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Original poster

couple of trivial questions about having a c section

21 replies

lizandlulu · 14/07/2011 10:56

i am going to have to have a c section because of a large breech baby and wondered if anyone can clear a few things up?

1, i understand i have to have a catheter as i wont be able to tell when i need a wee, but what about my bowel? i wont know if i need a poo either

2, will i stil lbleed alot after a c section and if i do, how can i stem the flow ie.maternity pads, if i have a catheter in?

3, do i have to remove toe nail polish? i have read about not being able to wear finger polish which i never do anyway but dont know about toe polish.

4, can i wear contact lenses while in theatre? or do i have to remove and wear glasses?

thank you in advance, i am sure i will think of more to ask

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ChristinedePizan · 14/07/2011 11:00

Never crossed my mind about pooing I'm afraid but the whole event does make you feel a bit constipated so I wouldn't worry too much about it. My catheter was in for 14 hours only so it's not that long.
Yes you will bleed lochia (sp?) so you will need maternity pads. The catheter goes into your side so doesn't affect the maternity pads
I had to, yes.
I would take them out because you don't know how you're going to feel afterwards and you are not going to be in a position to deal with them. IIRC you're not allowed to wear them in case they have to give you a GA anyway

FlipFantasia · 14/07/2011 11:12

Hello

Pooing - I didn't poo until I was out of hospital - probably 4 or 5 days after birth...I reckon the spinal and the morphine and other painkillers slowed things down (this is apparently quite common after a vaginal birth too I think).

My catheter was also in over night - once I was able to walk to the bathroom it was taken out. While it was in, on the bed in the post-natal ward, they used an incontinent pad - an inco pad - on the bed, which was changed regularly (I'd never even heard of an inco pad before this! But it was fine - I couldn't feel my legs anyway at that point). I used maternity pads once the catheter was taken out. I bled for about 4 weeks after the birth.

Toe nail polish - not sure. I didn't have any on (I had been induced). Probably best to not wear it as I think they need to be able to see your nails for checking oxygen levels (I could be totally wrong on that!).

I had to remove my contact lens (while contracting furiously before being rushed in for the section - a rather absurd memory now!). I really wish I'd just had my glasses on, as much easier.

ckny1 · 14/07/2011 11:16

Hi liz, I agree with Christine's points 1 & 2. You may need the maternity pads as long as someone who goes through a VB. The Boots ones were highly recommended so I used them for 2 weeks, then regular ones for another 2 weeks. Be sure to wear high cotton grannie briefs! I bought medium high... not good enough, even today (4 months later)!

I didn't have to take off my toe nail polish for some reason, but it's a good idea to do so as you don't want the MWs to do so! Don't know about contacts.

Hope everything goes smoothly and as you wish, and that you have a speedy recovery so that you can enjoy your LO!

Meglet · 14/07/2011 11:31

1, i understand i have to have a catheter as i wont be able to tell when i need a wee, but what about my bowel? i wont know if i need a poo either. *TBH you won't be able to eat for 12 hours before a planned cs so your stomach should be fairly empty anyway. They will probably give you a morphine suppository after the op and they can be constipating so you won't need to go. I had a bad time after my EMCS as obviously I had been eating for England in early labour (chip shop chips) and got very constipated after the op and tore . When I had my planned cs I pretty much stopped eating 24 hours in advance so my bowels would be empty. They can give you lactulose (which made my bowels worse ) or Movicol which softens it and should be easier. With both my cs's I had a catheter in for 24 hours. It was rather nice not having to wee all the time.

2, will i stil lbleed alot after a c section and if i do, how can i stem the flow ie.maternity pads, if i have a catheter in? *Yes, you will still bleed. I bled for almost 6 weeks after both my cs's. The midwives wriggled some mesh hospital pants onto me and wedged a pad in them. There was a pad on the bed to collect any blood that leaked out. I'm sure they gave me a bed bath in the evening both times too.

3, do i have to remove toe nail polish? i have read about not being able to wear finger polish which i never do anyway but dont know about toe polish. *Yes, they whipped if off before my EMCS and I had to make sure I didn't have any on for my planned cs.

4, can i wear contact lenses while in theatre? or do i have to remove and wear glasses? *I asked the same question on here before my planned cs . The anaesthetist chatted to me before the cs and explained that if something was to go wrong in theatre and they had to quickly give me a GA they wouldn't be able to faff about taking my contacts out. So my common sense beat my vanity and I wore specs .

Hope you enjoy it, I had a nice team in theatre both times. Very chatty and they explained what all the machines were for . You might have to be a bit bossy with the midwives afterwards and get them to help out with nappies for the first day or so though.

share · 14/07/2011 11:37

Sorry but I had to laugh about the nail varnish question - lovely to see you have time to think and organise things. MN as always has brought great responses for you so I can't add anymore. People laughed at my being organised for my CS but you beat me

Curlyems · 14/07/2011 11:58

This is a great post - thank you - as I had v similar Qs myself. Re the toenails, I have bio gel stuff which can only be removed professionally and my contact lenses are continuous wear ie 24/7...neither of which I was planning to have removed prior to my ELCS in Sept. I wonder if it differs from hospital to hospital as I haven't been told anything about said removal as yet.

miamama09 · 14/07/2011 11:59

hi,

All of the above answers seem pretty much spot on to me.
You will need maternity pads, but the hospital will use those inco pads under you whilst you are still bed-bound. Once you are up and about the catheter will be removed and you can use heavy maternity pads in your pants.

You need to take nail polish off hands and feet, as a nurse was sent in with nail polish remover, started taking it off my fingers and made DH take it off my toes! I wanted to look pretty though, so had a few layers on there! LOL

You need to take contacts out yeah, I remember having to take mine out and put my glasses on so I could see!

Good Luck!

nunnie · 14/07/2011 12:09

All pretty much answered, I am a specs wearer and mine were removed before my Emergency section and my watch and rings.

As for number 2 I was home and had been a while before needing to evacuate.

mumtojandk · 14/07/2011 16:06

I wore my continuous wear lenses for my elcs last Feb. Have also worn them under GA as it's no different from going to sleep at night. I did tell the anaethetist. At -8 & -8.5 I like to be able to see, esp in the prep room before surgery....I find if I take my glasses they take them off you early on & I wanted to be able to see what was going in & the faces of the staff.

lovesicecream · 14/07/2011 16:17

I didn't poo for a couple of days after and the put me on a matt like thing after the cs for the bleeding

Original poster

lizandlulu · 14/07/2011 18:51

well thank you for all your replys it has put my mind at rest a little, i hate not knowing whats going to happen and laid awake last night with all these silly little things going round in my head.

OP posts:

appplepie · 14/07/2011 19:04

Remember you'll have a GORGEOUS baby after your section!

I was really concerned about the catheter and blood adn drips and stuff - but didn;t need to be. There was some discomfort but nurses knew how everything would work. They want you up and about fairly soon so your first bowel movement is more than likely to be on a toilet. Buy some reeeeeally cheap pants from Asda or pound shop or something. Hospital will look after pads and stuff.

If it helps, I had absolutely no clue i was going to have aC section, made no plans for it at all and was fine.

Also found that afterwards when sore I made a baby tent.... me a DD asked daddy to put everything we would dneed really close to us, we put the curtains round, got skin to skin and booby feeding and it was lovely. Also, don;t feel bad if you enjoy watching the shite ion hospital TV - more important that you are happy and comfy.

Enjoy! And it will be over much quicker than you think :)

itsastrawpoll · 14/07/2011 19:08

1, i understand i have to have a catheter as i wont be able to tell when i need a wee, but what about my bowel? i wont know if i need a poo either

Seriously, not an issue! Very much doubt you will need to go.

2, will i stil lbleed alot after a c section and if i do, how can i stem the flow ie.maternity pads, if i have a catheter in?

I hardly bled after me ELCS actually. It was no worse than a heavy/longish period, stopped after a couple of weeks, much less lochia than with my VB. As others have said the m/ws will sort you out with a pad. I had shortish pajamas and the catheter pipe came out of down the leg and the bag was hung on the side of the bed, classy but at least no one could see it as it was hidden by the sheets. I got them to take me catheter out after about 10 hours although I think they like you to keep them in longer usually.

3, do i have to remove toe nail polish? i have read about not being able to wear finger polish which i never do anyway but dont know about toe polish.

Don't know.

4, can i wear contact lenses while in theatre? or do i have to remove and wear glasses?

I wore mine - never asked about this actually but was never told I couldn't wear them.

thank you in advance, i am sure i will think of more to ask

itsastrawpoll · 14/07/2011 19:09

Don't know why I was typing me instead of my there, sorry!

mosschops30 · 14/07/2011 19:12

Dont worry about the toe nail polish. It would only be an issue if the anaesthetist had to be at your feet (e.g. For neurosurgery). In a section your hands will be across your chest so the sao2 monior can go on your finger or ear.

mosschops30 · 14/07/2011 19:16

Oh and i bled more after my cs than my vbs so get lots of maternity towels.
Get the biggest granny pants you can fibd cannot stress enough how you dont want pants rubbing your scar.
Poo not an issue in theatre, i have never seen a patient have their bowels open in theatre, even in long ops. Get something to soften them after though, lactulose worked well for me

MelanieWiggles · 14/07/2011 19:17

They let me keep my toe nail polish on. Fingernails had to go though !

Pseudocrem · 14/07/2011 19:26

Some advice re pjs. I got black (so leaks won't be noticed) silky (to easily slide in and out of bed) pjs after much advice online, but the waistband rested on the wound. If you can, try to stick to a nightdress.

shuckleberryfinn · 14/07/2011 19:48

On the poo front you'll be fine. As PP have said you wont really need one.

I was told no varnish or body jewellery anywhere for both of my sections. I bled for a little under a week and was told by the midwife that sometimes women bleed less after a section. I dont know about contacts but they only let me wear my glasses because they were plastic and not metal. I have no idea why.

Original poster

lizandlulu · 14/07/2011 21:27

i have got massive pants and 3 night dresses as i thought pyjamas would rub too much.

OP posts:

Zimbah · 14/07/2011 21:46

I wore my glasses for my ELCS, the problem with wearing them in theatre is when they cauterise blood vessels it passes a small electric current through (it was explained to me but I can't remember the specifics, this is the gist of it I think!) and there's a worry that if you're wearing anything metal the current may go out through that point and give you a burn i.e. the current could pass into the metal arms of your glasses and burn your ears. The anaesthetist asked me to take them off but I said I really didn't want to as I can see very little without them and wouldn't be able to see anyone's faces or the baby being lifted up. So he wrapped insulating tape around the arms and the nose bit and I was able to wear them.

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