So, you're having a C-section! If you are fortunate enough to have a planned C-section instead of "the bomb" dropped on you in the middle of labor, that means you will have some time to prepare adequately. Much of these things will be the same bits of advice for a natural birth as well!
One of the very first things you can do is think about food. You weren't expecting me to say that, were you?
Total recovery time for a C-section is around 6 weeks. For much (or all) of that time, you will be treating your body and feeling the major surgery you've been through. You won't be walking normal, you won't be sitting normal, a simple shower might as well be the devil. Standing? Bending? Hardly. Stressing about dinner for your family? Let's try and make it so you can forget about that one entirely!
I am a part of a group of women that sign up to bring in a dinner each night for a while after you are home from giving birth. For my last baby, I simply asked if they could bring me freezer meals beforehand since I wasn't even totally sure I could make it to the door during recovery. It was hands down one of my most favorite things I decided to do for myself!
This time around, I asked 2 months in advance for anyone who would want to bring in a freezer meal before my scheduled C-section. I think I ended up with around 15 or so! So I put together a dinner menu for a few weeks where I was able to include some freezer meals each week. Leftovers and simple sandwiches/chips were on there as well to fill in the gaps and I was able to stretch these meals out for a long time!
I put the weeks dinner menu together with that weeks grocery list (including things needed for breakfasts, snacks and lunches as well) so neither my husband or I need to spend a second even thinking about it. My husband can just grab the list and go. Between he and my mom they can look at the menu and know what meal to pull out of the freezer to start thawing and what meal goes into the crock pot or the oven. I get to just lie there. :)
Now that the meals are all set up and taken care of, there's a few things around the house to think about. Let's start things off with a room-to-room bag. This little bag will carry things you use frequently, but don't want to have to get off the couch for after you've just sat down to go and grab. Instead, any time you go from room to room, you take this bag with you. It can have anything you want in it really!
- Medela nipple cream
-Nursing cover
-Disposable nursing pads
-hair ties and bobby pins
-Stool softener and any prescriptions I will be on, especially for pain
-Extra phone charger
-Phone
Now, onto the next prep! One of the biggest things you deal with after any birth is the post partum bleeding. So, since you'll be spending some time in the bathroom, let's talk about how to get things prepped in there to deal with all of that while you are struggling to move!
First of all, storing your pads or anything else you will want to use in a drawer or a cupboard below the sink is a terrible idea. I have this basket of necessities sitting on the back of the toilet right now, but it will be moved to the counter right next to the toilet. Twisting your body around or bending in these conditions will not go well for you! One thing that is missing in this basket because I have not actually gone to the hospital yet is a peri bottle. So, what is in this basket?
-Pads. Nice big and fat pads.
- Bamboobies Nursing pads -I have both disposable and washable and I decided to keep some washable ones in the bathroom. I plan to use the cozy ones at night and I will most likely be doing my "getting ready for bed" stuff in the bathroom so to have them right there will be ideal.
-Stall Mates Wipes- I wanted unscented and flushable. These ones are alcohol, paraben and fragrance free. I don't have a bidet, and as much as I looove cleaning up a bowel movement, like I said, it's dang difficult to be twisting your body around. Any kind of reaching during clean up will be hard, so I wanted to make sure that it would go as quickly and smoothly as possible. The wipes make it so I can clean up easily and effectively.
-Peri bottle- The peri bottle is the same! It makes clean up easier with your movements and when you're bleeding so much it's nice to have that extra help.
Something I will also have in the bathroom are these!
They give you some mesh underwear to put on in the hospital and they are so stretchy and forgiving, especially with a bunch of C-section bandages. They are definitely not made to be worn multiple times, though, and the quality of them isn't super great for underneath clothes (they poke out in weird places and make you look a little funny). So, I found these ones online that are a better quality, just as stretchy and forgiving and washable!
-Figure 8 Maternity Seemless mesh panty's
Okay! Let's move on to the bedroom. With my kids being a bit older and running around, I've set up my pumping station in my bedroom.
I just grabbed this old reclining rocking chair that fit to the side of my bed and the white stand is from my daughters bathroom that she wasn't using. It's all facing the TV and I've got my pump on the top with......
-Nursing cover. I hate the sight of pumping so I cover myself up! It's so dang awkward to watch yourself turn into a cow (for me personally) so I just hide those babies and zone out!
-A few bottles for the pump
- Medela Quick Clean Pump Wipes- Because I won't have the time to actually clean this stuff properly after every single time right at that exact moment.
-Disposable nursing pads
-Luna Bars- Eating one after each pump!
-Sneaky chocolate- I'll be eating one of these after each pump, too. And probably any time I'm up late rocking the baby.
Now, on to the other side of the pumping station. My night stand! I will spend a lot of time in this area. Between the pumping and the rocking baby to sleep or just sleeping in general on my bed, this is where it's all at, really. If I'm on my bed and need something for the baby, it's here. If I'm on the rocking chair and need something for the baby or something to watch after the baby has fallen asleep and it's late at night, I've got my ipad within reach for some Netflix. So here's the details.
-Swaddle blanket
-Diapers
-wipes
-Burp cloths
-Binky
-Extra baby clothes, mittens & socks
-diaper rash cream
-Gripe water
-Washable nursing pads
-Ipad- You will want to make sure any books you want to read are downloaded and any other apps you want are ready to go like Netflix. Your brain won't work super great and trying to think of these things at 3am won't work out the way you think it might ;).
I have one of these baskets downstairs as well by the nice big recliner that my husband will use if he's up for late nights with the baby. He'll have a nice TV and be all cozy while I snooze upstairs if needed.
As for my 2 1/2 year old son that will be running around freely while I'm feeding the baby. I wanted a fair chance at him not destroying the house during those times. Most of these items (and baskets) are all dollar store. Many of them are just handmade things (like the cardboard car tracks that he absolutely looooves. FREE, baby!). You definitely won't be in any position to hop up in any kind of hurry if something crazy happens, so this is a nice touch!
Here are some other extra's. What else do we have here!
-Landsinoh Ultimate Protection Pads - I read review after review on disposable nursing pads and these were my winner!
-Lansinoh 3-in-1 Breast Therapy- I have a large heating pad to use before I pump, so I don't plan on using these for the heating. But after pumping and definitely after many feedings these will get some great use from the freezer!
Hanging Shower Caddy- THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!! If you don't already have a tower in your shower stall already that is in FRONT of you, you will need something like this. I've mentioned before that that twisting and bending is just not in the cards during recovery. Just the energy and difficulty it takes to get into the shower alone does not leave much room to be standing very long, let alone twisting around or trying to bend and reach shampoo. This hanging caddy hands on the shower rod so it's right next to you!
Okay, so you've got your house all set up for a C-section recovery. What about that hospital bag?
-Room to room bag
-Cozy socks
-Green bag- Norwex body cloth to wash face, Makeup remover wipes, deoderant, contact solution, case with glasses and contacts, face moisturizer, toothbrush/toothpaste, brush, travel size shampoo/conditioner, extra hair ties and bobby pins
-Ipad/chargers
-Thank You cards
-Going home clothes (for me and baby. Only the baby's are pictured)
-A folder with pockets. Somewhere to keep all those papers and documents they give you!
-Standing mirror- Since you can't bend much or stand much, doing your hair and make up is out of the question unless you have a little mirror you can set on the table that you eat from. This is also why I have my Norwex cloth and make up remover wipes to clean my face! It'll be done from the bed. The only real thing I will need to do at the sink is brush my teeth.
-Black and white bag- makeup brushes
-Pink bag- make up. I'll most likely only do my makeup the day I'm able to leave, but it's a great feeling finally getting dressed and putting the make up on with some brushed hair so I didn't discard it totally!
-Robe- not pictured.
So that's all, folks! Don't forget your car seat cover (they won't let you leave the hospital without them anymore is what I was told), and your diaper bag!
If you're looking for what to expect for the actual C-section, check out Everything you Need to Know about a C-section: PART 1
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