Things we should have been told!

Just making this a bit easier to read

#1 You get the shakes due to all of the drugs being given to you so quickly

#2 You get REALLY tight *down there* for ages afterwards (for some) making BDing uncomfortable

#3 Having a CS does NOT mean you will have problems bonding with your baby anymore/anyless than a VB

#4 Having a CS does not mean you can't breast feed

#5 It's really not as bad as some would have you believe

# 6 take good care of your back afterwards as the chances are it received a bashing from the medical team before,during and after your birth

#7 The Doc is going to ask you afterwards if you are passing gas. It's not cause he smelt something; he's just checking that your bowels are working okay.

#8 You will probably get your AF back sooner than if you had had a VB.

#9 Don't watch America's Funniest Home Videos two days after your operation. We took a TV into the hospital and I had to tell DH to turn it off because I was in fits of laughter/agony from just listening to him laughing.

#10 the ITCH you can get while in surgery!!! still the worst part of mine i think!!! (from the morphine)

#11 I wasnt warned of what i call the EPISHOCK - the pain that shoots up my back with out warning every so often now!

#12 Always mentally prepare yourself for the possibility of a c/s because even though you may feel "robbed" of your birthing experience, it is not the worst thing that could ever happen to you.

#13 Make sure that you have a rope tied to the bed leg at the bottom of your bed that stretches to your pillow, because you have no stomach muscles to get out of bed to baby and will need something to help pull you up. Failing that have your DH push you up

#14 You can still have contractions after delivery.

#15 try really really hard not to vomit the night after you've had surgery as this hurts so badly

#16 Try and get up and moving as soon as you can (with the help of midwives/nurses in hospital), it will make you feel more 'normal' and help recovery

#17 Take some Arnica drops with you, I think these helped me alot. (and Rescue Remedy)

#18 Normal knickers dont feel good! Have some granny undies packed so your DH doesnt have to shopping for them

#19 All the extra maternity pads you purchased can be used to keep your scar dry (for the saggy belly girls like me that is), fold in half and shove fold part on scar and the saggy belly will hold the pad in place. Will help prevent infection

#20 If you do feel a bit let down or upset by the birth experience, talk to someone. There are people out there who can help you work through the issues you may face. Ask your midwife or doctor for a referal to maternal mental health. They specialise in that sort of thing.

#21 At antenatal class you'll be told that there could be 10 people in the theatre with you and how scary that will be, in reality you don't notice, there are only 3 important people in there - you, your partner and bubs!

#22 It really does feel like someone doing the dishes in your stomach (or rumaging in a handbag lol)

I actually didn't feel anything apart from some funny pulling at the beginning. The thoughts started running through my head and I felt particularly nervous (I'm also prone to fainting at medical events) so I got talking with the anaethetist. She was lovely and it made me feel heaps better, she also got me talking about the baby and did I know if it was a boy or girl etc, so it was really easy to talk like that.

and the operating theartr will not look like shortland st, and there will be no mcdreamy (much to my dissapointment!)

I couldn't lie on my side either, I'm glad no one tried to push that on me!

justme wrote: Sarah Beth wrote: and the operating theartr will not look like shortland st, and there will be no mcdreamy (much to my dissapointment!) actual LOl!

Oooo my anaesthetist was actually really spunky! He was really nice too and kept making me laugh which wasn't very helpful for the surgeon!

Although I'm sure he saw more of me than he probably ever wanted to!

I think this should be a sticky, any objections?

neeandsam wrote: justme wrote: Sarah Beth wrote: and the operating theartr will not look like shortland st, and there will be no mcdreamy (much to my dissapointment!) actual LOl! Oooo my anaesthetist was actually really spunky! He was really nice too and kept making me laugh which wasn't very helpful for the surgeon! Although I'm sure he saw more of me than he probably ever wanted to!

hope mine is spunky too - that could make it more worthwhile huh?! well.. we gotta get some thrills some how!

if you are still in pain 3 days after it is your right to ask for popur pain meds not just panadol .

if after the broith you feel yucky and sticky ask the midwifes for a bedbath i had one and i almost felt human again.

call the midwife as much as you may need them thats why they are there and thats what they get paid for.

get your vistour to make your tea/ coffee/sandwhich.

rest all you can in the hospital.

dont what ever you do go to town just after you have gottn home just to have your mum push you around in a wheelchair because you are to weak and tried from the brith.

when they go to get you up the day after baby is born it will hurt like hellll!!!!!!!

I wasn't told anything at all when I left hospital other than "don't lift anything heavier than your baby", nada about what exercises I should be doing, when I asked about the no driving for 6 weeks I was told that was something the USA need to protect themselves from major insurance claims

This is great. My personal experiences to 'add' (thought they are similar) are ..

When you first get out of bed to go to the shower/toilet, you'll feel really, really shaky and weak - have someone help you!

Getting your catheter out doesn't hurt (I thought it might).

The first shower felt like heaven, even though I'd had a sponge bath. And just for the record .. they only sponge your arms/legs ... not any of those more private areas

Your locchia may actually be lighter than you expect - this is sometimes cos you lose so much during the C/S, or because they give you a good clean out.

Driving for the first time after 6 weeks is just plain WEIRD ... I felt really spaced out.