OT-C section care kit

[Mrs D]

I need some advice from Moms who have had a c-section:
My best friend is having her first child and it will most likely be a c-section. I plan on making her a new mommy care kit of items just for her.

What type of items will she need to help her after having her c-section?

Had she been having a ******l delivery I would have included Tucks, Derma-plast spray, stool softeners, Soothies (for sore nipples) and things like that.

The Soothies will still be useful as she will be breast feeding, I would assume she will still need the stool softeners so she won't have to push.

Please tell me what things she will need and can save her hubby a trip to the drug store.

TIA!

 

[kevschickee]

you can put some pads in the basket I used them to cover the wound. Chapstick, slippers, pillow to hold against her when she has to cough, a night gown (I didn't wear pants until I was leaving). Snacks and magazines. I had 2 c-sections and these are things I used.

 

[Tam1067]

She'll probably need items for wound care. I had staples, and was told to use Neosporin for a week or so. I also covered the wound with a really large gauze pad with tape.

But she will also need something you cannot get her--the prescription for pain, most likely codeine or vicodin (which is what I used because I can't take codeine).

 

[cheap traveler]

My first vote would be pre-made dinners. If I had to get up after my first c-section to cook dinner, life would have been H*LL.

As far as c-section care, there isn't much that will help. Pain killers (tylenol if she is breastfeeding), reusable ice packs (for the incision), heavy flow pads (if you are that close), magazines (she won't want to move at first), Boppy pillow (keeps the baby from laying on incision).

These things made my first few weeks almost bearable. If you two are very close, I would suggest you stop at babies r us or CVS for nursing pads. I think the brand name is Lanisoh (?). They come in a purple box, and they are by far the best nursing pads, especially for those first few weeks.

Oh yeah, bottled water and shelf stable snacks. My favorite was granola bars. Helps to have a little snack by your side when the baby is nursing, or finally asleep (on your lap, of course)

 

[kevschickee]

I used percoset and motrin. Codine make me sick to my stomach. Tell your friend she needs to get up and walk ASAP and take her pain meds. It is awful to play catch up on the pain

 

[CrAzY4DL]

Have had 2 c-sections here. Never took anything but Motrin. The first day you walk is absolutely horrible! I second the "take pain meds on time". I would routinely NOT take any of them until I actually hurt and it was *almost* traumatic having to wait for them to kick in, LOL. I never had to wear anything on my incisions but things that would have made life a little more easy: a big cup for drinks (I like this giant tumbler from Tupperware), ready to eat snacks, ready made meals and GIANT pads, LOL. Small pillow for when coughing would have been great also. Hope that helps!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I had a wonderful c-section experience too. Took some Motrin for a few days but that was it. Maybe you could get her a bottle of that. TMI here but I got a prescription for iron with a stool softener and I think that's pretty standard with a section.

I also vote for the snacks and bottles of water. That's what I could have used the most.

 

[ktlm]

I had an emergency C-section. The one absolute necessity is a boppy for holding the baby at home afterwards. There really weren't any special items I "needed" due to the C-section other than the prescription strength ibuprofen the doctor ordered. I never needed any wound care items. I had internal dissolving stiches. They applied strips to me and told me when they fell off on their own, I wouldn't need anything else. She will want a scar reduction cream later (works great, you can hardly see my scar), but she can't use that for quite a while. I had to wear very loose sweat type pants for the first few weeks (or dresses without a waist band or loose sweat type shorts would work), so you might be sure she is stocked on those. Really what she will need most is any time you can spare to help and meals at home. I could barely even lift the baby the first few weeks, so having someone there to help was a lifesaver. Also, there is no way I could have gotten up and cooked anything.

 

[emh1129]

I had a c-section with my first baby. I think pre-made meals are wonderful- because after a c-section (or giving birth naturally) mom really needs to just rest & nurse baby.
Yummy snacks (fresh fruit platter, maybe?), drinks, boppy pillow, fun movies, etc. One of my favorite gifts was a pretty nursing nightgown.

 

[frtchr]

I recovered much quicker from my second C-section because I didn't take anything but ibuprofen, I think. My scar was terribly itchy, so maybe a tube of cortisone cream for when she's healed? You sound like a great friend. She's lucky to have you!

 

[littlbugmom]

I think you should skip stuff like stool softeners, Tucks etc... Could just be me, but that's the kind of stuff I would get myself before birth. Since you say she will most likely have a csection, she must know that too. If you think she might not be informed about the need for such things, talk to her about what she's got ready for after the baby is born. Pregnant women love to discuss plans like this.



Things I appreciated after my csections:


*Comfy stretchy pants that didn't look like jammies and a comfy, button down shirt to match.


*Snacks that can be eaten with one hand and kept in the basket next to my chair.


*A pretty, insulated water bottle.


*A Winnie the Pooh spiral notepad with lined paper. (the kind that has a hard front and back) I wrote down thoughts while nursing, relaxing or just holding the babies. It was so cute and my kids love to read them now.


*My mother gave me a nice pillow to hold over my incision after my 2nd csection. I hated having to use the full size pillows from home. They were too big. She found one that sort of matched my living room. It was very soft and about as big as a throw pillow.


*Prepared meals that could be popped into the freezer until we needed them.


*My sisters and mother did a load of laundry or cleaned a bathroom every time they came over.


*Someone gave me a Boppy pillow for nursing but I found it very uncomfortable. I went to my local Women's Center. The Lactation Consultant showed me a dozen nursing pillow options until I found the perfect one for me. (it was sort of bone shaped)

I would have loved a gift certificate for the Women's Center. Not only did they have the pillows but sooo much for a nursing Mom and/or a nursing and pumping Mom. They also had clothes for mommy and baby, gifts, consultations with the LC's, massages and a post partum yoga class!


*I know this doesn't apply to your friend but my sisters also took my older DD to the Mall to play and have lunch. That was so thoughtful.



You are sweet to think of your friend~!

 

[DisneyBabies]

I've had 2 c's and the two things I coudn't live without were a little heat pack my aunt gave me and one of those belly band things. The heat pad was not an electric heating pad, it was this little pad with some sort of beads in it that you put in the microwave for a few seconds and it stays warm for hours. That thing helped relieved the pain until it was a mear ache and I didn't need any pain reliever to deal with that. The belly band is great because at first, your friend may be feeling as if the stiches are going to come undone, and the belly band helps you feel supported, so you aren't hunched over trying to walk and "hold everything in" at the same time.

Other things that were nice:
meals I didn't have to prepare
snacks, water
movies
pads
boppy
scar cream
big cup with straw to keep water in

 

[rt2dz]

I’ve had 3 c-sections (will have my 4th in a few months). Besides a boppy (or any pillow really), I don’t think there is anything extra special for a c-section than a ******l birth. Except, comfy, comfy clothes. After my first, I couldn’t wear pants for two weeks. Anything with a waist band was out.

My OB says not to cover the incision beyond a couple of days because keeping it covered slows the healing process. Everything I read elsewhere says the same thing. But boy, does it hurt when touched (especially the first). I came home from the hospital with pain killers, so nothing added there was necessary. My DH did the cooking, but if I were expected to cook, pre-done meals would have been great.

If your friend is nursing you might try the book: The Nursing Mothers Problem Solver. That has been my nursing bible. Stool softners are even more important after having a c-section.

 

[katied]

The critical thing I needed after my C-section was high waist underware. I never thought about it before, but my regular stuff would run right across the incision point. I sent DH to the store before leaving the hospital, but he didn't buy the right stuff - I had to wait for DSister to fly in the next day and go shopping for me. Something to remember for the future...

Next item was comfy clothes - i didn't wear pants at first, but then I needed nightgowns that would have buttons in the front or something so I could nurse DS without hiking up the whole gown.

Snacks were nice, but clothing issues were my main problem, and DH was hopeless at the store on his own.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

I second, third, and fourth motrin/ibuprofen! It seems like hospitals are too quick to hand out pain meds. The motrin will help curb the inflammation of the incision, but definately remind her to keep her pain meds close at hand. A pillow/blanket for coughing/walking is a must!

I slept in our recliner after both of mine because our bed is really high and it hurt to lift my legs! If they have a tall bed, maybe a step stool???

Bedside snacks and water are great, but my main thing was having someone come in for a couple of hours to let me get some much needed rest. DH was only able to stay home from work for 2 days and I had a rough time both times (spinal headache the second round knocked me out for 2 weeks and I ended up having a blood patch done to fix it, but things were STILL slow going for awhile). I needed a lot of help, so maybe give her some needed time off.

You're a great friend for thinking of the little extras to help!

 

[msmama]

I second the granny panties!! I had to send my DH to the store for them. My friend was here at the time and she told him to get "the biggest ones he could find." LOL.

I also agree with the pre-made meals, the boppy, and healthy snacks. A friend of mine sent me an edible arangement which was GREAT!

I had c-section healing issues but I also needed athletes foot cream for itching around the incision (I can't remember off hand what the actual ingredient is).

 

[natnelliesmom]

I am just about to undergo my 3rd section in 4 weeks. They are not fun, but not too horrible either.

Someone just purchased one of these for me-
http://cgi.ebay.com/Earth-Mama-Ange...|66:2|39:1|72:1205|293:1|294:50#ht_500wt_1182

It seems like a handy kit. I would also second the supportive belly band and small lap size pillow to apply pressure to her stomach when standing and moving around for the first week or so.

-Sarah

 

[Erica09M]

I've had 2 c-sections and I never needed any type of extra care. I was feeling back to myself within 48 hours. I was also told to NOT put anything on my incision... it needs to be dry. I never once needed a stool softener, and not to be TMI... but I had a bowel movement both times before leaving the hospital.

The only thing that was different for me, was where my pants and underwear would sit on my body. I always wore low-rise types, and I couldn't immediately after my c-sections because they fell right on the incision. So a higher rise panty and comfy pants helped.

I think you should make a gift basket that will pamper her... like nail polish, candles, body spray, face mask, etc. or get her a gift certificate to get a pedicure/manicure or get her hair done.

Really, nothing "extra" is really needed with a c-section... other than what rt2dz said, a vag delivery

 

[ilandrazdsw]

I have had 2 c-s...one was great, one not so great. I agree with all that has been suggested. One thing that was useful for me was a king/body pillow to use to sleep so I wouldn't lay directly on my stomach...also a spare cover/pillowcase just incase of bleeding. I refused to wear hospital garb because my own clothes made me feel much more like trying to get up and back to "normal" so maybe a house dress or even a modest beach coverup that she could wear that is loose, but suitable for nursing. Some fun or pretty slippers. If she has received a boppy an extra cover would be a good idea...there have been too many times my little ones spit up or "blew out" over the boppy. How about some meals for her freezer or gift cards to resturants...the last thing you want to do is be standing over a stove.

 

[mitsybella]

I found that light support(tight but not too tight) underware was really great, it helped hold everything and reduced the pain when walking around, also as far as the "Hug me pillow" they gave me that at the hospital, tell her to make sure she asks for one, the first few days at home this really helped getting out of bed, you don't realize in the hospital because of the automatic beds just how hard it is to get out of bed I was never told to put anything on the wound, they just wanted it kept dry. Also make sure she has a set up (bassinet, changing place,etc) down stairs as well as upstairs (if she has two floors) as they told me not to go up and down the stairs more than once a day (was a problem for me with my first as I didn't have a bathroom downstairs with my first, made sure we had put one in before our second)