C-section just before Christmas...Advice needed on how to still have a festive time!

[WhatKatieDid2]

Christmas is my absolute favourite time of year. I've just found out today I will be having a c-section on Christmas Eve Eve. If all goes well, have been told I will likely be discharged on Christmas day. Does anyone have any tips on how to prepare in advance to still have christmassy Christmas, assuming I make it back in time? Or even how to have a christmassy Christmas in hospital (without annoying the other patients in the ward).

Hospitals will make every effort to make Christmas as festive as they can and everyone is in really high spirits. Many hospitals will extend visiting hours and limitations on visitor numbers on Christmas Day, so check with the ward what you can expect.
We had Christmas dinner, music, decorations, mince pies and carol singers round the ward. All the staff were great, very upbeat. In some respects, it might be better in the hospital because everything will be done for you and you won’t have family fussing around you and the new baby.
You could wear Christmas pyjamas, take a Christmassy book, watch Home Alone on your tablet or laptop, take Christmassy snacks like matchmakers, gingerbread, stollen etc… But to be honest, I think you’ll be too tired and too taken up with your new baby. You might also feel nauseous for a day or two.

My experience was quite different! I had a C section on Christmas Day. I couldn’t have food but they brought a Christmas dinner for my DH and it looked nice.
They were so short staffed because of the bank holiday that I spent the rest of the night in the labour ward.
Taken up to the maternity ward Boxing Day and put in a side room. Maternity was empty of patients but there was another Mum in the side room next to me. I know because I heard her pressing her buzzer all the time but no one went to her. All staff had gone to the labour ward as they were short. Boxing Day I still had a catheter fitted and wasn’t very mobile because of this and also dizzy due to severe anemia.
Expect nothing then anything is a bonus. Make sure you have social media/tv

If you make it home then lounge on sofa eating treats while you DH does the cooking running around.

If your in hospital no idea, hospitals suck.

Another suggestion is to do xmas a few days early or late instead.

I also had an elective section on 23rd. Christmas babies are the best, my DD loves having a birthday so near Christmas and we always do a Christmas themed birtday party.

So, I had my CS early on the 23rd via a spinal injection rather than epidural. The ward wasn't fun as everyone else on there had emergency ones. I was absoultly fine the next day so they sent me home on Christmas Eve. We were also told that I would most likely been in until Christmas day so we had already bought everything for dinner ready made in M&S. We simplified it so it just needed popping in the oven / microwave.

I was obviously not up for helping with any cleaning up, so I stayed on the sofa eating chocolate while snuggling my gorgeous new born with the Christmas lights from the tree twinkling away. It was a lovely time and made me love Christmas even more.

The ward was decorated but I don't remember it being very Christmassy. The nurses said that if you are in on Christmas day they do make it special.

I would forget about the official date this year and choose another day a week or so later to be your Christmas Day, once you're up and about and over the day 3 hormone crash.

Personally I think you shouldn’t expect too much so that anything positive will be a bonus

The next day your hormones will be all over the place, you may still have a catheter in or be dealing with some pain and constipation - not to mention grappling with how to feed your baby

Is this your first baby? I was in for 5 days with mine 🤔 Just focus on the best gift of all - you're new little baby 🥰

Honestly I'd just maybe not worry about it this year
I was 3 days post birth on baby first Xmas tried to do "normal" totally broke down ended up weeping in the in laws loo and bundled off into car whilst unable to speak. 😫

Following! I’ve got an elective booked for 23rd and a 3-year-old at home… I’m told I’ll be out on Christmas Eve but it’s birth: all to play for! Tempted to start her advent calendar a couple of days late and do Christmas late.

Aside from missing my DD’s Christmas, my plan is to pack my hospital bags with delicious Christmas snacks instead of the boring old flapjacks etc I had last time. Also a Christmas pudding sleepsuit for the baby. Wondering if they do eggnog-flavour lactulose…

When I had an elective on 23rd, I had to stay in for 5 days, Santa came round on a sleigh and gave the new babies a present which was lovely. Apart from, my abiding memory is of my tipsy brother in law visiting me and eating my Xmas lunch and I’ve never forgiven him 😂.
To be honest, I think the fact you have a snuggly new baby is enough, you won’t care how “Christmassy” it is.

I had an elective c section on Dec 21st and came out on Xmas Eve. I sat on the sofa doing very little and dh always remembers it as his favourite Xmas dinner ever because we had an Indian takeaway. I'd bought all the presents and wrapped them up in November, and I just was so totally relieved to have the baby and be back home that nothing else mattered. Have a lovely Christmas!

If you're having it on Christmas Eve, if you do make it home the next day (it does happen, but much more likely to go home Boxing Day) then it won't be early on Christmas Day. You'll be home for the evening at best.

Don't worry about it, you've got a new baby, and nothing else will matter. Just focus on you and taking as much time as you need.

DTwins were born over Christmas, and I was anxious to get out asap because it was Christmas. In hindsight, you are too knackered and been through the mill with the surgery, that you don't really do much at all for the first few days. I'd have stayed an extra day, just for the ease, if I had my time again.

Personally I'd just do Christmas properly a few days late!

I am having an ELCS on either 22/23 this year too! I'm hoping to be out for Xmas eve so will order in a Cook Xmas dinner to go in the freezer, I'm going to put up decs and the tree this weekend too so all ready. I've also just about finished all my Xmas shopping, so as soon as we're in December I won't have to lift a finger.

Apparently they make the ward all festive if you're in, I'm just so looking forward to the new baby I imagine Christmas will pass in a bit of a blur! At least we'll have good tv to watch while we're recovering.

Look at The Batch Lady for Christmas in advance prep -then celebrate a few days after the 25th and whatever you do-take it slowly and let everyone look after you!