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I haven't had one. But from what I read here and on babycenter, the ladies who did not go into labor and had a schedule c-section seemed to have better experiences (mobility afterwards, healing, breastfeeding, etc). Perhaps it was the mental preparation before hand or perhaps they weren't as tired/sore from labor.
I wish you luck!
@octobermom: Wow that is really soon. I am not even sure you will be up moving around easily or lifting much at that point. Good luck!
I had ALOT of trouble getting around for the first couple of weeks after my c-section. Also, you can't drive for like 6 weeks so having someone available for baby's dr. visits and just daily needs is important. Do NOT try and lift heavy things at all... nothing heavy then baby until you get the okay from your Dr. b/c you don't want to injure your incision
Getting up and Down and lifting baby was rather difficult for me. I would really focus on having the daily things you need for baby on hand and not focused on having them in "their place"...
A pillow to support baby while feeding is a good thing to have b/c even if you're sitting, holding baby in your arms still uses your ab muslces.
I didn't have a wrap (since I don't even know if they had those 7 years ago) BUT that may help if you can get one =)
Goodluck
If you have C section I dont think your doctor will let you go back to work within a week. I havent had a C section myself but I know many people who have and from their experience this is classed as a serious surgery and you have to recover at home for a least several weeks.
I am usually a reader and not a commenter but I just had a C-section last Tuesday so I thought I would let you know how it's going. I stayed in the hospital until this past Friday. You will definitely need someone to drive you to your appointments, and to the baby's appointments. You will not be able to lift the baby in his/her carseat to get them into a car and you also can't drive for a few weeks anyway. My mom was here to help make dinner and do laundry, because our washer/dryer is in the basement. My OB advised no unnecessary trips up and down stairs...she said one trip per day if you HAVE to use the stairs. In the first few days, I relied on my husband or mom to get even the simplest things for me because it was very hard to get up and down from sitting positions and from bed. However, at a week and a half post surgery, I can definitely get things for myself and I am moving around much better. I truly feel better every day.
So, my advice is to get help with meals (you don't want to be standing around in the kitchen trying to make a dinner), get help with the laundry (people warned me there would be a lot but I wasn't truly prepared for the amount) and don't try to overwork yourself right away. Stay on top of the pain medicine they give you and I think you will be alright after about a week or a week and a half. Today was my first day by myself with the baby and so far it's going well. Taking a nap about once per day when the baby was sleeping also helped with my energy level and emotions. Good luck!
@bells: I wont have to go back to work for a while, but my Dh has to go back a few days after the hospital stay.
Thanks everyone for the tips, my mom says she will be able to stay for a few days when my DH goes back to work so that should help out greatly.
The first 3 days are going to suck. I'm about 16 days out and finally able to walk up with the stroller to the store and do housework/laundry. By day 6 I still was having problems getting out of bed, still on meds and taking a shower was always interesting. You won't be able to drive, will be told not to pick up anything heavier than the baby (and I'd listen to them) and will be really sore. I would say day 10 I finally started to feel normal and got of meds.
You'll be in the hospital at least 48 hours so I would really suggest you get someone to come help when he goes back to work those first few days. Even if it's only a few hours a day it'll help.
I had a different c-section experience. I had emergency c-section and got an incision twice the length as normal. I was told by my dr. it was a difficult surgery. I was surprised that I was able to get up and walk around before the 24 hour mark (they actually encouraged it). I did not have trouble lifting the baby and didn't feel a lot of pain pretty much the entire recovery. I really felt (i would not say back to normal) but felt pretty darn good right away. I was also taking Ibuprofen 800 and another stronger pain reliever.
The one area I did feel pain and needed some help with was getting up from the laying down position. I could do it on my own, but it hurt. Other than that, everybody is different, but I wanted to let you know I had a different experience than the other bees who posted.
Oh also- ditto the no driving for 10 days to 2 weeks & stairs just once a day. and no lifting anything heavier than the baby.
I had no issues with mine. I was only not allowed to drive for 10 days, so that shouldnt be an issue. Honestly, it was nothing. I felt like I had pulled muscles and I was up and around the next day. I had her at 9:12pm, and they had the catheter out and me walking by noon the next day. Yes it was sore, but not ntolerable. Also to expect-youll have pain in your shoulders the next day. Its gas that gets trapped in your abdomen during the surgery making its way up and out. That felt like a deep ache. To me that was worse than the surgery itself. Id suggest a support for your belly. I used the Belly Bandit and it was amazing. It makes you engage other muscles and not your core so you avoid tugging and pulling. Have someone else make meals for you so you dont have to cook. You will be able to get your baby into and out of the crib, dont let anyone tell you otherwise. There is more info in my birth story here. http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/baby-kellyvs-birth-story and PM me if you want some more info. Like a pp said, since its planned, its easier on your body than if you had labored then gone in. Youll be great, dont worry =o) Good luck!
also for the scar, after 6 weeks I started using Earth Mama Angel Baby C-Salve. Stuffs amazing. I feel like Im a walking ad for their stuff bc after I used the Bottom Balm, I ordered like everything else and am floored by it. But the c-salve helps with the itching (like I said, after 6 weeks)
I had a c-section with my 2nd son since he was breach and I felt pretty good 6 days after. At first I was sore when going from a laying down to sitting up position but it was better after 3-4 days . The worst is the first 3 days when you are still in the hospital. I had no trouble picking up my baby but couldn't lift my 3 yr old. I could drive after 10 days. I did experience soreness in the shoulders as soon as the spinal started to wear off but a shoulder rub made it much better. I left the hospital with a dressing over my incision and I changed it once after I was home. At my one week check up the dr said it was fine to leave it uncovered. Don't worry about doing housework, just take care of yourself and your baby. By the 2 week mark I felt great and was ready to go back to the gym!! I have a small, thin scar, more like a thin white line, its not raised or anything. I plan to have another c-section with this baby!
There's no way you are going back to work after 3 days.I had an emergency csection and the hard part was letting ppl do stuff for me, getting up out of the bed aswell as the staples for the 1st week.
It's surgery, not just an outpatient thing.
I had an emergency c section last Tuesday. I was prepared to feel a lot of pain but it was pretty much no big thing.
I had the catheter taken out about 12 hours after surgery, and was walking around by that afternoon. Honestly, my stomach just felt like I had done a 1000 situps the night before. Sometimes the actual incision would sting pretty bad, but it was like a quick stabbing pain and then it was over. I could also take a shower the next day after the surgery without any troubles. I had disolvable staples for the scar. I think the scar is pretty nasty looking, but the home health nurse came over and checked it out yesterday and said it looked great.
One thing I would caution on though right away- you might not realize how much work the pain killers are doing. I am 8 days post partum and off painkillers now, but at the hospital I was on a pretty steady schedule of percocette. The second night I felt really good and declined my dose of percocette. Nurse strongly urged me to take it, but I wouldn't. I woke up a few hours later in a lot of pain- I couldn't move my leg or arm without hurting my stomach. I called the nurse begging for drugs ASAP.
Anyways, I feel pretty normal now, and don't need much help, although I am not allowed to drive for a week, am not supposed to lift more than 20 pounds, and every once in awhile sitting up causes me to gasp in pain (although it goes away).
Good luck!
I also had a scheduled c-section due to a stubbornly breech baby. I found the experience relatively easy and agree with PP that said that the scheduled ones appear to have easier recovery than unplanned.
My experience was that I went into the hospital at 7 AM, and had my baby in my arms by 11 AM! I did not need anything stronger than motrin once the morphine from the surgery wore off - the nurses encourage the percocet, but I honesly didn't need it (I wasn't trying to be strong, I was just not in much pain!) I was up the next day walking around - slowly, but with no problems. It was probably a week of being pretty careful and slow walking, the second week things got much better very quickly and by the third week I was walking miles at a time. I was running by week 6.
The biggest issues I ran into:
- I vomited from the morhpine a couple hours after delivery and I got VERY hot, this lasted a few hours
- Sitting up to nurse took some time to shimmy up - my husband would get the baby in the middle of the night, bring him to me to nurse and then change and re-swaddle him and put him down. having him in the hospital the first 2 nights was great.
- we had one flight of stairs to our bedroom. for the first few days home I went up/down only once a day, and just took my time. but it was no big deal.
Ideally, you want someone with you that first week full time to help get the baby, maybe make you food, or just generally help until you are more independent. I would suggest you ask your doctor how long he/she thinks you wont be able to drive for. the one week in the house caused me some cabin fever, but i was quickly out and about.
if you have any other questions feel free to PM me! I was happily surprised with how easy my experience was and wish you the same.
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I figured i would ask the bees who have had experience with a c-section. We have a planned c-section due to a breech baby. I have a few questions, my OB says i"ll be fine etc etc, but i would like to know from people who have gone thru it themselves......
My dh will stay in the hospital with baby and i but has to go back to work by day 6 (about 3 days after we get home) ....
What did you need help with the most?
Is there any supplies i should have on hand, like a wrap or something to support the insicision?
How many days did you feel sore?
And ....any other advice welcome!