Tips and Advice for Before and After a C-section

Someone recently asked me if I had any tips and advice in preparing for before and after a c-section.  What an excellent question!  It was so good I decided to share it with all of you.  Here is my advice as someone who went through it.

1. Be sure you have enough pillows at home. After your c-section, it will hurt to lay down flat for a while, so make sure you have enough pillows to keep you slightly propped up so it won't stretch your stitches and can sleep (sleep? what is that?) comfortably when you get the chance.

2. Have someone at home to help you, at least for the first week. Whether it is a parent, spouse, friend, someone, there will be times you will need help. For example, if you drop something on the floor, it will tear your stitches if you bend down to get it. Also, you won't be allowed to lift anything other than your baby, so having some "muscle" around will be useful.

3. Get a nursing pillow. This will help protect your wound while you are feeding the baby. You can get a Bopby or Walmart has one that is a little less expensive.

4. Buy a huge pack of super pads. You will be bleeding and leaking (a LOT) for a few weeks afterwards and you will need all the pads you can get your hands on.

5. Buy some absorbency sheets. They should be in the store by the Depends. It is a big sheet about the size of a baby blanket. Lay these down wherever you will be sitting in case your pad leaks.

6. Make some meals ahead of time. When the baby comes home you will be focused only on the baby. And you will be tired. Really tired. Really really tired. Sleep when the baby sleeps and make sure you can quickly get a meal together to feed yourself. Either make some meals ahead of time and freeze them, or eat sandwiches. If you are nursing, be careful what you eat as it can be passed on to the baby.

7. Sleep when your baby sleeps. Just prepare for that now. Sleep as you know it is about to end so enjoy it while you can.

8. Take lots and lots of pictures. Don't use the flash because it may hurt the baby's eyes. Bring extra batteries if you need them. We took a few hundred at the hospital and I'm so glad I have them now.

 

9. Keep a journal of your experience. It might be hard to remember the details later and trust me, you will want them.

10. Go out on one last date with your significant other. Go out to a nice restaurant, take a walk on the beach, enjoy your time together.  Life as you know it is about to change and it might be a long time before you guys get another date night.

Finally, enjoy your new baby. Good luck to you! I hope this was helpful to you! :-)