To ask about you elective csections and recovery?

[DigOlBick]

I’m having one next week and I am absolutely terrified! Had an induced vaginal birth last time so this is a complete unknown for me.

I’m so scared of the actual surgery and also the recovery after. I’m a massive wimp.

I had two ELCS’s in just over a year. Compared to my first, vaginal birth they were a walk in the park. I recovered quickly both times. I had no issues with the incision either time. All in all much better experience and much quicker recovery than my vaginal birth.

Mine was an emergency so not quite the same but I was out after 24 hours or so and didn't need any pain relief other than over the counter stuff. I'd say it was no more than a 5 on the pain scale at any point, but I know that some people suffer more pain and want to stay in longer for the pain relief aspect so just see how you go!

The biggest thing for me was to keep active. I felt the most sore when I had been lying or sitting in the same position for long periods. Getting up to shuffle about frequently as soon as possible made a big difference I think.

My hospital did something called 'enhanced recovery' which is meant to get you up and active sooner and stops certain complications. This is a good guide

www.bsuh.nhs.uk/documents/enhanced-recovery-programme-for-patients-requiring-elective-caesarean-section/

The first day will feel really hard but it gets easier. Take your painkillers religiously. I set alarms on my phone to remind me.

Tell your surgeon and anaesthetist you are nervous and they'll reassure you. I had a lovely anaesthetist who really made me feel at ease and talked me through everything so calmly.

You've got this!

I’ve had 2 emcs and 1 elective. By far the elective was the easiest recovery. It’s very very weird though, walking into the operating theatre and lying down on the table - the first two I was wheeled in and very out of it, but the third was completely different and if I’m honest, I was really scared. It was absolutely fine though and I was home within 24 hours. Recovery form elective was so much quicker. Keep on top of your meds and keep checking your scar for infection. I second the maternity pad over the scar- it really helps! Coughing and sneezing is not pleasant for a week or so and you’ll need help the first few nights to lift your baby to feed. The best thing I did at the newborn stage is to get a changing table downstairs! You won’t be able to bend/ kneel down that easily and having a changing table meant I could change the baby easily at waist height- it was a game changer! You’ll be able to lift/ carry your baby from day one. Take arnica tablets and but some (very) big knickers! I also had a feeding pillow (if you’re planning on breast feeding) it’s kind of ‘C’ shaped, you put it around your waist and the baby rests on it to feed- I learned the hard way that wriggly newborn on top of your scar is not good, so this protects you from kicks and wriggles while you’re healing. Good luck- you’ll be absolutely fine!

I was back in none maternity clothes within a week, I was 14 stone pre pregnancy, nearly 17 stone when I went in hospital & weighed under 10 stone a month after ds was born. I had been very poorly with pre eclampsia & lost my baby weight & more during the week I was in hospital, I put on well over 2 stone in fluid with the pre eclampsia in the space of a week.

I've had 2 emcs. First one was fine until the wound got infected. I learnt from my mistakes and the second time around, I spent a good half an hour after every shower laid on my bed with my wound out to get some air to it. Twice a day I would use a maternity pad to dab it to make sure I didn't get it sweaty (tmi but overhang!). It healed wonderfully and I'm convinced the surgeon actually neatened up the scar from the first one whisky she was down there!

This isn't to scare you OP but I don't think these responses give a super realistic view of the recovery from a section... Not for me at least.

I've just had my 3rd csection 2 weeks ago, I've had 1 emergency and 2 elective. I was out of hospital quite quickly - 48 hours after the emergency and 24 hours after the electives. Whilst in there the first bit is tricky as your legs don't work to start with, you've got a catheter in etc, but you are on pretty major pain relief so it's not too bad.

What I will say is that the recovery at home can be a lot harder than some people on this thread seem to have had. I've had bladder/bowel pain with all of them, although this last one had been almost unbearable. 2 weeks on and my bowels are still a total mess and it's still sore to pee. I remember asking my midwife about it after the first one and she said 'its just where they've hooked your bladder out of the way during the surgery, it can get a bit bruised' you can get terrible, terrible post section trapped wind. I've found parts of my recovery from the sections (this one particularly) much worse than the labour I had with the first baby. Your insides can take a bit of time to go back to where they should be - I've had fairly agonising pain with that.

You'll need to inject yourself dalteparin/fragmin or similar for 10 days afterwards. Be prepared for it to sting.

You'll be ok to lift the baby just watch for too much twisting and bending etc in the early days. Get someone to pass you the baby as much as possible. You need to force yourself to take it easy.

Also if you're breastfeeding it can take a bit longer for milk to come in.

I've been left with a scar/overhang from mine (which is numb to the touch) and had 18 months of nerve pain in my back after the 2nd one as well (it resolved itself eventually).

Good luck and I hope it all goes well.

@DigOlBick

I’m worried I won’t be able to lift my own baby as he’s such a giant!

Ah, he might not be. Measurements in utero are notoriously inaccurate- I wouldn't fret about that until he's here.

Plenty of women have been induced for big babies etc and walked away with 7 pounders.

I agree with @TheMysteriousDistance whilst majority of posters had great experiences I also found the recovery extremely tough - not to scare you.

Had two planned sections - first one I was out of hospital after 3 days recovery was tough and was driving after 6 weeks didn’t feel myself at all till around 8 weeks.

Just had a second c section a few months ago left hospital after one day, recovery was awful one day I literally couldn’t even walk into our toilet next to our bedroom the pain was horrendous. Scar got infected was on antibiotics and had to have 6 weeks worth of blood thinning injections in the stomach.

Now on week 8 and feel great am driving, everything healed but please listen to your body and good luck!

@2021mumma 6 weeks of the blood thinning injections would break me - I hated the 10 days of fragmin!

Glad you're feeling better now.

Don't get me wrong, my sections have gone well, they've been fairly calm and I've had no serious complications. I feel very lucky to have had 3 healthy babies arrive as a result. I'm always just slightly taken aback when people describe their own experiences as lovely, easy etc. Perhaps that's relative to a traumatic birth experience but I've found all of mine quite hard going. I might be a total wuss though

Ive been injecting myself with blood thinners for 10 weeks now so not a problem for me! They sick though don’t they!

@TheMysteriousDistance it literally did- I just turned 40 and that’s why needed 6 weeks, if it had been a few weeks earlier I would have just needed the ten days.

Yes healthy babies here too so cannot complain! Have overhang this time, didn’t have this last time hoping it’s early days and will go down soon. Having some osteopath appt and some scar therapy this time too.

I thought maybe I was a wuss too as usually have such a high pain threshold gave birth to my first naturally with no pain relief. Some people are just made different I guess.

Hope you continue to feel good!

Omg 10 weeks @DigOlBick that's tough going! I had IVF X 2 so had loads of injections with that but don't remember any of them being particularly stinging the way fragmin does!

I’m in clexane which is a really long needle and they do hurt quite a bit. I had fragmin after my last birth. I can only do them on my love handles though so hoping I’m not too sore to do it as they just hurt way too much in my thighs.

My belly went down fairly quickly, I used a support belt which helped with my back and support for my stomach in the day. Lots of walking with pram when you are able to. Do not rush though as too much exercise can set you back, slow and steady. You have to take it easy initially. Eat well, heal and enjoy your baby. Don’t forget your pelvic floor exercises (I’m sure you can start those after a few days, the nurses will let you know).

Lots of massage for your stomach and scar too - once it’s healed not before or it may become infected. Silicon gel sheets are good for scars, but again no rush as you have to heal properly first.

Its important to get stood up to reduce blood clots but dont try and do too much too soon. I remember thinking I was doing well as I got up and had shower the next day while I was still on the strong painkillers in hospital. I got discharged later in day on paracetamol and ibuprofen and was floored by doing the littlest thing. I much preferred the experience and recovery compared to my vaginal birth but a lot of people have elective c sections after problematic previous deliveries so I think that's quite common. Best of luck with it x

Mine was like a spa day. Healed perfectly. didn't take pain killers once the main ones from surgery had worn off

I have had two electives. Both easy with no pain. Both enjoyable. I was up and about the same day and discharged thr following day. My advice is to get up and about ASAP and do as much as you can yourself without over doing it. Also take some peppermint products - after my second I had terrible trapped wind. Of course it's nerve racking but no need to worry.

Pain wise, I never took anything stronger than ibuprofen after leaving the hospital. I just didn't need to at all. I took things easy for about a week after. I don't understand why everyone dreads a c-section.

I had an emergency and was up and walking the next day. Id say it was ok after a week and I was back to introducing exercise at 6 weeks.

Id have another section in a heatbeat.

2 very positive csections.
Make sure you take all the drugs on time and if paracetamol is not cutting it ask for stronger (oramorph), they will have been prescribed but you have to ask for them.
Good luck x

With the peppermint, should I take it when I have trapped wind or take it regularly to prevent the trapped wind? I’ve never used peppermint before!

Compared to an assisted birth (30+ hours labour, forceps and episiotomy) my c section (‘semi-elective’ as I refused induction and DD needed to come out) was heaven. If I ever had another baby (unlikely) I would choose a c section. Felt so much better mentally afterwards and recovery was not as painful as I thought it would be. Never had any problems with c section scar either. Tummy is a bit aprony now but hey. Two healthy babies, can’t complain!

I think everyone is different - I had quite a bit of pain so took paracetamol and ibuprofen religiously for a couple of weeks (the after pains floored me), and just took it slowly. I split the end of the wound grappling with a tantruming 3yo so that wasn't great but healed well eventually. My scar is lower down than I thought it would be which is great, no c section pouch either. I'd say I was back to normal by about 8-10 weeks after, started gentle exercise at 4 months.