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Please Share: Positive C-Section Stories and Tips!

  1. Espion

    pomegranate / 3577 posts

    @Happygal: Technically, it is better for them to shave you, because there is a higher risk of infection when you shave yourself prior. (Bacteria have time to burrow themselves into the little cuts. But if they shave you, they'll be dousing you with betadine or chlorhexidine immediately after.)

    This going to get me flamed (probably), but I used Nair. It is topical and there is no evidence that it gets appreciably absorbed by the skin. But some people freak out if they touch plastic bowls or receipts while pregnant, so to each their own. That being said, I couldn't bring myself to use it until super late in the 3rd tri.

  2. Mamasig

    pomegranate / 3565 posts

    @Happygal: I was shaved as part of the pre op prep. Another part of the directions told me to bathe the night before with antibacterial soap like Dial and again that morning. Also no deodorant or lotion. All of this is to help prevent infection. They also said to sleep in freshly washed sheets. I did all this the 1st time with my planned section. The second time my c section was bumped up and I had to wipe down with these antibacterial body wipes. Definitely not as easy when your 9 months pregnant.

  3. MamaG

    pomelo / 5298 posts

    My second c-section was planned (just 8 weeks ago). I was given specific instruction not to shave/wax. They did it in the OR. Also I was given a special soap to use. I was instructed to bathe with it the night before and again the morning of.

    All of this is to take every pre-caution against infection.

    I was also given antibiotics by IV before surgery to help guard against infection.

  4. Mrs. Blue

    blogger / pomelo / 5361 posts

    Shows what I know! Since my section wasn't actually "planned" I didn't get any instructions. They did wipe the area with some kind of disinfectant before, but that's all that I recall.

  5. MamaG

    pomelo / 5298 posts

    @Mrs. Blue: I know! My first was not planned. I had done some grooming before hand (induction). But they did more before surgery. They probably scrubbed me down as well, but I wasn't told to go shower or anything as I already had my epidural.

  6. marionberry

    pomelo / 5041 posts

    Surprisingly, my c-section was planned but they never told me to do anything ahead of time - other than not eat. I made sure to shower and shave that morning but that was it.

  7. Mrs. Jump Rope

    blogger / coconut / 8306 posts

    @Happygal: I had two planned sections and neither time did I get special pre-op instructions other than no food a certain amount of time before surgery. Both my birth stories are on the blog.

    I was shaved in the OR with a bic razor with my first section & in pre-op with an electric razor with my second section. I definitely preferred the first option- I ended up with 3 ingrown hairs this time around!

    I don't even remember getting IV antibiotics ahead of time. They drew labs & I don't recall being hooked up to actual IVs until I was in the OR.

  8. Mae

    papaya / 10343 posts

    It was not nearly as painful as I expected. Through my whole recovery I don't think I ever rated my pain above a 3 or maybe briefly a 4 when I was first trying to sit up on my own or get myself out of bed the evening of my c-section. And I refused all meds except ibuprofen and tylenol. They tried to push narcotics on me (surgeon, nurses, even my midwife!) but I didn't see the point in taking meds when I wasn't in that much pain and I didn't want to be groggy when dealing with my baby. Trust your instincts and take the meds if you want them but if you feel you're okay don't let them scare you! I never took a single narcotic and I was just fine.

  9. Littlebit

    nectarine / 2932 posts

    I was given this moist towelette thing to prep with after my shower the morning of. Just had to wipe myself down with it, and then they did it again right before surgery. I didn't shave or anything and they never shaved me either. My incision is right above the hairline.

  10. ValentineMommy

    pomelo / 5791 posts

    My csection was planned and I had a great experience. Checked into the hospital at 6:30am (why so early, I have no idea) for an 8:30am scheduled delivery. Was taken back into the OR at 8:35 and prepped (they did shave me). I was given the spinal (definitely anticipated this being horrible, but I didn't feel anything), then DH was let in the room. DS was born at 9:26am and I was in recovery by 10:15. They made me move around a few hours later which was super duper unpleasant.

    The worst part of the experience for me was the pain medication. I had percocet, which I didn't realize was giving me MAJOR side effects. I had terrible, horrible migraines. They thought that I had a spinal leak. Turns out it was from the medication, which they figured out 5 days later. It was a long five days.

    My only piece of advice I can give that no one else mentioned is this...if you can't sleep, ask for ambien or something. I literally was so AMPED and wanted to be with my DS aaaaaaall the time (see every face! hear every hiccup! etc) that I didn't sleep for the first THREE days. I was wide eyed and not tired at all. This probably didn't help my recovery at all and I had no idea that they would have given me sleep meds had I asked for them. That may sound ridiculous, but I'd rather mention it than someone else go through it!

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