How many days after ELCS were you able to go out a short walk?

[sarah13xx]

Just that really. I know everyone’s different and I will really be trying not to overdo it but the only experiences I have to go on are of my friend’s who have had quite dramatic emergency sections so wonder if my recovery will be any better after an elective.

A slow easy short walk? The next day.
The advice is keep moving to prevent clots.

I had DD2 on the Tuesday, was home on the Saturday and walked to the shops (about 15mins walk) about half an hour after I got home as my ex-h hadn’t thought to get any milk for my tea!

I had a particularly easy recovery though and was off all pain relief within 48hrs of the surgery.

My advice is stop before you think you need to as buy the time you need to it’s too late and you’re exhausted.

About a week, just to the local shop and back. It gets better quickly though as long as you don't do too much.

That said, I did go for a slow walk around outside the hospital two days after. I was heavily painkillered up though! I just wanted some fresh air.

Mine were both elective

I didn't go for any walks for the sake of them, if that makes sense, but I went out shopping, visited friends, we've to cafes etc (all of which involved me walking) from day 3.

This is reassuring! I was thinking it would be closer to two weeks before I’d make it along my street and back but seems electives may be a bit sooner

Emcs i was in hospital a week and lost a lot of blood. Was probably a few weeks till I felt I could walk a bit.

Elective I was in hosp 2 nights (but could have left after one if I wanted) and was able to walk round mothercare (buying c section pants - recommended!) and went for a coffee day after I got out of hospital.

Elective recovery was so different to my emcs experience. I felt so much better than I’d feared

After my EMCS I was in hospital for 2 nights and walked around Mothercare the day after we got out. It was uncomfortable though, it was a few more days before it was comfortable. I think with my ELCS it was a little quicker to feel OK. But they tell you to get moving, it's meant to help.

Take it really easy for 6 weeks though. I tried to go on longer walks sooner with my second csection and I bled lots. I think recovery is quicker when you take it more slowly.

Yeah I wouldn’t recommend a long strenuous walk but short ones, taking it fairly easy, yes.
After my emcs when I started walking I tried to go a little further each day (eg a few metres further) and built it up gradually

I was thinking it would be closer to two weeks before I’d make it along my street and back but seems electives may be a bit sooner

There's a huge variation in recovery, but by 2 weeks with my second I'd climbed round the upper frames in soft play and come down the big slide! 😄Lifted her into the swings in the park etc. Back to normal basically.

Though follow your body. If it hurts, don't do it. If that means you are ok to do cartwheels at a week, or slowly shuffle round your house. Not all bodies react the same, but you do have a decent shot at a quick recovery.

I had one three weeks ago and only now feel okay walking round the supermarket etc.

@Babyboomtastic wow 😂 I’ll give the cartwheels a miss but if I can make it along my road before 2 weeks I think I’ll be impressed!

@Sackofnickles everyone is obviously very different. When I was speaking to my friend we were saying it depends where the baby was lying as well and how much force (if that’s the right word) they had to use to get them out 🙈 I’m fully allocating the first 6 weeks to be very easy and not do an awful lot

My daughter was an EMCS and I got two infections, it was a pretty horrible and painful recovery. BUT I walked out of hospital 5 days after she was born and two weeks after she was born we did a big family walk for my birthday. From what I remember the worst part was getting up from sitting/laying down, the walking wasn't hard.

I will add I was absolutely drugged up to my eyeballs.

I've had 3 elective CS all more than 10 yrs ago. I was up and about quite quickly. But some of these comments are a bit concerning. I have adhesions that are so painful they take my breath away. I am convinced this was because I was too active too soon. For context DC 2 delivery took 1 hour just to cut all the adhesions from bowel and bladder. So yes, some of us do heal quicker and with some nasty consequences. Others don't heal as well. My H/V told me that a patient walked up the stairs and her scar opened and part of her her bowel fell out. Don't take unnecessary risks. Gentle walks around the house for the first week. No cartwheels for 6+ weeks. Hopefully you'll recover well with none of the above consequences.

@Mapless that's scary - I assume they are not aware of any adhesions until they're in there? I'm due an ELCS in December after an EMCS in 2019

@sourdoughnut I think it's probably a minority of people who have adhesions. At least, I've not come across many who have this after sections. It's a type of over healing. The pain is intense but stops as soon as move out of a particular position. It's no where near as bad as some consequences I've read on MN from vaginally births. So don't worry. A planned section is so different to a EMCS. It's calmer for sure. I like to get to know the Anaesthetist. They are by your head the whole time and checking your comfort level. Any problems, you tell them. I actually asked for a particular Anaesthetist for the third CS - and I got him. He was great on every level. Also helped that he looked better than George Clooney!

Non c section last year, and recovered well. However my consultant really did stress that for all pregnancies it’s really key to future health that you take it easy. He said no lifting anything heavier than baby for min 6 weeks.

It’s to do with how the muscles recover inside etc and rushing about so soon after if a big reason so many people have bad back ache etc years and years afterwards.

I took things easy first 2 months, not lifting laundry basket full bath etc. Did walk from about day 2 but as other said, that was a short stroll around block with dh pushing pram. Gradually increasing.

A year on and I do feel like my stomach and back muscles are back to normal, and happily hike miles with Ds is sling still.

I imagine if all goes well you can start as soon as possible with a short stroll along your road and back. It’s good to be active for blood circulation but no pulling muscles

@Mapless 😧😧 sounds awful! Definitely going to take it easy. Everyone’s different so I’ll know myself if it’s too soon probably. Going to just aim to walk around the house with no lifting at all for the first week then gradually work up to going a short walk

After an emergency section, 8 days, but I as in a bit of a state as it was quite violently quick.

After a planned section, 4 or 5 days for a walk. They want to get you up and moving ASAP. Had a shower the same day after each section.

I think I could have gone two days after, but baby was jaundiced so it was 5 days in the end. Moving around the room was plenty to start to feel better, you don’t need to get out. Little and often interspersed with lying down, my midwife said.

I walked from the ward to the car (upstairs ward, walked from there to the lift, walked to the entrance and then across to the car park) two days after my section. I took it easy but made sure that I 'pottered' about the house a fair bit, I was fine with the stairs etc. I went to a concert two weeks after she was born (seated, tickets bought before I even got pregnant) and was absolutely fine by that point.

I had CS on monday & walked to the car the next day which was about 5 minutes walk

I wouldn't say it was a normal walk though