C Section mommas please come in

[kmc84]

So, I may be getting ahead of myself, but I like to have as much info as I can get....

I'm 33w3d and this LO is still breech. I am trying inversions from spinning babies and I will be going for massage, chiropractic, and acupuncture to try and turn this kid around. I apparently have an irritable uterus this time around and I've been contracting for 3 days, so I'm thinking this baby is coming early too.

Anyway, I'm really nervous about a c section (if that's what happens). My vaginal birth with DD was pretty simple and I feel like I bounced back pretty quick. My house is full of stairs and I'll have a two year old this time around. My DH is wonderful and I know he will be very helpful. He'll also be home for at least 6 weeks after baby comes.

What should I know? Is there anything I should bring to the hospital that you found helpful? Anything for home that was helpful? Any other tips or advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you ladies! Xoxo

[bellalou]

It's not bad at all. Keep a pillow near by to press on your stomach when you cough, laugh or sneeze and to get off the bed or couch, roll off instead of pulling yourself up. I had a c sect cause Paxton was breech....also cause of the whole cholestasis thing. GL!

[richzep]

I agree. Not bad at all. I recovered and bounced back super quick. My condo has 2 sets of stairs. It wasn't a problem at all. It'll be numb for a little while but the pain gets better every day.
And totally ditto on the pillow when you cough or sneeze!

[Deleted]

Healing wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. I did need a step stool to get in and out of bed though. The swelling from the IV fluids was awful - it limited how far I could bend my knees, but it went down within a week or two. So, stairs were annoying, but totally doable, so long as I went slow. Definitely get up and walk as soon as they let you. My hospital gave me a binder for my belly and I hated it - I felt much better without it.

[luvboston]

I loved my c section, ask for an abdominal binder the 1 st day and keep it on for two weeks it helps a ton and reduces pain. Then wear a smaller binder for 4 weeks. I second the pillow it's a life saver when you have to go to the bathroom. Also make sure 6 weeks after you get a script for women's pt, they do scar mobilization and help strengthen muscles it's best for your long term comfort.

My hospital puts automatic booties on you for 12 hours after birth to reduce leg swelling and combat clots. I also had a pain pump right after in recovery that was great.
Basically you walk down the hall to the OR, you sit on a table get the spinal they lay you down and do the 1st incision then bring in DH or whoever you want they get baby out and then have whoever is with you cut the cord. They sew you up and while they are doing that the baby gets weighed etc. then you both go to recovery.

I never walked the stairs until I was 2 weeks out, if you have to try to only do it once a day.

[mnj05]

Mine was not planned so my time directly after was different. I had pushed for nearly 4 hours so I was totally exhausted. I didn't get out of bed until 12-ish hours after which made it harder on me pain wise to walk. I made sure to walk every time my meds kicked in though. Stay on top of those meds.

Otherwise, I was like everyone else. I was driving at 2 weeks out (not supposed to be but I had to), no stairs in my house so don't know about those. Have lots of pillows to prop yourself up in bed for MOTN feedings. DH did diaper changes, handed me the baby, then swaddled him and put him back until I could out of bed easily. I wore depends for a few weeks rather than normal underwear during all the bleeding because it didn't rub my scar.

[ccam]

It's really not that bad. The worst part for me was the gas pains after, holy cow - I felt it up in my shoulders! Stay on top of your pain meds and move around as soon as you can. Just don't push it, know your limits. I used the binder religiously my first CS but didn't like it as much this time around for some reason so I'd suggest you try it out, you might like it.

When you're home, take advantage of any help you can get. I did stairs, I just took my time and listened to my body. I'm sure I lifted DS before I should have but I just kept telling him that I had a big boo boo and avoided it as much as possible. You won't be able to drive right away either so having DH home for 6 weeks will be great. I drove at 2 weeks.

I think the thought of it is much worse than the actual process. Good luck to you!

[kmc84]

Thank you ladies!   This is all helping me feel better about things.  The nurse in me knows this stuff, I'm just too emotional to think rationally and calmly about it Hopefully this kid turns, but if not, so be it!

[Robeano]

Not section related. Although I did have two, PP pretty much covered everything.

My bestie was breech, she used a pool and did handstands in the water, and that worked. Baby totally flipped, and that was at 37 weeks. Just a suggestion if you haven't tried it yet.

[karabear4409]

Everyone has already given you some great advice. Mine also wasn't planned, and I am allergic to morphine. So, I had a pain medicine for 24 hours, rather than the medicine being in my epidural. I also couldn't get out of bed for that time. So, I think that made my recovery a little more difficult.

The pillow advice is great. When you are on the way home, place the pillow in between your body and the seatbelt. Every time you go over a bump, press the pillow into your body to help ease the impact.

Definitely stay on top of the pain meds at first. Don't wait until you are in pain to take them!

Also, I had a irritable uterus and made it full term. So, hopefully, it doesn't mean that LO is going to come early!

[bzeetyd]

Chiming in to agree with everyone else's assessment. Ours wasn't planned but went well. I was very happy with it and I'm looking forward to having another if we're lucky to have another child.

More things to know:
During the procedure, they may jerk your body around a lot, you won't feel it but your SO might be alarmed. My DH still talks about it.

Our doc told me that things happen very quickly with a C-section and the docs work speedily - sometimes moms get scared that something's wrong, but it's just the normal pace of the process.

The birth happens super quickly (see above), the clean up/sew-up takes forever in comparison.

STAY UP ON YOUR PAIN MEDS!!! Everyone gave me this advice and it's crucial to 1) staying pain free and 2) not injuring yourself afterwards.

We had stairs and it was ok. I went up at night (very slowly) and stayed there and came down in the AM and stayed there.

The leg swelling for me was crazy, I too had the socks and the pressure pump for a couple days. It was probably the worst part in the aftermath - not that it hurt really or anything - it was just such an odd sensation and a lot of my socks, comfy pants and shoes would not fit at all. It was laughable.

[christina]

Ditto all the other moms.

In addition to the above advice.

It took me forever to be able to pee after they took the catheter out. There is a drink the nurses can give you to help with this. It kinda freaked me out that it took so long to be able to pee as I had never heard this could be an issue but it is fairly common due to everything down there being sedated.

Start taking Colace now as it will help with the constipation that can follow a c-section.

I had a planned c-section and left the hospital feeling pretty good, much better than I ever thought I would. Stay on top of your pain medications for that first week at least.

[ruthie]

Others have given great advice! For me, the procedure was super easy. No real issues and I didn't feel a bit drowsy. I was sort of lonely when DH went with the boys to recovery while they stitched me up, but that's not really something to complain about!

Totally agree on the Colace and abdominal binder. Life savers! I remember stairs being a concern of mine, but feeling like they were NBD once I got home. Honestly, my recovery wasn't easy, but I was on restrictions from 16w on and was in awful shape. I think my sedentary state pre delivery had a good deal to do with my troubles.

ETa: someone told me to bring facial cleansing wipes since it can be a little while before you can get out of bed. Awesome advice! I'd wipe my arms, neck, and face until I was cleared for a shower.

[leahb12]

I didn't have a c-section, so no advice there. I did have an irritable uterus with both of my kids. DS1 was born at 40w5d and DS2 was induced at 40w4d. I'm not sure how much an irritable uterus matters in terms of going into labor early. I hope baby flips for you!!

[Sloane]

I had two c-sections, as DD was breech and then I chose to do a RCS with DS. My biggest fear was having a 2 year old at home and having to deal with recovery with DS but honestly, it was way easier than I expected and my DH was only home for a couple of weeks. At that point, I was pretty mobile and could lift some things. I slept in a recliner with DS for a few nights just because getting up and down to feed him was painful (I should have with DD but was a nervous first-time mom). DH did all the heavy lifting and toddler rearing for a bit and every week I felt better and better, I would say a month out I was lifting and moving around without too many issues at all and by the time DH was back to work, I was into a decent routine with both kids.

Stay on top of the painkillers and colace. If you have help for 6 weeks, you'll do just great. Good luck!

[bellalou]

Definitely the abdominal binder!! That thing was a godsend

[wille2b]

Both my c sections went really easy and I had a wonderful recovery. I would say drink a lot so when the catheter comes out you can pee right away and get things moving! Also, get up and move as sooooon as you feel like you can. Walking will reduce the gas pain and the gas can get nasty- so just move often!!! Make sure to eat lots of fiber so you can poo! They will give you a stool softener but I made sure to eat oatmeal like 2x a day for a few days to help that out. My hospital gave me a belly binder, see if yours has one, it was so helpful in the recovery process. It made it feel so much better to be walking around Good luck if you end up with the section, it wasn't really that bad at all and seems scarier than it is(in most cases)

[1983lindsey]

My C section was much easier than I expected. H stayed home for 10 days and then I was on my own. I healed pretty quickly and my pain was well managed with medication. I know it's scary because it isn't what you want or planned for, but if you have to have one, it is not that bad. My only advice is to roll onto your side and then push yourself up with your arms. That way you don't use any stomach muscles It was a trick I leaned from having two previous abdominal surgeries. Good luck!!

[gratefulandthankful]

The simple advice I have is to get up and walk as soon as possible. It is good to stay active. I had a laparotomy (basically a c/s) when I had a ectopc pregnancy that ruptured. I rested a lot and did not get up and move around. It totally hindered my recovery. This time, with my c/s, I got up as soon as I could and little by little became more mobile. I recovered much easier this time.

[those3words]

My LO didn't turn until 36 weeks. I was so stressed about it. I ended up with a C/S anyway...but he was more or less in the right position - he was just too tall to get his head around my pelvic bone or something (he was 95% for height). So, you have time.

If you do end up with a c/s - I agree with PPs - get up and walk as much as you can but for short periods. I totally over did it 3 weeks out or so by going to the mall all day - and then I ended up in so much pain that night. I had more pain with a belly binder - but I know it works for some women.
GL!

[aurora1181]

Great advice from everyone above! Move as soon as they let you. You'll figure out a weird roll to the side thing to get out of bed. Keep up with your pain pills. I was finished with pain pills by one week post partum and driving myself around by 2 weeks post partum.