C-section incision belt?

[indiebambino]

Thanks mamas, all of that helps me. I think I'm going to get the belt, and if it doesn't help then I won't worry about it, but I would rather have it than not.

I'm looking forward to the straight forwardness of planned surgery as opposed to the physical trauma of Henry's birth (and of Finn's for that matter), I think it will be a relief, and I'm praying my bladder is not affected at all. As long as I can pee on my own I'll be fine! Can't imagine the first BM can be any worse than the two severe rectal tears I've had in the past. I'll definitely have the stool softeners on hand though, I never leave home without them! (tmi, indeed!).
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[leesuh]

btw mindy- most hospitals do provide the support belts, so if you're buying one, you might want to keep the packaging in case they give you one
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[Kristina93]

They gave me the support bands both times with my kids. After a couple of days they told me to stop using it so my own muscles would get their strength back.

As for the c-section itself... 1st time, emergency c-section, sucked. I had a lot of pain, and I tried to wait it out with the pain meds. BIG mistake. Also, they didn't let me out of bed for 14 hours with DS, and 24 with DD. DS was in the NICU though, and DD was rooming in with me.

2nd, planned, c-section was so much better. I walked into the OR and was talking and laughing all the way though, instead of the first time when we were wondering if DS was okay since they had lost his heart beat.

As for healing, every person is different. My SIL still has redness and a raised scar after 16 months, where as for me, mine is flat and white and almost invisiable after 3 months. I had staples both time after that were removed a few days later. Then steri strips until they fell off. Not bad.

For pain, let me just tell you this... with DS, we were camping in Yosemite when he was 3.5 weeks old. Tent camping. As in sleeping on the ground. I did just fine! For DD, I was on my own with my kids when she was 5 days old. Picking up DS, 20 lbs, for diaper changes and everything. It was not the most pleasant experience to pick him up, but I did, and I did okay.
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[Just Nikki]

I kept thinking about this and thinking, HOW on earth are those women saying they were up and about so fast!?! ....then it occurred to me
Mine were both emergency, traumatic and I was very ill afterwards and hospitalized with my own other stuff going on and was very sick and weak.


So ignore me. I do not know what I was thinking even answering in regards to the pain. Sorry.

I do still vote for trying the belt though,lol. Like Lisa, I felt more "held together". I do not remember how long I used it but it does not seem like too long.
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[Vinca Leaf Quilts]

Emergency C-section versus planned....everyone I've ever heard that like, tried to do labor and then ultimately had a c-section said it was MUCH more painful, much longer healing time...so since you're a planned one, you're on the "easier" end of things! Same with people that had tubes tied and stuff...more pain afterward.

Stool softener....use it. I was mortified of someone sticking a suppository in my hind-end, so I was like "NOPE....I'm good here!" and just took stool softeners and drank a lot of water and was "good" in that department. GET A SIPPER BOTTLE or some large vessel to have on hand when you're sitting and nursing because unlike "regular" birth, it is more effort to get up. And, start brainwashing your hubby RIGHT NOW about if he could be so awesome as to make sure you have a drink with you when you're nursing (as opposed to you having to ask) it would be AWESOME. It totally cuts down on the feeling of being dependent on people, and stuck.

Take the drugs BEFORE you start feeling something. The nurses were VERY good about asking me if "i would like pain meds" and I was like "No, I'm good. I'm feelin' pretty good..." but the "style" of asking me if I'd like to have some drugs was a little too gentle, kwim? Like, there was no feeling of "You need to get on top of this before there is ACTUAL pain happening..." So, if they're offering....ACCEPT!!!

And back to the belly band...to reiterate what others said, doesn't hurt to try it! The constant pressure on my belly was just not very comfortable for me.
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[indiebambino]

there is nothing fun about emergency birth. I think you're right about pain levels differing between emergency birth versus planned birth -- that's what I'm counting on. My two traumatic births took me a long time to heal from physically, obviously Henry's being the worst of the two.

I think I will accept the belt if they give me one, and maybe buy my own too. I found this one on Amazon -- anyone used this?
http://www.amazon.com/AbdoMend-Bikini-C-Section-compression-binder/dp/B002QHC4NG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1272125930&sr=8-1

[indiebambino]

I agree about the stool softeners and water. I'm in a poor position already with the rectal fissures I've already had (which never completely heal like new, unfortunately). In the past the suppositories and softeners have been slow to work, it was quite an effort to get things moving again after Henry's birth (between my two births theres been alot of pelvic damage, which I think just shut everything down, the nerve damage didnt help either). I'm hoping this time that with nothing going on below the incision area that will happen much more quickly and less painfully than last time.

I'm also hoping my husband takes at least a week off to help out. I've definitely learned my lesson about taking it easy after birth, it's just not worth it to overdue it, it seems to double and triple healing time. And I agree about the drugs, for me this time it's "just say yes"!

[Momto3Thatsme]

[leesuh]

that looks like the one they gave me in the hospital. and remember, you're not supposed to drive for 2 weeks after the C. as for the pain meds, yeah, take them
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~lisa
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[littlestars17]

I used one PP too and it was an emergency c section-It did help some, but eventually I too it off and just used a pillow when I was getting up- I was up and walking about within 14 hours, but may havebeen up sooner, the 14 hours was at nighttime. I did have my incision open,due to infection and it took a couple months to fully close, had to be packed 3 or 4 times a day
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[jodi_snider]

i am a really big believer in taking the meds. i forgot them one time when kellen slept a bit longer than he had done before (he was my c-section baby) and i couldn't sit up on my own. i would think the support band would be nice...i didn't use one, but one of the things that hurt the most was just the weight of my smooshy tummy "hanging" and pulling on the incision. it seems like the band would prevent that.

i learned some nice tips for extreme constipation along the way, too...drinking a couple of glasses of hot water (like the temp you'd drink if you were having tea), prune juice mixed with sprite (we called it "having my happy hour.") and, or course, my beloved stool softeners. some pain meds can exacerbate constipation, so if you can be proactive on encouraging poop it helps.
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[indiebambino]

Jodi, I love that we can talk about poop

and Im totally giving that prune juice and sprite thing a try, that sounds sort of yummy

[jodi_snider]

LOL! i know, me, too. now...if i could only get kellen to *stop* talking about it so much.

[indiebambino]

omg I know, Finn tells random people about his dog's poop all the time, and when I tell him I have to go to the bathroom in a store he says very loudly "Oh, you gotta poop Mom?!"