AnyaJoeli

Not suggesting that your experience was "simple", that sounded quite dismissive, didn't mean it like that in the slightest! Just meant that just through talking to more and more women about their experiences I have found a fair few who have had a very tough time for various reasons not necessarily related to pain during the actual surgery, and recovery afterwards seems to be somewhat of a lottery as some people take it in their stride and others are floored for weeks. This I guess will be speaking more to those who feel their experience was on the tougher end of the spectrum and they need some guidance as to how to heal and move on...

Yes...it's great you had a more positive experience and recovery. if it were that simple for everyone then I don't think there would probably be a need at all for a guide on recovery. My experience was very different, by the time the idea of caesarean came up my baby was in great distress and I wasn't doing brilliantly having been in labour for the best part of two days and having all sorts of negative reactions to drugs. There simply wasn't any time for a measured discussion, there was only alarm, fear and desperately trying not to succumb to a panic attack due to not being able to breathe. I also had lots of issues with my scar and experienced pain for months, and wasn't really offered much helpful advice from doctors, except that there was "perhaps" a lot of scar tissue due to the extreme hurried nature of my caesarean to save little one's life ( which it thankfully did), and that I could have an operation to try and rectify the scar tissue but opening me up might make it worse. Great! Thanks dr! I wasn't offered any advice on physical recovery in terms of what kind of exercise or massage would be beneficial, and I think for some people this kind of post op advice would be very much appreciated. I know that everyone's experience is different, and I'm not in any way suggesting caesareans are a negative thing per se (baby alive because of mine!) but for some the post-caesarean experience is not always straightforward, and I think that some people experience emotions akin to post traumatic stress disorder due to the way things happened/how they were treated/how baby was, etc. Incidentally, there is a book called the caesarean experience, by Sarah clement, which was published in 1997 so is out of print now but you can get it second hand, and it's brilliant. Tackles the emotional side brilliantly, and what to do next etc re vbac vs elective, etc. it doesn't focus as much on physical recovery but some of you might find it interesting to read.

Hi Terri (and everyone!), I've just been rereading this old post too as I'm self-employed as a Pilates teacher and writer, and find it hard to juggle the childcare situation, as I know that ad hoc doesn't work for the childminder or for my little one. My current arrangement is to have childcare on Thursdays and Fridays, and I have a childminder who i pay ?8 an hour, but it means that there are weeks I pay for childcare and don't have any work on, so I end up paying someone to look after my toddler while I clean the house, etc...which seems a bit silly. But I don't see any way around it really. I've got a freelance day's work lined up next week in a publishing company that I used to work for pre-baby, but I'm being paid under ?20 an hour, which means after childcare, tax etc I'm probably earning about ?20 for the whole day. Which is a bit disheartening and doesn't really make sense... I totally agree that childcare should be tax deductible! It's a really difficult one. As much as I love having a job arrangement which means I can for most of the week look after my little one myself, teaching in the evening while my husband babysits, it's also difficult as every work decision needs to be lucrative enough to justify the childcare. Maybe we should have a self-employed mums coffee morning to share tips and moans! x

I've always been a bit nonplussed by the Gardens...I spent quite a few hours there with my (sling or buggy) baby every week when it first opened, the one thing that has always struck me is that it's hugely overpriced for what it is, and has never been particularly welcoming. They initially gave massive doorstop pieces of carrot cake which as a new mum I used to eat rather too many of them on a weekly basis, and one day I went in with a group of other annoying mummy friends and we all ordered the carrot cake (one piece each, not scrimping!), and they arrived about half an hour later (how long does it take to put a slice of cake on a plate...?) and were significantly smaller than they used to be, and one of us commented on this. The waitress said "oh yes they were too big before so we weren't making money, so they're smaller now but the same price"...which I thought was such an odd and rough way of dealing with it, albeit I guess totally truthful, it made us all feel really pissed off that a (not amazing, small) coffee and a smaller piece of cake was setting us back the best part of a tenner, when you could eat a proper lunch for that elsewhere. I've never been particularly impressed by it and now I have a marauding toddler I wouldn't think of it as somewhere that would feel fun and friendly for him so I'd take my (admittedly not hugely profitable) business to Bambuni, dish and spoon or the rye cafe, or homemade on barry rd. But even if I didn't have him in tow, I would probably prefer to go somewhere where the service was slightly better, and the coffee wasn't so expensive. It's a shame. As the location is great.

Yes I've got that book...it's actually not quite really what mine is going to be, I didn't find this book to be massively useful actually although admittedly I didn't have it in the immediate aftermath of my caesarean, and it's quite dated as it hasn't been updated for a while. I can't really describe effectively without going into a huge long message but my proposal is slightly differnt and more comprehensive than this book. There are a few books out there, I've got them all but only one or two of them are particularly recent, there's only one specifically for the UK market, there are quite a few US ones. Thanks though for pointing that out! x

Hello again, I'm putting together this book proposal after a slight interlude where I got a bit waylaid with other stuff! If anyone would like to chat through their experience of caesarean with me I'd love to hear your stories. I'm generally free either with accompanying rampaging toddler Monday-Wednesdays, Thursday and Friday afternoons, or on Thursdays without rampaging toddler. The book as I am planning it will encompass planning for caesarean and dealing with recovery post caesarean, both physical and also addressing the emotional psychological side of it if applicable. It will include a post-caesarean recovery exercise programme based on Pilates, and will also provide ideas for healing foods and looking into your diet to maximise physical strength and energy. I'd love to hear your stories and how you would feel a resource such as this one might have helped you, what kind of information and advice/support you feel you would have benefitted from at the time of your caesarean. Also if you've had experience of natural vs caesarean birth I'd also love to hear your comparative stories of recovery, or also, positive caesarean experiences as I have only experienced emcs and had a pretty tough time of it so I think I might be slightly biased! Thanks and I'm looking forward to hearing from you Anya [email protected]

Thanks..he's a very tactile baby gets lots of massage and skin to skin. And I should also say, when he's doing it it's kind of like he's intrigued and smiling rather than unhappy and self-flagellating, which just makes me think he's a little weird. But I'll def ask the doctor...

Hi there My 14 month old has a new habit of pinching himself whenever he sees any newly exposed skin (like when i'm dressing him, at bath time, etc), on his belly, arms, etc. He pinches really hard and really persistently, so that it causes really horrible red marks and quite frankly he's pinched me and I know that it's sodding painful so I don't understand why he's doing it...has anyone else had this happen with their little one, vaguely masochistic tendencies? I'm wondering whether it's just normal discovery of his own skin, but I do worry that it's slightly weird and the other day he had such horrible red marks on his belly because of his own pinching that I do also have a slight fear that he's going to start doing himself some actual damage. Any tips as to how I can dissuade him of doing it? Thanks! Anya

I hate the accidental parenting prejudice as well...my little one is nearly a year and he isn't a good sleeper, never has been. Now I can just about get him to stay in his cot until about 3am but usually end up sleeping with him on a futon un his room after that...sometimes keeping him in his cot involves me squidging my head against his cot so he can hold onto my hair as he falls asleep. Not sure how we're going to get out of it but I have the No Cry Sleep Solution and need to put some of those ideas into practice. It;s all about facing those nights where you know you'll get no sleep isn't it. I ended up seeing a development paediatrician at sunshine house in peckham the other day, and after lots of tests she declared that he was "normal" and that I should just try controlled crying...sigh....

This is all really helpful and interesting...not least on a purely personal level to know I'm not the only one who felt this way. My scar was red, angry and itchy for months and months, until Maurice was about 9 months in fact...my doctor was pretty unhelpful on the matter... Would love to chat more with anyone who fancies over coffee etc...

Hello! My blog is at memoandjoepilates.wordpress.com Would love to chat more about it Anyax

Hiya I teach a flexible strength class on Tuesday nights at 7pm which is a Pilates class focusing on toning and stretching. I've got a couple of spaces left this term if you fancy coming along, ?10 a class. It's at my home studio which is near Peckham rye train station. Drop me a line if you fancy it! Anya [email protected]

Hi there I'm a writer and a Pilates teacher, and I had my baby by emergency c-section last July, nearly a year ago! I found it a bit of a challenge, physically and emotionally, coming to terms with the emcs...and I now teach a post-caesarean Pilates class as I felt quite strongly that there seemed to be no info/advice about how to recover from the operation after this major abdominal surgery, and yet you'd probably be given a whole load of physiotherapy exercises if you broke your elbow. So I've been formulating an idea for a book which tackles how to recover from a c-section, how your body heals, what kind of issues you might be grappling with on the emotional side as well. I've been blogging about it and got a whole load of responses...birth is certainly an emotive subject. I personally feel that I would have really valued some kind of guide to physically what I could expect and how I could begin to rebuild and strengthen...alongside the sleepless nights and handling of a newborn etc. What kind of diet might help with recovery, exercises to do, exercises to be avoided...a holistic approach to finding your feet after caesarean. I'd be interested to throw this out to the forum and see what views it evokes, whether anyone out there feels similarly like you didn't have much/any information about physical recovery, and if you found the emotional fallout to be a challenge. I realise that c-section birth can be a welcomed and positive thing as well, just as natural birth can have its trauma, and that everyone's birth experience has its own unique narrative. I'm compiling a book proposal for a meeting with a publisher in a couple of weeks so I'm trying to conduct as much real life research as I can. Looking forward to any responses.... Anya

Hi guys I'm so sorry I don't check east dulwich forum that often and hadn't realised you had all posted on here in response to this, so it's probably way too late now. Doh! My c-section new term has just started but we've got 6 weeks left and there are 2 or 3 spaces left so do let me know if you're interested in joining. It's at my home studio in Peckham, Friary Road, and a 6-week term is ?55, or 4 sessions for ?40. You're welcome to come along as a drop in for ?10, just let me know in advance that you're coming so that we can have a quick chat. Please message me if you're interested, [email protected] and i'll send you all an individual pm now just in case you don't check this like I didn't! Anya

Hi there, happy mothers day mummies! Sorry I've only just seen this question! In a nutshell, because the abdominals are cut right through the deepest layer which can leave the stability of the spine and pelvis compromised if you don't strengthen them fully and in the right way. you need to strengthen them very differently to post-natural birth, where they may just have stretched/separated during pregnancy but where the pelvic floor takes much more of a beating. There isn't any difference necessarily in the postnatal body, in terms of what needs toning, if that's what you mean, but the abdominals are compromised much more by a c section birth. Also chances are with c section depending on your recovery (everyone's different) you need to wait longer to start exercising. My new term of classes starts 11th April, Tuesdays postnatal and Wednesdays post caesarean. Suitable for new mums and slightly more experienced with older babies if you just want to address the toning and overhang! Anya x

Hi there I'm starting a post caesarean class next month, there'll be a free taster session on wednesday 15th Feb at 8.15pm and the 6-week term starts the following week. I have a few spaces left so let me know if you're interested! Also have a postnatal class starting on the Tuesday evening, and a pregnancy class. email or pm me for details! Anya x

Hello I'm a Pilates teacher based in Peckham, I'm currently on maternity leave having had my first baby in July. I'm starting a new term of classes in February for pre and postnatal. Times below, please don't hesitate to contact me for more details. Tuesday evenings Prenatal Pilates Preparing your body for labour and for recovery after. Strengthen, tone and most importantly relax and de-stress! 7pm-7.50pm Post-caesarean Pilates A class specifically tailored upwards recovery after c section. This class is open to mums who've had c section years previously, not just immediately post baby. All levels welcome. Strengthen the abdominals and learn to love your body for the amazing job it did! 8-8.50pm Wednesdays Postnatal Pilates A class for both c-section and natural birth mothers, suitable after the 6 week check clearance from doctor. Strengthen and revitalise, tone up the baby belly and have a bit of time to yourself. 8-8.50pm Mums and baby Pilates Thursdays 1-1.50pm For babies up to 6 months/crawling. Baby lies on mat/carseat next to mummy while you have some time to focus on your body and wellbeing, and meet other mums! Classes take place in my studio in the basement of my home in Peckham. Terms are 6 weeks, ?55 Prenatal: those at 30 weeks and over of pregnancy can drop in, ?10 a class. Please feel free to email me to sign up or for more details [email protected] Anya

It's really useful reading all this info, I've always found various guidelines a bit confusing about making in advance

Tentatively have a venue in mind and was thinking of starting a class on Tuesday evenings for a post c pilates class, for all post-c ladies, having had your baby at least 12 weeks ago. Trialling next month: I'm planning to do a half price taster session before a term starts. So if you're interested, please do email me [email protected] and I'll make sure I send you details Anya x

My little one had what must have been thrush, horrible red raw sore bottom, poor thing. I tried everything, metanium, sudocrem, calendula, doctor prescribed two dufferent creams, one a heavy duty canesten, but the only thing that shifted it was boots zinc and castor oil cream, which my mum used to use on my eczema when I was little. Apply liberally, literally like paint, and it cleared it up. I use it every change now to try and avoid it coming back. Anya

Great, i will keep you posted! Trialling the Victoria as a venue next week, and I'm on the lookout for a suitable space for an evening class for a general post caesarean class. Will hopefully update soon! Anya x

Just to say again, really didn't mean anything negative at all about that other class and I've heard great things about the teacher: this is more of a personal quest which I thought might be a nice avenue for local teaching and developing ideas for exercises specifically for post c section issues. X

Yes I agree, and just to clarify I'm not belittling her teaching in the slightest, I used to teach pregnancy and postnatal before being pregnant myself so I don't think you necessarily need to have experienced something in order to teach well... But I guess now I know from having it myself the various special things a c section brings such as the delightful "overhang" in your belly, and other sensations that even with my postnatal training i wouldn't fully have understood before, so I guess all I am saying is I have a personal mission to tackle it and would love to help other ladies do it too!

I don't think it's too late at all, and I'm realising just from my own experience that your abdominals need to be strengthened in entirely a different way after having had that operation so it would be useful to have specific focus even a year plus after you've had your baby. What I might do if there is interest is start a newly postnatal class where mums can also bring new babies (up to 6 months, any older and it becomes a bit harder to manage in a class without chaos!), and a general one for c-section Pilates maybe in the evenings just mummies no babies. The Victoria can potentially work in the day as a venue but I will scout around for other available space for evenings...

Well, I'm going to ask around for venues,my Nct group actually must have broken a record as from 6 couples 5 of us ended up with a caesarean birth, so I'm doing a taster session with them in the back room at the Victoria on bellenden road. If it seems like a good space to set up a regular class I will do that and keep you posted! Anya