C Section Recovery

I had my DD at 11.30am and was at home the next day by 5pm. I think adrenaline got me through but in hindsight it was truly awful. It was in 2022 and still Covid restrictions in hospital so my partner could only spend an hour with me post recovery and wasn’t allowed to visit until midday the next day.

@LostMySocksis completely right, women’s issues are not taken seriously!

Unfortunately women's issues are not taken seriously by medical professionals. It's not just childbirth but there are continuous reports of gynaecological procedures carried out without proper pain relief.
I had an EMCS. I was lucky I had a quick recovery. I also had a VBAC where I tore and was lucky to have a wonderful female doctor who apologised for the time taken to do the stitching but it was important to do it carefully as it needed to be functional and comfortable. I have heard horrors about stitching so was pleased.

I was in a lot of pain afterwards too, could have done with the morphine tablets they gave me in hospital but I wasn't allowed to take them home for obvious reasons

I’m on day 10 since my third c section (2 emc and last planned).
My god most people have NO IDEA what it entails. My brother asked me last weekend if I were going to a family friends wedding (4 days after leaving hospital) like wtf no I can barely walk down the stairs, I’m gushing blood. I haven’t left the house. I can only just pick up my newborn. Why would I want to pack a weekend bag, hop in a car and put a nice frock on?! (Side note I politely declined said wedding when the invitation arrived so pls don’t worry that I was letting them down!7

C sections are brutal. I always reply on mumsnet saying avoid if possible. I am aware a vaginal birth is no walk in the park either. But honestly I have been zero help to looking after older children both times giving birth dc2 and dc3. Surgery takes you out. I can’t lift children into the car, into the bath. I can’t dress a crocodile rolling toddler.
I wasn’t able to hang washing out for a few days, hoover, cook, drive. It’s shit.

The only thing I’m grateful for is my husband stepping up, my church for cooking for us. My friends for doing play dates. We are so lucky. I would feel truly abandoned if it wasn’t for our village.

And I am whole heartedly grateful to the medical team who were so kind and reassuring every single time I went to give birth. Amazing, true angels.

its just the recovery that’s a bastard

3 nights 4 days is the minimum here in Ireland and I agree its bonkers. I've had two sections, sadly my last one 18 months ago was emergency and my first twin was born sleeping, my second passed in the NICU 4 days later. But I just had their sibling by planned section a few weeks ago and the recovery was tough. Even in the hospital you are made get on with it, I hadn't a clue what to do and my movement was so limited. Once dh had gone home for the night [hospital rules] trying to sleep 🤣 whilst caring for baby, getting things to feed her, clean her, clean yourself since you are bleeding heavily but being constantly reminded, don't bend or lift anything heavy was tough.

Then once home you are constantly doing all the above but with paracetamol only and my back is still very sore from it all from the constant workload. Dh is great but back to work and I don't have much help from others. Wouldn't trade it for the world, having our baby is a blessing after losing our beautiful twins so horribly. But there's definitely a blasé attitude to csections, regardless of recovery it's major surgery but you'd have people argue it's a breeze. It might feel that way but the surgery itself is extensive.

It's crazy, isn't it? I stayed for 3 days post surgery as I haemorrhaged during surgery, then sent home. I remember the midwife telling me if I needed painkillers heavier than ibuprofen or paracetamol at that stage I would need to be kept in. Boggled my mind, as I just had a very traumatic 36 hour labour that ended in a c section. I did recover by week 5 thankfully

I agree. I had a fantastic recovery and was fine to go home. I had friends sent home who couldn't walk, couldn't bend over to pick up their baby, in pain, with splitting scars, some frankly in shock and no support.

Maybe the issue is blanket treating it as c section, you can go home, rather than the individual woman. And better aftercare. I had a friend who needed physio and had twins. She couldn't go to the classes offered as she couldn't carry in the two babies from the taxi she would need to take in order to attend.