question for all who have had csections

[xSin]

Hi ladies!!

My sister in law just went in 30min ago for an emergency caesarean, I am wondering what things did you ladies find most difficult / challenging as part of your recovery & what would you have liked help with the most?

This is her first baby.
I know her husband cant really take time off work so I want to do whatever I can but am not sure what would be the most help.

Any tips welcome!!!

 

[andysgirl]

I found walking & moving around fairly hard for about 3 weeks. So i would suggest any help around the house, my mum helped with cleaning & cooking when i first got home & it really helped ease pressure off me.
Hope this helps

 

[girl friday]

Help with housework, getting up to pick baby up, bending over for nappy changes, getting food & drink. Maybe buy her some big underwear too.
I found pushing the buggy when out helped me when out and about.

 

[MyLittleFish]

Housework and cooking, making sure she eats properly. I found once i got home i didn't feel like eating but my mum cooked ever night, big hearty meals with lots of iron rich foods (i lost alot of blood but probably good for any women just gone through childbirth!)
She won't be able to drive for a few weeks so make sure she gets out for little walks!

 

[x Michelle x]

Definitely help around the house, a nice snack hamper to keep beside her and endless cups of tea/coffee! Bring some magazines, nice easy reading.
She won't be able to take proper walks for a while yet so you could offer to walk the baby for 20 mins so she can shower, or just offer to cuddle him/her so she can shower. Make meals for her freezer, things to just bung in the oven. We spent a load on take always and felt bleugh after a week! If she is Bf, see if she has a BF support pillow as it helps protect her wound. Also, buy her giant granny knickers which will cover her wound and tell her to put a super thick maternity pad in them, cushioned soft side over her wound. This will protect it but is easily removable to allow air in to help heal.

 

[Lauren021406]

I had an emergency csection and had no clue what to expect after...hospital told me to do the same thing at home that i was doing in the hospital..meaning nothing!!

 

[sbl]

I didnt find anything that difficult luckily but she will need help with housework etc for awhile.

 

[April76]

The help around the house is a big one, like doing the dish's for her, putting stuff in/out of the washing machine and picking things up for her that are on or low to the floor. The bending over bit is agony.

She will have to move slowly. It also hurts like hell when you laugh/cough/sneeze if you have had a c section. My husband kept trying to make me laugh - not funny in the slightest!

The first week or two is the hardest, it does get easier!

 

[googly]

Agree with all of the above... in addition, I found the hospital part really hard. It was knackering to have gone through labour, then EMCS, and then you have a teeny tiny (actually not so teeny!) crying newborn to deal with -- and you can't move, and your sleep is extremely patchy because of a) baby, and b) non-stop people coming into your room for all manner of things. It was quite overwhelming. I also had a few health concerns - massive oedema and swelling, and a catheter in for 48hrs... so there's that additional worry as well if she has any of that. But yeah, trying to look after a new baby while not being able to move much and totally exhausted = really hard. So any help you can give in the hospital might really be appreciated... especially if her husband can't be there much. At minimum taking the baby away for a walk down the hospital corridors for an hour or two so she can get some rest = gold.

Good luck to both of you!

 

[xSin]

Well her husband was given the rest of this week off work so ive been taking him food and loaned them my laptop to watch movies on as their room is brand new and doesnt have a tv yet... Plus took board games and uno and a deck of cards.

She seems to be recovering quite well so far... Thanks for all the tips everyone!!

 

[AlmostMoon]

It all depends on her pain relief during surgery, really! I had a spinal and couldn't lift my arms to even cuddle my boy

She will need to inject herself in the stomach every day for the next week to prevent clotting - that was hard for me as i got quite needle-phobic in my pregnancy.

Generally speaking, anything that involves moving will be quite painful for the next couple of weeks - i still had pain up to 6 weeks.
The worst bit for me though was the emotional side effects - i didn't feel like a real mom until after 6 weeks, when I was able to do everything for myself - i just felt like a helper, and that really upset me.

Let her know that she did a wonderful job getting as far as she did, and that you're there if she needs your help. Just knowing that there's someone there to take the weight off if she needs it, will be a massive help to her x

 

[sbl]

She will need to inject herself in the stomach every day for the next week to prevent clotting - that was hard for me as i got quite needle-phobic in my pregnancy.

You had to give yourself the anti clotting injections??? Didnt the nurses in the hospital give you them?

 

[AlmostMoon]

They did it the first night, but I had to do it the rest. Is this not normal?x

 

[xSin]

I'm no expert haha

My poor niece is in the NICU for severe dehydration tonight & my SIL is just absolutely beside herself with worry! This C-section stuff is difficult!

 

[girl friday]

I had to have the anti clotting injections for 5 days so had to do my own when I left hospital.

 

[x Michelle x]

I had an extended stay as my daughter was in NICU so I had them for the entire week I was in. With my second I was only in hospital for 2 night (inc the one I had my section) so only had the injection 2x

 

[sbl]

Yeah I dont think its very common to have to do them in the hospital yourself and I'm not entirely sure if they give them to ladies to do at home here either.

 

[sbl]

I'm no expert haha

My poor niece is in the NICU for severe dehydration tonight & my SIL is just absolutely beside herself with worry! This C-section stuff is difficult!

My little woman was in SCBU for feeding issues. Tell your sil to try not to worry, spend time in NICU and ask loads of questions.

xx

 

[Annie77]

I've had two sections and never had to give myself injections of anticoagulants! Is this a new thing - had my babies in 2003 &2005.

 

[girl friday]

I've had two sections and never had to give myself injections of anticoagulants! Is this a new thing - had my babies in 2003 &2005.

Yes. I had my first in March 2010 and it wasn't done then, the commented on the fact and said it started shortly after that date - either that or I wasn't given ANY and it was another negative part of my aftercare!