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!!!

Shave your arms??????

Constipation and trapped wind - anything, take anything to sort these out. The pain is worse than post op pain.

Lulu, what strength arnica tabs?

Huge granny pants a size too big best for not hurting scar.
Paper ones were useless.

i just got the ones from boots, did the trick !

can;t remember the strength

have a look at this site for ideas of a c.s birth plan

can you not go for a vaginal birth this time?

Lolabelle- is your DH not going to be with you?

lulu - do you mean me - not going for a VBAC?

I am hoping so, and according to midwife, baby may have turned ceph so fingers crossed.

Was just wondering about arnica generally.

no sorry gingerbear ! meant for Lolabelle !

good news re baby turning !

I know some people have a lot of pain after C-section but i didn't have much discomfort at all, i just took all the pain relief they offered me!! Didn't have a problem picking baby up or breast feeding.

The thing that gave me the most discomfort was ......... where i'd been shaved!! That was sore and stubbly

lolabelle, don't worry, elective cs are meant to be very calm and almost enjoyable experiences. I had a horrible, frightening emergency cs with a general anaesthetic but even so was fully recovered within 12 weeks and well on the way by six weeks and managed to bf dd until 13 months so it can easily be done, just demand as much help as possible from midwives in hospital rather than being a wimp like me who ended up forcing myself out of bed and spending 20 minutes getting to dd's cot because I was too scared of them to ring the call bell. I'm having an elective for my second and have just ordered some theraline pants, you can google them for details, which sound as if they'll be very handy in protecting the scar from dd's kicks. I bled for about 8 weeks, so no advantages there, plus doctor said it makes no difference to pelvic floor so I still have to exercise away but there are so many traumatic vaginal birth stories out there, I think you just have to be aware that no way of giving birth is particularly pleasant unless you're Davina McCall but the end result is well worth it. Good luck

lolabelle - I had a last minute "elective" Cs with my third and came home the next day as I hate hospitals and had a 15mo at home. I'm glad i did , it was much better at home.

Fennel tea is very good for getting rid of trapped wind. Remember gripe water? that was fennel based. It is also supposed to be good for building up your milk supply.

Re Shaving - check with your hospital what their policy is. I had my third elective cs last year and the hospital had changed their policy and now don't shave. If they do require shaving - do it yourself at home otherwise you get someone coming at you with a dry bic disposable - grim.

Yes to so much of what has been said on here!

Definitely cotton pants rather than mesh ones, I got some giant M&S rejects six, count 'em, six sizes above my normal size and they were an absolute lifesaver, not least because I was still wearing them several weeks after the operation. It took a good month before I could wear clothes that pushed on the scar at all, if not longer.

Also a big yes for arnica. But don't just take the normal tablets from Boots. I was recommended to get the super-dooper 200c arnica from Helios.co.uk, to take in the couple of days running up to the op and the few days after, and I did have spectacularly good healing - even the midwives kept commenting - and was up and about quite quickly.

Also yes to anything that keeps your bowels going - I used to get DH to bring in those litre packs of Innocent smoothies and drink one every day while I was in hospital. Food generally is a good thing, hospital food is grossly unappealing, and you get hungry at odd times of day (at least I did).

Another good trick when you get home is lavender and tea tree oil in the bath - I did this every time my scar started twinging slightly, and it really helped.

And finally, a friend packaged me up a small selection of toiletries deluxe, which was such a lovely treat when I staggered down the corridor for my first shower. If you're going to be there a few days, it really helps you to stay human. I also found under eye concealer to be essential, but that might just be me...

Good luck - I found it far less of an ordeal afterwards than everyone said it would be, so I hope it is as good for you.

set all your things out on your bedside table before hand if possible or get your dp to do it afterwards - everything to hand will be easier for you.

probably repeating what others have said

arnica tablets
tea tree oil - few drops in warm water for bathing wound. Paper towels for patting wound dry.

peppermint tea - brilliant - I did not know about this until my 3rd section and the difference in regards to trapped wind was amazing!!

cotton granny pants

snacks for when you are starving in the middle of the night

magazines to skim read when in hospital

had no problems breast feeding after 2 of my 3 sections. ( 1st one babe was in ICU/SCBU)

v- shaped pillow for feeding - takes pressure off your wound/scar.

FOund getting up as soon as possible very helpful.

three weeks post 3rd section today and feel brillaint - no pain, very little lochia, wound healed nicely - felt this good last week. I seem to heal quicker each time.

nightie instead of pjs as you will have a catheter in and it is easier to sort it with a nightie than pjs. I took pjs for later on. I also take clothes - depending on how long you are staying in - felt better being able to put clothes on during the day and then pjs at night rather than being in pjs all day.

I had a c section and in Aus they give you laxatives after to keep you regular, this can backfire so i would bring wet toilet wipes as a precaution! If they don't give you laxatives try bringing in metamucil type powder (more gentle than a laxative)to mix with your water. I would also use thin pads to go over the stitches to protect and dry and keep them in place with big undies. Move your toes and bend your knees regularly to avoid too much water retention - this was the worst side affect for me. By the way, I found the whole thing very easy so don't worry. If you don't have other kids i'd go home asap, much nicer than a ward!

I am having an elective c section on Monday so all this has been very helpful - thanks ladies!!! Will be off for some Fennel tea later I think!

One other thing I read somewhere was to pack a small bag with camera and baby outfit, 1 nappy and towel to take down to the operating suite with you with the stuff you will need to dress the baby immediatley post op...saves having DH rummaging thru neatly packed and organised bag (if you have one of those!!)
x

You can get high strength arnica tablets 200 something which are better than the standard 30 something ones.

You might be waiting around for ages so yes - books and magazines.

Take snacks with you to eat in hospital - the food was dreadful and we didn't get anything to eat between 6pm and 8am which is a long time when you're up all night for a few days!

I bought a 5 pack of size 20 armpit pants from Matalan for £2.50. Disposible knickers are too low cut. Afterwards, you may find that you have to wear soft waistband trousers for ages - one month on and jeans irritate my skin (even through the big pants).

You will be bruised around the whole area - not just the scar itself. Aloe vera gel is very soothing. And you do bleed loads as it's just post pregnancy rather than the delivery method as someone said - I found nighttime heavy duty pads with wings better than maternity pads as you loose a lot in the first few weeks.

I didn't drink peppermint tea as I'd heard it could dry up breast milk but I did get terrible wind which was very painful.

I had one of those Helios homeopathic birth packs. It was really good post-caesarian. I took extra arnica and popped them into my mouth constantly. I also took some lavender oil and put drops of it into a bowl of warm water next to my bed. I also sprinkled loads of lavender oil on the floor in the shower. It's also meant to be good for healing and minimising scarring. That first shower is heaven. I remember the midwife saying 'You will get into the shower feeling 100 years old , and will come out feeling 60' She was right!!

The worst thing I found was being completely unable to do anything that involved stomach muscles - often worse when you get home and in the middle of the night and your dh/dp is holding the baby as you try to winch yourself up/down from a lying position - sadly I don't know any solution other than taking the hospital bed home with you! (they have excellent ones with automatic elevators to get you upright!). Not much you can do about it, just be aware and don't feel frightened.
Good luck.

food and water!
ive had four elective cs - the first two were medically indicated then i just had to follow suit
generally all fine but find im starving and thirsty the 24 - 48 hours afterwards - combination of starvation prior to op then breastfeeding and they dont offer you very much
last time i took a big tub of homemade muesli with lots of dried fruit and lots of fresh fruit and licquorice allsorts! for those sweet cravings you get with BF

sorry if anyone has already answered this...i bf straight after my cs, in the delivery suite and am still now. my milk was a day or so late, which is normal with cs. baby loses weight after birth, and your milk is late, so he/she might go hungry for a day so. i had mw's who panicked and tried to make me express, cup feed etc. All a waste of time, milk came down, baby fine, cups in bin.

try and wait for your shower and get your partner to come in with you and help. there is nowhere to put you wash stuff, and you can't bend down and pick up those pesky slippery soaps etc.

Once I had my catheter out I wore Pjamas in the day time and changed into my nightie at bedtime. It was hot on the ward especially at night and this made me feel a little fresher.
I went for the big pants from matalan and took a easy to read book, someone like Marian Keyes.

haven't managed to read whole thread, but this is really good

Hi
Just arrived on this threat, all advice/info is great - just wanted to add that if you are able, it may be an idea to drop the painkillers they give you after a c-section as soon as you are able. I had my DS two years ago and the first week was a nightmare breastfeeding as he was so sleepy and wouldn't wake to be fed no matter what I did, and lost too much weight. It was suggested to me that the meds. I was taking after the operation were transferring to my milk and making him sleepy, and as soon as I stopped taking them things improved. However I was lucky and up and walking the same day of the birth and didn't need the painkillers so it won't be the same for everyone.

Good luck!