Post C Section pain - how is it really?

[JoRichardson35]

Hi all,

I'm having my 1st baby via c section on fri (high risk as disabled) & have been told by my midwife today that, as I'm planning to breastfeed, I can only have paracetamol and diclophenac for pain relief after.
Now this will be my 6th surgery, 3rd major, and I'm struggling with the idea that these pain meds are going to be enough to cope with the pain.
I read on a forum that the pain isn't bad as they sever nerves, but I'm not convinced at all.
Can some c section veterans please shed some light on this?
I want to be as prepared as I can for, not only the op, but post op too & I can't seem to find many answers on the ol' Internet. ..
Thanks! X

Surprisingly CS after pain isn't that bad. I've had two. One emcs and one elcs.
With the emcs I was in labour for a long time first so to be honest having the contractions stop was enough. I didn't even really need paracetamol.

Don't get me wrong I wasn't running around dancing a jig but it was fine.

I didn't have voltarol either time as I am allergic to it.

Second time was fine too. However this time they were certainly not stingy with the pain relief. They kept asking if I wanted morphine and that I needed to keep on top of the pain.

I wasn't in pain and only had a few doses of paracetamol. I had the morphine immediately after the CS (you should get that too in theatre) but didn't want any more as it made me feel sick and vomity.

I was surprised how little it hurt considering. I had expected it to really hurt after.

I know everyone is different and there are some people who struggle more.

While you're still in hospital you can ask for more pain relief. They may feel generous or be stingy. From speaking to women who've had CS there doesn't seem to be a rule. Sadly.

If you're worried about post op pain and you feel your midwife isn't listening, go to your GP and discuss it and see if your GP will help.

I found it bearable with diclofenac as long as I took it as scheduled, with the paracetamol alongside. I've only had 1 other major surgery (involving bones) which was, I think, much more painful than the c section.

It's important not to overdo it even if you feel ok, as I found it more painful the following day.

Also useful to remember that breastfeeding in the early days can cause quite strong uterine contractions that help to shrink it back to normal size. This can be quite painful!

To put it all into context, within about 3 days I was not in agony. I just felt sore and achey everywhere, a bit battered and bruised but not in constant pain.

I don't normally like to say how mine went because everyone is different,so please bear this in mind,after your previous surgeries this could go fairly comfortably for you.It was horrible for me,they wouldn't even give me the diclophenac,I caved after 3 days on paracetamol and had co-codomol off the doctor (and any other strong painkillers I could scavenge off family)which meant I had to stop breastfeeding DD2.BUT I survived and was up and about quite normally in 2 weeks.My sister was up and about without drugs within 24 hours of hers so no two people are the same.Good luck

I found that it didn't hurt at all, I kept waiting for the pain to kick in but it never did. I've had other surgery before too, some of which was very painful, but for my c section I didn't even need the paracetamol. I didn't have any morphine or painkillers during the op either (I can't have morphine) I just had the anaesthetic.
I think I may be an exception, and I do have a high pain threshold, but I was genuinely shocked at not having any pain at all, not even any tweaks of discomfort. Given how stunned and suspicious the midwives were, I think it normally does hurt a bit. I was up and walking about again within two hours of leaving theater (I refused to be catheterized due to it being potentially triggering for me) and never had any problems sitting up, carrying DS etc. I was driving my car (with GP's permission) within five days too.
I hope that doesn't sound like I'm stealth boasting, I have some pretty horrific damage to my spinal chord and neurological system (I was paraplegic for a long time) which might be why it was different for me. Oh, I had an emergency c section too, was supposed to have an elective but DS had other ideas! On the whole it was a really positive experience.

I can't honestly remember what pain relief I was given, but I was breastfeeding, so presumably nothing that was industrial strength!

It's different for everyone, I'm sure, but for me, it really wasn't that painful at all. Apart from being unable to drive for 6 weeks, I was barely affected at all. :)

I was in agony after my crash section. Eye rolling, sweats of agony, and I've had abdominal surgery before.

I got a huge incision, they cut through nerves muscle and blood vessels and left me with huge adhesions with trapped nerves and clumps of scar tissue internally wrapped around my innards. Lost a lot of blood too.

Make sure they use a cauterising blade. Make sure you get the smallest incision possible and make sure they stitch you back carefully. Make sure you have a good haemoglobin reading before you leave the hospital.

I was in agony even two years later, couldn't lie on my tummy until I had a years physio and couldn't bear any pressure on my tummy until my physio broke up the adhesions (manually, with was agony in itself). She made such a mess of my uterus I've been recommended a hysterectomy. Not really what you're expecting when you're expecting.

As you're having an elective, you may be lucky, but do ask your surgeon to be careful. Remind her you want a life after the baby, and you expect to be able to have a normal, pain free life after she's done her job.

My surgeon was a crack handed butcher, with minimal empathy and even less skill. She couldn't have cared less about me and my life after the birth, as a human being, a wife and a mother.

I have my fingers crossed for you and your baby.
Good luck!

Leaving hospital 2 days after having DS I was a walking advert for contraception. Bent double, didn't straighten up for two weeks, really unpleasant but I got through it. Everyone is different. Good luck to you x

Paracetamol and diclofenac are the standard pain relief issue here. I found c section recovery not all that painful at all (elective), was out and at playgroup by day 5, babywearing by day 10 and looking after 2 kids ok by 2 weeks. Good luck!

It wasn't as bad as I expected - was walking albeit like a zombie 14 hours later.
The only 2 painful things were laughing and pulling from laying to sitting position.
I was allowed oramorph when breastfeeding for first 24 hours but just had it for 12 hours more to sleep than anything.
As long as you don't over do it thinking your fine as this will cause pain potentially and heavy bleeding.

Good luck with cs :)

I was fine and not sure what drugs I was on as I wasn't in the UK but I know I only took them for a day or two. I did take calendula and arnica homeopathy tablets in the week running up to surgery though and my consultant was gobsmacked at how fast I healed. I was driving on day 10 with his consent.

Emergency section - awful diclofenac and paracetemol wouldn't cut it. I had codiene. Breast fed. We all survived. I did ask, they said what's the alternative, get on with it eh?

Planned section - easy, just paracetamol pretty quick.

They give you an ( ahem) morphine suppository in theatre. Take it. I didn't have with section1 and I think this may also have made a huge difference.

It was like extremely bad cramps and the first day I couldn't get up easily. Steadily improved .I felt using a belly bandit type surgical tummy belt really helped for the first few weeks. I'd 5 days in hospital for the first and 3 for the second .

Should have said, mine was a planned section (breech, 42 weeks, looked big!) so didn't have any of the exhaustion and trauma that goes with an emergency section. Also had a belly bandit, huge industrial spanx / velcro thing, felt like it was holding everything in, loved it.

Elective c-section - pain not nearly as bad as expected. Offered but declined morphine the first night as didn't feel I needed it. Went home next day with paracetamol and ibuprofen. Most painful thing was going from lying to sitting and needed a hand to do that.

More than pain I was surprised by how tired I was, considering that I didn't actually labour.

Getting up and down for the first few days was definitely the worst. I can't remember how painful that was. I can remember the terrible trapped gas though. Peppermint tea helped with that.

It was really ok.

Had some paracetamol and diclofenic but didn't need anything stronger.

Getting up and down was uncomfortable but not painful.

Coughing and sneezing was pretty horrid but it's fleeting, momentary pain not writhing in agony pain.

I'm 7 days post elcs and was sent home with ibuprofen and told to double up with paracetamol. To be honest it hasn't really been enough and I was grateful yesterday when at a postnatal check the mw took pity on me and gave me a diclofenac.

It is definitely getting a bit better each day. You have to be careful not to over do things otherwise you'll pay for it later on.

With previous emcs I was sent back with 5 days worth of diclofenac which was much more effective.

The trapped wind can be pretty damn uncomfortable. This time I bought peppermint capsules which have really helped.

I've been taking arnica too.

I had an ELCS and I found it fine, I was discharged with tramadol, voltaren & paracetamol though (and I breastfed). Took the tramadol for 10 days post surgery.

I had terrible pain from periformis syndrome, basically awful sciatica that was a knock on effect from SPD and had me shuffling round like an old woman. The C section was an absolute picnic in comparison.

Had a section 10 days ago. Have to keep repeating that cos doesn't seem possible. Amazing recovery so far but still early days.
Took the liquid morphine twice within 24 hours. After that just ibuprofen and paracetamol, it felt uncomfortable day 2 and 3, I don't have any pain now.
Something s that may have helped
-drank lots of peppermint tea to cope with wind in back (a pain worse than the stitches)

• drank lots of water and ate prunes
• Baby in special care so next day was up walking to and from unit to see him. Also did get some sleep and rest in first week (at horrible cost of being without him)

They said the quicker you can mobilise the better you will recover but don't know if this is an option for you with your disability? It's hard to tell if I have just been really lucky. I definitely found the separation from baby far far worse than physical recovery. Good luck

Hi all, thank you all SO much! So many responses to wake up to! Really has put my mind at ease though - just got to hope that little man stays put for 2 more days! Thanks again, really appreciated :) xx

I have has 2 sections one emcs and one elcs. The elcs was a walk in the park in comparison to having one after a full labour. I had panadol and diclofenic for a week or so, and I think I had something stronger a couple of times while still in hospital. For my emcs i was also given cocodamol but second time round they no longer prescribed codiene for breastfeeding mothers. For me it wasn't the pain that was the issue it was worrying about the incision. Second time round I had a support belt and was much more comfortable moving. Felt pretty normal a week after, and was driving well. Felt totally normal no pain at all within 2 months. Good luck!

Venus- I had a crash section and was in huge pain (couldn't sit up let alone walk) and on morphine afterwards. However, everyone on my ward who had an elective was in much better shape. I think the speed of it plays a big part and in an elective they will go much slower. You should be fine.