Oh, I did, I’d forgotten about that. The second time around when I’d lost two litres of blood and was dizzy every time I sat up, (I had one litre of my own stocked blood back but they let me make the rest up myself) I had the most horrible gas pains and the first nurse told me to walk. (Kid was in NICU at the time so there was no problem about looking after him. )
I staggered up and down the corridors, tears streaming down my face, and holding on with both hands to the grab rail from 8pm till midnight when the shift changed. I was beside myself with exhaustion but the gas had moved so that I could not sit down without it pressing on my cut, so I was stuck standing up.
The lovely, kind, saint of a night nurse helped me to lie down then she went and got a pack of mentholy minty stuff that she spread on saran wrap on my tummy. It was warm and minty and very comforting. Then she gave me a drink of hot peppermint tea. When that didn’t help she gave me a suppository which helped minimally. Then she did the thing that worked. She tapped lightly (it did hurt a little bit) and massaged very gently in a clockwise pattern on my stomach area, so that her hands were going down my left flank and up on the right. After a few minutes I did the most ENORMOUS fart that I have ever done in my life. I was so relieved that I laughed and then said I should apologise but I hadn’t got a sorry bone in my body. She laughed and said “Congratulations!”
The gas built up again two or three times but I was able to use this tapping and rubbing myself and got it out without asking for any more help.
They definitely did with my son’s birth - they gave me a little “goodie bag” with Colace, ibuprofen, and a few other things, to take as needed. I thought the Colace was silly at first, but then wound up taking it (and glad I did - it barely touched the constipation but without it, hooo boy!). . I don’t think they did that by default with my daughter (the C-section baby) but I knew enough to ask for the stuff.
I’ve had two vaginal deliveries, but on the subject of stool softeners … I took my own. Just remember that anything they give you in the hospital is going to cost like $5 a pill.
The one thing I remember my wife needing was anti-itch powder. After her C-section they put her on morphine, which made her itch. She asked the nurse if there was anything she could do for the itch and the nurse recommended Gold Bond powder. So my wife asked for some, and the nurse said she couldn’t give her any without a doctor’s order. So the next time the doctor came in, I asked him to write an order for some. He refused, saying he was the baby’s doctor, not my wife’s, and he couldn’t write a prescription for someone that wasn’t his patient. For Gold Bond powder. He acted like I had tried to bully him into writing a hundred Oxys for some junkie off the street.
I ended up going to the pharmacy and buying some and sneaking it to her.
While this is true, it may be unavoidable. The goody bags are often charged whether or not you take anything in them. If you want to go through 10 pages of billing code, be my guest, but it’s unlikely you’ll be able to decipher ATES1546 as “stool softener that costs $5 a pill”.
On the topic of stool softeners:
This is a little trick I learned after my hysterectomy earlier this year.
Once you’re home, mix 1C 100% bran flakes, 1C unsweetened applesauce, 1C prune juice. Add some cinnamon for flavor (believe me, it’ll need it!)
Mix well, let it set until it all combines (in the refrigerator)
Take 2TBSP at bed time.
It’s not what you’d call “gourmet eatin”, but your bowels will love you in the morning. Believe me, you do not want to be straining while you have an abdominal incision!
Oh, something else: getting out of bed when you are home again is easier if the bed is elevated a bit. Some clinics will lend you bed-raisers, but in a pinch, the classic beer crates will do, too.
A pity I didn’t get the massage Hokkaido Brit describes. I’m sure it works, now, because I have massaged my baby son that way, when he has gas cramps, and it seemed to work.
Well the doctor went ahead and scheduled us after we left on Monday - and we’re on for tomorrow morning! So I’ll get my July baby after all - just barely. I’m glad not to have to wait an extra day. I’m packing the Boppy and some gigantic panties and a few nursing tops and loose pyjama bottoms. I’m not looking forward to 3 nights in the hospital but at this point I’ll do whatever they tell me. Thanks to all for the kindness and encouragement. I feel better already. Wish us luck!!!
When I had a C-section back in 1990 you had to stay in the hospital for TEN days. You kids nowdays, with your crappy insurances and your rushrushrush to get home.
How did I miss this thread?! I had one C-section, followed by two vaginal births, and they all had their pros and cons. Everyone else has pretty much covered all of the important advice, so I’ll just add: Good luck! You’re meeting your baby tomorrow! How awesome is that?!
Woohoo!! Make sure your spouse knows that the second thing he has to do (after calling the new grandparents… well, maybe before, who’s been more use to you this week after all? them or the Dope?) is post to this thread!
Oh, and pictures are required too.
…or is that when we’re talking about kittens?
… Hmmmm - just give birth to a kitten, that’ll simplify things
