How was your recovery after second section?

[Holymoly321]

I'm 30 wks preg with DC2 - DS was elective section due to being breech. He will be 2yrs 2mths when this baby is due and just wondered how people coped with a second section whilst dealing with a toddler as I'm unsure whether to go for a VBAC or a 2nd elective section.

My second recovery was much better, but then it was an elective whereas my first one was an emergency and apparently electives are always better.

My eldest was 22 months at time of my second c-section, and not walking!!! Potentially a nightmare, but we coped by forward planning: I thought through every activity where I needed to lift him, and concocted an alternative way of doing it, eg changing mat on floor for nappy changes instead of lifting him onto a changing table, low wooden chair for meals. Dh took his full 2 weeks paternity leave and my mother came to stay for a week after that. I was driving after 3 weeks which helped us to get things done and feel a bit more "normal".

Good luck with your decision.

Hi smiling My DD was also breech and I had a section. Then when DS came along I tried for a VBAC but ended up with a section after failure to progress. My recovery 2nd time round was much quicker. I was ok first time around but I remember being sore for a lot longer. 2nd time I went home on day 2 with just paracetamol!

It was hard not icking up DD though and a few weeks down the line I had to rest for a few days because I had overdone it with DD. Good luck

picking up!!!!

My second section was painful for longer than the first (both were elective) It wasn't too bad, but my VBAC was noticeably easier to recover from than either section.

I had a very long labour with my first - 36 hours and every drug going, but I still had a very good recovery after the section. With the second I was in labour for 12 hours but had no drugs and then went straight for the section. I assumed the recovery would be good because I wasn't as exhausted as the first time but I'm afraid it was awful and I don't really know why. The consultant said 2nd sections are often worse because they have to deal with adhesions, etc. from the first whilst operating. I'm now planning a vba2c - there's no way I want to go through that pain again. Sorry - probably not the answer you were hoping to get.

Hi I have posted this many times now - it's different for everyone though.
My 2nd section was way better than the first (emer). Recovery very quick, (i would say light discomfort for about a week). More or less back to normal (apart from a big belly) after that ie, normal light house duties, lifting, walking etc.
Take all the help you can get though!

Easier recovery for second section. Just one thing though, in the operating theatre it took them a lot longer to fix everything after the baby was out. Don't know why, but they just took forever. I was much better, much quicker afterwards and had the same worries as you, ie looking after older child but all was fine.

I forgot to say: the surgeon warned me that second sections take longer than first ones to get the baby out because they have to cut through scar tissue, but "longer" is relative - it took seven minutes! That's compared with four minutes for my first section. The whole operation took 45 minutes from start to finish both times.

I had a crash section fro DS1 and the removale stitches which they take out after a week. I had an awful recovery, split them and needed resewing.

With DS2 (DS1 was 15 months old) I had a failed VBAC, but I had disolvable stiches and healed much better.

I had no option than to pick DS1 up, however, did it as little as possible, but was driving after three weeks and healed really well.

1st was emergency, had elective for 2nd one when DS1 was 23 months.

2nd was much better, less painful and didn't need as much pain relief.

asked for paracetamol on the 3rd day for a headache

can't really remember what it was like coming home so can't have been that bad.

it was no problem (both DSs were elec CSs).

DH had a month off work both times.

I felt happy semi-lifting DS1 (2yrs 1mo) after about 7 days and I was driving at 2 weeks.

I felt more exhausted with DS2, but I think that's because I wasn't sleeping during the day.

I was running again at 5 weeks.

sorry but i've got to say 2nd recovery was more painful than the 1st in the early stages but was actually quicker. 1st time roundwas failure to progree, 2nd time was elective at 12 days over due, advised aginst induction. 1st stitches were removable running stitch but 2nd were disolvable

recovery both times was fantastic

I will let you know after 2nd Oct when I have my elective section after mergency one for ds! Recovery after that was much better than I had thought.

I was having the same dilemmas as you until recently - check here for some more advice.... www.mumsnet.com/Talk/1365/383812?ts=1189688725815

2nd time was much better, first time I hadn't splept for about 60 hours, in labour for 48 hours tried every drug they had and was exausted and emotional

Second time booked in, ok sleepless night and a bit stressed but no where near like the time before. I was up and about much sooner.