If you read my other post You Are Not a Failure, you will know that I had an unexpected C-section. Sometimes you know ahead of time and can prepare for the process. Other times you can’t. Once I was home from the hospital I remember texting my friend asking, “What do I need?”
With the help of my fellow contributors who have also gone through a C-section, I have compiled a list of must-haves for your healing and recovery journey:
High Waisted Underwear – This should be number one on your list of needs because it will be the item of clothing you’ll wear closest to your incision. You want the band of whatever you wear to be high enough above your incision that it’s not causing pain or putting pressure on the area. You are already in pain, you don’t want more. You will learn to love them, trust me.
Nightgowns and Robe – I lived in my nightgowns and robe for about the first three months. I only wore real clothes if we left the house, which was rare. The less bending down you have to do the better, so nightgowns are the way to go. Make sure they are nursing nightgowns to make it easy for feedings.
Slippers or no tie shoes – Again, the less bending down the better. You need to be as kind and gentle to your incision as possible to help with the healing process. I lived in my slippers and Birkenstocks. The times I did wear sneakers, my husband had to tie them for me and they were uncomfortable because my feet were still swollen.
Nursing Dress – As I stated with the underwear, you don’t want any pressure on or near your incision. Dresses will be your best friend. There are tons of cute nursing dress options and lots of online boutiques with plenty to choose from. If nursing is not in the cards for you, dresses will still be your best friend.
Co-sleeper – This will help with naps and late night feedings. As I said earlier, not everyone’s surgery is smooth and not everyone will be able to pick up baby afterwards. I was blessed with a smooth C-section and so my little one slept in a bassinet, but I know some moms who needed dad to bring baby to them to feed.
Claw Grabber – You may laugh at this one, but you’ll thank me later. It never dawned on me to get one until months later and now I wish I had had it. We tend to be clumsier in the first few months after delivery and bending over is not your friend. I dropped my body sponge in the shower once, not fun. The claw grabber will help you pick up those dropped items that would otherwise seem daunting to get.
Heating Pad – This will help with swelling and pain, just like it would when you have cramps or a sore joint.
Nursing Pillow – Any pressure in the abdominal area will eventually leave your incision sore. The Boppy or My Brest Friend pillow will help hold baby up and slightly away form your abdomen. I liked the My Brest Friend Pillow the best because it stayed in place and held baby up a little high than the Boppy.
Walker – This is to help you get up out of a chair, off the couch, or off the toilet. In the beginning it’s hard to go from sitting to standing. You need something stable to push yourself up. It doesn’t have to be a walker; it could be another person.
In home help for the first two weeks – You are not allowed to drive for two weeks or lift more than 35lbs. until your six-week check up, which is most likely the weight of your child in a baby carrier. If dad can stay home or grandma can come, that’s a huge help. If neither of them can stay that long, ask some friends if they wouldn’t mind picking up groceries or coming over for a few hours to help. Not everyone has a smooth C-section and sometimes mom is unable to even pick up baby without being in pain. Having an extra person around to help with meals, change baby, move baby, run errands, and other things that you wouldn’t be able to do is a huge help.
Food (freezer meals, snacks, high fiber foods) – Until you have major abdominal surgery, you don’t realize just how much your abdomen is used when doing various everyday things. Sitting or standing for long periods of time leaves you exhausted and sore. You also move more slowly in general. Easy to grab snacks and freezer meals will help prevent you standing for a long time to make meals and get them done in a timely manner.
Pillow – This pillow is not to sleep on; it is to hold on your incision. When you sneeze or cough you feel it in your abdomen. If you hold a pillow over your incision and hug it slightly when you sneeze or cough, it helps stabilize your stomach a little more and reduce the pain.
