C-Section Essentials....

[HerVagesty]

What is/was on your list?

I am booked in on the 24th September when I will be 39+4 (4 weeks today!!) unless Breechy Girly tries to escape earlier.

I know this has been done to death but what are the must haves/must do's before and after having a section?

I have a list of things packed in my bag already....

Yoga Pants (roll top)
Big Knickers
Loose fitting Tops
General Hospital Bag stuff (toiletries, pads etc)

For recovery...

Arnica Tablets
Peppermint Tea
Tea Tree Oil
Laxatives

..... Anything else you found a godsend afterwards? Anything you did in the run up to the big day to make things easier??

Many thanks in advance!

[Surfsup1]

Vegemite I think they ship worldwide? Pretty sure you'd find something local, though, if you get googling.

[iliketea]

A pick-up stick thing, so you can get the stuff you drop on the floor up - I found it hurt to bend, so things just used to stay on the floor until dh got home!

[WienerDiva]

Defo over belly button wear and something that isn't likely to roll down. And if it's elasticated, not too elasticated, I was tender (not in pain, just tender) from just below my sternum down.

Crocs were a blessing because they made me feel stable on my feet so walking was a bit easier.

I would definitely suggest getting a decent feeding pillow if you want to breast feed, it takes some of the pressure off your abdomen.

One of the major risks of a c-section is infection. I'm a big fatty anyway so was at a higher risk of one than most. My obstetrician gave me the best advice ever.

For at least 15 mins, at least twice per day, go and lie down with the incision site exposed to the air (I had to lift my over hang to do this ). Before then gently press tissue against it to absorb any dampness.

It felt like heaven!

[BalloonSlayer]

I wore the trousers I had worn when 4-5 months pg afterwards, they supported the scar nicely. I found very very loose trousers uncomfortable.

IME you don't get enough to eat in hospital so I would recommend a bottle of squash, and some biscuits (I used to like those savoury cheese sandwich ones for my "dinner" and normal biscuits for my "pudding") because if you are still numb/catheterised you won't be able to get out of bed to fetch yourself anything.

Flip flops for manky shower, anti bac wipes for manky toilet.

[happylittlevegemites]

muststudy I can't find the bullet band online :(There are some on amazon but don't know what might suit!

[happylittlevegemites]

Thanks surfsup but unfortunately in UK. Seems much more common in aus - my midwife and physio friends were shocked that I wasn't given anything. And sent home after 24 hours ...

[Surfsup1]

Muststudy I'm in Aus, so the brands here are different, but certainly the best ones tend to be available mainly through a natropath/nutritionist or similar practitioners.

[summerlovingliz]

I itched like mad after both if my sections.. Something to do with the drugs. I would recommend having something like e45 or aqueous cream with calamine to soothe skin

[Muststudy]

What would you recommend as a kick ass probiotic?

I had awful awful constipation after the c section and NHS being NHS they only gave 5ml of lactulose a day. So take prunes or figs or fibrogel.

You definitely need a book or ipad with tv shows as the baby is asleep alot! Try and take an eye mask if you can.

A girdle to wear to hold the scar and tummy muscles in? The bullet band is great too.

[flakeyfinancials]

A cushion to hold against tummy when standing/sitting.

[Surfsup1]

Vegemite

Might Help

[Jaffakake]

I had a Moses basket & changing station downstairs and upstairs. I found climbing stairs awkward in the first week it so, so that was a godsend.

I also recommend really good vitamins and possibly the probiotic someone else suggested. I had a long labour before my emcs, so I was really depleted, but it taught me how important these are to my body, so I'll do better this time.

[happylittlevegemites]

I had an emcs, so didn't plan much. But everyday for about two weeks I used, instead of pants, big tena lady pants. I bled a lot and they meant I didn't have to wiggle to make sure the pad was in the right spot, if that makes sense. It also gave my scar some padding.

I was going to start my own thread, but someone might know here ... last time I found it very painful to lie on my side until about 5 weeks. It sort of felt like my stomach flopped down and stretched the wound. This time I was thinking some sort of girdle might keep my stomach together more - breast feeding became much easier when I could do it in my side. Did anyone else find this or have any suggestions?

[LittlePeaPod]

Changing baby wise I found something at waist height perfect rather than having to maneuver myself onto the floor with a baby in my arms.

Great advise and totally true. I was the same.

[PassTheAnswers]

Giant knickers- not only good for avoiding the scar area but easier to get on with minimal bending.

Putting a clean maternity pad between your scar and your knickers helps it feel a bit more protected from any accidental knocks or movements.

Slip on shoes/flip flops to avoid bending for the few days if necessary. To be honest my feet swelled so much afterwards that flip flops were the only option.

Changing baby wise I found something at waist height perfect rather than having to maneuver myself onto the floor with a baby in my arms.

[Mrsgrumble]

I lived in flip flops due to swelling afterwards
I am getting a floor grabber thing this time (you know the litter grabbers)
Colpermin for wind pain
Soda water
Very big knickers
Extra panadol
Hair dryer brush thing - all in one

( Getting dh to adapt an ikea cot to make a co sleeper )

[SweetsForMySweet]

Re: lifting, 3 months is standard medical advice, my sil ignored it and got a hernia, she had to go in for further surgery and another hospital stay. If you have confirmation from a consultant or doctor that you don't have to wait 3 months then it's up to you what you choose to do. The reason they say 6 weeks before driving is so that you could do an emergency stop if necessary, most women are driving again before 6 weeks.

The compression socks are to help prevent clots, you can get them in a pharmacy or ask for spares before leaving hospital.
The tea tree oil acts as a disinfectant, you can put a few drops in your bath water or dilute some in a water bottle and wash the wound with it.
'Simple' fragrance free shower gel is good, it was very mild and didn't irritate.

[TestingTestingWonTooFree]

Crocs and flight socks. I've been told to wear compression socks for 6 weeks but they only gave me one pair.

[mssleepyhead]

Night dress - you'll have a catheter at first so can't wear trousers and it's easier for checking the wound.
Dress for leaving hospital - trousers were painful until day 5 for me. Even yoga pants.
Slip on shoes and slippers
Big pants
Unscented shower gel

[Twinklestar2]

Lots of maternity pads.

I went through 50 in the first two weeks!

[BikeRunSki]

Sports cap water Boyle, do you can drink lying down.
Shower gel in a bottle with a hook.
Slip on slippers (crocs are fugly but ideal, especially of your feet swell up yo twice their normal size when baby is 3 days old like mine did).

[Surfsup1]

Maybe your own pillow? You might be in hospital for a while.
An eye-mask so you can nap during the day if you get the opportunity.
Champagne + glasses.

What do you do with the tea tree oil?

[eurochick]

Dried fruit to combat the effects of the morphine.

[Surfsup1]

Totally non-essential, but one of the (few) upsides of a cs is that it is a totally non-strenuous and pre-planed process. Therefore you can get your hair done, have your lashes tinted - all all the stuff that will make you feel a bit more human afterwards and look nice when people take those photos of you and you baby and share them with the entire inter-web!

On a more practical level I would recommend you start taking a kick-ass probiotic now and make sure you keep taking it long after your surgery. It may also be worth sticking up on a baby probiotic for your bub as cs babies miss out on a lot of the good bacteria they would normally have picked up during the birth process. Topping up their levels after birth can really help their immune system.

Once I got home, I had one of those belt with batteries in it that has little tense-like pads on it which gently stimulates the abdominal muscles. I can't remember how soon I started using it, but it's supposed to help the muscles heal.

[MooseBeTimeForSpring]

Nothing heavier than a newborn they said. Not helpful when that newborn was 10lb 11oz and his car seat felt like it was lead lined!