C section recovery tips?

[PoppyS34wantstogohome]

Had an emergency c section on monday, at 30+2 due to a big placenta previa bleed.

Has anyone got any top tips for recovering from the c section?

I think the large quantities of blood I lost over the weekend, combined with lack of food and sleep, has made me a bit weaker than I should be.

(hope this is the right place to put this post??!

Thanks! :o

I had my second CS 2weeks ago and it's not much fun but do get as much sleep as you can obviously ;) do get other people to do everything for you if you can, do keep taking painkillers regularly, even when you start to feel better, keep gently mobile - if you get too stiff from sitting/ lying it doesn't help.
Congratulations on your new baby by the way :) take it as easy as you can!
PS. Try not to cough / sneeze / laugh (it hurts)

I've had two sections. Both by choice. With my first I was fine after 3 weeks and with my second I was drivin with GP consent after just 16 days.
Tips:
keep scar very dry. I used a thick sanitary pad over mine to ensure it didn't get sweaty!!!!!
Take pills every four hours without fail for at least 10 days after. It's easier to keep
On tip of the pain that way.... Just keep topping up!
Raise the sofa with pillows etc, I created a little throne and had DS high up also so I didn't have to bend to pick him up and ha a beanbag to lift my feet.
Don't sit for too long. Regular standing and slow walks make mobility a lot easier.
I also took an arnica tablet every day which helped with internal bruising.
Shower every day without fail and air the scar regularly.

Are you on iron/ spatone? Have they mentioned a transfusion?
Will be watching this thread with interest- my cs is 4 weeks today unless blob comes early.
Lots of hugs Poppy xxxx

Big cotton pants! The ones that come right up to your belly button. And I still wore maternity clothes for a fair while after as I found waistbands uncomfortable.

Try to walk/stand tall - it is uncomfortable though.

And don't be afraid of taking some "help" for going to the toilet eg laxatives, prune juices etc. My bowels didn't move for 5 days after, which isn't unusual after CS - but I was terrified when they did - plus you don't want to be straining.

Thanks, theses tips are great.

blackcat I managed to stay on the non-critical side of blood loss all weekend :o they were expecting me to lose two literature during the c section, but I didn't.

The consultants were really pleased with my blood loss.

I am on iron tablets though, but am trying to stop them asap to avoid constipation.

Rest as much as you can. Simple advice but a lot of people feel 'bettter' and start to do too much too soon.

How's your LO?

Hope you have a speedy recovery - I've got my second section in a week!

I had a section 5 weeks ago and I deffo agree with resting, don't be lulled into a false sense of security - everytime I felt a lot better I did too much then was sore the next day

I also felt a million times better when my stitches were taken out, a lot of the tightness feeling goes

I hope you feel better soon and well done xx

Have a bottle of water with a sports cap next to your bed, so you can drink lying down. Also cereal bars by bed.

Get a couple of pairs of yoga pants with the really high/wide soft roll down waist.

Take it easy, really, really don't do too much too soon, even if you think you can.

If scar gets infected, put on some tea tree cream and see gp asap.

Keep moving. Little and often.

Shower gel in a bottle with a hook.

My friends have all suggested that laying flat helps so that your stitches arent just scrunched up iykwim so that when you stand up you are not feeling like you are being torn apart.

I had an emsc 12 wk ago. Knocked me for 6 cos well I wasn't intending to have one. Was the last thing on my mind

1. it's major abdominal surgery. Take it easy. Get dh/dp/family to do all the housework/cooking
2. big grannies knickers and elasticated waist yoga pants etc are your friend!!!!
3. don't be a martyr. Take your pain killers for a good couple of weeks
4. I had a v pillow and tried to sleep as upright as possible
5. if breast feeding rugby hold was the least painful for me. Cradle was agony

Congrats on the new baby Poppy, hope everything is ok with your LO. I had an EMCS with DS1 - take arnica and rescue remedy tablets but don't put anything on your scar for a while. Get big pants that go over the scar and roll top yoga trousers; sleep surrounded by as many pillows as you can and keep a pillow over you scar if you are moving / laughing etc; make sure you bath / shower, it will make you feel better as well as keeping everything clean. Peppermint tablets help the bloating; drink lots of water and try not to do too much as you can create adhesions under your scar. I felt fine after my EMCS but then passed out in the shower on day 2 so in hindsight, realise I wasn't fine at all! I have an ELCS booked in 3 weeks and feel like I know the limitations this time round. Above all remember your body has just been through the mill physically and mentally so rest as much as poss and give yourself time to get over that. Best of luck x

I had a myomectomy op two weeks ago so imagine the sensations are pretty similar. Well, minus the baby parts! I second that yoga trousers, especially the ones with a roll down flap are great for support. I bought big knickers from Primark bit wouldn't recommend those as the waistline bit is itchy!

Pillows have been my friend. I sleep with one on each side and cradled in a v pillow to stop myself rolling onto my side as this hurts. If you need to sneeze pinch the end of your nose very tightly! If you have the urge to cough, don't! I found coughing from my chest like I was clearing my throat, together with madly swallowing water avoided this as frankly it felt scary.

Lactulose really helped me as doing a poo became a bit worrisome. I found 20mils each morning whilst I was on codeine seemed to do the trick. Peppermint teapots are good for gas, I suffered from it a bit.

I'm 16 days on now. I did have a hematoma which was where blood pooled under the skin which was a pain. Again, I second the sanitary pad in the front of knickers, especially those cheap soft ones you get from the value chain, if there is any bleeding weeping. It is amazing how much better it gets each day. I can walk standing straight absolutely fine now and I'm off painkillers except at night. I lost a fair bit of blood and am now taking spatone for anemic which is supposed to be better for tummies than iron tablets.

I take my hat off to all c section ladies, as it's been hurty enough without a baby. This was a fertility procedure for me so it's been like a c section dry run. I hope it works! Good luck with the healing.

lactulose for the constipation, i was given it by the hospital when i left, kept everything loose and no pain going to loo then with the pushing!!

High knickers and maternity trousers/joggers for weeks after until you feel comfortable! Painkillers every 4hrs as everyone has said, keep doing that for the first fortnight or so, don't walk too much or do too much!! :D

Teapigs not teapots!

If you are breastfeeding put a v pillow around you and put the baby on that to feed without pressure on the scar.

Be gentle with yourself as doing too much will really impact your recovery. I found I tired very easily.

If you start feeling worse (i.e. Hot/cold, shakey, more abdominal pain) go to the doc immediately! I though I just had the flu and turned out to be a serious post op infection.

Best tip in this heat is to air dry your section scar as much as possible, and put a maternity pad sprayed with savlon/antiseptic against your scar, you can stick it to your granny knickers so it doesn't fall out of place.

Also drink lots of water and eat lean protien, it helps heal tissue damage, the water is good for helping the toilet problems you may have, and it also means you won't be as tired as you could be, dehydration makes everything worse in recovery.

And do not be fooled, as soon as you start feeling good and more mobile you will try and over do it, DO NOT, as it will just set you back.
Build up activity, i remember going for a 3 mile walk 8 days after my section, didn't feel it until the next day, but ended up bed bound for the next 3 and ended up bleeding quite a lot more.

Oh and congratulations on your little one, boy or girl?

You will start to feel SO much better day by day, providing that you take things as slowly as possible. Recovering from a caesarean is so unbelievably painful I cannot imagine that anyone in their right mind ever coined the phrase ?too posh to push? (they evidently never had a c-section).

I had an emergency caesarean 10 weeks ago ? I developed preeclampsia at 39 weeks, was induced and after ?labouring? (if you can call it that) for three days developed a fever, resulting in my caesarean. I lost a litre of blood during the operation and took iron tablets for a couple of weeks afterwards. When we got home I needed assistance with pretty much everything and my partner was a great support ? he did all the cooking and cleaning, lifted our baby when needed, changed most of the nappies, picked up anything I needed from the floor so I need not bend, and helped me with a shower each day too. Easier said than done but try to get as much sleep as possible!

I developed a slight infection after about a week and I think that was due to not keeping the scar dry enough ? I cannot stress how important it is to allow the scar to dry properly after washing. If you have extra tummy skin after your operation (as most of us do!), lay flat on the bed and lift it to allow air to dry your scar properly. My GP recommended drying it using the cold heat on a hairdryer too.

I continued to bleed for a good few weeks after so stock up on good maternity pads. You will be amazed at how much better you feel day by day?.. on the first day I did not believe I would ever walk properly again but by two weeks I was pretty ?normal-ish? again. After 10 weeks it now only hurts a little if I sneeze unexpectedly and occasionally when getting out of bed (our bed is below knee height!).

Take it easy and congratulations again!

Congrats :)
I had a ELCS with dd and lost a lot of blood. My advice is to take iron tablets and up your iron intake - fruit cake, green leafy veg, red meat etc - as being anaemic makes you mroe tired and light headed. rest as much as possible :) Keep up the painkillers - even when you don't think you need them. If bfing, use a pillow to lie baby on to protect your scar. BF lying down too - that is comfy. Wear hgh waisted pants to avoid them rubbing on scar. Hold tummy for support when getting in and out of bed - I remember having to do that :(
Good luck :)

Don't mistake appendicitis for a flare up of you scar! If it's started to feel much better, then gets worse, get checked out.

Other than that, let everyone else do the running around and take your time x

Agree with keep taking the painkillers longer than you think you need. And take it very easy. Also have the baby in bed with you and learn how to breastfeed lying down if you can, that way you don't have to keep getting out of bed in the middle of the night. (I realise this may not be appropriate for you if your baby was premature - but useful for others).

I took moltrin (500mg of ibruprofin) every 4 hours during the day and a percoset (codine based painkiller) at night as it made me sleepy for the first week. I then continued to take an advil twice a day to keep the swelling down (200mg of ibruprofin).

Apart from that I was horizontal for the first 5 days, wore huge knickers that almost came up to my armpits and let the air get to the scar as much as possible in those 5 days. As soon as I was unhooked I forced myself to get up. I took stool softeners while in the hospital, drank black coffee (nurses made me drink it because it helps push out the poop) and drank gallons of water. I had DH bring a couple of lemons to the hospital so I could have flavoured water.

Be careful with eating greens. Leafy greens such as spinach are pretty good but I found brocolli was great for helping me feel better. Just don't eat it in the first month as I had the worst gas pains when I tried to eat it in the first two weeks. Sushi was also a disaster for longer than I expected. I still had gas pains 4 months after the CS when eating sushi.

I have had 3 C-sections now, and my body has never been the same since. 5 years on since my last section, and I am still weak along my scar!!!!

My first one, I felt like I had been in a car crash, the pain was that bad, 2nd one bit better, knew what was coming, the third absolutely bloody horrendous pain, plus the aftercramps made me cry!!!!

Rest as much as you can, and don't drive till the 6 weeks are up, even if you think your up to it, changing gears and clutch hurts.

I was terribly anaemic, and my mum had to shovel the greens down me, plus the iron tablets, which made me poo black!!!!
Keep on top of the pain, all the time, and don't even contemplate exercise, like sit up's or anything abdominal.

Best of all, listen to yor body, I had MRSA in my c section scar, was horrendous, let the air get to your scar, i had a big tummy and had to lift my jelly belly up in the bath and dried it with the hair dryer!!!!

It does get better, with time, but I am still completely numb all around my scar and have terrible adhesions, so no no more kids for me xx

I have had four, I took a little longer each time to recover.

The longest I took to feeling semi normal was two and a half weeks. Definately don't do too much or walk too long. Take it easy as the out of breath sensation lasts a long time. Keep on top of the pain killers. Def every four hours.

Buy pants that you know are miles too big. I wore size 20 or even 24 pants for the first few weeks after baby. Also maternity trousers, the waisted soft ones.

Also as others have said, try and take some form of laxative. I was never offered any and had my child late for school after my third section trying to do a poo!! Yes I was on the school run less than two weeks after the last two sections (no choice!!).

Definately best advice I can give is take it easy. You may be desperate to go out a wee walk with someone else and baby (as in your Mum, partner etc.). Do not be tempted unless there is a bench you can rest on every 10 mins or so.

Hope your baby is doing well.

Oh I don't know how I forgot to mention it. The trapped wind in your shoulders etc. can be really painful. Remember to drink the peppermint drink you can get for it.

Though if you are 5 days post op then that wind pain may have eased.

middy My dr would only let me have showers and told me that they were not to be hot as she was worried I would faint. She said she didn't want me having a bath until 8 weeks. It has been 11 months and I have still not had a bath!

My issues with trapped wind continued for 2-3 months. Sushi was the worst. I also wore dresses for the first month.