What about a hospital bag for a C-section????

[Lolabelle]

Having a C-section in 3 weeks and wondered if there are any things in it that would differ from a natural birth hospital bag?? Obviously i'll be cut open across the belly as opposed to down below this time but i read some where about ppaer knickers irritating the scar etc and what about bleeding - do you get any vaginal bleeding???! I imagine not but i know nothing!!!

you get the same bleeding ( lochia) as if you had had a vaginal birth

take big cotton granny pants, arnica tablets, peppermint tea, ( can get trapped wind after c,s ) , maternity pads and all the usual stuff!

Second the arnica, I'd shave yourself first, also don't forget your camera, and take a book, they tend to delay planned caesarians and so you end up sitting around like a plumb. Oh and wear a nursing bra if you intend to bf in the delivery room. I found an alice band helpful because there is nothing worse than lying on your back, unable to reach the hair which is in your eye when you great your child for the first time

Sorry didn't answer the bleeding bit. Yes for about four weeks. With me it was eight but I got a post partum infection. You will have a catheter in and be encouraged to drink tons when they remove it so take some squash or something otherwise you'll just have water and it can get a bit dull after the fourth litre

Oh and you will probably find they use these little pearl beads on the end of the running stitch and three days later they cut them off and pull the stitch through - sounds horrid but actually it's not too bad.

I will warn you though, I still have (six months on) a SCAR from the adhesive dressing - I am allergic to plasters, right the way across my front and on my back from the epidural and if you get this, there is no comfy position at all.

you only need to take off the top inch or so of your pubes..not a full brazilian BTW !!

lulumama - is peppermint tea ok if bf? I read somewhere that peppermint is used to reduce milk supply (eg if weaning) and that because of potential probs getting bf started after cs it might not be a good idea. Not sure if there are any other teas that might help trapped wind? fennel, maybe?

Scar from the adhesive dressing?? Is that because you are allergic to platsers only or is this common?? God so you still bleed??! How does that work then? My friend who is also pregnant wants a c-section to avoid all the bleeding although i am sure she is trying to make me feel better about it all but she really didn't seem to think i'd get any as its not a vaginal delivery. God so massive pads AS WELL AS a nasty big scar and not being able to move about!! Is there any pros to having a c-section i wonder...

What about waist bands - surely and under the bump waistband will rub the scar so should i bring my simon cowell tracksuit bottoms for going home in and wear only nighties in there??

interesting ! i don;t actually know the answer to that ! would be great if any one else does!!

You can get some (really attractive) mesh pants from mothercare - brilliant as they held the dressing in place over the scar, and they were vvv stretchy so nice and comfy.
Bleeding the same as vaginal birth - so plenty of pads.
Arnica - definitely. I'm sure it helped.

I drink shed loads of peppermint tea plus i get trapped wind regularly so any tips on cures for after the c-section would be great. is it awkward to breast feed straight after a c-section?

arnica is to put on the scar isn't it?? Does it help loads then??

the bleeding is from where the placenta detaches from the uterus after birth...irrelevant where the baby comes out of !

and wanting major abdominal surgery to avoid the bleeding is not the best reason,

having a c.s is a major undertaking, it is surgery and there needs to be compelling medical reasons to have one !

take the arnica tablets, as they help bruising inside too !

take the arnica tablets, as they help bruising inside too !

lulu - just wanted to say big huge respect to you who is obviously a huge supporter of 'natural' births coming on these threads to help (I know you've had both) it's a testament to your kind and non-judgemental nature

the pads are nice to put in front of your panties across the scar to keep it dry. Take a lot of extra clothes for the baby, I needed a weeks worth unless you live nearby and dp can bring some extras. pack a razor to shave your arms as you will stay in longer than with a normal delivery. I also asked dh to bring me natural yogurt to counteract some of the antibiotics they'll give you. They might give you iron supplements which makes you constipated along with the painkillers, so I made sure I had loads of dried fruit and drink as much water as they give you, the first 24hours you wee down a tube anyway.

i bf straight afterwards, in the recovery room. The only problem is the first couple of nights you can't pick your LO up as it's still to painful / awkward, so you have press your little button and get the midwife to pass your LO to you. The first night that happened it wasn't great, the midwives were very busy and DD was screaming for about 10 minutes before anyone came to pass her to me. The second night I got the midwives to take her to the nursery and then just bring her to me when she needed feeding - I felt dreadful but it meant I got some sleep and it was less traumitising for both me and DD!

, why, thank you dances!

i try!

bf was painful for me as ds was 9lb4 and quite a weight to have ontop of your stomach, I asked for loads of pillows that I stacked around me so that I could lay him next to me (rugby ball style) to bf. Oh and they sometimes take them away if they are busy so take your own.

definitely dried fruit..apricots and figs

also look into getting some spatone, which is good to take for the last trimester anyway ,as it is a natural iron supplement, but does not constipate you the same as tablets

breast feeding after a c.s and excellent BF resource

also make sure you have numbers to hand for la leche league and other breastfeeding help , in case you have difficulties

You can drink fennel tea, I drank peppermint tea and it didn't make a darn bit of difference to my breastfeeding. But you want to avoid sage. Raspberry leaf tea helped reduce my swollen uterus fairly sharpish too (as does bfing obviously)

Major allergic reactions to plasters are not that common, if you have had a blood test and your arm hasn't blistered when they've put a plaster on afterwards, you'll be fine. I was just unlucky.

In terms of bleeding, mine was very similar to my regular period (although it's been so long I'm not sure I remember what that was like - another plus of breastfeeding ).

I could lift my baby immediately and was up and walking the corridors 90 minutes after my section, I had the epidural removed within two hours too (but apparently that's rare and most people keep them in for 24 hours - I have a high pain threshold).

Take the drugs they give you though because on day three or so, boy you know you have had major surgery, you just suddenly feel shit and really sore as the bruising comes out. Holland and Barratt btw for the arnica pills.

Tell your friend to get over herself, if she manages to get through having a period she can get through post partum bleeding. Anyway I reckon it's less with a caesarian as they suck some of it out when they are rummaging around in there!!!

slip on shoes. Don't take trainers (as I did) that you have to bend down to put on...

I would recommend taking a v pillow, helps with getting babe into a comfortable position for breast feeding. Also your own pillow, because hospital pillows are rubbish!

I think she is trying to reassure me as i would prefer a natural birth, i also don't think she has actually thought about what a cs actually entails, i'm cr@ping it big time i can tell you!!

Really helpful advice, absolutely dreading being in hospital without my dh's support though - feels quite isolating plus my dd is at home and has never been away from me really apart form the odd afternoon at nursery. Its really quite scary having your second in a way i didn't expect!!

I bled loads last time so i'm sure its no biggy, had stitches down below as well so i guess it'll be worse than that but as long as my dd doesn't dive bomb me i should be ok!!

In case it makes you feel any better, I loved my cs! Easy, calm, virtually pain free. Just make sure you take all the meds they offer you. I was alert and happy throughout, baby was born calmly, passed to me almost immediately, bfing very shortly after.

I honestly had very, very little pain. The scar is fine too - the metal strip that acts as stitches sounds really scary but it comes out really quite painlessly.

I know some people don't have this experience but I just wanted to let you know it can be really, really fine. Pleasant even.