Question for those of you who had a c-section

With my 1st child I had a vaginal birth. With the twins I am having a c-section. I have a few questions. Afterwards while in the hospital, what did u wear? I don't know where the incision is so I don't know what I will be able to wear. I hate hospital gowns. lol, Can I wear stretchy, thin, baggy yoga pants or will that hurt? How bad is the pain afterwards? I have had quite a few stomach surgeries, gastric bypass, and a hernia repair so I know how much pain those were, and I am not really concerned at all about the pain, I know they will give me pain meds but I am wondering because I want to enjoy my babies when they get here and not be in a lot of pain. Also my family and most of my husbands have passed away so I am wondering also since we won't have alot of help, just us and a friend sometimes. How long until I feel back to myself? Any advice will be appreciated.
Thanks, Tiffany

 

The incision is called a bikini incision, it'll be right above your hairline of your pubic hair, super low. They give you granny panties to wear (my hospital has ones that are like mesh), and I hated them, I brought my own undies to wear, but they were still high rise, I didn't want them riding down on my incision. Then I wore pajama or sweat pants, and some big nursing shirts.

Stay on top of your pain meds!! I got behind with my first child (first c/s), and it was horrible trying to catch back up. Keep an eye on the clock, ask your nurse how often you can take pain meds. They are sometimes so busy they don't come in, and if you wait until you are in pain, you are already behind on it. They'll get you up walking within 24 hrs, and you'll be able to walk around at home, just try to avoid stairs for awhile if you can. Within a week of coming home I was off pretty much all pain meds and within 2 wks I was feeling close to normal again I think.

Good luck, if you've made it through other surgeries then this will be no problemo!

 

I wore the mesh underwear provided by the hospital, then used my own granny panties for awhile. I also wore yoga style pants until my incision site healed up.

For the first few days after I got home it was rough, esp. The stairs. But after that, I could do what I needed, just had to rest some.

Good luck!!

 

Everything Dani said! I also bought my own granny panties and I wore my maternity pants (with the panel front) until I was healed. DEFINITELY stay ahead of the pain with the medication. I'm a bit of a martyr about taking medicine while in pain and, I promise, it is not worth it.

My C/S was not too bad, honestly. I felt fine pretty soon afterward and was mobile the very next morning (after a midnight delivery).

 

I had a bunch of maternity/nursing nightgowns that my mom had gotten me from Motherhood that I wore in the hospital ... they were a life saver and i had a maternity bathrobe that I'd wear when i'd go walking. I had theseboy shorts that I wore all through my pregnancy and they came up high on my stomach after the c-section so they werent on the incision. You don't want anything low, otherwise granny panties are the way to go, I just don't like tight waist bands so those worked best. They'll give you maxi pads that are freaking HUGE, I couldnt stand them so I got Stayfree Ultra Thin Overnight with Wings, they worked great and didn't feel like I was wearing a diaper! lol. As the other ladies said, stay on top of your meds. My DH actually put a note in his phone when I'd take my meds so he'd know when I was due, if he wasn't there I'd do it, and do it when you get home too, eventually you'll move from the narcotics to motrin.

My situation was a little similar to yours as my family came down from DC for a week and helped but then went back home and my MIL is 74 and isnt in good health so she isnt much help. I was blessed that my DH was able to take off for a month and was a huge help while i recovered and after work hours or weekends our friends and nieces and nephews were always a phone call away.

 

I wore a hospital gown and granny underwear. The pain was ok, just make sure to take the pain meds even if you think you don't need them! I learned that the hard way. The girls have already covered the rest

 

indeed!! I was about to write some stuff down then read what everyone else wrote and its basically what i did as well. Luckily with my incesion i ended up permanately numb in that section so i don't have a ton of pain. i had a c/s with my first son and then a c/s with our girls as well and then also had surgery to remove an ovary. The one where they removed the ovary was painful just because they had to cut in a different area that wasn't already numbed by the previous incesions but staying on top of pain meds and wearing granny panties those where the two i made sure to do. Also no lifting anything to heavy regardless of how i felt =) Good Luck to you. ^_^

 

I don't have much to add because I did the same as the other posters. I did wear the hospital supplied underwear the first couple of days and I wore jogging pants. I agree, stay ahead of the pain medicine, I made a mistake on that one when I got home from the hospital and was doing too much. I would say when you do go home, let your husband and friend help out as much as they can. If you have steps in your home, have them handle the steps as much as possible. Rest when you can. For me, I started to feel back to normal within a week-10 days.

 

I actually had an emergancy c-section and ended up with a verticle incision because they needed to get them out fast and I was in active labor and totally sedated at that point.
Getting up and getting moving as soon as possible after the c-section really helps you recover faster. When my babies were sleeping, the nurse got me up and made me walk down the hall and back, then I could rest. She encouraged me to do that as often as possible. And at first I felt like OMG, no way can I do that--but I really did feel better after each walk. I think that helped me get back on my feet quickly. Also the surgeon told me that while it was not a medical necessity, I would most likely feel more comfortable with a stomach brace. They sell some like this http://www.bellefit.com/ or the one I had was velcro so you could adust how tight it was. And I feel like that did help me feel like I could move around (and sneeze) without feeling like I was going to burst open.

Also if you have stairs--you might want to try to find a way to stay on one level all day for the first week. like a Bassiet in the livingroom, or a cooler of snacks in your bedroom if you are upstairs.

 

I actually liked the mesh panties provided by the hospital and took all the extra home. I'm the odd one out here I guess. But, they are nice and stretchy and I didn't have to worry about them slipping down onto my incision.

 

Mine were comfortable but the hospital only supplied one pair of them and I had heard this from many people that delivered at that hospital so I had the boy shorts.

 

Me, too. Loved them- and the best part was there wasn't gross dirty laundry coming home.

They gave me 1 pair but I asked for more. I think I changed them each time I changed my pad for 3 days with A and 5 with S and O.

 

They wouldn't give me more, lol! They said it was part of the whole c-section package and I'd have to pay for the whole c-section again, lol! Silly really if you ask me!

 

Really?! My nurses kept opening extra things for me to take home, because if it's opened they have to throw it away, so they tell you to take it home instead!

 

Looks like you got all good advice. You can wear anything you want that's loose and comfy. Keep in mind you will prob be a little swollen for awhile unlike vag birthing. It will be hard moving around for the first few days just take it easy.. I felt better after about a month but I still have a little soreness and random pains where my incision was

 

Yeah it was bizarre! The nurses did the same with diapers and formula for me, cracked me up ... I came home with so many packs of diapers and boxes of the nursettes of formula ... Cracked me up!

 

Not having dirty laundry was definitely a plus! Truthfully, if I could buy those things I would for when I have my period every month too! Lol

I felt better from my section after a week and didn't need the pain pills. I still took Morton occasionally. When i would walk a lot - to nicu or through a store i would get sore.

Make sure to dry your incision well. My incision started looking red and I went to the doctor to find out it was yeast. Not infected but I just wasn't drying my incision area well enough. The doc recommended using a blow dryer on low to help.

 

I am another who loved the mesh panties!! My hospital gave me as many pair as I needed. Plus I took home several pair! They also gave me some kind of pain rliever that lasted 24 hours it was awesome! My advice to you is this - when I was discharged, they made me walk to the car. No wheelchair involved. It made me feel very dizzy and when I got home I was in so much pain I cried. Do not let them make you walk all the way to the car.

 

So what I'm getting is I was robbed! Lol. I too loved the mesh panties, the one time I got to wear them

Heather I can't believe they made you walk!

 

I walked and we pushed the boys in wheelchairs!

 

I walked too, and DH and I each carried a boy. It is hospital policy that we walk out. I always thhought it was cray because the baby shows on tlc always have the new moms leaving in a wheelchair.

Oh, and add me as another one who loved the mesh underwear. They look hideous, but were comfortable.

 

I couldn't believe it either!!! I probably sounded like an idiot because I kept saying "walk?" LOL!! My room was on the far side of the hospital and it seemed like 5 miles LOL!!! I had delivered 4 other times and was wheeled out each of those times! But now, I realize that I wasn't the only one! And OMG, I had a hard enough time carrying my camera, I can't imagine carrying a baby!

 

Same as the other ladies, I wore the granny panties for awhile and hospital gown the first couple days. Then I switched to baggy pajamas. I honestly didn't care much what I looked like, I wore pajamas for weeks until I felt better. Comfort was #1 priority to me, not looking like a model