C Section advice

Get a PICO dressing if you can. They make an enormous difference to recovery x

Take a little fan and some lip balm. The wards are very warm and dry for the babies but can be uncomfy for us. Take your comfiest pjs and toiletries (and towel) for a shower, it’ll be the nicest shower of your life 😊 I found big cotton knickers to the belly button were lovely with a maternity pad (I didn’t bleed much though). Snacks! Lots of snacks. The key to healing is being mobile. The more you are mobile the easier it gets, laying in bed all day makes recovery longer. Little and often. Keep on top of your meds and take all the stool softener. The drugs are great but they cause constipation (on top of the theatre drugs which block you up), so drink all the stool softener but don’t be worried if it takes a few days to poop. Ask for a gentle section. Let them know you want the radio on (if you do), ask them to take photos, ask for skin to skin etc. I wish you all the best, I had a wonderful experience and I hope yours is calm and happy too xx

Have a bassinet because for me my bed was high at home so I had to sleep on the sofa for the first 6 weeks+ and it helped that I had a bassinet that I put baby in next to me.. High-Waisted underwear and pants you don't want anything rubbing on your scar.. Make sure your house is fully stopped because you're not going to be able to drive for a couple of weeks unless you have. So to help you pick up things you need..

@Holly I’ve spoke to the midwife about this, will definitely be getting one! xx

@Sarah fab advice, thank you so much xx

@KK I have been thinking about how to manoeuvre in and out of bed! xx

High waisted cotton pants & loose clothes so nothing touches your scar & a long wire phone charger x

@Gemma definitely got plenty of big knickers!! xx

I had a c-section as my baby was breech too! ☺️ It was the best decision I made. Recovery wise, little and often movement is the best thing for you. Walk around the house, if you can get out then do - it’s good for you and the baby! I found pram walks worked wonders for me as the pram acted a bit like a zimmer frame 😂 go slow, don’t push yourself. I set alarms for my pain killers and it really helped as I didn’t feel any pain at all - which made moving easier! Personally, I stayed away from the hospital painkillers as I heard they constipate you and that’s a whole other issue. So I just used paracetamol and ibuprofen. I took paracetamol, then 2hrs later ibuprofen. The night feeds helped me keep on track of my pain meds 😂 drink lots of water and eat good foods! Bone broth is amazing as the collagen helps you heal. I was feeling so much better after a week and I was prepared for 6 weeks of recovery! Good luck ♥️

I had a c-section due to breach presentation too! My biggest thing was the recovery! It’s really important to get up when you can and just have a slow walk around. I found getting out of bed to get baby really hard work… remember to roll onto your side and then push yourself up with your arms! (I wasn’t told this until day 5 when a midwife visited me…) don’t ‘twist’ out of the bed. What I used whilst in the hospital were: - Loads of snacks! You have set meals but you may not always like them or get hungry in between. - A long phone charger. The plug is behind you on the wall, and you can’t get out of the bed for around 12 hours after birth so this is super helpful! - High waisted pants. You will hate anything rubbing against your scar or even your stomach in general. - Peppermint tea! - Feeding pillow!! Holding baby can actually be more difficult then you think after, so this helps with that. It also helps on the drive back home to place over your scar. 🤍

Be prepared to sleep upright in bed when you get home, and don’t have the hospital bed to sit you up. Getting up from lying down was really hard for me but everyone is different! Chewing gum asap after surgery to help remind your bowel to keep working and peppermint tea help with painful trapped wind. Keep on top of pain meds but as others have said, and if you can avoid the stronger painkillers like codeine / morphine and stick to paracetamol and ibruprofen to avoid constipation. Mobilising as and when you can, but no pressure or rush to do loads - sleep and rest is also really important!

Thank you all so much for the tips, definitely putting my mind at ease! xx

Listen to the above. But I have two major things to add. TAKE THE LAXATIVES. also hold a pillow to the incision area when you cough, laugh or sneeze.

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@Alisha fab thank you! I’ve been very sneezy all pregnancy so that’s great advice!

Your own breast pump. Maxi dresses/house gown/moo-moo or something of that nature and extra socks. Nursing bra is optional. Pretty much everything else the hospital should provide. Try your hardest to become mobile again after delivery. (I know for my c-sections) moving around really helped the healing process. Especially with the fact the hospital wanted a bowel movement and gas to be passed before I could have solid foods again.

Ask for a local anesthesia with your surgery. I don’t have much pain with it for the first 3 days.

Sounds kind of random but get your bedroom ready to be in there at least a couple days with baby - ample side table space for water meds pump supplies etc., somewhere easy for changing them, if their clothes storage is in the nursery figure out how to move some of it into your room. I wish I’d thought more practical and less about everything looking perfect 😅 Ended up with 2 little side tables next to my bedside table and the Next to Me plus moved a dresser into the corner with a changing mat on top. Ended up staying that way for 6 ish months

I’m about to have my 3rd csection next month! I’ve never experienced a natural birth but my csections have been very stress-free and good experiences. There’s a lot of really good advice here! I would add that your recovery experience will look different than a traditional one may look- even if you request skin to skin they may still take the baby for a moment and take vitals or give the baby to your partner first if you’re having shaking/arm weakness so just prepare yourself for that possibility. You’ll also likely have a catheter in for the first several hours after birth and won’t gain feeling in your legs until several hours afterwards too. Doctors will still come in and do fundal rubs which can hurt. You will also bleed quite a bit (typically more than a vaginal birth) and it will likely last for a few weeks or longer. These are the things I wasn’t prepared for! Congratulations and good luck! Soon you’ll get to hold your sweet baby!

Ask to take stool softener/laxitives as soon as you can. Take a fan Make sure medical staff have you standing within 10-12 hours post your c-section. Have a playlist ready to play in the theatre room Make sure birth partner is ready to take photos of the birth

It’s really important that you have a ton of support as the recovery can be overwhelming. I suggest looking in a postpartum doula . We help to make this period for you easier and safe for you and baby all while supporting you and providing support.

A Moses basket downstairs, I used my pregnancy pillow for comfort. Windeeze for bloating and wear a thick sanitary towel on your knicker line to prevent rubbing. Everything high waisted everything (trousers, underwear, skirts etc). Good luck with the birth and recovery x

High waisted soft comfy clothes, no fizzy drinks for a little while after section, gas pain is real, peppermint tea helps with the shoulder pain. It's hard at first to get moving but definitely important you move little and often, get people to help you lift baby at first. Once your dressing is off, still don't touch it for a while, they'll tell you how best to care for and clean your wound, definitely ask and pay attention. Remember you haven't failed your baby in any way for needing a c section, it's what's best for you guys, and you're an amazing mum. If you're wanting to breastfeed, be patient as it may take longer to come in, just persevere with latching baby anyway and getting skin to skin, sometimes your body lags before it realises you've had your baby.