C section thoughts

[GreenAventurine]

I’m having a C-section on Monday at 37+2

I’m wondering how I’m going to get up and down off our sofa (L shape and kind of lower down), how I’m going to manage the deep step down to the bathroom.

Also if my belly is going to lean on my C-section wound.

Am I overthinking this? I think the nerves have set in!?

I was able to move around fine. It can be a bit uncomfortable but you should hopefully be able to move around hopefully.

Best of luck!

I've had 3 sections. It's of course manageable but you'll need support in those very early days. My husband pulled me up from lying/sitting quite a lot! Good luck!

Unless you hate hospitals I'd try to stay there as long as you can as the beds are so much easier to get out of. And you get your meals brought you!

I wish I had brought music and headphones for the c section itself as it can feel quite weird and I would have liked a distraction.

@CheapHouse it definitely depends on the hospital! After my catheter came out (12 hours after op), I was made to walk down the long corridor to collect meals. Was torture! I told them I was leaving after 1 night. Was so much happier at home!

I had my second c section nearly 2 weeks ago and you should be fine to move around but it will hurt more getting up off a low sofa or bed. I was fine getting up from the sofa as I didn’t lay down on it but getting up off my bed from a lying position did hurt. Still manageable though and was ok once up. The hospital beds are lovely and high so we’re much easier to get out of

I meant nearly 10 weeks ago not 2!

It can be quite tough. Don't be afraid to ask for better painkillers if you need them.

I found it much easier out of the hospital as I was in charge of my own pain meds and kept on top of them rather than having to repeatedly beg the midwives to give me what the surgeon had prescribed me!! Honestly it‘s not that bad. First couple of days yes it’s painful (especially if you have withholding midwives 😬) but it quickly gets better after that. Moving normally as much as possible (without overdoing it) actually helps. I was pretty much back to normal in a week.

I didn’t have any of these problems after either of my sections.

You need to take it easy but you should be okay moving around. If your settee is very low, maybe sit on a couple of cushions to boost you up a bit for the first few days.
A friend gave me a sort of long stick grabber thing, like a litter picking thing, not sure if its name, but it was certainly helpful picking up after my toddler in those first few weeks in recovery :)

I had an emergency section 4 days ago. Our sofa is also quite low and it took a fair bit of shuffling using my arms to get up & off, it's hard at first to remember to use your arms and not stomach but you get used to it. I also found I had bad pain in my back & shoulder that was caused by gas build up, that brought tears to my eyes trying to get up. Peppermint tea helped (also stopping dihydrocodeine but that was also for the reason to get my bowels moving again). I can easily get up off the sofa now without having to put 3/4 big cushions behind me, just can't forget that healing takes weeks, not days.

After the first 24 hours, I was fine to do all of that. I did a solo supermarket shop 48 hours after. I found my recovery from my ELCS much easier than gallbladder surgery even though the latter was just keyhole surgery.

Overthinking it for sure. As soon as your legs have feeling back, so long as someone is with you, try to get out of bed. I found movement 100% key to recovery. If I stayed still too long it hurt far more to start moving again. Just keep on top of your pain medication.

I have a low down L shaped sofa too, and was able to get on and off it ok. The step should be ok. Just take it slow. I would try to avoid carrying baby into the bathroom for the first couple of days where possible though. Also if possible have a non slip mat where you step into the bathroom.

I had an overhang even before a C-section. It was no bother having it touching the wound, but it did get infected, so be alert for that.

I found it a difficult recovery both times. Even walking into our en-suite from the bedroom like a few steps was horrendous. We have a low down sofa and probably couldn’t sit on it for about 10 days. We have an armchair in another room which is higher up and supported so used that for a while.

Wow some mixed feelings about c sections. I'm due to have mine in 4 weeks. Might be slightly less as actually in preterm labour but holding on.

If you have a bed with a headboard, tie a scarf or something by your head and you can use that to help pull yourself up from a lying down position. I think I read that on here and it was very helpful!

You will absolutely manage it ! I just had my second c section. Ppl like a horror story of how bad the recovery is. U will need to take it easy for a few days but I was able to get up n down fine, shower etc. I’m now 2 weeks post c section. I have a 22 month old as well and my husband is self employed so back to work 3 days after my section and I have managed ! I genuinely think I would have been in more pain n struggled more with a vaginal delivery !

Thanks for the advice. Definitely made me feel a bit calmer. Can’t wait for baby to be here.

@GreenAventurine we have a low L shape sofa and my partner brought me a big fat cushion to sit on the helped massively and just take the paracetamol and ibuprofen every 6hrs I found aswell if u need to bend down for any reason then go more into a squat position that helped me I think it was up and about 3-4 days later doing normal stuff except heavy lifting and try walk round as much as u can that helps best of luck

I was able to walk up and down the stairs as soon as I got home, 36 hours after the c-section.

I wanted to shave tonight, but I’ve heard it’s best to leave it. TMI sorry but there’s not much hair there, I havnt shaved since Wednesday….. but there’s a tiny bit and I don’t know what to do. What did you guys do?

I've had three sections and my DC were in neo natal. I'd no issue walking to see them a few hours afterwards. Everyone is different but I recovered physically really really quickly

@GreenAventurine I don’t think it matters too much. If it was just Wednesday I personally wouldn’t bother doing anymore. If they need to shave an area they’ll ask and do it themselves.

It's mostly because shaving can leave nicks and micro abrasions that harbour any bacteria that was on your razor. The cleaning solution might not be able to get in them to sterilise everything. This can then go on to infect your C-section wound.

That being said, I did not follow advice, shaved the day before induction, then had a C-section the day after that. I did go on to get an infection in the wound, but there are other factors (my BMI mainly) that could have contributed.

@GreenAventurine i would leave it just to avoid any infections or anything