C-section advice

[plannedshock]

How long we're you in hospital after? Could you breastfeed? How long until you could get out and about comfortably? And finally how long until you were 100%? Jeez, think that covers it!! Any experience would be appreciated!

Hello,
I've had 2 ELCS and one VB. Spent 2 nights in for ELCS . Breastfeeding fine. Out of bed day after. Currently 2.5 weeks post birth and able to go for 15/20 walks with pram etc. Last time i was driving safely at around 4 weeks. Everyone is different though. My main top tip is to stay in top of your pain meds. my was pretty shocking when it came to regular meds rounds and I know I suffered as a result, so be demanding and dont wait until you're in pain to get drugs.
Good luck!
Cyee

I had emergency c-section with one and only DD 2.3yrs ago. I had it at around midday, I was totally 'paralysed' from neck down and sort of struggled a bit to hold DD in first place, however, soon as I stopped feeling sick and was in recovery, immediately breast fed baby.. lying flat on back - she was sort of placed on top of me if that makes sense ?! so she lay on her tummy sort of on my chest.. sounds bit odd, but it worked for both her and me and she would sort of lift head and flop onto breast (I don't know if because I've small breast that helped?!) anyway, it was fine. I stayed one night in hospital, they weren't keen to let me go to be honest but it was Christmas Eve and I didn't want to spend Christmas in hospital - plus I felt lying at home with DH support / help would be nicer! It was. Managed to get myself discharged.

Never felt in pain, as Cyee says, drugs must have worked for me! I didn't get dressed or go out for at least 4/5 days (was Christmas after all) and thought I'd barely moved - someone came and looked at wound and dressing, annoyingly cut split and I had to have it padded / dressed every couple of days for 6 weeks.. couldn't drive and it was a pain in arse - however, I do look on that time in hindsight fondly as meant baby and I just bunkered down and DH fed and watered us!

I think I was exception to rule and as I say, whilst it wasn't a painful 6 weeks I did go bit stir crazy - however, baby fed well and was contented.. by the end we were walking short distances and I felt fine.

If you are having a planned c-section I believe these are less 'hard' on the body - I could be wrong though, but have many friends that seemed to mend quicker than me - I think I was just unfortunate with cut re-opening.

Good luck, it's absolutely fine in grand scheme of things.

Had ds on the Thursday, was home by lunch time on the Saturday.
Breast fed immediately, milk came through about 4 nights later.
Feel ok now, that was 9 weeks ago.

Had to walk my older ds to school and back 2 weeks after section as i couldnt drive for 6 weeks, took my time but loved being out in the fresh air tbh.

Obviously had all houshold stuff to do too, (washing, ironing, cleaning etc i dont have any help/family and dh had to go back to work)

Stopped painkillers about 2 weeks after section, even with the walking i didnt feel i needed anything stronger than paracetamol.

Realy good experience all in all.

Just had 3rd ELCS 10 days ago.Taking regular painkillers but not actually in pain.Stayed in 3 nights this time.Have been home for 7.Not left house yet as taking it easy but able to cook,do washing,carry things up and down stairs etc.Planning to drive after 3 weeks,never waited more than 4 with any of the sections.Breastfeeding with no problems,milk came in after 3 days,before that lots of skin to skin,DS3 sucking all day & night but now much more settled.Pretty similar with DS1& 2,first few nights are exhausting but light at end of tunnel.Probably could be doing more physically but DH is around to help for next 2 weeks and making the most of the chance to rest.Not sure when will be back to normal this time but went to toddler groups after 2 weeks & on a holiday abroad 8 weeks after DS2 section with absolutely no problems.

stayed in 2 nights with the electives and breastfed fine :)

all will be well. Just ask for pain killers if they are shortcoming

Had emergency c-section at 7am on the Sunday morning after vein in labour since about 7pm the previous evening. I was home by 7pm Monday evening- would have been earlier if hospital had sorted papers sooner.

No trouble at all breastfeeding- milk came in on the Wednesday. Main problem at first was turning over in bed and getting in and out of bed/car. That was a little bit sore, but dp was off for a fortnight and I remember feeling considerably better by the time he went back to work.

I was never really in pain as such, I'd just get tired really quickly, but I had a lot of morphene so in hindsight I'd put it down to that.

I can't remember when I felt normal- it happened really gradually I think, and I think quite a bit of it was mental- once I knew I could drive at 8 weeks I felt a lot better- just knowing I had my freedom.

In all honesty, I'd read nightmare stories on here about having to get up the stairs on my bum and not being able to work, and it wasn't half as bad as all that.

There were some days when I'd feel ok and I'd be in the go all day but then be really knackered at night. I forget I've had a 'major operation'.

being not vein

And walk not work. Stupid pissing phone.

I had an emergency csection, failed ventouse and forceps went into labour on the Sunday had my son on the Tuesday so pretty rough time . I was in hospital for seven days, three days extra as my son had jaundice. My milk didn't come through until over two weeks later and then I discovered my son had a tongue tie , that along with lack of support I just thought I could not breastfeed. :( I was in a lot of pain and found it hard to turn over in bed etc, I felt like an elderly lady. I did not drive for 10 weeks. Took me about 6 months to feel myself. However, everyone is different, I know people who have made really speedy recoveries and been up and about in no time especially if an elective. Good luck.

I had a planned section a week ago. It was my DS2. I had a vaginal birth with DS1 that had complications requiring a section this time.

I found breastfeeding fine - milk came in quickly. He was born hungry but lay on my chest being grumpy until I was in recovery where he happily latched on. Because people were rooting about in my stomach, I couldn't latch him on straight away, but it was pretty quick.

I was discharged after 24 hours. I had terrible pain once home a day or SIL. I mean really terrible and picked up a UTI. I was rushed back into hospital screaming. Once I had antibiotics and codeine, things really improved.

After a couple of days of codeine, I had healed enough to drop back to paracetamol.

My advice is that the operation itself was great, much better than three days of labour! But after my vaginal delivery, even though very bad, I was able to be out and about after a week. I still can't turn over easily in bed and I'm very fit normally.

My advice is ask to be discharged with stronger painkillers in case you need them. Paracetamol simply did nothing for my pain. If you don't need them, brilliant.

kaekae, that happened with my emergency one too, also a failed ventouse and forceps, dural tap, baby in scbu, longer stay myself. It's so much different from having a planned one. I hope you are okay xx

kae, I think having a CS after a range of failed interventions is very hard on the body. You need a lot of time to recover from forceps and ventouse alone! You really did go through the mill there.

My experience of CS was brilliant. It was a crash GA section (foetal distress after induction that failed) so I felt woozy from the anaesthetic for a couple of weeks but I healed very well and was driving again within 3 weeks. 100% I'd say after 2-3 months although obv it's difficult to tell when you're not sleeping much!

TBH I recovered faster from the crash CS than from my first completely unassisted vaginal birth. I still didn't feel myself 2 months after DS's birth.

Oh, and breastfeeding was fine as well. Make sure you take the painkillers they prescribe and follow advice re lifting and FGS avoid taking a bath in the hospital- have showers instead. Hospital bathrooms are NOT as clean as they ought to be.

1 emergency section, 2 electives

Had no problems bf or picking baby up.

I didn't drive for 6 weeks every time (cynical old me didn't trust the airy-fairy person at the insurance co and decided not to risk it) and I think that helped recovery as, like the HV said, it tends not to be the driving, but the lugging the car seat and the baby in and out of the car, pushing the trolley round the supermarket, and unpacking shopping etc etc that doesn't do you so much good.

I was told not to carry my toddler but sod that! I did it carefully and was fine.

I took all the painkillers on offer and didn't try to be brave. I remember having prescription ones after DC1 after I got home and eking them out, but I don't remember that with the other two.

Felt back to normal quite quickly. Couple of weeks? Tummy felt peculiarly tender for a while though. A year or even two?

Immediately afterwards I remembered what my sister told me about her c-section "I felt awful the first day but after that I felt 100% better every day." I found that to be true for me too. Rough on day 1, a lot better on day 2, HEAPS better on day 3, and so on.

Get up and about as soon as you can. But don't try to be superwoman, you have just had your guts cut open when all's said and done . . .

Emergency or planned? I've done both.

Planned - 2 nights. Yes bf immediately no prob. Felt great once anaesthetic wore off. Felt me and perfectly well by GP 6wk check, if not bit earlier. Barely any pain. No irritation. Almost shocked how good I felt! Nothing encumberd really. Just picking up my 2yr old.

Emergency - the op was fine. Bf immediately. Felt shit for 2wks. Felt me after 3mths. This was dd1 tho. Could really be why as I was a bit shocked by a baby.

Mine was five years ago now and although I was very upset about it all I went on to have a very happy and succesful VBAC two years later, was also able to breastfeed second time round too. :)

in for three nights, dreading it but actually enjoyed it.
was just about mobile the following day, by day three taking it really slowly, shuffled very slowly out of the hospital and into the car. Took it very easy for two weeks, literally. however could walk up and down stairs with help step into bath.
I wasnt in pain except for sharp stabbing pain in my side which came and went after three ish weeks. Apart from that I was totally pain free.
BF straight away, its removal of placenta that stimulates milk. NO probs there and the three days in hospital in the beds ( moving up and down etc) really helped that. One night she slept across my chest and fed most of the night!
Four months on and I am doing vigourus excersising.
I was driving by week four and fine to move easily without thinking about it. I took it all very carefully because I had read on here you feel fine, then unwittingly set youself back.

Most of the above posts sounds great! Not at all what I experienced but had an awful labour followed by emcs. Had poor care for two nights so begged to be discharged so I could actually be looked after at home. They discharged me with my cannula in and no birth records. When I did get them they'd recorded the wrong date of birth
Felt in a lot of pain to be honest for a good week after getting home and bf was a big struggle but didn't help that Ds went straight to scbu. He later had neck problems which resulted in treatment for flathead syndrome.
Everyone is different and a lot depends on whether you have elcs or awful labour then emsc and I'd agree with staying on top of pain relief. I cried when my Diclofenac finished.
Having said all that, I think after the first rough week or two I recovered pretty well, had no problems with scar and was out walking and pushing the pram at about 4-5 weeks. Think driving was maybe 7 weeks though.

Had emcs with in diagnosed breech. Dd born 8.30pm on the Tuesday and we were allowed out on the Thursday. She fed straight away no probs and is feeding as we speak 21 weeks later. Finished taking painkillers at about 3 weeks and by 4 weeks I was independent and starting to go for walks etc. I remember not being able to do much on the first day and being very reliant on dh and the ward staff but things quickly got a lot easier.

I had emcs two weeks ago. Lovely experience. Baby however had to go to special care for three nights because of breathing difficulties, v common with bigger babies apparrently. Bmilk was relatively unaffected.

Next day i was dressed and showered. Going to the toilet did not hurt at all, snd i was expecting it to....showering was ok from day after, catheter in 24 hours and its really comfortable.

They put the catheter in when you are on table and anaethetised, you just feel legs being moved around etc. Strangely, that was the most difficult part for me, felt so vulnerable.

I went to a gig a week later but that was really too soon, i was exhausted the next day. Went for walk when baby was five days old. Still cant lift anything heavy and wouldnt dream of driving but all in all, a positive experience. Good luck.

I may get flamed for this, BUT I had an elective c section and it was great. At my mum group I was the only elective C Section and am the only one without some horror birth story. I was in for just over 24 hours. Numb from legs down but DD born at 12noon and by 2am could walk to the loo (had to do 3 wees before I could go home). First 2 days home I literally lay on the sofa (but really what else do you want to dowhen you have a NB?) but I could easily do the stairs for the bathroom and make cup of tea etc. My advice is keep on top of meds. Take them at stated doses and do NOT wait for it to hurt. I was driving within 2 weeks, and riding my horse (walk trot and canter) by 3 weeks. I firmly beleive that this was becasue I RESTED in the first week. Proper rest, sat on sofa and was waited on hand a foot. Do not try to do anything in the first week. Also ask them to show you the coughing technique. I had a cracked rib and a chest infection at the time of delivery and coughing was a problem, but they showed me a super way where you sort of 'grumble' it up and so all was good. Good luck and enjoy your new babyx

Sorry to answer question fully. On day six I went into the city (30 mins drive) and registered birth, pottered around shops and had brunch. This was pain free and easy. BUT, I did then spend rest of day on sofa to be sure, and also DP did all lifting of baby and car seat and driving etc. I felt fully 100% recovered by about 6 weeks, but after 3 weeks the only things I couldnt do were say mowning the lawn and heavy lifting.

Tolly, why should you get flamed? I had elcs because my sons birth was so traumatic that i felt suicidal, had flashbacks and nightsweats for months, consequently did not bond with my baby for months. This time around i insisted on elcs because its not just about physical safety but also mental health.

I have not shed one tear of anything but joy and relief this time around, and feel calmer than i have at any point since my first baby three years ago. Arguably, im a better mother this time, more laid back and in love with my baby. I had intense therapy leading up to the birth as well, which also helped.

Wow fergus I am so pleased for you that your second birth was such a happy experience. I was so afraid of experiencing what you did with your first and not bonding, which is why I had an elective c section. I have been slightly shunned and made to feel rather u welcome by SOME (not all) other mothers especially the NCT lot who think I should have at least tried the other way. However I just feel so privileged to have by DD and also have been allowed a great birthing experience. I will forever be greatfull to my wonderful midwife councillor who supported by decision and made it happen