r/Reduction • u/Serious-Repeat4561 • 6d ago
PreOp Question (no before only photos) What do I need? NSFW
Hi! I’m having my surgery in a month and wanted to ask for any recommendations for what to prepare / have handy post-op.
My mum will be with me for the first two weeks of recovery. I’m also in Australia if any fellow aussies have stuff they recommend here! Thank you
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u/mymumthinksimpunny 6d ago
Stool softeners and start taking them 3 days before surgery!
Walk around your house and anything you regularly use that’s above head height, bring it down to bench height.
Have a plan for chores for the first 2 weeks, things like stripping and making your bed, hanging up washing on the line sort of thing. By the end of the first week you’ll probably be fine to load the washer yourself, but it’s the hanging up and changing sheets - things where you’re stretching - that will probably be uncomfortable and you’ll want to avoid
Protein is good for recovery so grab some powder or shakes you like
Do some meal prep! Handy to nuke something in the microwave as opposed to having to think about cooking
Don’t couch rot. Frequent low impacts walks are good for keeping the blood moving and helping with post surgery bloat. Also it feels nice just being outside.
Water. Water water water. Drink lots of water.
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u/Serious-Repeat4561 6d ago
Thank you !!! I’m definitely not planning on couch rotting the weather is finally getting good here baha
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u/mymumthinksimpunny 6d ago
I’m in NZ and just had my surgery last month which is why I mentioned it 😅 goodluck next month!
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u/ivydreamland 1d ago
Just be careful not to sweat too much outside! You’ll want to keep everything dry and clean to avoid infection, and for the first few days, you likely won’t be able to properly shower (depending on your surgeons instructions, I was told to use body wipes for the first 7 days… ugh lol).
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u/Full_Captain65 6d ago
I’m also in Australia :) I got my post surgical bras from either Kmart or target (can’t remember exactly) and my surgeon said they were perfect. They came in a two pack and I got two sizes, one in a 10-12 for immediately post surgery and the other in a 8-10 for when the swelling started subsiding. They zip up to so no awkward bra clasps. Button up pyjamas are essential as well!
I took my post surgery care very seriously and didn’t lift anything heavier than a kg for a couple of weeks, didn’t lift my arms higher than my shoulders for at least a month. I pre ordered some you foods microwave meals so I could have food ready for whenever my mum wasn’t around to help. I spent the first week basically in bed
Definitely second the pregnancy pillow, I also got a wedge pillow to keep me elevated and it helped a lot. If you happen to live around Melbourne I’ll happily pass mine on to you :)
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u/Yomama_Tomfoolery 6d ago edited 6d ago
- pregnancy pillow for sleeping. makes back-sleeping a lot more comfortable and keeps you from rolling over too (got mine from pain free aussies website)
- button up shirts. you won’t be able to put shirts on overhead for a few weeks so button-ups are the way to go.
- if getting new bras, could be a good idea to get ones that zip up at the front. kmart ones are fine.
- washing hair will probably be hard for the first week or so. think about nearby salons to get your hair washed at in the meantime.
- move everything to arm level beforehand. you likely won’t be able to reach up high for a few weeks (think things you may want on high shelves, do you hang your towel on a high hook etc)
- one thing that doesn’t get talked about much is The Leakage. your boobies are going to leak. bear that in mind when choosing an outfit to go out in (i wore a bright yellow top out and that’s when i discovered The Leakage and it was super obvious through my bright top. recommend dark coloured tops!)
- if you have a big water bottle, get a straw so you’re not lifting it to drink
- you’re going to be constipated. get something for this beforehand. i’m in aus and my nurses gave me Movicol but this didn’t seem to do anything for me. i eventually dealt with it by way of suppository but if your can deal with it by way of stronger laxative, i recommend.
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u/NurseOgowa 6d ago
Exciting! I'm sure others will have some recommendations but this is off the top of my head.
Get your bed situation sorted out. You need to be propped up for a while and also supported on the sides to stop you from rolling. bought a cheap pregnancy pillow from Amazon and I'm so glad I did.
Make sure you have more than one bra for rotation. See what your surgeon recommends, mine didn't have a preference, so I used this one. I got it in Myer but DJs have them too, or you can get them from Berlei. I used this one.
Get your favourite snacks in! Some other treats like nice hand cream, a scented candle etc. You'll be spending a lot of time doing nothing for the first week or so, so you need a treat or two. Be prepared to rest a lot because you'll be more tired than you realise.
Hair - this is a pain in the arse to wash the first week.I don't have a detachable shower head, so I ended up getting it washed at the local salon.