Advice for impending caesarean?

Counting_Pennies_2

I forgot to say, you will probably be in hospital for a few days.

My husband planned to go back to work while I was in hospital to allow him more time at home with us when we got out, but I really needed him with me.

Some hospital staff support you less than others, and when the most amazing thing has happened to you, you tend to want to share it, and with that I begged my husband to spend as much time with us as possible.

I also got quite bad baby blues where all I did was cry on and off for two days on day 3 and 4, so get husband to be prepared to pop in and see you whenever you want him there.

Also don't book too many visitors. I ended up with two different visitors each day, and it was far too much. Limit to a maximum of one visitor a day, and remember to sleep when baby sleeps.

Despite being very prepared for the birth, there were still things I needed so shopping lists were given to him on a daily basis.

I spent the month running up to the birth cooking lasagnes, cottage pies, stews etc and freezing them. It carried us through the first 3 months of our sons life. We ended up with a nightly routine of sterilise the breast pump/fold up the fresh laundry/set the alarm for the night feed/get the evening meal out of the freezer for the next day! We really missed the ready meals on tap!

GeDink

Just wanted to wish you and baba well, I know what you're going through just had my 2nd caesarian 6 weeks ago - wanted to offer some advice. You WILL be in hospital for a few days as you have to have 3 injections to help prevent thrombosis, these are spaced over the first 3 days. If you feel pain despite the tablets, ask for more pain relief, it is standard practice to give morphine injections after a c-section if more painkillers are needed. If you need to cough, sneeze laugh etc it hurts less if you press a cushion to your tummy, even now 6 weeks on I am getting pain, but have had an infection in the wound so this may be why? Get up and about as soon as possible, this does help believe me. My first c-section was an emergency, went into labour and her feet came out first, my second was more of a planned one as I went 15 days past my due date and was told it was dangerous to keep her in there due to placenta being less effective etc....so had to have another c-section. This wasn't explained to me first time round but if you have had a previous c-section then for further pregnancies you cannot be induced - something to do with the hormones given to you, softening the scar tissue too much leading to greater risk of haemmorhage, oh the amount of curries i ate those 2 weeks!!....but good luck....keep us all posted.

pdoff

Counting_Pennies wrote:

http://www.nctms.co.uk/prodshow.asp?id=59&cat=0&scat=0

Buy yourself a couple of packs of string pants. They look dreadful, but are perfect for C-sections.

I lived in these for the first month after my c-section, and my midwife said I had the most textbook healing scar she had ever seen.

They let the air in to heal the scar quicker, and being the biggest ugliest pants you have ever seen they don't irritate your scar.

do the string pants still work if u wear trousers over the top? baby due end november so will be far too cold just to wear pants to let air in!

Counting_Pennies_2

pdoff wrote:

do the string pants still work if u wear trousers over the top? baby due end november so will be far too cold just to wear pants to let air in!

Yep, they are perfect. For the first few days you'll just be wearing a nightdress in hospital and this is perfect for letting the air in (if you have the beaded stitches (a bead at each end) as I did, just be a little careful about getting it caught on the string, but that isn't a serious problem. Then when the scar is starting to settle, you just wear them as usual underwear, and it allows it to breath.

It was so sad, but I only gave the pants up a month later when I was behind on the washing and didn't have a spare pair, it is amazing how comfortable they were, and will definitely use them again next time.

welnik

I have had 2 sections. The first was after a 28 hour labour and an emergency. The second, I requested. They tried everything to put me off but I was sure that this is what I wanted.

One tip, try and get up and about as quick as you can. That way they let you leave. There was a woman opposite me who just wouldnt move and to be honest it is more painful. Saying that, there were others that had normal deliveries that seemed in much more pain than I was. After 12 hours, I didnt feel the need for any serious pain killers and found the usual Ibuprofen were enough.

Big pants from BHS are a must. Every pair of pre preg knickers lay exactly on the scar. They were so comfy I was wearing them for a year afterwards.

Definately take flip flops for walking around the hospital. I found my hospital was clean, it was the other patients that were dirty. I quite often walked into the shower to find blood and gore all over the floor. I must say though that quite often the midwifes would check the loo and showers before they would let you in there. I visited my sister recently and about 90% of the visitors were walking straight past the anti bacterial lotion they had been asked to put on their hands. You cant blame the hospital really for dirty people. It also a nightmare trying to get to sleep at night. The ward I was on didnt turn out the lights until after they had been round with the medication trolley and quite often it would be midnight. It was like trying to sleep in a train station with new mothers being brought onto the ward after just giving birth. The midwives didnt bother whsipering.

Also, after 24 hours, you are left to it and very little help is offered. Bearing in mind you have had a major operation its really tough. If you had had a hysterectomy for example you would be allowed to rest etc.

All in all though, Im very glad I had two sections and dont regret choosing one second time round.

Good LucK

flikkerty

Well I have had some great advice, thanks to everyone. I don't feel as isolated about it either now - it is good to talk! This has been invaluable, I am glad I asked.
Cheers, Flikkerty.

Destiny33

Hope i'm not too late but i just wanted to send my very best wishes to you for when you have the baby.

I went thru an elective as well with ds two years ago. I'll tell you about it afterwards

I agree so much with the girls on here not to worry about the recovery. I think having an elective makes it a bit easier? I had ds on a tuesday and was home on the thursday. As i split with my ex when i was pregnant i did just have to get on with it but i honestly wasnt in any pain. The drip fell out my hand day after and i just went onto the medication.

Just take care of you, accept all the help you are offered and yes, ask for more than you are offered.

Enjoy your new baby, life will never be the same again nor will you want it to be.

jellyhead

ick! welnik my hospital wasn't clean. i was taken in at ten days overdue and the other women in my ward were also taken in that day so we knew for sure that the ward hadn't been cleaned before we arrived because we all arrived on the same day. there was rubbish on the floor, a crisp packet under my bed, stains on the floor that were probably hot chocolate but looked awful. slippers are okay but you can't wear them in the shower so take flip flops. agree about the blood and gore, there were 3 of us in our ward and one of the ladies frequently left blood all over the place - floor, toilet seat etc. so the rest of us were having to clean the loo seat etc. each time.

i'd also say take an eye mask in with you so you can block out the light at the times when you feel like sleeping. our hospital was pretty dark between midnight at dawn but my baby screamed all night every night, i was in for a few days so the sleep mask let me sleep during the day while my husband held the baby. sorry none of this is particularly c section related, but it's probably necessary purely because you're likely to have a longer hospital stay than those not having a section.

suekjw

I took travel toiletries, soap etc and some of those slippers you get in hotel rooms so I could just through them all away at the end of my stay. I took some of that spray dettol as well. Not sure it would kill superbugs but it made me feel better.

I forgot the best tip. You need to let your OH know that choccies and flowers are the best cure ever for a CS!

Sue

margaretclare

jellyhead wrote:

ick! welnik my hospital wasn't clean. i was taken in at ten days overdue and the other women in my ward were also taken in that day so we knew for sure that the ward hadn't been cleaned before we arrived because we all arrived on the same day. there was rubbish on the floor, a crisp packet under my bed, stains on the floor that were probably hot chocolate but looked awful. slippers are okay but you can't wear them in the shower so take flip flops. agree about the blood and gore, there were 3 of us in our ward and one of the ladies frequently left blood all over the place - floor, toilet seat etc. so the rest of us were having to clean the loo seat etc. each time.

i'd also say take an eye mask in with you so you can block out the light athe times when you feel like sleeping. our hospital was pretty dark between midnight at dawn but my baby screamed all night every night, i was in for a few days so the sleep mask let me sleep during the day while my husband held the baby. sorry none of this is particularly c section related, but it's probably necessary purely because you're likely to have a longer hospital stay than those not having a section.

The MRSA Support Group advertise a 'Going into Hospital' kit which includes a bedding and clothing disinfectant and hard surface disinfectant!

http://www.mrsasupport.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index.htm

Isn't it appalling that such measures might be necessary. I think if I'd been you, Jellyhead, I might have refused to be admitted into a ward that was dirty, especially if it was an 'elective' where you have some choice in the matter. I hope you complained!!

I agree with you about needing something to block out the light (and the sound!) when you want to sleep.

I'm going to start another thread about a similar problem of my own.

Aunty Margaret