C-section mommies, What tips do you have for new moms who may need a scheduled c-section or end up having an emergency…

Stay on top of the pain and walk walk walk. I had no choice but to walk because my baby was in the NICU after he was born and just moving around helped. I was stiff when I first woke up but then as I walked throughout the day it got better.

Honestly the girdle is a life savor and of course Motrin. But for me it is self motivation to want to get better. Plenty of water and pillows.. I'm completely independent and I hate depending on someone. So everyday I try to do something new.. And I keep at it until I can do it with out pain.. But of course the moment pain starts I stop. Rest for the rest of the day and the next day try again in a different way...

wear the girdle so you can reach or bend over. don't over do things ask for help. drink a lot water. take walks

if you have family that can take time off to help ask them. I had a c-section, take all your meds and don't be afraid to ask for more if you need it. Colace is your bestfriend and bring comfy socks and clothes

HEATING PAD. HEATING PAD. HEATING PAD. Honestly, I feel everyone should pack and bring a heating pad with them. It can help anybody after birth! After a Cesarian you will have the worst gas pains you will ever feel in your entire life. The gas, if not expelled quick enough, can travel through the body and ache something fierce! At one point I was sobbing because of gas pains in my shoulder. Walking helps relieve the gas, however, the heating pad can do wonders to release the gas. Also, the heat on the incision site will promote blood flow, which helps the recovery time! Just toss one in the trunk of your car, if you need if, then it's there, and if not? Oh well! Trust me! If I could only bring one thing with me to the hospital, it would be a heating pad.

it's scary if it's your first time but its really not a huge deal ! the first few days after really suck but after two weeks you will feel amazing

but i healed quite well and fast

the best advice o could give someone os get up and walk around i mean obviously be careful but i had my daughter via emergency c-section and because she was a month early she was in special care and couldnt come to my room and i wanted to see my baby and in order to see her i forced myself to walk to the other side of the maternity wing to special care to see her and when i went home finally i would get up myself to do everything cause i knew my SO would have to go back to work soon and i needed to be able to care for my baby

I honestly had the best experience for my c section... My doctors let me choose induction or c section due to me being diabetic and my baby being big, as long as u don't baby yourself and get up and walk even if it's a few steps you will recover much faster and u won't regret it, I was up walking up and down the hallway less than 12 hours after my c section, deff take advantage of the nursery, as someone said, your baby isn't going anywhere you will need sleep cause the first few days home with ur little one are rough !

i had to have an emergency csection due to her not having enough fluid in there. i had no labor pains but what they dont tell you when you go in is how scared you get when you walk in to the or! That the spinal tap does hurt and feels weird so grab a nurse and hug the hell out her! when you are finished with the procedure and go in your room you will feel like puking DONT EAT THE ICE CUBES IT WILL MAKE YOU PUKE AND IT WILL HURT! take all the medication offered by nurses dont try to be a tough one. after the medicine is administered in your iv YOU WILL FEEL DROWSEY AND FORGET WTH yoir name is AND DOZE OFF! but you wont feel a thing itll feel wonderful lol! As long as you dribk your pain meds and ask the nurses if youre still in the ov to administer pain meds youll be fine. Untill its time to get up and walk for the first time the nirse will be lenient and say its okay if you dont make it to where she wants you to walk to but i said screw that and made it there! THE MORE YOU WALK THE SOONER YOULL GO HOME AND RECOVER. DRINK WATER DRINK WATER DRINK WATER EAT YOUR MEALS. Make sure you have help in the hospital my husband helped so much he did so much for me from helping me to the restroom to cleaning me i know it sounds gross but it was hard and he was so loveing and caring idk what i would do without him. I recommend no visitors i thought i wouldnt mind untill i realized how i loved just being with my baby and hubby by ourselves not caring how i looked thankfully everyone only came when she was bORn but daym i really wished they wouldve left lol. you probably wont look like these daym instagram models i brought my makeup bag and saId SCREW THAT IM LAZY TIred and im pain!! take advantage of the nursery i know you want to be with your baby as much as you can but trust me shes not going anywhere however your sleep bye bye !!!! Another thing they dont tell you YOUR FEET WILL SWELL UP LIKE FREAKING BALOONS LIKE REALLY BIG LIKE HUGEEEEEEEE IT'S NOOOORMAAAAL WHEN YOU GO IN THE CONNECT YOU TO AN IV THAT WATER PURE FLUIDS THATS ALL WATER RETENTION YOULL BE FINE KEEP THEM ELEVATED TO HEART LEVEL AND YOULL BE FINE. Have someone home with you to take care of YOU my mom was such a big help she cooked for me served me and watch baby while i caught up on some well deserved sleep!!! I love my mama💜 eat healthy youre not pregnant anymore, your boobs will hurt so much it hurts when the milk comes in. Oh and if your OB LETS YOU SHOWER DOO IT IT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL 100X BETTER i had a nurse watch me while i did just in case she could help me😌. Always keep it postive you will not be in pain forever it is temporary and if you have a good doctor your scar wont be noticeable and youll recover before your 6 weeks! Coughing and laughing gets better by 3 weeks the hospital i was at provided me woth a girdle you dont need a tight one at first just something to keep your belly tucked in if you dont have one trust me it will feel like your guts wanna come out its not a pretty feeling. I know this is alot but this is really eberything i could tell you i hope it helps and gopd luck remember to have everything ready dont wait i had to wash and get everything ready THE NIGHT BEFORE SHE WAS HERE!!! I was 37 weeks so before that. You never think youll have a c section so be prepared for anything (: good luck

Ice packs are your best friends. I used them until I was done taking meds. Numbing the area made it so much easier to do ANYTHING. The pain meds can knock you out randomly (percs). Pillows do help with coughing and sneezing but the ice packs like I said saves you.

I skipped my mess and regretted it! Do not skip them!!! Also remember to have a snack with them. I would get really dizzy and weak when j wouldn't eat with my meds. Start walking when they allow you to. Very slowly. And while walking wear the gurdle the hospital provides or try to get one specialized in c/sections. It helps SO much while walking. Drinks LOTS of water. DO not drink anything carbonated, no beans and absolutely nothing from a straw. Try to rest when the baby sleeps. Get all the pillows you need, they help so much!

Don't forget to go easy on yourself and your body. Don't hate it, love it. Give it more time to heal than others need. You just had major surgery! And are a new mom! Give yourself MONTHS to recover.

Get a doula! if you can't afford, ask around for one who works for discount or pro Bono, I guarantee there are 5 in your area! you need one no matter what! I don't care if you are high risk and maybe will need one, or plan from the jump, they keep a cool head when you need to concentrate, they remind you your options, and they assist you after.

DO NOT SKIP MEDS. even if you don't feel pain take at least one pill. stay on top of your pain meds. you'll be glad you do . or else you'll be in excruciating pain & it'll be harder to get rid of.

get pillows to put on your incision when you cough, sneeze, or.laugh. it hurts! i only take pain meds when i feel really sore. and dont do too much! you may feel like you're up to grocery shopping, cleaning, etc but you will wear yourself out and make yourself verrrry sore just take it easy. get as much help as possible

move move move! when u stay still for long periods it makes u hurt more the more u move the better u heal prevent blood clots and build that muscle back

sleeeep!! mine plus the anesthesia made me so tired, I felt bad because I didnt realize the nurses were there to help you but it did get me walking and I was out of the hospital in two days! definitely let someone know if you need help and rest as much as possible!

I didn't take the pain meds because they made me sleep too hard, but my number 1 piece of advice is to purchase a girdle that will apply pressure to your uterus not only helping it to go back in place but easing the pain of the area where you were stitched. The girdle will also allow you to be able to laugh, sneeze, and cough freely without feeling like you're getting ripped open again. My other big advice is to take as much help as you can from others. My husband and I had the help of my sisters and my mom.

sleep as much as possible and really don't move constantly until ya 6 week .I had no choice but wish taken it a lil easier , reopened wound.

pain meds, support, and don't over do it. remember that each day gets a little easier. I has an emergency c section after 4 hours of intense back labor due to her position. I dilated completely and was ready to push and have a successful natural birth with no pain meds but the doctor said that she wouldn't make it if I delivered her that way. I was terrified and really bummed out but all that matters is that the baby is delivered safely.

Pain meds, prayer, and determination to see my son in special unit nursery while I was in recovery unit. I had a heart ablation at the end of the week, too. I died then came back and so did my son

Get up & get moving as soon as you're permitted but take it slow- take baby for a walk around your hospital floor using the rolling bassinet as a walker to lean on. TAKE those meds! Sleep with pillows propped behind you-it makes getting out of bed easier and do clothing and diaper changes sitting on your bed or couch rather than trying to lean over a changing table :) Unfortunately, I had an emergency c-section after a 42 week induction causes my daughters heart rate to drop extremely low. If you planned on an all natural birth (with no pain-meds) and result in a c-section due to uncontrollable circumstances, don't feel guilty! Even at 18 months pp I still struggle with this however I have to remind myself that I did something that saved my baby's life- she's happy and healthy and that's truly what matters

I had a c-section with my last baby and a vaginal delivery with my first. When I found out I had to have a c-section bc he weighed 9.13 and dr was concerned he might get stuck, I was terrified. I cried and told my husband that I didn't even want to be pregnant anymore. Afterwards I feel like my c-section actually had a quicker recovery. It was over after about 15 minutes of me delivering him. I was up walking within an hour after having him but with my vaginal delivery I had too much epidural and my left leg was numb the first day. I took my pain meds every 4 hours, or before they wore off. I showered as soon as I could and this time I'm planning on trying adult diapers instead of maxi pads over my incision to keep it dry since the pad kept moving.

Walk but don't overdue urself my mom and husband have helped me I started bleeding heavier when I over did myself that's how I knew I was doing to much

When think u can do it... Sit down n relax u still can make everyone else do it for u... Safer to be laid back n relaxing then end up back in the hospital having the surgery all o er agin

after my c-section it was really hard to walk but you have to be very determined to get back on your feet try taking laxatives in order to use the restroom easier because big ass will hurt

get them legs moving and use ice packs for when the incision burns

Walk walk walk!! Im having my 2nd c section the 15th 😁

after my c section 3 weeks ago it just really helped to push myself (not to hard) to get up and walk. the first few days are the worst Then i weened myself off the pain pills as fast as possible... I stopped taking them after 10 days.. don't get me wrong, take em if you need em. Also don't wait to take a stool softener until it's to late.. the constipation is REAL and you will regret it!! at this point I still have the tiniest soreness in my incision area but I'm already back on the motorcycle... (probably not the smartest lol) but I feel great! I thought I'd be an excruciating pain for months after this surgery but it was nothing like I thought it'd be so don't worry! everyone is different but you'll be feeling yourself again in no time.

Use the belly band they give you! It made me feel like my insides weren't going to fall out. Don't rush to sleep in the bed right away, I slept in a chair for a month and it helped. Keep it CLEAN!

Walk walk walk walk a day after your surgery! You'll heal faster and also make sure you eat soft food with a lot of fiber as it'll soften your stool! I had C section 3 weeks ago and still have pain when I walk more than a mile so take your time and be patient

use the pillow they give u don't try and b tuff take your pain meds and make sure to walk to get rid of gas and take gas x and stool softener

Just had a c section on Tuesday. Wasn't scheduled but after 24 hours of labor and no progress in dilation, doctor said it was time. The c section itself wasn't bad. Although they allow it, I couldn't eat after my surgery without getting sick. The pain wasn't too bad until the next day.. Definitely take the pain medicine they offer, if you skip times, then you will hurt more later. Walking as much as possible though has helped me! Taking it slow and asking for help when needed. I feel much better after taking a shower and just letting the hot water run. 5 days postpartum and I only hurt when I sit still to long or move/twist a funny way. Definitely take stool softened, every day, like clock work, until you're healed and on a normal cycle again. That's been the worst part for me, but overall a good experience!

The first 3 days are the WORST after that you start to heal very quickly. Ask for help but don't be afraid to get up and do what you can. The quicker you start to move the faster you will heal. It's not as scary or bad as it seems. You are just as much of a mother as anyone else

don't be afraid to ask for help, Take that stool softener they give you, it makes it so much easier.... no matter how bad it hurts stay moving recovery isn't as bad if you stay up. I had an emergency csection, wasn't easy staying calm as I had that I got to push stuck in my head as they wheeled me down the hall the anesthesiologist was switching my epi to a spinal, talking to the nurses while they where preparing me trying to get me to stop crying helped calm me down... I had no idea they'd even started cutting me I had to ask my SO. Within minutes it was over and we had her. Just don't forget that's considered a major surgery so take your time with things also ask the nurse to explain bracing yourself with a pillow. I didn't find out about it until after the fact.

Chapstick, bring it. I got oxygen burn from the mask. My cousin, who had 3 c-sections brought me some, it saved my life. Don't be afraid to call the nurse, or tell them youre in pain, they are there to help. Stay calm. Lol. Being awake during surgery freaks me out, because I can understand what the nurses and doctors are saying. They gave me 3 minutes to get used to the idea of an emergency c-section.

Ask for help! Don't be afraid to accept help trust me don't over do it you will pay for it ! Don't lift heavy objects the more you over do it the longer it will take to heal ! Get clothes that won't irritate your incision . There are some breastfeeding positions that you can do that are a bit more comfortable for a recovering mama ! Oh and WALK ! ❤️

get up and move when the nurses tell you to, don't completely baby yourself it will make it worse. don't sit straight up in bed, scoot to the edge and roll onto your side (whichever is closest to the edge), while rolling slowly put your legs over the side of the bed and use your arms to push yourself to a sitting position sideways. have a pillow to press lightly over your incision when sneezing, coughing, laughing, and getting up from a seated position. if breastfeeding, use your boppy by placing it above your incision, trust me your incision will thank you. do not take a bath, showers are ok, until it is completely closed or you can get an infection. take stool softeners as directed, trust me the last thing you want to do is strain an pop the incision open. above all, follow your doctor's orders, it's is major surgery after all!!!

@lorraine2014, I had them while pregnant but I'm just now passing them but the had to blast my kidney because I have a 2cm stone in the kidney. Now I'm passing them and it's the worst. Ugh!! I strain the urine and I'm in shock what's coming out! I'd rather have 5 more babies then go through kidney stones again.

Recovery is worse than hell. Make sure u have someone there to wipe ur ass, all jokes aside lol

wen i did get the strengths to walk i did. but i was still swollen from all the pitocin and epidural so it hurt. felt useless as a mom cause i couldnt do much so i needed all the help i could get. and i was scared to touch my stomach cause of all the pain not to mention they put me on the birth control where they insert it n my arm. so right now i need a good pick me up and thts my bby. 💙💙💙💙

Get out of the bed and move around if you can. If you are breastfeeding a cosleeper/insleeper/minibed comes in handy when you are in bed. Know that not every c-section is a bad experience and that people actually do have good experiences.

stomach binder..and lots of bed rest..the gauze undies and pads they give you are heaven sent..and take all the help you need. I had my husband my twins god parents and my mom and step dad.. just get up and walk when they tell you to..it does make a difference. take laxatives and take your meds regularly.. I went 10 hrs without it and it felt like I got hit by a car.

@joshuasmommy, its crazy painful. i had mine start passing next day after my csection. i was in da hospital acting a fool. and when i went home still had em passing. i thought i was gonna die. n finally when I sat n pee n screamed n it passed i felt so much better.

@mommaofthree2017, 3-4 weeks ?? I'm only week 1 😩😩 & im miserable ! Can't walk & sant stand for long periods of time . Laughing & sneezing hurts . I'm still in my maternity clothes & nothing with buttons . Pain medication only works when it wants to ! 🙁

@lorraine2014, omg!! I'm dealing with major kidney stones 3 months postpartum! The pain in insane!!

The stomach wrap is the most important thing. I lived in mine. Only took it off to shower.

HEAT PADS

don't try to bend over. and Definantly don't raise your arms. oh my gosh it's awful pain. accept help. walk. and do not worry about washing that place. the first week I didn't even like to shower. but I did. just didn't wash the place. let water and soap run down it. you'll have this weird numbness and soreness at the same time. take it very easy the first 3 or 4 weeks. I wouldn't recommend anything but a gown or dress the first few days afterwards unless you have stretchy pajama pants that go over your belly button. you do not want anything touching that spot. it's Definantly worth every second of the pain though. ❤

Walk do not stay still and accept all the help you can get and cook before you deliver so there is microwaveable food at home and the morphine they give you I advise the use of it for the first day right after the surgery

Walk!!! waking helped my heal much faster as well as getting help & accepting it. It hurts but take your time doing things, at your on pain tolerance but don't do to much. wrap helped me as well! my c-section was scheduled but my son had other plan so getting closed to your scheduled date, also have in mind anything happen so have everything ready & as dumb as this might sound shower everyday lol

I didn't because I was in so much pain that day & thought they would send me home since I thought I would make it to do my scheduled date and didn't, only thing I would've done differently prior to it. lol

Walking helped me alot plus the pain medications and stool softeners.

i bled out. i was weak and in pain. i used a heating pad for my back since i couldnt side sleep. and took pain meds for around 5 days. walk dont stay laying down. take laxatives so u dont have to push hard to poop. sleep at a higher position. laying flat extremely sucks. because when u get up from being flat it hurts more. if u have to cough place a pillow on ur stomach. make sure u are drinking lots of water because if u get kidney stones and have the csection the pain is worse. my 2nd csection i had kidney stones and was passing them. omg i was screaming n crying.

It is a lot easier than you'd think, but don't forget the fact that it is major surgery!

Get up and walk, walk, walk as much as possible as soon as you can after surgery. It will hurt, a lot. But, you will heal much faster. Use a postpartum stomach wrap when walking to alleviate the pain.

My c-section was hell. But walk walk walk walk. It was fine once I walked. Accept help. And don't try to do things to quickly. Take your time and be patient.

a post pardom wrap can help to

Accept the help! And take the meds on time! Also a heating pad on the incision helps speed up recovery. And remember it only lasts a short while.

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