specific dos and don'ts after c-section

[titferbrains]

Am still very upset about needing a c-section (bad tear, breech baby, OC).

Accidentally ended up reading about people who are still feeling funny/pain a long while after the op. This is the part that scares me the most, the poss that someone could make a mistake in the op or that I might heal badly.

Am hoping to get some help for first couple of weeks but hope to be a bit better after that as it's ELCS. Going to do as little as poss initially except feed baby, walk a bit and rest.

DD is at nursery about 10-12 min walk away. When should I be able to take her myself?? Really, REALLY don't want to overdo it and wreck stitches etc. Obv with drop off at nursery total walking time will be about 20 min - or longer I guess, as i'll be moving more slowly.

V difficult to work out what extra help I'll need as she is at nursery 3 times a week, needs to go to playground/get out and about every single day, and our bath is extremely awkward - I would say it will be several weeks before I'll be able to turn it on by myself as the taps are at a funny position and at the far end of a corner. Not even comfortable to do when pg!

Please try to give specific info about what I should definitely avoid doing. And how many minutes walk per day from beginning constitutes "keep moving around so your muscles don't seize up?"

I've had four.

Don;t over do it, recover slowly to recover well. Do you have a DH/DP?

DH will be there for first week, then back at work - he leaves 6am and gets back around 8 or 830pm and cannot be relied on to get back early unless exceptional circs. He has told me to get help if I need it.

Have to agree with Georgimama balls to the laughing (if there is any) just ignore it you have your reasons. It wouldn't happen here as very very few people walk their children to school the majority get driven irrelevant of how close they are, I appear to be in the minority and even make DD walk when it rains think I am looked at as the odd one.

I had an emergency with \ds1 and then an ELC with DS2. Both times i was tidying and cooking almost straight after i had come out after a 3 day stay in hospital. The only time i struggled was the evening of the birth as i could not feel my bottom half but the midwives were fab.

I dont think you will need that much help after the first week. I had a two year old son when i had my 2nd DS and we were fine when my partner went back to work after one week. I would go out for walks everyday and make the midwife a cuppa when she came round. I had no problem dressing or showering myself or my children.

I am now pregnant with DC3 and to be honest I am going to ask for another ELC (apparently i may not get it even though i have had two before). With the ELC i got to the hospital at 9am and had had my baby by 9.31am> iwas home after two day (3 days with my first son) and it was great.

Really really do not worry. I would almost recommend it.

Good luck

Then get the help, even if you feel better by wekk 3 it might still be nice to take things at your won pace.

Your midwife should be visting you fairly regularly in the early days and will be checking your scar. Unless you get an infection, you shouldn't need to visit the GP until your 6/8 week check (forget exactly when it is). I don't know if the midwife can prescribe anti-bs if you do get an infection, I suspect not.

Seriously, I wouldn't worry about the short distance - don't put yourself through the aggravation of bus/walking if you need to see the GP. Book a cab if there is no one who can give you a lift.

I just wanted to repeat that everyone is different so you should do what feels comfortable for you and not feel stressed that you are not doing as much as other people.

I had an ELCS and it was a wonderful experience, the recovery was a lot faster than anything I expected:

• 4 nights in hospital
• able to bf in any position I wanted right from the start. I like lying down for the night but that is because I am so tired not because of c-section.
• out of bed the morning after the op, out of the room two days after the op, walking about as normal 7 days after the op.
• I couldn't lift the baby in and out of the cot for the first two days (DH and MW had to get her for me), but fine after that. I avoided lifting heavy things, especially off ground lever for the first 6 weeks but lifting the baby was no problem.
• driving at 4 weeks, could possibly have have started sooner but there was no need.
• Pilates at 4 weeks, gentle riding at 7 weeks, schooling and riding properly at 9 weeks.

If I were going to have another baby, which I am almost certainly not, I would definitely ask for another ELCS rather than a VBAC. I laboured for 36 hours to get DS out with nothing but paracetamol and gas and air so I am no wimp, but the ELCS was better than the VB in every single way.

Oh dear sorry my brain isn't working as quick as my fingers this morning

If you don't have one I would get a cleaner for a few weeks.

I've had 2 c/s. First night in hospital had to get help lifting baby but you're up the next day (albeit very slowly, gingerly and maybe just standing up or few steps). I was in hospital 3-4 nights. Best thing to do is to take the pain medication offered and keep it topped up. That applies when you get home - being able to move is easier if you are on the correct dose of pain relief and will help you recover quicker. I went for a pub lunch the day after I got back from Cs with my DH and the DC - parked right outside and walked in - but it was painful - but gives you an idea about how mobile you might be from fairly early on (day 4).

Week 1 - In hospital and coming home - stooped a bit and bent forward, quite burny feeling around wound. Sitting up in bed takes a bit of effort.

Week 2- Gets much better - still uncomfy but manageable espec towards end of week. From start of week (or before) can get down on floor and back up - so good for being with other DC. Could walk short distances not too badly (say 5min there and back with pushchair - but didn't try on my own with other DC and pushchair as wouldn't have been able to run or keep other DC safe near road ably)

Week 3 - 4 much better still. Walking fine - 10min there and back....hmmm.....not sure I would've managed it by early week 3, but maybe by end of week 3 or week 4? Really depends on how heavy baby and travel system is. Because if you need to take baby seat into school and out of pushchair to settle your other DC into classroom (they don't allow pushchairs in schoolo usually) then you might struggle even by late week 3 into week 4.

I found lugging the baby seat was quite hard (espec with large 2nd DC) - but I knew it was too much fairly soon - so just stopped. It didn't adversely affect my recovery (too much) trying to do stuff - just made my wound a bit burny at the time. So I'd say - very much listen to your body and react accordingly. One friend had a much quicker recovery than me and was doing lots fairly early on. Everyone's different just need to listen to your body.

BTW I only needed to BF lying down on the very first night after the CS, rest of the time it was fine to do it more normally.

I felt I could've driven at 4 weeks (and asked Dr - he asked whether I could get out easily in a crash though - and I couldn't so left it til 6 weeks). Insurance companies leave it up to you and your Dr as to whether you can drive at 4 weeks or at 6 weeks.

By 9 weeks I went to an aerobics class - which was a little early in retrospect, but I managed it. Felt fine afterwards, just a little back achy at the time (probably more to do with lax pg ligaments rather than cs though).

6 weeks recovery sounds like a really long slog with 2 dc to look after - but it does speed by! I didn't pick up my eldest for perhaps the first 2 weeks but after than I did and it was fine - he is quite light though.

I have had EMCS and VBAC and I think the recovery after CS is not necessarily any worse than after a "normal" birth after the first couple of days, depending on how it goes in each case. When I had the CS I actually recovered much better than some of my friends who had VB around the same time but had tears or other complications.

Things to avoid or that are painful during the first few days are sitting up in bed - when DH is there, get him to help ease you up, or if he's not around roll onto your side first rather than just trying to sit straight up. Also getting out of bed - take it gently and don't try to do it all in one movement until you are less sore. You can BF lying down but may also be fine sitting up with a cushion on your lap and behind your back. I found getting DS out of his moses basket by the bed at night was a pain at first, so just woke DH and got him to pass him to me for the first few days at home.

Walking - just build up gradually, but if you walk a little every day I think a (normally) 10-minute walk to nursery would probably be achievable 2 weeks after unless you had a particularly bad scar, and then you can always have a sit-down for a while at nursery before heading home. On the flip side I found walking any distance quite painful/tiring for a while after the VBAC!

I don't think I went to the GP at all for myself until the 6-week check, but MW visited at home a few times (but signed me off quite soon after returning home). I did go to get DS weighed a few times, but then he was PFB and I didn't go nearly as much with the second

I was given a sheet afterwards saying how long you should avoid doing various things for, especially housework - I used to wave this at DH lots and tell him I wasn't allowed to do anything except "light dusting" for the first week

PS I was looking for my scar the other day and nearly couldn't find it - it is now just a very very unobtrusive and surprisingly short white line hidden in my bikini line. I guarantee anyone else looking for it would get it wrong and point to one of my post-baby tummy creases instead!

I was enjoying fun times with my hubby three days after too! ;)

That was quick Li11. I had my first bedroom bounce and protected I will add at 11 weeks post and am now currently 35 weeks pregnant. I would advise your sort out a proper protection before doing this we used a raincoat but it seems it wasn't enough.
After this one we are going with seperate rooms and no more sex

Great thanks for all these posts.

Going to ring round and confirm all the days I can get help and then see what days I am left with.

Also I remember DD was too small initially to BF lying down, or my boobs were too big, one or the other, I had to have her lying on a pillow and that was maybe a couple of weeks in? She was 6lb 3 at birth and lost a bit more than usual at beginning due to milk coming late and supply probs etc. Hope that doula will help with feeding positions... Anyone else found this??

hoping to get a babynest bedside cot also to make feeding easier.

DD (the ELCS baby) was only 6lb 10 and went down to 5lb 15 but I had no problems feeding her lying or sitting - you might find a v shaped pillow helps? Try rugby ball hold to keep her off your tum if the wound is painful.

I had 2 CS- with my first I just fed with her on a pillow- it was fine, no problems (and I used loads of pillows/cushions behind me to get me in the comfiest position).
With my 2nd, he had tongue-tie, so couldn't feed in normal position- we used a position called I think the nurturing position (???) whereby I was leaning back on pillows, and he was lying face-down (sounds odd, yes, but it's fine) on top of me, with feet pointing down towards my feet- helped with his latch until his tongue was snipped, and as baby is shortish, there's no pressure on your wound, so that maybe one to try?

If you can- do get assistance taking DD to nursery- I was so lucky in that 2nd time round my MIL came and took DC1 to nursery every day, and picked her up, for the 2 weeks after DH had gone back to work- was an utter lifesaver as DS was born in the middle of very heavy snowfalls, and we could just stay in the house, warm and snuggly (well- apart from sorting out his tongue-tie ).

Don't feel embarrassed about taxis if you need them- do what makes your life easy- stock up the freezer with easily-cooked meals too if possible- I didn't properly cook for the first month after birth, made a huge difference to my recovery, and less chance of feelings of drudgery!

The hardest thing for me was getting back into the newborn mindset- the first few times I changed DS' nappy, I was asking him to lift up his legs, keep his hand out of the way, etc, and getting v confused!

Sorry- also meant to say that 1st was emcs and 2nd elcs- the whole experience of elcs was completely different- much much more enjoyable (ha! YKWIM) and calm, and emotionally much more positive. As you have advance warning, I hope you can get used to the idea in the next few weeks (not sure how long you've got left?) and it can be a really positive experience for you all.
I know it's trite, but when people say it doesn't matter how the baby got here- it really doesn't! I am no less of a mother to my children because I didn't squeeze them out of my fanjo
There are risks with all methods of delivery, but being prepared and in a positive frame of mind will help ensure a smooth delivery and speedy recovery.

Wishing you all the best with your new arrival.

I have had two CS the second elective.

It was a lovely calm experience

Practically just dont push yourself - I drove my son to a party 10 days after and was fine. Walking too far left me a little sore so try and get as much help with that as possible.

I doubt you will need to see a GP until the 6-8 wk check and by then you should be ok to walk - if you have any probs ring your midwife or health visitor.

I used a nursing pillow for breastfeeding which was fine and protected my wound.

Arnica tablets helped me with the healing.

Finally the best advice I got from one of the nurses after my second cection was to stand up straight - might sound silly but you have a tendancy to stoop which actually puts more pressure on the wound - keep reminding yourself to stand up straight as soon as your up and about!!

oooh and take peppermint teabags into hospital - helps with the wind!!!

yes have read a lot about shoulder pain from wind, sounds v unpleasant. Minty teabags are in the bag. Should I try to have some before the op? Presume that herbal tea counts as water? or is it absolutely nil by mouth 12 hrs before?

I posted separately about arnica tabs and got laughed at....

I was absolutely nil by mouth from midnight (no food after 10pm) apart from a sip of water to take the renatidin with at midnight and 6am (that's an anti acid, they should give you some to take).

Am just going to forget about feeding positions till baby comes then will see what works.