To stay in bed today?- c section pain

[Jajajagi]

I had an elective c section last Monday and have been getting on ok since, managing to walk around the house and go up and down the stairs a bit but for the past couple of days I've had very painful searing burning pain around my scar, particularly at the edges/ends. Midwife checked the wound a couple of days ago and says it all looks fine, no sign of infection. It's so painful mostly when I'm standing up or kneeling (which I only do when changing the baby downstairs). The pain arrives almost immediately after I stand up. It seems that the pain goes when I am reclined sitting. I've spent most of today reclining in bed, feeding the baby and changing him on the bed. I'm taking paracetamol and ibuprofen but they don't seem to do much for the pain. I do have stronger painkillers but my midwife suggested not taking them anymore after a week as they are opioids.

Should I be making an effort to get up and move around even though it's really painful? Take the opioids anyway?or am I ok to have a lazy day or 2 in bed to avoid the pain? My MIL is pushing for me to get up and moving but I am feeling so sensitive to the pain at the moment.

I think the advice is to be as active as you can be isnt it. But also that may mean its not very much and that is OK. You have every right to heal however you need to. I'd take the painkillers too to be honest. You need them, you shouldn't have to grin and bear it if that means you're finding it hard to get up.

C section or not, a brand new mother is fully entitled to have some lazy days in bed with their baby. Tell your MIL to mind her business.

was the section Monday or Monday of last week? After a week and a half I would think that although there would still be pain and tenderness, you shouldn't be having searing pain as you describe. If it gets worse I would go to the doctor.

can you get an different pain relief- something in between opioids and paracetemol?

Ouch, you poor thing. I don't have any advice I'm afraid, but bumping in the hope someone who is more knowledgeable will see this.

Did you have the op Monday 3 Feb or Monday 27 Jan?

Rest and don’t feel bad for one second!!

I would be tucked up with my baby as much as possible in the early days.

Take the opioids for God's sake woman! You've had major surgery! And personally I'd try to keep moving at least a little.

I didn't find healing from either of my sections was linear. Some good days, some bad. You'll get there.

Why are you kneeling when changing the baby downstairs? Change the nappy on the couch beside you, or on a table, have you a changing mat with the raised sides? This would be much easier for you and a newborn won’t move off it and you’ll be right there looking at them anyway.

I had that pain and I found it was most likely the nerves tingling and healing and connecting back together. Definitely move a little today if you can but keep up pain meds and rest if you need it, and stop kneeling! That’s putting unnecessary pressure on your abdominal muscles.

I bet your mil wouldn't be pushing your dh to get moving if he had major abdominal surgery.

Rest up and congratulations on your new baby.

Thank you! The c section was last week (27th) not this week so it's been about a week and a half. I was taking the stronger painkillers until Friday but have taken the occasional one if it has been bad since then. I have only been in contact with my midwife, not contacted my doctor yet but will do if the pain doesn't subside. I will take one now!

I had an emergency c section. While I didn't stay in bed, I definitely parked myself on the couch for the first 2 weeks at least. I got up to change nappies, grab bottles, bathroom breaks etc. Don't think I left the house until after the 2 week mark to be honest. Do what feels right for you. I healed perfectly fine and pretty much healed by the 5 week mark.

I'd stay where you're comfortable for now and then when DH gets home (assuming he's at work) get up and get a bath/shower, move around a bit while he takes care of the baby and you can just think about yourself for a minute. It'll be much better soon.

I have found it tricky to twist round to change him on the sofa, I normally would lift one knee up into a sorry of cross legged position but found that can hurt too as it pulls my lower abdomen out. I thought kneeling on the floor while he's on the sofa to change him might be better - but it wasn't! I'm hyper mobile so think I might be stretching too far in the wrong directions without realising until it hurts.

I remember that pain so well! It was a burning tugging pain for me, agonising. I didn't have a chance to rest as my baby was in the NICU for three months so I was walking lots by day 2 but if you can rest, do it.

Thank you! Do you remember how long the pain lasted for? I'm now worried about why it's so painful now and whether there is an issue

It could be painful because you’ve been doing too much. Yes it’s important to keep active but that would be a short 10 minute walk, you don’t need to be on the go all day. Don’t let people make you think otherwise.

Take the painkillers!! I ad my c section two weeks before yours and now not taking painkillers at all, but some movements still ‘catch’. Change baby on table or counter standing up, A section is major surgery, be kind to yourself, take time and space to heel and bond

Be gentle on yourself! Sitting on your bum and feeding is one of the joys of baby time! And take the painkillers it's for relaxing the muscles as well as pain relief. I've had 2! So I know what I'm talking about. Gentle exercise could mean going to the toilet and shuffling between rooms. It's a marathon not a sprint!

I don't remember my pain getting worse.

I would put a changing mat or folded towel on dining table if you need somewhere downstairs.

I had C-section Friday 31st so a few days behind you. I'm taking opioid painkillers every 4hrs and ibuprofen and paracetamol for the pain as it is still very sore and experiencing the same pain as you're explaining so would say normal! I went out for the first time today and did some walking about but possibly over did it slightly - planning on having 'lazy' day tomorrow and Saturday at home, resting and pottering about. Also have 18 month old so makes it difficult to be completely resting! Don't feel pressured by MIL - listen to your body and do only what you feel able to, don't push yourself...and don't compare, you do what you feel comfortable doing! It's better to rest and be 'lazy' then over do it and cause issues and regret it! Be kind to yourself and take care x

Rest and a shuffle round the house is 💯 fine.

In terms of healing the 2 things you want to do are

1. Buy some silicone strips and use from about 6 weeks pp.
2. Go see a specialist osteo physio to check your healing help realign you and teach you have to massage the fascia so you dont end up with excess scar tissue along incision.

both work miracles - I had 2 sections and only have one small bit of scarring in one corner and even thats because i really half arsed it during recovery with my 2nd.

Take the pain killers and absolutely rest up. I over did being active post second C-section and ended up with an infection. First C-section I was in hospital 5 days, moving very little and my recovery was so much easier and quicker. Listen to your body.

Get back to bed!
At this stage you still need proper pain relief, alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen (or diclophenac if you can get it) . Alternate types every 2 hours so you it doesn't wear off. And eat when you take the ibuprofen.
Are you drinking enough fluids? Don't just eat more fibre, it needs fluids to work it's magic. Constipation cause pain and is still a risk after birth especially if you have been taking opioids .
I was so constipated after my second c section it was stopping my uterus fully contracting and causing extra pain.

I’m going to go against the grain and say you need to try and be semi active without over doing it. Toddle around the house as and when you can. You’re high risk for a dvt or PE if you are completely immobile.
I would also expect you to be feeling quite a bit better by now ans be able to be relatively mobile. (I’m a midwife).
if things don’t improve it may be worth getting another check to make sure there’s nothing underlying causing the pain eg haematoma or infection.

I don’t think you need to be doing much but laying in bed could cause more harm than good if you end up with a thrombosis . Also other peoples pain level really isn’t relevant as some people have a lower pain threshold . Do you not have a table or surface that you can use downstairs for changing the baby as obviously keep going up and down stairs isn’t helping you .

I remember that hot searing pain! You poor thing. I've had 2 sections and one had this pain and it was infected. I'd go and see your GP ASAP to get it double checked- and as a warning from me don't just take cream for the outside ask for oral antibiotics because when they opened me up for my 2nd section the surgeon said 'oh wow did you have infection last time?!' And I had but was only ever given cream for the outside which clearly wasn't enough and had caused a lot of damage inside. Good luck OP, feel free to have your lazy days.