C-Section: Parting the muscle vs cutting the muscle

[hugefatso]

BIG difference between recovery, pain, movement, general damage done to tissues etc.

Right?

How do you know what they did? I have no idea. Just thought it was a breeze compared to natural birth!

I think with the ELCS they part the muscle and with a EMCS they cut the muscle. I just wondered whether the gap really is that big between the two types of recovery and other factors.

I had a Emcs with ds, because he wasn't coming out any other way (undiagnosed footling breech), but wasn't in distress. For that, the surgeon parted my muscles and it was all rather gentle and I was up and about pretty quickly; driving at 4 weeks; swimming at 6 and running at 11.

With DD, her heart stopped when I was in labour. I had a crash section, surgeon went straight through my muscle and dd was born very quickly - a few mins. Surgeon was in such a hurry that dd had a big cut from the scalpel on her back. After that c section I couldn't stand up without pain for 9 weeks, let alone anything else like walking, playing with 3 year old, carrying baby..,,

Oh my gosh, bikerunski your DD's birth sounds terrifying. Thank goodness you got her out. And poor little bairn with a cut on her back.

Do you now feel reconnected to those stomach muscles?

Dd was fine apart from the cut. I was plagued with low-level health issues for months after she was born- throat infection, tooth abcess etc. But I did walk miles once I could and am quite sporty anyway, so tummy muscles aren't too bad. Don't think it'll ever be flat though, not that it ever was! DD was 3 a couple of weeks ago, and tbh I rarely think of the trauma of her birth. It wasn't even that traumatic as I had a general anasetic a few minutes in. All's good now though.

Glad to hear it's all good now bikerunski.

I had a general anaesthetic years ago and remember I got a lot of low-level infections after it. It seems to really lower your immune system and disturb your body.