After c-section - when did you feel back to normal?

[Sallyssss]

I had a emcs 5 weeks ago, and I still have a lot of discomfort with my stomach. My scar looks fine and seems to be healing ok, but I just feel discomfort when I exert any energy. Is this normal? When did you feel back to your old self?

After my emcs, it took longer to recover.
After 6 weeks I felt fine to drive, but it was 8 or 9 weeks before I felt normal and could go for a longish walk without regretting it the next day.
I think that emcs's really take it out of you. Make sure you rest plenty and take up any offers of help. I'm sure you'll feel better soon :)

Took longer after my emcs than my elcs, but that was largely the shock and GA. I don't think it took as long as 5 weeks though, maybe 3 - 4.

My EMCS was quite hard to recover from. I didn't rest enough so it was well over a month until I started to feel more human. I did get back to the gym at 12 weeks post cs, but that was for a very easy old lady style work out - more to get out the house than anything.

In comparison my ELCS and hysterectomy were a doddle to recover from, mainly because I did bugger all after than and was able to rest.

It's normal - I had an emergency section 7 weeks ago today...and it was only late last week that I finally felt like I have some proper strength back.

I felt like I'd been hit by a truck - I found week five the very worst of all, the stitches are out and the outside looks better, but gosh my inside still hurt like hell and if I overdid it I knew about it the next day and even the day after! In the past few days my internal swelling has gone down, the lochia has stopped and my body has started feeling like my own again.

Hang in there, you'll feel better soon!

16 weeks tomorrow since my elcs. I'm feeling pretty much normal, although STILL getting the odd scar twinge and the skin around my scar is still tender. I couldn't manage a heavy workout or a hike and still get twinges if I lift my (massive!) baby or toddler too much, but managed my forty minute postnatal workout DVD today. So, I'm nearly back to normal, but not quite.

After five weeks (and several scar infections), I could barely walk half a mile and couldn't really do any housework etc (good excuse!). I was still on painkillers too, so I think that you are doing better than I did!

Don't hurry things, take care of yourself and enjoy time with the baby. I bet you'll feel ten time better by Christmas!

I had my c-section last Thursday. The hardest thing for me is getting out of bed - I find the pain excrutiating. Does anyone know how long I will have this for?

Sorry to but in!

I think it took me about 10 weeks to feel like I was getting any kind of core strength back. The real pain went quicker than that - I can remember thinking that I'd be fine to mow the lawns after 5 weeks (yes, yes, I know...!), but then only managing a bit before having to give up exhausted. I can also remember meeting someone aroundabout then who had a 10-week-old baby born by cs and was wearing jeans, and wondered how on earth that was possible, but at 10 weeks I could wear (high-waisted) jeans too. It will get better but it is sooo frustrating. Diddygirl yes it is excruciating but just gradually gets better over the first few weeks. Take it slow, and experiment with the best way of getting up - for me it was to roll onto my side, and then push up with my hands and swing my legs out at the same time. Or get someone to give you a push. You miss those electric hospital beds don't you!

About three weeks before I felt 'ok', but tummy and scar still hurt if I pushed on it (ie washing dishes at sink, or with shopping trolley), about 8 weeks before I could do everything again. Realistically it was 6 months before I felt anywhere near back to my 'normal' shape and self, and now feel almost entirely fine after 16 months. Lots of us seemed to get weird pains in scar and under it after 4-5 months - not sure if it was nerves healing, or something.

Hi,
I had an emergency section five months ago and it took me at least two months to feel "OK" and over three months to feel normal. Lots of pulling and light pain, scar itching (high waisted underwear and pants are the only style I found comfortable). My baby kicking me at scar level on her change table didn't help! It still felt kind of weird when I peed until recently. Books and doctors tell you 6 weeks - yeah right!! Accepting that it takes a long time and not putting pressure on yourself is the best remedy, I found. A midwife I'm seeing for Kegel classes (I live in France and 'perineal re-education classes are covered by heathcare here) told me to rub on either side of my scar now (five months later) to get oxygen to it and help flatten it out and fade faster. I find it hard to do, psychologically, but it seems to help and takes a bit of the itching away.
Good luck and take it easy!

Wow - some sad stories on this thread - I had an EMCS and although I was 'numb' for a couple of days I had absolutely no other side effects and I was fine from day 3 - in fact I haven't even got a scar - perhaps I dreamt the whole thing .

Thank you all so much for replying. It's comforting to know that it's not uncommon for the recovery to take so long. I'm actually feeling a little better this week. I guess it just takes time!

Perhaps I was lucky but I had practically no pain with my ELCS, but I did take all the painkillers on offer and continued with paracetamol for a week after the operation. 5 days in I went for a short walk and then felt a bit tired but 7 days after the op I was walking about all morning and had no problems. I rode at 7 weeks and would have ridden soon had Dp not been unwell and unable to keep the baby.

Hope you feel better soon!