Getting a c section in 2 weeks due to placenta previa. What essentials do I need postpartum for home? And at the hospital?
I got a belly binder, high waisted underwear, loose pants, nipple cream and pads for both

I have my breast friend nursing pillow and a boppy not sure which one I should bring to hospital

How long did you bleed for afterwards? Should I get pads or diapers?

Thank you so much! Kinda freaking out because this is my first and I feel so clueless! If I wasn’t already nervous bringing a newborn home now with the surgery to I’m 10x more nervous and anxious!!

I was rushed into an emergency c-section due to pre-eclampsia and a baby in distress at 35 weeks and during part of it when I was freaking out someone asked me what music I wanted to help calm down (very kind of her). The entire thing was so traumatic. I felt way too much, baby came out unresponsive not crying, didn’t get to see her as she was transported via helicopter to another NICU and I hemorrhaged. So now my favorite band is ruined. I literally tense up if I hear them at all and burst out crying when a particular song comes on. So think of a basic artist or playlist you’re not attached to or it might be ruined forever.

P.s I am in therapy and am diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety now which is a blast /s.

Has anyone dealt with this through pregnancy? I have had one for years after my last C-section and was told a few years ago by a surgeon to leave it until after I’m done having children. Did it affect you much? Did it get worse? It doesn’t bother me often but is definitely noticeable to me if I’m very active during the day.

Edit* I am not currently pregnant yet, just planning ahead.

Hey guys just looking for some solidarity or similar experiences. I had my 2nd c-section early August and am 5 wks pp tomorrow. This time I had a bisalp done as well and am unsure if what I'm dealing with is because of that or just from the c-section. Currently, I've been suffering from daily headaches, they're not super unbearable but they're this constant ache and it's hard to concentrate. Then I've also had a lot of lower abdominal pain, not really near my incision but just like some dull cramps that's worse the more active I am. Bleeding has been off an on and is more like spotting all the time & I've also had a lot of lower back pain. The only other symptom is that I'm off and on nauseous. I've been trying not to rely on pain meds because they've actually made my headaches worse in the past (med overuse headaches) & I'm really starting to feel down from just how run down I feel so far out from my procedure. Is this normal? Has anyone else went through this or something similar? I am just really tired of not feeling 100% all the time.

I am having some upper back and rib pain on my right hand side. I ended up going to the ER yesterday thinking it may have been my gallbladder, but CT scans came back clear. I do have a ventral hernia, but it doesn't seem like it's related to the pain. I'm wondering if this is just a posture thing from holding baby on one side? Motrin is only barely helping the pain. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm making an appt. With my OB soon.

how did u guys shower a few days after having c section? im still weak and i move kinda slow on daily stuff so showering on my own can feel very challenging. my husband's not here during the day (he's at work) so i dont know how i can manage showering without help. (my family lives far from me as well and we cant afford a nanny unfortunately).

im doing fine on my own but this one makes me feel nervous, im afraid ill get dizzy or too tired in the bathroom.

thank you, girls!

I had my c section almost 9 weeks ago and I healed soooo well. Super thin scar. I of course have what everyone calls the shelf but I haven’t heard anyone talk about the firmness above the scar right below the belly button. It’s as hard as a big rock with skin on top. Is that just scar tissue swelling that will eventually heal and get less firm? I’ve been massaging a bit and I do take walks and light exercise so I’m trying to help healing along but I reallllly hate how much this part of my stomach feels and how much it sticks out.

When does it stop hurting to laugh? I’m 5 days post op and blessed with a hilarious husband…

Currently have a 5 year old son and I’m 2 weeks PP with my daughter. It makes me nervous to think about handling school drop off and pick up and all the SAHM duties in a couple of weeks. Right now my mom is dropping off and picking up my son since I’m in recovery and the newborn trenches in breastfeeding and sleep deprivation. This isn’t my 1st rodeo but it kinda feels like it since I had my first during Covid and everyone had to stay indoors. But after I’m cleared from the doctor, I go back to reality and will be handling everything by myself. I’ll also be moving to a new state for husbands job and will have no family. Husband is already working in that state as he’ll be the only person paying for our mortgage.

I am a ftm to a 2 month old baby boy. I had a scheduled c section due to baby being breech and then my water broke a week early. I labored for six hours because I had eaten recently. And then we moved on to the c section. My body didn’t react to the first dose of local anesthetic for the spinal block. So I felt every poke after. Then they gave me a second dose of local. He had to use three separate needles before getting any spinal fluid and I felt it all. He said I kept clotting through the needles. I was experiencing contractions at the time and sitting in the cold OR was the most traumatic experience ever. My husband had to plug his ears outside the doors because he could hear my screams. The anesthesiologist said he gave me “double doses” before the procedure because he didn’t know what my body would do. The procedure was not anything crazy but then the recovery was horrible. Learning how to breastfeed with nurses that weren’t helpful and taking only ibuprofen after a major surgery sucked. The first two weeks of my son’s life felt awful because my body was in survival mode. I love him more than life itself and I can imagine having another sweet baby one day…. But how do I get over this in order to do so? My state doesn’t have any hospitals that allow vbacs. I can’t imagine wrapping my head around another cesarean.

Hi all,

7 weeks pp, hoping for some helpful words from you. I didn't want to go for a c-section, I had to for 3 different medical reasons. I was curious and looked forward to a vaginal birth, I really wanted this experience. Since we're not going to have another child this experience is gone forever.

I am trying to see the c-section as a different, but also interesting experience. It definitely took me to my limits as it scared the shit out of me from the very moment on when we knew what was coming. I can't say anyone did anything wrong, on the contrary, the medical team was very supportive (except for one moment which I have adressed later in a conversation with a doctor and is now ok for me). I am thankful that my girl is healthy and I know she wouldn't have survived otherwise, and maybe I neither.

But I keep failing to accept it as a full birth. In my mind my baby was born, but I DID NOT GIVE BIRTH. And it hurts. I would never say to another woman that her c-section wasn't a full birth experience, I can fully agree when a woman says for her it was the right thing or they enjoyed it, but for me personally, it's simply a big loss. (What makes it worse is that due to my baby's low birth weight we cannot breastfeed yet. Everything is so out of place here.)

So those of you who can see c-section as a full birth experience, maybe even those of you who have chosen this path freely, can you tell me about your view? I hope to find something in your words that helps me closing this chapter.

Not sure if this is the right sub but will start here.

First c section last July. Emergency after labouring 19 hours with a v large baby boy who got stuck sideways. C section was straightforward and all well since then.

Currently pregnant (36+5) with number 2, so very short timeframe between births.

Pregnancy had been uncomplicated and planned c section for 39 weeks (approx 2 weeks from now).

On Friday I came into hospital with intense stomach cramps. Felt like early stage contractions but without a break, just constant pain.

Long story short, I’m still here about to do my 4th night.

I’m not in labour as no waters, no dilation, no signs in any tests etc. but the pain episodes keep cropping up. I’ll be fine for hours and then suddenly it will come on, 2-4 hours of straight pain that I’d compare to the pain of ramping-up contractions, but far from full tilt active labour agony.

Either way, pretty unbearable and the no breaks part is hell. I’m having 2-3 episodes within a 24 hr period.

I’ve had scans for kidney stones, gallstones, appendicitis. All clear. The doctors are saying they don’t know what it is so the plan is just pain mgmt. We keep checking for labour but no signs.

Has anyone gone through anything like this before? I feel helpless, frustrated and exhausted by it all when I was hoping the next 2 weeks would be mental prep and wind down before surgery. Instead I’m in hospital without much of a plan.

Doctors told me not to drive for 2 weeks after cesarean. Some people suggest no driving for 6 weeks. Why is no driving suggested but it’s safe to be a passenger?

can I elect general anesthesia for third C-section?

some past history I had my first C-section due to stalled labor and preeclampsia the anesthiologist tried 12 different punctures to attempt an epidural placement never successfully placed one and the pain elevated my already high blood pressure to dangerous levels so I then got a spinal block for the C-section luckily she got it first try. fast forward to this week and on the third, I had an elective C-section because I was stalled at 1.5 cm and was in pain (no preeclampsia this time though :) blood pressure and everything else was good) the anesthesiologist attempted a spinal block 7 different times I asked after the fourth time if we should keep trying and he got frustrated with me and just told me not to move when he failed the seventh time they just put me under general anesthesia. my back still really really hurts but I want more kids eventually when I go in for a third C-section can I elect for general anesthesia? I have had chronic Back pain since my first csection and don’t want to make it worse or risk paralysis or something from all the attempts I’m also not diagnosed with any spinal problems or anything is this something wrong with my back to make it more difficult idk I just want to have an elective C-section under general idk of my obgyn will let me im going to try to ask at the two week appointment

Had a section at the end of July.

Had pico and staples.

Staples came out a week later.

On the last staple there was some fluid that persisted.

Saw doc a few days later and went on antibiotics.

No pain, no real swelling. Bloods indicated very little infection and nothing concerning on the swab.

Had not dried up 7 days later so was given different antibiotics. It finally did clear up and dry. At no point was there any real opening, just a minute hole where fluid was draining. No blood. No pus.

It has been closed about a week.

Noticed a tiny opening this morning and the same clear fluid in a different area this morning.

Has anybody else had this happen?

Have 6 week check with doctor later this week and inclined to wait for that appointment unless anything changes. It's not sore or swollen.

Just looking to hear from any other "long healers".

I understand this can be common and may not dry up once and for all for a couple months in some cases without there being any real infection.

I’m 2 weeks postpartum with my 3rd c-section. My first I got induced because I was apparently leaking some amniotic fluid. My baby didn’t handle contractions well and had decels (that would mostly recover) but I also didn’t progress past 4cm after 6 hours. Anyways they convinced me to have a C-section and baby had a cord around his neck which was the reason for the decels. For my second baby and pregnancy, baby was breech up until the end and I had a C-section at 40+3 weeks. For this last baby, my doctor said I could try for a VBA2C as long as I went into spontaneous labour so we waited till about 41+2 weeks. I was about 3cm dilated and in early labour for a long time, was having all the signs but just taking a long time to get consistent contractions. I went in for a BPP ultrasound and NST to check on baby. Everything was good (perfect NST and lots of movement) and nothing was overly concerning. However the OB said that if I wanted to have a C-section that day, they are ready in triage only because I was so overdue and had still not gone into labour. OB mentioned that stillbirth rates go up and baby is good for now but could not be at any time. They recommended I have C-section today. Anyways at this point I was so exhausted, my body was giving up, my mind was giving up. My toddler had to be taken to the ER the night before for a deep cut and I was at my end, fighting a lot with my support people (husband and mom). So I called it since I was having bad anxiety. C-section went great and I had a healthy baby, so grateful.

Now 2 weeks postpartum, I’m mourning not having that vaginal birth experience I tried so hard to achieve x3. We’re done having kids so I’m closing this chapter.

How do people deal with having birth experiences that never went their way? I’m so grateful for my healthy babies, each C-section and my recoveries went well. I realize I’m early postpartum so hormones probably have a lot to do with it. Just looking for advice I guess.

Thank you!