caesarean recovery?

[Susiemj]

Hi -

I was just wondering if you could give me your experiences of recovering from a caesarean?

I had an emergency c-section 10 days ago. The baby was transverse and apparently they had to be 'quite rough' on me to get the baby out.

I know some people who cope only with paracetamol for the first few days. But I'm in real pain even taking co-codamol and voltarol as much as I can. Can anyone tell me if this is normal. It really hurts....

BTW - Midwife says everything to do with scar is fine. She thinks I have some internal bruising and collections of blood.

hi susiemj

I had an em section 14 months ago. I was on voltarol and co-codamol for a couple of weeks. Don't feel bad if you have to take it easy. Is there anyone helping you, when my dp went back to work after 2 weeks I got my mum to help for a couple of days. TBH I wish I'd got more help. Get as much as you can.

Definately agree that it's wrong to expect post cs mums to be expected to be super mum and take care of a new born. This is a a time for major TLC.

Well, I've just had a 'day of two halves' - one with peaceful baby and breastfeeding and sitting down. Then I didi about half an hour because I decided to cook dinner for DH (first time since birth of baby). First half - little pain and fewer painkillers. Second half. OUCH!!!!!!!!

Learned my lesson..

I am booked for c section 28 Jan (baby is footling breech). Recovery time seems to vary but just wondered if anyone had any recommendations re. how long (in an ideal world) you would have someone to help you. 1st baby, am completely clueless and have a lot of stairs...dh and mum can help for 1st 2 weeks then have to go back to work. we are also in very fortunate position of having been left a little bit of money which we could use (very spoilt i know).

i'm two weeks now and am managing babycare, a bit of washing and tidying BUT see last post too.

They'll probably be able to be gentler with you if it is a planned c-sec, from what I gather, so you may be much better than this.

i would say two weeks would be good but it seems very variable.

i was lucky in that it was xmas straight after dh's paternity leave, so had nearly 4 weeks of help

i really needed it the first 2 weeks. the 3rd and 4th weeks were lovely but not as essential as the first 2

surprisingly, getting up and down the stairs wasn't a big problem - i had the most trouble getting up from any kind of lying down position

the thing that really really helped me was making sure i stood tall every time i did get up, instead of slumping about, which was much easier

just over 5 weeks now and i feel pretty much back to normal. now i just have to re-learn the art of getting out of my pjs and then out of my house!

i think for a relatively normal recovery 6 weeks in total is about accurate. but you never know, you might be one of the lucky ones up and about in no time

good luck!