Category: Lifestyle

Recovering from a c-section is a long process and when you have an experience that’s completely unexpected or unplanned it can be really hard on your mental health too. It’s really important to think of yourself during c-section recovery so that you can recover physically and emotional from the birth.

What to expect in hospital after a c-section

Usually you can expect to spend a bit more time in hospital after a c-section but some mothers go home within 24-48 hours. I personally stayed in for four nights each time. The first time was because Evie needed extra antibiotics for 72 hours so it gave us a bit of time to have some extra help in hospital and the second time was because I had a complicated surgery and needed to wait for my wound drain to be removed. If you have a wound drain you won’t be able to leave until the fluid is clear and a doctor will come and assess this every morning for you. This isn’t commonplace though as it’s only for more difficult surgeries.

It’s hard to know what to expect during the hospital stay after a c-section but you will be offered around the clock painkillers, DVT injections and support getting you back on your feet when you can. As soon as you can get walking again, do so. Getting mobile really makes a big difference to recovery. I had help walking to the bathroom to use the shower around 12 hours after my surgery and then gradually moved from bed to chair a few times whilst I still had a catheter in.

The catheter is usually removed after 24 hours but this is sometimes longer depending on how hydrated you are. You then need to wee in a pot to show you’re still hydrated and your bladder is working properly without the support. Mine was measured a few times by the midwives on the wards before being given the all clear.

Self Care for C-Section Recovery at Home

There are plenty of things you can do to really help your recovery from a c-section birth. I’ve had two c-sections now and I wish I had known what I know now for my first recovery. It can be really hard to recover from a c-section with the pressures we tend to put on ourselves and it’s easy to forget that it’s not just birth but also major abdmonial surgery. You have to rest. Your body desperately needs it and this is the perfect reason for doing the absolute bear minimum. Your only goal is loving your newborn and recovering.

What should you buy to help c-section recovery?

1. A corded shower head or tap adapted shower head. We don’t have a built in shower in our flat so we bought one that suctioned onto the taps. Getting in and out the bath can be a little bit daunting as you have to learn to use those core muscles again but having a shower you can move around your body makes this so much easier. It’s also excellent for helping to keep that wound lovely and clean.
2. Pillows. Sleeping on your front or side can be tough after a c-section so you may find it more comfortable to sleep sightly reclined. I made good use of my pregnancy pillow for a good few weeks after my c-section to keep the pressure of my tummy. I started being able to sleep on my side around day 10 and within 3 weeks I was back to sleeping on my front so it does get easier.
3. Some good cotton pads, reusable or large maternity pads. Not only for the after birth bleeding but also helps to keep your wound nice and dry. You also want to give it plenty of air after bathing or showering whilst you’re healing.
4. BIG knickers. I’m talking big, comfort, cotton high waisted beauties. You want them completely away from the c-section scar so they don’t irritate it. I had a few issues with the dressing and had a reaction to this and anything rubbing against it was very sore for a couple of days.
5. Comfy PJs or lounge clothes. If there is any better time to truly look after yourself it’s after giving birth whether that’s vaginally or a c-section. Treat yourself to some comfortable, soft, pjs that make feeding nice and easy and don’t irritate any staples, stiches or wounds.

Other than that whatever you can do to look after yourself and make life easy do. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, don’t feel like you have to bounce back and if you want to stay home and snuggle your new baby then do. Anything you can do to relieve the pressure.

Disclaimer: We recevied the Cool Maker Go Glam Nail Stamper to review and feature in this post. Here is what we thought. Contains affliliate links.

Reviewing The Go Glam Nail Stamper

The Cool Maker Go Glam Nail Stamper is ideal for my daughter who is absolutely loving doing her nails up. She has been trying this out for a couple of months now and we seem to have got the hang of it. The kit we received came in a lovely bag which makes it nice and easy to keep together. We also received the daydreamer stamp pack which came with two extra stamp designs. There were multiple nail stamps to use to create different designs with popular emojis and cute animals to use. The nail stamper kit also came with two coloured polishes, purple & blue as well as a clear coat.

I even had a little go myself because at first use we had a bit of trouble getting the stamps to stick. At BlogOn I was able to speak to Spinmaster about this and they gave me a few extra tips. After painting the nails you want to wait around three minutes before stamping, ensuring the nails are completely dry. This made stamping them much easier.

Some of the designs we had included a unicorn, cupcakes and flamingos which have been the firm favourites for my daughter. The go glam nail stamper is pretty straight forward to use too and works in three simple steps. First you choose and insert your design into the stamper which is very clear and easy to do. You then paint your nails and wait for them to dry. Once dry you place the finger inside the nail stamper and press down to stamp. We got the best results when holding the stamper down against the nail, quite firmly, for around 20 seconds. My daughter found it easier and stamped better when I pressed the stamper down and it was a nice little nail decorating session we could try together.

We have enjoyed using the cool maker go glam nail stamper and I find we are getting better with more practise and have had better results. We will be using these again for the upcoming school disco to create a cool look for Evie. Evie really likes the make up and nail decorating sets that are available and as she’s getting older this seems to be the sort of stuff she goes for when choosing her toys. When you have the nail stamper you can extend your collection with extra stamps and designs.

There are plenty of other extra packs you can purchase to increase the collection which is nice as it makes the set last longer. There was quite a lot of packaging in the extra kit and I think coming in a bag was better because the bag can be kept and I would like to see less plastic packaging on toys and things for children in the future. However, that being said, it’s brought a lot of happiness to Evie and she’s had a lot of fun.

You can purchase the Cool Maker Go Glam Nail Stamper from The Entertainer (£20 currently, RRP £25), Smyths, Argos and Amazon.

Disclosure: I received some samples of Humbles bamboo brushes, snuffle babe and fish oil in exchange for this feature.

Evie was back to school for 3 days before coming down with a sickness bug in the early hours of Sunday morning, the first weekend of the school year. Then I got ill and then of course Adam and Felix were unwell. It was horrible and not the start to september anyone of us wanted. We are now faced with Adam returning to University and I want to make sure he is doing all he can to avoid getting ill during the first semester.

Thankfully, we had some unopened The Humble Co bamboo toothbrushes available so as soon as the bug was out of everyone’s systems we ditched the old brushes and have begun using these. I love that they’re made of natural bamboo, they brush well and the kids version has super soft bristles too which is great for Felix. It’s a good size for him to hold and get used to too, of course being only 11 months we help him with the brushing now he has enough teeth to cause a bit of a painful bite! (Usually on me!)

I am fully stocked with snuffle babe products which are my favourite for helping Felix through a cold and ridding him of decongestent. We all had a bit of a summer cold so these really came in handy. The vapour oil is great for just putting a few drops on a tissue and then placing in the cot for a bit of time before bed. I then move it out of the cot and place it close by but out of reach of tiny hands.

Vitamins and supplements along with a freezer full of preprepared slow cooker meals with loads of vegetables is my next line of defence in keeping colds at bay. It feels good knowing that everyone is getting the dose of vitamins they need and I’m really trying to learn more about nutrition so that we are all getting the most out of our meals. The slow cooker fills the flat with lovely smells of deliciousness throughout the day too and I’m really enjoying out autumnal casseroles, stews and chilli’s so far.

Prevention, when it comes to colds, is the best thing and whilst sometimes you just can’t help getting sick, getting the right vitamins, some fresh air and encouraging good hand washing practise goes a long way in helping to make sure we stay as well as possible. And of course getting loads of vegetables into eat of our meals is going to help too!