9 Ways I prepped for my C section Recovery the 3rd time around
This post is for my ladies who had to endure a MASSIVE surgery to get to their little treasures on the inside 🥰 My first two c-sections were emergencies and were performed after an entire day of labor… ahhhhh good times. Joking aside, I am so very grateful for all 3 of my c sections because all babies had uterine and/or cord issues that could have been catastrophic if I had delivered them vaginally.
This 3rd child was my first planned c section. Since I JUST left this huge life event only weeks ago, I hoped to share the resources that helped serve me during recovery WAY more this time around than my previous two c section recoveries. My hope is to pay it forward, so that you momma’s set up your spaces to allow for a comfortable, smooth and swift recovery.. or at least take steps toward that direction!
1. Plan that playlist for your Surgery & Recovery Room: My most used “item” I brought to the hospital.
OH BOY, DID I TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF MY PLAYLIST DURING DELIVERY AND RECOVERY CARE!!
That Operating Room is so very bright and scary, I popped an eye mask on my face and had my playlist playing right next to my head. I was able to tune everyone out and focus on my inner world, following the music where it went. This kept me so very chill. My body does NOT handle spinal anesthetic drug well. I had the incessant shakes, the all over excruciating itching and consistent nausea for about 10 hours after my c section… The come down off the drugs was truly way worse than the actual surgery (for me and my body, not for everyone). I used music during all of those hours of withdrawal that my body endured. This softened the room and helped me re-focus my energy on the sounds around me and most importantly our new son. It was so helpful!
2. Bind that tummy UP
I had three c sections in three different states. I found out that not every hospital gives you a binder, which is wild to me considering how effective they are for your recovery!! This time around I knew to ask for one on the second day to bind up my tummy. Even though they are not always convenient, WEAR YOUR BINDER! These medical grade binders will: Improve blood flow which helps to promote healing. Shrink your uterus down to size, which reduces pain and discomfort. Alleviate swelling. Overall, provide external support to your abdominal muscles and incision site. You can talk with your medical team about the length of time to wear the binder for maximum benefit, but I continued wearing for 5 weeks or so. It really supported me during those initial walks and hikes.
Some friends that did not receive a binder post-surgery were encouraged to purchase this medical grade binder online which worked the same as mine.
3. Prep multiple mobile diapering stations for your home
Snag a basket from a local thrift store, or you can register for this cute organizer which seems to always be on sale, place one on your bed and one on the couch or other living area of the home where you will likely be resting during the day. Post surgery you will likely be unable to walk to that cutie nursery station you designed beautifully. Your body is healing and you’ll need to change about umpteen diapers a night without getting up out of bed too much. This was helpful to have ready on that first day back from the hospital.
4. Prepare your areas for recovery
Feminine healing station on top of the toilet. Snag another one of those baskets from the thrift store and make a little feminine product station on top of the toilet for easy access. Trust me, this is so comforting when you need what you need and FAST. You don’t want to go rummaging for items in the middle of the night.
Put a small garbage can right next to your bed for diapering and all the extra things you discard through the night. You will thank yourself on night #1 when you don’t have tiny diapers floating all around your bed and your nightstand is just one less thing that is cluttered.
5. Have a hoodie ready for postpartum night sweats!
We sweat bullets at night in those first several weeks. WOWZA. This is primarily due to the dramatic drop in hormone levels, particularly estrogen, which occurs after delivery, causing the body to regulate its temperature by sweating to shed excess fluid retained during pregnancy. During the postpartum weeks following my previous surgeries, I woke up sweaty and so cold, it was a cold that went through me to my spine. It was a very unsettling feeling when mixed with a very hungry baby who needs to be fed at 3 am. This time around, I had a hoodie on the ready when I woke up.
6. Plan to use Dim lighting
Plan to use a Hatch or night light. This Doesn’t have to be fancy, but a dim light that you can brighten when needed mid-evening. Avoiding bright light in the middle of the night will help you not fully wake up so you can easily drift back into a sleep deprived slumber 😉
Hot Tip! Pack that hatch/night light to the hospital room. Those bright hospital lights are a true party foul when you’re snuggling with your newborn and cluster feeding post-surgery. This will allow for a calming vibe during your stay.
7. Prep SMOOTHIES
Perhaps my most brilliant idea I had prior to delivery was to prep the freezer for quick, easy and fiber loaded smoothies.
This brill plan helped my body reach sweet relief right out of the hospital. Yes, taking miralax prior to your c section is certainly helpful to prep digestion. Take those stool softeners as directed, for sure. However, in my experience, SMOOTHIES will SAVE your digestion directly after your delivery. Especially for those of us who are recovering from a massive surgery. Digestion will assist with pain, mobility and healing. That jolt of fiber helps organically move systems back into gear.
I prepped my smoothies in the weeks leading up to my c section so that they were ready to go in a baggy. All of mine had chai seeds and spinach or kale added. You can find some great smoothie meal preps here: link
My 3 year old broke our blender in 25 seconds flat about a week into this smoothie “era” and so we leveled UP and invested in this 3 in 1 Ninja from Costco and I have used the food processor just as much as the blender! Plus, this goes on sale often and you get a rebate if it goes on sale within the year you purchase!
8. Have a plan for meals
Prep a few meals and toss them in the freezer. We often made double the meals we were already preparing for the family and then freeze the other half. I also looked up several freezer ready recipes.
Meal Trains are a real thing! You can set up a schedule for friends and family to prepare meals for your family. https://www.mealtrain.com/
9. Keep these two pregnancy items for recovery
1. Pregnancy pants/leggings- Great for post delivery too! They tend to support that sensitive abdominal area and BONUS! Then you won’t need to wear a nursing tank (if you are breastfeeding) because your pants go up to your bra.
I lived in these pregnancy yoga pants during the end of my pregnancy and I still wore them the first 2 months postpartum.
These are honestly the softest, most supportive pregnancy yoga pants. And I’d know I bought so many variations throughout my pregnancies.
2. C-shaped preggo pillow- Don’t get rid of that C shaped preggo pillow just yet! It is a life saver to sleep in following surgery. Stay on that left side! It helps with digestion and blood flow and will ease the pain and pressure of your incision area.
This is the pillow I used and LOVED throughout all 3 pregnancies.
Click here for items I used to prep for c section LINK to blog page
