For those who have had a c-section before...

[drmommyDO]

What are some things you were not expecting but wish you knew? Anything that happened to you or the baby that is normal but you weren't prepared for?

 

[LDC]

Mine was an emcs but I wish I'd have known that I would find moving hard for the first day and that I had got OH to put everything I needed next to my bed when he left the hospital as I couldn't bend down. But im glad that I was up and moving on the first day although a little sore as it definitely helped me in the long run with recovery.

LO was also taken straight out of the room to see the dr in delivery which I hadn't been expecting, OH went with her. I don't know if this is because it was an emcs but I didn't think she'd be whisked away when she was ok (emcs due to non progressive labour) but they brought her back within a few minutes.

Other than that I think everything was as I expected, despite the fact that I wasn't expecting to have a section.

Xxx

 

[Clarabell543]

I had an emcs but after the birth for the first 2 days LO suffered with mucus and wouldn't feed, any small amounts she did have she would start to cough/vomit and vomit green mucus, as a first time mum this terrified me but the midwife assured me its very common after a section as mucus tends to be pushed out of the baby as they are moving through the birth canal when they are born naturally. They assured me this would eventually clear. Needless to say it did after around 48hours and now she loves her food x

 

[luvbunsazzle]

I think the thing for me with my daughter again like others it was an emergency, but i was under general, was not being as mobile as i would of liked, and therefore getting really bad gas pain, especially built up in my shoulder area. This time i have a planned section and plan to be as mobile as possible after to help prevent the pain.

 

[helena]

Mine were both scheduled. What. Didn't expect was the shaking I experienced during my first on the operating tale. Wobbly, like a bit shivery shaking. Culdnt stop it for the life of me. Anesthetist told me it was all normal, just a combination of drugs and adrenaline. Nothing to worry about at all.

Also, when the baby was taken they squeeze the bump hard to get him out. Really pushed, I felt like I had to push back or I was being pushed into the bed. It sang nice, but didn't hurt find lasted maybe two seconds, then baby was out. Much easier than the ring of fire for vaginal births no doubt!

Another thing was that I felt. Bit claustrophobic when they out up the barrier between, y head and bump. It I just asked them to move it away from my face a bit.it was much closer than I expected.

In general tho, it was still the most exciting day of my life. A positive experience . Am heading in for my third very soon!

 

[Twinkie210]

This may just be the procedure at the hospital I delivered at, but I got to see baby for a couple minutes in the Op room then little guy was taken to the nursery (I was prepared for this) and DH went with him. The part I wasn't prepared for was spending an hr in recovery without my baby! I had to spend 2hrs in recover total and DH and baby weren't allowed to come in before an hr, it was just me and a nurse DH got to see his first bath, feed him a bottle because his blood sugar was low, and show him off to all my family through the nursery window, and I missed it all . I also wasn't expecting my hands to be strapped down during the procedure since I was awake! It was a very awkward position.

 

[helena]

Oh I would have hated that - my hands were definately free. And my husband also got an hour with baby while I was in recovery, but they didn't bath him (I can't believe they would do that without you!) or anything, and he didn't feed, but he was all well and was snuffling around on OH's chest looking for a boob. One top tip for the other halves is to wear a button up shirt, my husband sat for an hour with baby on his chest, buttoned up a bit in his shirt. Skin on skin. Of course I would have loved it to have been my skin, but what a special time for daddy! NO family were allowed to see them, this was their moment. I would have hated that Twinkie! Poor you xx

 

[blake12336]

I had an emcs but after the birth for the first 2 days LO suffered with mucus and wouldn't feed, any small amounts she did have she would start to cough/vomit and vomit green mucus, as a first time mum this terrified me but the midwife assured me its very common after a section as mucus tends to be pushed out of the baby as they are moving through the birth canal when they are born naturally. They assured me this would eventually clear. Needless to say it did after around 48hours and now she loves her food x

My LO suffered with mucus too which scared the life out of me when he would seem to choke on it, the midwives must have hated me the amount I pressed on the call button!

Also as I had an emcs I had the shakes (not sure if this is normal for an elcs?) But I felt like I couldn't control my body, OH said this was scary for him! But think I was a bit in shock too!

 

[helena]

I had an emcs but after the birth for the first 2 days LO suffered with mucus and wouldn't feed, any small amounts she did have she would start to cough/vomit and vomit green mucus, as a first time mum this terrified me but the midwife assured me its very common after a section as mucus tends to be pushed out of the baby as they are moving through the birth canal when they are born naturally. They assured me this would eventually clear. Needless to say it did after around 48hours and now she loves her food x

My LO suffered with mucus too which scared the life out of me when he would seem to choke on it, the midwives must have hated me the amount I pressed on the call button!

Also as I had an emcs I had the shakes (not sure if this is normal for an elcs?) But I felt like I couldn't control my body, OH said this was scary for him! But think I was a bit in shock too!

The shakes are normal. As I mentioned in my first reply above, my anesthetist told me in my elective section it's just adrenaline and the drugs. Nothing to worry about at all

 

[Banshee]

I had an emergency c section under general anaesthetic with ds1 very late at night and what I was not prepared for was the hospital kicking DH out when I went to the ward and leaving me in agony, hardly able to move and expected to look after a newborn.

 

[_Lexi_]

I wasn't prepared for the extent of the bruising. I was black up to my belly button, all past my hips, and all the way under. Was there for almost 3 months. The shakes scared me during the procedure, I was able to hold Joshua after he'd been checked over by nicu nurses, but had to pass him to my mum as I was shaking so much. I wasn't expecting for my oh or mum not to be allowed in the nicu for 3 hours, and for them not to tell us straight away that they'd had to resuscitate him 3 times. Also the shoulder pain, no one told me about that!! The first time I used the bathroom properly, was 5 days later, and was a horrendously painful experience. It was that painful it made me throw up. Definetely take stool softeners!! I wasn't expecting the recovery to be so long, so painful, and so awful.

 

[Twinkie210]

Oh I would have hated that - my hands were definately free. And my husband also got an hour with baby while I was in recovery, but they didn't bath him (I can't believe they would do that without you!) or anything, and he didn't feed, but he was all well and was snuffling around on OH's chest looking for a boob. One top tip for the other halves is to wear a button up shirt, my husband sat for an hour with baby on his chest, buttoned up a bit in his shirt. Skin on skin. Of course I would have loved it to have been my skin, but what a special time for daddy! NO family were allowed to see them, this was their moment. I would have hated that Twinkie! Poor you xx

They weren't allowed to hold him, just look at him through the window, but still wish I could have had him in my room right away. DH took lots of cute pictures though. My nurse in recover kept asking me why I wasn't trying to nap. I was like heck no, I want to see my baby the very first minute I am allowed to! Not Sleep!

 

[helena]

Oh I would have hated that - my hands were definately free. And my husband also got an hour with baby while I was in recovery, but they didn't bath him (I can't believe they would do that without you!) or anything, and he didn't feed, but he was all well and was snuffling around on OH's chest looking for a boob. One top tip for the other halves is to wear a button up shirt, my husband sat for an hour with baby on his chest, buttoned up a bit in his shirt. Skin on skin. Of course I would have loved it to have been my skin, but what a special time for daddy! NO family were allowed to see them, this was their moment. I would have hated that Twinkie! Poor you xx

They weren't allowed to hold him, just look at him through the window, but still wish I could have had him in my room right away. DH took lots of cute pictures though. My nurse in recover kept asking me why I wasn't trying to nap. I was like heck no, I want to see my baby the very first minute I am allowed to! Not Sleep!

Me too. I was allowed out when I could move my Legs. I was laying there trying to wriggle all the time!
And when a toe moved I was calling her right away!

 

[Twinkie210]

Haha me too! She kept asking me if I could move them and I was getting so frustrated. (They messed up my spinal the first try, so I dont' know if that had anythign to do with it). My nurse even went and got the anestesiaologist at one point and of course by the time he came and checked on me I could wiggle my leg some, LOL.

 

[helena]

Typical.

With my second I guess it took longer than they thought because by the time they wheeled me out of theatre I could already lift my knees a bit. I saw the nurses look alarmed. Hoping that doesn't happen again. Still, I didn't feel anything and it meant I got to baby faster!

 

[momofone08]

Make sure you walk walk walk and more walking. With my first I didn't because it hurt and it took me forever to heal. With my second I walked as much as I could and felt great after a few days.

 

[MnMommy]

I was surprised by a couple of things. The first was the urge to throw up while on the table from the meds. I was told that was normal and didn't actually throw up but it was odd- not like normal being sick.

The second I had the first night I got home. When I was in the hospital, the bed was electric and I could move the bed to a sitting position before I got out of bed. I didn't even think about that when I went to bed at home (where I do not have an electric bed). That first night I got up to feed my son and had the worst pain of my life because I tried to sit up on my own. It took my husband and I half an hour to figure out how to get me out of bed. I went and fed the baby, then laid back down in bed. Oops. We realized it as soon as I laid down, but at least then we had an idea of how to get me out of bed without causing too much pain. After that I slept in a more sitting up position for a couple of days, at least until the pain was better.

From the sounds of things, I was really lucky at the hospital. I got to see my son right away. They then cleaned him up and did almost everything they had to do to him just across the room from me so he and DH were in my sights the whole time. By the time baby was done, they were almost done stitching me up. I was only actually in a different room than baby for maybe 10 minutes and that was because one of the newborn tests couldn't be done in the OR. I couldn't hold the baby until I had some feeling back, but the baby was in with me and my husband held him up to me so I could be near him.

 

[SuperKat]

Some things I didn't expect and wish I was prepared for was the itchy/dry lip thing...my lips feel really chapped after c-sections, now I know to make sure I have chapstick with me for afterwards. Another thing is the feeling of claustrophobia when they do the spinal. I didn't notice it with my first son because I had an emergency c-section, the contractions were so bad I wasn't aware of much else- everything happened really fast. But with my second, I was more aware of everything because I went into it pain free, which made certain things scarier. Another thing- and this gets me every single time- it the potty breaks after the c-section.....after getting the catheter out I am always afraid I will wet myself- like my bladder isn't strong enough, and then when it comes time to have a bowel movement, that first one scares me- I am so afraid I will tear stitches or something!

 

[helena]

I agree with walk walk and walk. I had a section two days ago and moved my legs a lot in bed as soon as i could and tried to walk after 6 hours, with teh midwives. Managed a few steps then the next morning I was up and in the shower alone. Today I can walk and be almost normal (no lifting etc and no running, but I mean I can get up and walk around the hospital). I am only on paracetamol and an anti inflammatory.
If it hurts ask for more painkillers.
I actually forgot mine this morning so I must be recovering well!. A very happy.

 

[JeepGirl]

DS never left my sight from the time he was born till when we left the hospital. It was a EMCS and the nicu was in the OR the whole time (standard practice here for a EMCS), but they did what they had to do a few feet from my head and then handed him to OH. He held him by my head through the rest of the surgery. Then I was able to BF in the recovery room.

One thing I wasn't ready for was how much it hurt to cough/sneeze/laugh. If you hold a pillow against your scar if you feel a cough/sneeze coming on, it helps.

Also get a pair of slippers or shoes that are easy to slip on. When you get out of bed you don't want to be walking on a hospital floor without something on your feet, but you wont be able to bend down and put shoes on.

A few days after the cs my feet and ankles swelled up huge. It scared me, but my doctor said its normal.

Use a hair dryer on a low setting to dry your scar after a shower. You want to keep it as dry as you can to prevent infection.