My birth with dd (now 3) was similar, except she was early (went into labor a few days before the version was scheduled) and frank breech. I could not find anyone here who would deliver a breech vaginally, and had never heard of a UC. Besides, when I was doing that research, I was planning to have the version! Did the accupuncture, ice packs, slant board, swimming pool, etc. etc etc.
DD knows she was born butt-first, but does not know was a c-section, since I didn't feel that I could explain that to her on top of her just learning how babies are typically born. She says of her birth "Most babies put their heads out first, but I put my butt out, because I thought it was funny and I wanted to make people laugh."
Of the top of my head, some things that helped in the hospital:
Be aware that it may take longer for your milk to come in. If you're worried about needing to do formula for supplemental feedings for a day or two (I needed to do 2 supplemental feedings/day for 2 days and dd's still nursing at 3 1/2 years old; a few days need not mean loss or even interruption of the breastfeeding relationship), look into formulas first and get an SNS if at all possible.
Bring a boppy/nursing pillow, b/c it helps a lot with positioning for nursing.
Have dh bring you in mild food. Hospital food is yucky!
Bring your journal, and baby care book. Spend time reading with babe in your lap on the boppy skin to skin, even when baby's asleep.
Bring your own bathrobe and slippers to paddle around the hallways in.
Ask people NOT to give you live plants, but flowers instead. I hated watching the plants shrivel up because walking around to water them was just too flippin' hard.
Move anything you might want or need to lift to more accessible places now. Arrange to have someone there with you all the time for the first few weeks if at all possible. Even at night can be helpful, because dh needs to sleep sometime too.
Ask people to tell you all the jokes they might like to tell you now instead of after the c-section. Laughter is not the best medicine after a c-section. Laughing, sneezing, and coughing were really uncomfortable for a while.
Buy some really cute newborn socks with writing on the soles of the feet. A friend gave us a pair when dd was born and nicknamed them the "frank breech socks." Every time we laid dd down for the first few weeks, her little legs would go right up next to her face, b/c that's the position they'd been in in the womb.
Dh took a photo of dd laying on my belly in the same position she was in inside me. That's a nice thing to do for any baby I think, but I treasure the shots of dd that way.
DD knows she was born butt-first, but does not know was a c-section, since I didn't feel that I could explain that to her on top of her just learning how babies are typically born. She says of her birth "Most babies put their heads out first, but I put my butt out, because I thought it was funny and I wanted to make people laugh."
Of the top of my head, some things that helped in the hospital:
Be aware that it may take longer for your milk to come in. If you're worried about needing to do formula for supplemental feedings for a day or two (I needed to do 2 supplemental feedings/day for 2 days and dd's still nursing at 3 1/2 years old; a few days need not mean loss or even interruption of the breastfeeding relationship), look into formulas first and get an SNS if at all possible.
Bring a boppy/nursing pillow, b/c it helps a lot with positioning for nursing.
Have dh bring you in mild food. Hospital food is yucky!
Bring your journal, and baby care book. Spend time reading with babe in your lap on the boppy skin to skin, even when baby's asleep.
Bring your own bathrobe and slippers to paddle around the hallways in.
Ask people NOT to give you live plants, but flowers instead. I hated watching the plants shrivel up because walking around to water them was just too flippin' hard.
Move anything you might want or need to lift to more accessible places now. Arrange to have someone there with you all the time for the first few weeks if at all possible. Even at night can be helpful, because dh needs to sleep sometime too.
Ask people to tell you all the jokes they might like to tell you now instead of after the c-section. Laughter is not the best medicine after a c-section. Laughing, sneezing, and coughing were really uncomfortable for a while.
Buy some really cute newborn socks with writing on the soles of the feet. A friend gave us a pair when dd was born and nicknamed them the "frank breech socks." Every time we laid dd down for the first few weeks, her little legs would go right up next to her face, b/c that's the position they'd been in in the womb.
Dh took a photo of dd laying on my belly in the same position she was in inside me. That's a nice thing to do for any baby I think, but I treasure the shots of dd that way.
