Give it to me straight - caesarean at 33 weeks, what do I need to know?

It's extremely likely that I will be having a cs this week. It has occurred to me at this late hour lol, that I am not that prepared. Sure, I've done some reading etc, and talked a bit to friends, but I'm keen for any advice and tips to help make the birth and my recovery as lovely and easy as possible! So, like I said, give it to me straight, what do DH and I need to know? Bearing in mind that our bub will be whisked off to NICU/SCN pretty quickly, so there will be no skin to skin in recovery etc.

Janie I can't offer you any advice but I just wanted to give you some :hug: :hug: :hug:

:hug: chicken let me know if u need a hand with anything

Big hugs lovely :hug:. Sorry I can't give you any advice, but I just wanted to wish you all the best.

Janie :hug: :hug: BIG HUGS. Thinking of you..... hopefully some other Mum's who have been thru this can come in and give you some great advice and support. All the very best for you and bubs. Bubs will be just fine :hug:

Go on a tour of the SC/NICU before the procedure if possible so you know what to expect.

Make sure you request a room as close as possible to SC/NICU as soon as it is available. If not available on admission, you should be able to get moved the next day when someone is discharged. Keep asking. It makes a big difference to be as close as possible.

Have someone (MW or parner?)take photos and bring them to you in your room as soon as possible. This will help with the bonding and to get the hormones kicking to start producing milk. It will also help to see the NGT etc if they were required.

These were the 3 things that helped me the most from a hospital perspective (that I can think of at the moment).

I hope all goes well for you.

Hun will be thinking of you, and praying for the best outcome that all is better than you think. xxx

Janie, I am strapped for time at the moment just finishng up expressing before music then I am out for the day but I will be back tonight.

As you most likely know neither of my girls were prem they both however were born by CS and were both taken to NICU/SCN as soon as they were born as they were sick little girls so I am happy to speak with you in regards to CS and NICU.

Spooky has given some good advice.

The other thing to think about is breastfeeding, I think this is something you would be wanting to do (as you did with your DS for so long :D... I will come back and talk to you more about this is you would like?

As I said I have to go for now but I will be back :hug:.

Sorry double post.

I would suggest having a special blanket or teddy of some sort that can always be with your bub. Maybe buy it today and sleep with it for a few nights to get your 'smell' on it. I am not sure if it will be allowed in the nicu so double check that one..

As for recovery. Just take it slow and easy. As much as you will want to get up and see bub just give yourself a few hours then try. I managed to go see my DD when she was 5 hours old. I really over did it but a couple hours rest in bed and I was pretty good then.

My 3 youngest have all been in the SCN for varying times straight after birth as well and it can be tough not having them with you. My Sister went and printed me off some pictures to have with me and to show off to anyone who was interested..

:hug: I hope everything goes smoothly

Thinking of you and can't wait to hear about the arrival of number two! Am excited for you, and sending all my positive energy down the line to you. xxx MWAH, MWAH, MWAH.

hi,

All the best for your coming arrival. My apologies for the long post.

I will share with you what i know and hope some of it helps. I had an energency c-section at 29 weeks 6 days so unfortunately had no time to prepare.

At my hospital they will take a photo or two of the baby for you pretty quickly. I saw my baby photo's as soon as I came to from the anaesthetic an hour or two later.

When you are well enough from the c-section (i had a sleep for a few hours) you will get wheeled in to check on your precious darling. Depending on their health they will need Intensive Care or Special Care. NICU has more constant observations and more specially trained nurses. Sometimes they will have breathing apparatus to assist in breathing but that does not sound likely for your gestation.

It is a very scary thing the first sight of the machines so definately ask for a tour. I spoke to a mum-to-be on a tour and it helped her to see our baby and see what was happening.

They will not allow a special blanky or toy in the babies cot but i suggest YOU having a special blanky or toy. I slept with a little knitted toy and carried it when feeling really sad as my emotional rod. ESpecially on lonely nights expressing at 3am or something, have photo's of your baby around you as well.

The midwives in the ward will help you get started on expressing and it is important to do it every 3 hours during the day (or there abouts do not get so stressed like i did if it was not exact), and at least once over night. This increases your supply for when you commence breast feeding.

KANGAROO cuddles are GREAT. They place your little one on your chest inside your clothes. Really good for both of you.

They will go through breastfeeding with you but you start with breast contact and see if your little one has the suckling reflex yet. From 32 - 34 weeks from memory. Then you have the wonderful experience of learning to breast feed. I did contact one feed a day then when she was getting more interested, at every day feed. Depends on your baby as it is very tiring for them.

C-section - take it easy with bending. stepping into baths etc and move slowly for a while. Don't rush things physically.

Any more questions just ask as i realise i should stop this post is so long.

My baby is now a health 6 months old and she only had to be in hospital 6.5 weeks. We got home fullly bf.

all the best and will be thinking of you

:hug: Janie. Hope it all goes well for you both. Will be thinking of you :hug:

:hug: Janie - thinking of you. Hope everything goes amazingly well and your bub gets strong very quickly and his/her hospital stay is a short one.

Janie, i am sorry that i have no advice to offer you as i have never had a c/s myself so wouldn't know anything at all. I do want you to know though that i am thinking of you and wishing you all the very best for the impending birth of your little one and i hope things go as smoothly as they can for you.

Take care :hug:

thinking of you janie & wishing you all the best this week :hug:

Hun :hug: as you prepare for this. I can tell you what helped me to recover from the c/s as quickly as possible (I was up and about within about 6 hrs with very little pain). I had a c/s that was booked in, so I had no labour lead-up and no exhaustion.

I saw the hospital physio beforehand who gave me a sheet of exercises to do to get your legs back, if you're having a spinal anaesthetic (not a GA). Stretches, flexes of the toes, that kind of thing, to get blood flowing and muscles moving. I also found it was good for me not to use the pain medication button (through IV) much, since it made me drowsy (mind you, you need to do whatever works for you to recover too!). As soon as I was able, I started walking around. I found if I wanted to sit down it was better in a chair than a bed. And a shower ASAP since I felt yucky from the whole procedure! Take it easy, let your pain determine what you're capable of, but get around as much as you possibly can without straining yourself.

I got no skin to skin with my baby and didn't see her until I was back in my room. I know it might be a bit longer for you, but I did get out of recovery sooner by not clicking the pain med button while waiting (the theatre nurse knew how desperate I was to get out of there and told me that, but it might be different at your hospital). As soon as I saw her I put her on my chest. It didn't effect our ability to bf not having her straight away, but I'm aware that you are facing different circumstances.

ETA: I should add, not to confuse anyone, I took the oral painkillers as much as I was prescribed. It was the IV meds that I wanted to kick ASAP, since I wasn't able to have DD in with me while I was still attached to a drip and it seriously limited my ability to get around and get out of bed. Hope that makes sense!

:hug: Janie, sorry I don't have any advice, but thinking of you & wishing you all the best.

Janie, i have no experience (other than working there) of a bub in NICU, but c/secs I'm good at.

Take the pain relief that's offered. If you can't move because of pain, you can't do what you want.

Move your legs in bed as often as you can manage. Keep the blood moving.

Express as often as you can.

Use a rolled up towel (in eigths like a big pad) against your tummy when you want to move/cough/laugh. It braces those tender muscles a bit.

Use a thin mat pad between your wound and your knickers. It protects the wound a bit more.

ETA speak to the anaesthetist in depth before hand. Tell him what you expect to be able to do. I had a much better experience this time because of this - ie I wasn't so nauseas because I don't do well with morphine so asked for different drugs and lots of anti nausea drugs.

Good luck babe. Will be thinking of you.

:hug: Janie, will be thinking of you.

If you wear hipster undies get some higher ones! They sit right on the scar. Like Kim said, if you need to cough/laugh or something hold something against your scar like a pillow. Get up as soon as you're able to. To get out of bed roll onto your side first and use your arms to push yourself up, you can't use your tummy muscles to sit straight up.

Hmm...that's all I can remember.

:hug:

I don't have any advice to offer babe but just wanted you to know that you are both constantly in my thoughts :hug:

Janie, first of all :hug: You've been given some great suggestions. Personally I had a c/s and have also had other major abdominal surgery. I suggest keeping up the pain killers, it enables you to move around and the sooner you get moving (within reason ;) ) the quicker you'll heal and feel better.

Most NICU/SCN will give you a photo of your baby - this is important.
Don't hesitate to ask as many questions as you want. Get the phone number for the nursery, ring them, ask how your bubba is doing (until you're able to go down yourself).

Definately get the expressing going regularly (hand at first obviously). Most SCN will have breastpumps in there that you can use - it helps your milk supply if you're able to see your baby.

I was one of those people who felt so much more better and positive when I had got up showered and put real clothes on. Some mornings I would even blow dry my hair and put a bit of mineral powder make up on. I felt good, I would get out of bed do this and head down to SCN for her first feed.

Find out when the paed visits daily. I was always there for the weighing and pead visit. It made me feel more part of what was going on rather than hearing second hand off a nurse who'd heard it off the previous nurse lol.

Most of all, get rest! Don't be afraid to go back up to your bed put a sign on the door and get some sleep. Sleeping heals and you'll be better able to make your liquid gold for your precious baby.

xxoo best wishes

Good luck Janie...I would suggest someone for you, in recovery and back on ward..I imagine you will want DH to be with baby as much as possible...you will be out of action for 24 hours approx, make sure you use those wisely and keep your pain meds up to date, as soon as all the drips cathertar come out..make sure you keep taking the oral pain relief, and don't do too much the last thing you wnat is to make your pain worse.. take care it will be a stressful time, look forward to your BA, hope all is good and your little one is healthy.

Thinking of you today my love. xxxxxxxxx

me too :hug: cant wait to hear!