food provided to the section mums who were still numb. I was told to walk to the breakfast room.
Complain, hopefully one day it will make a difference.

I expected no help, and got none. So at least I wasn't disappointed. What staffing there was was run off their feet just getting meds to everyone on time(ish) and answering call bells for increased pain relief. I didn't see a single MSW in my entire time on the ward, but I know at the time they were recruiting and generally short staffed anyway.

I fully admit that I was fortunate in that I had never vomited, bleeding was minimal, and I was fully able to shuffle around and lift my baby without assistance. I took myself to the shower the following morning once my husband was there to look after the baby, and the sheets were ok for the two nights I was in. It was a similar story antenatally. But at least I was perfectly able to change my own bedding once I'd located the cupboard they were stored in.

Mine was fairly similar TBH - I don't remember when they changed the sheets, but I do remember not having anyone to look after the baby so waiting until he was asleep, and shuffling, wee bag attached to the catheter in one hand and change of clothes/towel in the other, to the communal bathroom where I had to get up a 6 inch step and through a little opening into an 80cm shower cubicle. I remember just hanging the bag on the chair outside, and doing what I could to wash off the worst of the dried blood in a kind of survival mode hurry before DS2 woke up.

Actually I think I went back to my bed after, and they spotted me and changed the sheets quickly now that I think about it.

TBH the care was non-existent. I missed breakfast because no-one told us it was there, they just gave me a box of blood thinning jabs with no instructions how to use them, and generally ignored me (until I left at about 2pm when suddenly they chased me and the baby down the corridor to give me an exercise sheet)

They did change my pads when I had my catheter in, and did change my sheets before the evening after I got up, but didn't help me wash, I shuffled along holding my pad as massive clots fell out. Not exactly dignified. I left hospital as soon as I could both times as I had help at home and knew I'd rest and feel better there.

Your experience sounds worse though OP so I would definitely highlight it.

DM helped me to wash/bedbath 48hrs after DC1 was born and I experienced poor or non existent aftercare like you OP. I couldn't walk for 24hrs after the birth as the epidural had been badly positioned. I was offered a cup of tea after the birth, but nothing further until I could walk to the breakfast trolley left in the corridoor 2.5 days later. I was in for 5 days and felt dirty and unsupported. There's no way I'd have got in their filthy bath and the one shower was full of dead spiders and hair. There were just no staff about on the postnatal ward, especially at night. They expected family to fill the care gap.

I complained to PALS about the cleanliness and lack of staff but they're a toothless tiger, I just got a generic response. This is why there is no DC2 - I'm not going through that again!