Post C Section Advice needed - what to pack etc.

[Youngoldmum]

Hi ladies. Highly likely I'll be having a planned C Section in 2 weeks which I'm fine with and best in my case for me & baby.

Just wondering if those who've had a section before could share some wisdom as DD1 was vagina birth. I'm mainly wondering:

-anything different to pack in hospital bag that would be good to have post Section?
-what clothes are going to be comfy to wear in the immediate days after? I know I'll still need maternity sized stuff, but are over or under bump styles more comfy?

Thanks in advance ladies xx

I would say the overbump styles would be more comfy - under bump ones will rub against the c-section scar. You need high knickers too - not hipster styles - for the same reason.

Peppermint oil capsules for wind. Gets very painful if you have trapped wind!

Press a cushion on the wound if you need to sneeze, laugh or cough. Far less painful that way.

Best of luck! I was up and walking (very slowly!) the next day. It wasn't nearly as bad as I'd feared.

The best thing I took were always pants (the incontinence ones). Nice and high so no rubbing on the scar and contain all the lovely lochia. Take a nightie in case you need a catheter overnight. I did and ended up in pyjama top and pants as couldn't fit long pyjama trousers over the catheter. Clothes wise I just wore leggings and long tshirts or dresses. Consider a cosleeper cot if you don't have one, much easier for night feeds as you can slide baby across rather than lift. Oh and when you're in hospital make sure your partner leaves everything you need overnight in reach so you don't need to buzz for help! My elective section was really amazing, was out pushing the pram to the pub for lunch on day 5 and driving within 10 days.

Huuuugggge granny pants up to the waist

Peppermint tea or capsules. I cannot overstate how how much painful wind I had! (Not to be used just before FIL comes to visit you and baby like me! )

Slip on shoes/slippers. My first section I had to get dp to help get my slippers on and off as I couldn't bend down for a day or so.
Leggings are what I found most comfortable afterwards as they are nice and soft and don't rub anywhere.
And giant knickers that come up to your belly button!

Oh yes I've heard about the trapped wind. I've had this all through pregnancy too and it's eye watering! Did anyone take tablets like wind eze? I've had these while preg, label says they're safe x

I didn't use them as luckily I didn't have it when pregnant and midwife gave me Peppermint afterwards and that worked so didn't bother with anything else

Sainsburys do ace large cotton pants that don't rub. That's my hot tip.

Agree sainsbury big pants. Primark nightie, buttons down far enough to bf if you plan to.

Big big pants!

Overbump is better, it's now your stomach, not your fanjo you have to worry about.

Pack food.

Have a pillow for coming home from hospital to pad underneath seatbelt.
I thought every bump would kill me!

Def overbump clothes for going home & after. Nighties for in hospital.

Slippers with no back that you can actually slip into so no bending down.

If you have a post at the end of bed have someone tie a scarf round it so you can use it to lever yourself up with. I found getting out of bed very difficult for first few weeks.

I had co sleeper but DS was so small i still preferred the Moses basket in the early days.

It all sound worse than it is, when your going through it all it becomes a new normal if that makes sense.

Good luck!

Before you have the c section ask to see physio so they can show you how to get out of bed afterwards.

You'll think I'm mad but long tongs for picking stuff up with. Bending is a no no.

www.google.ca/search?q=long+tongs+cooking&client=tablet-android-google&prmd=isvn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjijvOymaTQAhUL2oMKHUNYAg4Q_AUIBygB&biw=768&bih=1024#imgrc=W6ktpljYaPZHIM%3A

Re. Picking stuff up off the floor.

I also agree, big Pants and elasticated skirts or leggings that are loose and come up to uour waist. You don't want anything catching or rubbing.

I had disolving stitches, that had a non dissolving thread running horizontally through and beads at either end. Those beads caught on anything near them and it was really , really unpleasant when that happened.

The good news is my scar looks like a piece of white cotton strung across from hip bone to hip bone and unless I pointed it out, you wouldn't either know it was there or even what it was.

Get to Primark and buy humungous pants, at least two sizes bigger than normal, full brief size so they'll pull up over your scar.

Nighties rather than pyjamas, you'll have a cathater in immediately afterwards. You might want leggings or something to pop over your legs cos you'll have anti embolism stockings on.

Dry shampoo and hair bobbles as you might not get a shower until next day.

Loose clothing for going home, nothing tight at your tummy.

It sounds obvious but get your DH/ birth partner to place all of the things you are likely to need before next visiting time in your locker/ someolace you don't need to bend to retrieve them- all our lovely newborn vests were in my bag on the floor and I had to ask midwifes for help to rearrange my stuff (like they've nothing better to do! )

By the way, I would ask the surgeon for the beads. My midwife told me to ask for them as she said they healed the best, and although they were not often used the surgeon did it and as said the scar is practically not noticeable.

I agree on BIIIIG pants!! I had an emergency section so just took my period pants for after but ended up sending my sister out to get me some proper belly warmers. I'd also say make sure any pjs/trousers/leggings are high waisted too.

Slip on slippers (no back) as you won't be able to bend down get them on/off.

Nightie for the first day or so because of the catheter.

If it's any reassurance - I was absolutely terrified of the thought of a c section and I bawled my eyes out on the way down to theatre but it honestly wasn't as bad as I expected at all. Both during and after.

Good luck OP

Congrats on the impending arrival!! Yes yes to all the suggestions above, but I wanted to say that having an elective CS is such a joy! You're in for a truly lovely, relaxing, joyous experience. I was up and doing after two days and fully recovered after 4 weeks to the day. Get working on your music playlist is the only addition I'd make.

get some of these m.johnlewis.com/cantaloop-caesarean-section-briefs-pack-of-2-white-black/p/587769

they give you support and padding where the scar is, they really comfi and made me feel like i could move around safely and when i coughed i didn't think my guts where going to pop out!

Aww thanks everyone. I'm not feeling overly phased now, especially after a horrendous vaginal birth with DD. Thanks again x

I had a c section, nobody told me I would be bigger afterwards because of the swelling.

The jeans that fit me pefectly three days before just would'nt do up, there must have been a 3in gap between the button and the hole.

I actually found my recovery from my section easier and less painful than my recovery from vaginal birth with DD. But yes, as others have said, huge pants. I still wear mine now, some three years later

I had a emergency c section and took my pants which I thought was big enough but totally uncomfortable and kept digging into the stitching. So higher the waist the better.

I didn't take enough pj as didn't think I be in as long as I was.

Oh and with regard to pain etc, I can genuinely say 100% mine was pain free. I thought the catheter would hurt or at least sting, I did'nt feel anything, the spinal block was fine and when it was all over I kept expecting something to hurt but again I felt nothing.

I never even needed to take a paracetamol. They must have given me enough drugs during the section to numb an elephant.

Afterwards they put you in inflatable socks, plug you in and you have lovely warm air circulating around your legs.

I had my son at 4pm, by 10pm I was walking around and changing in to my pyjamas. I went home the following afternoon.

So my c section experience was great. However I stupidly failed to mention to the midwife who came to visit me at home just how much I was bleeding and the clots I was passing, I thought it was normal, it turned out it was'nt and I was incredibly ill. I won't bore you with the details. So keep an eye on that kind of thing.