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Kels152 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kels152 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 April 2012 at 12:43pm
Hi all, I am having twins later on this year and for certain reasons may have an elective caesar...

What im wondering is what the recovery time difference is with Emergency caesars vs Elective - if there is any? I've heard from a few different people that their elective was easier and faster to recover from than their emergency and I just wondered if this is true?

My DP will need to be back at work after a week of me having the babies and we are worried about the recovery time and if i'll be ok at home on my own after a caesar.
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AzzaNZ View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AzzaNZ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 April 2012 at 12:19pm
Kels152, my emergency c-section was oddly enough so much easier to recover from than my elective.

I looked after myself better after it though!



http://intermittentblogger.wordpress.com
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millemama View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote millemama Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 April 2012 at 9:07pm
I second what Azza said, my first was an em CS but recovery seemed slightly quicker. But having said that both recoveries were pretty good with minimal or no complications. I think the second one may have been slightly longer to recover from because I then had a toddler to take care of too.

I tend to think that with the best intentions in the world only a week with hubby at home is pushing it, especially with twins. Is there someone else that could come and stay? It's the basic stuff that someone else really needs to take care of, ie cooking, cleaning, washing, grocery shopping, so that you can take care of you and the bubs. Driving is not advised for the first few wks and neither is putting out the washing etc etc.

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Kels152 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kels152 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 April 2012 at 8:33am
Thanks for your advice ladies it's a big eye opener!

My mum lives in oz and she may be able to come and help but we arent sure yet...We have a lot to think about - may have to see if DP can have more time off. As you say it's the basic stuff that will be the prob. Thanks again :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote InthemiddleMummy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 April 2012 at 3:52pm
Ive had 3 children
1st was VB recovery was difficult 9-10months of pain (twisted pelvis amongst other things)
2nd I was labouring at 36wks and 5cm diliated but it was planned c/s they did c/s an hour after I got to hospital and it was fab recovery
3rd was elective at 2 days off 40wks and it was the best recovery.

Your hubby definately needs more than 1 week off work. you will be in hospital for 5days minimum with twins. My friend was in hosp for 10days with her twins and other friend for 4 weeks. both c/s

Look into winz home help if you have a community services card I think you get a free house cleaner or something if you have twins/c.s??
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Kels152 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kels152 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2012 at 12:53pm
Thanks Girls Rock, appreciate your feedback...with twins you only get home help if you have another child under 5yrs so we dont qualify. I think we may just have to work on DP having more time off - If I dont have a c-sect i'll still need help with them so it's going to be the best option all round I think
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Keleho Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 July 2012 at 11:01pm
Hi ladies,
It will be a while off but Id love to know how any of you have got on with c-section recovery with older children to care for (particularly preschool age)?

Both my girls have been VB but I had massive issues birthing, it was long, traumatic and both times baby ended up in NICU. Second time round, DD2 was (from what I understand) in very bad shape .
On top of that, the damage she has caused to me means VB is not advisable.
So Im sort of planning (cause I totally overthink this sort of thing!) when we will look at ttc for #3 (looking at early-mid next year meaning the girls would be 2+ and 4+ when baby came along) knowing Ill go for an elective but Im not sure what to expect in terms of recovery with older kids. Im wondering really if waiting an additional 6months+ would make a huge difference or if it will be much the same regardless.
We are dairy farmers who (at the moment, but this might change) live far enough from family that I cant rely on them too much, and we dont have many friends locally so Im worried Ill end up a bit stuck - depending on the time of year, DH wont be able to take a block of time off and even if he could, it would only be a few days at best.

All advice/comments/stories welcome
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tictacjunkie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 July 2012 at 2:36pm
Hi KLH, I've had 5 c-sects now and each time recovery was slightly different, but if you are having an elective c-sect you have to stay in hospital for a minimum 72hrs after in most cases.

Looking after older children once you're out of hospital I didn't find a huge problem, I have approx 2 years between my children so have always had a 2yo in the house while recovering, and DH's job (hv electrician/ line mechanic) has meant he wasn't always able to be around to help.

You should be fine after 3 days to do most things by yourself, but you'll still have to TRY avoid picking the other kids/ heavy things up.

I planned ahead by getting the house pretty tidy before the surgery, I boxed up half the kids toys so it was harder for them to make a mess, hid the talc, pens etc that they like to make mess with. Did all the cleaning before too so it would "last" the week after. I did my groceries based on "easy", lots of dried fruit, crackers etc that you can give the kids for lunch and tea (and yourself) without having to prepare a lot. Precooking a few things like shepherds pie to reheat later works well.

I bought dettol wipes for just the week or two after, it just made cleaning benches/loo etc slightly easier/quicker. All the "slightly easier"s add up when you're tired, recovering and stretched for time.

I prepared a mental list of things I could get other people to do should someone turn up and offer. I was a bit mean and made the kids re-wear clothes that weren't dirty to cut down on washing.

I also kept the 4yo home from kindy for a week or two so there's less running around, a couple of weeks won't hurt . It also keeps the 2yo a bit more occupied having a friend at home.

Take a good multi-vitamin, insist your OH help, not just once baby's arrived but before too. If you have a choice between housework and sleep definitely choose sleep, even if it's a snooze on the couch, the housework will wait, so keep your expectations low on how tidy you want the house to be if you're inclined to be stressed if it's a mess. I'd get up, shower & get dressed every morning just to go back to a nap on the couch, at least if anyone turned up I felt "presentable", which was important to me. It also meant I was in the shower while DH was still home in the morning, and he could look after the littlies for 15mins.

I think waiting that extra few months depends entirely on the kids that you have already. But I found an 18-19mth old was easier to deal with than a throw-tanties-at-everything 2-3yo.

Just be kind to yourself, an exhausted Mum is no good to anyone! Those hairy first few weeks with a newborn post c-sect with older kids can be hard but they are only a few weeks. Definitely try to avoid a late winter/early spring due date though, can't have everyone calving at once!

Hope that helps.
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Keleho View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Keleho Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 July 2012 at 3:37pm
Thanks tictacjunkie - thats a huge help!
I tend to be overly organised when it comes to this sort of thing so I think it will work in my favour with a c-section. Plus looking at an elective is even better - means I have an actual date to work towards (as far as preparing for it) rather than just sort of ready whenever! Ill definitely be taking note of all your ideas!

We have 22 months between DD1 and DD2 and I love the gap, would like to have 1.5-2.5 years between the next two and sounds like its doable with a little help
Im also hoping that we will have moved closer to family before we do anything and with any luck, close enough to town that I can get my groceries delivered
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tictacjunkie View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tictacjunkie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 July 2012 at 7:30pm
Oh delivered groceries would be awesome! We live in a rural town so I couldn't do that.
I'm a chronic list-making planner organiser, it definitely helps, .
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Keleho View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Keleho Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 July 2012 at 8:19pm
We can get countdown to deliver here but its $30ish and very limited to what they will actually deliver - main ones I notice are no chilled foods or fruit and vege. Sort of defeats the purpose!
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tictacjunkie View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tictacjunkie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 July 2012 at 12:23pm
Yeah that's the same here (Stratford, Taranaki), we're about half an hour from the closest countdown. Definitely defeats the purpose, it's easy to stock up on pantry stuff, it's the fresh stuff you run out of!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ArisaRaine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 August 2012 at 11:32am
Totally agree, i do nont regret having a C section even though it was an EMCS due to pre eclampsia i would have another one, i liked avoiding labour
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote anna1983 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 December 2012 at 4:59pm
Originally posted by mamanee mamanee wrote:

Another one I found was that lying on your side is impossible for the first couple of days and the nurses always tried to make me lie on my side to feed Sam and this just made me cry out in pain which made feeding really difficult. So let them know very sternly that it is too painful otherwise they keep making you try to turn on your side.


Wow so glad they never tried to make me lie on my side - it's only now after 2-3 weeks of recovery that side-lying is mostly ok!!!

Reading some of the tips mentioned in this thread, I'm thinking I got off fairly lightly with recovery. My biggest things I wish I was told are:

1. Your analgesia from the spinal wears off after 24 hours and then you will feel like you were hit by a truck.

2. For the first few days, every 12-24 hrs you'll feel hit by a truck again - ask for more tramadol (I was hardly given any, only told when I said I really hurt that actually I could have some - I could have had a whole lot more) - it's good stuff (although my aunt hates it - it made her hallucinate).

3. They can do delayed cord clamping with a CS! The one part of my birth plan I got, but only because both hubby and my midwife asked for it! I didn't really think they'd do it with a c section and was too loopy at the time to ask, but they actually will as it turns out.

4. You might not get told much about the surgery itself or what to expect during recovery - I came home with a prescription for pain relief and no advice on how long I might need pain relief for, what to look out for that could be signs of infection etc, what activities not to do and how long for... It seems to be all left to my midwife which is fine but I'm surprised I didn't get anything written when I left hospital. I've never had surgery of any kind before and didn't have a clue what to expect. Knowing what I know now, I would have asked way more questions about the surgery and recovery while still in hospital.

I also agree with tying the call button to your bed - I was very painfully trying to find mine dangling somewhere behind the raised bed head a few times during the first day or two, it was pretty upsetting on top of everything. TIE IT ON!

Edited by anna1983 - 19 December 2012 at 10:45am
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