A bit of advice - Things you should know about C-Sections

[Danielle_NZ]

I found this online before my first c-section and thought I'd share with you all...


#1 You get the shakes due to all of the drugs being given to you so quickly

#2 You get REALLY tight *down there* for ages afterwards (for some) making BDing uncomfortable

#3 Having a CS does NOT mean you will have problems bonding with your baby anymore/any less than a VB

#4 Having a CS does not mean you can't breast feed

#5 It's really not as bad as some would have you believe

# 6 take good care of your back afterwards as the chances are it received a bashing from the medical team before,during and after your birth

#7 The Doc is going to ask you afterwards if you are passing gas. It's not cause he smelt something; he's just checking that your bowels are working okay.

#8 You will probably get your AF back sooner than if you had had a VB.

#9 Don't watch America's Funniest Home Videos two days after your operation. We took a TV into the hospital and I had to tell DH to turn it off because I was in fits of laughter/agony from just listening to him laughing.

#10 the ITCH you can get while in surgery!!! still the worst part of mine i think!!! (from the morphine)

#11 I wasnt warned of what i call the EPISHOCK - the pain that shoots up my back with out warning every so often now!

#12 Always mentally prepare yourself for the possibility of a c/s because even though you may feel "robbed" of your birthing experience, it is not the worst thing that could ever happen to you.

#13 Make sure that you have a rope tied to the bed leg at the bottom of your bed that stretches to your pillow, because you have no stomach muscles to get out of bed to baby and will need something to help pull you up. Failing that have your DH push you up

#14 You can still have contractions after delivery.

#15 try really really hard not to vomit the night after you've had surgery as this hurts so badly

#16 Try and get up and moving as soon as you can (with the help of midwives/nurses in hospital), it will make you feel more 'normal' and help recovery

#17 Take some Arnica drops with you, I think these helped me alot. (and Rescue Remedy)

#18 Normal knickers dont feel good! Have some granny undies packed so your DH doesnt have to shopping for them

#19 All the extra maternity pads you purchased can be used to keep your scar dry (for the saggy belly girls like me that is), fold in half and shove fold part on scar and the saggy belly will hold the pad in place. Will help prevent infection

#20 If you do feel a bit let down or upset by the birth experience, talk to someone. There are people out there who can help you work through the issues you may face. Ask your midwife or doctor for a referal to maternal mental health. They specialise in that sort of thing.

#21 At antenatal class you'll be told that there could be 10 people in the theatre with you and how scary that will be, in reality you don't notice, there are only 3 important people in there - you, your partner and bubs!

#22 It really does feel like someone doing the dishes in your stomach (or rumaging in a handbag lol)

# 23 Don't bother bribing your DH or a friend to paint your toenails so you can feel halfway human. The nurse will make you take it off again.

#24 Take a doughnut pillow to sit/lie on for the first 24 hours. Seriously, my backside hurt worse than my c-section wound after 24 hours of sitting on a crease in the plastic mattress cover!

#25 Drink HEAPS while you still have the catheter in. It means you can make sure you are really well hydrated without having to totter into the bathroom.

#25 Getting baby into and out of the plastic fish bowls provided by the hospital is almost impossible for the first day and very painful for the next few days. So don't bother! Just keep bubs close to you in bed. They are used to being close to you anyway so it eases the transition into the big wide world.

#26 The sooner you get up and moving around the easier the recovery will be. Take it slow and easy and if you decide to walk round the corridors get someone a bit steadier to carry your baby!

#27 Hold a flat pillow tight against your tummy when you get out of bed.

#28 If you need to cough, imitate a cat with a hairball and 'huurrr huurrr' first to move the phlegm. Then sit with a pillow pressed against your tum and cough. You can also get dh to stand behind you and hold the pillow tight while you cough.

#29 Make a fuss if it hurts! Studies show that if pain is effectively dealt with in the initial period then it passes faster. You shouldn't be in pain as long as you have the morphine drip in. If you do then it isn't working. They can give you another booster shot. And keep taking your panadol, tramadol and voltaren for the full recommended period. You won't get dependent on the.

#30 Stay in you pj's once you get home. If you have a shower then get dressed into clean pj's. You are less likely to try and do too much or be expected to do more if you look like an invalid!

[starangelk]

Great post Danielle. Your #1 was a big factor for me. I got the serious shakes and wasn't able to hold my baby because I wasn't considered "safe." They didn't make a big deal of it, the nurse just got DH to hold the DD next to me for a while but he ended up taking her away because I was shaking so badly. I totally wasn't prepared for that to happen.

[Beach Mama]

Great list for people heading to a c/s Danielle!! #8 You will probably get your AF back sooner than if you had had a VB...not sure about this one though, I thought it was more linked to breastfeeding than the c/s?? I know for me I didn't get AF at all with DD, then fell pg with no AF and got it back after about 14 mths with DS so I didn't get it for 3 years all up !

ETA: Take it eaasssyyyyy - I felt pretty good after about 2 weeks with DS and went to the shops with DH and the kids and about 30 mins in I was almost doubled up and nearly had to get DH to carry me out! I wasn't in agony so much as just tight, sore and exhausted and clearly over did it.

[Inanna]

It's great to share information & experiences.

I certainly didn't begin to menstruate again any earlier with my c/section than with my vaginal births. This is really to do with breastfeeding and it's frequemcy rather than the surgery.

Also

#25 Getting baby into and out of the plastic fish bowls provided by the hospital is almost impossible for the first day and very painful for the next few days. So don't bother! Just keep bubs close to you in bed. They are used to being close to you anyway so it eases the transition into the big wide world.

This is worrisome for me personally. Co sleeping post op is not recommended & will be against hospital policy. This is due to the fact that narcotics that you will be on post op make you less aware. There has been incidences of Mothers smothering their babies post op due to this. This is why it is not recommended & certainly against hospital policy for that reason.

Of course at home when you are only on panadol/panadeine it's fine but certainly whilst you are on a PCA or any other narcotic meds (panadeine forte) it is not recommended.

[Indadhanu]

LOL dunno about most of that but I like number 30 hehe

[Ryatha]

Many are very true - and it is possible to have skin to skin contact and BF while they are stiching you up and in recovery

[~Kaz~]

Agree with Ryatha. I didn't get skin to skin straight away but I did in recovery and we breast fed there too which was great and I think went a long way towards DS and I bonding well.

A C/s doesn't necessarily affect bonding like the list says but what happens after the birth in terms of skin to skin, feeding etc can have a big impact on how it goes. This is true for any birth, not just C/s.

[turtleschell]

This is so useful to know! Thanks for posting this!

[Danielle_NZ]

I decided not to edit the list as it wasn't my personal opinion but I decided to share cause it's important to know a range of different information, because you are / will be the mother, you will know what's best for you and your baby.

I did co-sleep after my last c-section because I was extremely sick, the midwifes in my ward were aware of it and kept an eye on me and the baby, however I was unable to roll over due to a range of issues I had, co-sleeping for me was ALWAYS in my arms not beside me... supported by blankets, pillows and the bed frame sides.

I think an appointment one is the fact that you aren't a failure if you don't give birth naturally, you created your baby and you brought your baby into this world in the safest way possible for you and your baby.

[~Kaz~]

This is a good general or generic list for people who haven't experienced a C/s to get them thinking about what it might be like but I think it's important to state/realise that it's based on both general advice given to all women who have C/s, and the very specific experience of one mum. Everyone's experience will be different. For example:

#1 You get the shakes due to all of the drugs being given to you so quickly

- I didn't experience shaking that I remember.

#5 It's really not as bad as some would have you believe

- For me it was much worse

#11 I wasnt warned of what i call the EPISHOCK - the pain that shoots up my back with out warning every so often now!

- Haven't experienced this.

#21 At antenatal class you'll be told that there could be 10 people in the theatre with you and how scary that will be, in reality you don't notice, there are only 3 important people in there - you, your partner and bubs!

- I was acutely aware of everyone in the theatre and what they were looking at/seeing behind the screen.