scheduled C-section

B

Beets

Cathlete
Hi everyone,
Well, as some of you know, I have been trying to get a breech baby to flip but the little one just is not cooperating. I had an external version done yesterday which was unsuccessful and I truly do not expect this baby to flip on its own. I have seen a chiropractor to try the Webster technique but it did not help. She said that my pelvis is "double locked"--my sacroiliac joints are very tight and are not opening up as much as they could which is causing uterine constraint. My abdominal muscles and ligaments are also very tight which is also adding to the uterine constraint. All those years of working on keeping my abs nice and tight are coming to haunt me now!! Anyway, it looks like I will be having a scheduled C-section the last week of this month. I would love to get any advice from those of you who have had C-sections--how much pain afterward,are there some some things that I should have for the hospital that I may not have thought of, how functional were you the first few days home from the hospital, what should I make sure that I have on hand, any and all advice would be welcome. I want to be prepared as much as possible for both the section and my way of life at home afterward. I am a type A personality who likes to do things myself and it is going to be difficult to have other people do stuff for me! Thank you in advance!!
 
I've had 2 C-Sections - the first was an emergency, the second was planned. My first baby was a vaginal birth. The benefits of a scheduled C-Section are no labor and, for a type A personality, you can get everything done at home to be ready - shopping, cleaning, laundry, etc.
I was lucky with my C-Sections and really had minimal pain afterward - I only took some prescription strength Motrin twice at night and that was it with my last baby. I did have some nausea for the first few few hours and that was unexpected. They gave me meds for that and it helped a lot.
When I came home from the hospital, I did way too much and that wasn't good. Like you, I like to do things myself and do them my way and I overdid it. I was better off in the hospital because I wasn't tempted by all the responsibilities at home. If you have help, take advantage of it and rest!
My best advice would be the advice given to me - make sure you get up and move as soon as you are permitted to. It seems to really help with recovery.
I don't know if you have stairs in your home, but if you do, you will want to arrange things so that you can stay on one level as much as possible because you are supposed to limit stairclimbing.
Good luck!
Erica
 
Hi, Beets! Sorry the version didn't work. But at least now you have time to prepare psycholgically.

As I'vd mentioned before, I had a scheduled C-section on August 14. I had kept working out through my whole pregnancy and was very glad that I did. I had an epidural, which kept me pain-free for 24 hours, and never needed another painkiller after that -- so really, I had very little pain. I had the C-section at 9:30 a.m., and by 9:30 p.m., the nurse was in my room to get me up and walking around. By the next day, I could walk to the bathroom on my own. It was a little painful sitting up and sitting down, but not too bad. I improved very rapidly and when I was released on August 17, I walked out of the hospital under my own steam, no problem. Beginning on August 17, I started taking 10-minute walks twice a day. Within a week I was able to increase that to 15 minutes. By the end of the month I was able to walk for half an hour, with my baby strapped to me in a front baby carrier.

You will probably be told not to lift anything heavier than the baby for 6 weeks. I started breaking this rule at about 3 weeks (listening to my body) and was fine.

As for more specific exercise, I began modified ab work (pulling in abdomen to spine, pelvic tilts) on August 17 and gradually got back to regular ab work as my body felt able. By 6 weeks after delivery I was completely back to my old ab routines, including Cathe's hardest ones!

I would recommend taking some of your own pillows from home to the hospital. They will be useful if you are breastfeeding, and you may want to keep one on your belly to press down on if you need to cough, or to turn over in bed or sit up, or to have there when you are holding your baby so that he/she can't startle and kick you right in the incision! (Besides, your own pillows are much nicer than hospital ones! Just make sure to use coloured pillowcases so that your stuff doesn't go into the hospital laundry.)

P.S. I found breastfeeding (especially the let-down reflex) much more painful than my incisions.
 
I just submitted an article for Pregnancy Magazine (will be in the April issue, I think) on c-section recovery!!

I think that c-sections are pretty different for different women, but even if you feel raring to go, you should take it easy for a few weeks to avoid adhesions. It truly does take 5 weeks for the internal stitches to heal.

I was up slowly walking the halls in the hospital after a day, and I was conscientous of not slumping over my incision area, since I know from my perinatal training that this is a habit that many moms fall into post-cesarean. I also did belly breathing exercises and kegels form the beginning. After 2 weeks, I'd do some light upper body resistance exercise with bands, but nothing that bothered my incision area.

I think that being fit is quite helpful during the recovery time... it helped with my energy level, but I was frustrated by difficult it was to sit up in the beginning. Your dh will get good at putting out an arm for you to pull up on so that you can nurse.

If I were to do it again, I'd bring a friend/doula along to the surgery along with dh... the hardest part of the procedure was right after the baby was born. They swept him off into the room next door and dh went with him... and I felt a bit isolated. I had a lot of pressure/pain in my shoulders (normal -- caused by air entering my abdominal cavity), and I was shaking from the hormones/medications (I did the same thing during my vaginal birth with my 1st). It just would have been nice to have had some one with me during that time.

Make sure that, if you want to nurse, you tell your nurses/doctor that, if possible, you don't want an extended period away from the baby. In my case, they brought the baby back to me in the OR right after they sutured me and let me nurse. I valued that bonding time.

Also, definitely have your husband room in. C-section babies are usually a bit more mucousy than vaginally delivered babies, and sometimes they sort of gag/cough... it totally freaked me out when I first heard Robby do that in the hospital. My husband had gone home to take care of our older son, and I hurt too much to get up in a hurry to pick him up from the bassinet... so I hit the button to get the nurse, but I was all in a dither by the time they got to me. It took about 3 days for the really intense pain to go away when I got up from lying down, and about a week before I could do it by myself without really struggling.

If people ask if they can help, take them up on things like making meals... you might be able to do it all, but it's nice to have a little help after such a major abdominal surgery (although, I'm like you... I like to do it all myself). I was glad that my husband stayed home with me for the first 2 weeks.

Susan
 
p.s.

Start now doubling up recipes & freezing half when you make meals... I did that prior to both of my sons' births, and I was so glad that I had those meals to just heat up instead of having to cook from scratch!

Those plastic-looking disposable baking containers from Reynolds worked great for casseroles/lasagnas/etc.!
Susan
 
RE: p.s.

Hi Beets,
You've gotten some excellent advice on c/section recovery. I can remember feeling better every day after my section, except when I'd overdone it. Your body will let you know if you're not treating it well.

Good advice about having your husband stay w/ you that first night at the hospital. IF he isn't a sound sleeper! I'm amazed at the # of dads at our hospital who can sleep thru anything, and the moms who don't want to wake them. Make sure your husband realizes he's there to help you. He won't get a good night's sleep because the nurses will be in to check on you, the bed won't be like at home etc. Please have him pack some pj's. As a nurse, I HATE walking into someone's room and see their husband splayed out on the bed in his boxers (believe me, it happens a lot!)

When you swtich to pain pills on your first day post op, try to take them as often as allowed. Most docs order 1-2 percocets. 2 serves well at night, but might make you too sleepy during the day. Experiment. Getting out of bed and walking ASAP post op is the surest route to recovery. That's hard to do if you're worried about taking meds. Better to keep your pain under control so you can move. Just my nursely advice. Keep us posted.
Valerie
 
RE: p.s.

My son (he's 11 weeks old) was breech too, and I had a c-section. It was scheduled for a week before my due date, but my water broke at a restraunt a week before my scheduled c-section! So, he was two weeks early!

I hadn't thought about tight ab musles causing the baby to not be able to turn! I tried being upside down and tummy massage. During my c-section, my doctor commented on how strong my abdominal wall was!

While at the hospital, it was really hard to get out of bed. My husband changed our sons diaper for the first two days in the hospital.

Start walking as soon as possible and take your pain medicine on time. It's not fun when it wears off!!

Someone mentioned breaking the 10 pound rule early. I talked to my doctor about this, and she said that a lot of people don't realize this the outer incision may only be 4 inches or so long, but your abdominal wall is cut almost hip bone to hip bone. If you herniate the scar tissue you'll be out of commission for a while. So, you really need to listen to your body. You can't vacuum or do laundry (hubby got reall good at it!!)

Best wishes!!

shellnc
 
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