c-section recovery

i turned to the gals on the nest for some advice on what to expect following my c-section. please feel free to contribute!

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c-section recovery

From: JezcaM

Date: 11/21/2007 at 11:23 AM
tell me about your c-section recovery. i'm trying to plan on how much help i'll need.

how soon were you able to walk?

what was the hardest thing to do on your own?

how long did you need someone with you all day while you were healing?

pain meds - what'd you take and for how long?

how soon were you able to take care of your baby? bathe, change diapers, rock, etc.

did you need to do the 'football hold' for breastfeeding?

anything else i should know? i'll have either my mom or ken with me at all times until day 11 or 12 - would you have been ok on your own by that point? i know everyone's different...

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Replies:

From: Kristen&Doyle

Date: 11/21/2007 at 11:43 AM

So I guess you are going with the scheduled c-section then. I hope everything goes smoothly and as much your way as possible!
Well, "they" say to get up and walk as soon as possible, of course at first it was super slow, but I'm pretty sure I was up and walking the next day..in the morning (had him at 10 am.)
Getting up from bed! A VERY SLOW process and probably the most painful!
Well, I think my mom was with me through either Friday or Saturday and I had him on a Monday
I was prescribed Vicodin, but I've had a bad reaction to it in the past (vomiting after wisdom teeth surgery) and didn't care to try it again...I can't remember what it was I took, but I think it was just a prescription strength Motrin and I probably only took that for a week or however long the prescription was for....it didn't take away all the pain, but it was good enough for me...I have a feeling if I had the same reaction to the Vicodin that I did in the past, I would be in much more pain, just like sneezing or even laughing!
I was able to put his going home outfit on when we went home on Wednesday. I'm pretty sure after that I was doing mostly everything....again, just very slowly!
I never used that hold. I mostly used the cradle hold with a boppy or laying down on my side, which I prefer, to this day
Well, it is definately painful at first and I was not happy with all the swelling, but I know it had to be from all the IV stuff they gave me. Anyway, my best advice would be just to take everything at your own pace, everyone heals differenlty and their experience with a c-section is different. Oh and definately get all the help you can and milk it for all that it is worth! Before you know it you will feel fine but will still want to be pampered and waited on! 11-12 days is great! But I have to tell you, the first time you are all on your own, just you and the baby is a strange feeling!

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From: Emer

Date: 11/21/2007 at 12:35 PM

Walking- I got out of bed that night, so probably 6 hours after surgery. I wasn't able to get out of bed without help for 2 days and then couldn't walk very far on the 4th day. I think I was moving at a slow pace but on my own after a week.

The main thing I remember was how hard it was to sit down on the toilet :) We finally went to Lowe's and got one of those seat things that raises the seat like 8 inches. I *totally* recommend getting one. It would have been nice during pg, too. It was a little pricey, but it was the best freaking thing ever. It did make me feel like an old lady, though!

As far as having someone with me, it's hard to say. DH was home 24/7 and my parents were over every day for the first week or so. I don't think I felt comfortable taking care of DD completely on my own for at least a week.

I took vicodin and motrin. I took it contantly for a week and then tapered off over the next 10 days.

I sort of answered this one already, but at least a week until I could do everything, but even then I had help, I just could have done it if needed.

I did the football hold in the hospital. That's the best reason to take your own pillow. You need something firm to hold the baby on and their pillows suck. Once I better at holding her and BFing, I did the cradle hold, too.

I think you'll be fine. Talk to the doc about when you should drive- I think most of them say 2 weeks. Oh, and when we left the hospital I had to ride in my dad's car because I couldn't get up into DH's truck.

I'm sure I'll think of more things later :)

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From: Emer

Date: 11/21/2007 at 12:36 PM

Oh, and I would have liked to have something in the hospital to drown out the beeping on the monitors (while DD wasn't in there). In fact, I had my ipod- I wonder why I didn't use that...

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From: naclh2otaffy

Date: 11/21/2007 at 3:23 PM

1. I walked with assistance at the hospital as soon as they let me (it was sometime in the middle of the night). I was walking the halls within 24 hours. I took two showers unassisted at the hosptial. I went home less than 48 hours after delivery.

2. Getting out of bed from a lying down position.

3. I really didn't need anyone with me. My parents happened to be visiting during the birth and went home the day after we got out of the hospital. DH went back to work a week after delivery and I was fine alone with Babytaffy. We went for a walk around the block the day after I got home, and continued daily strolls and shopping trips after that. We got out of the house almost every day.

4. Pain meds - I only had one hit of pain meds in my IV after delivery. I was given Vicodin, which I did not take until I got a horrendous bladder infection about 5 days after delivery. That was hell. Had I not gotten the bladder infection, I would not have needed the pain meds at all. I did take Tylenol a few times after I'd been doing a lot of walking.


5. I was able to take care of the baby as soon as I got home. DH handled the diapers in the hospital. After a c-section, the hospital will not leave you alone with your baby - someone will need to be in the room with you and baby at all times. If your DH leaves, either have someone with you or be prepared for the baby to go down to the nursery. I also started cooking dinners the second day home. It was so nice to stand in the kitchen and cook/bake again, after having been on bed rest for so long.

6. I tried all holds for breastfeeding. Ask for advice from every professional that comes into the room. That was wonderful for me - I was able to hear the views and advice from many different women and then when I could meld all that advice together into a routine that worked well for me. My incision was so low, I didn't have any pain at all with it. I didn't have to modify breastfeeding holds to keep the baby from hitting my incision, nor did I need to use a pillow to cover/protect the incision.

I was not given any restrictions on driving, except not to drive if I was taking pain medication.

Anything else you want to know? You are aware that you'll have a catheter in for at least 24 hours? That was actually heavenly - it was such a nice change from having to get up and run to the bathroom every 15 minutes. You'll be allowed to eat once you pass gas, and they'll be asking you about that.

If you want, you can have someone dressed and ready to come in to the OR after your DH leaves with the baby (your mom, perhaps?). While you can only have one person at a time in the OR with you, you can have different people there supporting you. I did not know this, and wished that I had. It was very isolating to have my DH and baby walk out and have the hospital staff "ignoring" me. They were tending to sewing me up, but not talking to me, instead joking and laughing with themselves and discussing their favorite CSI episodes. It would have been a much better experience if I would have known I could have had a supporter come in to the room with me after my DH left.

You'll probably also have leg "massagers" on your legs for 24 hours. At least, I did, and I have heard others did also. They are automatic pumps and force blood and fluids out of your legs and feel very nice.

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From: JezcaM

Date: 11/21/2007 at 3:52 PM

thanks ladies! i'm impressed with how soon they released you. my c-section will be at 8:30am on Monday and the doctor says i'll be released either wednesday or thursday. but hopefully wednesday because he'll be on vacation thursday. although, i've been told that some women says it's best to stay in the hospital as long as they'll let you. hmm....

kristen - yeah, we're going with the c-section. the doctor said he was pretty sure inducing would result in an emergency c-section because of all of my fluid and her size, so i'd rather just plan the c-section. it'll also be easier on my asthma and blood pressure, avoiding labor and pushing.

emer - what was so difficult? was it lowering yourself/bending to sit on the toilet? or the position once you were seated, maybe putting awkward pressure on the incision? and thanks for reminding me about the beeping! ken and i sleep with a fan on every night for "white noise" and it was a life saver when he was in the hospital this summer, yet we forgot to pack it! will do so today.

taffy - why the bladder infection? did it have anything to do with the cathetar? or is that a usual side-effect for c-sections? what a horrible time to suffer through a bladder infection!

all - getting out of bed from laying down - is this because your "sit-up" muscles are healing? would it have helped to have had something to grab and pull yourself up? or to roll on to your side and hang legs over edge of bed before sitting up sideways?

thanks ladies. :) talking through this helps the planner in me. when you're left with no control, it's nice to at least know what to expect!

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From: naclh2otaffy

Date: 11/21/2007 at 4:01 PM

No idea why I got the bladder infection. Could have been a result of the catheter, could have been dumb luck. I just know it was hell.

As far as the getting up, even if you roll over on your side, that hurts too. Any torsion of the abdomen is going to be painful at first. It is most helpful if you have someone/something to grab on to to help pull yourself up. But you can do it alone, it just takes awhile to get up. I used to grab the nightstand for some leverage to pull myself over so that I could get my legs off the edge of the bed. Same thing for sitting down, the bending motion is hard at first because your abdomen has been cut open and sewn back shut.


You can stay at the hospital longer if you like - it's up to you and your doctor. Most insurances pay for at least 72 hours after a c-section. I just wanted to go home. I was ready to get out of there. To be able to pee without having to measure it, to be alone with my baby if I wanted to be, to have my own space without being bothered every hour. I was in a regular room not on the real maternity ward and it was not a very comfortable room.

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From: molliedb

Date: 11/21/2007 at 8:07 PM

i had my c-section at 5pm and was allowed to walk first thing in the morning after my catheter was removed. walk early and often- it will help sooo much.

the hardest thing to do on my own was sit up from laying down- especially when we got home and our bed didn't have rails like the hospital bed.

dh wasn't comfortable with the idea of me and lily being alone at home when i was not able to drive, so i had someone with me until the 2 weeks was up and i could drive (in case of emergency).

i did not go nuts with the pain meds like a lot of girls will tell you to do. i actually alternated vicodin with an all natural supplement called 'arnica'. i was much more comfortable minimizing my vicodin intake since i was breastfeeding and didn't really take much. to each her own!

i took care of lily from day one. i didnt have trouble doing any of the things you mentioned. it is nice though for dh to be the one to change the diaper and bring the baby to you at night (or whenever possible) since it can be painful for you to get up.

no, i didnt use the football hold. i preferred cross cradle and it did not hurt my incision at all.

i was in the hospital from friday afternoon until about noon on sunday. i had mixed feelings about the 'stay in the hospital' advice. i mean, you're going to go home and get exhausted at some point :) i was just ready to be at home with my baby and family.

good luck!!

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From: Taytee

Date: 11/21/2007 at 10:29 PM

Can't answer your questions, just a little PSA. Buy some Colace (stool softner). The pain meds will be needed, but they also tend to stop you up. I can't tell you how many pt's we've seen constipated after their surgeries from popping Vicodin everyday. It just happens. Take the colace as directed on the bottle and you will be a much happier person =P

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From: Emer

Date: 11/21/2007 at 10:57 PM

Ditto Taytee on the Colace.

I just had a hard time getting up and down from a seated position. The couch was forgiving, so it wasn't bad. Getting up from the bed was hard, too. You will learn to roll and pull, but just give yourself time to figure it out. Basically, anything involving your stomach muscles will hurt.

As for the hospital stay, they told me I could go on the 3rd day, but I wanted to stay another night. I was still hurting and exhausted and was totally happy in my hospital bed. DH couldn't wait to get out of there, though.

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From: mcurban

Date: 11/22/2007 at 9:29 AM

Take my responses with a grain of salt, as I'm TOUGH AS NAILS!!! kidding.

1. As soon as they took out the cathether (sp??) I was up. Walking around meant one loop around the floor while pushing Jack's bassinet for support. We did that about once an hour. It was SO nice to be up. This incision site would start to hurt and that was when it was time to turn around.
2. Ditto the others, without a doubt, getting up from a lying down. It is also easy to forget when you wake up from sleeping that you can't just hop right up. Talk about a major ouch!
3. Hydrocodone and Ibuprophin. I don't remember for how long, but I do remember that I had a ton left. While in the hospital, I took the recommended amount every four hours. Once I was home, I eased up.
4. As soon as I was walking, I was talking care of him.
5. No football hold. Cross cradle with no problems at all.

You will be FINE by day 11-12. If anything, you'll be tired of having everyone thinking you can't handle stuff :)

Also, I would recommed Dulcolax (have some at home) over Colace. Colace doesn't make you poop, it just softens it for when you do. I hadn't pooped for 4 days and finally took one Dulcolax. Heaven.

Lastly, this might not be the case for a scheduled section, but I found after getting pitocin and laboring and then going in for the section that my hormones were CRAZY. Taffy will attest (as she saw me to drop off a drape) that I was crying at the drop of a hat.
The nurses told me that my "baby blues" would last for three days. Umm...lie. Try two months. I seriously thought I had post partum depression. I called my nurse friend (the equivalent of the resident nurse Taytee) and she said as long as I wasn't thinking about hurting myself or Jack, that I was perfectly normal. Just an FYI, it is NORMAL to be sobbing!!!

Good luck!