C-section advice

Chance of hemorrhage is higher with a c-section.
Your doc is an idiot

Take the pain medicine on time, before the pain gets too bad. It's easier to prevent pain than to get rid of it. Someone else mentioned a pillow for coughing and getting up - it really helps. Get up and move around, the soreness will go away quicker! If you're going to breastfeed, I found the football hold to be easiest, since there was less pressure on my tummy and I didn't have to use my abs as much.

Hi, I was an L&D nurse in one of the top 3 delivery hospitals in the us for five years. There is some great advice from moms you have already, but here are some things you/they may not have know to think about.
If they are concerned about bleeding this time, have you and/or your doctor considered autologous transfusions? (storing 2 to 3 of your own units of blood prior to deliver in case it is needed for transfusion during/after delivery). - with every transfusion of blood you run the risk of more reactions, but with your own blood- you are totally good.
Talk to you Dr. before hand and find out what they prefer for closing, staples- glue- stitches. . .and how many layers they stitch back together. Ask how long they typically take to close after the baby is out. (Faster is not necessarily better- or prettier in the long run)- I don't recommend the staples, though they can help with lowering infection rates, but the scar is worse, and they hurt to remove, The best outcomes I saw were on Dr's that used many fine layers of stitches- so the healing scar was supported so evenly from inside to out- no puckering. Find out about postpartum wound infection rates for your Dr. and the hospital you are looking to deliver at. Not all dr's or hospitals are created equally. If you are stuck delivering at one place- go on the night shift and ask the L& D nurses who they would deliver with if they were in your shoes/had your history.
Ditto on the fiber, hydration, consistent pain med use, and get up and moving comments.
Having said that- Please follow the restrictions the Dr gives you- don't lift too much- take it easy on stairs- keep incision area clean and dry, eat healthy amd take immune boosting vitamins etc before and after- and for heaven sakes- get enough back up help so you can rest. I know mommy-hood and "too tired" go hand in hand- but speedy recovery and "plenty of rest" are equally matched, especially if your first is a little one running around and wanting to jump up on you.
Finally- don't worry excessively- positive thinking and outlook does much for positive outcomes- (or put another way- stress endorphins/fight or flight just heightens sensations to pain and there is such thing as self fulfilling prophecy)
good luck!

I had a c section on the 8th. I'm still sore but it's totally manageable. Honestly, the pain from my incision was never had enough to need any pain meds. It was the pain from my uterus contracting after the surgery for a few days that made me need meds. Take the meds they offer you and take them on time-before you start hurting. Have someone around who can do chores that involve any bending and lifting. Take it slow-because if you over do it one day, it sets your recovery back three days.

Quoting Aslen:Chance of hemorrhage is higher with a c-section.
Your doc is an idiot

take your pain meds!!
rest as much as you can. Rest as much as you can. Rest as much as you can!
use the abdominal binder (they shld give u one at the hoshospital
With both c-sections it took me about three to four weeks to really feel up to par again. My husband stayed home for three weeks with the second, and I got to rest a lot, so that helped.
- SamanthaSage
on Aug. 31, 2013 at 4:06 PM