I'm 34 weeks and found out our baby is in breech position which means I will probably need to have a c-section. All along I didn't want a c-section if for no other reason but the recovery was longer. So for all those that have had a c-section can you give me some tips on how to ensure I recover in the quickest amount of time.
I'm still hoping the baby will turn but my Dr isn't hopeful so I want to start preparing myself for a c-section.
Bridee you'll need to allow time for your tummy muscles to knit back together, and so that means not doing heavy lifting for a while. When you hope out of bed roll onto your side, support yourself on your elbow then swing your legs over. If you have the option of seeing a physio in hospital, they can give you some gentle recovery exercises which are good.
Look after your emotional and mental health too.... don't think that if you do have to have a C-section that means you won't bond with your baby, won't be able to breast feed etc etc. Go into it with a positive, can-do attitude. If a birth plan is important to you, prepare one for either option (ie vaginal and CS)
With a C-section it is important to keep on top of the pain because once it is out of control it is harder for the drugs to work - BELIEVE ME!! So, make sure you take painkillers every fours hours (or however often they are recommended) for as long as you need them. For me it was for two and a half weeks, but I could only take panadol.
[Major surgery was not a good time to find out I was codeine sensitive - AARGH!!! and anti-infammatories were contraindicated for me]
Keeping on top of the pain will mean that you will be able to get up more and do more for your baby.
You need to take it easy. The advice I had from my SIL was act like lady muck and take it easy - get help with everyday tasks, take it easy for at least 6 weeks with absolutely no heavy lifting, no driving - the baby should be the heaviest thing you lift. My SIL did not follow her own advice after 2 c/sections and still has pain years later because she did not take it easy, she wanted to run around after her toddler!!!
34 weeks is still early days - still another 6 weeks for bubs to turn, so there is a good chance everything will work out just fine!! Good on you for wanting to be prepared for a c/s.
You still have lots of time ahead of you if you want to encourage the baby to turn. I'm not sure if you are happy to have the section or not, but it is not up to your doctor, it is up to you. You can birth a breech baby vaginally too you know
dont do anything that they tell you not to do!!! i hung out the washing and split my cut open alittle and had to be stitched back up again!!! just take it easy for a while and let people wait on you for a while
All of the above and definitely try not to worry, both mine have been fine. Had a few probs with first one with scar pain when feeding but that was an emerngency c/s. My elective that i had last year was wonderful and had no probs.
When they first get you up it will be pretty sore but when they say to you 'the more you do the more you can do' - believe them! The more you try to do in hossy - just walking and having a shower - the very next time you do it is so much easier. Obviously don't overdo things but just stay mobile once they let you up.
Good luck - hope your bub turns for you though so you have a choice.
Julie x
Bridee, main thing is to take it easy as already mentioned. Don't lift anything heavier than your baby. Use a pillow (if possible) held across your lower tummy to cough or sneeze and also to feed your baby.
Having said all of that, 34 weeks is still very possible for your baby to turn around. Try sitting backwards on a dining chair when watching telly instead of the lounge. If you have a gym ball sit on it instead. Basically what you want to do is anything which tilts your pelvis forward to encourage bub to turn around and head south!! Walking is good as is walking up and down stairs. You can also lean over the kitchen bench during BH and pull your pelvis down IYKWIM? All the best hun, I hope that your bubby turns around!! BTW, some don't turn until labour.... Alan would be able to let you know more
get up and moving as soon as possible, and if they want you to wear support stocking do it I was very slow with moving and didn't wear the stockings and have only now 9 month PP finally have the swollen water retention under control
I agree with all of the above =- especially the pain relief bit. I hate taking anything but told them i wanted whatever i was due for whether i was in pain or not(and early on they were full on pain killers!) - and it really helped me get up and about without having to worry about too much pain.
Rest rest rest - enjoy the time you have just to sit and cuddle and enjoy your bubby! Drink lots of water, take vitamins etc
As far as turning bub - check out Breech and Posterior Babies - Links & Resources
Good luck!!!
I didn't take painkillers all that often, but I didn't feel like I needed them eiether. I was walking around quite early afterwards and didn't need my TEDs either. A positive attitude helps, and do whatever you feel you can or can't. Good luck, but there's still plenty of time and you are able the VB a breach if you really want to.
The most important things for me:
- Get up and move as soon as you can after the birth. The longer you loll around in bed the harder it will be.
- Definitely ask about seeing a physio at the hospital. It doesn't cost any extra and they can show you how to do basic things like rolling over in bed without the agony.
- Don't be a martyr and take the pain drugs. On about day 3 you'll hit a wall otherwise.
Good luck
I had a scheduled c/s due to placenta praevia and for me also it was very disappointing. But when I found out the week before that it was definitely a c/s I focused on how I'd get through and over it as quickly as possible. I also learnt as much as I could from my ob about what would happen and the best way to establish bf after a c/s, it empowered me so that I wasn't just a bystander in the whole procedure.
There are some c/s birth plans around here, I would encourage you to read them and maybe write one yourself. I have a link to my birth story in my signature and it pretty much went according to plan. Being able to see Lucy born was amazing.
I had a fabulous recovery. I made sure I did the exercises to get my legs moving (after the epi) as quickly as possible and was out of bed in the morning (she was born at around 8pm). I think because I didn't have to go thru a long labour first, I was physically doing a lot better than some might. I didn't need the PCA (drip) much at all. I had a slight complication from the epi on days 2 and 3, but no problems from the actual c/s. I just tried to do everything I would normally do (and take care of the baby!), as long as it didn't hurt.
My suggestion would be to get as much information as possible beforehand and see if you can ask for things, like seeing the baby born, holding him/her straight away, bfing as soon as possible, etc. It can still be a positive experience.
Thanks everyone for your replies. I am certainly feeling much more positive about things now, I actually like the idea of knowing the date we get to see our daughter.
It'd be interesting to see if anyone has anything more to add to this thread... my goal is to get up walking as soon as I can as I believe the last two times I've been too lazy and not pushed myself a bit... and I'm not talking about pushing myself too far just more about testing the waters sooner.
I had two very different c/s. the first was an emergency c/s, the second after an active 26 hr labour. The second one BY FAR was the best.
I believe mental state had alot to do with it, I was relaxed during and after my 2nd.
I also breastfeed DD asap (due to bad reaction & DS being in NICU I actually didnt start expressing for him until almost 24 hrs after he was born). I believe the breastfeeding immediately helped.
I also was up walking around within 8 hours of DD being born, DS it was 48hrs until I could.
I keep practising pelvic floor exercises ever time I feed DD, I didnt with DS.
I have been walking at least 3 times a week since DD was born, given that DS was in NICU obviously we were at the hospital so not much time for exercising.
I had DP home for 5 weeks when DD was born, so I did NO housework, I avoided lifting DS (that was hard,espec when mummy wanted cuddles), didnt do the washing, mopping, sweeping nothing! With DS's c/s since he came early we were in the middle of moving interstate, so packed a house (DP had to go back to work earlier the first ) and cleaned a house only 3 weeks post op.
Needless to say I recovered stacks better second time around. I'm almost onl 7 weeks post op and am back to jogging, the same time frame with DS I was still on pain killers and barely walking around a shopping centre.
Tips for C-section recovery
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just take it easy for a while and let people wait on you for a while
november 06
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