C section

[Chelseaaaaa]

Hi first time mum having a c section next Friday (28th)

Very nervous but so excited! Can you give me good advise for the recovery after? How long did it take you guys I know everyone is different and heal differently too

Hey OP. Sorry no advice but I’m also going to be a first time Mum and opting for c section due to big baby. Good luck! X

Whoever is supporting you - tell them that on day 2-3 you will fart a lot. They cannot make you laugh or it will hurt you a lot.

Awwh amazing congratulations, when is yours? Are you having a girl or boy? By baby is also measuring big.

Would love to set up a WhatsApp group with first time mums and c sections just so we can give each other advice in the future x

Oh gosh I've heard this a lot people say try lactose because the constipation is really bad? X

I’ve had two c sections- the first was an emergency and the second was elective.

Main advice would be to rest as much as you can and let others help. The scars outside look fine and heal really quickly but remember the inside of your body has been through a lot and will need lots of recovery. Don’t rush to do things. There will be plenty of time to do all the lovely new baby things but taking 6 weeks to fully recover will be far better in the long run.
keep on top of pain relief- back to back paracetomal and ibrophen is a miracle and I barely had any recovery pain because of this.

Most of all enjoy it, give yourself permission to snooze, watch tv, eat plenty and wear your socks! Hospital will give you these as you’ll be lay/sat down a lot.

a c section is an incredible thing and I enjoyed the whole experience- we even have a little video of our daughters first moments as she is born.
all the best ❤️ and congratulations in advance

I’m having a little girl, she’s not due until 17th July but at my 36 week scan yesterday she’s estimated to currently be 7.2lb! I have GD and high fluid level. I’m seeing my consultant Monday to request c section although they keep mentioning induction in 2 weeks which I’m refusing everytime they mention it!
How about you? X

When people say painful is it the scar that hurts the most? Sorry to ask I just kinda want to know what to look out for ect! Xx

Firstly, a lot of similar threads so it might be worth reading through as lots of good advice on them.

In terms of recovery:

-wear big knickers that sit higher than your wound
-wear loose, elasticated bottoms (eg. Pj bottoms)
-expect to feel very tightly strung together when you first stand up after surgery. This improved massively for me when I had dressings removed
-you may get shoulder pain due to air trapped inside
-you'll likely have trapped wind. This is bloody painful. It took me over 24hrs to fart and feel relief. Move about as much as you can, drink warm water, chew gum and ask for peppermint tablets / buscopan
-take any and all pain relief they offer you! Even if you feel like you don't need it. You can start to reduce after a few days if you're up to it
-be wary of using your tummy muscles to lift baby (use arm muscles) or to get out of bed (roll onto side and pull up with arms)
-when dressings removed, don't be afraid to wash the wound in the shower. Don't overdo it with the soap. Do pat it dry and do try and air it out as much as you can, as often as you can. I used to put baby oil on mine after a shower then air it out
-listen to your body, take it easy, accept help from others. Your body is doing something amazing, going through something traumatic and deserves the time to heal properly

Good luck! x

Take. Care. Of. Your. Bowels.

Seriously.

I was given a codeine derivative without being told it can make you severely constipated. I felt really good after my c section. Was shopping within 3 days lol. They prescribed me lactulose which I took daily.

Didn't do shit.

Did a 💩 on day 5. So I assumed all was fine. Continued taking codeine and wow. A month later was severely impacted. Was the worst thing ever. No joke. Given me an anal fissure which has taken months to heal. Months of hell frankly.

I don't want to scare you, but please take care of your bowels.

Take the codeine if you need it.
Drink all the water.
Eat all the veg.
Gentle movement.
Ella's prune pouches.
Take the lactulose or whatever religiously if you're taking codeine.

Yes I've said this on multiple threads. I always feel the need to say it. Do the above and you'll be 👍🏽

Good luck for Friday you'll be fine!! 🥰

Be prepared to feel like your insides have fallen out. It felt sooo weird the first few days walking around.
Keep on top of pain relief, even if you think you dont need it.
Wear big knickers for the first few weeks. And really loose trousers/leggings. I found I actually couldn't tolerate anything other than maternity wear and dresses for months because it irritated my wound/scar.

Overall my recovery was really straightforward. But even then I still hurt myself bumping the pram down a curb at 5 weeks because my abdo muscles weren't properly healed.

@AimeeLou84

Oh bless you:( she'll be fine tho when she's here.and you'll find that she's not actually that big, a lot of people say that! My sister had my niece last year and throughout her whole pregnancy kept telling her she was going to be a big baby and she's weighing over 9 lbs but when she had her she was only 6'10lbs so I think they like to scary you a bit.

I am having a little girl too! They wanted to also induce me as well but I am not having that I've heard horrible stories and I don't want to be in labour for days and be in pain. I requested a c section today and they were absolutely fine about it I thought they might have said no and that I've also left it too late as my due date is next Saturday x

First few days pain is awful but you are up and about roughly 12 hours after. Little and often. I ended up doing too much after feeling better and then ended up having to rest for longer in the end. Take the help while you can get it. Good luck x

@Unexpectedlysinglemum Speaks the truth 😂

Make sure you wear the compression socks for as long as directed. Take your pain meds religiously even if you don’t think you need it at that time. If you can’t do the injections yourself have someone on standby to help each day, they honestly aren’t bad at all. Sit with your feet up as much as you can and enjoy the new baby cuddles whilst you do that. Try to get up and walk about as soon as you can, it will really help you further down the line.

Finally, don’t try to do everything yourself! Ask for help.

I had my section 5 weeks ago tomorrow and recovery has gone really well.

Would you advise to not take lactose's then if you found they didn't work? I think my worse scare is being constipated real bad so anything that would help would really be good!

Thank you so much x

I echo what others have said. Had an emergency section august last year and will likely go for an elective next time.
Please take time to recover and air out your wound!!! I wish I had have did this more. My wound got infected after 2 weeks but quickly healed with some antibiotics.

Arnica surgical strength tablets to help recover from bruising in side and out.

Stay on top of pain meds. Ask for more or stronger if you need them.

Don't overdo it.

Don't do housework- other people can do that.

Good breastfeeding pillow to protect your wound (if breastfeeding)

Accept all offers of help.

Recovery time for me was long I'm afraid. I was in a lot of pain for several weeks and wasn't back to normal until 4 months for first and 6 months with second.

@Chelseaaaaa if they prescribe you lactulose then take it! I think they prescribed me 10ml a day. It might work for you. Tbh in hindsight I probably stopped taking it after having a normal bowel movement which was a mistake.

My GP told me that your bowels learn very quickly. So if you're constipated for a week, it will take a week of doing X to undo it and relearn normal movement again.

So once you've had a normal bowel movement, don't assume all is good and normal from there, that was my mistake.

If they don't prescribe it, I would take a constipation tablet or half a day just in case. You might have no issues at all! I didn't feel an urge to go for days, which in hindsight was a huge red flag!

Also, your recovery might be totally different to what you expect/some say.

I was tender and fragile but I don't remember experiencing any pain really. Like I said I went for a very slow walk and popped into the shop on day 3. Thanks codeine lol. Some people have more pain and a slower recovery it totally depends.

Awh okay this is useful. So if it wasn't for being really constipated you would have said you recovered well?

Sorry for all the questions tbh I didn't even think of being constipated when you have a c section!

@Chelseaaaaa yes I recovered so well personally. I kept on top of my meds regularly. Co-dydramol and ibruprofen alternating. So I really don't remember being in pain to be honest. Few niggles and twinges. My best friend however was only told to take paracetamol and ibruprofen (not even prescribed, had to get it from a pharmacy on the way home lol). But I think even regular use of those meds can cause constipation, not just codeine derivatives. But if this is the case for you (really good recovery, not much pain) do not over do it! Just because you can, doesn't mean you should! Feeling good can mean you push yourself too much. Gentle movement, lots of water and rest.

Hi @Chelseaaaaa

I had a c section on Thursday and I was discharged yesterday. I’m currently sending this while laid in bed with baby asleep in a next to me crib.

My advise so far (although minimal) would be to look after your bowels before hand. I started eating All Bran the week before with warm milk and banana (advice from one of the midwife with 30+ years experience). As soon as I was able to have a drink post surgery I alternated between water and peppermint tea to help with trapped wind and bloating. For the last two days I’ve continued with lots of water, bran flakes and I have successfully just popped relatively pain free.

Stock up on snacks upstairs and downstairs if possible so when you need pain killers you aren’t taking them on an empty stomach either.

Hey
firstly congratulations 🥹

Did you have Bran flakes every single morning for the whole week? I am going to have to get some! That's the only thing I am really worried about is being constipated so if I can do anything to stop it from happening now I will! X

@Chelseaaaaa yes but weirdly the midwife said to buy All bran not Bran Flakes. I even took some into hospital with me for the following day.

I had really bad constipation in 1st trimester so wanted to avoid it again.

The same midwife told me to mix in a cup peppermint tea cold, a portion of gaviscon, and dissolvable paracetamol when recovering. Said your body absorbs is better (the paracetamol) and trapped wind in your chest can be super painful!

Also weird I bought a litter picker for the house. £10 from Argos but trust me you won’t want to bend down post c section and this means I can pick up socks or my clothes easily.

Oh did just google about the all bran cereal and apparently it's one of the best for constipation as it's really high in fibre that's actually really good to know thank you for that& I did think about the litter picker that's a good shout actually x

Regarding the constipation, it's good to be prepared, but it's not guaranteed. I had my first poop about 28 hours after my C-section, and it was effortless. No trapped wind either. Which was lucky as I hate peppermint.

I believe, like a PP, that preparation was key. I was in the hospital for nearly 2 weeks prior to induction then C-section and was loaded up with lots of fruit and veggies in my meals (I do eat them normally, but they were very generous with portions). I don't like bran flakes, but the more fibre the better for that first post partum poop.