Csection next week! advice?

[eastcoastmum2014]

Hi all! I'm all booked in for a Csection next week when I will be exactly 39 weeks! Its my first Csection, and I'm having down to a very traumatic birth with DC1. I'm just wondering what advice people would have to prepare for it, healing times? Ways to help healing.... I want to make the recovery to be aa quick as possible as I have a little 2 year old that will need my attention as well as a newborn! My OH is off for two weeks and during that time my parents will be visiting as well so I will have support, but I'm just wondering what other people have been through and what advice they would give? TIA

I wasn't expecting miracles afterwards but I was disappointed that I was a bit behind other women on the ward recovering from sections. My midwife then commented on how much bruising I had and i realised that we are all different and one person's experience can't be replicated. Don't beat yourself up if you need to slow things down and take it easy, listen to your body.

Ah that's really handy thanks! I will pack some more sleep suits and vests! Deffo know the benefits of oramorph- I had it after I had DD and it was literally the only thing that made the pain manageable! Xx

Tie a bed sheet to the bottom of your bed and create a kind of rope to lay along side you to pull yourself up without straining your scar. I found it so helpful for all the night feeds as I couldn't roll to the side to pick up the baby!

peppermint tea. And maybe a thermos for when visitors have to go home? I remember it being a lifesaver but MWs kept being too busy/forgetting to bring it.

Equally Lucozade/snacks for if you're hungry outside of visiting hours. No guarantee that food will be brought to you.

Don't be afraid to ring the buzzer if you need to get DC out of the cot or back in again. I felt like a right PITA.

I really hope my experience is not the average! Sorry if it's a bit disheartening

I also recommend peppermint capsules and peppermint tea. I was in agony with trapped wind after my first c-sec. Take them after you eat, even if you feel ok.

If you're planning on breastfeeding get a bf cushion. It's hard to get comfy feeding.

Keep up with pain relief. Easier to keep under control rather than let it get bad.

Get air to the wound as soon as you're able. Keep it clean and dry.

Take arnica capsules to help internal bruising

Get mahoosive pants that go over your scar and comfy joggers. You'll live in them for the first couple of weeks.

Remember that day 10 post c-sec will feel a whole lot better than days 2-4.

Good luck

Basically don't compare yourself and progress to any one else's. I had an emcs 3 months ago though it was due to ds being too high in abdomen which was identified early on in labour so wasn't a panicked rush job iyswim. I was off painkillers by day 5 never took more than a paracetamol and was driving after 3 weeks when I got home from hospital on day 3 I put washing on and the dishwasher it was business as usual. I was very lucky when ds1 was born by forceps that was much worse than what happened this time.

Take any help given, try not to bend too much, get up slowly from bed/chairs.

Loose clothing, keep the area clean and uncovered as much as possible too

I had an emcs with ds, overall it wasn't as bad as I was expecting although I was in hospital for a week but that was due to ds needing antibiotics and my stupid blood pressure!

Special c-section pants really are quite good, I'm still wearing mine 6 months later!

Stock up on peppermint tea, deflatine etc. The trapped wind was something else!

I found a v-shaped pillow really helpful, I couldn't lie flat or on my side for weeks so slept propped up, the pillow really helped.

Try and avoid going up and down the stairs in the day for a few weeks, it really knackered me out! Take everything you will need downstairs first thing and then bring back up again at night.

Don't be surprised if you don't deflate as quickly as with a vaginal birth, it took weeks and weeks for my tummy to even start to go down due to the swelling from the surgery and that surprised me.

Overall I'd say just take it really easy and have a plan for help once DH is back at work just in case you still need help. I didn't do this and still wasn't great physically in week 3, should have got my mum over more as I did too much and got a bit of an infection.

Good luck with it all.

I had an EMCS 7 weeks ago. I was stood up after a few hours, and was discharged after 24. No problems with my incision etc. Out and about (albeit slowly) when he was 4 days old. I was really fortunate. Especially as there were women on the ward who'd been in a week with a vaginal delivery. Everyone is different, take it at your own pace.

Agree with pp who said v shaped pillow, complete lifesaver.
Take the large maternity pads (like puppy pads but for people, you can get them in boots) my catheter lead (?) was short so I couldn't move around properly to change my actual pad , plus I had no knickers on, so I bled everywhere, those made life easier.
Definitely drink loads of fluids.
Take the painkillers if you need them.

Good luck! I thought a c section would be awful , an emergency one even worse, I was pleasantly surprised. It was a lovely birth experience and I'd choose a section now if I have another other. Just be kind to yourself, accept as much help as you need and enjoy your beautiful newborn!