1 week overdue, waters just gone

[Lizkmg]

They've told me to come in for 7am.

Soooo much adrenaline flowing now that I can't feel the pelvic pain that has been kicking my ass since January.

Exciting times

Thank you, I shall try to pace myself. I'm up now trying to do a feed hopefully, with the help of the staff here :)

Today she seems to have my brothers face . So funny!

My babies both looked like my brother while tiny. Couldn't work out if it was the drugs from the emcs or a true likeness.

How are you feeling today?

Wahoo! Good luck!

Congratulations OP!!

@Showofhands sore, very sore and a bit broken to tell the truth. Emotionally I feel wonderful, but physically it feels like it's going to be a long road back to normality or fitness

It can be a real shock to the system. I had two emcs. With both of mine my waters broke first. It can actually be an indicator of a poor position. Waters don't tend to break first for most people and on occasion, they do so because there's already a less than favourable set up in there and then without the cushion of waters during the first stage, it can sometimes exacerbate that situation.

None of this may apply to you but it helped me to know how and why both of my labours progressed in the way they did.

Are you receiving adequate pain relief? I was fairly lucky with both of my recoveries. I went home 12hrs after one of them.

It feels counterintuitive but you will heal better if you are mobile. I was up and caring for my babies within 4hrs each time and it felt so strange but the midwives were clear it was the best way. You will probably shuffle and hunch in order to protect the incision but try not to. Stand tall and walk slowly but normally. It feels a bit like you'll tear open but you won't.

All when you're ready of course. You'll be exhausted too. Rest if you need to. Use the bed to help you move and always use your legs and arms to manoeuvre, not your abdomen.

Has the physio been round yet?

Well done on the birth of your baby girl.

Hope you recover well.

Yes the physio came to see me this morning. She walked me through all the recommended exercises for recovery.

Thanks for the advice, I am actually planning on searching the forums for as much recovery advice as I can find. Can't wait to feel back to normal

Glad you have some physio support. You will get back to normal just don't push yourself too fast to do too much as you may get frustrated (talking very much from personal experience!) If at some point in the future you want to talk about how your birth went I highly recommend a debrief with head of midwifery at hospital. I couldn't face this until ds was nearly a year old but found it incredibly helpful in dealing with traumatic birth experience!

Thanks I may have a look into doing that then, right now I'm so euphoric at the baby I can't think about much else :)

Are you less sore? Are you home yet?

You will feel normal again. It's all brand new right now.

Aww a tiny baby. How brilliant. What is she called?

EMCS for me too - luckily everything gets better all the time. Sore at first but it's amazing how the little bundle distracts from the severity of the surgery! Congratulations

Her name is Grace. We left hospital earlier today and are home now. I'm just grabbing a few hours in bed before her next feed. I'm still feeling pretty bad physically though, breast feeding is hard on top of everything else but I keep telling myself right now is the hardest it'll be, and each day I'll feel a bit better.

Is your pain relief adequate? Have they checked your iron levels? Is it general pain or localised?

congratulations!
I have a Grace.

You've had major surgery. Rest as much as possible. You will recover, just give it time.

Well done!!

Iron levels were a little bit low so I'm on 2 tablets a day for that. They've prescribed ibuprofen and paracetamol. As well as the DVT prevention injections for another 5 days, taking the total number of injections to 7.

The way I feel is like there's still a baby in me, I'm still very big. Can't lay on my side or front, although on my back is fine. it hurts to use the loo, or bend down, or anything really.

Oh and thank you, PeppaaNanna!

Have you tried peppermint? I found it magical. The air from the op can leave you bloated and swollen. It can feel horribly uncomfortable. You will find your digestion is sluggish too which makes you more bloated and sore. The iron tablets will definitely help you feel better but can make you additionally bunged up so keep an eye on that.

The injections are a great precaution. I found them painless at first because my abdomen was numb but they do sting a few days in.

If paracetamol and ibuprofen at 3 hourly intervals aren't helping, they can prescribe something stronger.

How's feeding going? Using cushions to prop her up away from the wound helps. I also used a rugby hold so the dc were under my arm and not resting on me at all.

Grace is a beautiful name.

You are doing so well. Can I just stress again that you will feel normal? You will feel your body's your own. It just takes time.

I think there's some extra swelling from having a C-Section. I was full of fluid for a few weeks too. 8 weeks down the line and I've felt pretty good for a few weeks now.

Floradix (Holland and Barratt) may be a gentler way of getting iron into you - last thing you want is to be straining

I agree, the straining is horrendous. I abandoned the iron tablets and opted through diet instead.

As you're breastfeeding, definitely don't take peppermint oil and be careful with tea - it inhibits milk supply.

I took it with gusto after my ELCS after reading helpful advice on here and then regretted it after I found out the effect it had on milk.

I had a planned c section and that was hard enough to recover from. I think you're doing really well and stay positive, congratulations on your little girl
Definitely keep moving otherwise you'll feel like you've seized up, try and get as much help as you can and don't lift anything heavier than your baby. I did a 2 mile walk a week after my c section, to be fair I walked to a garden centre and back so had a break in between. It hurt like buggery on the way home so take it easy, I wouldn't advise doing what I did.
I would advise getting a c section band though, you can get them off amazon, they put pressure on your scar so it's not as painful to walk etc, also helps you to heal better and quicker

Very large amounts of peppermint might decrease supply if drunk consistently. A cup of peppermint water in isolation is unlikely to have any effect on supply and given its effectiveness in reducing bloating, the degree of pain relief it can provide is not to be sniffed at. In hospital here breastfeeding mothers will be offered a cup in the morning and evening and that's sufficient and not thought to have negative effects. I say all this with my peer supporter hat on but also as a mother who had two emcs and bf exclusively. I needed that peppermint tea. Mrsmugoo is right that you should try to avoid it in very large quantities.

I'd also caution against floradix in the first instance. If your iron levels are low enough to require two tablets, coupled with postpartum bleeding, you probably need tablets. Ask to change tablets first if necessary. Some are gentler.

Thanks everyone. I will order the band from Amazon, a friend also text recommending one yesterday too. I will also try the peppermint, Showofhands, as I have tonifht had to switch to formula. Unfortunately my milk has just not 'come in'

After (at least) 3 or 4 very painful attempts on each breast at about 11pm, a frustrated baby and nipples on fire I asked my OH to make up a bottle. He grumbled a bit but think he saw in my eyes that I was in the edge, and more important than that we have a 4 day old who has lost 8% of her birth weight.

The main pain now is sleeping, post c-section wise. I can't lay on my front or either side and even flat hurts after more than an hour. So I'm sat up in bed which isn't great. Im no longer struggling with number twos (apologies TMI) which is good. My mum has been an absolute angel coming over and helping me whenever I've asked. The baby is worth this discomfort and a million times more, of course.

Just can't wait to be able to sleep in a normal position now, I didn't have it for so long in pregnancy and now since that it's going to be wonderful to get that back.

Thanks all for your tips, advice and support

Anyone got any experience of the problems in sleep positions post emcs they'd can share?