How quicky were you allowed up after c-section?

[Millie1]

I'm 28w and trying to decide on c-section versus VBAC. Last time I'd a section due to breech baby ... this time, I'm only due 2w before Christmas and am worried that if I go 10-14d over, then need an emergency section, that I'll be in hospital over Christmas. Anyway, that's neither here nor there in relation to my question.

With DS, I found recovery really difficult and am already wondering what I might be able to do differently this time that might change things. One thing from last time was that DS was born on a Friday at 11.15am and it was exactly 24 hrs later before I was allowed sit up and get out of bed. I was wheeled (too weak & dizzy to walk)straight to the bath which was so hot that I almost fainted. Long story, not very nice junior nurse made me bend down in deep water to pull plug out telling me that if I fell it wouldn't do me any harm!!!!!!! Okay for her to say!

Anyway, how quickly did anyone else get moving about? Would it help if I was allowed out of bed, even to sit in a chair the night of the section (assuming it was done before lunchtime)? Should I even be sitting up in bed that night? I can't remember how long it took the spinal to wear off but I think it was a good 8 hrs or so and perhaps with it being nighttime that's why staff were reluctant to get me up.

Any advice?


ps. Have read the other thread - some great advice in there but this is just a bit more specific hence the new thread

[aloha]

A spinal wears off completely in about an hour. It sounds to me as if you might have had a reaction to a painkiller. I felt exactly like that after I had co-proxamol after having surgery for ovarian cysts - felt really disoriented and dizzy and only half 'there' if you know what I mean. It's not s common reaction but not unknown - you'll find it mentioned in the leaflet in the box! I had a section at around 6pm and was up the next day late morning.

If you'd rather have a vaginal birth you sound a good candidate.

[sykes]

I sat up in the recovery room - well, sort of sat up and had a cup of tea and held dd. Got up the same day - with help from h. Have had two - one emergency and one elective. Recovered v well both times.

[applepie]

I had a c-section at noon and was up in the evening, still tethered to the bed by my catheter that was removed the next day, so walking around (slowly but surely), and out of hospital the next day - I did plan to stay longer but there was so much hussle and bustle in the wards I got more peace at home!

[Ghosty]

I had an emergency c/s at 4am and was hauled out of bed by a scary looking m/w that looked like she had come straight off the set of a Carry On film (Hattie Jakes, not Barbara Windsor ) by 9am. It was a bit scary as I had a bit of a flood but it was good to get up and sit in a chair for a bit (once they had cleaned me up)
A friend of mine who had had a c/s previously was horrified and impressed when she came to visit and saw me up because she had been made to lie in bed for 24 hours.
FWIW Millie ... the same friend's c/s was because of a breech baby and she went on to have a very successful VBAC 3 years later.
Agree with Aloha ... if you want a VBAC you do sound like a good candidate!

[CnR]

I had an emergency cs at 8:45pm on the Friday night. I was allowed up to have a shower, go to the toilet and go and get breakfast the next morning. That was the most wanted cup of tea I have ever had

After the cs I was in recovery, feeding DD, and then went up to the labour ward in the early hours. DD was laid in my arms and off the MWs went, so that's how I stayed all night the first night.

I went home on the following Monday lunchtime.

[CountessDracula]

4 days, but then I did my Dracula style bleeding thingy that meant I was flat out for ages.

[PamT]

24 hours to be walking, but I'd had a general, blood transfusion, catheter, morphine and all the rest. As soon as everything was detached from me I was told that I had to make my own way to the toilet. I think I was taken by wheelchair from post-op recovery to post-natal about 15 hours after delivery and taken to special care to see DS about 18 hours after the event.

[karenanne]

had my c section at 11.15pm and up at 9 am next morning to gey my own breakfast!and goto the loo --had to or else manouvre myself onto a bedpan.hated the fact had to stay in hospital for 5 days afterwards.im due to have elective c section just before xmas and am determined this time if i recover as well as last time to be out no later than 48 hours after.
last time i just felt i was taking up a bed that i didnt really need.
midwives told me the sooner you got up the better.

[zippy539]

With dd I had a c-section at 2pm, followed 5 hours later by a spectacular hemorrage (sorry - just can't learn to spell that one!) and blood transfusion and they still had me up and about by 9am the next morning. I was a bit wobbly but I reckon I felt better for it!

[Millie1]

Wow ... I'm impressed - it makes me feel that if I do have a second section, then I'll be much more vocal in letting the midwives know that I want to be up and about a lot faster than last time. I wonder why my spinal didn't wear off for so long though - bigger dose or something? Who knows.

Aloha & Ghosty, I probably would be a fairly good candidate to try a VBAC BUT am put off by the fact that DS was a hefty 9lb 6oz with the broadest shoulders you could imagine (consultant commented at the time that I couldn't have delivered him myself) and my worries of not progressing and ending up with an emergency section after several hours in labour (have been told that they will not use anything to speed up my labour or help dilation, it must be completely natural - painkillers excepted!), perhaps 10-14 days overdue and the threat of being in hospital over Christmas - too precious to spend there with a 2 year old!


Thanks everyone for the info - it really has been interesting and enlightening to read!

[tamum]

My spinal also took much longer to wear off than aloha's. It was over an hour before I could feel any sensation at all, and I couldn't move my legs for a good few hours afterwards. As you say, maybe it's just different doses, but I certainly wouldn't assume that it will wear off in an hour unless it's just you and me who react abnormally!

[prufrock]

I was woken at 6am by a very grumpy HCA who told me they were going to remove my catheter. "But how will I go to the loo" I asked? "It's just at the end of the ward" she replied. Whereupon poor little naive me said "But you must have made a mistake, I only had a C-section at 3pm yesterday!" She just looked at me like I was stupid and told me I could get my breakfast down there as well.

[myersthecat]

I had emergency c-section at 7 in the evening and was allowed out of bed the following tea-time (around 5). I had lost quite a lot of blood though and was v. swollen in my legs (ankles the size of my thighs!)

[sarahu]

I had an emergency c-section at around 10 am - and they made me get out of bed the next day at around 8am...........the first time I tried to walk I nearly fainted but i rested for a bit and then tried again and was fine - had to walk as they had taken the catheter out! Maybe would have been up sooner but I had to have a general anaesthetic for the op and so spent most of the time after the op fast asleep. I stayed in hospital 4 nights (I don't think you get much choice in that matter here in Thailand) but my recovery was very fast...when I left hospital I just felt a little bit stiff. Once I was at home again recovery was fine - I was up and about all the time...and was driving a couple of weeks later (probab;ly shoudln't have been but obstetrician didn't tell me otherwise!!). That was 3 and a half months ago and I am now completely back to normal

[sarahu]

I had an emergency c-section at around 10 am - and they made me get out of bed the next day at around 8am...........the first time I tried to walk I nearly fainted but i rested for a bit and then tried again and was fine - had to walk as they had taken the catheter out! Maybe would have been up sooner but I had to have a general anaesthetic for the op and so spent most of the time after the op fast asleep. I stayed in hospital 4 nights (I don't think you get much choice in that matter here in Thailand) but my recovery was very fast...when I left hospital I just felt a little bit stiff. Once I was at home again recovery was fine - I was up and about all the time...and was driving a couple of weeks later (probab;ly shoudln't have been but obstetrician didn't tell me otherwise!!). That was 3 and a half months ago and I am now completely back to normal

[sarahu]

I had an emergency c-section at around 10 am - and they made me get out of bed the next day at around 8am...........the first time I tried to walk I nearly fainted but i rested for a bit and then tried again and was fine - had to walk as they had taken the catheter out! Maybe would have been up sooner but I had to have a general anaesthetic for the op and so spent most of the time after the op fast asleep. I stayed in hospital 4 nights (I don't think you get much choice in that matter here in Thailand) but my recovery was very fast...when I left hospital I just felt a little bit stiff. Once I was at home again recovery was fine - I was up and about all the time...and was driving a couple of weeks later (probab;ly shoudln't have been but obstetrician didn't tell me otherwise!!). That was 3 and a half months ago and I am now completely back to normal

[crystalgazer]

I have had 2 c-sections both elective for DS1 as he was breach and for DS2 as he was alternatively breach and across rather than head down.
With both I had the op in the am with a spinal block and was up and walking in the pm.
With DS1 I was home on the next day as I rang DH in tears and asked him to 'get me out of here' with DS2 knowing what was possible I was determined to get home ASAP and was also home the next day. I was lucky and didn't have any of the blood loss that others seem to have suffered - but definitely feel if you can you should get yourself up and about as soon as you feel able and at least try and see if you can sit up and have that cup of tea

[gooseygosling]

Hiya, I've had 2 c/s. First one was planned a week early 'cos ds was breech, and on delivery a rather huge 11lb 2oz. Second time tried a normal delivery but all went pear-shaped after an epidural which didn't work but left me with no sensation to push once I got to 10cm. Lost over a litre of blood and apparently had lots of adhesions from scar tissue of first c/s...ds2 turned out to be 10lb anyway so might have been a struggle. Had c/s at 0310 in the night and didn't get up properly until the morning of the day after (over 24 hours I guess) as I was hooked up to drips/morphined within an inch of my life etc. Still, once up no stopping me - maternity assistant couldn't believe how quickly I whizzed to the shower (no wonder - felt disgusting). Had to have a catheter in for five days so was stuck in Tenko-like Whipps Cross hospital (in flaming June) spending most of my time sweating and begging various maternity staff to let me go home. Also had terrible experience in middle of night when still bed-bound where auxiliary nurse came to help me change baby except didn't understand, started waving my bathroom wipes around and then was opening and shutting cupboard doors in such a huff she pulled my wound drain tube apart. She ran off screaming. Nice. How much is the Portland again?

[gooseygosling]

Another weird thing - don't know if anyone else has experienced this. Was in TERRIBLE pain after first c/s. They gave me pethidine but relief didn't last long and I was like that girl in the Exorcist writhing around begging for more. Second time round it wasn't too horrific and getting mobile was much easier than the first time round. Maybe I've just grown tougher with age (six years between ds1 & ds2) or they just gave me mega-dose drugs the second time round (do like serious crackhead on video so probably)...plus ds1 born in North East = "we're dead hard up north, we don't need drugs"...the hospital didn't even offer epidurals unless it was a medical emergency.

[fio2]

gooseygosling I got those pains too after my c/s's. They are a mixture of afterpains whilst your utuerus is contracting back to normal and wind! Didnt the midwives give you a lovley warm peppermint drink?

[mears]

Thought I would share this experience with you. Yesterday I looked after a lady who went into labour at 37 weeks having had a C/S for breech first time round. After an initial tracing of the baby's heartrate she was up and into a bubbly bath. She used the gas and air in the bath and found it wonderful. All of a sudden she felt a lot of pressure. Came out the bath and had a beautiful baby one hour later with no stitches. In total a 6 1/2 hour labour. She then walked to the ward after having had another bath and something to eat. That meant that she was back in the ward within the time it would take for a spinal to wear off is she had been a repeat C/S VBAC is certainly a very achievable option, especially when you have a toddler to look after at home.

[pupuce]

Good story Mears! Thanks

[gooseygosling]

Agree...not sure what I'd do if I had no.3. That story is very encouraging but after my last experience, have lost faith in my ability to deliver naturally. Anyway, not an issue unless I have a third so will cross that bridge when I come to it.

Re; pain - no, it wasn't like afterpains (they were bearable). This was serious scar pain - like a red hot poker across my tummy. It really was agony but I think it's because I had no decent pain relief. Peppermint tea? They've probably never heard of the stuff in Bishop Auckland, Co.Durham!

[survivour]

First c-section was elective, at 36weeks my son was 9lb 71/2oz, I have diabetes hence big babies. the spinal did not work, I screamed they gave me a general. Came too after 3days, don't remember much, out of hospital day 7. Second baby I was addimant that it would be a normal birth, tried for 18 hours, he wasn't coming, at 39weeks and 2 inducements later his head got stuck, second c-section, son- 9lbs 12oz. I was mobile within 24 hours, out of hospital day6. Third baby was not having any of that, Labour started 9weeks early, my son was born at 34weeks, by c-section, during pregnancy- had MILD heart attack, blood pressure very low-60 over 40, and that was on a good day! Had MRI scan as there was a possibility that i could have a stroke through all the stress, son-7lbs 7oz, my baby was diagnosed with TOFS, 4 defects of the heart, his intestines were outside his belly, he has overlapping toes in both feet, and he suffered a stroke in his face. day 5 operation at GOSH for belly, back to NMH until he was 7weeks old, and once his NGT tube was taken out we were sent home. We have since had open heart surgery and are doing better, this time round I discharged myself on day 4, and I was driving on day 8, the reason..... I was charged £25.00 by a minicab to go and visit my baby one way to Great Ormond Street Hospital, and my car was on the drive.......... A mothers pain threshold, when her child is in danger..... We don't feel it......