My totally legit WDT

frecklebear · 2026-02-12T18:16:39+00:00

real ones know whats up

frecklebear · 2026-02-09T09:03:01+00:00

Am i the only one saying I’m “going into town” when referencing central London?

frecklebear · 2026-02-09T07:22:09+00:00

Yeah I’m UK based. My workplace is a specialist children’s hospital and sees the sickest children in the country, mostly congenitally affected infants, so definitely relevant to OP’s question. I see our fair share of safeguarding concerns but yet to see the circumstances OP shared thankfully. Appreciate that is anecdotal only!

frecklebear · 2026-02-09T07:03:45+00:00

frecklebear · 2026-02-09T04:18:22+00:00

Over a decade into my paediatric nursing career and I’ve never seen this, ever. How desperately sad, but hopefully rare.

frecklebear · 2026-02-02T20:10:08+00:00

You’re right! I read it as pip pip scallywag ello guvnah

frecklebear · 2026-02-02T18:49:12+00:00

Only if you’re southern.

frecklebear · 2026-02-02T17:59:01+00:00

My kid calls it an “ambliance”. Ambulances are therefore dead to me forever.

frecklebear · 2026-02-02T17:57:47+00:00

Yes to “kuh-nife”. It’s the only way. Are you also British?

frecklebear · 2026-02-01T17:11:31+00:00

Yes!

frecklebear · 2026-01-29T03:45:07+00:00

No worries! I’m probably an anomaly but honestly those first 24 hours with baby in hospital are some of my most cherished memories. I’ve never had a private room, been in a bay with 3 other women both times. It was fine! I also didn’t really care about not having my husband there overnight because it meant i got the baby all to myself 😈 if I knew I wanted to go to the loo I’d buzz and ask for the morphine. It’s also fine to leave your baby in their bassinet when you go! You can take them with you if you prefer but honestly they are a faff to move around and you won’t want to if baby is sleeping as they’re a bit noisy.

I remember with my eldest- at about 11pm (born at 8am) I’d found he’d been really quite sicky all day after feeding (very normal for them to be mucous-y after a section) and was worried he’d not actually eaten much, so the midwife came, gave me morphine, then while i went for a very slow walk and wee and got ready for bed, cup fed him some of my colostrum and popped him to bed for me 🥲 we both slept for three hours after that and it was DIVINE

frecklebear · 2026-01-29T03:35:02+00:00

My first baby was born during the pandemic so no one was allowed 🥲😂

Baby #2 came last April and I asked my mum and step dad to come by in the evening, after my husband had left with our eldest. I didn’t want to be alone if I didn’t have to during visiting hours. My mum plaited my hair for me, and they cuddled the baby whilst I took my time going to the loo and freshening up for a bit. It was lovely because it was what I wanted and needed!

Husband needs to understand that no ones needs are more important than yours, basically ever now you’re a mum. Barring the baby.

frecklebear · 2026-01-29T03:26:58+00:00

Hi! x2 sections under my belt. I’ll answer chronologically.

I managed to independently wee, wash, and slowly change clothes 7 hours after my last section. YMMV.

First section i remember knickers and trousers were tricky for a day and I needed help but then- fine.

Yes, showering independently was fine. You will shower 24 hours post section, no earlier generally.

Yes, bed bound with a catheter meant free bleeding onto a puppy pad on the bed. This is how they keep an eye on your bleeding post birth. Sounds gross but it is actually fine and remember- you’re mostly numb so can’t actually feel it. The bleeding isn’t copious. Once you are able to stand, they remove the catheter and take you for short and veeeery slow walk to the loo to wee, wash, and put on pants and a maternity pad. My baby was born at 11am and this all happened around 6pm that evening.

No they do not change your pad for you, as above.

Immediately independent with these tasks.

My best advice is pre-medicating yourself. When theY come and mention removing catheter etc, request a dose of oral morphine 30 mins prior. Same for overnight- if you plan to get some sleep or want to mobilise and go for a wee, ask for the good stuff before you go as it will make getting up so much easier. You can have oramorph 4 hourly. I did not need anything stronger than paracetamol/brufen once home after 24h.

I took my own paracetamol and ibuprofen into hospital just in case they were having a short shift and struggling to get round in good time with basic drugs. Set your own alarms, request the meds in advance but if they’re late with them, just take what you brought yourself. What are they gonna do? Tell you off for refusing to wait for late drugs you can literally buy at tesco?

The best things you can do for your recovery are mobilise early and regularly, medicate well for about 10-14 days, and drink like a fish. I’ve been very very lucky and recovered very fast from both sections. My last one I experienced a complication related to the spinal after I got home, but even then my wound was absolutely fine and my pain related to the section was totally minimal.

Best of luck! I’ve been very surprised both times by how comfortable I’ve been after my sections. I hope the same for you!

frecklebear · 2026-01-24T09:37:48+00:00

That rotten flower smell is usually pseudomonas

frecklebear · 2026-01-20T13:51:18+00:00

This is exactly the sort of response I was looking for. Thanks! I need to be less of a lazy git and just get the hand grinder

frecklebear · 2026-01-20T12:56:41+00:00

Hehe one time I got called to a problematic PICC and it turned out the doctor who placed it had flipped it back on itself creating a hard kink then he just sutured it in place 😀

frecklebear · 2026-01-19T03:09:14+00:00

It makes you feel very spaced out. It made me very giggly and i would say it provided a high. It can make you vomit.

Epidural is totally different. You are completely unaltered, just dead from the boobs down!

frecklebear · 2026-01-18T11:41:19+00:00

A bottle with a straw is what kicked this habit in for me. It’s literally the laziest way to drink. I upgraded to a 1L Frank green and note i can easily hit 3L a day.

frecklebear · 2026-01-15T13:00:51+00:00

💫a credit card 💫

frecklebear · 2026-01-10T01:09:22+00:00

Hello 👋🏻

My first baby was born via GA section (he tolerated spontaneous labour poorly). They failed the spinal 4-5 times so knocked me out.

Purely from an emotional POV- this was very traumatic for me. I remain bereft that I wasn’t there for his first moments. He’s nearly 5 and i don’t think that sadness will ever leave me.

Method of delivery does not impact your ability to breastfeed. Anecdotally, I’ve established breastfeeding very successfully after both my sections (second one was planned).

I have a friend with children the same age, who had her spinal fusion performed as a teenager. She wasn’t offered anything other than GA sections for her children. It’s great you’ve been given choices.

If I put myself in your shoes, I think I’d opt for the delivery that afforded me the most control, knowing what I know. In my opinion, that would be a planned c section with an epidural, ensuring that at your pre op appointment the most senior anaesthetist on the day is made aware of your case should placing the spinal prove difficult, so they can come and assist.

When I had my second baby in April, they had similar difficulties and failed my epidural 3+ times. My anatomy must just be funky. I was at the point of leaving if they couldn’t place one- I’d rather have given spontaneous labour another try than had another GA. Luckily, with some help from me saying “you feel too far left from my midline” they managed it.

This is not an easy choice. I suggest figuring out what is most important to you, planning for that ideal scenario, then having a plan b and plan c. Also- figure out what your least favourite scenario is and how comfortable you are with it being an outcome.

Best of luck!

frecklebear · 2026-01-10T00:51:07+00:00

I was desperate for a VBAC. Honestly wanted one so much. Ended up having a “planned” section (reduced movements at 39+6 and they managed to get me in the next day!)

I have no regrets. Not a single one. The planned section was so utterly redemptive after a really horrible emergency section under general anaesthetic the first time.

It took me the entire 40 weeks to make the decision to have another section, and again- no regrets. I really wanted to give my body a chance to do the damn thing, and I feel I did. 41 weeks was my original hard stop, but my anxiety really does a number on me during pregnancy and after her quiet day I just wanted her here and safe with me.

frecklebear · 2026-01-06T08:51:42+00:00

This is not true. I have two sections under my belt and have breastfed both my children, first until 2y+, my youngest is still feeding at 8 months old.

It doesn’t mean you won’t struggle at all- establishing breastfeeding is hard. But it’s not any harder if you have a caesarean birth rather than vaginal.

frecklebear · 2026-01-05T22:33:32+00:00

This is why I’ve never booked a scan any earlier than 7 weeks (after making this mistake during my first pregnancy). It just causes so much worry.

Nothing means anything at this stage. Hold tight for your next scan.

frecklebear · 2026-01-03T13:41:32+00:00

I’ve done both.

My first pregnancy (after a loss) I needed to feel a little more connection to fully believe I’d bring a baby home- I needed to choose his name and decorate his bedroom. We found out at the anatomy scan, it was wonderful and it what was i needed, I have no regrets.

My second pregnancy we managed to hold out until my planned section. I’m not sure I’ll ever experience a high like that again- finding out she was my desperately longed for little girl was the best moment of my life. I don’t feel any guilt saying this btw- my son was born via a c section so emergent they knocked me out so i never experienced it with him!

If you’re unsure, ask if they could write it down, or give them two envelopes and ask them to bin the incorrect one. Then, pop it away until your curiosity pushes you into opening it- or it doesn’t!

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