C-Section date!!

Hey.. I had emergency c section at 40+6 weeks and I can honestly say I wouldn’t change anything with the way it worked out. My experience was amazing…. Just make sure you have a big water bottle, stay hydrated…. Have plenty of little snacks cos you may feel hungry if you decide to breastfeed. Take your time… take your own pillow and comfort blanket. Pyjamas that open on top and not too long. Hair bands for your hair cos I was so warm and sweating after birth.Don’t worry about anything it will all work out!!! Hope this helps and best of luck!! Xx

Walk walk anddd walk! Helps you recover quicker and stay on top of pain meds 🤍🤍 I had a c section and I wouldnt change it for anything if I could! Good luck mama 🤍🫶🏻

Just have a lovely chilled day the day before (as chilled as you can heavily pregnant lol) & wash your hair in the shower gel stuff they give you! 🥰

Be prepared that you may not be in the morning if emergencies come in and it’s nil by mouth. I was morning and couldn’t eat or drink (other than small sips of water) from 5am or 6am and then my section was at 5pm! Afterwards be up and walking as soon as possible and make sure you keep up with paracetamol and ibuprofen and don’t over do it because you will probably feel better quicker than you think and try to do too much too soon 🙈

My section was totally unplanned. Take your time when moving, try not to use your abdominal muscles. Take pain relief even if you don’t really think you need them for the first week. Lots of pillows to sleep upright as I could sleep laying down for 2/3 weeks. Be prepared you may be pushed back incase of any emergencies that happen. You’ll be fine ☺️

Buy paracetamol and ibuprofen now so you have it in the house ready. Stock up as this is the only pain relief I had when I got home

@Jess why the shower gel in particular? I’ve bought some minis just in case but hoping I won’t need to if I wash it beforehand, I only usually wash it once a week anyway🤣xx

@Claire j went to America last year and brought home the bulk bottle you can buy of paracetamol so I have plenty! Do you think I can take something stronger like cocodamol, or is it not recommended? X

@Emma I know they can push it back, hopefully not but fingers crossed I’m in the morning slot as my partner isn’t allowed to stay overnight and has to leave at 8pm, even if I have my section at 5pm☹️ they’ve had to rearrange other peoples sections to fit me in, as I’m so close to my due date and the consultant has said it’s urgent that I have it done on the 39th week! Xx

I packed a heating pad for my lower back as well as gas x and gum. I have had 2 back to back c sections so feel free to message me if you would like

I think most hospitals partners have to leave at 8pm. Hospitals are very bad at setting false expectations. I hope you get your morning slot x

No real advice for the section itself other than shower/wash your hair the night before or morning of so you feel nice and fresh, but you’ll be fine. I’ve had 2 and they’re both good experiences and my recovery for both were really good. But I meal prepped - things like spag bol, chilli, currys etc so dinner was easy and hassle free. You’ll most likely be asking your partner to get this, get that, help to stand up etc so having easy meals made me feel less guilty for not being about to physically do much! Xx

In my experience they gave me the paracetamol/ibuprofen to take - I was allowed to take codeine a few times a day for 2-3 days but that’s it because of the risks😅 they kept track of medication dosage and gave it to me at the right intervals which was handy cause I’d have forgotten! cocodamol isn’t recommended if you breastfeed either and the staff will be the best ones to advise on when/what you can take! My advice with pain relief is take it even if you feel okay☺️

Paracetamol I believe the best you can take more of it than the ibrophen I stopped with the codyromol or codeine I can't remember you want your bowels to move and found the excess pills don't help they usually give lactalose when your leaving but didn't find it helpful... natural for constipation try roasted cashew nuts and dried cranberries helped me so much a lil trick the midwife told me. Make sure you keep your self mobile move as much as possible even if its slow take your time its helpful by the morning after they will have you up out of hospital bed to empty your catheter Don't worry about anything it's more simple as you know your having a c section your brains already preparing for it. It's the emergencies that are a bit harder if you haven't prepared mentally. They always have lists of who's when but emergencies take priority Good luck mama

It’s to protect against mrsa, you should be given it before your op!! Make sure you do!! After op I also made sure I used it til I finished the bottle off which is what the surgeons and pre op team recommended

Hey i had an elective c section pm me I have lots of advice and things I wish i did too before and during x

If you’re in pain and the meds aren’t helping TELL THEM!!! If they don’t give you a binder ask for it and wrap it tight, it makes moving around easier because you feel more secure. Make sure after you shower you are fully dried off before you put it on or you will get a rash, hairdryer helps. A pillow pushed hard against your incision helps with pulling up and laying down. Ask for the peri bottle to help you clean up blood down there if they don’t give it to you. I hope you’re real comfortable with your partner because he’s about to see everything, and he needs to literally bear your weight when you cannot. Prepare him for everything, he might need to help you wipe blood, shower, everything. Get up as soon as they’ll let you!! I was on magnesium and couldn’t walk afterwards for 24 hours and it made the pain excruciating, it is a BREEZE if you get up right away, recovery is so much faster! You might be constipated for a bit, don’t push, ask for meds that will help.

@Jess they give IV meds to some people

@Emma I think it’s so unfair! I understand it for the most part, but someone who is being paralysed from my chest down, and then expected to look after a baby all through the night, and also follow the advice of ‘staying active’ is very hard! I’ll be lost without my partner! I think that’s the only thing I’m dreading most of all. It’s especially hard on the partner if baby’s born in the afternoon, they only get a few hours before being sent home, it’s like all your dreams coming true and then you’ve got to leave! X

I have had two c sections an emergency back in 2020 and a preterm but scheduled with my daughter this January. With my son he was able to come back to our room with us so I didn’t really have a huge motivation to get up and move a ton while still in the hospital and I had a hard recovery that go around. With my second my water broke at 34 weeks and so the following day we had a scheduled c section and it was so calming walking myself into the OR with it being scheduled I was able to have a spinal and I remember everything and was super coherent this time. As far as recovery, my daughter spent 14 days in the nicu. I had my surgery at 12 and wasn’t able to see her really until I was able to stand up on my own. By 8pm I was able to try and stand up and be wheeled to the nicu and finally see my baby. After that I just walked myself aback n forth to the nicu to bring my milk when I wasn’t able to hang in there. And once I checked out I stayed half a mile from the hospital in a Ronald

McDonald house and I would walk back n forth to be able to see my husband and son. The forced walking made this recovery significantly easier. I know I didn’t have much of an option, but I can tell I bounced back way better this time around. Wishing you the best of luck, and ask you doctor for a support belt for postpartum, my first that was super helpful afterwards.

I’m not sure if you are UK based or not but if you are maybe speak to your midwife about your concerns and if you still have time for a referral to the maternal mental health team. Tell them that the anxiety of going through this without your partner present is causing you great distress. They may be able to get you both a private room (there is also the option to pay for a private room in some hospitals) x

My partner got to stay with me the whole time when I had my kids. They didn’t have to leave. I do recommend when you feel comfortable get up in walk. It will help. My hospital wanted me to pass gas before eating if that’s the case with you being gum I don’t know why but it helped me pass gas!

I’m a FTM and had a c-section but did not have time to prepare for it because I didn’t know until I went in for my induction. What I wish I would have known is that there is truly nothing that can actually prepare you for that moment. For postpartum, I wish I stocked up on more pads for bleeding. But also to use to cover and protect my incision. If you believe in God, pray beforehand and during. You will shake uncontrollably because of the adrenaline. You will feel everything and the pressure does not feel the best. Don’t eat at all that day so they can get you in early (I ate before hand because I thought it would be a natural birth so I didn’t go to the OR until 9:30pm that night and I got to the hospital at 11am).