We're Having Our Girls Tuesday!

We're having our babies Tuesday, at 38 weeks, 0 days!! We had our last routine appointment today and we report Monday afternoon for my pre-op work up and at 6am Tuesday morning for a 730 c-section.

I am so excited, nervious, anxious, well just about any emotion you can imagine.

What I'm very nervous about is the surgery and recovering afterwards. DS was a vaginal delivery. I'm not a little girl and I'm so scared that my size is going to make it hard for the incision to heal and possibly get infected, etc. My doctor and I have spoken about it and she shares my concern and just says we'll have to stay on top of things. She's planning on adding a few extra stitches to my "fatty layer" to help things out.

SOOO - I've read the c-section sticky, but wanted to see if there were any other "fluffy" moms out there who could offer advice or aftercare tips??

Thanks in advance for any insight. Hope to be back sometime next week with wonderful news about our little girls!

Stephanie
37w, 2 day
di/di girls

 

Best of luck Tuesday Stephanie. :clapping: :hug: I am sure things will go great! My advice (my first DD was a vag delivery too) is get up and move as soon as you can after your c-section. It will hurt like he!1, but the sooner you get moving the better.

 

I'm a "fluffy" mom as well and will second the advice about getting up and out of bed as soon as possible. I had a c-sec with my DS and yes it hurt to get out of bed, but I really feel like it helped with the healing process. Also - make sure you keep the incision area clean and DRY. It seems that "fluffy" women get that flap of skin that kind of hangs down after delivery and especially with a c-sec. So make sure that you keep it as clean as possible. Mine never got infected but I was also very OCD about keeping it clean.

Good luck!

 

Congratulations! Stay on top of the meds and don't skip them, even if you "feel" good.

 

Lisagayle is steering you well. Get up, move & after you wash the incision area, gently pat it dry with a towel. I also in the beginning only showered- no baths. After patting down the area, I'd put a hairdryer on cool & gently hold up the fat flap (ugh. Sigh..) until it was dry.

Good luck meeting your babies!

 

I've weighed anywhere from 250-270 for my 2 sections. The first one I seemed to have more difficulty with - but after going through my second I think it was due to having staples versus stitches.

So my first I had an epi and staples - luckily the hospital gave me a "binder" that really helped supported me especially with the getting up. I learned the hard way to make sure I went to the bathroom (whether I felt I had to or not) every 1 1/2 hours max. For me when I waited too long it hurt to go. I did get an infection from the staples in a couple of areas - they gave me cream to put on it. Everyone thought I did really good moving around - but I had no choice, my first had to have open heart surgery within 8 days of being born.

My first I had a spinal (much better for me at least - other than the itching after the fact) and stitches. After recovery time I actually moved myself from "their recovery bed" to my "bed". I made sure I had the pain meds though! I again had no choice but to get up ASAP after because my second was born with T-18 issues and died two days later - so I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. This time I didn't have a binder - I brought my old one, but I don't know if it was the difference between stiches and staples - but I didn't really seem to need it with the stitches.

Some tips for you though:

Don't expect to immediately be standing upright. This takes a little time.
Roll out of the bed using the rails to help - I suggest using your strong arm to help (they tried it on my week one and I couldn't do it)
Ask for help when you need it. I had a wheelchair at one point to help me walk (like a walker) but it was also there to help me to sit when needed.

As far as incision care - showers only. Pat dry. I too used a hair dryer some of the time. I also found rubbing alcohol to help a littls as well. If you get an infection - get the cream from your doctor.

Good luck and before you know it you'll be seeing your girls!!

 

I had a c-section and it was several hours (about 12 hours) before I got to see my girls. This sounds sad but I was exhausted I think from the c-section and from being pg too. I had a singleton after and it was still hours before I saw her too. My twins were in special care. Despite that ... THEY KNEW ME. My daughter looked at me as if to say "mommy where have you been ?". So no matter how many hours it is.... they will remember you and know YOUR smell. So rest after and get your strength you will have twins.

******** Take lots of pictures ***** Everyone who comes in the door ask them to take a pic of you with each baby, with both babies, with your dh. Snap Snap Snap. Every nurse ask them to take a pic even if you just had one done. Trust me you are always the photographer and never IN the pictures.!!! ************

Oh and prune juice. Ask for prunes at EVERY meal. Bring your own juice and snacks. I find they try to tell you after you can't drink anything.... but if you feel like you WANT to eat, then chances are you CAN eat. I just brought my own juice in a juice box and ignored them. (I"m a nurse).

Stool softeners (Colace) since you will be taking pain meds (and ask for them if you need them) the doctors don't order stool softeners --- WHY ? I have no idea. So I brought my own. (and my own pain meds too but that is another story). I was never contipated which is a common problem.

Video camera too. Pictures and video the most important things.

Heather

 

Great job Mama.....you are almost there :youcandoit:

Get up and move move move....I had some issues with bleeding so the first night I tried to walk, and gushed so they made me stay in bed. I was able to so in the wheelchair to see the babies in the NICU at least but didn't walk really until the next day. Keep the area clean and dry - I put a maxi pad in front of the incision inside my panties to make sure it stayed as dry as possible.

 

The nurses did this for me, and I was reading through all the posts, making sure someone suggested this for you - I think it really helped. And I had staples - it seemed like it made sure the tops of the staples didn't get stuck on the skin hanging over. I continued to put these on even after I got home...

 

I'm curious....I keep reading about you ladies having staples and the way it sounds your staples stayed in for a period of time.... how long did your staples stay in? My C sec with my DS (about 3 years ago) I had my c-sec at 130 pm and the next morning the nurse came in and took them out and put steri-strips over the incision. Now I'm a little freaked out because I'm thinking they should have stayed in longer than that! lol

 

Thanks for the advice everyone! I think the maxi pad trick will be a good tip to keep in mind and I would have never thought to use a blow dryer either.

I know when we set up the c-section the dr. requested a spinal, not an epidural and it will have torridol (sp?) in it and post surgery she's requested percocet and IB profin for pain reflief. So I'm hoping that will cover it.

I know anything can happen but I'm really hoping having carried them to 38 weeks that we escape any NICU time and that we see them immediately. The hospital is always touting their family centered philosophy and post partum bonding they promote, so I hope barring any complications, that once I'm in recovery I get to see my girls. Lots of questions to ask Monday afternoon!!

4 days!

 

I will be thinking of you because my C/S is scheduled for Monday! I also have lots of fears/concerns/excitement so I'm glad you asked the question. I did have spinal surgery just a few years ago so I've had surgery in the same region (only on the back, not the front) and it's actually not as bad as I thought it would be.
Everything the PPs have said is excellent advice, especially re: pain management. One thing I would add is if you know pain meds cause nausea in you (as they do in me), ask them for an anti-nausea pill first (Phenergen is one), it really works wonders. And walking around really *does* help although it will be the last thing you'll want to do. And definitely keep on top of your fiber intake and prunes! That is such good advice. No one tells you how the pain meds can back you up and that can be super uncomfortable. I'm actually going to start taking the Colace this weekend and continue when I'm in the hospital. Hopefully that will help!
Most of all, congratulate yourself on getting this far with your babies--it's a huge achievement! Best of luck to you!