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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

2nd C Section stories?

30 replies

curiousgeorgie · 29/04/2013 11:11

I've just had an appointment with my consultant for my second C Section and was asked about my ELCS recovery two years ago, which was fine. I got up the following morning and showered a bit later, went home after 2 nights and was walking short walks with the pram that weekend...

The consultant laughed and said this recovery would be a lot harder, and that I couldn't possibly expect to be up and about so quickly after a second section.

At 30 I'm only 2 years older, I'm in no way super fit (quite the opposite actually!) but I'm pretty much the same as I was then, so why will it be so much harder?

Can anyone tell me about their second c section (even if it proves the consultant right!)

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TheKnackeredChef · 29/04/2013 11:26

First time I was in hospital for a week, loafing about in between bed and a wheelchair! I do remember being in quite a bit of pain at times. 7 years later had my second CS, was up and about the following day and home the morning after that. No pain to speak of at all really.

Original poster

curiousgeorgie · 29/04/2013 11:28

Thanks, that's reassuring!! More like that?

OP posts:

MolotovCocktail · 29/04/2013 11:31

I'm following this thread with interest, OP.

I had my first ELCS last April for my second baby. Not currently pregnant but we would consider one more child (who would be born by ELCS).

Am very interested in other's experiences.

Anonymous88 · 29/04/2013 11:34

I haven't had a c section but partners ex has with her two recent kids and she never had any problems. The recovery was exactly the same the second time as the first. She was allowed to drive from 6 weeks (which I think is standard time for a csection) ,and was able to carry the newborn in a sling a few weeks after he was born.

MolotovCocktail · 29/04/2013 11:38

OP, did you ask your consultant about why s/he is predicting that your recovery will be more challenging second time around?

Have you requested the ELCS?

(My OB was quite the doom-merchant because my ELCS was officially a 'Maternal Request'. The actual reason wasn't taken seriously, but I won't go on as I'm not going to hijack your thread).

IBlameThePenguins · 29/04/2013 11:39

Watching with interest... Had my first C-section 6 weeks ago with DC 2. I'm not fine yet though (if I can convince DH!)

StupidFlanders · 29/04/2013 11:52

My insurance company haven't heard about the six week wait to drive. I was grocery shopping with 2 dcs 3 days after my second cesarean.
I'm now up to 4 cesareans and have no worries.

Panzee · 29/04/2013 11:54

My second recovery was far easier than the first. But I was more assertive about pain relief and kept my own chart so I wasn't relying on the midwives remembering to offer the tablets.

Original poster

curiousgeorgie · 29/04/2013 11:55

Molotov - mine is also maternal request officially. I had an ELCS before because I was 12 days overdue, had crippling SPD, the baby was measuring very large and a consultant had told me that despite 3 sweeps I hadn't dilated at all, my cervix was still at the back etc..

This time I feel like the baby is bigger, my spd is much worse and I was given the choice of that or vbac, which I wasn't keen on after 2 friends horrendous stories and instrumental deliveries regardless. (And both of them with ongoing problems after forceps as a result.)

The consultant didn't say specifically why, it seemed to me and DH to seem quite general, which has worried me, as I'm going for ELCS because the first one was such a good experience!

OP posts:

Inagalaxynotsofaraway · 29/04/2013 11:59

I found my second and third c-sections much easier to recover from than my first - much less discomfort. In fact I remember walking round a local zoo 1 week after my second, with no problem.

newbiefrugalgal · 29/04/2013 12:00

I had c section with ds2 -14 months after the first.
Both really good recoveries -up and about etc. walking to parks with prams etc.
I would say though I did feel more pain with the second recovery but life back to normal -had to be with 14mth old to look after.

newbiefrugalgal · 29/04/2013 12:01

I was 32 at the time!

noblegiraffe · 29/04/2013 12:05

My second c-section recovery sound much like your first. My first was much harder but was an EMCS which apparently makes a big difference.

Think your consultant was talking rubbish!

CassieTheCockatoo · 29/04/2013 12:10

I think I did have more pain the second time around...but I also kept on top of the medication a lot better to deal with it. I made my OB write down what medication I could have and how often so I could tell the nurses as they seemed to be oblivious I don't think it is something you could predict though so not sure why your doctor would say this?

DalaHorse · 29/04/2013 12:11

1st EMCS age 38. Up and about the next day, 2 days in hosp, making tea for visitors by day 3 (not sensible! but was on a high).

2nd ELCS age 40. Up and about the next day, 2 days in hosp, no real pain (just getting/sitting up hard as usual) walking around fine. Avoided lifting DC1 but as she was walking by then I didn't have much lifting to do IYSWIM.

Felt fine, both times. Obviously you have to take it easy for a while. But there wasn't any agony, I didn't feel I couldn't move/walk/look after new baby or DC1. I was just fine really.

I wouldn't recommend pushing a pram within 7 days of an ELCS though as your stomach muscles used for walking and pushing are barely started to heal. I felt like I could if I wanted but I knew I shouldn't.

Original poster

curiousgeorgie · 29/04/2013 12:30

Maybe it was just to push me towards vbac then?

I'd much rather just go for my ELCS but just needed some reassurance!

OP posts:

ShowOfHands · 29/04/2013 12:52

I've had two emcs. First time round it was after a 31hr labour with 8hrs of pushing. Recovery was fine. I was discharged after 12hrs, no painkillers, felt a bit fragile I suppose but no pain.

Second emcs was after 38hrs of labour and ds was born at about 3.30pm in the afternoon. By dinnertime I was up and about. In fact I sat in my chair and watched X Factor with a couple of the other women on the ward and then went for a short walk. I was looking after ds from the beginning and up and about quite comfortably. Again, no painkillers required. DD started school when her baby brother was 4 days old and I had to do a 1.5 mile walk with either a pram or a sling and catch a bus for 2.5 miles. I was back running by 8 weeks and had a straightforward, nay easy, recovery.

The only two things I will say is that procedure had changed in our hospital. All cs patients had to wear stockings and self inject with blood thinners for a week afterwards second time round. Plus, I felt a bit too well and swung 4yo dd around rather too much, causing my wound to reopen. Don't do this!

On balance, I'd say recovery second time round was easier actually. There are no rules either way I suppose. Just listen to your body and do as much as it tells you you're able to.

DalaHorse · 29/04/2013 14:08

ShowofHands you had to SELF INJECT????! for a week?! Wouldn't aspirin be easier/do the job!

Second time round I had the lower leg support stockings on after the CS but for less than 24 hours, that was the only difference to the first. No self injecting! I would have been horrified. I don't mind injections but there's no way I am injecting myself.

Original poster

curiousgeorgie · 29/04/2013 14:12

I got given the injections after my first c section to take home with me, but luckily my cousin is a nurse and she did almost all of them for me...

I couldn't wear the stockings for much more than a day as my feet were so incredibly swollen they were cutting in ridiculously, as soon as I took them off I felt better. Are you supposed to keep them on for a week?

OP posts:

Lozza70 · 29/04/2013 14:22

I had an EMCS first time round and although I spent 5 days in hospital following it I felt we'll and recovered quickly once home. I had a ELCS 10 months ago and recovery was great. Even though I have SPD this time I was up walking around within 12 hours and able to have a shower etc. I felt like I could have gone home the next day but they kept me in one more day as I am ancient, 41

I was going out for walks within the week and driving after 3 weeks. I did have to self inject thinners this time for a week but it is really easy, little short needles and preloaded jabs. The consultant may have been trying to put you off with his tails of doom!

Hullygully · 29/04/2013 14:29

Deffo took longer to recover from second, was most annoying.

HeadFairy · 29/04/2013 14:30

I've had two elcs... first was really easy to recover from. I was up the next day, no pain at all, occasionally had a dull ache as though I'd done lots of sit ups but that was after walking a bit too fast on day 4 post cs.

Second cs was a completely different story. I don't know if anything was done differently, ie different drugs etc but I was in agony afterwards. Not while lying down in bed, but they had me up about 20 hours after the cs (they offered to de catherterise me and let me go and wash my face, brush my teeth etc, I accepted the offer gladly). I collapsed in the bathroom from the pain. It was unbelievable searing pain which really only just about reduced a bit over the next four weeks. I couldn't straighten up for 6 weeks. My mobility was greatly reduced and in the midwinter of 2010 with a 2 year old ds and snowed in for weeks it was deeply unpleasant.

My reasons for the second cs were many (I had cs first time for breech presentation) I was 2 weeks overdue, I'd had four sweeps and cervix was impossible to reach, I had a broken coccyx from a fall down the stairs a few weeks earlier and scans were showing my placenta was starting to show signs of failing. They offered me an induction date a couple of days later or an elcs on new years eve - not surprisingly not many people were booked in that day :o - and I leapt at the chance. I was fully recovered by about 3 months, but in hindsight I think I should have at least tried the induction because it was hard work recovering from that cs.

ShowOfHands · 29/04/2013 14:46

DalaHorse, as has already been said, they're smallish needles and preloaded. If you don't want to do it, they teach a dp/dh/friend/parent to do it for you or I suppose at a push you could go to the surgery daily. They ask all patients to do it now as it's been show to reduce dvt significantly. My hospital said that eventually all hospitals will adopt it as policy. It was fine really and I found that injecting in my stomach was best as it was still a bit numb from the spinal and surgery.

And I suppose aspirin wouldn't work at the very least because you can't take it when bfing.

ExcuseTypos · 29/04/2013 16:34

My first was an EMCS, it took me ages to recover, I think it was the shock of the whole thing but also the surgeon put in sodding metal clips rather than stitches- they were horrible and they had to be taken out by hand!

My second was an ELCS. I had stitches this time, I was up and about the next day and felt fantastic tbh. I think it was relief more than anything and ofcourse you're not as tired with an elective as you haven't had hours of labour.

Good luck!

noblegiraffe · 29/04/2013 16:37

I had to have those injections after my EMCS and they were bloody awful. I asked about them after my ELCS and they said they'd reviewed my note and I was low risk so didn't need them. Hurrah! This was three months ago.

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