C Section advice

[elvis4nuts]

Morning lovelies.
I've just found out that I'm going to have a C section next week, which wasn't my plan!

Does anyone have any advice? Things they wish they knew before hand, things to take to the hospital or organised at home.

Kate x

Get some dulcoease. Just helps with bowel movements after, although there isn't any damage to your bits the straining will hurt your stomach. I think some of the painkillers they give you can bung you up. So plenty of water after is also a good idea, especially while you're still catheterised!

Take snacks, I didn't really want to eat much all in one go for a few days, so some nice snacks are handy when you want them.

Peppermint tea for the wind. Honestly the pain in my shoulder from trapped wind was worse than the c section!

Ask for painkillers!! Don't try and brave it out! Take all you are offered!

And lastly just try not to worry. I've had 2 c sections, one emergency and one elective. They were different but not bad. Yes it's painful but as long as you take it easy and get plenty of rest the recovery isn't always horrendous. With dd2 I was driving in less than 3 weeks (not long distance 😂 just the school run).

I recommend buying some huge knickers because you won't want anything near the stitches. Also lots of painkillers because the first few days are very painful. If you are planning to breastfeed I found that my breastfeeding round pillow helped as I could use it to support the baby. Good luck Xx

And when you get home, set up all you'll need next to you. So a water bottle, snacks, wipes, nappies, tv remote, phone charger etc to save you moving around too much.

Ah yes! The c section pants! I'm still wearing them and dd2 is 4 months old! Buy some big black pants, but maybe go up a size. Get some nice baggy tracksuit bottoms or yoga pants in a size up so you can wear stuff above your scar (Simon Cowell style!).

Big knickers and leggings to go over the stitches. Flip flops to go in the shower (my hospital floors weren't the cleanest!). Good luck.

"Peppermint tea for the wind. Honestly the pain in my shoulder from trapped wind was worse than the c section!"

every day is a school day. I had to go beg for early painkillers for this.

Make yourself a small sausage shaped cushion to help support your incision as you get used to sitting up in bed. Just get a clean face cloth and fold it up inside a clean pillow case and fold it all in to a flat sausage that is as wide as your hips. Use surgical tape or Elastoplast, masking tape etc to hold the ends together. When you move, place the cushion over your incision to gently support it all. Makes moving so much easier. I've had several surgeries to my abdomen as well as a csection and am so grateful to the nurse who made me my first sausage!! Good luck OP

You’ll still be in maternity clothes for a while after the baby is born. Just remember that “under bump” = “on the scar”, so you what High reaching yoga pants and dresses.

Take a sports cap bottle with you to hospital, so you can drink lying down, and shower gel on a hook. Slipper/crocs you can slip on with out bending over.

Agree with all the other suggestions especially big knickers, got mine from Primark and kept them for comfy period knickers.

Also get up and move as soon as you can, then they will take the catheter out. The sooner it's out, the less likely you are to get a water infection. I know from my many surgeries that I get one every time I'm catheterised.

Bring your own extra pillow for comfort

Extra long charging wire for your phone

A travel mug - some wards won't let you drink hot drinks at all unless it's in a travel mug. Others will obviously just ask you to put your baby down. For me, having a hot brew stay hot is like gold.

Trying to remember what was useful for me, it was only 5 months ago but you quickly forget! Stock up on paracetamol and ibuprofen now so you've got a stash ready for when you get home. Big pants and loads of them. Flip flops so no bending for socks. Dry your scar with a clean maternity pad after showering. Use a dressing gown cord to swing your legs in and out of the bed as I found twisting to get in difficult. If you can, ask to take control of your own medication if you'll be in for a while and then you won't need to wait for the trolley, just write everything down in a notepad to keep track, my recovery was much swifter after I arranged this. Most importantly, take it easy and just relax with your new baby! Try not to worry too much, my recovery was better after my section than my non section birth even with a toddler in tow.

I had two planned c sections. I was terrified but really they were totally fine. Weird as hell but fine. I was worried about the spinal block but it wasn’t any worse than a normal injection. I mostly didn’t take the hardcore painkillers just paracetamol and ibuprofen so they were quite ouchy afterwards but on the odd occasion I did take them they really did work. Take a cushion in the car to put across your belly for the drive home as the seatbelt goes where the incision is.

I found having 3 bags helped. One for me. One for baby. One at home to be brought in to be swapped over once the stuff I had was dirty. (I ended up staying for 7 days with DC2)

I definitely recommend something for getting rid of trapped wind.
My c section never hurt, unless I sneezed or someone really made me laugh.
But the wind was extricating.

Set up things at home so that you won't have to go up and down the stairs too much, eg changing station downstairs as well as upstairs. I found stairs quite painful for the first few days. Overall it was a really good birthing experience though. Good luck!

My best tips!
Biig water bottle you can keep in bed with you
Snacks nearby
Huge 'fullbrief' knickers
I personally preferred dresses / nightshirts for at least 3-4 days but I had a summer C section...
Label up your tablet / injection boxes and write up a rota - ie at 8am take 1xC and 2xb because keeping ontop of meds really helped my pain and recovery

Following

When you get home, after each shower put your hairdryer on cool setting and carefully dry the scar area. I was told this by another c section mum, and I'm convinced it's the reason that I didn't get an infection or anything.

Lots of peppermints or peppermint tea- great for the trapped wind.
Flip flops for the shower.
Extra long phone charger

All great advice above!

Getting out of bed is HARD. Have someone with you at home the first few times to work out what you need where to help you up - for me it was just reaching up to the headboard and pulling.

Be prepared for the fact that any cough, sneeze or laugh will really hurt. The laughing took me by surprise! Gentle pressure with a cushion helped.

Accept ALL and any help. Just rest. Even if you start to feel better, really take it easy. I'd do too much as soon as I felt able, but my body let me know I'd overdone it. Just take care.

And, as others have said, I cannot stress enough big pants and peppermint tea.

I had one three weeks ago - second the big pants and loose trousers. I tried wearing my maternity jeans and they still pulled on he scar so try leggings if possible.
Will you have blood thinning injections after? We get them as standard for ten days here - you have to do them yourself into your tummy at home. Pay careful attention to the technique but be warned that bruising is common - my tummy is covered in bruises and this was actually one of the most painful parts.
Second stocking up on painkillers and preparing in advance so you have everything you need nearby.
Apply gentle pressure to the incision when you sneeze, cough, laugh - it eases the pain
Don't overdo it. I tried to go on a walk a week after and it ended up causing a big increase in blood loss for a few days as it was too much / I didn't realise just how long recovery would be
Shower twice a day and air your incision as much as possible to keep it dry and prevent infection
Also, it is all worth it when you lie back with your gorgeous newborn on your chest snoozing away x

Oh and practice log rolling out of bed- helps so much as you aren’t pulling on your stomach. YouTube will have videos showing how to do it

Even better, ask if there is a Women’s health physio who can see you whilst you are still in hospital, to show you how to get out of bed, hold your baby etc. I didn’t know such HCPs existed until I had my son, admittedly 11 years ago, but she was marvellous in helping my post-c section mobility.

Following.. c section on the 31st😁

Just to second blow drying scar. I did this also and didn’t get an infection. Do not over do it. It’s tempting, but really not worth it. Get some post c section knickers. 6 months on and I’m still wearing mine.

Be prepared for a long recovery. My scar is still sore and still cannot wear normal knickers or trousers.

Thank you so much you lovely lot.
This was exactly the sort of stuff I was after.
Trapped wind definitely seems to be a big feature hey!!! It wouldn't have occurred to me.
X