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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

C-Section - Tips for Recovery?

17 replies

bellabelly · 24/07/2007 13:46

Hi, i'm booked in for a c-section in 2 weeks time (although the docs and m/ws keep suggesting that the twins will probably come early anyway...) at Chelsea & Westminster and am just wondering if anyone has any good tips for how to help recovery go as smoothly as possible? I'm starting to get quite anxious and any advice would be very welcome!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

uberalicelongbottom · 24/07/2007 13:50

Best advice I can offer is to take it really easy (i.e. no lifting, apart from your babies) for at least 6 weeks. Hard, I know, but definitely worth it in the long run. Good luck!

MegaLegs · 24/07/2007 13:51

Accept all help offered. Some mums from church filled my freezer was fantastic.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 24/07/2007 13:52

Agree - take things slowly and easily at first.
Go at your own pace. I found a light stroll each day helped, just around a local park or around the block to buy a newspaper.
It is good to keep active, but not overdo it.
Best of luck!

coleyboy · 24/07/2007 13:57

Would suggest light exercise (ie walking only), as the blood pumping round the body helps you to heal. However, this doesn't stop you from getting people to do everything for you in the early days!

Also, be proactive with the nurses about getting the catheters, canulars, drips etc out as soon as possible. I hated being tied to the bed, so got everything out asap.

Drink loads of fluid after the op as they will remove the catheter as soon as your wee is a good colour.

Canulars are uncomfortable, so I got mine taken out a few hours after the op. Nurses weren't to keen in case they needed it in an emergency, but I said they can always put another one if needed.

I spent one night in hospital, and can honestly say I didn't need to (or want to) stay in for longer. It's much easier to recover at home.

Good luck!!! It's not as bad as I thought it would be, and mine wasn't planned.

bundle · 24/07/2007 14:00

take pain relief when it's due, not when you feel pain
walk as soon as you feel you can
take off the dressing (sticking plaster stuff) and take out the catheter yourself - I did mine in the shower 2nd time around and felt much better for doing it myself.
eat plenty salad/veg to get things moving again, bowel-wise
insist on a private room (I got one after 24 hrs) as it will be quieter

Original poster

bellabelly · 24/07/2007 14:02

Thank you for all the tips! Coleyboy, that's amazing that you only had one night in hospital - I asked my consultant how long I could expect to be in for and he said a week! Did you have to convince them to let you go earlier or did they suggest it?

OP posts:

bundle · 24/07/2007 14:02

I was in hospital for 4 days the first time
3 days the second time

coleyboy · 24/07/2007 14:10

I had planned a homebirth, so being in hospital after an emergency csection was the worst possible scenario. Maybe this gave me motivation to get home??!!

I honestly felt ok to go home, and never really felt any pain. Probably cos I took the pain relief at regular intervals.

The MW asked me if I had thought about when I would like to go home, and I said today. She agreed that if ds and me were ok, then we could go home. I had ds on the Sunday morning and was home for lunch on Monday.

I also felt like my time in hospital was pretty surreal, it wasn't until I got home that I really felt like I had had a baby. It was the first chance we had to really get to know each other, as there is no privacy in hospital.

Original poster

bellabelly · 24/07/2007 14:15

I had my first ever overnight stay in hospital on Saturday night following a bit of a scare. I agree that it does all seem a bit surreal and I really HATED feeling like a patient instead of an independent grown-up woman. I'm really encouraged to think if things go smoothly I might get out pretty quickly, thanks!

OP posts:

mumfor1standfinaltime · 24/07/2007 14:16

That is so true coleyboy. I had to stay in for 3 nights, they wouldn't let me go as I had high blood pressure, I didn't sleep a wink!

claraq · 24/07/2007 14:16

I was only in for two nights - was meant to stay in for at least three but after two noisy nights insisted on being let home to get some sleep!

Get up as soon as possible after the birth (with me it was the morning after), and have a shower. It will make you feel 100 per cent better.

When you have a shower don't put your stuff on the floor like I stupidly did. Bending down to pick it up was agony...

Mint tea is good for trapped wind which can be a problem after a c-section.

A lot of people swear by Arnica to help with the healing. I didn't try it though.

Agree with others who have said try and go for a short walk each day, even if just to the end of the road if necessary.

As you will have twins it'll be hard work anyway so GET ALL THE HELP YOU CAN!!!

princessbride · 24/07/2007 14:21

hi i was booked in to have c-section with twins but they did come early, had c section, advice is as follows

its soooo great to get the twins out anything will feel better, try and rest immidiately after c section, dont let loads of people visit just hubby and mum if thats possible, let them pick babies up and everything for you, next day they will make you get up, only do what you can they are really firm with you but be firm back...you have twins you have got alot of hard work ahead, rest as much as you can while you can, they made me leave 2nd day after c section, just do little at a time use your hubbys paternity leave to your advantage, rest walk a little and sleepp....you will need it

butterbeer · 24/07/2007 14:22

Don't catch whooping cough immediately afterwards.

Sadly, I speak from personal experience on that one...

claraq · 24/07/2007 14:24

Oh yes and don't let anyone say anything funny for at least a week as laughing HURTS! Unfortunately I think I was on such a high/pumped full of morphine following the birth I found a lot of things funny (although not leaving my stuff on the floor in the bathroom).

midnightexpress · 24/07/2007 14:25

Arnica's great for healing the bruising. I had it after my second section which had been a bit of a knockabout affair with lots of bruising (long story...) and as soon as I started taking it it really helped. I used the high strength tablets.

Keep as mobile as possible and remember to stand up straight - my automatic response to being cut open was to slouch and it doesn't help. When I was in hospital the physios came round and gave advice about specific exercises and so on.

The pain relief (no morphine for me, just co-codamol) really helps too.

And as the others say, get as much help as you can. I'm sure with twins you'll be wondering what you ever did with your days before you gave birth . Good luck!

princessbride · 24/07/2007 14:27

oh and something noone told me about was being constipated from the epidural for five days after the c section and that hurt....doctor gave me something that didnt work but try aloevera juice its concentrated you can get it in most chemists

butterbeer · 24/07/2007 14:32

Also you may not be constipated from the epidural so much as from the painkillers they give you, which are... you guessed it... also constipating. And if they put you on iron tablets those are constipating too. Dried fruit is good.

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