Elective C Section

[Lunamoon23]

Evening Ladies,

Wondering if there are any must haves for post C-section recovery.

For cleaning, recovery, pain relief, anything to help get back to normal self as soon as possible whilst also importantly taking the time to recover.

I keep seeing these tummy bands? Are they worth while.
What about scar treatment?
Stuff to keep it dry once out of hospital or do they supply you with these things?

Also, post birth bleeding - is it still a major thing even with a c-section birth?

Any helpful tips welcomed! First baby - not due until December but I'm a organiser and like to be well informed and organised! Especially while I'm still earning a full wage, makes sense to stock up /prepare now!

I believe I'm due around December 21st. Hoping and praying I'll feel well enough to venture to my grandparents for Christmas Day (tradition since I was a child, never missed one) and of course I'd be taking it easy the whole time I'm there, on the sofa with baby more than likely being passed around like the present that keeps on giving haha!

Thank you in advance!

I’ve had two elective c sections, I’ve found them quite relaxing experiences.

For the c section stay, I would pack nighties instead of pjs- preferably button front ones that way they are easy to get on and easy for breast feeding. Pjs may be too uncomfortable on your stomach.

Drink lots of water, you’ll have a catheter inserted and I didn’t realise it would stay in until I drank loads.
Once you’re able to get up, then take the help and support to get moving. Definitely felt better moving around the second time, even walking slowly felt okay. The first time I lay down for most of the time so getting up to go home was incredibly painful.

I had a dressing on my wound for 5 days. I was then told to air the wound as much as I could and to wear soft cotton underwear. I bought loads of high wasted underwear that was far more comfortable than normal underwear. For the first few days after the c section I wore disposable underwear for c sections from Frida mum.
You will still bleed after having a c section so you will still need maternity pads. The maternity pads and disposable underwear was a great combo.
There are loads of dressing patches that you can put on your wound and some hospitals may recommend it but they aren’t necessary.

I didn’t use a tummy band in either of my pregnancies. I had lots of swelling and water retention after birth but I was back in my pre pregnancy jeans by 6 weeks. I just enjoyed taking my babies out for daily walks in the pram.

I think for Christmas just prepare yourself for staying at home and then if you’re feeling up to venturing out then go for it.
After my first baby I was exhausted and sore. I just wanted my own couch and the thought of lying elsewhere filled me with dread. Mt breasts were agony and I was very emotional. Everyone is different so getting our the house might help but I would wait and see how you feel after birth.

For the hospital bag for myself I had:
-extra long charging cable/ charging bank.
-water bottle with straw
-a fan (maternity wards are the hottest place of earth!)
-a flask of cold water- you’ll need this!
-an extra little pillow for support

Everything else was just normal pregnancy bag items.

Hello OP!

Yes you do still bleed as normal after a c section birth.

Elective c sections are usually booked for week 38-39, not your due date, so you should be out by your due date all going well. However my best advice for post c section is don't plan on doing too much. Especially with your first baby. Ideally have your partner/ help arranged to allow you to stay in bed, to focus on feeding, bonding and skin to skin time. You feed the baby, your partner feeds you!!

I did not need any special belly band or creams or ointments. I left my section scar alone - it healed fabulously and 3 years down the line it's barely visible unless you look for it. Think the belly bands etc might be a money spinner...

Agree with all of the above, the frida mom boy shorts are the absolute best. I found a pair of joggers to be the most comfortable things to wear for the way home and a few days after. I got a belly band but find it quite uncomfortable actually, I’m 3 weeks post partum and nearly back to my pre pregnancy size, I’m fitting in my pre pregnancy leggings and finding the wide waistband is nice and supportive.

Stock up on paracetamol, you won’t get enough from the hospital. Ask if you can get lactulose if you don’t have some already. Peppermint tea will help with any trapped wind, I had a really painful side and it went away with a couple of cups of peppermint tea.

Once you’re home try to get walking as soon as you feel well enough and able, even if it’s a short distance outside. I’m finding it helps so much.

I’ve had an emcs and a VBAC.
Granny pants in black.
An extra long charging cable
paracetamol and ibuprofen. It was all I needed and worked really well if it took it regularly. I was given plenty by the hospital but not sure all hospitals do now.
Plenty of maternity pads, I bled for 5 weeks, then at 12 weeks my periods returned and I was bf. Very disappointed.
Scar healed really well and quickly. If you get an infection though it takes ages to heal.

Hi Op, I've had two sections, one emergency and one elective. I'm pregnant with my third and have been recommended to have another elective, due about the same time as you actually!

i echo everything pp have said, especially the bleeding. A lot of people think you don't bleed much, but it's like a heavy period, I bled for 6 weeks with my first and 3 weeks with my second so make sure you stock up. I actually wore disposable adult nappies, I found them far easier than pads.

Another thing you don't get told is the trapped wind after c-section! My right shoulder was so painful and you just feel so bloated and gassy so I would recommend peppermint capsules and peppermint tea for the hospital. Big over the belly knickers/pants are also a MUST, if you wear normal underwear it will rub against your wound. Get some that literally come just under your boobs - game changer.

I didn't bother with any creams or products to put on the wound, for at least 2 weeks or at least until the wound is healing from the outside you will have to keep it dry. I used to run a bath with about 2cm of water, enough to wash vag and bum and quickly do underarms and that had to do for a while. Alternatively sit on the edge of the bath and hose your bits to avoid getting the wound wet. It sounds like a pain but you will manage just fine.

Hey OP! I had an emergency c-section.

They put a special dressing on the wound that you need too get wet to remove so standing in the shower is the best way to get it off. You are encouraged to shower but not to get any soap etc in the wound, just let the water run down you naturally and then pat dry. You must also lay with it exposed for 30 mins everyday or as much as you can, I just used to lay in my big pants with them rolled down to air it out.

Pain wise, I had one dose of oramorph on hospital but it wasn't for me at all, made me feel terrible so I stuck to alternating between paracetamol and ibuprofen and that was perfect for me.

Personally I found moving around slowly and frequently helped me recover better, I was in more pain sitting for long periods and then trying to move.

Nighties are a must in hospital, they are more comfortable and if you have to stay in for a period of time like it did then just makes it easier for wound checks. Also make you feel cooler as I'll repeat what has been said... maternity wards are like furnaces!

My bleeding stopped after four weeks, by week 3 it was next to nothing and quite intermittent.

I'm now coming up to 5 weeks post section and pretty much back to normal physically although if I overdo it I definitely feel that night.

Xx

Disposable adult pants (like big nappies)
fybogel sachets to help you poop after a section.
comfy clothes
dark pjs in case of bleeding (you still have to have your placenta removed which leaves a plate shaped hole in your uterus that needs to heal)
slow, gentle movement the days after
a dressing gown cord around a bedpost to help you sit up post section to save your stomach muscles

Two c sections.

Staying on top of painkillers is super important in how you feel. You want to be mobile which aids in recovery but also need to take it easy, and painkillers will massively help.

You can still have the dreaded first post birth poo. I really struggled and as I didn’t want to take any laxatives or stool softeners, I was given a pessary and had to gently strain until it was out. Second c section, I had a high fibre diet in the run up to the c section which meant I didn’t have any bowel issues after whatsoever, so I’d recommend doing that.

As others said, you do bleed. It won’t be as heavy as those who had a vaginal birth, but will still need you to change pads often. I used maternity pads for the first 10 days or so and then normal period pads after.

What I didn’t expect was how much I would smell. I didn’t have it with my first but with my second, I was really smelly for a few weeks. It’s not c section specific but apparently it’s one of the many strange things that may happen after you give birth. It cleared up after a few weeks, but hopefully being armed with that knowledge will help in case you find yourself smelling like you haven’t showered!

After a couple of months, start massaging your scar to help with any tightness in both the scar and your muscles.

Pack your hospital bag so that you remember where everything is and can direct your partner / the midwife to anything.

And lots of snacks to enjoy as you’re trying to rest and heal!

Good luck!

It’s completely fine to shower after a c section. Both times I showered the very next day in hospital and as normal at home too.

Top tip for getting in and out of the car post op- put a plastic bag on the seat so that you can swivel your legs/bum round and get out without twisting at the torso. I did nothing special after my c section and recovered really well. I was easily able to drive after 4 weeks.
I'm not sure if it was the anaesthesia but my milk was quite late coming in (day 4, I think; before it really got going) and I was really glad that I'd managed to hand express some colostrum before the birth to give my baby (and managed to get some out afterwards too.) In the end I needed the hospital pump to get my milk going as my baby wasn't able to feed straight away for various reasons, but the hospital were super helpful and supportive in helping me with breast feeding.
Re the section itself, if your partner is tall you may wish to warm them that they'll have a Birds Eye view over the screen! My poor DP (6 foot 3) copped an eyeful of things he'd rather have not seen and went a bit faint!
I found the whole thing very relaxing. We'd made up a cd of songs to play in theatre and it was pretty fun.

I also requested a pico dressing on my wound and it was amazing! Healed so nicely and really well. If you ask they will give you one.

All of the above also. Long charging cable for phone and I loved having a fan. I don't like tea so I bought the peppermint capsules from Hollan and Barret and didn't have any trapped wind.

I was told to keep it completely dry, they didn't even let me have a shower the day after in hospital but thanks for the tip, I will know for next time!

Yeah I was confused with the whole dry but fine to shower advice. Have had two sections at two different trusts and they both said showering is fine. With my first, the midwife even kicked me out of my bed so she can change my sheets and told me to go and shower, the very next day after the surgery.

The dressing will protect it over the first few days and once the dressing is removed, just pat dry making sure it’s completely dry.

From practical to bigger picture.

Pack a lot of paracetamol and ibuprofen with you as many hospitals have reduced painkillers. You can cover by changeing painkiller every few hours as lomg as you don't go over daily amount for each. Keep track so you don't start feeling real pain as it is hard to keep it down.

You can buy incontinence pads as they are big and fraction of price of maternity ones. They look the same as hospital ones.

Get a nightie, if you have cathether in you cannot wear pyamas.

Drink A LOT of water, it will help you flush all drugs out and dilute your pee so when they take catheter out it will be comfortable.

Do buy stool softner. They sell prune based ones (cannot remember name!) depending on type of block you havefor operation and painkillers they give you you may have trouble going for number two. I cannot stress this enough.

Have a birth plan written as normal business document statimg your prefernece about vitamin K, skin to skin, how detailed and explicit info you want from staff (I wanted full disclosure,some people are happier for doctors to go on with their job without input, both is fine).

Have small hospital bag with your and babies essentials as you may not be able to dig through suitcase. You can keep small bag on a trolley next to your bed.

I packed premade Aptamil bottles with sterilized tits and it was saving my sanity as milk did notc) come and I had very very hungry child. Midwifes did not provide food although it was 12+h baby did not eat (in 2021st)

Bonding with baby does not depend on c section. Trauma can delay it sometimes but it can happen during vaginal too, vag birth can be brutal.

Tell your partner what help you need from him. CS is a major procedure. Make him understand that,lethim watch videos mads for medical training.

"Natural" birth is not default better. We all know women and children died before en mass.

Take deep breath and exhale slowly amd fully whenever you are in pain. Look at your baby and tell yourself you went through this to safelly bring this amazing baby here.
You are a great mum.

I was told to shower the day after mine as I was getting ready to go home.

Didn’t have any issues going to the toilet but only had paracetamol as pain relief. I bought my own as they encouraged that, at home I added ibuprofen.

I did find I had fluid retention after in my legs

And I bled the same as my VB.

One thing is I found the recovery harder than I expected the first few days but that’s because I thought I wouldn’t have any pain or discomfort!

I totally forgot about the fluid retention! My legs and feet were terrible for about 2 weeks after and I had to lay in bed with my legs elevated all the time x

right

@LondonFox thank you, really helpful.
Can I ask do they make you use the toilet for a number 2 before they allow you to leave the hospital? X

Can I ask what a pico dressing is? I'll definitely make a note of it to add to my files as a request! X

@CardinalCat that's such a good idea regarding the carrier bag! Genuine I'll defo remember that one!!

I've put on my to pack list some ready made formula feed just incase there is a problem with milk coming through!

Oh that's interesting to know! I always thought with planned c sections they made you go as full term as possible due to baby's lung development etc! So that's helpful. Praying I won't still be in for Christmas Day even if I can't make my grandparents! X

No :)
They believe you on that one! At least they did in my hospital, but they asked to see pee in a "hat".
Tbh I lied and took softner at home as I did not want to be in a situation where I really need to go, toilet is occupied and very far away and baby is crying.
At home I scheduled to feed baby, settle it, put DH in chare and took my time.

Obviously if you are in a hospital for three days you should let them know as you don't want to get super constipated.

Sorry for possible tmi!
No one discussed poo with me so I am always sharing knowleadge.

@LondonFox ok that's great ! And no not at all - we're all women and we all experience these things! If we can't share with one another then who can right?!

So if I'm asked - I say I've pooped even if I haven't right? 😂 so they don't force it on me in hospital. I'd rather be in my own home able to take my time with it and be in comfortable surroundings. I absolutely hate hospitals - genuine phobia of them so the less amount of time I have to spend it one the better for me! X

Another question - was anyone allowed their OH to stay with them overnight? Or do they always have to leave? X