Cesarean Section Support Thread August 2005 - Page 8

[PaytonsMom]

It's a big white velcro "belt" the nurses put around my abdomen to kinda cinch things up. I don't think it's needed for healing, but it sure felt good- and hurt when it was loosened... I've also heard that just placing a pillow over your belly to add some extra pressure will feel good but I never tried that.

[mommamiagal]

Thank you for all of the advice. What do you suggest for pain relief if I forgo the duramorph? I believe I am getting a spinal, which only lasts a couple of hours. I already told my doctor that I do not want any mind altering drugs or anything that will make me groggy. I do not want to be itching from duramorph, any suggestions? Would motrin alone get me past those first few days? I bought the belt from Babies R us. I think I am all set.

Thanks.

Maria

[egoldber]

Originally Posted by mommamiagal

What do you suggest for pain relief if I forgo the duramorph? I believe I am getting a spinal, which only lasts a couple of hours.....I bought the belt from Babies R us. I think I am all set.

I had duramorph after my first c section and the itching was terrible. This time, since I had GA, the OB was going to give me morpheine via the PCA (patient controlled analgesia) pump, but I asked if he could give me something else. He gave me Dilauded instead. Its a different form of morpheine and I didn't react to it.

I never had one of the belts, although I can see where they would be helpful. I liked to wear tight exercise shorts (not super tight, but snug) to hold in my belly and that worked really well for me.

[ruby slippers]

I never had the belly thing either. My best piece of advice would be to get out of bed as soon as you can. I breastfed the baby skin to skin in the recovery room with the help of the nurses. I also held the baby in the OR - the midwife lay the baby on my chest (all wrapped up though) but it still was so important to me as that is one thing I had imagined would happen with my vag delivery - you know the baby comes out screaming and the place him/her on your chest. The first day was a bit of a blur - the baby was born at 9am - but the next day I said I wanted the IV out, the foley out and with the help of my dh and percocet I was out of bed. Gas pain was bad. I have read that chewing gum after the surgery can help prevent gas pain.

[egoldber]

Originally Posted by ruby slippers

My best piece of advice would be to get out of bed as soon as you can.

Yes, getting out of bed as soon as you can is critical. Within 12 hours of my surgery this last time I was up and walking (slowly), without a catheter and eating real food.

I would also pack your regular clothes for the hospital. It made me feel so much more human and less of a "patient" to be in my own clothes. Remember to take your own toiletries, etc. Most hospitals these days provide nothing. I also always bring 2-3 pillows from home. The ones at the hospital are crappy. Make sure they are in older, brightly colored pillowcases, so housekeeping doesn't walk away with them.

This last time I had a way fancy bed that would automatically inflate and deflate when you placed weight on it for long periods of time. (Not sure how to describe it.) Its goal was to relieve pressure and to help prevent clots. It was weird at first, but it was SOOOO comfy at night. I missed that bed after I got home. I also missed the controls to raise and lower the bed. That makes it so much easier to get out of bed without putting pressure on the incision.

Also, make nice with the nurses and ask them to wake you at night so that you don't miss your pain meds dose. I missed one the second night and I felt like crap for half the next day while I was chasing the pain from that missed dose. But as long as I stayed on top of the pain meds, I never had any trouble.

[soccerchic21]

Originally Posted by egoldber

He gave me Dilauded instead. Its a different form of morpheine and I didn't react to it.

That is what I had and I liked it. I definitely feel more "with it" when I take it. Here is a tip. I would take a half dose then an hour or 2 hours later take the other half and space it out. If I took the whole dose I got really sleepy so I would only take a whole dose if I was in a lot of pain.

[Storm Bride]

I switched to Tylenol on the second or third day this time. But, they were giving me an anti-inflammatory, as well. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of it. I guess it probably helped, but I'm not sure how much.

I find the opposite of the pp who said to have a nurse wake you up for your pain meds. I think everybody has to work that one out for themselves, but I'd have rather had the sleep - they woke me up for everything that crossed their minds...checking vitals, giving me meds, baby needs to eat (because I'd forgotten to record a feeding : , etc., etc., etc. My first night home, I got about three times as much sleep as I had at the hospital - with nothing but over-the-counter Tylenol for pain relief.

Honestly, if I do have a fourth section, I'm tempted to check myself AMA on the second day, then go back to have my staples removed. I find it very hard to rest and relax at the hospital.

[egoldber]

Originally Posted by soccerchic21

Here is a tip. I would take a half dose then an hour or 2 hours later take the other half and space it out.

Hm. Mine was not an oral med, but in a PCA pump through my IV. It was a substitute essentially for Duramorph since I did not have an epidural. Anyway, I only had it for about 12 hours until they removed the IV. After that I got Percocet (a codeine form with tylenol) and ibuprofen.

I have never heard of an oral form of Dilaudid. Maybe Darvocet?

ETA: D'oh! Never mind, just looked it up and Dilaudid is indeed available in tablet form.

[PaytonsMom]

I only got to see my baby in the OR. They held him up next to my arm so I could see that precious face. Just seeing him was the medicine I needed to relax and I was able to sleep until they woke me up in the recovery room. Soon after I woke up there DH brought him to me and I was able to BF him almost instantly. Since I couldn't have a natural birth, at least BFing him came very natural.

I had my scetion almpost a year ago now but now that you mention it, I do rememebr the itching was awful as well. I think I was just given some Benedril.

I didn't know you could buy those belts. Mine was a "gift" from the hospital.

[chantald]

Originally Posted by mommamiagal

Thank you for all of the advice. What do you suggest for pain relief if I forgo the duramorph? I believe I am getting a spinal, which only lasts a couple of hours. I already told my doctor that I do not want any mind altering drugs or anything that will make me groggy. I do not want to be itching from duramorph, any suggestions? Would motrin alone get me past those first few days? I bought the belt from Babies R us. I think I am all set.

Thanks.

Maria

I had a spinal with my second section, at 11pm. That night I was able to self dose with the IV pain meds in my room and the next day I was able to have Percoet and Tylenol.. alternating.. to help with the pain. My situation was a little different. My c/s was after 4 hours of hard pushing.. and I also had a nicked bladder from the surgery.. so I was is a little worse shape than most I think.. I felt like I had been hit by a truck the next day but by day 2 post c/s I was feeling good and could request my meds when I needed them

Chantal

[Ben's Mommy]

new thread

Ok, I know On The Fence normally starts these, but since it is the first of September I thought I'd go ahead and start a new thread, so this one doesn't get too long.

So, everyone check in on the new thread! See you there.

[eilonwy]

You should add a link to the new thread. That way everyone will be able to find it.

[Ben's Mommy]

Being new to MDC I'm not sure how to add the link to the new thread. If anyone can do that or could tell me how, that would be great!

[wombatclay]

Heyla all!

I didn't see a september cs thread, so I thought I'd post this here...

I had a cesarean with my first baby just five months ago. The incision has healed up really well and I've been doing my "scar therapy/massage" faithfully without a problem, but in the last few weeks I've been getting a nagging ache along the incision area (actually, a little above the incision and only on the right hand side)...in the last few days this ache has been almost constant. It kind of reminds me of the round ligament pain I had during pregnancy.

My doctor said it's nothing to worry about (yeah, it's not her belly!) and I half think it might be due to the fact that my dd tends to kick the right side of my belly in her sleep (and sometimes when she's nursing) but...I'm not convinced that that is the entire answer.

Does anyone have any advice (stretches, topical rubs, massage ideas) for relieving this sort of ache? Or experience with a similar pain along the incision site months after it has apparently healed? I've tried some gentle yoga poses that stretch the ab area and a topical arnica/calendula ointment, but I'm sure there must be other things to try.

Thanks for any and all advice!