Things we should have been told!

I didn't realise how much water you can retain. I was quite puffy in my feet and I thought that was the only area, it wasn't until I got up for my first shower that I actually had to do a double take at myself in the mirror as I hardly reconised myself my face was so puffy!!

Also, kiwifruit is a good way to get the bowels moving, I was scared to push when on the toilet and my midwife told me I just need to get on with it and I wasn't going to split apart. Eat 6 kiwifruit and you are good to go!!

This is a great topic, brings back memories.   
I have to admit that I lied to the nurses and told them I'd farted cause I was so starving, mmm hospital food.
When you are finally allowed out of bed the first few days be aware of your body and don't push it, definately get up and about, but take rests, I almost dropped my baby because I had to sit down so fast, I yelled at the doctor to grab him quickly.

Lactulose worked REALLY well

Driving home was painful and yes stairs when you finally get home are the worst, took me 10 mins to get up them, kept having to really concentrate on using my legs, you don't realise how important your ab muscles are until they are out of service.

And my MW told me to take Pamol and Brufen regularly when I was at home fo rthe first week or so, even if you don't feel you need it. When I didn't take it, it definately hurts and slows ya down.
And the other great advice my MW told my husband was for me to feed, eat and sleep and do nothing else, I think that helped my recovery heaps.
Oh and having a good height change table helped heaps.

And my mother came evryday and cooked dinner and cleaned the house, lifesaver.

I second the heat pack! At the hospital I was in you weren't allowed to use the food microwaves to heat them up though, you had to use a special microwave that was hidden away in the sluice room, it was a bit scary going in there, all sorts of medical paraphernalia and a big poster on the wall saying how to estimate quantities of blood loss, complete with pics!

Also, if you have an emergency c-section, just because you haven't pushed your baby out doesn't mean you won't have some of the same after pains as if you had a VB. Labour is still pretty rough on the body even without the last two stages.

TMI warning: I have to say, unfortunately lactulose doesn't always work. I got given several doses of the horrible stuff and they didn't seem to make any difference. In the end - a week later! - lots of grapes and a massive quantity of water did the trick. And if you get bunged up like that, don't think that once you've finally passed your big chunk of clay-like poo the floodgates will open , it's a gradual process to get rid of all the concentrated waste.

In hindsight, I was lucky - I felt very sorry for myself at the time but I was separated from JJ for 5 days at the beginning because he was in SCBU, then I developed a wound infection and we were there for another week and a half. But it meant someone else was doing all the basic baby care when I still couldn't walk etc, and I was basically fully mobile again by the time we got home. So count your blessings I guess.

Oh, and I think everyone should keep a record of things they want for their labour next time if they want to try for a VBAC - I think part of my problem was that I hadn't fully prepared myself (I remember thinking once we got to the hospital "I'm not sure I've thought through this!") and I'll have far more specific instructions for my DH for next time. Plus I was too independent and didn't want any other support people there, next time I'll enlist a whole team

ETA: I recently realised that I basically have amnesia for the first 48 or so hours after the birth, don't know if it was the pain meds or some kind of response to trauma, but I don't remember much at all! I must have been so out of it!

Edited by weegee

This is a great thread.  I was totally unprepared for my CS.  It was the last thing I wanted.  When they told me they needed to consent me for a c-section I burst into tears (amongst the contractions....end of transition I think).  But once bubs was out I was totally ok with it!  Before that I was shaking uncontrollably and sh*t SCARED!!!

 

Now I am home and overdoing it!   Eat, feed and sleep sounds great but my mum is here to help and she thinks I am lazy if I dont do much.  After all, I only had a baby...suck it up!  GREAT!   Its also hard with a toddler.  But after reading all this its good to know things are normal

 

Congrats on baby peppercorn, and welcome James.

I had the shakes with my cs for about 3 hours, but a lot of that was because Leah was taken to special care and I didn't know what was going on. Once I got down to the ward and was finally allowed to see her and hold her the shakes went away pretty quickly.

One of the worst parts for me (emergency C-section after 4 days in Labour!) was the spray that the anesthetist used on me to see if I was numb enough for them to start the operation!

He kept saying "if it feels cold, then you're not numb enough", which in my delusional over-tired state was making me think "OMG, they're going to cut me open and I'll feel it!"    This was so incredibly frightening at the time.        

 

Yeah I had that too Leelee, I didn't get any swelling when pregnant but have had it postnatally both times, once from the spinal for the c/s and then this time to cos I had an epi. Keep your legs raised as much as poss as that is suppose to help, but yeah takes time I'm afraid

regarding getting out of bed.... you just roll out lol.

Not sure who said it now - but I second the point about keeping your pain relief up.

I didn't the day after - I wasn't feeling too bad (still dosed up with morphine I guess!) and the nurses didn't insist that I take it either. Boy - did I suffer later on that day. My obs wasn't happy either - he said the nurses should have known better.

Apart from that though, the hospital staff were wonderful. They couldn't do enough for us. We were very lucky.

I wanted to add that - if the morphine does nothing for you - you are no going crazy! So don't be afraid to say so!

Morphine had no effect on me - it did not work - so they put me on oxynorm - which worked a treat!

I had a spinal block and the catheter was put in after - though i was not asked about either but so glad it happened this this way.

Have to have another C-Sec next time due to pre-eclampcia last time.

Want to ask what you mums think is 3 c-secs to many??

My DP is dead set on 3 kids - i am just not so sure...