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!!!

Hi there
Lots of excellent advice on this thread.
I has two c-sections, one emergency one after 26 hours of labour 2.5 years ago and one planned one in January.
The planned section was a much better experience, you go in for a pre-op the day before and they go through everything in detail with you and you get the chance to ask any questions.
I don't know if it varies from hospital to hospital but for the elective I had to walk down to theatre which was a bit weird as I expected to be wheeled in. For the emergency one I had an epidural already in and was wheeled in as I couldn't walk.
They may use a spinal block rather than an epidural for the section as the effects of a spinal block wear off faster and a section is not a long operation - about 6 minutes until baby was delivered first time around and 45 minutes for the stitching afterwards. They both involve a needle in the back though so no real difference and I have had both.
Consider bringing your own music in to play in theatre - I found that helped me relax as I am a total wuss!
People seem to vary immensely in terms of the pain afterwards - first time around I was in a lot of pain so this time I asked for more pain relief than the paracetamol they routinely offer (althugh policy seems to vary even within the same hospital). The best thing is to ask during the op about pain relief and get them to write you up for strong painkillers - you don't have to take them if you don't need them. In my ward we were all c-sections and we varied enormously in how soon we were mobile.
You will have to wear those beautiful elastic stockings too from before the op until just before you are discharged.
Finally, the breastfeeding pillow is a great idea but not just for bf, I slept propped up on mine for the first week or so as that made it much easier for me to get out of bed and was generally more comfortable. I normally sleep on my side but couldn't do that comfortably for a few weeks. The recovery time in general was much better after the planned section than the emergency one.
Best of luck!

probably a really late adition to this thread but def take arnica and try and start taking it soon - it builds up really well in your system and does really make a difference.

fennel tea is also great and helps with the wind - try polos too, even though they are sugary.

i also found bananas were good for keeping strength up afterwards and easy to snack on quickly

nighties definitely and take lots and lots of pads - you stil bleed the usual amount.

good luck I'm sure it will all go really well and agree with whoever said get off the painkillers as soon as you can afterwards.

o'h and walk around as much as you can afterwards - stairs are good, and it's worth putting up with it, you get back on your feet properly much quicker!

just going to add:

mint tea and painkillers did not affect breaatfeeding at all for me so please take the painkillers for as long as you need them (and my babe was 10lb so anything is possible)

also you will deserve some treats so:

1. magazines!
2. lovely juicy grapes
3. sweeties and chocolates or a pain au chocolate or whatever you fancy!!

pack a good CD for the actual op - its very calming to have your choice of music going on

take vest/hat/baby gro/nappy for baby into the delivery room as they will dress him/her for you - not whole bag

yes you do bleed -its like a really heavy period - all that womb lining has to come out now baby doesn't need it. Don't worry about it - just wear big pads and think of your tummy getting smaller!!

not mint tea.

Your c-birth bag doesn't have to be different. I tell all my mums not to waste money on disposable knicks but to buy cheap cotton ones (no knickers are too big lol)

Nothing different really but I would recommend you get one of those on wheels like you would take on holiday as you will find it so much easier to transport.

agree on big cotton granny knickers that come up to your belly button so they don't rub the stitches.
i couln't pass wind for 2 days after c-section and was given peppermint tea by midwife but it didn't work had to have lax instead which worked wonders , the peppermint didn't effect breast feeding, but the scar and trapped wind did, found the v-shaped feeding pillow a god send.
most important thing for recovery is to ask for help it's a big op and it'll take a few weeks before you feel yourself so take it easy as much as you can. oh and bio oil is great for the scar mines fading already and it's only been 11 weeks.

I agree with all the above.

I had emergency section, but really it was fine.

Yes yes yes shave/trim yourself. I had more irritation from the urgent Bik-no foam scrape than I did from the actual wound.

Asda cheapy cheapy pants two sizes too big (as you put it for that lovely Simon Cowell look) comfy for the scar and then you can bin them guilt free. Lochia is just annoying whichever way you deliver.

Flip flops for the shower so you don't have to attempt to bend down.

Masses of food you may actually want to eat - a minor thing, but being trapped in hospital for the extra tme is really quite tedious.

Pillows - yes take your own as a home comfort. There should be loads of help to bf - V-pillow def comes into its own after CS. Ask to be shown rugby ball position (on the links someone else has posted above).

Something to do/read - remember you won't have the exhaustion from a vaginal delivery so there is a strong liklihood that just because baby is asleep, you won't be, and you can't have visitors at all times. That said, motherhood dictates it is entirely possible to spend an hour or more just looking and marvelling at the little one!

Good luck.

Sorry to bring it up after such positive stories but is anyone else out there as petrified of needles as me?!!
I have had 3 CS's ( 2 emergency and 1 planned ) ans will be having my 4 planned CS in Sep and i am having nihtmares about the operation. It is not that the previous experieces have been too bad but i just can't get over the needle thing.
Any ideas? I am even contemplating having a general in order to escape the whole experience.

Hi Lolabelle,

Can't add much as it's pretty much already been said. But I will be having a section in about 7 weeks and I will be taking lots of bottles of water with me, the ones with the pop up drinking spouts, as it is really hot on the wards and it stops you feeling like a pest asking for water if you have lots of your own, you can leave them on the bed without worrying they will leak everywhere!
I didn't have very heavy bleeding after my emergency section, dh (works in hospitals) said it might have been because some surgeons "swab" you out a lot when they are in there. (Of course I might have just been lucky!) My lochia wasn't as bad as some of my periods though...
I found paper knickers great for the first day or so as you don't have to try to bend to pull them off, just rip them down the sides and pull away.
It's nice to have some nice shower gel / shampoo for when you get a shower, I took mini ones from Boots so they didn't take much space in the bag. Lovely to feel a bit human afterwards with nice smellies!
This time around I will also be making sure that wear a nursing bra instantly so that I don't look fat and droopy-boobed on the photos!

Looks like it's pretty much been said, but flip flop type shoes to go home in. My feet swelled up a treat after my C-section, apparently it can be common, i couldn't get normal shoes on in hospital.
Also I was give a rope ladder in my hospital bed so that I could pull myself up, lower myself down more easily. Definitely helped, so ask if they have them.
I couldn't stand having anything over scar, so wore knickers folded down and nighties.
Just make sure you have plenty to entertain yourself, and people to visit. Hospital is dull.

Cor, this is bringing it all flooding back! Definite vote for the v-pillow, cotton pants and flip-flops. Just a minor thing but take any nail varnish off toes before you go in (they need to see nail bed to check for blood flow). I had a pedicure as a treat just before due date and ended up with an emergency c-section. They got my husband to take my nail varnish off and ended up with smeary red feet and toes to look at for the next five days!

It's not really painful, nothing like a natural birth, just takes longer to recover. No swimming or baths for 6 wks, no driving for 2 wks. Bring lots to read, to do, writing (birth annoucements, thank-you letters?), iPod, stuff like that. I don't know how long they keep you in the UK but I was in for a week. Go easy on the chocs & sweeties unless you're a stick with a bump. (Not many calories burned when you're lying around, trying to sit up, hobble around, etc.)

Just wanted to add that if you wet the dressing properly before you take it off, then it doesn't hurt and doesn't leave a graze which scars. I was a bit hasty on one side and still have the mark to prove it!

I had an emergency c-section, and a WONDERFUL birth experience anyway! Good luck! xxx

Take in a CD of music you want your child to be born to and see if they'll put it on the in operating theatre. They played music at both of my children's c-sec deliveries, and I wished I'd taken my own in as my DD was born to Tom Jones, and my DS to the Bee Gees!! Not quite what I'd have chosen, but it was good fun.

Good luck, and take it easy afterwards. I tried to do too much after the first c-sec and recovered far more slowly than after the second, when I did take it easy.

Having had two planned caesarians..

Would definitely agree with shaving a couple of inches of your hair before you go - much less painful than the dry 10p disposable razor experience! Also, I can honestly say that my caesarians themselves were enjoyable experiences. The epidurals weren't nearly as bad as I expected and the atmosphere was very calm. One thing that I didn't know to expect is that babies born by caesarian can initially have a little problem breathing as the mucus in their lungs isn't squeezed out as it would be for a natural birth. I was a bit alarmed when my first baby went a bit blue but this was nothing to worry about as they can soon clear it and it didn't happen for my second child.

Afterwards, I found the level of bleeding to be quite heavy although I don't know what it's like for a natural birth. I didn't find pyjamas irritated my scar as it was about an inch below my bikini line. The second time around I was a lot more proactive in getting myself up and moving - I was quite surprised how sore I felt the first time and it was a challenge to get to the cot.

The nurses offered to have my babies in the nursery overnight and bring them in when they needed feeding - I found this really helpful if it's an option for you as you could get some much needed sleep in between and not have to worry about trying to reach the baby when they cried. Also, I found the breastfeeding position where you lie down flat on your side by far the easiest at first although bizarrely the midwives didn't suggest this until my last day.

Other tips, I would also ask for any painkillers post the op to be given by mouth rather than the other end - much less embarassing! Also, I was berated for walking around in just socks so don't forget your slippers. They asked me to take off my jewellery for the operation (although not my glasses which I found a bit strange!) so might be worth leaving anything valuable at home.

I'm sure yours will go well so all the best...

Also, it's really worth taking a camera with you as suggested below. We got an amazing photo of our son just after he'd been "extracted" and it was the doctors that suggested we took some photos so it shouldn't be a problem.

jasper i too was absolutely petrified about needles and had a really good down to earth anaesthatist (sp), and also the promise of jewellery from DH if i didnt have a general

agree with the music idea - ds was born to boogie wonderland - Magic on a friday night on that retro thing! makes me feel great whenever I hear it on the radio though

Take a favourite/special new towel, nice shampoo and conditioner and shower gel and luxury moisturiser, as nothing makes you feel better than that first shower. Go on, indulge yourself!