I have several expectant friends who are due in the next few months. Some dread the hospital, some trust their doctors and/or midwives but they all seem to want low intervention or natural births. Luckily most of them are open to the fact that their safety and their child's safety is what is most important. I find myself having to hold back telling them everything I think about birth and having a new born. I know some of the advice is helpful but God only knows can be overbearing. I am thinking about my friends all the time, which has inspired me to blog retrospectively about tips for c-section delivery and post pardum. Some of these tips apply no matter what so I hope you'll find them helpful!
(1) It is going to be okay if you have a c-section.
(2) Once you realize you're going to have a section get your stuff together in the delivery room to be transferred into the recovery room. Have a brother/father-in-law/friend who is there be in charge of moving your belongings or packing you.
(3) I wish I had my mom there to stay with me while I was in recovery and had dedicated that Morgan stay with Raymond, or vice versa. It is kind of scary to be suddenly all alone with the hospital staff (even if you really like them, which I did) while the baby and husband are away from you. I think it was also hard on Morgan to feel like he needed to run back and forth.
(4) Make sure that you get to meet your baby in the operating room as it will be about an hour before you'll get to see him/her again. (Unless there is a medical reason that keep you from the baby.)
(5) DON'T be afraid of the recovery pain medication. TAKE THE DRUGS. You have had intense surgery and you will not be able to enjoy the first moments and weeks with your child and build confidence if you are suffering.
(6) DO be careful of hurting yourself. Remember that the pain medication makes you feel like you're fine but you can still aggravate and hurt yourself more.
(7) Focus on skin to skin contact and nursing you baby.Use the lactation consultants and have your nursing pillow with you!
(8) If you are induced or have a c-section it may take a day or so longer for your milk to come in because your body didn't go through the natural process of giving birth. IT WILL COME, don't worry, and don't let the hospital freak you out about it on discharge. If you have to use formula for a day to keep the baby hydrated that is okay too, but don't give up on nursing it will come!
(9) After you get home remember that some weird things may happen - your leg may be numb for several weeks, which normal from the nerves that are cut ... You may have incredible pain several days/weeks latter because you're backing off the pain medication but your uterus is still contracting and pulling on the sutchers when you're nursing. This is all normal! (Unless you have a fever in which case there maybe an infection and you need to call the doctor ASAP).
(10) If you have pain medication and feel like a whole pill is making you too loopy to be up with the baby, try quartering or halfing the pill ... if you do quarters then take a quarter every hour instead on every 4 hours taking a whole pill. That way you don't get wasted but are able to manage the pain in recovery. (Note: You should talk to a medical professional prior to altering any drugs.)
(11) Almost all of my post pardum "mood" was centered on the fact that I had a c-section rather than a natural birth. I do think those feeling were (and continue to be) valid, but try not to waste your thoughts on it. It is unnecessary negative energy that keeps you from healing!
(12) ...kind of personal here... You still need to wait to have sex even though you didn't have a vaginal delivery as your body is raw/effected from carrying the child and if you had any form of labor it is effected that way too. It is still going to hurt the first time --- but not for too long, and not nearly as much as those who have major tears or cuts from their delivery. A little personal c-section bonus :)
(13) Granny Panties. Learn to love them. You do not want your underwear line rubbing up against your incision and you'll still be a bit swollen so I recommend the kind that go up to your bellybutton. Soft, washed and ready to go at the hospital and probably some more for at home ... you'll probably want to toss them after the first few days and then again after 4 weeks or so ...
Tappan, I appreciated reading this. I'm taking Bradley classes and really hoping for a natural birth, but Matt got stuck and his mom had to have a section. Our baby's head was also measuring 1.5 weeks ahead (20 weeks) at our 18.5 week ultrasound! We'll see how it goes :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jill! I loved our Bradley classes, they helped us be ready and know what was going on and I plan to try a VBAC with the Bradley Method next time around (assuming we are so blessed!)
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