C Section Jabs

My C section recovery was similar to yours both times - similar blood loss, up 3-4 hours after the section, and I never lay in bed at home other than at night. Last time I didn’t even lie in bed in hospital, because the baby was in NICU for 48 hours so I spent most of my time at his cot side.No issue with stairs, no compression stockings at all at home, discharge after the last midwife home visit, etc. I thought that was all pretty standard for “normal” C section recoveries?

I did the full 6 weeks’ worth of injections after both sections. I also had 6 weeks’ worth after the first, vaginal, birth because it was a complex birth.

It took 1 minute of my day, and I was happy to be able to reduce my DVT risk with so little effort.

I did them for 6 weeks after cs. It didn't occur to me to stop them earlier tbh. It was an inconvenience but no real side effects apart from bruising. They weren't particularly painful and I just got on with it. I was very active from the day of my cs but I didn't see that as an excuse not to do them.

I was prescribed 6 weeks after an emergency c section. I did 10 days - just felt super unnecessary personally to do it any longer especially as I tried to stay as active as possible afterwards (i.e not on bed rest). But I did that as a medical professional with full knowledge of my health/risks etc

I’ve been injecting myself with heparin since December, daily without fail …baby due imminently!
I have a blood clotting disorder.
I don’t understand why anyone would not take it seriously and just suck it up. Blood clots are dangerous and you’re at risk postpartum
sorry but a small scratch and a few bruises is worth it to ensure your life isn’t at risk

I find this thread fascinating as I had two sections, one in 2003, one in 2005. I was never given anticoagulants, just a few shots of painkillers while in the hospital. I remember they put on compression stockings but once removed for my first shower that was it.
As for the shots, I see that the needles are longer (now, they didn’t used to be) but as a type 1 diabetic if it’s a matter of life or death you get used to it.

I find this thread fascinating as I had two sections, one in 2003, one in 2005. I was never given anticoagulants, just a few shots of painkillers while in the hospital. I remember they put on compression stockings but once removed for my first shower that was it.
As for the shots, I see that the needles are longer (now, they didn’t used to be) but as a type 1 diabetic if it’s a matter of life or death you get used to it.

Keep going…! I had 10 days worth and got a clot at 2 weeks. Regardless of whether it would have killed me, the pain from the clot was absolutely dreadful! I was begging for the anticoagulant injections so that the pain in my leg would stop. In A&E with a newborn. I got a further 3 months of daily injections.
I get it, I hated doing them after the pain from the clot went away. Maybe have a little reward afterwards like a biscuit and/or a coffee. This is how I got through them!
Congratulations on your baby 🥰

Sounds dramatic to me. I find adults are rarely “petrified” of things like needles. He’s just avoiding stepping up.

@StillChangingForTheBetterher husband is petrified of needles…… definitely don’t want someone who’s petrified injecting you.

Yes but when it’s OP’s position where it’s starting to impact her mental health, and she doesn’t want to take them anymore, he should be stepping up to help her

@StillChangingForTheBetterI wouldn’t want my husband to inject me 🤣 I injected for 12 weeks for IVF and he would have freaked out haha x

I don’t think anyone will be able to advise you otherwise OP. Your obese with a BMI is over 30 (as you said it it was due to BMI and criteria is over 30), had/has hypertension (? Start of pre eclampsia) and a C section (where you are unable to move your lower body due to an epidural) You are the ideal candidate for a DVT.
I also agree with @Greybeardyregarding figures. Having a DVT may lead to PEs and you will be on life long blood thinners, high risk of stroke (having a high BP during pregnancy also shows you have an increased risk of high blood pressure in the future also which increases risk of stroke).
Im afraid that this will affect your health both mentally and physically if you develop a DVT/PE. It may not lead to death but life long conditions.
Pp have gave good suggestions such as Emla cream or changing the time of injection. (You should do this gradually).
If you’re happy to take that risk it is up to you, guidelines aren’t just there for nothing.
I have seen many post op patients who haven’t taken their blood thinners or wore their compression stockings develop DVT’s PEs and living with those consequences.

I think OP you just have to weigh it up.

Do you really think that if you stopped, you’d be at risk of a DVT? Do you have a history/family history? Are you still relatively immobile? Are you obese? Hydrated?

To be honest I’d be turning round to my husband and telling him to pull his finger out and start helping, but that’s just me!

I only had to do 10 days but if 6 weeks was advised I would absolutely have done this. I really can't get my head around even the suggestion that you might stop stop them sooner because you don't like doing them. There are some valid reasons someone might need to stop, say unstoppable bleeding, or horrific side effects, but just disliking the process, surely it isn't worth the risk of death.
I found it easier to do in the dark, FYI. I would get the needle ready on my skin, turn off light, then inject.

@Holdonforsummer if you have low platelets do you still have to take these? I know they can lower platelets so is there any reason they don’t test for this 3 weeks out of the 6 for someone like OP?

As someone with platelets around 100 this has always been on my mind when people mention these jabs

My best friend developed a clot post partum. Luckily she is ok but got admitted to hospital (without her baby) and had to stay for 2 weeks. 12 years later she has to wear a surgical stocking every day still.
I would keep doing the injections.

@cgwxi had to do 6 weeks after both babies (and had some during pregnancy too). I totally understand what you mean. I started to really dread them..it hung over me. So I switched to doing them in the morning instead of last thing at night. It just meant it was “over with” and also that I did them when I was least exhausted.

i also found one thigh less painful.

best of luck whatever you decide x

Also make sure your bevel faces up. Hurts less.

I also hated having the injections after my c-section. I’m not frightened of needles, but it was sore and miserable doing it every day.

I was dreading them so much when I was having my second, I bought some numbing cream (I think it was called emla cream?) from the pharmacy. I put it on about 10 minutes before the injection. It didn’t work perfectly every time, but it certainly made it easier!

I had to do them from 28 weeks to 6 weeks pp. Hated them!

Pregnancy before I was 3 years younger so only had to do them for 10 days pp which did seem quite arbitrary.

I know someone who didn’t take them (wasn’t offered) and died from a clot. Low risk, too. I also know a lovely lady who had a stroke 3 weeks after she had a baby.

During pregnancy your blood gets thicker. Your platelets stick together and have a party. Meanwhile the coagulation system works double time to thicken your blood. It’s a biological reaction so you don’t bleed to death in labour. This effect doesn’t switch off overnight when baby arrives though, which is why women are at their highest risk of strokes, DVT and clots (and elevated risk for heart attacks as many of these are caused by clots) in the last weeks of pregnancy and for several weeks after. Your risk is increased because you had a C section. Moving around a bit won’t mitigate this much, otherwise they wouldn’t prescribe these injections, you would just get told to go for a walk

Up to you. In black and white, you risk dying and leaving your newborn without a mum. If you are ok with that then stop taking them.

Or crack on and get them done. It’s not nice but it’s a few weeks. Your aspirin will be well out of your system by now. If you don’t take it every day (and doubt you are post partum unless FF as you shouldn’t take it when breastfeeding). Aspirin is fully out of your system within 10 days, and for each of those 10 days loses about 10% efficiency per day.

Disclaimer- had to have them from positive pregnancy test and for 12 weeks after each pregnancy. Never thought about asking someone else to do them for me because unless you have a fear of needles, which you said you don’t, it’s not really an issue and they are easy enough to do yourself.

I had to take them for 6 weeks after my first section (and only for a week after my second) and it was such a pain but I really didn’t want to die of some horrendous haemorrhage so I followed medical advice.