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Childbirth

Recovery time after 3rd C Section?

7 replies

TLCDoula · 04/02/2011 10:50

Thinking ahead here as not even of yet!

For those of you who have had 3 or more sections, how was your recovery?

I recovered quickly after my 1st, an EMCS, but slightly slower after my 2nd an ELCS as I got a wound infection ( not too bad managed to avoid antib's as I was bf). I found the scar to be more painful though.

Any experiences please?

Thanks

OP posts:

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Phlebas · 04/02/2011 14:01

I've had three (#4 booked for June), one emergency & two electives. Recovery from the third was fine - I was out of hospital after two nights & pretty much able to do everything I needed to straight away.

I did have more pain with the third; mainly after pains (had morphine at one point) & I needed codeine for two weeks (only had paracetamol with the first two), primarily because I was running around after my older two & just got back to normal with no extra rest. It was okay though - scar is fine etc.

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faverolles · 04/02/2011 15:46

Had my 4th two weeks ago and I'm more or less back to normal now.
I haven't needed regular painkillers for over a week, bleeding had stopped a few days ago (but started again today cos I've been doing too much!)
For me, recover has got quicker with each cs.

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MrsPennySworth · 04/02/2011 20:56

I've had 3. First emcs was pretty bad. Second was an elective section and recovered really quickly - didnt have to take any painkillers after about 5 days. 3rd one was an emcs and took me absolutely ages to recovery. Worst one by far but then I did lose a lot of blood too and was quite anaemic.

Think maybe it's not so much whether it's your first/second/third but maybe other factors too. Like whether it is emcs or elective and any complications (infections etc) and probably even the surgeon who performs it I'd imagine?!

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missp2010 · 05/02/2011 21:33

I saw the senior midwife last week to discuss my birth options (had an emcs with DD and elcs with DS). I found the recovery second time round much harder. The midwife said this could have been for several reasons such as amount of blood loss/anaemia, size and position of baby, having to care for older children and therefore having less rest, how easy the surgery is to carry out. So I would agree with the above post that it can be a number of things that determine recovery not just how many previous sections you've had.

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NellyTheElephant · 06/02/2011 20:34

I've had 3 sections, 1st emergency then 2 electives. For me recovery was slowest after the first (i.e. the emergency one after a long labour). Recovery after no.s 2 and 3 was great both times - v quick and no issues. As pp said, I'm not sure that the no. of sections makes a great deal of difference i think it's just down to luck (or bad luck) as to whether you get an infection or something that makes recovery difficult.

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Lovingmy3 · 13/08/2015 00:53

I'm currently on my 3rd c section in the hospital as we speak...recovery for me has its days...the more I move around n not just lay here then I'm ok but if I just lay in bed I get stiff...I must admit tho this has been the most painful one..the last two I bounced immediately back