Leaving hospital clothes post c section

[SubParbanMum]

I am totally over thinking this but please help me out.

This will be my 2nd section but 1st was emergency and barely remember a thing apart from how desperate I was to leave hospital. I gave birth in a heatwave last time but am due beginning of November so assuming it will be cold.

What is the easiest thing I can wear home? Don’t even remember how I got dressed to leave last time. Do the midwives normally help? My husband had to wait outside the hospital so he didn’t help me. And can’t imagine how I pulled a dress over my head post surgery.

Clearly it’s not a massive deal but no I have time to plan, I’m really confused.

Thank you!

I had an emergency section last September and I was in hospital almost a week. It was the middle of the night and I wore home huge maternity trousers and a maternity top. November wise, I'd wear a cardigan too. You may well be in the midst of sweats!

Maternity yoga pants! Keep rolling the waistband down as your bump goes down. No pressure on your abdomen. Smart enough to answer the door in. Thank me later!

My section is booked for three weeks on Friday. I've packed big pants, an oversized baggy T-shirt and a knitted oversized cardigan :-)

I had my section in january it was snowing the last day I left the hospital. I wore maternity leggings, a vest too with a huge hoodie over the top and trainers.
I was in hospital 5 days but The morning after my section I showered and got dressed. I did this every day. I wore leggings and a vest top as the ward was so hot and then at night I change into my pjs or nightdress, I felt most comfortable getting dressed so actually by the time I went home I’d had loads of practice at getting dressed.
The midwives didn’t help once! My first shower was hard but they didn’t help I did it myself

I had my C-section in May this year. I was in hospital for just over a week. Midwives were available to help get me to the toilet once my catheter was removed, they helped me out of bed the first few times, and were available to help me shower. I wore maternity leggings and a maternity dress for going home. Before then I had stuck to nightdresses, and a dressing gown in hospital. They were the easiest thing to wear, no bending down to pull up or pull down trousers, and easy to wear in and out of bed. I just wanted something easy to put on. I can't remember if I needed help from my husband getting the leggings on or not, as bending and reaching down was quite tricky for me for a good few weeks after the C-section.

I wore maternity clothes, the bump doesn't disappear overnight. Still look 4 months pg after birth for a while.

Overbump very soft maternity leggings are great, no under bump items whatsoever or those maternity jeans with a low seam and a stretch waist band as anything with an under bump seam can press on the scar and irritate it. Comfy stretch tunic or long sleeve top on top. I wore Uggs to leave in, as my feet were swollen so they were more comfortable to wear. A big coatigan was cosy for on top but if it's November you might already have a maternity coat to wear.

You shouldn't necessarily have trouble getting something over your head though after a CS. I'd say a hand getting shoes on is helpful though.

Loose, stretchy and comfortable. Not even maternity leggings - looser trousers if you have them. Dark coloured if possible.

Huge black pants. Loose/comfortable maternity or nursing top. Layers in case you can't get comfortable (although I felt chilled to the bone after both of my previous sections - took about 3/4 weeks to feel warm again).

Good luck - I'm having my 3rd section in a few weeks and frankly cannot face it 😭

I bought c-section pants - a pair from Seraphine and a pair from John Lewis. Both were lovely. It is quite helpful to put a maternity pad over the wound to protect it, monitor any bleeding or weeping and to hold your new c-section tummy pouch up and away from the wound. The c-section pants keep the pad nicely in place.

In hospital, get a maternity nightdress and dressing gown so that feeding is straightforward. For leaving hospital, a maternity dress (so that you don’t have to bend down) and slip on shoes. I left hospital in Feb at midnight when it was snowing - only had to get from ward to car park then to front door (so didn’t bother with tights) and was totally fine.

Thanks all! I was only in for one night after my last csection which is possibly why it’s such a blur.

Consensus is maternity trousers or leggings and I’ll treat myself to some new big black pants!

Uggs are a great idea too.

Thanks for your tips - i was thinking a maternity jersey dress but this is a much better idea.

Good luck to @jessicakxx and @CrasterKipper for your upcoming birth!

Not had a section but I've packed (assuming my induction goes as it did last time) my baggiest maternity leggings/jogger things, slip on shoes and actually button up maternity shirts/ a zip up hoodie as these were the things I found easiest after epidural/catheter/episiotomy/cannulas in both hands. The cannulas were the biggest pains in the arse, short sleeve t shirt was the only thing that I could get over them, but of course if you're going home then they should be out the way!

I've never had to content with a wound on my belly though so my advice might not be the best... I'm just thinking in terms of access/mobility.

I’m booked in for a c section on Monday and I went on the hunt for ‘going home clothes’ yesterday and got some fab baggy trousers in primark for about £8. They are high waisted to avoid my incision but actually look nice! I also got some high waisted leggings in a size up so they aren’t tight and a loose fitted jumpsuit. I am definitely going to be massively over packed at hospital but like to be prepared

My c section is booked for 3 weeks time and I'll just be chucking on a loose midi dress to come home in! I worry leggings will dig into me!

I wore a lounge suit baggy bottoms, zip up top

@Sunflowerx

My c section is booked for 3 weeks time and I'll just be chucking on a loose midi dress to come home in! I worry leggings will dig into me!

Loose midi dress sounds lovely! I found it comforting to have maternity leggings on though, as they helped support the deflating tummy with the afterpains/bruising and tender scar area! But then I was a big fan of bump bands, maternity tights etc during pregnancy for the same reason (support for a huge bump), it's very individual what feels comfortable. The maternity leggings were very soft and stretchy (ie not those hard cotton ones with a big seam up the middle)

Uggs can be quite awkward! Socks and sliders I had on last time,no shame🤣

I'm not planning on having a C-section. But I've got some loose maternity PJs from boohoo - they are plain black and quite smart. I figured they would probably be the most comfortable in any situation rather than my maternity leggings.

Oh I also have a 'hoodie dress' from boohoo; which I'll hopefully remember to take with me; it won't do much to keep my legs warm but in an emergency it'll cover me until I get into the car.

I just wore maternity clothes, leggings, vest top and cardi. I also easily got dressed by myself, no need for help.

I had full briefs (what I was wearing full term), bra, maternity leggings, maternity top, socks & lace up shoes.
My 1st cs was elective with breech twins, 1 night stay. I had no problems dressing and no pain so was fine.
Most recent I was booked in for elcs at 39wk but went in to labour a day earlier, laboured for over 20hrs before going in to surgery. Baby was very big (10lb 15oz), I got scar rupture and lost a lot of blood so was quite unwell and had more pain than 1st. It was much harder to dress but I did manage to get most clothes on to go home after a 3 night stay at hospital. I completely gave up on my socks and shoes though and left in my slippers, thankfully it was a dry day.

Looking back, both times it was a maternity dress, and low heels/sandals.

Mine was in August (so obviously warmer) and I took a few choices because I didn’t know how hard it would be to get dressed 🙈 I had a long dress that was dark green as well as two comfy jogger type outfits, mainly in case I had to stay in for a few days and wanted actual clothes to put on. I had a jumper in with me as well that was part of a jammies set in case it was cold. In the end up my blood pressure dropped the morning after and I was sick in the toilet then went back to bed and couldn’t get up quick enough so was sick all down myself, while wearing my clothes to go home 🙄 So I ended up having to change and was so glad I’d brought more than one outfit! I would have preferred to wear the dress because it would of been easier to get on than having to step in to joggers. I found putting pants on quite hard and just did it on the edge of the bed to avoid having to bend down and pull them up. I was bleeding quite a lot the first day (it stopped very quickly though) but it made me too scared to wear the green dress as it had soaked through my nightie during the night. In hindsight I would have taken a black dress and black jogger set. I’m sure you’ll have thought of this anyway but take sliders or flip flops too. I just sent DH home with my trainers on the first night because I knew I wouldn’t be wearing them home.

Also couldn’t care less by the time I was walking to the car and ended up wearing the jumper that was part of my jammies 😂 Was laughing at the fact I had taken make up, don’t know where I thought I was going!

Shoes you can slip on as you won't be able to bend.

My section was in a heatwave so it was a jersey maternity dress and flip flops so you will need the winter equivalent!

Ok, I feel reassured I’m not the only who’s putting a lot of thought into this!

I’m fully onboard with sock and sandals (wearing sticks and socks right now!) so that’s good.

I’m going to try to find some baggier sweat trousers / maternity leggings and probably and a boob access top with a zip up hoody.

Hope all the upcoming csections go well! Mine was emergency last time and it still felt pretty chilled and I recovered very well so hoping you all have the same experience.

I had one in January in the middle of the snowy weather - left the hospital wearing:

Birkenstock's with my support stocking still on - told to keep them on for the first few days. And could just slip the shoes on

Long maternity skirt and t shirt with cardi.

All very loose and maternity skirt was the over bump type with draw strings so very comfy.

Why won't your hubby be able to help? I was discharged during the day and he was there visiting.

Also the midwifes will help - the next day I had a midwife help me put my knickers on once they got me up and walking as there is no way you can bend that much that quickly. Glamours job isn't it

I was able to dress myself as soon as the block had worn off and I was able to shower the next day.

I probably wore my maternity yoga pants, a maternity/breast feeding tshirt and a hoody.

H&M is brilliant for maternity yoga wear (the leggings, comfies etc some I got from the maternity section and others I just sized up on their high waisted leggings). I got some lovely soft loungewear from Tesco last night too incase I want to leave hospital in clothes that feel like pjs! Best of luck 🥰