How long before you could shower?

PerpetualHJ · July 2014

FTM here.

I feel like I don't want any visitors to see me after delivery until I've had a shower. How long after delivery were you able to shower? In that moment, did you really care? Am I being silly?

ve304856 · July 2014

I was moved into my recovery room around 9pm with DS. I took a shower the next morning. I really didn't care so I don't know if I could have showered earlier. I also didn't have any visitors until the afternoon

portentosa · July 2014

I showered the day I went home... so three days after delivery and four days after my last shower. I probably could have done so earlier but just going to the bathroom on my own was an accomplishment those first couple days. The shower was glorious and made me feel human again and ready to go home and face the real world.

Tip: Avoid getting soap on the nips the first couple weeks/months. I didn't know to avoid that and they got so dry and cracked. My LT was all, 'duh!' to me about it when I told her my nipples were cracking after my first shower. Well, 'duh!' to you woman is news to me! A few weeks into BFing it resolved itself and I could soap up normally and didn't need lanolin anymore.

ETA: Reading a couple other responses. I was up and in the bathroom with a nurse to take a quick rinse down shower as soon as the epi wore off enough for me to walk. So I got cleaned up in that sense within a couple hours of birth, but it wasn't a real.... wash my hair, soap up, and enjoy the hot water type shower like the one I had a couple days later.

megs2011 · July 2014

I had a c/s at 5 pm. I think I showered the next day when they took out my iv and took off my bandages.

mytinc · July 2014

DS was born at 4:45 pm on a Friday and I showered the next morning around 10 am I think. I was too exhausted to shower that night after being in labor for 21 hours. And the only visitors at the hospital (aside from DH) were my parents and my best friend. I was ok with them seeing me unshowered. We were all released from the hospital Saturday night around 7 pm.

LTMama · July 2014

I honestly don't remember, but I didn't shower the day DD was born, I don't think? I'm not sure.

When I went up to recovery, I still couldn't really stand/walk on my own yet (my epi took a while to wear off), and once it wore off I didn't want to waste any time outside of the NICU.

I def recommend bringing your own soap or body wash, though. Hospital soap is ick.

Irisheyes1247 · July 2014

DD1 was born at 3:48pm, DD2 was born at 8:46 pm. Both times, the nurses had me up to use the bathroom and hop in the shower within 2-3 hours. I didn't care having company before then, but it was nice to just get cleaned off. Esp because of the *gush* from the first time I stood up after birth... I needed it.

amom2four · July 2014

I could shower and was encouraged to be up and around as soon as I could. DD was born about 6:30 and I think they had me in the shower around 8 before I transferred to another room. Most amazing thing ever is that first shower!

mytinc · July 2014

In addition to @LTMama's soap suggestion, I brought my own towel. I hate thin towels.

PerpetualHJ · July 2014

Thanks for all of yours replies. I'm just afraid I'm going to feel icky, or sticky, or bloody or gross after giving birth. I don't care about my hair or people seeing me or anything like that. It's more of a comfort thing. I'm probably overthinking.

jg1011 · July 2014

I had a c section at 12:30 in he afternoon and I wasn't allowed to shower until the next day...mid morning. I honestly don't remember caring at the time. I had visitors that night---mostly family---but I do remember how good I felt after that first shower.

I will say this...if you are not breast feeding, try to avoid the hot water hitting your breasts. Yowser....talk about ramping up the soreness!

JulyMomma2U2 · July 2014

I had a c/s both times.. and showered within 12 hours or so.. had to wait for them to remove the catheter and IV, and then that was the first thing I did! I will say, those first 2 days I needed help in the shower.. Also, a little off topic, but something I wasn't prepared for (and perhaps none of this may apply if you have a natural delivery,) but with a c/s, bending and standing back up was hard.. I needed help getting on/off my bottoms.. and, I needed DH to help "clean" around my incision.. my belly was still too puffed, I couldn't see the incision, and I wasn't going to just go wiping around there blindly! It's not a pleasant job.. but, I much preferred DH's help as opposed to having to ask one of the nurses.. I probably apologized to him a bazillion times for having to ask for his help.. but, in hindsight, he was a great sport about it.. and, it's the least he can do considering I had a human cut out of my body ;-)

chardonnay24 · July 2014

I delivered him at 8 pm and had visitors right after (close family, best friend, etc) because they were all either in the delivery room or in the waiting room. I didn't care at all in that moment. I was able to shower the next morning before any other visitors showed up.

suitern · July 2014

I showered the next morning; DS was born at 4:15 pm the day before. I could hardly make it to the restroom alone because of the epi taking forever to wear off and being so sore after, so the shower was worth the wait, but so nice! I only had my Mom and DH in the hospital so it wasn't a huge deal without showering to me.

Timscutie01 · July 2014

I had an induction as well. I went in around 5pm and had her two days later!!! I needed a shower like asap. She was born at 145'ish and we were moved to recovery around 530. Once we moved I immediately got a long hot shower. It had been almost three full days without one…it was necessary. We didn't have any visitors at the hospital so it was not an issue for me.

MMason12 · July 2014

As a FTM I am right there with you as far as feeling the need to shower! I probably won't mind close family coming in within a few hours to see her/I; however, I am not going to be up for any other visitors until I shower.

I've been hospitalized a few times before and to me there is nothing worse than sitting in a hospital bed in your own mess. I know as soon as possible I am going to want up, get showered, and put on something other than a nasty hospital gown.

poptart109 · July 2014

I didn't really care at first. Had DS at 2:47pm and moved to my own room at 8pm. I didn't shower til next morning against nurses advice- I was a falls risk due to hypotension.

BabyMayinMarch · July 2014

I had a shower the next day. The only people to visit were my parents and IL's so I really didn't care what I looked like.

hizah05 · July 2014

I'm pretty sure I was so out of from the c/s that I didn't even know who was visiting let alone whether I had showered or not. That said, I was concerned prior to the surgery and asked a million times if I could shower right before since I had already been in the hospital overnight. They let me take a really quick 10 minute shower. My c/s was scheduled though, not an emergency.

Linz-E · July 2014

I had my epidural out an hour post delivery and took a shower shortly after that.

T&HLove · July 2014

I want to say it was later that night or the next day. If you have an epi, you might have to wait for it to wear off. I had some fainting issues once I could walk, so that hindered me too. Fwiw, I didn't care what I looked like to visitors.

bardini · July 2014

I showered within 45 mins but DD was in the nicu so couldn't be with her intil i was up & out of bed... motivation. I'm sure i would have waited much longer if she was there with me. i also put on my own comfy pjs, which made me feel better than being in a hospital gown, especially since i had to walk to the nicu.

peanutbuttervibes · July 2014

DS was born at 9:08pm and after some quick visits, nursing, and switching rooms, I was too exhausted to shower that night. I think I managed to get in the shower late afternoon the next day.

teenybean · July 2014

Normal vag delivery: couple hours

C/s: after they take off your bandage, varies sometimes by facility

bumpuser5078523 · July 2014

I showered the next day. It was horrible, but it was nice getting clean. I had a c-section and blood pressure issues. I almost died when I stood up but I refused to get back in bed without a shower. I nearly fainted while showering, good thing the nurse was helping. I had my IV in still and my catheter. Not really fun times, but I can't stand being dirty.

Ceridwen21 · July 2014

DS was born at 5:30pm and I had a shower the next morning.

carryon23 · July 2014

I had DD at 7:42 AM - I showered that afternoon. I had DS at 8:29 PM - I was able to rinse off right after delivery in the shower in the LD room. I took a real shower the next morning.

cozybluebear · July 2014

Our family actually came into the L&D after our son was born. I was a bit uncomfortable because I felt yucky and the room was still all messy from the birth. I had an epidural so once I was after be to walk and pee (after be bout an hour) they moved us to the postpartum room where I immediately wanted to shower! I probably ahould have waited a bit because i was still a bit unstable but my husband helped me. This time around, my plan is for my husband and I to spend that hour after birth alone with baby. When we are moved to our postpartum room and I have ahowered and am comfortable, then family can visit. They will just need to be patient!

Beedeck · July 2014

My epidural made my right leg extremely numb for several hours. They ended up having to insert a catheter so I could empty my bladder. I wasn't able to stand and walk until late that night. I had my son at 11:50am, I had lots of visitors that same day I didn't feel uncomfortable. It was nice to shower once I was able to though.

ashaw512 · July 2014

It was 2 days before I showered, I had a CS and I had to help those 2 days just to get out of bed and use the bathroom. I didn't want to get up much less move, every time I stood my inside felt like they were going to fall out on the floor from the pressure. It was awful. I'm thinking this time will be better but I didn't care who came and saw me. I guess it was actually 3 days bc I had a shower the night before I went to the hospital then was in labor for 16 hours and had CS right after midnight.

LTMama · July 2014

Reading all these replies, I'm laughing at myself - I can't for the life of me remember when I showered, but I remember everything I ate and when. LOL priorities?

LTMama · July 2014

natsan08 said:

LTMama said:

Reading all these replies, I'm laughing at myself - I can't for the life of me remember when I showered, but I remember everything I ate and when. LOL priorities?

I remember being so mad about food. I dreamed of eating spicy tuna rolls and hamburgers and all this shit after delivery, and at the end of the day I was so nauseous and gross feeling that all I wanted was peanut butter toast.

That sucks

I threw up a lot during labor and right after, but after that I couldn't eat enough! The hospital food was surprisingly good, and on our second day they do a special celebratory meal for the parents, catered from a local restaurant. We had rack of lamb and filet mignon. Yum.

Beedeck · July 2014

LTMama said:

Reading all these replies, I'm laughing at myself - I can't for the life of me remember when I showered, but I remember everything I ate and when. LOL priorities?

We stopped at Subway on the way home from the hospital, I still talk about it to this day it was the most glorious meal ever. I've never had it taste sooooo good!

LTMama · July 2014

Beedeck said:

LTMama said:

Reading all these replies, I'm laughing at myself - I can't for the life of me remember when I showered, but I remember everything I ate and when. LOL priorities?

We stopped at Subway on the way home from the hospital, I still talk about it to this day it was the most glorious meal ever. I've never had it taste sooooo good!

Haha awesome! We stopped at Chipotle on our way home

Beedeck · July 2014

LTMama said:

Beedeck said:

LTMama said:

Reading all these replies, I'm laughing at myself - I can't for the life of me remember when I showered, but I remember everything I ate and when. LOL priorities?

We stopped at Subway on the way home from the hospital, I still talk about it to this day it was the most glorious meal ever. I've never had it taste sooooo good!

Haha awesome! We stopped at Chipotle on our way home

Oooooh, I've been to Chipotle 3 times in the last week. I could see that being our stop this time around.

MrsLaLaBug · July 2014

I showered the morning after.

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