Preparing for c-section

[Scroobius]

I'm just wondering if there's anything I should be doing now (35 weeks) to help everything go more smoothly for my elcs? With my first, natural birth, I remember drinking she'd loads of raspberry leaf tea etc but I have no clue if there is anything I should be doing like that for a cs? Any advice/old wives tales accepted gratefully!

*shedloads

Nothing!

Oh excellent! I remember having this big list of things I had to do/take/drink first time round.

I'd make sure you have plenty of big knickers (that come up high) and a nightie as you won't want even the slightest pressure on your wound for a little while.

I hadn't wanted a C-section but in the event it was such a positive experience

For your hospital bag: peppermint tea bags (to help ease trapped wind), massive knickers, nighties. For going home in, some wide fold-over top yoga pants. Flip flops for hospital and slip on shoes to go home in.

Things that help back at home - a proper changing table so you're not bending, a bedside crib for easy access to baby and lots of comfy pillows including a breastfeeding pillow.

Good luck!

Oh, and take all the drugs! You're allowed codeine and morphine while on the ward so specifically ask for them to manage the pain and enable you to get up the next day.

Massive knickers, all the different types of pads they sell, and something nice to drink/eat that you've not been allowed for 9 months.

Good luck!

Agree with all above - prep for coming home too, so you don't want to be bending over or down and will be told you must not lift anything heavier than the baby! So prep help at home ready for cooking, basic tidy & clean, clothes wash etc as you should not be touching any of this!!
I didn't know until day if was having a section so I had the huge Tena lady pants with me - they were awesome for bleeding, high waisted and no faffing with pads
Yes to slip on flip flops and and shoes.
Also take some fibogel, the surgery can bung you up and you'll need a bit of help there
And squash as you'll be given water but need to have a pee before they take the catheter out so you'll want to drink a load to pee and get that taken out.
Spare pillow too - hospital pillows are rubbish.

Buy some very big pants. Slip on croc type sandals. Something that you can hook overbhe shower to keep things within reach. A breastfeeding pillow. A stretchy sling so you can feed them more easily in bed hands free.

At home - set up a safe change station at the right height. Stock the freezer. Set life up so you can avoid the stairs for a while.

Take all the drugs.

And the advice from my hospital regarding hygiene: no waxing or epilation the week before. No make up, no nail stuff. The night before, sleep on clean bedding and have a thorough wash including hair before going to bed (both you and partner.) wear clean clothes on the day, and have a very thorough shower in the morning.

My hospital provided pads etc. The maternity bed pads are good too.

Op has given birth before!

Arnica. Loads of it. I took it religiously for about five days before an elective CS and recovery was straightforward. I think I must have been complacent before the 2nd CS and didn't do the arnica. And paid for it big time - the swelling and bruising felt much worse.

Thanks for all the help. I've got the bedside crib as tbh this would have been nice first time round regardless of csection recovery 😂 I'll put arnica on my list of things to be doing now as well.

No codeine if your breastfeeding, but oramorph on the ward and paracetamol and diclofenac once your home.

Loved my section!

You're

Thanks Sinky. I knew there was something other than codeine for breastfeeding. I was sent home with a ridiculous amount of painkillers last time as I had surgery after birth and was breastfeeding DD. Diclofenac must have been what I had.

I'm having my 4th section on the 27th of this month There's nothing we can do in advance, but when you go for your pre op, they will give you tablets to take the night before and next morning and they gave me a bottle of the flat Lucozade and explain when to stop eating/ drinking depending on the time of the operation. Good luck..

Invest in a litter picker - it's really annoying when you drop something and can't bend to get it!

Haha I like that suggestion Creature

Earplugs. Earplugs. Earplugs.

Those hospital wards are sooooooo noisy.

I had morphine injected on the ward after my section, two doses bloody lovely.

Take your tablets round the clock, before you need them- so paracetamol every 6 hours and diclofenac every 8 hours, at least for the first few days. Get up and walk as soon as you can- it's agony, but it gets easier quickly. And really, really don't lift anything heavier than your baby for at least a few weeks, and even get people to pass you the baby if they can. Good luck OP!

Don't eat too much the day before. Light food and light tea.
Too much food, anaesthetic and laying down for the best part of 24 hrs tends to slow the bowels down.

I speak from uncomfortable experience!

Oh, and one more; I packed my own China mug in my hospital bag so I could have a proper sized hot drink rather than a piddly little plastic cup. Even the midwives were impressed with my foresight!

Don't forget you may get bumped for emergency

YY to the litter picker, it saved my dignity while trying to pick my underwear off the bathroom floor!

Other than that, just rest and get big pants! I bought disposable knickers, and actually you can wash the net ones the hospital give you them just throw them when you're finished. Good luck!