Planned section, what are they like?

[BlueButTrue]

It's looking like DS will be coming out via C Section, despite my wants of a home birth

My placenta is still low, but not only that I'm high risk from autoimmunity disease and now they're saying he's measuring off the charts so doesn't look like they want me to chance going over etc. I'll get a clearer picture tomorrow.

Is a planned section calmer?

How did you find the healing? I'm petrified of this, I'll have little help so I need to be in the best shape possible to look after DS.

My mum had a huge hernia from a section which took over 24 months to sort out

If everything is perfect with baby and mum is doing extremely well with walking around etc, how long will they make me stay in?

My hospital bag includes lots of nighties and section friendly nicks!

Thanks all

Good luck OP!

I found this book to be a very helpful read.

I also had a thread on birth experiences recently where a lot of people shared their planned CS experiences and suggestions. Might be useful for you as well.

I had an emergency section (extremely traumatic birth) and a planned section. The planned section was a doddle. I recovered very well, and quickly, driving within 3 weeks. Baby was put straight on my chest (skin to skin) and I fed him as soon as he needed it.
My scar was neater than the first time (emergency), and healed quickly; my iron levels were still within normal range.

It was a lovely calm birth, with no hint of trauma or stress at all. I would definitely recommend it.

I was so stressed out by the idea of a CS. But it was a very happy, calm experience. The birth itself was super easy in comparison to my other deliveries. Bonding was quicker and easier. I wasn't exhausted after the birth.

However, I have to say that the recovery took several weeks. Much longer thanI was expecting. I had to someone to come and help me every day until about week three. And didn't feel fully recovered until about six weeks PP. This isn't everyone's experience of course. But the birth itself was unexpectedly fantastic. Good luck OP.

That's my worry, not the actual birth but the aftermath of healing/recovery

Yes, I was wondering whether to write that. But to be honest, recovery was difficult and I wasn't prepared for it. I had 2 older children and was living in a foreign country. Some people recover really fast though. If you will have little help and want to plan for a worst case scenario I would:

Cancel everything for several weeks after the birth. Plan to stay in bed for a week or two.

If you have older children and can afford it, hire a babysitter for an hour or two a day. Put them in nursery for longer than usual. Or after school club. If not, let them watch more TV than you would normally prefer.

If you can possibly afford it, hire a cleaner to come once a week for the first four weeks. If not, have a massive declutter now, buy bleach wipes etc. Let standards massively slide.

Start filling your freezer now with portioned out reheatable meals, soup, casserole etc. This was a massive lifesaver for me.

Get on top of as much admin as you can before the birth. Set up online shopping if you don't have it already.

If you can or want to breastfeed this will save you having to get up and sterilise/make up bottles.

You might well be one of those people who recovers well from a CS. My room mate in hospital was on her third CS and practically sprang out of bed the following day. Good luck!

Hi OP. I had a very traumatic emergency cesarean with ds1. I found if I kept on top of my Meds it wasn't too bad but if I walked even to the end of the street I was in a lot of pain the next day.
That said I was back driving within 3 weeks.
My scar got infected a lot and actually tore back open a few weeks in but I know this was because I didn't give myself any time to recover. I was heavy lifting, vacuuming and on my feet all the time.

This time I'm having a planned csec and have arranged dh to be at home every day for 2 weeks. Then my mum is booking the third week off to help out too.

I'm not worried at all, the recovery wasn't bad. It just would have been far better if I'd have listened to my body (and everyone around me).

My plan is to lie down and breastfeed and do nothing else for a few weeks. I feel terrible on my 1 year old but it won't be forever.

Good luck, you'll be fine :)

I had an elective. Was fantastic. By the end of the first week I was happy walking around the park, preferably with someone else pushing the buggy I admit, by week 3 I was happily walking normal distances. I did use a pedometer to make sure I was doing a little more each day but not going crazy. Started Pilates at 6 weeks and back to work at 12).

Just don't get out of bed on your front, always roll onto your side (if your bed has a foot board hook a pair of tights around it and use them to pull yourself up like - a bit like the rope ladders they have in the hospitals).

So much better and easier recovery than with DS1 (forceps and 3rd degree).

It's totally normal to take 6 weeks to recover from a section. But it's something that can be planned for and is quite predictable. My SIL is still recovering from her forceps delivery 6 months ago which resulted in 4th degree tears. Not at all what she had in mind.

Retreat gives good advice. You may not need all of that, but it would be advisable to be prepared so you can then concentrate on recovery - and your baby. I was in PJ's for the the first 2 weeks moving no further than the couch/kettle/toilet/bed. DH did everything and all visitors were given a job or sent packing. I also had a 2 year old at the time.

Civilised.

Another person who thinks that two weeks on pj's is a good start. Don't rush recovery. Everything can wait for another month or two. Rope in favours for simple housework / errands from family and friends who will genuinely help and not overstay their welcome.

I found bf after my planned cs easy, milk came in early and as long as I was propped up on cushions it was easy to hold dd.

I had a planned section, was in theatre under an hour, very calm experience, was joking round with the anesthetist. DD had an APGAR of 9 (almost 1 month early) and I lost very little blood. My blood pressure did drop slightly but it was corrected very quickly.
DD was placed on my chest for skin to skin once I was stitched up before they moved me into recovery where I was allowed to breast feed within half an hour.
Born on a Thursday afternoon, I was allowed out of hospital 48 hours later on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning I took my dogs (don't pull) for a short walk. By the following Friday I was taking DD for walks into town to get some shopping and fresh air. I delayed my own recovery slightly by not listening to my body and resting when I needed to but all things said I was back to normal within a few weeks, I never needed more than the paracetamol and ibuprofen you are given. As a bonus DD is one next month and my scar is barely visible plus being below my pubic line none will ever see it unless I physically show them even if I wore a bikini.
A couple of tips I would take some tighter pants or leggings as I found it very reassuring to have something supporting my scar and apron. Also when you are walking I know it's difficult to start with but make sure you stand straight instead of hunched over, this has made my healing much better. Take plenty of maternity pads, you'll still bleed quite a bit, they're also great as padding between your scar and your clothes.
I know it's scary (I was terrified) but you'll be fine. Listen to your body and take it as fast or slow as you feel comfortable doing.

Thanks all, we moved into a new house recently and there's no room for a fridge freezer (our small fridge is under the work tops and has the tiniest freezer compartment you've ever seen )

I'm a complete cleaning addict and it's the only thing that brings calm to my days sometimes. Not sure how I will completely refrain from cleaning for weeks! But maybe I'll have to bare it with great difficulty

Also, how do you do that side roll off the bed if you have a co sleeper crib and a DH on either side?

I had an EMCS so can't speak about the experience, however one thing I found quite tough was getting up and out of bed as I had a lot of pain (allergic to anti inflammatories so healing takes longer). My OH did pretty much everything around the house including preparing and delivering my meals to my bed for the first week or so and took 3 weeks off work to help.

Take any help you can get especially in the early weeks, and if you can afford it buy in help. Look at a postnatal doula; they will "mother the mother" and can prepare meals for you or watch the baby whilst you shower.
My arms and back were quite sore from using them to lift me up out of bed (And not use my stomach muscles ) so I had a massage about 2 weeks post partum and it was glorious. If you can find any time to yourself then you should do it.
I was able to arrange someone to come to the house (check out UrbanMassage.com they don't cover everywhere but certainly London and other cities)

Best of luck