Advice on C section

carlita

I had a double breech baby and had a C section it was 11 years ago so things might have changed however

Is ECV <im guessing thats turning the baby> not very painful and dangerious to the baby?

that is what I was advised at the time < I have no links to back this up>

re the c section ~ have plenty of big pants get as much rest as possible ~ I was up and stumbling about very slowly 6 hours after mine.

what I do have to say is I got a really bad cough right after the birth and the pain is like nothing on earth, please make sure before you go into hospital someone shows you the trick of coughing with a pillow !!!!

and don't forget and try and lift your toddler.

take aways and frozen meals will help a lot.

enjoy it ~ you'll be great

Janepig

Neither of my C-sections was particularly hellish. I had both of them late at night, one at 11.30pm and one at half past midnight, which impacted on when I was discharged as the 11.30pm birth was counted as "day 1" of my recovery, even though it was only half an hour!! I was instructed to get up and walk to the shower roundabout the lunchtime afterwards, and particularly after having DS (my second) I was hopping up and down off the bed and lifting him (albeit a lightweight 5lb 12oz) by tea-time that day, to the astonishment of my visitors.

Someone has already mentioned a drain I think - I had one the first time, but ignorance is bliss and didn't understand what was actually inside me, just that I had to carry a small bag of blood around!! The Sister who came to remove the drain was really apprhensive, and after she removed what seemed like 20ft of tubing I understood why, but I was glad I didn't realise what was inside me!!! So the second time around I begged the surgeon to be careful with the scalpel (she told me that roughly 1 in 4 sections results in a drain being put in) and the first thing she did after sewing me up was give me the good news that there was no drain this time!!

Other than that, I recovered well both times, I had one long running stitch the first time which came out with ease after about 6 days, but the second time I had disolving stitches. But I was out and about (within reason) with no ill effects, was off the painkillers very early on - beware hospital co-codamol, it's knockout stuff and I had to stop taking it because I was afraid of not waking to feed the baby!!

And get yourself down to Primark for a couple of packs of HUGE knickers. Which are cheap enough to throw away when they're no longer needed.

Jxx

PS: I was curious as to what was wrong with GR's advice about turning the baby .

Crispy_Ambulance

carlita wrote: »

I had a double breech baby and had a C section it was 11 years ago so things might have changed however

Is ECV <im guessing thats turning the baby> not very painful and dangerious to the baby?

that is what I was advised at the time < I have no links to back this up>

It is uncomfortable for the mother and does carry a small risk of placental abruption and/or distress to the baby which is why the baby would be monitored and there will be a theatre on standby for an emergency section. However, it carries less risk to both than a c-section which is why it should be offered.

Plus, breech babies can be born vaginally . . .

Agutka

Aaah this brings back memories.
I had an emergency one and loved every minute of it. The anasthetist was gorgeous, the epidural blissful and everyone really friendly. I was shocked when they threw me out of bed within 24 hours, even more so when they told me to remove the plaster off my scar in the shower. I thought I'd just fall open! The one stitch (across) was removed shortly after I guess I had soluble ones. My scar did peep open within a week, but closed up again quickly. I did have the lovely experience of sneezing on the first day :eek:. Just as good as a cough. Ooh or the one time I thought the baby had died ( he wasn't moving, just staring into space :rolleyes:) and I sat bolt upright with fright. Ouch too.
I am naturally lazy so I milked the section for weeks. But I remember getting OH to take me into town and being able just to walk around for 20 minutes before collapsing on a bench - and that was three weeks after. I do think you're supposed to move about, but anything strenuous and you'll set your recovery back.
Don't you just love sharing these stories?
Also - they don't just rummage round your bits, they get right in there - I had a hand just under my ribcage - I could see it even behind the screen :eek:
Also also - my fave experience of discomfort (because it's so weird) was all your insides falling back into place, very very odd and takes forever.

Gingham_Ribbon

elainew wrote: »

I hope your joking ! This really isnt advised

As Crispy says, I'm not joking. Non invasive, unlike sections. (I've had 2. I'm not anti section, just that there's no reason not to try to turn the baby naturally.)

carlita

Crispy_Ambulance wrote: »

It is uncomfortable for the mother and does carry a small risk of placental abruption and/or distress to the baby which is why the baby would be monitored and there will be a theatre on standby for an emergency section. However, it carries less risk to both than a c-section which is why it should be offered.

Plus, breech babies can be born vaginally . . .

and there speaks a man
:T :T :T

surely an unplanned section i.e a section as a result of the baby getting in destress is worse for everyone over a booked c section?

Narva

Hi I have had 2 planned c sections. You CAN DRIVE BEFORE 6 WEEKS..... as long as you check with your GP and she/he says you are ok to drive, and you speak to your insurance company, you can drive when fit. AS LONG AS YOU CAN SAFETLY PREFORM A EMERGENCY STOP, THEN YOU CAN DRIVE.

My first c section i got infection after infection and wasnt the best but that is due to my size, second c section was fine and i was out shopping on the 5 th day!!

hope it goes all ok.

Lemoncurd

Interesting thread as I'm another who could be in a similar position. Just wanted to give you some well wishes and hope everything goes well. Do they not think there is any chance of baby turning in the meantime? 16th still seems quite a way off. Did they offer an ECV?

Am currently typing this kneeling down leant forward over a birthing ball in the hope it will encourage baby into optimum position. I'm 36w+5 and have a scan and consultant appt tomorrow so will know for sure then how baby is lying. This scan was booked for other reasons but had it not been booked already the midwife was going to arrange one to check the position of baby after my 34 week appt.

bestpud

I've had three; one emergency with a GA, and two elective while awake. Elective sections are a much nicer experience imo!

Big knickers are an absolute must, as is a pillow for the baby when you are feeding him/her on your lap.

I was driving within two weeks of having all mine, but it does take a little longer to initially get up and walking about.

I didn't have any extra help with housework or anything and I didn't really need it. You just need to listen to your body and stop when it tells you to!

With number one I took about a week to get fully mobile, with number two it was about three days and with number three I had her about 3pm and was up and about, fully caring for her by 6am the next morning.

Just go with the flow and you will be fine. Take it easy and you will be running the world again in no time! I would also accept any pain relief in the first few days - they give you anti-inflammatries (sp?) afterwards now, and that makes it much easier, in my experience.

Good luck with it. Good idea to get some food prepared in advance.

carlita

Lemoncurd I was 37 weeks when they told me to pick a date in the next 2 weeks :-D