C-section mamas, a question

applebride40

I am on my phone so I apologize in advance for lack of formatting. My sister is having a c-section today. She is 37 weeks and the amnio showed mature lungs. The baby is breech and she has low fluid levels. My question, was there anything that you thought was super helpful after the surgery? I know she will be sore so I want to get or do something nice that will help her out. Thanks!

OregonPachey

I wish people had brought us meals when we got home from the hospital.  That would be a nice thing.  She isn't going to feel up to wanting to cook or do anything other than be a mom.

leneae10

Meals would have been HUGE.  Don't ask, just DO.  Food, food, food, esp if she's BF'ing.  Maybe make a little snack basket for the hospital?  I'm not sure how prepared she is with her hospital bag, but definitely make sure she gets some granny panties and some comfy clothes to wear home that ride high above the stitches. 

Jessicaanne_1@yahoo.com

Food for sure, also help around the house and or with other kids.

Ernie52408

I loved when people brought meals. Also, stick around and hold the baby so her and her husband can both eat at the same time with two hands.  Offer to come over and vacuum or do dishes. It will be awhile for she's up to doing housework.

Ditto granny panties and yoga pants. My sister brought me an abdominal wrap that was really helpful.

applebride40

Thanks ladies. I am going to try and get the first two weeks I meals covered with our friends and family that are in town. Her hospital bag wasn't quite finished. I went to Target and got her a robe, toiletries, lanolin, nursing pads, maxi pads for home. She is covered for clothes, slippers and baby stuff. Am I missing anything? It's amazing how much you forget in a year!

samm1983

Food for sure!  Someone to help out around the house would be great too, if she is comfortable with that.  I'm not really comfortable with anybody but my mom helping me out there, but it is nice to have the extra help.

magdalina.h

I wish more people brought us meals at home.

*April2005*

Meals or helping out with housework would be extremely helpful when she gets home.  I was so sore from my c-section I could hardly walk.  It was so nice when my mom was over helping out with laundry, dishes, washing bottles, etc.  It may not sound like a big deal but I seriously couldn't even bend over to unload the dishwasher, etc.  And DH and I were so sleep deprived from having a newborn, it was so nice to have some extra help.

ColoRxGirl

If her DH isn't off work for long post-delivery, having someone come by daily so you can shower is appreciated. Showering is a slow process because your belly is sore and you can't move like you used to. Even getting dressed is slow. Knowing LO is safe with someone for 30 minutes to clean yourself up is really nice.

sheremy

I will say that I felt really dirty after my c-section as I wasn't able to get up for the first day or so much. By our 2nd full day in the hospital I was able to get up and shower. I had planned ahead and bought some really yummy smelling and hydrating body wash from Bath and Body Works and it was such a treat. I felt pampered even though I was in so much pain. I felt a million times better after that. 

vlewis515

Scout2005:

sheremy:

I will say that I felt really dirty after my c-section as I wasn't able to get up for the first day or so much. By our 2nd full day in the hospital I was able to get up and shower. I had planned ahead and bought some really yummy smelling and hydrating body wash from Bath and Body Works and it was such a treat. I felt pampered even though I was in so much pain. I felt a million times better after that. 

This is a great idea. I fought the nurse on getting up and showering, because I was nervous about the incision, and she forced me to do it. Bless her, I felt like a new person after I showered w/ my nice smelling shampoo and body wash.

 

For serious that first shower was the best thing in the entire world! It was amazing how much more human I felt. But food is also awesome!!

sarahandeddiejune212008

I'm a little late on this, but having someone help with food and housework would have been my number 1 things.  We live about an hour away from any family, so we were on our own.  We ate a lot of fast food those first few weeks and the house looked like a tornado hit it.  I'm so glad I did a deep cleaning right before I delivered.

camdenfaithful

I'm a little late, but if you're planning on seeing her in the hospital, take a back scratcher.  The itching afterwards was INTENSE and at times worse than the pain.  I guess it's from all the different pain meds in my system, but I was going insane.  I had my mom bring me a back scratcher and it was a life saver. 

Food was a huge help.  Meals were nice as were snacks.  A lot of people brought over a pan of (insert name of food) which was wonderful, but my mom also brought over tons of snacks or quick meals and that was really nice.

Also helping with the animals if they have any (sorry I didn't read all the previous posts).  My pets were (and still kind of are) starved for attention and I didn't have the mobility or energy to play with them as much as I wanted/they needed.

pepomntpat

Food, house cleaning, reminding me to keep a pillow nearby for coughing, sneezing or laughing purposes!