CS the 28th, what should I expect?

greenteabee

I'm a little nervous. my CS is scheduled for the 28th, is there anything surprising I need to prepare for? What should I expect after?

+ASH+

The surgery itself isn't very long (about 30 minutes from start to finish). You might get the shakes in recovery as the medication comes out of your system - don't fight it, just relax into it and it's not too bad if it happens to you (and it doesn't last long). Try to get up and walk around as soon as they give you the okay to - it really helps with the overall recovery to get moving as much as possible.

Since I didn't get to hold my boys right away, I always got the first kisses - I love having that memory .

Good luck! You'll probably be more aware than if you were having an emergency c-section or vaginal birth, so take it all in and enjoy every moment of your precious little miracles entering the world!

Chargersgrl33

The best thing I brought to the hospital was the boppy.  Because I had no stomach muscles after surgery this made things much easier.  

Bring shower stuff.  That shower 2 days after surgery was amazing.  I felt refreshed.  I also put makeup on because it makes me feel better and put together, as silly as that sounds.

Are you far from home?  We were about 5 min from home so I sent DH home during the days for a few hours so he could get a little sleep.  The beds at the hospital were pretty uncomfortable for him so this gave him a break so he could help out at night.

And take lots of pics:-)  Good luck! 

SamanthaG+3

I 've had 3 vaginal deliveries and had my first c-section 11 days ago (breech baby). Expect to be sore! Those first few days were awful, for me at least. Not really surprising since it is surgery. But it definitely hurt to sit up, get in and out of bed, walk, pee, etc. It took  hours and hours for my spinal to wear off, so I didn't feel much right after it was done. I wasn't allowed to get up and walk for 12 hrs. And walking wasn't fun at all, but it helps with the gas. I had really bad chect pain and the nurse said it was just gas and i needed to walk more. but 11 days out and i'm feeling much better, and can sit up in bed without help and without a lot of pain. The first shower afterwards is amazing, i had a bench thing in my shower at the hospital and an adjustable shower head so it made it really easy for me and the hot water made me feel sooo much better. Every time i was in a lot of pain, i would just go sit in the shower and let the hot water run over me and it helped. 

pamelamelanie924

When the doctors tell you you're going to feel some pressure, you're going to feel some pressure! I swear I thought they were going to break my ribs the way they were pushing on me. You might shake or have chills, but it's just the medicine. They were giving me morphine in recovery and it just wasn't helping so I was in recovery for a while trying to get my pain under control. I had to get an in & out cath. because I couldn't pee, which they said is normal. I honestly couldn't pee right for weeks. Also, all the pain med. made me really constipated which was probably the worst part of the whole c-section.Talk to your doctor and see if you can start taking some stool softners now. Get up and walk as much as you can because that's the key! Good luck! 

darrahmccall

Bring big comfy underwear that goes higher than your incision. Pads, because your body will still act as if it fave birth vaginally. But without the stretching out of your vagay jay, woop woop! 

Comfy pants! Nursing bra. I had antibiotic cream stuff for incision. Your pillow from home maybe that you love.

Lip balm!  

darrahmccall

Chargersgrl33:

The best thing I brought to the hospital was the boppy.  Because I had no stomach muscles after surgery this made things much easier.  

Bring shower stuff.  That shower 2 days after surgery was amazing.  I felt refreshed.  I also put makeup on because it makes me feel better and put together, as silly as that sounds.

Are you far from home?  We were about 5 min from home so I sent DH home during the days for a few hours so he could get a little sleep.  The beds at the hospital were pretty uncomfortable for him so this gave him a break so he could help out at night.

And take lots of pics:-)  Good luck! 

Yes a boppy!! This helped me so so so much with nursing! Your incision does hurt so its hard to hold your lo in your lap, so a bobby helps a lot!

And do not let them take out your catheter until you can walk!!!!! If they do and you can't walk, they have to put it back it!  I stopped the nurses from taking it out until I knew I could make it to the bathroom! I was not ready to walk yet.

My legs were numb for a very long time, seems like they will never be the same, but they will be.  

darrahmccall

Sorry I keep coming up with things! Stool softeners a big yes, get those! And peeingwill be weid for a while. I was afraid to poop lol when I finally did I was so happy.

They didn't let me eat solids for I think 12 hours after surgery? I did not like that.  

ladybugpjb

If you have issues with the pain meds they give you, ask for something different. (If it's not working, if it's making you too loopy, or whatever - get them to find something that works for you.)

Stool softeners and anti-gas meds: TAKE THEM.

Adjust your bed really HIGH when you get up after surgery - It's easier than trying to hoist yourself out of bed. Then when you come back, sit on the edge of the bed and then lower it back down. Also, hold a pillow against your stomach when you stand/sit to put counter-pressure against your incision - that will also help with the pain.

I agree about taking shower stuff - that first shower was AWESOME.

Also, get your house set up before you leave - if you have stairs, make sure that everything you need is on one floor so you won't have to go up and down.

MrsJ723

I remember the nurses/others warning me about getting the shakes after surgery, but nobody told me how itchy the meds would make me. They gave me the highest dose of benadryl, but I still itched so badly I broke skin while scratching. Luckily that went away after a few hours.

If you can, take the mesh underwear and gigantic pads home-I lived in those the first few days.

sharmane2307

well everything is basically done for you, the worse part for me was the silly nurse who botched up my iv and eventually the aneath had to do it...  the epidural wasnt painful, the preasure they speak of is wierd but not painful... take the pain meds and youll be fine

JerseyBella

Like pp's said the boppy is a great help, also big ole comfy undies. The hardest part during the c section for me was just having to be patient and having no control. If your at all nauseous after your spinal tell the anastesia nurse and/or dr. They will give you something, it helps amazingly. You will do great, it's not so bad!

MourningMist

no one mentioned it, so maybe it's just something they do at my hospital, but the nurses were constantly coming in every few hours the first day to "help" clear the blood clots from my uterus. And by "help" i mean they would apply pressure (yes. push!) on my uterus. The nurses were always sympathetic, but it still hurt like heck. And when the anesthetic wears off and you pee through the catheter for the first time it feels so weird!

Disneygeek77

1. If you begin to feel nauseous during the operation, let the anethesiologist know ASAP,  there is medicine they can give to ease the discomfort.

2. Have a code word or phrase with your DH or nurse to let them know you are done with visitors and need your rest. 

3. Use your fists and ankles to sit up move around in the bed and not your stomach muscles.

4. Take those stool softeners, however if they don't work after a 2-3 days, take a suppositotry.  For me, the constipation was the worst part.  I did everything I could.  I took every stool softener they gave me.  I drank tons of water, juice, and hot tea.  I ate salads and raisin bran every day.  I walked as soon as I could and all of that did nothing.  Finally on the 3rd day in the hospital, I could see the writing on the wall and asked for a suppository.  I was so glad I did.  I got relief in 30 minutes instead of hours or days.  ( This was at least my experience with my thrid c/s, the other too I suffered for days )

5. Like PPs said, buy high waisted granny panties. Anything else will hit at your incision line and bother you. Also buy gauchos or yoga pants, those will be more comfortable than the maternity jeans.

6. I know this isn't environmentally friendly, but I would get disposable plates, cups, and silverware so that you or anyone else has to worry about doing dishes.

greenteabee

thank you all for your advice. Still hella nervous but I feel better knowing more what to expect...

NapJunkie

Something I haven't seen mentioned yet:  extreme swelling from my legs starting at just above the knees going to my toes.  I was told it had something to do with all of the meds and the IV.  The best thing I could do was get up and walk around as much as possible, and keep my feet elevated when I was in bed.

My surgery wasn't planned, but it went well.  Recovery went so well that I shocked my doctor at my 1 week check-up.  She couldn't believe that I was moving around so well and my pain level was pretty minimal all things considered.  I never finished all of the pain meds they discharged me with, and I have a very low tolerance of pain.