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your welcome! ooh yes forgot to mention, as your feet will be swollen ask your DH to massage them or if they have a massage lady/man at the hospital they can come and give you massage I had a shoulder and foot massage at the hospital as they both hurt from the swelling and my shoulder hurt from leaning looking at bubs while BF.
Another tip I just thought of and not sure if anyone has mentioned it. Drink lots of water while recovering. I found that it helped with toileting after having the cathetar (sp?) out.
A big yes on the water, and take some dried apricots or similar in with you to eat, as they will help with the no2s as the pain meds can block you up a bit. :redface:
Does it hurt to pee and poo after a CS?
It hurts a bit but more when you are trying to release the muscles. Hold your stomach in the beginning. It feels more comfortable. It will hurt more if you hold it I think.
I've had my gallbladder out and appendics...both with reasonable size scars...is it similar to that surgery in terms of recovery?
With the pee, you have a catheter in, and after they take it out, they want you to do a huge pee within an hour i think. And the nurses will hassle you till it is done. I got a sheet from the hospital on it, and they need to make sure your bladder is functioning after the catheter.
With the other, I found I was really constipated from the pain meds, and the pregnancy and the iron tablets i was taking, that I didnt go for days, and needed the assistance... and again, the nurses hassled me till I did one. It is a sign that they need to tick of after having the surgery to see that everything is working ok in that region...
Ellie - not sure re your question, but I would think maybe a bit similar to the appendix?
Ellie,
Probably similar in some ways but different in others. The huge difference that makes CS easier than other surgery is that you are generally healthy going into it - your body is not also fighting an infection (like in appendicitis for example).
The huge difference that makes it harder than other surgery is that you will not be able to sleep for ages after the operation - someone will need you to look after them!
Ellie the c-section scar is different in terms of disruption to the area because it cuts right through BOTH sides of the long abdominal muscles which normally anchor the ribs to the pelvis. These muscles both pull to stop you flopping over back wards and push to stop you flopping over forwards- they engage every time you move. With the appendix the scar is usually much further to the right, cutting into the right side of the long (rectus) muscle, but not right through the width of the right muscle and not into the left one at all. Lots of people get back pain after an appendectomy because they unconsciously "guard" the right side of their tummy and use the left side more, so putting strain on their back. After a section there is no uncut area to rely on, so it might feel, by comparison, that that operation scar discomfort/pain is there the whole time, there won't be a way to sit or stand to rest it, because the whole area side-to-side is healing.
Not being ill (in a planned c-section whether in labour or not) WILL make a massive difference but many women still have that "hit-by-a-train" feeling of exhaustion after it for a day or two. As others have said, take the pain meds, rest, LET the nurses nurse you. C-sections are often regarded by relatives and sometimes even by staff as "just another kind of birth" and while that is true they are also MAJOR abdominal surgery so don't feel the need to do too much - look after the baby with help from DP/DH and let everyone else look after YOU until you're back on your feet.
Bx