To ask for your cesarean recovery stories

[Exhaustedmummy1811]

So today I had my first lot of steroids, ouch!! The rest are tomorrow in preparation for my c section next week. I'm trying not to think about it all but I'm still awake now worrying my self silly over the next week.
I had a previous section 9 years ago as my ds was breech and this is really making my fears so much worse. First we tried to turn him but we found out too late and he was already well wedged in my pelvis. I have a huge needle phobia so was a blubbering mess through the whole preparation for the section. The actual procedure wasn't too bad apart from the nausea and shakes.
During visiting hours the numbness wore off and I cried in pain for 2 hours as my midwife was in a meeting and was told she was the only one able to do my meds. I was eventually given morphine which really helped but the next morning I was asked to take a shower and rip off the dressing, this was agony. I was then encouraged to go for a short walk and told I had to do a bowel movement, this was impossible. How ever 36 hours after my section I was sent home as they needed the bed.
Over the next few weeks a suffered terribly with pain, staples becoming embedded and the wound getting infected resulting in iodine patches and antibiotics and a very long 12 weeks before I felt normal again.
At the time I had a 3.5 year old and my new born, this time however I will have 4 dc and preemie baby and no partner and I'm absolutely panicking about the recovery. Please help reassure me that sections can have more positive out Comes with the recovery than my experience. And sorry for theong post

Oh no poor you, that recovery sounds awful.

I had a c section 6 years ago and found it ok. Was an emcs after a failed induction.

I too was forced into the shower 13 hours my section. I didn't have to take off the dressing though. Mine was a continuous stitch with a bead at each end rather than staples though (staples sounds ouch!).

I hated every minute of the post natal ward so begged to get home and was allowed home after two nights, so about 36 hours.

Once home I was on diclofenic for about two weeks. My stitch was removed after 7 or 10 days or so, sorry can't remember but the midwife did it at home and it took seconds.

I felt very squeamish about my scar and was given a tip to wear a maternity pad covering the section area tucked into big knickers. It helped me feel more secure.

I wonder if the staples the last time caused you more issues?

I had a c-section last January things have changed a bit, Mine was an emergency so I hadn’t prepared at all. They have new stitches now that they leave in and take 6-9 months to dissolve. So I was stitched up and a dressing put on, dressing had to stay on for around 7-10 days until my health visitor took it off, it felt like taking off a player. After my section when I was ready I was allowed to shower (about 4 hours later) they still encourage you to move around it aids recovery and they need you to do a bowel movement before you go because they’ve operated right next to them so just to make sure they haven’t caused any problems. They said recovery is 6 weeks but I was hoovering up and down the stairs 2 weeks later. I was quite surprised how quick it was, I’ve know people get infections years ago from when they used staples though so I think that might of been the problem and why they’ve stopped using them

Taking off a plaster**

The recovery from my natural vagina birth was far far worse than my recovery from a caesarean. I was careful with lifting etc but I was in little to no pain within 3 days. Natural birth on the other hand was 6 months and I still have issues from it. So it can be really good! Just don’t overdo it. Even if you feel great, just little walks, no lifting for 6 weeks or so. Good luck!

I had a c-section just under a year ago (baby is 1 this month). I was induced with my first and it all went pretty wrong and ended up with pph and resuscitation etc. I started induction again but nothing happened and so I refused to have the syntocinon or my waters broken and asked for a section. (Well broke down in tears and sobbed for one).
I was quite overweight but had been assessed as ok for epidural or spinal. I was first in theatre that day and very anxious but the whole team were very kind and reassuring. I went in at 11am and my son was born at 11.34 very loudly and kicking. His head was pressed against the side of my pelvis so had i gone for vaginal birth there was a strong chance of needing forceps or a section anyway
Stitched up fast and due to my weight I was given a Pico dressing to cover the wound which stayed on for 7 days.
I recovered really fast, especially compared to my first baby when we both needed to stay on for 6 days. I asked the midwives to remove my catheter by 5pm and went for a shower. I felt like a bus had hit me and it took me a good half hour but I was glad of it. I then took very slow little walks round the ward.
I had morphine twice in the first 24 hours and then only needed paracetamol. My biggest issue was trapped wind on the 2nd day but peppermint oil and hot water fixed it.

Baby was born on Sunday and I went for a short walk with him pushing the pram on the Thursday. I felt really well. Midwife removed the dressing on day 7 and said scar had healed really well. Dressing and method of stitching (subcuticular with absorbing/dissolving thread) means it fairly inconspicuous. A couple of numb spots but I've been very very lucky. Makes up for hyperemesis and spd I guess!

I react poorly to many medications so my csection was done with numbing meds only and I was feeling everything again by the time we got to recovery. I also didn’t get anything for pain afterwards. It was miserable, but I managed and it did mean I could get an earlier discharge which I was happy about because being at home made the pain easier to manage mentally

I also asked for stitches instead of staples. It wasn’t standard procedure, but I explained to the surgeon that my sensitive skin did better with stitches so unless staples were medically required i wanted to skip them.

Had mine 2 years ago. It was easy peasy - I only took paracetamol for the pain and was up and about 12 hours after the surgery (it had been at 7pm so I couldn't get up until I'd seen the doctors at morning rounds and had my catheter removed). My baby was in the neonatal unit so I wanted to get out of bed and go see him. Had a shower later that day. Think my stitch (continuous with beads on the ends) was removed after about 5 days by the surgeon because it was healing so well it was starting to tug. The surgeon actually told me I was probably overdoing the walking and told me to take wheelchair out of the hospital for the next week, but in all honesty I didn't feel uncomfortable at all about the amount of movement I was doing - there was no pain really, just a dull ache like a mediumish period pain for me. Though I remember it hurt when I laughed.

This might all read like a bit of a brag, but genuinely, I've had worse periods than the c-section recovery. Had a bit of a twinge on one end of the scar for about a year after the surgery when I would overstretch it (walking uphill for example), but nothing that ever stopped me from doing anything.

It can be super easy, promise! Good luck OP!

I’ve had 2 c sections. Both times my OB left a plaster on that I could shower with and didn’t have to be removed for weeks.

I admit the first few days were quite painful, but after that i recovered quite quickly. I had my mum and mil to look after my first dc when I went to hospital to have my second dc. DH stayed in hospital with me.

Mine was great too.
I was home after 24 hours on pain killers, pushing new baby in the pram through thick snow to take older child to school at 7 days post section.
I had no choice really, no one else to take him or collect him from school so it was a case of having to just crack on with daily life.
Only took pain killers for a few days.
Also sneakily did some hoovering as it was getting on my nerves being a mess.. and I’ve lived to tell the tale with no damage anywhere.

I've had an emergency and s planned.
I've been amazed at how well I've recovered from both.
This time I followed an accelerated recovery plan - worth asking your consultant about. Basically drank an isotonic drink before and after then mobilised as quickly as possible - 14 hours after surgery. Peppermint tea is a must to avoid trapped wind - also helped with the bowel movement! Home after 36 hours this time

On my second section I took arnica tablets and I swear it was the making of me! I remember on my first cs I needed to pass urine but the pain was so bad I was sobbing. They brought in a commode as I couldn't walk a step. In the end they got an anaesthetist to give me some IV morphine. I was way more mobile after the second one and the pain was far less.

I had a planned section 4 weeks ago.
It was so calm and relaxed it was great. I also have a massive needle phobia but the spinal block wasnt bad and the drs were fab.
I kept the plaster on for 5 days post section (nail varnish remover for the glue otherwise its a sticky mess). They used dissolving stitches so no cutting them off or staples to pull out like my last emcs 4 years ago.
I was off the painkillers within a few days unless I overdid it.
I was up and about within 12 hours, I had a longer hospital stay because of the meds I took in pregnancy but many other mums post section were sent the next day.

I had an emergency Caesarian 4 weeks ago. They sealed the wound with glue! I didn't even have a dressing on it. (They hadn't told me about any of this so I was very confused). I took paracemetol for 3 days but then realised I didn't need to anymore so stopped. The glue gradually dropped off over a couple of weeks and my scar is neat. DH and I are DTD again already. Overall it was super easy!

I had a c section last month. First few days pretty painful and so do try and get some support to help with your other children. My surgeon used staples to close me up and I had no problems with them at all. After a week I was able to do most things, carefully. Good luck.

Had planned c section nearly 11 years ago, also needle phobic so was dreading that the most but anaesthetist doing epidural was great at distracting me Apart from burning pain at section site immediately after, when I had morphine (which totally did the job) the only issue was wind & uterus contractions which were managed with diclofenac & paracetamol. I was able to mobilise fine though and stitches from surgery were dissolving type and no healing issues at all. Good luck to you and your baby! It’s a planned section too this time for you so hopefully will make it less traumatic for you

Thank you ladies, it's been lovely reading all your stories and is nice to see that not all sections have bad outcomes. Obviously I just want to get baby here as safely as possible and I know this is the best thing for her. Just scared of going through the same as last time, I think part of it may be a case of going in with a more positive attitude that this time it will be OK and hopefully it will be sort of be a mind over matter situation. Fingers crossed

Pretty painful. I had my twins and the first few days were hell for me getting up. At one point in the hospital I had to be wheeled to the toilet down the hall because the pain flared up. That being said I was able to go and register the birth a week later with moderate to mild pain even if my boobs were horrridly full and leaking!!

It was absolutely fine. I took a while to get mobilised (tbh I was quite enjoying lounging in bed with my baby) but stayed 2 nights and was able to do most things, albeit a bit slowly from getting home. Went out shopping the day after getting back from hospital. Perhaps.I got lucky, but ive had worse periods...

I had a planned c section 7 years ago when I was 39 as my DD was breech. The bit I found most hard was I couldn't lie down properly afterwards as I couldn't get up! I deliberately buried my head in the sand before I had it so I wouldn't read any horror stories.

The procedure itself just felt sort of surreal, it didn't hurt at all, afterwards when the anaesthetic wore off I was sore but not unbearable and I took painkillers regularly. I was walking about the next morning and while it felt like my insides might fall out it was okay.

The worst thing was I got constipated because of the painkillers, the sheer relief when I finally went! I came back to my bed and said to DH 'the eagle has finally landed'!

I did take it easy and do as I was told but I moved around and went for gentle walks too. I had dissolvable stitches and after around five weeks I had a minor infection were one hadn't quite dissolved, I'd had one on the other side but I could see that one and pulled it out.

It really didn't hurt that much and I recovered quite quickly, I was lucky.