I plan on going into a more in-depth post about my very intense day(s) of labor, but to skip to more of the end: it resulted in an unplanned c-section. I remember the doctor asking if this was part of my birthing plan, and honestly, after over 40 hours of labor (amongst other things), my birthing plan was just to get my son out — healthy and safely of course.
My c-section went great; as soon as I heard that baby scream, and calmed myself down from the fact that I couldn’t feel the bottom half of my body at all, I felt a huge sense of relief. Turns out he was facing towards my side/hip, which I was told was the reason he couldn’t basically ‘push’ himself down any further, and is why I only got to 3 centimeters dilated. Long story short, he came out a different way then planned, but he was big and beautiful and we couldn’t have been happier.
But I will admit, I really didn’t look into c-sections that much prior to this exact moment. I had my bag packed with all the stuff they advise you bring for a vaginal birth…yea, didn’t really need it anymore. First, let me explain what I WISH I packed more of, just in case I knew I was going to have this:
Loose, loose clothings — and I’m talking nightgowns and moo moos. Even having pants over that area, loose ones too, sometimes really bugged me; things that button in the front obviously help if you are breastfeeding too
Depends! Depends will be your best friend; you bleed (like a period) a good couple of weeks after a c-section, and Depends work GREAT for this — they are high-waisted, super stretchy, and very comfortable
Heading to the hospital the day I was being induced — should have brought maxi-dress!
My recovery time from my c-section took a hot minute, and I like to consider myself in good physical shape too. The first thing I would tell anyone right after they had a c-section, from my own experience, is that you just had major surgery! I know for me I was all “I’ll be back at the gym in a few weeks”. Psh. Let your body heal, don’t push it, listen to what it’s telling you, and don’t be an idiot.
Here are a few things that helped with my own c-section recovery and a couple of things I wish I would have known more of or had been prepared for more:
Find a good balance between moving around and resting while you are in the hospital after your c-section. You are very tired and deserve rest, but as the doctors & nurses will tell you, you need to get circulation going to decrease your risk of blood clots. Even just standing up a few times and walking from one side of the room to the other is good. Don’t be still for too long.
Take the pain medication they give you, but try to be modest if you can. I am all about finding relief, but I also discovered that too much pain medication can umm, back you up I shall say…which leads to my next point…
…get used to some stool softeners and high fiber food! You’re gonna need to pass some gas, the nurses will keep asking you if you have to ensure your intestines are all working good, and sometimes it can be difficult too. Even when I could pass gas, taking a full on bowel movement took a long time, and to be brutally honest, it was extremely painful. I wish I would have learned to love more fiber and iron-rich food, as well as gotten started with the stool softeners earlier on. Once you have this relief it’s life changing, but man, that period is rough.
Do some exercises and stretches at home when you feel ready. Even just laying on your back and taking deep breaths in and out really helps build that muscle group back up. Don’t think “sit-ups or crunches” at this time. Again, you just had MAJOR surgery. Start small: contract your pelvic floor, gentle massages on your scar, sliding your legs one at a time out and in while laying on your back, very gentle things like this will begin building strength, and can help you feel better as you start going back to your regular routine. Lots of great suggestions for exercises online!
Forget going back to the gym or going for a run 3-4 weeks after baby. Even if you might have done that with a vaginal birth, this is a whole other ballgame. Give yourself at least — AT LEAST - 6 to 7 weeks before resuming easy exercise. I gave myself almost 2 months before I re-introduced anything too strenuous, and even then it was super gentle. My theory was if it was just slightly uncomfortable but could be worked out, I kept slowing working on it, but if there was pain and hurting, I stopped immediately. Listen to your body.
I know a c-section isn’t in everybody’s birthing plans, and some people really may not be wanting it for several reasons, but all I can see is that from my own experience, it helped get my baby out safely and it helped me finally get relief from a super long and painful labor. My recovery was different then planned, and I had to change things up, but I hope hearing some of the things that really helped me — or I wish I did that could have helped me — may give you some assistance if ever you are in a similar situation!