s/o Scheduled c-sections: eating afterward

JKohio

With my 1st child, I was induced on my due date but it did not go well (I only got to 4cm and baby was stressed -- we found out the cord was wrapped around his neck), with the birth being by c-section instead, though not considered 'emergency c'. So, by the time I had my c, I had been 'laboring'  for probably 20 hours and was rather tired/hungry/etc. After being in the recovery room post-c (probably an hour or two?), I was moved to the regular room where I had a little something to eat. Bad idea. I nearly tossed my cookies, so to speak, and man, that was NOT comfortable after a c. I'm not sure if the nausea was because I hadn't gotten much sleep, hadn't eaten since dinner the night before, the meds in my system (epidural, amped up for the c-sec), hormones, whatever.

This time, it's looking like we'll be having a scheduled c-section (unless I happen to go into labor on my own beforehand which apparently isn't likely), meaning I'll (theoretically) be better rested and such. And, I can eat up until midnight the night before. C is scheduled for 7:30am (arrive at hosp. 5:30am).

Anyway, if you had a SCHEDULED c section, were you able to eat normally afterwards without discomfort or did you have issues with nausea after that 2 hour recovery period?

HarrietNJMommy

I've had 4 scheduled c-sections. Well, this last one had to be done 3 days early because my water broke, but for the most part, they have all been "scheduled".

I'm able to have a "liquid" diet for the first 6-8 hours. After that, they order me regular food. I've never had an issue with vomiting or nausea though.

GL! 

JKohio

HarrietNJMommy:

I've had 4 scheduled c-sections. Well, this last one had to be done 3 days early because my water broke, but for the most part, they have all been "scheduled".

I'm able to have a "liquid" diet for the first 6-8 hours. After that, they order me regular food. I've never had an issue with vomiting or nausea though.

GL! 

Good to know! The first time, I ate a little cup of yogurt and 1 or 2 graham crackers (plain). As I said, bad idea. Guess I should have stayed with liquids. I wonder why they (doctors/nurses) didn't say anything at the time?

lil_jen051708

I think I respond poorly to drugs so take this with a grain of salt. After my c/s early because my water broke and DS was breech but still expected I was told I have to eat pudding before ordering breakfast so I did. I ate pudding and breakfast and then totally threw up. Then I continued to throw up water until I got some drugs for the vomiting. I wasn't nauseous but would just have an urge to vomit which ripped open my incision. A few weeks ago I has my appendix out and had the same problem vomiting up my sorbet they wanted me to eat. Got drugs and then was fine.

mkinMI

With my first scheduled c-section, I threw up afterward even not eating.  Then I was nervous that night to eat because I didn't want to do that again, so I just had popsicles.  My surgery was at 8am and I didn't eat any real food all day, just drinks and popsicles.  With my second, I was nervous I was going to throw up, so again I avoided real food and was fine with drinks and popsicles.  I ate food no problem the next day.

emaddock

My csections were not scheduled but I was on a liquid diet until I passed gas which wasn't until the following morning.

Neener73

I started vomiting from the spinal before my OB got started.  The nurse had me drink a liquid medication for nausea, which obviously didn't work, before I went down to the OR.  (It didn't taste good going down or coming back up.)   I've had 6 surgeries in 6 years and have vomited after half of them, so it didn't surprise me.  I didn't vomit at all in recovery but vomited several times once I got to my room.  (I don't think my mom ever envisioned holding a "puke bucket" for me at my age.)  The nurse said the morphine drip could make the nausea worse, so they tried to get me off of it as soon as possible.  The downside was that I couldn't have oral pain meds until I stopped vomiting.  It was a catch-22 for a while. 

DS was born at 9 a.m.  Even with the vomiting, I never had any eating restrictions afterward.  By 6 p.m. I ate a normal meal and didn't vomit.

smerka

I wasn't allowed to eat solids until they heard bowel sounds on both sides.  I guess your intestines stop working when they get touched and eventually start up again.  I had to wait until the next day around lunch time I think.  I don't remember it being a big deal though so I don't think I was very hungry.  I did not get sick at all

Natesmom05

I was fine with my first 2 c/s but my last one I got nauseas during surgery (dry heaving while strapped down in the OR def not fun!) & then I was feeling sick for several hours after surgery as well. I didn't have eating restrictions though & felt fine after meds. 

LorMor

My c-section is scheduled for 8am (hospital at 6am). My dr said to not eat anything from midnight, but that I would be served lunch after the op. She didn't indicate that it might be a problem. 

aandg

I was allowed a liquid diet but I was so nauseous that I wasn't able to eat anything for about a day and a half after DD was born.

Augustmama1113

emaddock:

My csections were not scheduled but I was on a liquid diet until I passed gas which wasn't until the following morning.

This.

To be honest, I stuck to a liquid diet until I left the hospital. I was lucky enough not to have any nausea, but still didn't feel like eating much.

emberlee3

I was not allowed to eat until 6 hrs afterward.  I was starving, and did not have any nausea at that point.  My c/s was late in the day and I had not eaten for almost 24 hrs by that point.

Vegasbb

I will say this - with other procedures and whatnot (wisdom teeth removal, etc) I've always had a weak stomach and nausea so I was nervous. I had ZERO issues after my C-section. Mine was scheduled for 7 AM but got pushed back to 9 AM. By 11 AM I was in my hospital room and STARVING. They asked me to eat a liquid diet for lunch (I had chicken broth, lemon italian ice, and some cranberry juice), but I was still hungry so I ate some cookies my mom made me at 2 or 3 PM (even though that probably wasn't "allowed"). For dinner I had a baked potato around 6 or 7. I didn't take any pain meds the first day - I was on duramorph from my spinal so that was all I needed and was allowed to have. They kept telling me "be careful what you eat so you don't throw up", but honestly I felt great (nausea wise) and had zero issues eating whatever ! 

mandapie

I had a scheduled c-section on the 11th. I was on a liquid diet until I passed gas to make sure everything was in working order. That being said... I was nauseus as all get out. More so than with my first. I was drooly and icky but never actually vomited. They gave me zofran and it kind of took care of things. It subsided within the first 24hrs.

Rebecca2024

emaddock:

My csections were not scheduled but I was on a liquid diet until I passed gas which wasn't until the following morning.

This was me as well.
How I understood it from my nurses there is no where for your food to go until the entire system is working again, so it comes up.

I wouldn't really call mine a liquid diet though... I was only ever offered Sprite which does not a diet make in my opinion, but that was that.  (I never asked why, but maybe the carbonation of the soda makes the passing of gas come sooner??)

For what it's worth, I delivered at 10:15pm-ish and was able to have regular breakfast. (I hadn't eaten in about 36 hours at that point.)

MelleTX

My c-section is scheduled for 7:30 am so I have to cut out food at midnight. My OB said I should be able to eat around 7:00 pm that night. I'll apparently have my epidural for about 12 hours because it will administer the first doses of pain meds and then they will slowly ease it up and then try to get me out of bed. I will be on liquids only until they hear bowel noises. As she explained, the epidural slows down your digestive system so you can't eat until it gets moving again because you do not want food just sitting in there not moving. 

valkyriemama

I am so jealous of the people that got to have real food the day of their c sections.  I've had 4 c sections at three different hospitals.  Every time I wasn't allowed to have any real food until I had bowel sounds and passed gas.  They always start me out with ice chips, then when I prove I'm fine, which I ALWAYS was, they let me have water or juice.  Then, once I show them I'm ok with that, they let me have a soft diet(liquid, pudding, jello, etc).  Every time I didn't get real food until the next morning.  BLEH!