When I was pregnant with Fee, I did a lot of planning and shopping for the big day. I got my birth plan ready, bought all the necessary baby gear, packed my hospital bag (full of frozen grapes, magazines and lots of other things I didn’t end up using).
What I didn’t really plan or prepare myself for was the effect that childbirth would have on me, particularly after an emergency C-section.
I am talking about how I would feel physically…ouch, emotionally…sigh and mentally…zzzz.
I read a lot of information on the internet about how you will feel emotionally after childbirth (ranging from euphoria to being overwhelmed, upset and confused). However, I didn’t find as much information about the practicalities of bringing home a baby after C-section surgery. I am talking about things like how to get out of bed without it hurting, which clothes are easiest to put on and take off and how to laugh/cough without feeling like you have burst a stitch (ouch!).
I have therefore put together a list of all the practical things that really helped make my postpartum recovery easier.
I have focused on postpartum recovery after a C-section as that was how Fee arrived, through the sun roof (as Daddy Mr E puts it). However, some of the below tips may still be useful for recovery after a natural birth as well.
As always, these are tips based on my personal experience. I just want to share the things that really helped me in the days/weeks after Fee’s arrival.
Note: I have put links to some of the products that I could find online. If you click on the image it will take you to the product page.
1. Get a grabber
I wasn’t prepared for the limited mobility that I would have straight after coming home from the hospital. Bending over to pick things up was particularly difficult at first.
Luckily I am a bit of a gadget freak and already had this handy little item (I have no idea why I bought it originally). The grabber was indispensable in helping me reach for dropped items e.g. my mobile phone, socks, magazines, chocolate hobnob biscuits..etc. 🙂
2. Get a basket
…or something similar to hold all your essentials so they can be easily accessed and carried from one room to another. I found that I was pretty tired after bringing Fee home and would often set up camp in the lounge with Fee and all my baby paraphenalia around me.
I had a pretty wicker basket with a handle that I kept my essentials in which meant everything was within reaching distance. I now use the basket for storing toys in Fee’s bedroom.
The contents of my basket included:
- phone and phone charger
- ipad/tablet and charger
- bottle of water/juice
- tissues
- magazines / book
- TV remote control
- snacks
- toiletries
- nappies and wipes
- muslins
- shawl
- nursing pillow
Don’t overfill it though or it will be too heavy for you to carry! (or get someone else to carry it for you).
3. Getting out of bed
Having had a C-section, one of the things I struggled with at first was going from lying down to sitting up and getting out of bed. I didn’t realise how much you used your stomach muscles to do this! The diagrams below show the technique I used to get out of bed so as to minimise the ‘ouch’.
Remember to take it SLOW and once in a sitting position, give yourself a moment to get your bearings before standing up.
If you are really struggling with pain and moving around, its important to seek professional medical advice.
Please note: I am not a health care professional (or an artist!), but I just wanted to show the method I used to get out of bed as it really helped me.
4. Get a nursing pillow
I was actually in two minds about buying one of these while I was pregnant, but I was so glad I had it in the days/weeks after bringing Fee home.
The nursing pillow made sitting and holding Fee a lot more comfortable as it helped support the weight of Fee both during breastfeeding and when I just held her for a cuddle. It minimised the pressure on my healing tummy and I also felt that I could feed Fee more comfortably around the house e.g. on the sofa/couch, in the armchair…etc. I also used the pillow to press/support my tummy when I coughed, laughed or sneezed. Here is a link to one that I would recommend:
5. Drink lots of fluids
It will help with the constipation…enough said.
6. Buy enormous pants/ knickers
I am talking about high waisted super comfy granny pants, I got mine from Marks and Spencer. You want them high waisted as you wont want anything touching your scar area. I bought at least one or two sizes bigger than my usual size.
7. Put a pad over your scar
Stick one of these on the inside of your underwear over the scar. This will provide some additional cushioning/protection for the scar while it is healing. Particularly helpful if some of your trousers are a bit low and press/rub on the scar area.
8. Go retro and wear a nightie
They make getting dressed and going to the loo a lot easier and more comfortable. Struggling to get PJ bottoms on/off is not fun after a C-section.
If possible try to find button up nighties as I found they were brilliant for breastfeeding and for getting dressed (no pulling clothes over you head).
9. Clothing
I lived in maternity trousers and long jumpers or jersey dresses for a while after having Fee (thats when I eventually got out of my comfy nightie and dressing gown!). I found that all my normal pre-pregnancy trousers were far too tight and rubbed the C-Section scar on my tummy. My maternity trousers were high waisted and made from a stretchy soft fabric and so were perfect even after pregnancy when comfort was my main priority.
The trousers in the picture are pretty similar to the stretchy trousers I had and have great reviews on amazon.
10. Cleaning / Chores
You are not supposed to do any heavy lifting or strenuous activity in the weeks after a C-section, so if you can avoid cleaning that is your best bet.
If however you are a bit of a clean freak and can’t stand a mess, I would recommend getting a hand held cordless vacuum cleaner. It will save messing about with plug sockets and dragging a big vacuum cleaner up the stairs (a big no-no after a C-section).
Here is one of the lightest ones I have found on the market (I would usually list the one I have used but it is a bit old now and definitely a lot heavier in comparison to this one).
11. Buy shower gel with hook on the bottle
As mentioned before, bending down/over after C-section surgery can be a bit sore. I found that using shower gel on a hook was a little thing that I did that really made having a shower a lot easier.
I also used it during the latter stages of my pregnancy when my feet were disappearing from view and bending over became an increasingly complex manoeuvre!
12. Get some flip flops
I found them a lot easier to put on than slippers or shoes, both during pregnancy and in the days after birth. You can pack them in your hospital bag and take them to the hospital to wear in the shower.
I hope you found some of the tips here useful. Have you got any practical postpartum tips that you’d like to share?
