I Had A C-Section - What Happens Now?

After spending the majority of my career taking care of people who are either preparing for surgery or recovering from surgery, I have a new appreciation for my patients after having a c-section. As a nurse you are always there to give support and advice, but you never really know how someone feels under the bright lights of the surgical room until you are there. Obsessed with Grey’s Anatomy and other medical shows, every scenario runs through your head when you are prepping for surgery. Am I going to be okay? Can I trust the doctors to not make a mistake? Will I make it out alive? You want to believe you will, but the terror of worrying about your baby on top of it all can be overwhelming. Things did go well, great in fact. My doctor had me in and out before I knew it. But I’m going to let you in on a little secret for those who have never experienced this… Yes you can feel your baby coming out of your belly before you hear them cry, and yes you can see a reflection of yourself open on the table if you look straight up at the lights. I was not prepared for that and I’m sorry if that was a bit graphic, but I was completely unprepared. They give you the epidural and you think wow, okay I’m completely numb…but only mostly. You can still feel the tugging and pulling going on and even though it didn’t hurt it caught me completely off-guard. For people that get queasy easily, I also recommend closing your eyes because seeing the bright red in your reflection definitely makes your heart race. I’m a nurse, I love blood and guts and all that. But when it’s happening to yourself, it’s a whole other ballgame. I don’t know if it was the anesthesia or my nerves, but the nausea came in waves and those blue emesis bags were my best friends.

Coming home I knew what to expect… a large wound, pain, and the recovery ahead. I was terrified of my first shower and looking down, my still pregnant looking belly now sewn back together. To my surprise, it wasn’t as bad as I had envisioned. What I wasn’t ready for though was the intense pain yet numbness that I was feeling from the incision. They didn’t warn me that the slightest touch would feel amplified, forget about the pressure of the elastic banded underwear… I quickly realized I needed new clothes for the time being. Luckily, the hospital gives you maternity underwear that is very forgiving (but not fashionable by any means). I also shopped online and found maternity outfits that became my new everyday look for the next few months. Oh, and if they don’t give you one in the hospital - get a belly band! Mine saved me from so much pain it was incredible. With any movement, cough or sneeze this belly band held everything in so nice and tight and helped my body get back into the shape it used to be.

Recovery is a process, don’t rush it. Listen to your body and rest as long as you need to. C-section mamas need a lot of extra help, especially if you have more than one kiddo, so make sure you have a support person that can be there with you. Remember, it’s okay to cry (I did). Hormones are trying to re-balance themselves and surprise! At some point you will wake up drenched in sweat or get swollen feet from your body compensating for all the extra fluid you have been holding onto. Get yourselves prepared with compression socks, light maternity clothes, and a good belly band. You’ll thank me later.