Postpartum sepsis?

[Clemmie2019]

Hello, I've not gone through this myself but I'm worried about a friend, currently recovering and dealing with PTSD after post c-section sepsis which resulted in a couple of major surgeries to remove dead / damaged tissue from her abdomen.
She's dealing with it all exceptionally well but as her friend, I'm concerned for her and wondered if anyone else here had any experience of severe infection post c-section?
She's not looking to 'blame' anyone for what happened and neither are we as her friends but she doesnt yet have any answers as to how she ended up so unwell (over 1 month in hospital, only got home with her baby for 1 day before being readmitted) and I'm just concerned and looking to find out as much as I can to help her process and get through the recovery.
Thanks in advance for any experiences you can share...

[NotAClue101]

I had post delivery sepsis. My baby was a forcep delivery, so not a section, but a lot of damage 'down there' as I had a fourth degree tear (the most severe) between bits and bum, and it went very deep internally.
They hospital was unable to find my infection, which then turned to sepsis, so they don't always know what started it off. I was scanned and x-rayed and swabbed all over, but nothing showed as the source. I'm betting in my case it was from all the damage I had. I was on mega antibiotics post baby for one week...but clearly wasn't enough, as a few days later I felt very very unwell, and was admitted when baby was 2 weeks old and had to stay in for treatment.
Being as she had a section, the open wound alone and surgery are both risk factors for infection.
There are a lot of support pages on Facebook with other mums sharing their experience. I'm part of a group for 4th degree tear mums and it's really helpful and comforting.
As her friend, just be there for her and listen. She will feel a bit rough for some time, as sepsis really does make you feel rotten. Offer her company, girly time and any help she may need...maybe book her a nice massage when she is feeling upto it, as that's all I craved as my body hurt all over. You sound like a lovely friend.

[foxatthewindow]

Not post c sec, but my mum had sepsis following abdominal surgery. It was caused by MRSA in the wound. I think for her the main issues have been around body image, an unsightly scar. Post birth I expect there will be feelings of grief around the birth experience itself. I had a traumatic birth and definitely felt robbed of a more normal birth experience. Time and kindness are the best remedies, plus counselling etc. Just being a good friend is enormously helpful

[elliejjtiny]

I had sepsis when my 5 year old was born. I had pprom at 35 weeks and was leaking waters for 9 days. I developed an infection in my womb which turned into sepsis while I was in labour. I had an emcs and was in hdu for 2 days on iv antibiotics and then on antibiotic tablets on the postnatal ward for another 6 days. Ds was in nicu for 5 days and then on the postnatal ward with me.

It sounds like I got off lightly compared to your friend though. Multiple major surgeries and over a month in hospital sounds horrific. I'm not sure what to suggest for you tbh although I think it's lovely that you have asked. Just being there for your friend and understanding that it's not something she will "get over" any time soon will help her enormously.

[Clemmie2019]

Thanks everyone, sorry to hear some of you have had to deal with sepsis too it's so frightening.
I think the main worry for us is the fact that things got so bad, over such a period of time. She was on a cocktail of IV antibiotics within around 8 hours of first symptoms and yet it was still such a long, awful time for her as they didnt work and she continued to deteriorate for 2 weeks before the first surgery. It was such a frustrating time for us all I cant even begin to imagine how she feels about almost losing her life when she should have been at home with her baby!

[R2D2abc]

@Clemmie2019 I had sepsis twice after third delivery. I ruptured quite badly as baby came out really rapidly with all body( literally a push and all out) and got various tears. Got admitted once in HDU, then ward, on antibiotics. Sent home with antibiotics, after I finished my treatment sepsis returned and got recovered again. Again antibiotics and this time a lot more time on medicines. No one ever found why I got it. It was the most stressful tine, never got into a routine because of that, I was almost giving up breastfeeding. I was really stressed after I got home.

If you can help at all your friend practically after she gets home, please do it. Even when she's in hospital maybe ask to go and stay with baby while she has a shower. Her stress level might be high even if she might hold it well hidden.