Post C-Section Pain etc

[NoseyHelen]

My first elective C-Section resulted in very little pain and a speedy recovery.

I may have to have a second C-Section. Now I have a toddler I have to plan ahead so I'd be interested to know if anyone else had an easy reovery first time around and how they faired a second time around.

Hi, I?ve never had a c-section but I just wanted to say I think each baby/each birth is different. With my first baby I had long labour and complications with blood loss and tear. I felt awful for a few days and spent most time lying down while dh did everything. With the second however, no complications, short labour and was home in few hours carrying on with normal things in the house and not feeling like had been through childbirth. IMO I would plan for needing a few days to rest and recover and not do much, then if you feel fine and don?t need it it?s a bonus and nothing lost.
I wish you the all best and hope it all goes well for you

I had an emergency section first time round with really quick recovery. I was really lucky and had no problems getting around very quickly. So much so that I heard midwives whispering about me as I walked by with my gorgeous new ds.

Then I had an elective 2.5 years later with dd. Again, it was incredibly easy to recover from. I was told I would be kept in for 5 days but dd was born on Thursday afternoon and I was so well, I was discharged on Saturday afternoon. I did, however, have my Mum to stay for a couple of weeks which helped with general day to day stuff and looking after my ds.

Hi there

I have had two c-sections. I had a very easy recovery first time round, but DS was 2lbs 10oz so felt there wasn't much 'tugging' necessary to get him out. I was worried that recovery second time round would be much worse, but I recovered just as well if not better second time round.

You do need to take it easy afterwards. I was lucky to be able to take it easy for almost 2 weeks afterwards as I had a lot of family support. Trying not to overdo things and taking painkillers regularly really help.

Can also recommend arnica if you didn't use it first time round.

Hope it all goes well for you.

I don't have the benefit of any local family so once my husband's paternity leave is over I am on my own with the baby and the toddler.

Planning ahead for me will involve paid help which I'd rather not pay for if I don't need it but I fear not being able to lift toddler into high chair etc.

If anyone else has had to electives, the first of which was easy-peasy, I'd love to hear your story.

Afraid I've only had one C-section and like yourself I healed rapidly. Not like the "natural" birth where the scars were still hurting a year later- I'm not joking!

If I were you I would plan everything in the house on the assumption that you won't be able to lift toddler for 6 weeks. So he/she will have to eat on the floor if necessary, or on a low chair (you can buy cheap babies plastic garden chairs) or cushion. Make it a game- you're camping out! Think through your whole day with toddler and start planning now- how can you save your body!

You're quite right Cory. I need to assess our day.
Someone else suggested those little tables/chairs and as lon as we started doing it well before the baby was born i think we'd be fine as long as I can bend down to clean it!!

DD (em c/s) was 22months when DS (el c/s after VBAC plans went out the window...) was born.

My recovery from the em c/s was pretty good, quite a bit harder this time, but I think that was mainly due to the severe PPH I had, rather than the actual c/s.

It is hard work looking after a toddler & baby post section, but I managed it without extra help. DH went back to work after 2 weeks & he works away Mon am to Fri pm & we have no family close, so I was pretty much on my own.

In a way I was "lucky" to have quite bad SPD at the end of my pregnancy, so I couldn't really pick DD up anyway, so she was used to it. I'd definitely start making any changes in routine well before the baby is born, so the baby doesn;t get the "blame". For example I used to bath DD every night, but I changed to only bathing her once when DH was away in hte last few wks of pregnancy & then not at all for first couple of weeks whe DH went back to work (wks 2-4 post c/s) - she survived

I used kitchen steps to help her climb in & out of her high chair, she thought it was a great game!

You end up doing a lot more things like sitting reading etc & watching a bit more CBeebies than you might like, but it's only for a short time in the grand scheme of things.

Difficult recovery after first (emergency) c-section, but very easy after second (planned) one.

However I did take it easy as far as I could, chose to stay 5 days in hospital so I could get some rest, didn't do any cooking for about 4 weeks and we paid for a doula to come in for 4 hours a day for the first 4 weeks. It was expensive, but worth it as she took care of my toddler's tea and bath time (the busiest time of day in toddlerworld) and meant I could get some restl.

It's good advice as other people have said to plan your day with your toddler, and think of how to manage each activity without lifting them.