Looking for C-Section Advice/Experiences

[NewEnglandLady]

Hello, PSers!

I have a c-section scheduled for February 23rd, which is just over 4 weeks away. D and I were supposed to take a c-section prep class over the weekend, but due to my brain's lack of function lately, we accidentally missed the class. I'm on the fence about taking the class at all since I feel like I could get most of the info. I need from a book or my doctor. But I would really love to hear about other women's experiences who've had a c-section, so I was hoping you ladies might be able to help me out. If you don't mind, could you answer the questions below?

1. How long until you felt safe being at home alone with the baby? There are probably a variety of factors here--obviously, the pain factor (how long was it until you could carry your baby around on your own)? There is also the "safety" factor (how long until you could drive--thus being able to take baby somewhere in an emergency?)

2. How many weeks did your SO stay home with you? Do you feel like it was enough time?

3. Do you feel like you had a tougher time breastfeeding having had a c-section? Did you ask the hospital not to feed or give a pacifier to your baby until you had a chance to breastfeed? This might be a bigger issue for me because I'm having the c-section under general anesthesia, so I won't be able to BF for hours.

4. What was your post-c-section setup in your house? For those with multiple floors, did you have an upstairs "camp" and a downstairs "camp" in the first several weeks?

5. Is there anything you'd suggest to me given your experience? Something that really helped you or something that might be overlooked in a book/ by my doc?

Thanks, ladies!!

 

[TravelingGal]

Hello, PSers!

I have a c-section scheduled for February 23rd, which is just over 4 weeks away. D and I were supposed to take a c-section prep class over the weekend, but due to my brain's lack of function lately, we accidentally missed the class. I'm on the fence about taking the class at all since I feel like I could get most of the info. I need from a book or my doctor. But I would really love to hear about other women's experiences who've had a c-section, so I was hoping you ladies might be able to help me out. If you don't mind, could you answer the questions below?

1. How long until you felt safe being at home alone with the baby? There are probably a variety of factors here--obviously, the pain factor (how long was it until you could carry your baby around on your own)? There is also the "safety" factor (how long until you could drive--thus being able to take baby somewhere in an emergency?)

2. How many weeks did your SO stay home with you? Do you feel like it was enough time?

3. Do you feel like you had a tougher time breastfeeding having had a c-section? Did you ask the hospital not to feed or give a pacifier to your baby until you had a chance to breastfeed? This might be a bigger issue for me because I'm having the c-section under general anesthesia, so I won't be able to BF for hours.

4. What was your post-c-section setup in your house? For those with multiple floors, did you have an upstairs "camp" and a downstairs "camp" in the first several weeks?

5. Is there anything you'd suggest to me given your experience? Something that really helped you or something that might be overlooked in a book/ by my doc?

Thanks, ladies!!

NEL, my story may not be typical, but my csection recovery was a breeze. It was probably mindset. I suffered through a complicated labor and ended up in emergency c sect. I was on a magnesium drop for the toxemia for a couple of days afterward, and I told the nurse that I loved the pain meds they put in my IV. She looked and confused she said that there were no pain meds in my IV. I was like...oh....well, does the pain get better or worse? She said better, and I told her I would not need pain meds. And I didn't feel any pain, didn't even take an advil. Just somehow thinking that I was ON pain meds made me feel great, and I was able to sustain dealing with the "pain" without it (honestly, I was sore, but I was fine.)

To answer your other questions...

1. I was in the hospital for 5 nights, I felt fine when I got home. Within a week of birth, I put the kid in the BOB stroller and went out for a walk.

2. My husband did not take any time off after the hospital (maybe a day, but definitely not more than that...gotta love the US). So I managed myself and wasn't fussed by it.

3. I was unable to breast feed at all. Not sure if the csection had anything to do with it as plenty of people who have them manage fine. I was one of the rare women who could not produce any milk at all...and I tried for 2 months. I wish I had just spared myself the grief and been happy with formula.

4. We had two stories. I set up camp in the dining/kitchen area and slept on the couch for 6 weeks while she was in a bassinet. I was fine to go up and down stairs, so this was mostly for logistics as I figured my husband had to go to work, so why make him sleep deprived too? Yeah, I know..I'm a sucker.

5. Well, it's probably too late, but I would say the reason why I recovered fast was that I took pilates for over a year up until I gave birth. I did pilates until I was 8 or so months pregnant, and my abs (while flabby) were in solid shape underneath. I just seemed to have the core strength to deal with it all much more easily.

I kind of joke that c-sections aren't too bad once you get the first fart out (because I swear, you'll fear that you're going to rip in half). Gas can be a real pain for csection mothers, and I'm not just talking about the stuff that comes out of your bum.

Hope all goes well for you NEL!

 

[neatfreak]

Maybe I am a freak of nature, but I thought recovery was pretty easy! I was up and walking a few hours afterwards and didn't really have a problem lifting the babies as long as I wasn't straining (like with carseats, no, but by themselves, just fine). I couldn't drive for 2 weeks afterwards, but felt like I COULD have if it was an emergency after just a few days. Just doctor's orders not to.

I had help, and it was super nice, but it wasn't NECESSARY. I didn't have a problem with BFing...I think you'll be fine even if you can't BF right away. It's either going to work for you or not, I personally don't think having a C or not affects it.

Best things were to get up and WALK gently as soon as you can! And get a brace that puts pressure on the scar--it helped me SO much with having more strength and making it easier to get up, get the baby, etc. The hospital gave me one once my doctor "prescribed" it for me. You can buy them too. If you can't get a brace, using a pillow against your scar and gently pushing against it towards the scar will make it less painful to get up from bed.

Ultimately, a scheduled C is SOOOO easy compared to an emergency C. I think you'll be just fine Nel!!!!

 

[TravelingGal]

Oh, and I did drive just a couple days after I got home (so about a week from delivery). I wouldn't have normally done it, but it was a 3 block drive and my dad who basically on his deathbed got put into ICU and I wanted to see him and couldn't bring the kid (so TGuy stayed home with her). Driving was not a problem, but my DH was not happy. If I had to brake hard for any reason, or got into an accident, it would not have been pretty.

I started driving regularly at about 2 weeks (I had to go places, since I was home alone with the kid). No issues.

 

[tammy77]

Hello, PSers!

I have a c-section scheduled for February 23rd, which is just over 4 weeks away. D and I were supposed to take a c-section prep class over the weekend, but due to my brain's lack of function lately, we accidentally missed the class. I'm on the fence about taking the class at all since I feel like I could get most of the info. I need from a book or my doctor. But I would really love to hear about other women's experiences who've had a c-section, so I was hoping you ladies might be able to help me out. If you don't mind, could you answer the questions below?

1. How long until you felt safe being at home alone with the baby? There are probably a variety of factors here--obviously, the pain factor (how long was it until you could carry your baby around on your own)? There is also the "safety" factor (how long until you could drive--thus being able to take baby somewhere in an emergency?)
My girls were both c/s babies and neither of them were very big (6 lbs and 7 lbs), so I was able to carry them safely by the time I was discharged from the hospital. In terms of an emergency and driving, you should have a "plan B" in place for non-medical emergencies (taxi service, friend/family) and stick to 911 in the very unlikely event of a medical issue for the first 2 weeks at least.

2. How many weeks did your SO stay home with you? Do you feel like it was enough time?
My SO only stayed for the first week, but my mother was able to visit for a month (okay longer, but for the purposes of your question...). I could have handled things on my own after the first 2 weeks really. With my second DD I was up and making lunch with her in one arm by the time she was 5 days old.

3. Do you feel like you had a tougher time breastfeeding having had a c-section? Did you ask the hospital not to feed or give a pacifier to your baby until you had a chance to breastfeed? This might be a bigger issue for me because I'm having the c-section under general anesthesia, so I won't be able to BF for hours.Yes, I definitely feel like I had a harder time with it, but there were other factors (I have a slight disability in one arm, usually doesn't pose any problems but for BF'ing it made latching awkward). I wasn't under general, so I'm not sure about feeding. The only thing I would say is no paci and a small feed vs completely tanking them up so they're ready to nurse when you are.

4. What was your post-c-section setup in your house? For those with multiple floors, did you have an upstairs "camp" and a downstairs "camp" in the first several weeks? I did have an upstairs camp and downstairs camp. I also bought a snuggle nest so I didn't have to get out of bed to nurse for the first couple of weeks. It only lasts for 2-3 wks, but was worth it to me. I also got a "my breast friend" nursing pillow, which is a LOT better than a boppy. I'm not sure if it was the c/s or my arm issue, but I couldn't have nursed without that thing, seriously.

5. Is there anything you'd suggest to me given your experience? Something that really helped you or something that might be overlooked in a book/ by my doc? I'm sorry that you'll be under general anesthesia when your LO is born and will miss that. My suggestion would be to try to come up with a plan for preserving those moments (video as permitted, having your SO write things down for you maybe, I'm not sure). You probably already have a plan for that though! If possible, schedule a lactation consultant to visit you BEFORE you get discharged, the sooner the better and have a follow up in home if needed.

Thanks, ladies!!

I'm sure I probably missed a bunch of stuff, it's been 8 yrs, 364 days since my first baby and a little under 7 yrs since my second! I'm also not the most athletic person, so this is probably your worse case scenario!

 

[Sabine]

Hello, PSers!


1. How long until you felt safe being at home alone with the baby? There are probably a variety of factors here--obviously, the pain factor (how long was it until you could carry your baby around on your own)? There is also the "safety" factor (how long until you could drive--thus being able to take baby somewhere in an emergency?)

For short periods of time with just one kid, I'd say a week. I was getting around ok by then, but you aren't supposed to drive for at least 2 weeks. If there had been an emergency I could have driven though.

2. How many weeks did your SO stay home with you? Do you feel like it was enough time?

He could only take off a week with both (I have a 2.5 year old and a 4 month old and had scheduled c/s with both). I would have really preferred him to be home for 2 weeks. I had my mom come to stay both times, but I wouldn't expect my mom to help in the middle of the night, etc., and I felt pressure to let dh sleep as much as possible after he was back to work.

3. Do you feel like you had a tougher time breastfeeding having had a c-section? Did you ask the hospital not to feed or give a pacifier to your baby until you had a chance to breastfeed? This might be a bigger issue for me because I'm having the c-section under general anesthesia, so I won't be able to BF for hours.

Yes, both times, although the first was worse. I was in recovery for an hour or so, then up to the room and it was another hour or so before ds was brought to me and I could try nursing. He never took to it. With dd, they brought her to me in recovery and we nursed right then. But the whole not getting out of bed the whole first day makes it tough, and certain positions were tough for a while due to pain.

4. What was your post-c-section setup in your house? For those with multiple floors, did you have an upstairs "camp" and a downstairs "camp" in the first several weeks?

I had no trouble going up/down stairs immediately after getting home with dd (with ds we had a 1 floor house). I have a place to change diapers downstairs and inclined places to put her (reflux) on both floors (so 2 bouncy seats, got a 2nd used for cheap), but that's just for my own convenience to save time.

5. Is there anything you'd suggest to me given your experience? Something that really helped you or something that might be overlooked in a book/ by my doc?

You might want to ask your dr. what they think of post partum support belts. I wore one with both and it really helped, but the 2nd time around I got a weird bruise from it on my hip and had to stop wearing it. I just got a cheap one from Amazon. And you will hear this, but it really does help to stay mobile as much as possible as soon as they let you in the hospital. And finally, for some reason I was in a hurry to get off the pain meds, but if you need them, take them. I gave in and took them for as long as the rx was for and felt better not worrying about it.

Thanks, ladies!!

 

[phoenixgirl]

1. I was told not to drive for two weeks. Otherwise, I felt comfortable caring for my baby by myself after a few days. I was given percocet and extra strength advil to take when I got home, and like TGal I remember thinking that it wasn't really doing much and I didn't need it anyway. This is contrasted with my husband, who just had surgery on a broken collarbone, who is still complaining of pain after several weeks and took the painkillers much more regularly and in greater doses than I did. I'm sure I was off of the percocet after two or three days. I only remember it hurting when I laughed in the hospital.

2. My husband returned to work after a week, and my mother came down during the first week two. After that I was on my own during the work day until my mother returned.

3. I'll be honest; I am attempting VBAC with my baby due in 6 weeks because I did have a difficult time breastfeeding and it's very important to me that I be able to do that. I don't know if it was to do with my c-section or my epidural previous to that (epidurals during vaginal birth are also associated with less success BFing in some studies), or was just my fate. My sister (all vaginal births) and I pumped about the same amount once BFing was established, and my mother (all vaginal births) had difficulty BFing and was told that she was "starving" my brother, so I think it's also partly genetic that I'm not a prolific producer. My daughter was born at 8 pounds and dropped to 7 pounds, 1 ounce in the hospital. They made us stay an extra day, and made us give her a little formula. I saw all sorts of lactation consultants and pumped after each feeding for a period. It was a stressful and tiring time on top of adjusting to life with a newborn. My mother and husband kept trying to give DD formula (only half an ounce here or there, but still, I was not happy about it). It took her three weeks to regain her birthweight. By two months she was still under 10 pounds, and by four months she was under 12, but she was growing and BFing worked out for us in the end, but at some cost to my mental health. We did use a pacifier, though, until she got her first tooth at 8 months.

4. Going up and down stairs was difficult because you have to compensate for your abs with your quads. I was able to do it but I definitely tried to limit the number of times I needed to go up or down. We had a pack n' play in the dining room and stayed on the main floor most of the day. I'm planning to have a diaper station downstairs with this baby, c-section or not, just to make things easier. I don't want to be leaving my toddler alone downstairs while I go up to change the baby.

5. I think it was important to get up and out of bed as soon as possible. The first day I spent in bed with those space leg things on and a catheter. That night, with some difficulty and with help from a wonderful nurse, I got out of bed and was able to have all the extra junk removed. The next day I was able to stand and move around freely (I was standing up checking on the baby when the OB came by to do her rounds. All she said was, "Well, that answers my question" and left without asking me how I felt. I would have liked a little more personal attention, but that at least told me that getting mobile ASAP is important.)

I know someone who was under general anesthesia for a c-section and was able to BF successfully. I would say that a c-section makes things somewhat harder but not impossible in most cases. I haven't been able to find any information on this, but I almost wonder if the speed of a planned c-section means that there's less anesthesia in the baby's system than there would be for anyone with an epidural that was in for several hours. ??? Although I was awake during surgery, I was not with my daughter much for the first hour or two of her life. I think I sat around by myself (DH was watching DD in the nursery) for a good half an hour or an hour before the nurses brought DD to me to nurse, and then they took her away again. I do wish I had had more bonding time with her immediately, and if I have a c/s this time I will be more insistent that they bring her immediately and leave her.

You may have the option of rooming in with your baby or having the baby in the nursery. In the interest of establish BFing, I'd opt for rooming in, and then just nurse as much as possible. I had gotten the advice that you want the nurses to keep the baby because you have your whole life to be sleep-deprived, but in retrospect I wish we had kept her with us. That may make up somewhat for being separated immediately after birth.

The physical toll on me was really not great from a c/s. Compared to my husband's collarbone surgery, it was a breeze (of course, I had a cute little someone to focus on instead of any pain). I don't know if my difficulties with BFing were due to the c/s, but I was able to make it work despite a bumpy road and others wanting to give DD formula.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Thanks, ladies, this actually makes me feel a lot better. I don't want to be naive or underprepared, but honestly, I've had several pretty serious surgeries in the past and feel like I have some idea of what to expect in recovery, my pain threshold, etc. Heck, this will be my first surgery where I don't have to spend days in the ICU afterward!

TGal, you are superwoman. I mean, not even a single Advil? If I'm that comfortable afterward (placebo effect or not), I'll be a happy woman. And I do think having a strong core will help with soreness afterward. I did a lot of rock climbing prior to getting pregnant and my OB has mentioned that my "muscular" build will actually help me in recovering.

Also, you win "wife of the year" for making sure your hubby got some rest in those first few weeks. Though I can completely understand--I use the same logic (no reason for both of us to be miserable) for not dragging him to the grocery store every week. I told D that he might decide to sleep in the guest bedroom the first several weeks, though it's slightly for selfish reasons...I'm worried his snoring will actually wake the baby.

Thanks for the head's up about the first fart. That's the kind of stuff that is good to know!

NF, thanks for recommending the brace--I'm going to ask about it at my next appointment. I've definitely heard the pillow trick, but if something works better, I want to know about it! And I agree about a planned C being better than an emergency C! Having it planned is a little surreal, but I'll probalby go into labor early or something, just to throw me off.

Tammy, good call about having the backup driving plan. My in-laws are about 15 minutes away and one of them is home at all times, so I feel like I have at least one resource if something pops up. Interesting about the My Breast Friend vs. Boppy. I have a boppy and plan to bring it w/ me to the hospital, but if I'm having trouble, I might have D run out and get a MBF.

Also, thanks for the lactation consultant recommendation. I am DEFINITELY doing that--in fact, I'm hoping to have a time scheduled within 6 hours or so of surgery.

ETA: Sabine, thanks for sharing! Interesting that you had luck with the post-partum belt more with one than the other.

Phoenix, the BFing issue is a concern for me, so thanks for sharing your experience. I just want to set myself (and DD) up for success as best as I can. If for any reason I can't BF (like with TGal), then I'll accept that, but I want to give it my best shot and know that the c-section can make it tougher.

I plan to do the same for upstairs vs. down--I actually think more of the "stuff" (pack and play, swing, tummy time mat, etc.) will be downstairs since most of the day will be spent down there. Upstairs will be a little more bare bones. And funny how neither of these "camps" involves her nursery. But that was always the plan, even before we knew about the c-section.

 

[TravelingGal]

NEL, nope, not a single advil, nothing. Whereas when I had a dental implant removed, I popped a lot of pills because it was excruciating. Anyway, my husband is like Phoenixgirl's, and I have to say that because I didn't need any pain meds after my C, it makes me unfairly intolerant of wimpy, pill-popping men, hehehe.

 

[Jennifer W]

Another easy recovery here. No pain (really, no pain). I stayed in hospital for 24 hours (as long as I could bear) then went home. I hosted a lunch party the following day, so I must have felt ok. I don't remember feeling ill or sore.

DH stayed home for about four months, then returned to work three days per week until our baby was one, so I wasn't alone with her at first, but I was told not to lift anything heavier than the baby or drive for about 6 weeks. With hindsight, I wish he had been at home full time for longer, since it was completely magical - we'll never have that time again and it was so, so precious. From a practical point of view, I think parenting a newborn is very much a team sport, but from a less tangible perspective, it let the three of us bond and settle as a family and set the tone for our whole approach to parenting. Paternity leave is every bit as important as maternity leave, I think.

I had been to a class that covered c-section issues, and honestly, that class was the worst part of it. It scared me witless, but the actual section was no biggie. I actually missed my appointment to have the stitches removed at ten days, because I'd forgotten they were there.

My milk didn't come in fully for about a week, which was an issue, but with a lot of support from the midwife, LC and the hospital clinic team we got through it. It wasn't a huge problem, and the hospital I went to did not support formula, so they didn't feed from a bottle or offer a pacifier (both things were seriously frowned on and actively discouraged). BFing was sorted out after a few days, so it was fine.

Our house is single storey, but I used the stairs at the hospital with no ill effects. If you're careful and take it easy, you can be pretty much normal after a day or so.

 

[drk]

I didn't have a C/S myself, but do the anesthetics for lots of them. I wouldn't have any concern with you BFing as soon as you wanted to - if you're awake enough to hold the baby, you're fine to BF. The anesthetic drugs don't stick around for long, and the baby won't be too affected by any pain meds you're on. The only pain meds I don't like are codeine (some women metabolize it super-fast, so the baby can get a big whack in the breast milk) and demerol (prolonged use can lead to buildup of toxic metabolites). Other than that, I prescribe morphine as breakthrough pain meds for women after a regular C/S if the advil and tylenol isn't enough. I think a lot will depend on your hospital and their policies on baby staying with Mum etc. My hospital unfortunately sends the baby to the nursery with Dad till Mum's out of recovery. And Dad's aren't allowed in the OR if Mum's having a C/S under GA. That seems to be pretty standard at most places I trained at/work at.

Good luck!

 

[MustangGal]

Hello, PSers!

I have a c-section scheduled for February 23rd, which is just over 4 weeks away. D and I were supposed to take a c-section prep class over the weekend, but due to my brain's lack of function lately, we accidentally missed the class. I'm on the fence about taking the class at all since I feel like I could get most of the info. I need from a book or my doctor. But I would really love to hear about other women's experiences who've had a c-section, so I was hoping you ladies might be able to help me out. If you don't mind, could you answer the questions below?

1. How long until you felt safe being at home alone with the baby? There are probably a variety of factors here--obviously, the pain factor (how long was it until you could carry your baby around on your own)? There is also the "safety" factor (how long until you could drive--thus being able to take baby somewhere in an emergency?)

2. How many weeks did your SO stay home with you? Do you feel like it was enough time?

3. Do you feel like you had a tougher time breastfeeding having had a c-section? Did you ask the hospital not to feed or give a pacifier to your baby until you had a chance to breastfeed? This might be a bigger issue for me because I'm having the c-section under general anesthesia, so I won't be able to BF for hours.

4. What was your post-c-section setup in your house? For those with multiple floors, did you have an upstairs "camp" and a downstairs "camp" in the first several weeks?

5. Is there anything you'd suggest to me given your experience? Something that really helped you or something that might be overlooked in a book/ by my doc?

Thanks, ladies!!

1. I would have been fine after the first few days. My 9 pounder wasn't that bad to carry, and I only took motrin a few times, I never filled the perscription for the better drugs. I drove just shy of 2 weeks PP, for my 2 week follow-up with the OB (DH was at work). I walked around the block pushing K in a stroller 1 week PP (slowly, I'll admit!).

2. We wanted DH to stay 2 weeks, but he switched jobs a few months before K was born, and was only able to take a week off. My Mom came for a few days after he went back to work. 2-3 weeks would have been nice.

3. My BFing situation was probably similar to what yours will be. K was taken to the NICU right after delivery, and I wasn't able to try BFing until 6 hours later. He had already been given formula at that point (I didn't tell them not to, my fault). He latched OK, but over the next 2 days he managed to tear up both nipples, and I left the hospital with a pump. I think we would have been OK if I hadn't been re-admitted to the hospital with a blood infection the next week and wasn't allowed to BF for 2 weeks. I never got him to latch properly after that, pumped for a bit longer, then gave up.

4. We had a single story house, but I have to say, the worst part of recovery was sitting up! K was in a bassinet at the foot of the bed, DH would pick him up, change his diaper, and bring him to me for feeding. A few nights we co-slept, it was just easier.

5. The class might not be worth it. I don't remember much about the c/s part of my birthing class, I didn't plan on having one so I zoned out. That came back to bite me after pushing for 2 hours! You'll be just fine.

 

[Enerchi]

I had my C/S back in the dark ages when you were in the hospital for a full week! But maternity leaves were only 4 months long at that point.

For me, the best thing was having a pillow to rest my son on while I attempted to breast feed. Nowadays they have these cool pillows that wrap around you - anything to take the pressure off the stitches would have been good. OVerall, even tho my son is now 23 and time dulls your memory, I still think it was not a bad recovery. Having my DH home for a week was great - but I still managed to get up , move around, walk with the stroller around the block...

It will probably be much better than you imagine. We tend to put the worst images in our minds, but its not always the case. Only a month to go - how exciting! Good luck and please post your new little one and introduce them to PS right away!

 

[ljmorgan]

1. It took me a while to feel safe by myself with the baby, but not because of the c-section! My son was in the NICU for 10 days, so by the time we came home I was fine with him. I drove a week after my c-section even though the doc said two weeks, I felt perfectly fine and comfortable doing so.

2. My husband was home with me for two weeks which I thought was a great amount of time, it worked well and felt "long enough" as far as me being comfortable with the baby.


3. Please do not be discouraged about BFing w/ a c-section. After my c-section my son was taken straight to the NICU and I did not get to even attempt to nurse him until day 3 (possibly 4.) They put him on an IV for nutrition until that point, once my milk came in (not fully until day 5) I alternated trying to nurse him with bottle feeding pumped milk. Eventually we were able to go full speed at breastfeeding, no bottles.

Do not worry about not being able to nurse him for a few hours -- he will not be starving out of the gate. They get basically no milk that first day+ anyway, just tiny bits of colostrum. While my son was in the NICU, I did start pumping 2 hours after the c-section to start milk production which I kept up every 2 hours until my milk came in.

4. This really wasn't bad at all, we have a three story town house. We did have a bassinet in the living room, and I spent nearly all day in the main level. I really only went up the stairs to the bedroom once, maybe twice a day which was totally fine. I think you're going to be surprised at how you feel.

5. My biggest suggestion is to not deprive yourself of the pain medication they give you afterward. After my second c-section I felt so great (I had my c-sec at 5pm and the nurses couldn't stop me from walking to the NICU at 4am, 11 hours later) that I insisted I didn't need the percocet. A few hours later, I quickly realized I felt so good BECAUSE of the meds. I balked about taking them, but the nurses convinced me that it was safe for the baby and it really does help with the recovery. You'll be able to move around more, get things healing, and be less apprehensive, all good things.

Good luck, I hope that you have a nice smooth recovery!

 

[Lauren8211]

1. How long until you felt safe being at home alone with the baby? There are probably a variety of factors here--obviously, the pain factor (how long was it until you could carry your baby around on your own)? There is also the "safety" factor (how long until you could drive--thus being able to take baby somewhere in an emergency?) My C-section was on a Tuesday. I left the hospital Friday morning. I had pain, but it was easily managed by pain killers. I was carrying baby when I got home without any problems. I was not allowed to lift or carry anything heavier than him for two weeks. I also was not allowed to drive for 2 weeks.

2. How many weeks did your SO stay home with you? Do you feel like it was enough time? I came home from the hospital on Friday, and DH went back to work the next Tuesday. I had no help after that. I wanted more time with him, but not because of my physical pain. Emotionally, I was a wreck, and had severe anxiety about him going back. An extra week would have helped tremendously.

3. Do you feel like you had a tougher time breastfeeding having had a c-section? Did you ask the hospital not to feed or give a pacifier to your baby until you had a chance to breastfeed? The c-section did not affect my breastfeeding. We were doing well with BFing until he got circumcised, and then he was miserable and would NOT latch, so we gave him formula. It was game over after that. He wanted the bottle from then on out. We tried for several more day to latch him, and I eventually just pumped.


4. What was your post-c-section setup in your house? For those with multiple floors, did you have an upstairs "camp" and a downstairs "camp" in the first several weeks? I lived in the bedroom. Baby slept in the bed (in a cosleeper) so that he was right next to me. We also had the PnP in there with the changing station. I live in a ranch, so I could easily to get to other rooms.

5. Is there anything you'd suggest to me given your experience? Something that really helped you or something that might be overlooked in a book/ by my doc? STAY ON TOP OF YOUR PAIN KILLERS. Once you let the pain creep up, its harder to get on top of. Just take them when you are able and stay on them for at least a week after you get home. And do as little as possible. Let your house get trashed. You need to heal. Its all about you and the baby. No cleaning, no cooking. NOTHING. I would recommend staying in bed and not leaving for the first week. It will help with nursing, skin-to-skin, and recovery.

You'll be fine! I swear my recovery was easier than a lot of my friends who had vaginal births!!

 

[Krissie]

I'm still in recovery mode, but here are my thoughts ...

1. I was carrying the babies around in the hospital. I had my c-section midday on Wednesday; by midday on Thursday I was taken off the IV/catheter out/made to get up and shower. After that point I was made to walk the halls slowly a few times that day, and increasingly over the other 2 days in the hospital. Not going to lie - Thursday was a really tough day, but it's been a lot better since then. I'm still not able to drive, but that's because I'm still on some pain meds. I'll be 2 weeks post-operation on Wednesday. I still feel some burning at the corners of the incision site, but it goes away if I take a pain pill.

2. My mom is here for a while (mainly due to twins) and DH is here for another week - in total, he'll be here 2.5 weeks.

3. You won't produce anything but colostrum for the first 24-48 hours. It took almost 5 days for my milk to come in. By the second day, I was having the babies practice latching, but pumping colostrum and mixing it with formula. They were already feeding with a bottle, so I don't think a pacifier would have made a difference, but they didn't use one in the hospital.

4. We're living downstairs for another week or so - have a makeshift nursery in the family room. We'll probably keep it set up this way even when we move upstairs (where their real nursery is). The babies won't sleep in their nursery for a while yet - they'll be in our room upstairs.

Hello, PSers!

I have a c-section scheduled for February 23rd, which is just over 4 weeks away. D and I were supposed to take a c-section prep class over the weekend, but due to my brain's lack of function lately, we accidentally missed the class. I'm on the fence about taking the class at all since I feel like I could get most of the info. I need from a book or my doctor. But I would really love to hear about other women's experiences who've had a c-section, so I was hoping you ladies might be able to help me out. If you don't mind, could you answer the questions below?

1. How long until you felt safe being at home alone with the baby? There are probably a variety of factors here--obviously, the pain factor (how long was it until you could carry your baby around on your own)? There is also the "safety" factor (how long until you could drive--thus being able to take baby somewhere in an emergency?)

2. How many weeks did your SO stay home with you? Do you feel like it was enough time?

3. Do you feel like you had a tougher time breastfeeding having had a c-section? Did you ask the hospital not to feed or give a pacifier to your baby until you had a chance to breastfeed? This might be a bigger issue for me because I'm having the c-section under general anesthesia, so I won't be able to BF for hours.

4. What was your post-c-section setup in your house? For those with multiple floors, did you have an upstairs "camp" and a downstairs "camp" in the first several weeks?

5. Is there anything you'd suggest to me given your experience? Something that really helped you or something that might be overlooked in a book/ by my doc?

Thanks, ladies!!

 

[FrekeChild]

I wasn't allowed to do a lot for two weeks. Drive, lift anything above 10 pounds, cook, or be by myself. I think the last one is because I was on some pretty strong painkillers and I would doze off quite a bit.

My advice: Get up as soon as they tell you to and do NOT hunch over. The sooner you straighten up, the sooner you'll feel normal again. All of the nurses kept talking about how everyone else that had Cs were walking around the hall hunched over, and how I walked around like I had a V birth. I learned my lesson with my boob job--it's only painful/uncomfortable when you first straighten up.

BFing hasn't been such an issue, I've been pumping, as she got frustrated from my very small supply of milk and stopped cooperating as much. But that's due to my 4 ounces maximum every day, which is great as I was afraid that due to the boob job (breast reduction) I would not be able to produce anything at all.

You'll be great NEL. I have every confidence.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Wow, this thread continues to be very encouraging--thank you all for your replies!

Freke, thanks for the advice about biting the bullet and standing up straight as soon as possible. The good news is that I have rods attached to my spine (one of the reasons I have to have the c-section), so it is physically impossible for me to hunch! I guess it's a good thing that I have to stand up straight, whether I like it or not! And thanks for the BF insight--I'm glad you found a solution that worked for you. I feel like there are a thousand potential hurdles when it comes to BFing...I just don't know WHICH ones will affect me!

Krissie, thanks for chiming in, especially since you just had your boys recently and are still recovering!! It's great that your DH and your mom are able to help, especially since you have twins on your hands. Another friend of mine lived downstairs for the first couple of weeks (as opposed to having two areas--one up and one down). I'm definitely including that as an option if the stairs seem like too much.

Elle, interesting that you felt you could physically handle the baby on your own when DH went back to work, but emotionally you needed support. I feel like I could very well be in the same position. Not that I'm normally an emotionally "needy" person (I know you aren't, either), but I can just see myself being a little emotionally overwhelmed. And thanks for the advice about taking the pain meds and not pushing it. I need to remind myself of that because I know I'm the type to push it and regret it.

Lindsey, it's very encouraging to hear that you were able to BF successfully after getting off to a slow start. And thanks for the recommendation about the meds--it sounds like the best option is to stay on top of them so that I can continue to heal.

Enerchi, the dark ages. Ha! Way back in the time B.P. (before boppies). The funniest part is when you say that maternity leave was only 4 months long since I think most of us in the States would LOVE a 4 month maternity leave! It's great to hear that you felt up for walking around the block within a week!

Mustang, it sounds like your recovery went well! I'd be very happy if I had a similar experience. It sounds like you had a rough time with the BFing, though. And how unfortunate about the blood infection--that sounds both frustrating and scary!

drk, thanks for chiming in! Glad to hear you don't have any concerns about BFing right after surgery. Some anesthesiologists suggest you pump and dump for 24 hours afterward, though after talking with the anesthesiologist and lactation consultants at the hospital where I'm delivering, they feel the same as you, which is a relief. Also, thanks for the pain med info. I don't think they'll be giving me any pain meds until after the baby has been delivered (just to minimize her getting anything), but good to know that morphine is your choice. I've always done well with morphine in the past (not so much with codeine), the only issue is that it makes me very itchy. But I'm not sure if that's specific to morphine or not.

Also, my hospital tends to have the same policy about spouses not being in the OR while patient is under GA. They're starting to be more open to it, but it depends on the doc. I'm on the fence about having D see me like that (in an OR, unconscious, with breathing tubes)--I think it would actually freak him out. So I haven't pushed the issue with my doc. D will be in the room right next door and get to see the baby right after she's born and I actually think that's preferable to him being IN the room. The last thing I need is for him to faint.

Jennifer, home within 24 hours? Lunch w/friends the next day? Granted, I'm sure they brought food to you, but you are another superwoman. And oh my gosh, if my husband could stay home for 4 months I do think that would be magical. Heck, if I could stay home full-time for 4 months I'd be happy. I feel like with both of you being home that long, it allows you to truly co-parent instead of just figuring it out for a couple of weeks, then having the mom take over.

It's also nice that your hospital was so willing to work with you on the BFing issue. It sounds like the support made a big difference and you got through it. I would love to have a support system at the hospital like that. I'll keep my fingers crossed

 

[Jennifer W]

NEL, the BFing support was key - there were people to turn to, either visiting me at home or right there at the hospital, so there was always some support, even if it was only over the phone. If you can find something like that, I'd heartily recommend it - a midwife, an independent Lactation Consultant maybe? Or find out what supports your hospital can offer in case you need a little more help. Fingers crossed you won't need it, but if you do, just knowing what's out there is helpful.

I am really no superwoman at all. To say the least! I'm the biggest wimp ever. I cry when I need shots, I stay in bed for a week if I have a headcold, I am the first woman ever to suffer from manflu.... If there had been ANY pain or prospect of taking to my bed for a long, drawn out recovery, I'd have grabbed it with both hands. I've had more traumatic trips to the dentist though, I swear!

My friends did bring food for the lunch party. My only cooking contribution was a bread and butter pudding that I had made and frozen the previous week. Having really nice food on hand is a great help too - if you can, fill the freezer with really delicious things to pamper yourself with a little bit (I am very big on pampering myself, and at a time like that, we totally deserve it).

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Hello, PSers!

I have a c-section scheduled for February 23rd, which is just over 4 weeks away. D and I were supposed to take a c-section prep class over the weekend, but due to my brain's lack of function lately, we accidentally missed the class. I'm on the fence about taking the class at all since I feel like I could get most of the info. I need from a book or my doctor. But I would really love to hear about other women's experiences who've had a c-section, so I was hoping you ladies might be able to help me out. If you don't mind, could you answer the questions below?

1. How long until you felt safe being at home alone with the baby? There are probably a variety of factors here--obviously, the pain factor (how long was it until you could carry your baby around on your own)? There is also the "safety" factor (how long until you could drive--thus being able to take baby somewhere in an emergency?)

2. How many weeks did your SO stay home with you? Do you feel like it was enough time?

3. Do you feel like you had a tougher time breastfeeding having had a c-section? Did you ask the hospital not to feed or give a pacifier to your baby until you had a chance to breastfeed? This might be a bigger issue for me because I'm having the c-section under general anesthesia, so I won't be able to BF for hours.

4. What was your post-c-section setup in your house? For those with multiple floors, did you have an upstairs "camp" and a downstairs "camp" in the first several weeks?

5. Is there anything you'd suggest to me given your experience? Something that really helped you or something that might be overlooked in a book/ by my doc?

Thanks, ladies!!

My c-section wasn't typical, so it probably won't apply to you, but I'll answer anyways

I had an emergency c-section under general due to a placental abruption. My daughter spent 16 days in the NICU.

I wasn't allowed to drive for at least 2 weeks post-op. My daughter was in the NICU at that time so I had help getting to and from the hospital after my initial 5 day stay.

My daughter was born on a Tuesday (I think lol) and DH took the rest of the week off. Once I was home I had help so it didn't really matter.

I had a tough time with breastfeeding, but not due to the surgery. My daughter was born prematurely and had several health problems, two of which included in the inability to suck at all and a severe tongue tie. I did, however, start pumping the day after my daughter was born and continued to do so until she was 6 weeks old.

I have a one-story house so our living room and bedroom became my camps. I would pump in the LR every three hours around the clock and went to bed very early once our daughter was home.

I would suggest staying on top of your pain. I had a LOT of pain after my c-section and took the percocet and motrin 800 for at least 2 weeks post-op The second week the meds were more spaced out though since I hate how they make me feel. Also, as has been mentioned, if you are allowed to get out of bed then do it and stand up as straight as you can. It will feel like your insides are going to fall out and that you might just rip in half, but once you get over that sensation you'll be fine. Oh, and fart, woman, fart. A lot. It will make you feel so much better

 

[janinegirly]

NEL - wow time is flying!

I had no idea c-section classes even existed! It's good to be prepared and know the common things that come up but a class is probably overkill in my opinion.

I had a c-section that was scheduled but I only found out 24 hrs prior. I was scared to death and mentally not prepared...didn't even have a bag packed!

Anyway, the hospital really guides you through it all and I was really surprised, but my recovery was easier than with my 1st which was vaginal.

As for your questions - I felt safe with the baby as soon as I was home (after 3 nights in the hospital which is standard). My SO was home for one week and this included the 3 nights I was in the hospital. For me the biggest thing was having him watch my oldest and also make dinners. In our case the freak October eastcoast snowstorm hit when the baby was 8 days old, so we had no heat/power! But I digress..Anyway after the week my SO had off, my mom came up as needed - I was sore yes, but nothing incapacitating. I also did not require any meds once released from the hospital, but kept them on hand...just in case.

In my case bf'ing was not hindered by the c-section. In fact I am still bf'ing and was unable to with #1 which was vaginal. Of course there are a variety of factors but the C-section was not one of them in my case. My newborn was even formula fed as soon as she was born due to low sugar and I did not hold her for a few hrs, and still managed to...yes the first few days I'm not sure if she got anything but I kept at it until my milk came in 3-4 days later (which I guess is standard).

No set up at all once home. I know they say no stairs or driving..I was up and down the stairs with no prob. I could have driven but didn't. I would say things like laundry etc are out of the question but who wants to do that anyway.

Good luck and can't wait!!! Meanwhile I'm back at work now so will have more PS Time!

 

[Enerchi]

NEL - how long are mat leaves in the US? In Canada, I think it is now the norm to have a 1 year leave - and the father can also take parental leave for a portion of that time (not receiving benefits at the same time as the mother, if both work F/T. That has to be split up somehow)

 

[drk]

NEL - I'm glad your hospital seems to feel the same way about breastfeeding. I see no reason to pump and dump, and tell my patients the same thing. The baby gets such minimal colostrum in the first day anyhow, there really won't be much getting through to her. We like to have our patients take tylenol and ibuprofen around the clock and add in the stronger meds as needed. I like morphine and oxycodone (the other thing in percocet along with tylenol). I personally think it's nicer to have the narcotic separate rather than in a percocet because that way you can add it in only if you need it on top of the regular pain meds. Any narcotic can make you itchy as a side effect, so we usually have a benadryl order available if it becomes an issue. Same with gravol in case of any nausea. The less narcotics you need, the less likely you will be to be troubled by constipation as a side effect. I'd just take colace and whatever other stool softeners they'll give you if you need to use narcotics.
I don't think my DH could handle seeing me under a GA. It sounds like having your DH next door to meet the baby is probably the best idea. Make sure he has his video and camera on hand to record the first moments for you to check out after you're awake again. Hopefully you'll get your hands on her in recovery room, or else that you're back on the ward quickly for some bonding time.
I'd definitely give them instructions to not give formula etc. Your baby won't need it so quickly after birth (unless she had low blood sugar for some reason, and they'd probably be able to give sugar water for that), and you may as well have her nice and hungry for when you start trying to breastfeed. If I have another I'll start pumping right off the bat to try to avoid having low supply problems again. You may well not have any trouble at all if your daughter nurses well and stimulates your milk production properly.
One thing to expect with the GA: Women generally have catheters in for a C/S to make sure the bladder is drained and out of the way. Since they'll want to minimize the time that you're under anesthesia before the baby is delivered, unless they're happy with you peeing just before the C/S, you'll probably have the catheter put in while you're awake. And then they'll prep your belly and put up the drapes before you get put to sleep. That's all different to what would happen if you'd been able to have a spinal.
Good luck!

 

[drk]

NEL - I'm glad your hospital seems to feel the same way about breastfeeding. I see no reason to pump and dump, and tell my patients the same thing. The baby gets such minimal colostrum in the first day anyhow, there really won't be much getting through to her. We like to have our patients take tylenol and ibuprofen around the clock and add in the stronger meds as needed. I like morphine and oxycodone (the other thing in percocet along with tylenol). I personally think it's nicer to have the narcotic separate rather than in a percocet because that way you can add it in only if you need it on top of the regular pain meds. Any narcotic can make you itchy as a side effect, so we usually have a benadryl order available if it becomes an issue. Same with gravol in case of any nausea. The less narcotics you need, the less likely you will be to be troubled by constipation as a side effect. I'd just take colace and whatever other stool softeners they'll give you if you need to use narcotics.
I don't think my DH could handle seeing me under a GA. It sounds like having your DH next door to meet the baby is probably the best idea. Make sure he has his video and camera on hand to record the first moments for you to check out after you're awake again. Hopefully you'll get your hands on her in recovery room, or else that you're back on the ward quickly for some bonding time.
I'd definitely give them instructions to not give formula etc. Your baby won't need it so quickly after birth (unless she had low blood sugar for some reason, and they'd probably be able to give sugar water for that), and you may as well have her nice and hungry for when you start trying to breastfeed. If I have another I'll start pumping right off the bat to try to avoid having low supply problems again. You may well not have any trouble at all if your daughter nurses well and stimulates your milk production properly.
One thing to expect with the GA: Women generally have catheters in for a C/S to make sure the bladder is drained and out of the way. Since they'll want to minimize the time that you're under anesthesia before the baby is delivered, unless they're happy with you peeing just before the C/S, you'll probably have the catheter put in while you're awake. And then they'll prep your belly and put up the drapes before you get put to sleep. That's all different to what would happen if you'd been able to have a spinal.
Good luck!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

drk, thanks again for chiming in. This is really helpful and I'm going to print it out to go over my options in the consultation with the anesthesiologist (scheduled for the day before the c-section). I really like the idea of having the narcotic separate and I had never thought about Benadryl. Since I know that morphine (or likely any narcotic) makes me itchy, I'll bring that up as well. I'm hoping I don't have much nausea. They're using gas on me, which tends to make me less sick than when they administer the anesthesia via IV. I'm hoping the gas + the fact that I'm only under a short while will help me to be less nauseous.

Also, good point about having D take pictures and film when they bring in our daughter. I'm really sad to be missing that, but he's fantastic about taking pictures, so I completely trust that he'll capture the moment as best he can.

The lactation consultant I talked to said they rarely give formula right after birth--but I'm still going to formally request no formula. She said the main reason they try to get the baby to latch within the first hour is because it's when they're most awake, it has nothing to do with the baby being hungry. That made me feel better, so I don't feel guilty about witholding formula until I can try to BF. And good advice about pumping right away.

I'm about 90% sure I'll be getting a catheter. Not the most fun thing, but I've gone through it several times and it's not that bad.

Enerchi, the Federal Medical Leave Act allows new moms to take 12 weeks off from work. Whether or not those weeks are paid or not really depends on the company. Usually the weeks are covered by short term disability, maternity leave (if offered) and vacation time, so it really just depends on how each of those benefits are set up by the company. Very small companies (I think fewer than 50 employees?) are covered under something separate from FMLA and only 8 weeks are covered.

Janine!! I haven't seen you in forever, I'm so glad that everything is going well! I can't believe you got stuck without power in that freak October snow storm. What's funny is I thought we were in for a LONG winter after that storm...but then we didn't have another flake for months!

So good to hear that you had a good recovery--not only does it sound like you recovered physically pretty quickly, but you also didn't have BFing issues, which is great!

Diva, oh lordy, your c-section sounds like it was one of the more painful cases. But really, that wasn't even your main concern! Having your daughter in the NICU for 16 days was probably much harder! You must have been completely exhausted in those first weeks!

Jennifer, so funny that you consider yourself the biggest wimp ever. You definitely don't sound like a wimp to me! Besides, you say you've had more traumatic visits to the dentist, but seriously, the dentist is SCARY! Every time I hear the drill I start involuntarily shaking. It's so embarrassing.

 

[GK2]

I had an emergency c section and ever since I've had really odd looks off people when I mention how easily I recovered so I'm glad to see that there are so many of us out there who had such a positive experience.

My son was 9 lbs. I delivered Monday pm and was home by Friday am. I spent two days in high dependency and then I was in a general ward where all the natural delivery mothers seemed in discomfort and I was quite happily going about my business and not worrying about going to the loo!

I had my stitches out at home on the Saturday and went out for a walk with dh on the sunday. He went back to work on the Monday and I had no help from anyone else but felt fine. I just took it very steady going up and down the stairs and had a changing mat in both places.

I bottle fed so can't offer advice on breast feeding but I know I had no issues with my milk coming in.

I think a lot of how easily you recover is down to your individual labour/ birth and whilst I had to be rushed into theatre, I had no other complications following the actual birth so that obviously cut down on my recovery time.

If I had been able to have more children, I would not have hesitated to have another c section

Hope all of these stories help in preparing you!

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Oh! I just thought of a few more things...

Ask your doctor how they plan on putting you back together. I didn't have stitches or staples; my doctor used dermabond. It's like super glue for your skin. I had a dressing over the incision (bikini) for the first few days and then it was removed and the incision just looked like a red line - not scary or gross or anything.

Have you have had GA before? I come out of it horribly and had the shakes so so bad. It's normal although frightening. Don't be surprised if you feel barfy for a few days after as well. My nurses were wonderful to me and put some zofran in the IV so I felt so much better.

Speaking of your nurses....love them and treat them well. They will make your stay so much nicer. With both of my births I had wonderful, compassionate nurses taking care of me and that made my experiences that much better and more memorable. The best was a few days after I had my daughter (I think it was day 3) and the baby had to be put on a CPAP to breathe. I was very sad about this and when I broke down telling my nurse about it she just gave be a big ol bear hug and let me cry and cry.

NEL: Please don't let my experience scare you! My daughter's birth was rough in so many ways but what happened happened and there's no changing it. It has made me a stronger person and has made me appreciate just how fragile life can be. I am sure you'll do just fine

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

NEL-
It's getting so close!!! To follow up what DivaD said about the dermabond. Not sure where you're delivering or having your c/s, but at SSH, where i *think* you're delivering, they use internal stitches that disintegrate and then dermabond and steri strips on the surface.

Also re: nurses. My experience at SSH was really good for the most part. With exception of one nurse that is. I wont get into the story, because it's still upsetting for me, but don't be afraid to request a new assignment if you're not happy with them. And the lactation consultants are great. They have a BFing support group that meets three days a week or five days a week (can't remember) and you can go in and weight the baby on their digital scale and they'll coach you. It was great to have that available and it was free. The only downside is you're in a room with 10 other women and you're all sitting around with your chests bared.

 

[janinegirly]

Agree with others on nurses..but that sometimes comes down to the hospital and maybe a bit of luck, whether it a c/s or not. My first experience with nurses was not so great and I think this impacted my ability to bf as well. Second time around was much better - in my case it was a city vs. suburban hospital.

Another thing I noticed - and have no idea if it due to c/s, but my body did not bounce back as well this time. My pooch is sticking around and not sure if the stitching made it slightly worse, or if this is just due to age/it being my 2nd.

The only other thing I can think of to add is reaction to anesthesia. I know you're having GA - in my case it was a spinal tap and I was sick the first 12hrs and also very itchy...something I later read is very common.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Thanks for all of the nurse advice, ladies. HH, I am delivering at SSH (if I'd known I was definitely going to have a scheduled c-section, I may have opted for a different hospital). I'm really hoping for some good nurses, but more than anything I really want good lactation consultants. I've met two from SSH--one taught my BFing class and one walked me through BFing after GA. They were both great, so I'm optimistic.

Janine, I'm sorry to hear you're not bouncing back as quickly as you'd like. I'm sure you're your own worst critic and you look great, but I also understand the frustration of it not happening as quickly as you'd like. Everytime I look down at my massive bump I think "how is it possible that my stomach will shrink back to its pre-pregnancy size??"