Another question about c-sections

I think I am going to be scheduling my c-section tomorrow. I just want to know what it's like after.

Can you shower?

Can you wear your own comfy clothes or is it best to wear the gown they give you? I don't know how much clothes to pack because of this.

When did you start to get feeling again after the spinal?

When were you allowed to eat real food?

Thanks!!

Re: Another question about c-sections

First, I will say that I had a great c-section experience.
Showering, yes, two days after, the day after, they gave me a washcloth and basin to kind of sponge myself, but the day after that, I was in the shower.
I wore my own clothes the day after the c-section.
Buy granny panties to wear for the few weeks after surgery so that it doesn't rub up against the incision. It helped a lot.
As for my epidural, my doctor left it in the next day so that I could administer it to myself with a button, but it was a low enough dose that I could walk around with it in. It was a great decision becuase the sooner you're up and walking, the better, and it helped a lot.
Good luck, it's not as scary as I thought it would be.

ETA: I was able to eat real food the next day, but I got all the Italian ice my little heart could desire that day

Message edited 2/21/2008 9:55:48 AM.

Re: Another question about c-sections

Message edited 2/21/2008 9:57:33 AM.

Re: Another question about c-sections

Can you shower? I took a shower the next day.

Can you wear your own comfy clothes or is it best to wear the gown they give you? I had the baby on Thursday morning & on Friday morning I was up and showered & dressed in comfy pj/sweats. Bring a few - you could bleed on them - or have DH bring some if necessary.

When did you start to get feeling again after the spinal? By the time I returned to my room after recovery, I felt no effects from the spinal. They wouldn't let me leave recovery until I could feel my feet, etc.

When were you allowed to eat real food? I had to stay on a liquid diet because I didn't pass any gas for 3 days, but otherwise, I think that as soon as you start passing the gas, you can eat.

Good luck with everything!!

Re: Another question about c-sections

After the c-section, you will be in recovery for a few hours until you regain the use of your legs. I was dying of thirst, but I was only allowed ice chips at that point.

You will be connected to your catheter and IVs until the next day I guess, so you won't be showering, let alone getting out of bed! I'll bet moving will be the last thing on your mind.

I was not allowed solid food for 24 hours. Until then I had clear liquids: tea, jello, etc.

I wore the hospital gown for *at least* the first day. It is very difficult to change your clothes, and like I said, you'll be connected to stuff anyway. After that, I wore pj tops and bottoms--I don't think the bottoms interfered with anything at all. I probably packed 2 sets, but only wore one.

HTH!

Re: Another question about c-sections

I too had a great c-section experience.
I was not able to shower until I came home from the hospital which was 3 days after DS was born. As Rachel, the day after they gave me a washcloth and basin to kind of sponge myself.
I wore my own clothes the next morning after the c-section.
I wore granny panties for a few weeks after surgery so that it did not rub up against the incision. I was up & walking around by 5 am the next morning and I was given pain medication when I needed it every few hours but I did not need it that much.

Re: Another question about c-sections

Re: Another question about c-sections

Re: Another question about c-sections

I got a long black robe in to wear in the hospital, just to cover my body parts and blood couldn't show.

I showered the next day.

The best advice I got was to buy LARGE granny panties. You don't want to wear bikinis because that elasstic could be right where your incision is.

I also made DH go buy me maxi pads. Many hospitals have the pads that don't stick, you have to wear a belt. The pad shifted everywhere and felt like a pillow between my legs. I had no idea most hospitals were like that.

Re: Another question about c-sections

Having a csection was not a bad experience for me. After the spinal, I had feeling within the hour. I was able to shower on the second day and ate real food the next day. I wore the hospital gown up until I was able to shower.

Re: Another question about c-sections

I also had a good cs experience.

It took me a long time to get feeling back in my legs. I was in recovery for alomst 4 hours. I still didn't have it fully back, but as long as I could move my legs a bit on my own and lift up my butt so I could transfer myself from one bed to another with the nurses help, they let me go.

They left the spinal in so I could push a button and administer pain medication myself. THey recommended you push it like 10 min before you knew you were going to try and get up. And you're only allowed to push it once every 15min. But the whole first day my back was wet and I thought I was sweating up a storm cause I was warm. The next day I kept complaining my back was wet and I thought there was soemthing wrong with the spinal. They sent and anasthesiologist up and they took a look and said I was fine. But it kept leaking and the next day I requested they pull it out. I wasn't pushing the button anymore anyway. They took it out and I had a pocket of fluid in my back fronm the spinal that drained out over the next day.

I was brought up to my room at 3:30 am and by 5pm the next day I was up and going to the bathroom myself.

I stayed in the hospital robe until the 3rd day when I felt more comfortable getting around myself without making a mess and I put on granny underwear, which is a must.

They brought me breakfast which was juices, chicken broth and jello.

I passed gas in the afternoon and told them and then they let me have a full meal.

I tooth a sponge bath, but I didn't fully shower till I was home on the 4th day. But after the spinal was out, they said I could take one whenever I wanted.

Re: Another question about c-sections

I agree with Rachel I had a GREAT c-section experience!

Can you shower? They encouraged me to shower the following morning. I had DS on thrusday at 9:54am, Friday at 7am they had me out of bed and down the the shower

Can you wear your own comfy clothes or is it best to wear the gown they give you? I don't know how much clothes to pack because of this. -- The first day you need nothing you will just be in the hospital gown. The 2nd day I wore a nursing nightgown and robe. you dont want anything rubbing against the incision area, so whatever you wear go loose. The 3rd day I wore loose clothing and I left on the 4th day although I could have stayed 1 more.

When did you start to get feeling again after the spinal? -- I felt getting the IV was worse than the spinal. I threw up in the delivery room, which is a side effect of the spinal, but otherwise I felt fine.

When were you allowed to eat real food? -- I had liquids day one but I wasnt even hungry. Then the following Am for breakfast I had regular food.

My 2 suggestions for a c-section - Suggest to all the friends and family that they dont come until day #2. I turned away all the well wishers day 1. I didnt feel like entertaining, from teh pain killers I was so out of it. Remember you just had surgery. The 1 person who came on day 1 I was just too out of it to even deal with them. And you are stuck in bed, you feel icky, etc.

Also I had hte nursery feed the baby at night, I know alot of people want to EBF but if you are not doing that, I think that getting sleep in the hospital was what helped me to recover so quickly.

From day 3 on I never took more than a motrin for pain and I think its because I let my body recover!

Good Luck! And dont worry, the anxiety leading up to a section for me was MUCH worse than the surgery

Re: Another question about c-sections

Can you shower? my c/s was at 8 am...I was able to get out of bed the next morning and showered the morning after that...

Can you wear your own comfy clothes or is it best to wear the gown they give you? I don't know how much clothes to pack because of this. I wore the gown for the first 2 days b/c I was bledding and you cannot move and they come to bathe you and want the gown on. Once your able to shower, you can wear your own clothes.

When did you start to get feeling again after the spinal? about an hr later.

When were you allowed to eat real food? The next day.