4. You'll need help going to the bathroom for maybe a week or so. Sitting down and standing up were hard because abs. H had to use the peri bottle me after I peed.
This could be a super dumb question...but why a peri bottle after c-section? Was that for your first where you labored too or is there something I don't know?!
Not dumb! Things will be very tender and the thought of using TP to wipe, blot, or anything after peeing will make you cringe. Also, it's an easy way to clean the blood off. I was SO swollen down there both times. I assumed the first time was for laboring/pushing so long but it happened with my RCS too. My OB said it's common after any birth because of the hormones. It was really uncomfortable and sore, like I had a massive ingrown hair or something.
Post by tacoflavoredkisses on Dec 23, 2016 19:58:23 GMT -5
I live in a similar townhouse situation. I found that moving around (slowly, and only as much as I could tolerate) really helped. I took stairs slowly, and my H brought me anything I needed if I couldn't make it downstairs. I kept baby in her pnp next to my side of the bed.
The hardest part was definitely sitting up/getting out of bed. It surprised me how much I use my ab muscles with minor tasks n
OH, I almost forgot this one. The nurses would push down on my stomach (I guess to help the uterus contract down), but holy crap that hurt a lot.
We do that to all patients, not just c/s. It's called massaging the fundus, and yes, it is to help the uterus contract down and keep you from bleeding too much. Some nurses are gentler than others. :/
Ha - when my OB did this, I was like, "OMG that feels AMAZING," and she couldn't stop laughing - she said no one had ever said that to her before. But I swear it felt so freaking good.
ETA: Not a c-section. Sorry, OP, I got nothin' for you on that, but you're getting good advice from others!
I was scheduled for 11:30 am and it was the perfect time IMO. H and I went out to dinner the night before and then slept in. I got up, showered, and did my hair and makeup. We got to the hospital around 9:30 for monitoring and I was able to talk to my parents for a little. My parents are out of town so it was really nice they were able to be there ahead of time.
My actual surgery was fine. I was surprised how quick it all was. They took me back to the OR around 11:25, got my spinal, and my H was let back into the OR at 11:49. Our daughter was born at 11:54.
I almost fainted in the shower the next morning and needed my H to come in and hold me up. I have no idea why but I was fine after that. Have your H stand outside the shower if you could just in case.
I preferred to wear a loose cotton dress to go home and immediately postpartum. Waistbands of any kind bothered my incision and I was not bleeding badly at all. I never needed the giant granny panties and pads I bought and was much more comfortable in my regular undies and pads.
The worst part for me was the first poop. It involved many tears and was worse than the actual childbirth. I will absolutely stock up colace this time.
Plan to not sleep in the bedroom just in case. Stairs were NO JOKE for me.
Stay ahead of the pain at first - take the pain meds on time regardless of if you are in pain.
TMI but using the bathroom the first time after having the kid was the most painful part of everything from them moment I got pregnant to being fully recovered. Take all the Colace.
Omg yes on the bathroom part. It was 6+ hours of pain trying to go. It was the worst part of the whole process. Walk as soon as you can, take all the pain meds and laxatives they will give you.
Post by vanillacourage on Dec 24, 2016 16:26:16 GMT -5
My scheduled c/s with DS1 was like drive-through childbirth. A lot of the horror stories you hear about c/s recovery come from people who labored forever and ended up with a c/s. You'll have a good night sleep ahead of time and will roll in ready to go. So, it's surgery, but you'll be fine and end up with a cute smooshy BABY in the end. Good luck, you'll do great!
This could be a super dumb question...but why a peri bottle after c-section? Was that for your first where you labored too or is there something I don't know?!
So. Much. Blood. It's easy to clean off with a peri bottle than trying to get it all with TP.
Yea. You're still going to bleed a ton and it's easier to get everything nice and clean. Your range for doing it yourself will be... limited.
Also ditto the binder. My hospital gave me one.
Get up and walk as soon as they let you. I had multiple people tell me this and I still resisted, but it really did help.
Bring a dress to wear home. I didn't want anything tight around the area for a good week or so.
Post by nextbigthing on Dec 25, 2016 20:51:06 GMT -5
Scheduled is great (DS was breech too)! Went to dinner the night before, much calmer and my recovery was not bad, always thought scheduled would be easier than emergency
Get some giant underpants to wear once home as well as Gigantic phone book maxi pads, I liked the ones with wings
Bathroom Wipes and the peri bottle helped a lot, I was also glad to have hand sanitizer and chapstick at the hospital. I wore high waist yoga pants to the hospital and wore the same home, definitely nothing that rubs.
I took 3 colace a day for a week ahead and brought some with me. Definitely helped. I think I took 5 a couple days pp, constipation is no joke post c.
Best advice I got from here was keep up with the pain meds. I missed the advice about a week pp when I came to hospital for Dr visit and I could barely walk.
Good luck!! I had mine on a sunday morning and we had the place to ourselves.