I am not sure what it is or why it is different for so many people. My c section was first surgery, planned and textbook.
For me Morphine was good at getting rid of the pain if not moving but try to move when horizontal without external assistance and it didn’t touch it in the early days. Weirdly I could move about carefully once I was actually vertical (sitting and standing) and it hurt a bit but nothing like when lying down.
I think my pain was partly because my surgeon was one hell of a seamstress and she did sow me super tight. Was cursing that sharp pulling sensation at the time but now the pain is a distant memory & very pleased she did as have an immaculate smile scar, flat and absolutely no shelf.
I also remember the searing pain in the core. I had extremely strong core muscles (daily manual worker involving regular heavy lifting). I think she probably had to essentially crowbar my muscles apart in there to get the poor babe out - well she did actually was forceps in c delivery.
I think those two things contributed. I took liquid morphine for a week (on top of ibu and para), and then a couple of doses a day for week 2 (on top of ibu) - one before getting up in the morning and one before trying to lie down in bed.
It will likely hurt for a while OP but not like it is today, and every day will get slightly better until one day you will just sit up in bed and be like wow - it doesn’t hurt anymore. That’s when you should still relax. I remember overdoing it and going backwards in my recovery a bit.
I think from memory by the end of week 1 I was 80%, week 2 90%, week 3 95% and not on any painkillers anymore and only very occasional pains if I did a silly movement. Weeks 3-6 is a slow build back to 100% no pain and full range of movements. Weeks 6+ are regaining your previous strength. Seems a long road but it will fly by. 4 months here now and lugging babe in car seat into the back of a 3 door.
Other tips for the rest of recovery
- If breastfeeding get a pillow for cradle hold.
- At night do the lying down side feed and DP picks babe up, positions, stays awake supervises and puts babe back to bed.
- Ban people from making you laugh.
- Bed roll tip explained above by pp
- For sneezes, coughs use pillow like pp - or if none around lean into it head between knees and fold yourself I half to hold yourself together.
- Never twist and bear weight at the same time!
- Don’t lift anything heavier than your baby.
- Any numbness which doesn’t go after a few days or weird nerve sensations then do call the hospital back and they will assess you.
- Laxatives for the first poo.
- Dont necessarily do pelvic floor exercises. See where you are in a couple of weeks and take it from there. My floor got too tight as was told everyone should do them (ended up with urine hesitancy). I had to do the opposite to open the floor which is diaphragmatic/ belly breathing.
- Let it out if you need to cry. It felt like an absolute assault on my body and seemed like it would never go back to normal. I promise you it does but cry all the same.
- Eat and drink well.
- Balance rest and movement so you don’t seize up but still allow enough rest to yourself to heal.
Wishing you a lovely motherhood journey. Your a soldier. Never forget that 🥰