Tell me about your c-section recovery. How long until I can expect to feel vaguely normal again?

[Honeybee79]

Hello

DS was born by EMCS 3 weeks and 2 days ago. I have been relatively active from the start, trying to go out for a short walk each day. However, my stomach is still bloody sore (MW says scar is healing fine though) and my back is hurting too as I think I'm stooping and compensating for the sore stomach.

I was really fit and active before and during my pregnancy so I'm struggling with my current state, not least because I can't carry DS's pushchair down our communal stairs so I am relying on a sling to get out. I don't expect to be running a marathon in the next few weeks but it would be nice to feel a bit more "normal" and not exhausted by a 20 minute walk or constantly stooping.

If you had a C-section, how long did it take you to recover? Is there anything I can do to help myself heal faster?

Thanks

I felt pretty much back to normal after 4-5 weeks.

6 wks but my recovery was slowed down as I had further surgery for gall stones when dd was 2 wks old! It is major surgery though and can take quite a while to feel properly normal again! Keep taking the painkillers as this will help you manage during the day and more likely to stand in a normal position iyswim?!

Do you think you might be doing too much by trying to be active? I would try slowing down to see if the aching goes away. I can't really remember how I felt after my section but I know I did very little for the first month or so.

I think I felt a good deal more normal, not stoopy - albeit still taking it easy (not lugging very heavy stuff or going for long walks (e.g 15min+) after 4-5 weeks (for both DS1 and DS2 - altho' both mine were planned C/S).

I wonder the same as Panzee whether you're doing maybe a little too much too soon and slowing down your recovery. For the first week I did lift DS 1/2 but didn't go for walks any longer than from the car to the shop. Next two I still took things very easy.

I found my back hurt just from a combination of BF and the fact of changing from being pg with a big belly to not being pg (still with moderately rotund belly!). Are you still taking any pain relief? Maybe you've stopped or reduced a little soon, which is why you still feel the need to stoop - which is going to mess with your back on top of everything else.

Didn't feel like driving until 6 weeks - so felt pretty much normal at that stage. And by 9 weeks I went to a Step class (felt up to it, but in hindsight it was too soon - my ligaments and back were like jelly).

Hope you feel recover quick - recovery is an extra unwanted hassle on top of looking after a newborn too!

Honeybee, I found it harder to recover from my EMCS than elective. EMCS can be pretty traumatic - I imagine the surgeon would be rougher. My scar also healed less well.

Anyway, that aside, I think you should take your cue from your body. It will get better. Just take it easy and not try to push the physical limits.

Everyone heals differently.

Well they say 6 weeks for a reason.
You have had major abdominal surgery.
Took me 6 weeksish BUT it drove me mad because like you i needed to get going and get back to normal.
It was my actual wound that hurt if i did too much, but by week 2 i had stopped needing pain killers routinely and just took them as and when.

My ds was feesing every 2 hours day and night so felt like a frigging zombie anyway.

patience, patience patience

I felt exactly the same after my EMCS. I was stooping for a few weeks and still on pain relief for a month.

TBH the best thing to do is rest. I overdid it and looking back I should have stuck to the sofa and ordered in pizza every night.

If it helps I was back at the gym at 12 weeks, there is light at the end of the tunnel .

1st one - full 6 weeks but as I was up and down to the hospital to visit baby in NICU I was not really get the rest I needed.

2nd time - about 3 weeks and I was fine - took arnica to help with healing.

3rd time - 3 weeks and was back driving etc

I felt much better after 2 weeks so went out to cut the hedge. Yanked out a large branch and fell backwards into an uncovered manhole causing a purple bruise the size of a football on my thigh. I wished I had stayed on the fecking sofa.

I remember with my EMCS my wound tugged and twinged for ages. I think the surgeon just wasn't very skilled or was very rushed doing it - it was a crash section. It got me down a bit at the time but did heal eventually months later.

Thanks very much for your advice. I need to be patient and perhaps rest a bit more

You do honeybee, I was scrubbing my bathroom a week after having csection as felt fine but then spent hours vomiting and a day lying down in pain! You have had major abdominal surgery; chill out and enjoy your baby x

I was told "lift nothing heavier than the baby for a month". So I did as I was told. I remember my back aching a bit but I think it's to do with all your muscles and frame realigning with all the weight off the front. I felt pretty much normal after about 6 weeks - I wasn't about to go caber tossing but I was back in my jeans and could function fine.
One of my nct'ers was determined to get out and about and walked 2 miles with her baby in a sling, at about 2 weeks. Madness. She was banjaxed for about a week, with cramping pain in her abdomen.
There's no reason to push yourself - sit down, have a brew and a snuggle and eat some cake! x

Hi Honeybee. I had an emergency section 3 weeks ago, so very similar stage as you.

I left the hospital after a day, determined to get home with my firstborn. In hindsight, it was rather foolish as I ended up having to make several trips back in due to recoccurring problems (had pre-eclampsia, blood pressure was till sky high and my left side was agony for some reason).

Is this your first baby as well? If so, like me, you're probably stumped by the myriad of odd pains, twinges, aches, headaches and leaks that are going on.

I think the others have given great advice, which we should all follow post c-section....relax and don't do so much for a week or two!

I hope you feel better soon.

It's one of the main advantages of being slovenly - an easier recovery from a C section! :o

I had my emcs just under 4 weeks ago and I feel great. My tummy is a bit tender to touch, or if I wear trousers that rub the scar, but otherwise fine. I haven't had any painkillers since about 5 days after the section because I haven't felt I needed them. I have been very pleasantly surprised by the recovery as I was desperate to avoid a section because I thought it would take ages to get over it. 2 weeks to the day after the section my DH and I went out for a 5 mile walk with the pram, and I felt basically ok after doing that!

I had an emergency C section in August and I remember feeling pretty good about 2 weeks afterwards and was out for (short) walks. However, I remember I was pushing the pram up the hill to my parents house and found it really hard and had to pass it over to my husband - I guess we use our stomach muscles a lot more than we realise! As BagofHolly said, I reminded myself that I was told not to carry anything heavier than my baby for a few weeeks and took it easier again (made him push the buggy if we were going up hills or out for a while etc.) I was back to feeling pretty ok although a few weeks later I felt a bit achy again and had to take painkillers for a couple of days, but this passed.

I'm now 14 weeks post natal and I'd say I feel pretty much fully recovered although I do still have twitches sometimes, especially if I'm twisting.

Definitely take it easy! The perfect excuse to snuggle up with baby and get everyone else to do your shopping/cleaning/cooking etc :)