C-section worries...Advice please.

soontobeabrown · May 2012

My other two kids were vaginal deliveries so I'm new to this whole c-section thing and terrified. I have to have a c-section because LO is breech.

How long is recovery time? How long before you saw LO? Can you eat after? if so what? What to pack for Hospital? etc. I need the whole run down.

TIA

akspriss · May 2012

Mine was not a planned c-section. It was after 24 hr or so of labor and I wasn't progressing but I still had an easy recovery and most friends with planned sections said It was a million times easier then their unplanned one. My section was at 5pm and I didn't eat anything other then Italian ice, jello and chicken Broth till the next am when I ate a normal breakfast. I saw DS briefly after I had him and then got to hold/try and nurse him soon after in recovery. My recovery wasn't bad and I didn't need to have packed anything special. Though certain pants and underwear might be uncomfortable on the incision. I had to get some higher rise underwear. The faster u get up and moving the easier your recovery will be from my experience

Deltadawn8 · May 2012

I was the same as you. 2 vaginal deliveries and then #3 was a sceduled c/s because she was breach. It was not as scary as I thought it would be. I had a spinal and saw DD right away. DH was there the entire time. He held her while they did my tubal and stitched me up. I held her on the way to the recovery room. She never left us the rest of the time. I was able to start nursing her right away in recovery. That was within her first hour after she was born. They had me up and walking to the bathroom that evening (c/s was at 8am). I think I was eating soft foods by afternoon and regular meals by dinner. I packed my slippers and bathrobe for when I went for walks in the hall. - other than that, i just packed clothes to come home in. The best advice I received before my c/s was to get up and walk as soon as you can and walk, even if it's just to the bathroom, often. It really does help with your recovery. Congratulations on your new little one.

stemms8810 · May 2012

My last c/s was planned. I am 3 1/2 weeks out and I feel good! I stopped taking my pain meds in the 2nd week. I still take it easy so I don't set my recovery back. My incision is still a little tender but it looks good.

I saw my DS right after he was the born, the Dr showed him to me. He then joined me in the recovery room. I was on a clear liquid diet for about 24 hrs and then I was cleared to gradually eat other foods.

I packed: nursing bras, nursing pj's, Boppy, nipple cream, breast pads, underwear, socks, slippers, camera, toiletries, personal care items, pads.

eav2c · May 2012

I had a relatively easy recovery -- pain meds helped, tbh. I was up and cleaning 4-5 days later. I am still tender if I I we do it but all in all I felt good within days. I could not eat for 36 hours... I was on a liquid diet for 12 hours and a clear diet (jello, etc) for about 24 hours -- maybe less, it's hazy. I don't think you need anything extra or particular for a csection. I did however like my belly binder as it provided the extra support I needed.

melissa721 · May 2012

How long is recovery time? I was in recovery room for about two hours but vet nauseated for hours even after being brought to my PP room. I felt great about a week later.

How long before you saw LO? They brought her over a few mins after delivery. Then they brought her to recovery an hour or so later. I felt pretty sick though so I slept most of the time in recovery.

Can you eat after? if so what? Only juice a couple hours later but just sips. I took maybe four sips and threw up from the anesthesia. You can eat a real meal about 12 hours later.

What to pack for Hospital? What I'm glad I brought: A few pairs of comfy dark colored PJs. Cheap Hanes underwear. (about 10 pair) although the underwear were best for at home. I stuck to the mesh hospital undies while I was there. Skippers. Flip flops. Something comfy to wear home.

Tip about the PJs: go for sets with button down shirts. It will be painful to lift your arms and stretch making it difficult to put a regular pajama shirt on. I learned that the hard way.

GL!

Trillian46 · May 2012

I wish I had had the following items on hand for when I got home:

1. Grannie panties

2. Skirts and pants with a really wide (and high) band, so that they don't put pressure on my belly

3. A small pillow in the car for the ride home... put it on your stomach under the belt and apply pressure when you hit potholes. You can also put small pillows in each bathroom (again, counter pressure helps).

4. Colace or another stool softener. I don't usually keep this one in my medicine cabinet. The painkillers may make your stools hard (see pillow above). On a similar note, I'd have some high fiber foods in the fridge and ask your doctor about whether you can take the stool softeners in advance of surgery.

At the hospital, I really liked having a good pillow from home and a socks with a really loose band... the hospital socks were a little tight given how much fluid I retained during the pregnancy.

BeatriceCat · May 2012

I got to see DS about a minute after he was out. DH got to hold him the whole time they stitched me up. All in all the surgery was so fast. The absolute worst part was (TMI) having to use the bathroom afterwards. PP had good advise about some stool softeners. They will probably start you on those right after the surgery.

You will still be really swollen in the legs, even until you go home, becuase they pump you so full of fluids. I wasn't expecting that. Bring some soft socks with treads (the hospital ones are not very comfy).

And get up and move as soon as they let you. The more the better.

katmacwv · May 2012

I can understand why you would be freaked out, but a c-section isn't so bad. I don't think there is a set recovery time, but you will definitely be sore for a bit. I was back to normal (not doing pull-ups or anything crazy) by the time I went back to work at 6 weeks. DD had expelled the meconium in utero, so they had to get her suctioned, weighed and checked out in the OR before they handed her to DH, but she was with us in the OR while I was put back together and in recovery, as well. She was born at 8:15pm, and I was on a liquid diet for at least breakfast and lunch the next day, if not dinner, as well. I stayed in the hospital gown, robe, socks and mesh undies until the day I was going home. This time around, I'm going to take some black maternity pj's and will play it by ear on how I feel to determine whether I feel like putting them on. I have granny panties and maternity clothes to come home in that hit well above where my incision will be, so I don't have to worry about the seams rubbing on the incision.

My OB put compression socks on me after my c/s which seemed to help with my swelling. Some women swell more after the c/s, so expect to wear larger than normal shoes, sandals or flip flops home to be safe.

Different hospitals are different in terms of length of your hospital stay. I have to stay a minimum of 48 hours and hope to get out of there in that amount of time. They made sure I could keep food down before removing my IV. The hospital will also ask whether you are passing gas. Some women take stool softeners in the days leading up to the c/s to help with gas and constipation afterward. DD was born ahead of schedule, so I didn't do that but was fine. I asked my OB about it for this time, and he said it wasn't clinically indicated and he didn't recommend it to his patients.

pinkmoonlight · May 2012

How long is recovery time? I am currently 6 days post c-section. I am no longer taking pain medication with the exception of something before bed time. Other than that while I am a little sore it is not bad at all. However this is different for everyone. Some might feel pain longer others might not. As long as you follow your doctor's instructions and get moving as soon as you can after things should go well.

Considering I do not have glue or steri strips, just internal stitches due to an allergy and having to be extra careful not to pull I am doing great. I am home today with both my kids by myself and having no problems at all.

How long before you saw LO? I saw DS right away. I did not get to hold him until 2 hours after the surgery due to the fact that he had some breathing issues. But had he not had that he would have been given to me as soon as I was done. DH was able to go to the NICU with DS while they finished me up.

Can you eat after? if so what? This also depends on hospital policy. I was able to eat as soon as I was able to keep water and then crackers down which for me did not happen until the next day because the spinal made me really sick. Then the Nubain that I had due to the itching from the spinal.

What to pack for Hospital? Pack what you would for a normal delivery. Nothing more is needed.

nikki_rob_weddingplans · May 2012

I would just add that if you have a larger vehicle to get into after your hospital stay, you may want to pack a step stool in the car to pull out and use when you get in for your first ride home from the hospital. You can then use the stool by your bed when you get home to help you get into bed, that was the best tool I had and used it for about two weeks!

HotChocolate79 · May 2012

I am only 5 days out but will share my experience so far.

My CS wasn't planned but it wasnt an emergency either (i basically failed to progress past 3 cms). I saw DS briefly when they showed him to us over the curtain. After a 10 minutes or so the nurse brought him back for I guess what you'd call cheek to cheek contact. DH held himat that point also. I was stable and coherent, so i could actually hold DS in my arms as I was wheeled out of the operating room to recovery. The whole procedure took 32 minutes from start to finish.

I had to be on clear liquids diet until noon the next day (my CS was at 5 pm). After that I could eat whatever. My advice would be to eat gentler things though, because if you are like most you'll have constipation issues and you do not want to make them worse if you can avoid it.

Pack the usual stuff, I guess. I wore roll panel maternity jeans when we were leaving the hospital and yoga pants with tank top once I was up and moving around.

So far on day 5 I feel about 75% back to normal as long as I keep up with meds but I can space them out a bit more so hoping to cut back next week or so. I do take it easy mostly but I can get around the house/stairs, climb on our rather high bed, throw in a load of laundry, etc. Day 2 was the toughest emotionally and as far as pain - make sure you adjust your expectations accordingly and line up support. On the downside, BFing has been exteremely challenging and while i don't know for sure if thats because of the CS, it des make wonder. While I am likely not a candidate for a vbac, overall it was a good experience and I would absolutely pursue another CS even if I did have a choice.

rzte1106 · May 2012

Get a belly band! They gave me one in the hospital and its been a life saver. it just holds your stomach nice and tight. Wore it for about a week and a half. GET ONE!

I was unplanned c and was starving afterwards. They did give me ice chips right away in recovery. Once I got to my room they gave my popcicles and jello because i kept asking. Then they let me order liquids off the menu like soup. you do have to be careful with eating because of all the drugs and you just had all your insides moved about.

i had a great experience with my c, but i also had a fantastic support team with my husband and family. my husband did all the diaper changes.

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C-section worries...Advice please.

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