Hello Lovely’s
I am so excited to be a guest on One
Sharp Mama's blog,if you haven't managed to check out her page, go and have a look below is my guest post which will be going live on her page soon.
My top 10 tips of a healthy Csection
#1 Research-Research-Research!
I was petrified about my upcoming C-section!
I have never stayed in hospital and never had an operation so I researched
everything there was to know about what I was about to be going through. I must
have watched every video out there on the whole procedure and what happens
(which granted was a bit too much to handle!) but when it came down to the wire
I am glad I did as I was fully prepared and felt much better about it!
#2 No question is a silly one
Before my planned C-section I had a
million questions and I didn't want to go in without knowing them. Some were
random questions like "Do I need to shave my downtown area" and
others more on point. The Dr’s were so helpful and answered all my questions
even if I thought at the time they might have been silly! Being from England I
had read a lot about what was going to happen but some of the things I had read
were American and the procedures might be slightly different so always ask!
#3 "Voodoo"
I worked in Wholefoods in the health
and beauty department before my maternity leave working with, as my husband
would say, "voodoo potions" *sigh* and I would again read up on all
the herbal remedies which might help me heal after. My top products would be
Arnica 100c - this helps with swelling and bruises, I took this the day I gave birth and all
the time I was in hospital which was 4 days and I didn't have ANY bruises from
having Daphney! Which when you think how much pulling, cutting and tugging goes
on during a C-section I was shocked about!
Secondly I would highly recommend
Vitamin C as hospitals are known for all sorts of colds, flus and nasties which
as a new mum you don't want to be getting! I popped 2 - 3 a day and again
didn't get sick whilst I staying there!
#4 Sweet
Treats
I’d
recommend taking some sweet treats! This really cheered me up and here in
England before a C-section you can’t eat anything from around 9pm the night
before. We arrived at the hospital for 6.45am and John was eating my sweets and
coffees so when Daphney was born I couldn’t wait for that little pick me up
which sugar peaches would hit.
#5 Rest is
super important but keep moving?
My thoughts
before I had Daphney were that I wanted to play with my new baby girl and share
my excitement with the world. In reality I was shattered, physically and
mentally exhausted. Having a c-section is a major operation where 7 layers of
skin, fat and muscle are cut so take it easy Lady’s!
#6 Day
after keep moving…
Ok so this
sort of goes against what I said in my last post but bear with me! The more you
move…gently, the quicker you will heal and the layers will get back to normal, don’t
get me wrong it HURTS but it’s a must! Trips down the hall even trips to the
bathroom are a massive achievement. The day after I had Daphney the midwife
told me to start moving around and I thought she was joking but honestly it is
the best thing you can do, plus means you aren’t going stir crazy in a hospital
bed as much!
#7 Positive vibes
Another massive
thing in healing is positive vibes and thoughts. I am awful with pain but I knew
if I thought I was going to be ill, sick and in pain I would be dreadful, so instead
I told myself I was fine, took my meds and I was fine, everyone was so shocked
at how quickly I was recovering.
8# Borrow
Bridget Jones’ knickers
This on
makes me laugh all the time and yes ladies I’m still wearing granny pants, they
are the most comfortable things ever!!! They sit just over your belly button so
don’t sit on your new healing cut – Same goes for maternity leggings, I lived
in mine for months after giving birth as I didn’t want anything to irritate my incision.
9# Drink
plenty and take stool softeners
*Ok so TMI
alert* my first poos after labour hurt but nothing to when I stopped drinking
water – let’s just say it looked like I had been eating sticks like a bear
*shakes head*
10# Don’t be
scared of your new wound
When I got
home from hospital and it finally came to taking off my bandage I was so scared
and cried. Looking back I’m not sure what I was so scared about seeing, the
midwives said the Dr’s had done an amazing job but I was still scared. Don’t be
scared, keep it clean, washed and dry and it will help stop any infections
popping up.
Thank you
so much for reading
Mummy
Stephens x
