MSE Pregnancy Club 28

crazy-cat-lady_2

tatabubbly wrote: »

Good luck with the scan crazy - I had a section and honestly, it wasn't half as bad as people had lead me to believe. Yes you will be sore but I was lucky, Hubby stayed with me the whole time in hospital and could help latch baby on for breastfeeding which is going well.
P

Thanks. I know plenty people who have had them and had no problems with them. In fact I don't know a single friend or family member who had one and anything bad came of it, no infections, complications..they all recovered very quickly. I used to think the only way I could make it through having a baby would be to have one. I'm a big wuss!
I'm not actually worried about having one. I just don't want to be stuck in hospital for a long time afterwards. I was hoping it would be a normal birth, straight forward, we could get home and get on with things and settled. (I don't necessarily think it's right but I know people here who have been let home after their first baby after as little as 6 hours).
Saying that though, I suppose a few people on here with natural births had complications and ended up staying in a long time. So there's no guarantee. And I have a friend who had a section last month who was home less than 48 hours later.

ThinkPink

What clothes are people packing for themselves for:
Wearing during labour
Wearing in hospital if they aren't home fairly soon
Wearing home after?

I've been buying a few bits for my hospital bag but not sure what to pack for myself with regards to clothes!!

euronorris

A section doesn't necessarily mean that you'll be in hospital for days. All being well, they'll let you home after 24 hours. All the main hospital wanted to see from me was that I could stand, walk, pee and shower. I did all 3 within 18 hours. They would've discharged me to the local hospital (which was my choice to go to, not a requirement) the same day if they'd had a doctor available to sign off on the paperwork!

crazy-cat-lady_2

ThinkPink wrote: »

What clothes are people packing for themselves for:
Wearing during labour
Wearing in hospital if they aren't home fairly soon
Wearing home after?

I've been buying a few bits for my hospital bag but not sure what to pack for myself with regards to clothes!!

I've put a few pairs of underwear in (and pads).
Nightie for during, an old one I'm not bothered about throwing out if it gets a bit icky.
PJs for afterward as well as a baggy top and pants for if I'm ok to get dressed.
Also a little fold up pair of slippers for any walking about, obviously for actual shoes you'll have what you went in in.

As well as mini shampoo, conditioner and shower gel, toothpaste and brush, hairbrush, kindle, breastpads, face wipes, drinks and snacks, phone charger.

flutterbyuk25

ThinkPink wrote: »

What clothes are people packing for themselves for:
Wearing during labour
Wearing in hospital if they aren't home fairly soon
Wearing home after?

I've been buying a few bits for my hospital bag but not sure what to pack for myself with regards to clothes!!

I'm hoping for waterbirth so have got a maternity tankini top, but also have 2 dark nursing nighties packed for normal birth. Though to be honest I will probably end up nude as hate being hot! :rotfl:.

I've packed maternity pj bottoms and a few baggy tshirts to wear in hospital, and a lightweight dark dressing gown. 2 packs of giant dark knickers.

To go home I've packed what were my work maternity trousers as they are very roomy! Plus a baggy tshirt and nursing bras.

My going home clothes, plus a hoody will be left in the car for OH to bring in when it's time. My other clothes are in hospital bag to come with me.

I've also packed slippers, flip flops and fluffy socks.

crazy-cat-lady_2

euronorris wrote: »

A section doesn't necessarily mean that you'll be in hospital for days. All being well, they'll let you home after 24 hours. All the main hospital wanted to see from me was that I could stand, walk, pee and shower. I did all 3 within 18 hours. They would've discharged me to the local hospital (which was my choice to go to, not a requirement) the same day if they'd had a doctor available to sign off on the paperwork!

That is good to know. Besides my friend who got out in 2 days I've never known anyone get out after a section within 4 days. They've all been kept in much longer than they felt was necessary. They wouldn't even let my sister get out of bed for the first 24 hours, and everything was simple and straightforward for her section.
How long were you numb and cathetered for? Nobody seems to be able to remember.

moneypenny21

crazy cat - 36 hours I was out after ELCS and about 60 hours after EMCS (I should have had another 2 nights in at least though as had an infection!).

ELCS - Numbness started wearing off in recovery so less than an hour. Full feeling returned after 8 hours. Catheter removed after 8 hours and walking.

EMCS - Unsure about numbness but was out of bed walking 9 hours later. Catheter kept in for about 24 hours, not sure why but think it was because I was dehydrated so hooked up to a saline drip and they needed to monitor fluid output.

euronorris

Baby was born at 3.50am. Catheter was removed shortly after lunch. Numbness wore off after a few hours, so I also stood up for the first time after catheter was removed and was then helped to the shower by a midwife (though I showered myself).

Feeling started to return pretty quickly. My right arm was numb during the section, the epidural had travelled up pretty far. Probably because I'd already had it in quite strongly before the section. But they sat me up immediately after surgery and I remember the feeling returning in my arm within minutes as I was then able to hold Mia in place for her first feed.

I had a couple of hours kip after that and was able to move my legs again when I woke up. They were weak, but I could move them.

I think it varies area to area. My friendfriend and sister had to confirm they'd had a poop before they'd discharge them. But they were both still discharged after 48 hours.

If you do have a section, drink plenty of water and eat fibre afterwards. It helps a lot! I never had a problem with wind, but I know it's a common problem, so watch out for that too.

ThinkPink

I have some old nighties, will have to pull them out to see if they will be any good. I need to buy a lightweight dressing gown, some black pants and some slippers. I'm hoping for a water birth, but don't have any swimwear that will fit, and don't really want to spend out on one, so maybe I'll just have to wear a vest top. I'm not sure what to pack for just wearing in hospital after I've had him, but before I can go home, I'm thinking of just comfy loose baggy trousers and vest tops.

flutterbyuk25

Thinkpink - I got my maternity tankini top from Asda, only a tenner and it will be fine to use again if it's not manky! Mothercare have sale on dressing gowns and nightie sets at mo, I got nursing nightie and gown for £20. They had some gowns for £7 but in light grey and I wanted dark colour. This was in store though not online.