Questions about the weeks after a c-section - my memory is hazy...

[5moreminutes]

Hi Everyone

I had my 3rd c-section 2 weeks ago - you'd really think I'd be becoming an expert but there are a few things I can't remember! The section before this one was 3.5 years ago...

I cannot remember how long it takes for tummy swelling etc. to go down. I obviously know it would be inaccurate to ask when it will return "to normal" of it's own accord! But how long was it til uterus returned to roughly the right place ans swelling (both from op and pregnancy) were gone and you could "see what you're dealing with"!

Has anyone else had their bleeding finish/ go to almost nothing very quickly (in 10 days or so) and then had a big flood of blood on one day (not clots) and then again almost nothing... I called the midwife when this happened and she said she thought it is fine but if the sudden flood of blood happens again to go to the doctor...

Also minor things - after how long is it OK to have a proper soak in the bath with bubbles etc - thinking of the scar here as instructions in hosp are to wash it with water only, no shower gel etc. but I forget for how long. Stitches are out now obviously...

Finally a question about lifting; my 3.5 year old is about 22kg (a big lad for his age, heavier than my fairly slim 5 year old daughter) and has been waiting patiently through my pregnancy for me to be able to lift him again :( Obviously he doesn't "need" carrying, can walk/ run/ cycle further and faster than me at the moment and is too heavy to carry far, but when can I pick him up for a cuddle rather than kneeling on the floor or asking him to sit by me or climb onto my knee - he wants me to pick him up and it is a comfort thing for him.

If anyone with more recent post c-section recovery experience or just a better memory than me can answer any of these questions I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks, and good luck to those for whom giving birth in any form is around the corner rather than a fading memory!

I had my 3rd nearly 3 weeks ago and my stomach sweeping has gone, sleeping on my belly after just over a week. Having proper bubble baths - blissful.

I pick up my bigger kids but only if I'm sitting down, one is 4 and the other 2 are 2.5 and just had another set of twins.

I did find I was more bruised this time as they were in there longer due to scare tissue and I was sterilised.

Gosh, mine was only 9 months ago but you've got me thinking.

Tummy - think it was down about a week or two later. Then I could see 'what I was dealing with' as you put it!
Bleeding - really heavy for first few days (still in hospital, thank goodness) and then went quite light but I still had to wear pads for 6 weeks. I didn't have a 'gush' as you described though.
Baths - I also enjoyed a bubble bath about a week after. Brilliant.
Lifting - my DD is my first so don't know about lifting kids, but I was quite careful for at least a week, and then felt pretty ok after about 2. But I still avoided doing any lifting etc, just because of doctors orders :)

Saying all that though, my body recovered fairly well and quickly (well, as far as I know, anyway), so I don't know what it would be like for a repeat section.

Thank you both for the replies!

harrygracejessica congratulations on the new twins and wow at 5 children under 5 years old! I bet that's hard work but will be amazing for them growing up! Sounds like your recovery is going really well especially from a 3rd section and having had twins in there!

I went for a longish walk with the kids yesterday - well not long for a "normal" person, just 2 and a half miles or so, but half way the bleeding got really heavy... I don't think I'm recovering as well this time as the previous 2 and think maybe I need to do less, but that is hard as as far as DH and the older kids can see I look fine and I think in their different ways they all expect me to be back to normal now...

"maybe I need to do less, but that is hard as as far as DH and the older kids can see I look fine and I think in their different ways they all expect me to be back to normal now..."

You mentioned going for a walk. Just remembered - I remember feeling pretty good about 2 weeks after and walked to my mum's (about 1.5 miles away). She lives up a steep hill, and while walking up it I realised that it was quite hard, especially with the buggy, which I then had to pass to DH. I guess we use our tummy muscles when we don't realise. After that I gave buggy duties to DH for a while and was mindful to walk a bit less, that maybe I was doing too much, so went back to resting a bit more. It must be hard trying to recover and rest while looking after older kids too...