Feeling after C Section

I had to be put to sleep during my c section and I was so out of it that day and in so much pain that when my daughter started crying I just cried because I didn't know what she wanted and I was left all alone, the nurses came in and asked me if I wanted to feed her or if I want them to do it and I told them to do it. C sections are a major surgery and then you have a tiny life that depends on you, its hard but we're all here now and that's the important thing

Mine was completely traumatising, so the whole day and two weeks in hospital are a complete blur. It's so hard because you're expected to just bounce back, but you've just experienced major surgery and then have this huge responsibility of looking after a newborn. I was very lucky in the hospital after my section. The midwives looked after my baby most nights because of the complications and pain I was in.

That sounds like negligence on the hospital’s part. I was wheeled into recovery and the nurse helped me feed my baby straight away. I wouldn’t have had a clue what I was doing if I hadn’t had their support. It was me who didn’t get fed I think because my section was at 7.30pm and I’d missed the food! I didn’t eat for 2 days 🤪 I had limited support after that and it was such a struggle. I couldn’t pick up my baby when he cried. I had to ring the buzzer every time and I remember feeling totally useless and frustrated. I would say that if your baby only started crying at 6pm they were pretty content in that time so please don’t worry or blame yourself.

Yeh completely out of it too, I do not feel like it’s safe to leave us on our own so soon after! It’s also so dependent on who you have looking after you isn’t it. Some midwives and students etc were amazing but others just left me. My baby started choking in the night which is apparently common after c section. Why don’t they tell you this then??!! i couldn’t even reach the emergency buzzer as I physically couldn’t sit up so had to press the regular call bell. It was the scariest moment and I felt like such a shit mum as I couldn’t even get to him or the buzzer :( luckily he was ok xx

Thank you so much ladies for sharing your stories! This has been weighing on me ever since birth I have always thought it was a sign that I shouldn’t be a mum and that I didn’t have motherly instincts but from reading your comments, it seems normal to be totally out of it after a section and clueless on what to do with baby. It’s seems like hospitals should definitely be giving more support!! 😫 Throughout the evening and night, the midwife’s were great but I don’t remember seeing anyone in the day (only the 1 lady who did the head to toe check on her)

Back in the day you’d be kept in hospital for a week after having a baby naturally, never mind a c-section. It’s a major operation and in any other circumstance you’d be on bed rest with round the clock care. It’s crazy how you have to pick yourself up and get on with it when you have a baby. You’ve done brilliantly and the fact that this has bothered you for so long ironically shows you have all the motherly instincts x

@Lesley Wow, that actually made me tear up, thank you so much for your lovely comment x

I remember constantly having to press the buzzer and a HCA coming and putting baby on me to try and feed, she also did nappies and put him back in the cot as I was in so much pain I couldn't get up. I was so lucky to be in over Christmas (Dec 22 baby) as I was pretty much getting 1-2-1 care. If it was busy on the recovery ward and the staff couldn't give us that much attention I literally have no idea how he would have been fed or changed out of visiting hours. I cannot believe how we are just left to get on with it literally hours after surgery 😢 But we are all amazing so just do it the best we can xx

Omg I was literally talking to my husband about this the other night!! With baby #2 I remember it all - she wasn’t latching properly so every like 2 hours I would try then would have to ring the bell for a midwife to bring a cup of formula for her to sip. With my first I CANNOT remember and was thinking did I even try to feed him! I was coming off 5 days induction/labor then the emergency c-section. He was born around 3am and I do remember my husband didn’t stay that night. He was put under UV light and I know he never latched and the next day we had to do formula. But what happened that first night? Did I try? Did they check on me? How could I have been responsible for something like that after what I’d just been through 🙈

@Allie I hate not being able to remember any of the day, but I do know I didn’t try to feed her 😕 And when I eventually did, she also wouldn’t latch. I was pumping colostrum all night and was so exhausted. I think around 3am, I was still pumping, one nurse trying to settle baby and another nurse feeding me toast. So I do know throughout the night, I did get a lot of support but not in the day.. But she was crying the whole night and the lady next to me was frustrated as was keeping her awake 😞 one nurse took her away so I could sleep but brought her back 10 mins later as none of them could settle her xx

This isn't on you at all. The medication literally wiped me out too, I couldn't move from the pain and they didn't keep my pain meds topped up so I couldn't sit up to feed my little one. Really they should be checking in xx

In my experience after my c section, the nurses kept trying to get me to breastfeed, it didn’t work how many times and it was me that kept saying I’ve got ready made bottles and they kept dismissing it until eventually after I reckon 12 hours it’s like they gave me permission (I didn’t need permission looking back on it and I know for next time) he was starving! In your situation I think you are being too hard on yourself giving it’s major surgery etc and the nurses should have been assisting you. I’m sure you are a fab mom 😊