Tips for Recovering Alone in Hospital

WhitWed · June 2013

Long story short, my RCS got bumped due to tornado damage of the hospital in my area (patients from 2 hospitals had to fit into 1). Therefore, we lost our planned sitter who was available the original day. Family is all out of state on both sides and flying in the following weeks after surgery. Thankfully a friend is driving in from a neighboring state to watch DD the day of the rescheduled surgery. So I will have DH with me the first day; however, after that DH will have to be with DD and I will be on my own in the hospital for most of the recovery. This is a RCS so I somewhat know what to expect, but I have to admit I'm still nervous about recovering alone because I'm also having a tubal (not sure if that changes anything) and remember the pains of walking/showering the first day.

Just looking for tips from mamas that recovered in the hospital alone. Anything that made it easier? Hoping for positive stories and experiences! Thanks!

Courtimilk · June 2013

If my memory serves correct, you should be able to use your legs by the 2nd day, so at least you'll be able to get up and tend to LO. If not the nurses are there to help.

rockyrollgirl · June 2013

The nurses were very helpful.

tracy41 · June 2013

I had help my first day and night but after that I was on my own and I did alright. Honestly, knowing what to expect as far as pain and recovery made a HUGE difference. My first was not fun, but this time I was doing laps in the hallways starting the 2nd day. Make sure to stay on top of your pain with the meds because that makes a big difference. My only bad moment this last time came when I fell asleep and missed a dose. The nurses at my hospital were really bad about bringing my meds unless I called and asked every single time. GL!

jllmb79 · June 2013

My husband only came for a few hours so I was alone alot. I had the nurses get me the baby and change her and put her back if needed for the first day. I was up 8 hours after my csection and healed so much better then the first time because I made it a point to drink alot of water and get a few laps to the bathroom that first day. I had the nurse bring the baby to the nursery while I showered other wise the baby was always with me snuggled in my bed while I watched HGTV. The only time I got lonely was when my LO had to do 24 hour light therapy.

2u2wow · June 2013

don't be afraid to use the call button. the nurses are there to help!

i'd also set an alarm on your phone to remind you of your meds. and also keep a sheet beside your bed to keep track of what you've taken and when...unless you can do that iwth an app.

DH helped me so much - my brain was kinda mush with everything going on i was losing track of when i took my meds.

keep track of diapers too - they do want to make sure baby has enough pees and poops and god knows it's hard enough keeping track of everything else!!

ask the nurse to set up your little table tray thing that rolls close to the bed to keep water, a phone, a book or something and the remote for the TV close...if you're alone a lot i'd advise paying the extra for TV!!! and get DH to bring you a bag of snacks for the second/third day when you're hungry and hospital food SUCKS!

emberlee3 · June 2013

I spent about half my stay alone. It was fine. The nurses were a huge help. I sent DD to the nursery at night, and they brought her back for feedings, changed her diaper, etc. GL!

jutimala · June 2013

jllmb79:
My husband only came for a few hours so I was alone alot. I had the nurses get me the baby and change her and put her back if needed for the first day. I was up 8 hours after my csection and healed so much better then the first time because I made it a point to drink alot of water and get a few laps to the bathroom that first day. I had the nurse bring the baby to the nursery while I showered other wise the baby was always with me snuggled in my bed while I watched HGTV. The only time I got lonely was when my LO had to do 24 hour light therapy.

This was me exactly. Honestly, I really didn't need him there. There wasn't a lot for him to do. I made sure that I took the drugs when I was suppose to and drunk a lot of water so that I could get up and walk around when I needed to and the nurses helped me the rest of the time. LO spent most of the day in the room with me and I was still ok.

GL

emmy236 · June 2013

I had family there for part of it but I had stretches of when I was alone like when my husband was at work. Luckily our hospital was slow so when my nurse wasn't that busy and she would come and watch the NHL playoff games with me. Then I made friends with the girl next door who was also recovering from complications and a c section. We were there longer than everyone else and we'd walk our babies and spy on the moms who had regular deliveries and were in and out in 2 days. We may have been in over twice as long as them but at least our babies didn't have cone heads!

magdalina.h · June 2013

rely a lot on the nurses

+ASH+ · June 2013

I gave birth at a hospital two hours away - DH was there all day, but had to go home that night, so I was on my own until discharge (and on my own for weeks after that). I had to get out of bed to walk to the Nicu, so I was up five hours post-c/s and walking through several hallways to get there (I was also recovering from a tubal). After weeks of bedrest, I was in the worst shape of my life, but I pushed through that first night and the next day wasn't that bad. By the time I was discharged, the only thing that hurt was the initial getting up out of bed and standing for too long. I cannot say it enough: walk soon and walk often. I had the best recovery of all of my csections (my worst was the second one, where I was lazy and only walked to and from the bathroom - for weeks, I was in pain). Push through the pain that first day and it will help immensely with the overall recovery.

biblionerd · June 2013

Use the nurses!!! DH went home at night because DS had never been alone and we have animals he needed to take care of. Send him to the nursery at night or for you to nap and have the nurses change him and bring him back in. Even when I was newly moving around I'm really short and thought it was super awkward changing them in the rolling bassinets with the high sides. Stay on your pain meds. For some reason (I don't know if it's a law), my nurses told me they could not bring my pain meds, or at least the narcotics on a schedule and I had to ask. So I told her to please come in every X hours and I would tell her I needed them. Getting behind on the pain meds is the first thing that kills me.

AlwaysForgetful · June 2013

I know this is several days old, but my hubby has CP. He cannot lift the baby or anything. Love him, but when taking care of really little ones, he is no help. So it is almost like doing it all alone (except I have a companion to talk to instead of no one).

Depending on your hospital and Csection time, you may be able to walk on your first day. When I have early morning Csections, they have me up for a walk after dinner time. I do suggest asking for a post partem belt. I found out about it last pregnancy and it made the first 2 weeks much easier to get up and down.

If the baby cries, poops, you want to hold him/her then call the nurse. They are normally pretty cool about it. I actually wanted a break from diapers when I had my last kid (I had 2 in diapers at home already). So every time my daughter needed changed, I told the nurse. I actually told them ahead of time that I just wanted a break form diapers and told them about my kids at home. They also came in to hand me the baby for the 5 days I was there (spinal headache. They tried to keep me a 6th).

After day 1 I had the same nurses. So they already knew the situation and were really nice about coming in to check on baby a little more (since they knew I needed help) and would come in to see if I needed help moving my tray after a meal and so on.

My hospital gave my my Motrin and ASKED about the Norco when it was about time to take it again. Stay on the meds when in the hospital and if you want to, stop taking them when you get home. I don't take the Norco when I get home. I have to many little ones and I dont want to be impaired at home.

firewife9278 · June 2013

I had DH with me the day DD was born and overnight. Then he had madatory training for work the next two days so I was on my own.

I went in Monday morning and was discharged Wednesday night. They made me get up and move around at around 3am the first night. I was fortunate that I was moving around fine before DH had to leave! And the nurses helped me a lot.

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