Anxiety after an emergency c section

[Dreamymama]

So I ended with an emergency c section with my second baby, it was stressful but all went well.
I was in the hospital for 4 days and my anxiety in the last day was insane I just wanted to go home.
when we got discharged late at night we forgot to ask for a wheelchair and had to walk a long distance, all of a sudden I felt like I can’t breath and will faint had a panic attack.

it took me a while to get to my house and I live on the first floor, so had to take the stairs, after I got home on the day I was also 4 days sleep deprived btw I just felt I am dying as worst panic attack. I eventually settled and tried to sleep.

in the morning felt much better been home fo 2 days eating well and moving around would hurts less and feeling better.

tomo hahe to go see the midwife so have to take the stairs again the walk si not long at all at the midwife but now I am just scared I am getting anxiety due to the first day that I have to take stairs again and getting flash backs for the first day I came home, I know I am recovering now so should be better but anxiety is out of the roof.

any tips? Sorry this is just a rant don’t know who else to talk about this to atm :(

Isn't the midwife seeing you at home? My lovely midwife kept me on her books for a month as I'd had a traumatic emcs, had pre eclampsia & horrific pnd, I never had to go to the surgery. Ring & ask for a home visit.

I agree with this, ask for a home visit. If you think you are struggling with anxiety it might be worth a chat to your GP

I think it’s so wrong we’re expected to go to see the midwife now after just giving birth, when I had ds 11 years ago midwife’s still came out to see you, by the time I had dd 3 years ago I was suprised to hear we had to go to them, last thing you want to do after a traumatic birth ! Or any birth for that matter

I think you went home on your Baby Blues Day. Most women experience a massive drop in hormones on the 4th day after giving birth. It can cause great distress. It often coincides with the day your milk comes in, and your baby can also be very restless on that day, too. After each of my dc was born I sobbed for hours on day 4 or 5, and panicked that I had no idea how to look after them. Knowing that this was my Baby Blues Day made absolutely no difference to what my body was doing. I felt absolutely powerless. (So did dh, for that matter. He also cried the first time. But after that, he understood what was happening to me, and was pragmatic and just got on with looking after us.)

You have had a frightening emotional experience as a result of your physical condition on that day. The memory of that experience is distressing you and making you fear that you may repeat the experience.

But you are not physically the same as you were on that day. The cause is no longer there. Remind yourself that it was your hormones influencing you in that day, and that this time you are not under the same influence. You were also physically weaker than you expected, having just (a) given birth, and (b) had abdominal surgery. By the time you navigate those stairs again, hopefully you will be starting to be physically stronger and your body will be starting to be more familiar again.

Why not just go and sit on the stairs for a little while and tell yourself how amazing you are and how familiar they are, and that you’ll be OK.

Ask for a home visit, I had csection during Covid when you had to go to see the midwife they would visit homes. I was so bad I just couldn’t go, my husband called and they came. If you really can’t go you must ask for help, it’s so tough be kind to yourself x

Hi OP, sounds like somebody said that the physical and emotional consequences of what you’ve been through clashed on that day and you are understandably fearful of it repeating itself. Why don’t you try a few stairs at a time tonight? Remember, if you’re feeling short of breath stop and hang onto the handrail and let yourself get your breath back, it will happen eventually.