C section recovery - does this sound normal?

[BotBotticelli]

Had ds2 on Saturday by an unplanned (but not emergency) c section.

My first son was born normally so this whole c section thing is new to me (and not what I wanted at al! Was hoping for a home birth but then I went 15 days overdue, had 48 hours of failed induction and eventually decided to have a C Section with the doctors when it became clear ds was not interested in coming out the usual route!)

Anyway, I am now 4 days post section and am still finding it very sore to get in and out of bed.

I am finding anything other than the shortest bursts of basic baby-care to bring on pulling pains in my abdomen, and just generally I feel very so

[BotBotticelli]

Sorry stupid iPad.

Feel very sore.

Is this normal?? Am taking paracetamol and dicolfenac regularly which seems to help.

Am weeing and pooing normally.

Just feel like I have been in a horrid car crash or something and hoping for some reassurance this is normal in the first week?

How soon will I start to feel more normal and able to do basic domestic tasks (cook dinner for example) without feeling like I need a lie down afterwards??

DH goes back to work a week today and I am shitting myself!

[confusedandemployed]

I felt extremely sore getting in and out of bed til my stitches came out 6 days post birth. Turned out I had a slight infection at the wound site which cleared up immediately after the stitches went. It was like magic after they came out: suddenly it didn't hurt any more.

[Rubygoose]

Hiya I had my DD via ECS 5 weeks ago and I'm still sore! Like you I was given diclafenac and I took paracetamol also for the first 10 days or so.
Tbh I could barely bend over or sit up in bed for a while, still get sore now! You will be sore for quite a while yet, take it easy.

[Rubygoose]

I must say TBH I would have struggled personally If my DH went back to work so soon, the recovery plus minimal sleep due to new baby plus breastfeeding on demand really takes its toll. Without my support network and my DH and mum there to make me meals and fetch and carry I don't think I would have been able to BF. Is there anyone else who can help you? If not there are ways round it, ask your DH to pre prepare meals for you to eat in the day. Don't be worrying about cooking his dinner!! Think you'll have enough on your plate! Good luck.

[BikeRunSki]

I've had two cs, and emergency and a crash.

I'm sorry you are feeling sore, but 4 days is no time at all for recovery. The medics will advise that 6 weeks is normal recovery time. For my first I was up and about in a sort of non strenuous way after a couple of weeks, but still needed DH's help. With my second, it was 9 weeks! DH had 3 weeks off work, the DM came to help for a week and PIL came for a week.

A c section is major surgery, and you will recover much more quickly if you take things easy and call in as much help as you can (suffocating though this may be). Baby steps to recovery.

[BotBotticelli]

Thanks all - gah not sure what to do now, maybe I should see if do can take some annual leave?? Difficult because he started a new job 2 weeks before I had my baby so he has not built up a lot credit with his new place.

I am FF so that part at least is a bit less intense than BFing - but there's still all the bottles to wash/sterilise and I find standing at the sink for 10 mins is enough to do me in...

[meglet]

normal IME. give It another week and you should feel more comfortable. stay in pj's and just potter about (at most) no housework and get ready meals to save cooking and cleaning up.

It's hard for a while but the more you rest now the better the wound will heal.

[shitebag]

It varies, I had an emergency CS with DS and was completely fine by the time I left hospital (day 4) didn't need so much as a paracetamol but with DD I had a elective CS and felt like I'd been hit by a truck for about 4 weeks and even then I had to take it easy.

You've just had major abdominal surgery so take it easy where you can, definitely second asking DH to take more time off if possible or enlist help.

[shitebag]

Oh and congratulations :)

[coveredinsnot]

This does sound normal to me. You've had major abdominal surgery and you have a newborn to look after. FF Imo is harder than BF for the reasons you give! When you have a cesarean there are 10 layers of stitches apparently. So it is going to bloody hurt. Really you should be resting and just having very short bursts of household activity. I accidentally missed a dose of painkillers after my cesarean and it gave me a good wake up call to what my body was actually going through. My advice would be to put your feet up, get as much help as possible, give yourself another 10-14 days to really start noticing a reduction the pain and discomfort. Dh should be able to take AL under the circumstances.

[BadgerFace]

That sounds about right but you'll also be surprised by how much better you feel in a week's time. I had an emergency CS with DD and was in hospital for 3 nights (due to feeding issues). I was off the diclofenac about a week after surgery and then paracetamol a week after that. I was fine on my own after DH went back to work after 2 weeks paternity leave (although he took every Wednesday off for a few weeks but that was more because I was a bit scared of looking after a tiny baby than because of the surgery!).

See how you go. I'm sure your DH's firm will let him take leave if you need help after the paternity leave. In the meantime rest rest rest. No housework, no cooking, nothing but feeding the baby and cuddles (I don't think I changed a nappy until the paternity leave ended!)