Worst part about a c-section?

[sarah13xx]

Not a good thing to ask but having one in 2 months and I’m not great with pain.. just want to know EVERYTHING! I’ve never been in hospital for anything, think being pregnant is about the second time ever having my blood taken 😂 I’m fine with that and like flu jab type pain but how much worse is it having the cannula put in your hand and the spinal? I’ve heard it’s not the actual spinal that hurts because the stingy bit before it is from the injection to numb the area.

So how bad was it? 😂

I had an emergency c section and honestly, the care I received during and after was fantastic. I can't actually remember too much about the actual procedure apart from whispering to my husband that we should leg it before they cut me but I think that was the drugs!!
Afterwards, I can't recommend dosing up on prune juice, bran flakes, the lot - I was constipated for 6 days and when I eventually went it was CHAOS 😂 took 1 hour 45 minutes on the loo because I was so worried about bursting my stitches! Also echoing a pp, however good you feel afterwards, don't overdo it. I walked with the pram to the shop 10 minutes there and back and ended up bursting my stitches.
Literally just relax and enjoy everyone looking after you and your baby, it doesn't last 😂
The only thing I wish in hindsight I'd asked more about was cleaning the wound area and changing the dressings, etc as 8 was too cautious and I ended up with a small infection that didn't hurt but was a bit unpleasant.
Congratulations and good luck, you'll be absolutely fine. 💐 xx

I can’t think of anything negative to say about my sections.
The procedure was fast, easy, comfortable, relaxed, radio on in the corner, LOVELY staff, all good.
It didn’t even occur to me to be worried about a tiny plastic tube in my hand or back, I was too excited about meeting my baby.
I was home in 24 hours, pushing the pram through the snow after 10 days (with painkillers) as I had no one to take my older child to school so I had to get up, get dressed, get organised myself plus the 2 other humans relying on me and get out the door.
To be honest, that fresh air and ice cold wind was glorious except I was still so huge I couldn’t do my coat up!!
I took the pain killers regularly for about 3 days then cut them down as I didn’t need them and was off them soon after, just a couple of paracetamol when I felt the need.
I was bf so reluctant to take anything anyway.
Yep, all in all a really good experience.
Plus of course, it’s a one single solitary day. That’s it. Just one day and then forever to crack on with life. If you are looking for perspective.

Had two emergency C-section really not that bad OP. I’d say after it’s important to know that you shouldn’t have a bath for a few weeks as it’s safer and much easier to get in and out of the shower. I nearly ripped mine open while trying to get out of the bath on my first one. Keep the area dry and clean, prop yourself up at night so there’s not to much strain on your tummy when getting out of bed. Stay moderately active as helps prevent blood clots but also rest when you need to. No heavy lifting and take your meds regularly. Bath baby in the sink or buy a bath stand so your not bending down or trying to get up off the floor. Also have a changing table for same reasons.

@imaginethemdragons that’s a good way to look at it, just to focus on the baby part and try to mentally skip the surgery bit 🙈 For some reason I’m not so worried about them cutting me open as I am about the silly wee needles! Need to try and just forget about all the minor details and focus on seeing my baby

@Ivalueloyaltyaboveallelse baths are my favourite thing on earth and I have one every night. Was really careful with not having them in early pregnancy just in case but it was some of the longest weeks of my life going without them 😂 I am geared up to only have a shower for a while though 😢 I’ve got him a bath seat but had seen that about using a baby bath on a changing table or up high so you’re not bending down, think I’ll just order one too

I was physically shaking before mine, just overcome with excitement and anticipation. But absolutely no pain at any point, the anaesthetist was lovely and talked to me as they did the spinal. Pain afterwards was the worst, couldn’t get out of bed without being in agony...ask for all the painkillers you can get!

The section is fine. Cannula is ouchy.

The recovery, for me both times, was really awful. Sorry. I was in significant pain and on major pain meds for 12 weeks.

@SwanShaped thanks, I think that will be my worst bit too. The second I’ve got into theatre and had the spinal done I’ll be fine, just don’t want to get myself too worked up! Also not planning to tell a soul what day it’s on so it will just be me and my partner that know. That will probably make me even more nervous because I’d usually want to tell my mum 😂 it will all be fine though! Oh no, hoping he can stay with me if possible

@GintyMcGinty I may as well be prepared 🙈 it seems that some people have a fine experience of recovery and others have experiences like yours. The cannula I’m imagining will hurt but it should be over quickly at least 😢 Just going to have to take every painkiller going

The cannula was pretty annoying actually. Not to have put in but once it was there. They didn’t take it out for ages.

I was terrified of having a c section, but ended up having two - and they really were fine. I made an effort to get up and moving sooner after my second - which was good.

@SwanShaped I’ve heard you can ask for it to go in your arm instead but I don’t know if that would be much better 😕

Only thing for me was that it was such a pain in the butt not being able to drive! We live rurally, DH can't drive at night, and baby was born in the depths of winter!

I've had a natural birth and a section, and for me the section was a comparative breeze! Calm, controlled, lots of staff looking after you, plenty of morphine afterwards. I recovered very well and the scar is barely visible.

The worst part was being sick lying down after the spinal, and the daily tummy jabs at home. And my milk took an extra day or two to come in. But honestly I look back on the whole thing very positively!

Both my planned c sections were absolutely brilliant. With DD1 I was very scared before hand but there was nothing to be worried about. Quick and painless and my recovery time was very short too.

Honestly the worst part is the permanent numbness in your stomach afterwards. I have no sensation at all below my tummy button. Like you could stick a needle in and I wouldn’t feel it.

Again, not the same for everyone, not everyone has permanent numbness. A lot of people seem to think their experience is the exact same as everyone else's on this topic.

Having the spinal is pretty intense. It feels weird while it's happening. And it's very sore for a while afterwards. I've had two sections, one emergency and one elective. The elective was actually really lovely. Even though there are painful/uncomfortable parts to it, it's nice to know exactly when you will have your baby, and I was looked after very well.

Oh yeah, they make you drink a vile, thick drink thing. And you can't eat after a certain time the night before until after you've had your section. But then they bring you tea and toast, while you are in recovery and cuddling your new baby. I have fond memories of my elective section not so much the emergency one

I really didn't have any negative experiences with my c-sections. My emergency one was quite intense but even then I didn't find it awful. My others were planned and all very calm, positive experiences.

Strangely my numbness only lasted the 3 years til my next section. I now have all the feeling back again since number 2

I don’t have any numbness.
Sorry to hear about people who have that as a result.

My section was a breeze, the worst part for me is when they put the canulla in, blood started spurting everywhere 🤣 spinal was OK though did take a while for the student to do it, the recovery was better than my vaginal delivery, getting out of bed was probably the most difficult part but got better after a few days

The before and the after for me. The steroid injections, the horrible grey cannula, the stinginess of the drugs going through it and the injections afterwards

I've had two. All in all they were fine, positive experiences.

The bad bits were

• rummaging feeling made me very nauseous/unnerving

• was sick multiple times during both (just water but still unpleasant)

• heparin/blood thinner injections for 10 days after sting like buggery

• peeing/pooing hurts like fuck for a while. So constipated for weeks. I asked my midwife why peeing was so sore and she said it's 'just from where they've hooked your bladder out of the way'

• had mild nerve pain in back after 2nd but it went away after 18 months

• have a 'shelf' of scar tissue/fat that never goes away despite being slim and fit again after 2nd one

I'm having a 3rd and whilst I can't say I'm looking forward to it, I accept there are good bits and bad bits and it's the safest way for me and the baby.

Good luck!

The c-section itself was fine for me. I genuinely don’t recall them inserting the spinal. The recovery was more painful. The worst but was definitely sitting up in bed to feed the baby multiple times per night.