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Original poster

Shower after c-section? How?

101 replies

dreamerkr · 20/10/2022 17:20

Hey guys, I have my ELCS next week and I’ve been thinking about every teeny tiny thing. I’ve heard they make you take a shower before you get discharged from the ward? How many hours after c-section? And how exactly do you shower after the operation? A proper shower or like a sponge bath? Sorry if this is a silly question!

OP posts:

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Pootle40 · 20/10/2022 17:38

My son was an elective section and born at 3pm. Showered very slowly the following day about 11am. I was only really standing under the water and trying to clean my private area tbh.

However first son was also elective section and similar timings. I didn't know I had lost a lot of blood and felt very very faint in the shower. It was not a great experience so only do what you feel able to do.

But both times I had a bed bath from a midwife both evenings after the birth.

fastandthecurious1 · 20/10/2022 17:42

Slowly and have someone on hand for the stripping off part!

Pjmaskmummy · 20/10/2022 17:42

I requested too about 13 hours after the birth and was told no. Then when staff changed over and I asked someone else about 15 hours post they said yes. I shuffled in to the (luckily wet room) which also had a seat so I used that. Had to removed my dressing too. Best shower of my life as I felt so much cleaner and generally better for it.

However as other people have said it's your body and no one can force you to do anything no you don't want to do no matter how much they try and 'persuade' you.

trrk · 20/10/2022 17:43

I couldn’t wait to have one as the post-natal ward was so hot and sweaty. It was the next day due to timing of my catheter removal. Definitely a slow shuffle. There were rails to hold onto which helped a lot (easier than having to climb into the bath once at home) and one of the showers had a useful hook to hang my wash bag off (I attached a makeshift strap to it which came in handy). Try to arrange everything you need (towels, clothes, wash bag) so that you don’t have to bend down - it’s annoying if you drop something!

User38899953 · 20/10/2022 17:44

Showering after section is the best feeling ever!

Original poster

dreamerkr · 20/10/2022 17:47

How long after a c-section do they take the bandage off? The next day?

OP posts:

Coco9910 · 20/10/2022 17:52

A nurse came and got me out of bed 12 hours after my c section to go for a shower. I could barely walk, let alone shower! It was the most pathetic shower of my life 😅 They said not to get my dressing wet. I basically splashed myself with water and then got dressed. I had a pad wedged between my legs that I didn’t know about and it fell on the floor in the shower room and there was no way I could bend down and pick it up. I just looked at it until the nurse knocked on the door to see if I was okay 😅

Mrmoody · 20/10/2022 17:55

Baby born via EMCS at 15.55 and they warned me at 10pm I'll be getting up and showering- to be fair it was okay! I quite liked that I knew it was coming and to just do it. I hated leaving baby though and the nurse said she would look after him but of course left him all tucked up for me. Next time I'll wait until DH is with baby or take baby with me!

Whatwouldyoudo2021 · 20/10/2022 17:56

After my c-section I was made to have a shower 24 hours after my section, this was so I could remove the dressing that was covering my incision. The midwife then inspected the incision and I was sent home with no dressing. I found it fine both times after ny section to shower etc, taking the dressing off is just awful!

Swivellingbrat · 20/10/2022 17:57

Mine was more than 20 years ago. Glad to hear they have upped the pain killers. Just paracetamol in my day!

They don’t force you to shower. I was too scared to! I had a big waterproof dressing - like a giant plaster - over the suture. I think they took it off after a couple of days. The stitch was a suture with a bead at each end. The midwife took the suture out at home a week later.

saraclara · 20/10/2022 18:00

My post c section shower was bliss! I'd had an 18 hour labour before an emergency CS in the late evening, so next morning I still felt sweaty and manky. Getting out of bed and upright was...interesting, but the shower was the best ever.
Pack a really lovely shower gel. You should have a waterproof dressing, so you don't have to stick to something super mild.

JLQ1020 · 20/10/2022 18:06

Had a section in Feb they didn't make me take a shower at all but there was one there that u could.
I ended up just washing myself down and had a shower when I got home.

ghostsandpumpkinsalready · 20/10/2022 18:06

As soon as I could feel my legs I was in the shower and it was bliss.

TheresABearOverThere · 20/10/2022 18:12

On my first csection, which had been an EMCS and a 4 day labour when I still hadn't had any sleep from and had developed an infection in, I was pushed out of bed about 5 hours after to have a shower. I acquired my notes afterwards and they had been quite rude about my room and said I smelled. I cried trying to get up.

Second one at a different hospital they approached me at the same time. I burst into tears and said I couldn't take a shower as I was in too much pain. But they were just coming to gently sponge wash me.

DPotter · 20/10/2022 18:14

C section at about 9pm.
Shower at about 9am. So could have been earlier.

I asked the midwife if I could I have shower and she 'you still have a catheter and an epidural cannula', to which my reply was 'Can you take them out?' and she agreed.

Full shower - I wheeled DD is her bassinet thingie into the shower room.

WimbyAce · 20/10/2022 18:16

They made me have a shower the day after and also wanted me to rip off my dressing. I was dry wretching with the pain. Needless to say I did everything in my power to avoid a Cs 2nd time round.

blobby10 · 20/10/2022 18:17

EMCS 1 was 26 years ago- 9pm birth and they had me up for a shower the following afternoon . Two ladies helped me walk with another cleaning up the blood that literally poured out of me! I did warn them it was coming! Was most upset it went all over my new slippers 😢x anyway they put a stool in the shower and told me to just sit down whilst I showered and they waited to help me back to bed x it was a wonderful shower! EMCS 2 was similar timing and by Cs3 I was expected to be fully mobile within a day to look after my baby “it’s your third so you should know what you’re doing” when I’d been up all night with her and was exhausted and in pain from trying to get her to settle 🤷‍♀️don’t remember that shower 🤣🤣x
Don’t worry about it OP- if you get the dressing really wet then it’s easier to pull it off!!

AriettyHomily · 20/10/2022 18:19

I had an emcs at 2200, catheter out at 1000 the next day, as soon as my catheter was out. Proper shower, not a sponge bath.

It was lovely.

Awrite · 20/10/2022 18:22

Yes, made to have a shower both times. First time was almost 17 years ago. Lots and lots of blood. Perhaps that's the reason?

I remember trying to get out of bed after my first child. I got stranded halfway up. Was too painful to keep going but too painful to try to sit back down again. The midwife basically said she was busy with baby and to keep going.

The midwives/nurses were far more helpful second time.

ShowOfHands · 20/10/2022 18:23

I've had two emcs. First I was home 12hrs later and had a shallow bath on getting home.

Second was at 3.30pm and I was in the shower at 6pm, removed the dressing, had a quick wander round the ward and then sat and had dinner at 6.30pm. It was the best shower of my life.

Try not to hunch over and shuffle if you can help it. You feel strange and like straightening up will open the wound so can hunch protectively. Really bad for your back and won't aid recovery! Stand tall and walk slowly if you can.

neighboursmustliveon · 20/10/2022 18:24

I had a proper shower from memory the day after I think. It was 15 years do my memory is hazy!

bowchicawowwow · 20/10/2022 18:24

With my first I was given a bed bath by a care assistant until the dressing was removed which was pretty grim. With the next c section there was a plastic chair in the shower cubicle at hospital which I was grateful for as I felt quite weak and feeble. No dressing to avoid this time but I did have to be careful of the incision as it was one long running stitch with beads either end. Looked weird and I didn't want to knock it so was just really careful with the flannel!

Mymoneydontjigglejiggle · 20/10/2022 18:24

I've never been made to have a shower. After my first c section, I was discharged the following day, unshowered. I showered at home and the midwife who came to see me the next day checked my incision. Second c section (less than a year ago), I was up and about as soon as I could feel my legs. I could easily have showered straight away but I waited until morning when DH returned. I left the baby with him and went and had a very nice shower in a very clean bathroom! It was fine. Actually recovery the second time was a walk in the park to be honest and it hadn't been that bad the first time. What I will say though, is keep on top of pain relief and before you attempt to do anything, ensure you have had all pain meds you're allowed and have given them time to kick in!

Garman · 20/10/2022 18:25

3 csections, shower the next morning after each, about 18-24 hours after the surgeries. Proper shower, absolutely fine and glorious. On my first I did struggle to pick up the shampoo bottle from the floor. By the third I was able to pick it up as normal 😄

Garman · 20/10/2022 18:25

Oh and they didn’t tell me to shower, I was dying for one.

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