unexpected c-section-- expectable side effects?

charlierouse2

I just delievered my daughter on monday by an emergency csection and i've got a few questions for those mommas out there who have experiance here! what did you do to help support your incision area after the surgery? currenlty, every time i get out of a seated/laying position, i have to hunch over and hold my abdomen for a few minutes while i walk around because it just feels.... odd. can or has anything helped you? i was a smaller girl before pregnancy so the extra tummy weight is weird for me. it hangs down and whenever i look in the mirror, i think of robin williams wearing that body suit in mrs. doubtfire. i know it wont go away over night, but how long did it take you to get rid of it, and how did you manage the awkwardness of it all? how long until you could sleep on your stomach? also, i'm going home tomorrow, so will i have to sleep on my back, like i have in the hospital bed, or can i sleep on my side if it's comfortable?

nic5606

Abdominal binder. Best thing ever. You can get them at some drug stores and at medical supply stores. It holds your belly in reducing pain and that weird feeling of your guts falling to the floor. You can sleep in any position that is comfy.

ladybugpjb

Hug a pillow against your abdomen when you stand up - that helps a lot. (I didn't use a belly binder, so can't comment on pp's suggestion.)

If you want to sleep on your side, put a pillow under your belly to support it. I had staples, so the thought of sleeping on my stomach with those didn't appeal to me. If you use enough pillows, you should be able to sleep in whatever position is most comfortable.

jb2rn

Congratulations on your baby!

My C section was also unplanned. I hunched for a few weeks, mostly to protect the area, so to speak. I got an abdominal binder and that was very helpful - you can get them on Amazon for about $25.00

You may sleep on your stomach as soon as it's comfortable, I was within a few weeks.

I had lost all my baby weight (gained 32 lbs) at about 5 months pp, but I still have a tummy jiggle/roll. I was also small in the belly area pre preg.

If you work out and eat smart it will come off, bf helped, too. I really don't work out, but I think if I did on a regular basis then my body would be the same as it was before by now.

Laouli

nic5606:

Abdominal binder. Best thing ever. You can get them at some drug stores and at medical supply stores. It holds your belly in reducing pain and that weird feeling of your guts falling to the floor. You can sleep in any position that is comfy.

Abdominal Binder all the way! I SLEPT in mine!!

nosoup4u

I haven't read the previous replies, but a MW told me to hold a pillow or folded-up towel against my tummy when I was getting up and down - it really helped me to not feel like everything was falling out. I think a lot of women use those Belly Bandits, too. hth

brandyleighxx

I also had an unexpected c-section 16 days ago. I have a small frame and was about 120 pre-pregnancy, so I know what you mean about the extra weight. But at day 16, it's already better/flatter. The incision feels so much better though I can't wear regular underwear or jeans yet because the pressure against the incision hurts. The first week and a half, I wore the hospital underwear - so get as many samples as you can. I had to wear dresses & sleep in just the hospital underwear at night. I couldn't laugh... and dreaded sneezing because of the pain. I stopped taking percocet the day after coming home, though, because it made me too loopy which made me nervous getting up with baby in the middle of the night so I did just IB profen every 6-8 hours as needed. This past week, I've stopped all pain meds, just bought boy short underwear 2 sizes too big, & can tolerate yoga pants.

 Almost forgot - I recommend a stool softener & body pillow. I cried the first few nights getting in & out of bed but the body pillow definitely helped.

tina924

The belly flab is scary, but at 4.5 months pp its almost all gone. I felt pain walking for the first 3 weeks. I really relaxed for 2 weeks and then got to walking with my baby just around the block at first and then built up to taking 5 mile walks. This did double duty: started getting me back into shape and also helped with recovery. By 4 weeks I was feeling really good and by 6 weeks I was back to spin and yoga.

MariJ1008

 Congrats on your healthy baby!!!

It takes time,,i still have pudgy belly, 6 months later, and I was 120 before pregnancy, I am at 131 now, so I still have some weight to loose (but in my case I have been completely lazy about working out). My skin was very tender and sensitive for about 2 months, so I could not wear anything right fitting and slept on my back and side for about 3 months.  I still sometimes feel strong stabbing pain in stomach, if I get out of bed really fast.  It takes awhile to heal completely, so be patient and take it easy for the first month or so. Your body will tell you if you are doing to much. My PP bleeding stopped week 3, but then came back..it wasn't my period, I got that week 7...but Dr. said I was doing to much my body was still healing.

definitely take stool softeners....takes awhile for bowels to get back to normal. Hope you have a fast and easy recovery

sinisterkat01

I also agree with the abdominal binder/postpartum support belt.  It made everything feel better.  I also got a little "trick" from my nurse in the hospital.  If your incision is very sensitive, place the absorbest side of a maxi pad against it, and then pull up your undies.  It stays in place well, especially with the binder, and keeps anything from brushing against the incision.

kcisthebombdotcom

I just grabbed a pillow in held it over my stomach. That feeling went away for me pretty quickly--by a week it didn't feel like that anymore.

In terms of the belly, it takes a while for it to go back into place. I lost the weight pretty quickly because I didn't gain a lot--it was all gone by 3 months PP. It took 6.5 months for my hips to shift back to fit in pre-pregnancy sized pants, and well over a year before the pooch was gone from my tummy. Give it time, eat healthy, and exercise.

GL!