Emergency c-section - how long did your recovery take?

[Nickname1980]

I've just had one, the scar is so painful and bruised!

How long does recovery take? I can't even stand up on my own at the moment!

The first week is generally quite sore, but things rapidly improve after that. I've had two EMCS and the recovery for both has been quite similar.

Make sure you don't overdo it. I know you won't feel like it at the moment but you quickly forget and do something before regretting it. Also, use somebody else to pull yourself up instead of getting them to pull you up. It gives you more control over the speed of movement.

Are you still in hospital? If so, take all of the pain relief offered as it is easier to treat lower level pain than it is once it is really bad.

It took me the full 6 weeks and maybe a bit more, but I was 40. In saying that make sure you do all the exercises etc. recommended, I can still pull muscles in my tummy by coughing or doing some weird movement. I assume congratulations are in order.

I've also had two emcs. I'd say the first 24 hrs is the worst in terms of not being upright and readjusting. I also found my memory was shit and could never remember when I'd taken pain killers so I wrote everything down, along with when I'd fed DC.

I thought recovery after that was quite quick and was driving at 4 weeks.

I had one two weeks ago today I don't think I took paracetamol after about day 4 I'm completely back to normal around the house just trying to not carry the car seat as do find a pull in my stomach. I swear I could drive now but won't until 4 weeks as have dh and my mum here to help with that.

I've been very very lucky I think.

And congratulations

Congratulations!

First 48 hours are bloody awful. Peppermint oil and lots of ibuprofen helps.

I felt significantly better every day. By day 5 I could sit cross legged on the floor and get up again without worrying (hopefully makes sense to anyone who has had one!) whereas on day 1 I cried because I had to walk to the toilet!

Hope you have lots of support and recover quickly xx

Thank you all! Yes it's just day one for me and I couldn't even manage to sit on the loo

Midwife reluctant to give me the morphine, but I'm not sure whether it'd just make me really drowsy anyway! Got ibuprofin and paracetamol.

It sounds like it's really varied... Dh already bored of being in hospital and wants to go home to sleep but I won't let him! (Though I totally sympathise!)

Are you still in recovery or on the ward now?

Why is your midwife reluctant to give you morphine? I found it made me feel much better and allowed me to shower, walk around and generally move about. I would ask to see another midwife as you shouldn't be having medication withheld and morphine will have been prescribed for you by a doctor at the hospital.

I didn't need painkillers, up and about after a couple of hours, discharged after 12hrs. Back doing the school run on day 4. I was lucky. I've known other people take weeks to recover. Just listen to your body. Do try to move around and stand up straight. It will help.

Congratulations!!

I'm on day 10 after an emcs.

Day 1 - wobbly and feeble - but excitement of having a new baby overrode most of the discomfort. Have a shower was a weird and wonky experience, having a wee felt
genuinely dangerous. Lochia was shocking!!

Day 2 - home, exhausted (very long labour), getting in and out of bed made me want to cry. Had the hardest poo known to man, drink Lactulose!!

Day 3 to 6 - slowly getting better, didn't leave the house, could do odd bits and bobs (shower comfortably, wipe surfaces, change baby etc.) but couldn't lift much, reach up high. Getting up and down from bed still deeply uncomfortable. Could only lie on my back. Wound super tight and quite sore.

Day 7+ - starting to feel human, leaving the house daily, can operate much as normal. Could sleep on my back or side. Outer wound is less tight, less sore. Inner wound feels very bruised. Slight transparent discharge from outer wound (checked with mw and doc, confirmed 'normal').

As pp have said - take it easy, most of the horror stories I've heard have been as a result of people pushing themselves a bit too hard!!

Good luck!!

Congratulations! Boy or girl?

Yep, definitely a day before I could walk properly. Three days in hospital. A good week of being really uncomfortable. Probably about six weeks of not driving or doing any heavy lifting, pushing a hoover around (bonus!) etc.

The catheter coming out was an experience. I didn't even remember it going in, I was so out of it. I can remember having a morpine injection in the back of my hand. Stung like an absolute bastard but the morphone was bloody wonderful.

Can't remember how long it took to have the stitches out but I can remember there being a little bead at each end. The midwife snipped one off and pulled the whole stitching out in one go. It was just scar tissue, it didn't even hurt.

Never had any bother from it since and that was nearly ten years ago.

I managed to persuade them to give me morphine in the end, fuzzy. Thank goodness! I'm not sure why she was reluctant (well, I didn't persuade her, midwife shift change happened and the new one gave it gladly and without hesitation!)

Yes I'm still here in hospital. Day 2! Or day 1? Not sure what that makes me, baby was born yesterday late morning!

They're talking about sending me home today, but I said I'm not ready so they're letting me stay.

How are you feeling now on day 10,thinkpink?

misadorabelle, ooh that's so helpful! Thank you for that timeline! I can't wait to feel like myself again and enjoy my beautiful baby.

I hope I recover that fast, too,showofhands! Feeling so wonky and blah!

Glad you got some morphine and are able to stay in hospital for another night.

If it helps, I had my last EMCS a fortnight ago and feel so good now that it's only because of my baby that I remember I had it. But, I have been very conscious of making sure I don't do much and haven't lifted anything heavy or done any exercise other than a gentle short walk.

I wasn't right for at least three weeks and I usually have a high pain threshold. Lots of morphine at the start and constant paracetamol and voltarol for almost a month . I even remember writing a note for the fridge saying "stand up straight! " because it was so uncomfortable to stand up . Was off pain relief by 6 weeks but still being very careful.

If it's any consolation a planned cs and hysterectomy are a doddle in comparison.

Just take it very easy and stay in pj's until you feel stronger. It will heal before long .

I stood within 24 hours. Felt weird, like an old lady!

Bruising on tum lasted a week. Lochia a week also.

Scar healed quite quick, I remember the stitches dissolved in about two weeks. Mine's three years ago, still visible.

Keep the scar area clean and dry, no products on it. Big pants. Dry with a hairdryer if necessary.

Make sure you press a cushion to your tummy when you get up. Drink loads of water, flush the drugs out.

Don't drive, no heavy lifting.

Don't read your medication wrong and accidentally overdose

You'll be fine, my section was great.

The actual pain wasn't bad at all. Didnt have morphine.

Tio: get some long tongs to pick stuff up off the floor, try not to bend too much.

P. S. Have lots of protein to help with the healing and iron for the blood loss.

In a lot of pain for about four weeks and the scar always felt very burny. It took a good six weeks until I felt ready to drive

Tio= tip.

I think it really varies. I was walking confidently around the ward by the time I was released (day 5). I walked to a restaurant 10 mins away, (very slowly!) when he was a week old. Things that were harder were bending, stairs and carrying things. But it took me about 3/4 months to completely recover. That is very unusual I think though.

Just to add, I think I did way too much about 3 weeks as I got impatient and thought I should back to normal, which I think put me back quite a bit, so try to take it as easy as you can while still being mobile.

Take all the painkillers you need. Morphine is wonderful if you can get it - I was walking around after 6 hours on that stuff but only got it for first two days, then discharged with ibuprofen, paracetamol and codeine (and lactulose). Peppermint tea really helped, and a support belt once swelling had gone down (after two weeks) - it allowed me to walk further as you're using your back muscles and not stomach muscles for general support. Lots of rest is best tho if you don't have to get anywhere (docs for checkups etc). Just stay in your pjs and get people to bring you meals, do chores if you can! Enjoy being a new mummy!

I think I must have been very lucky, by the time I went home (6 days after the EMCS) I felt 'fully recovered' - in fact I was desperate to do something rather than just lie around - and as DH had invited his boss and wife for dinner the night we got home I was actually happy to cook the meal .

I suppose we are all different, and I was by no means 'young and fit' - overweight and 43 - but it was fine, I was walking about, no scar problems, no mobility issues. .

I had one 2 years ago and by 6 weeks i was uncomfortable but not in pain, within 3 months I was almost myself. However i did too much which i think hindered my recovery - but i had no choice. I already had a toddler in nappies who needed carrying up and down stairs. In the long term no harm done, my scar is invisible and my stomach is almost the same shape

By the way congratulations and try to be easy on yourself. If its too difficult to do something that can be left - leave it!