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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

If you had a c-section.... I am doing a small survey!

117 replies

pupuce · 30/03/2005 18:09

Spurred on by the discovery that two of my clients who had a first c-section after a long labour (and took no or very little pain killers after their emergency section), they went on to have planned section for their babies and were both on pain killers at least 7 days (if not 10!) after the birth.... so here is my question.

If you had a planned (meaning NO labour) section - how many days did you take pain killers for? The section can be for a medical or just "elective".

If you had an emergency section after a labour (please say if it was induced and if you had pain relief in the labour not just for the section) - how long did you take pain killers for?

I am wondering if the fact that your body makes endorphins in labour (endorphins are hornones that have a -strong - pain killing effect) leads you to need less pain killers after the c-section.
My 2 clients were very surprised to be in so much more pain this time, they had assumed (as I probably would) that a long labour and a section would be the worst of both world.... Is it a complete coincidence or is there a trend. I am sure it won't be black and white of course !

Your help is much appreciated

OP posts:
eidsvold · 30/03/2005 22:55

for emergency c-section went home with pain killers and generally only used them a night for a good night sleep - for another week. Had tablet form of painkillers whilst in hospital and at home - so about two weeks in total. I probably had them all day for the first two days and then just paracetamol during the day and strong painkillers at night. I did not labour with this one as the c-section was at 38 weeks. This one was in the UK.

Elective c-section - had epidural and patient administered medication - for the first day - that came out second day and then just paracetamol for the next four days BUT this time round I also used Arnica. Had this c-section in Australia and they were happy to administer stronger painkillers if you needed them but tended to offer the paracetamol first. The hospital is also reluctant to send you home after 5 days if you still needed strong pain relief.

Original poster
pupuce · 30/03/2005 23:02

Luv - many many inductions lead to sections.... information is key but many people don't have access to it AND when you are 41 weeks you are often really happy to get this pregnancy over so it doesn't take much to sway anyone... also if you are told that your risk of stillbirth increases, etc.... I know many women who have deeply regretted their inductions.... very very sad indeed.....
I will look at all the answers tomorrow and see if I can see a trend !

OP posts:
unicorn · 30/03/2005 23:06

had an emergency C with dd1, after induction and trial of labour (with epidural etc)..was in hospital 5 days and was on painkillers for about 3-5 days or so afterwards.

(this was nearly 6 yrs ago- it's true, you do forget - thank God!)

gingerbear · 30/03/2005 23:19

My waters broke at 9am, I went into hospital with hardly any contractions at 1pm. Bounced around on a big ball, relaxed in a warm bath for 5 hours, used tens machine for two hours, then the pains got stronger. After 8 hours I was only 3cm dilated. At 10pm I had pethidine to help me sleep. I managed 1 hour - then the pain became worse. But I still was only 4cm. Then started induction and monitoring - which failed. I had been in labour for 26 hours altogether when I had an emergency c section under GA at 11am due to failure to progress. I was up and walking around in a haze at 1330, but when the drugs had worn off, I collapsed in agony. I had morphine, coproxamol plus a diclofenac pessary for two days, then coproxamol and 3x dic. pessaries to take home with me. Probably had pain killers for 10 days in total.

Ahh, fond memories - not!

Marina · 30/03/2005 23:25

Two electives, Pupuce, first medically essential, second "strongly advised". For both I was on strong pain relief for three days then paracetamol for a few more. I didn't need pain relief after a week, which in essence meant I was discharged with unused co-proxamol on both occasions.

KirstyG · 31/03/2005 05:20

I had an emergency c-section after labour. I was induced and used gas and then had an epidural. I took pain killers for 4 days, and have taken a few panadol since then.

jabberwocky · 31/03/2005 05:38

I had an emergency section after 22 hours of active labor. After 6 hours of labor I was given Pitocin which, of course, makes the labor pains quite a bit more painful. After 8 hours of that I requested an epidural as was told that I was "so tense from the pain" that it was preventing me from dilating. 8 hours later it was discovered that the baby had been breech the entire time and hence section was performed . I have a very high tolerance for pain and was shocked at how painful it was afterwards. I was on the max of painkillers for the 3 days I was in hospital and continued on a slightly lower dose for another 5 - 7 days.

suzywong · 31/03/2005 05:49

I had 2 spontaneous and long labours and 2 em Cs
I took the codiene until they ran out, well over a week more like 2

Dinker · 31/03/2005 05:53

I had a cs after obstructed 2nd stage. Had minimal gas and air and after 2hrs of pushing went for emerg cs with spinal. Had morphine PCA for 24hrs which didn't work and then had tramadol and paracetamol on nd off for 5days.

Cristina7 · 31/03/2005 08:37

Elective CS - I was advised to take painkillers anyway, whether I feel in pain or not.

Keane · 31/03/2005 08:44

first labour induced at 40 +13, long labour, failed ventouse and forceps, dural tap GA emergency section. was on morphine for several days, voltorol until after i left hoispital (10 dayss?) then co-coadamol

2nd section, planned at 38 weeks, took morphine for a day, voltorol for 2 or 3 days then co-coadamol

Found that the pain releif was managed alot better with a planned section, and it hurt less!

mancmum · 31/03/2005 09:18

planned twice and both times had painkillers for 3 days and then stopped... I did make sure I took them every 4 hours for the 3 days though even though I never felt any pain... did not want to risk it... then both times on 3rd day, slept for longer than 4 hours and woke up painfree and just carried on without them... this is very odd for me as I am freaked out by pain and fully expected to request the morphine drip to go home with me!!

Leogaela · 31/03/2005 10:08

I had labour but not a long one. Waters broke and contractions started about 9 hours later, I took some homeopathic medicine to start the contractions. Had contractions for about 45 minutes about 3 minutes apart and then a c-section under a local anaesthetic.

I took painkillers for about a weeks.

Original poster
pupuce · 31/03/2005 10:16

Keep going ladies... i'd love it if we could get 100 replies !
I will count all the replies

OP posts:
dabihp · 31/03/2005 10:21

elective section-
anything they woudl give me in hospital, morphine, supossitrys, etc, 5 days. then codeine at home for about 6 weeks.

Kelly1978 · 31/03/2005 10:23

I had an elective, took the co-codamol for two days, then paracetamol for about 3 days.

Leogaela · 31/03/2005 10:27

A friend of mine had a c-section a week ago after a 15 hour labour. she is still in a lot of pain and still taking pain killers.

sykes · 31/03/2005 10:34

One emergency, one elective. Was induced prior to emergency and in labour for nearly 20 hours, had epidural at six cms dilation. Took pain relief for about three days after both - can't remember much pain at all after either.

ScummyMummy · 31/03/2005 10:36

emergency section. 2 days painkillers.

ScummyMummy · 31/03/2005 10:40

Sorry- forgot to say was induced and had epidural on hospital's insistance in case they needed to do a section. (Twins)

welshmum · 31/03/2005 11:29

Elective at 38+5 and took votarol and paracetemol for 5 days and then some paracetemol occasionally. Was advised to take whatever was offered (by best friend, gp) so as not to feel any pain at all - and it worked.

Original poster
pupuce · 31/03/2005 14:46

Anyone else?

OP posts:
chipmonkey · 31/03/2005 15:21

ds1 Elective c-section after waters broke,breech baby, weak contractions but no labour, painkillers for 1 week
ds2 emergency c-section after 8 hours labour in attempted vbac, painkillers for 1 week but actually could have done without, much less pain, even though old scar had ruptured
ds3 emergency c-section at 32 weeks for placenta praevia, painkillers for 2 weeks similar to ds1

Hazellnut · 31/03/2005 18:33

I had an emergency section after induced labour (gel, ARM and Syntocin) and I was arguing with the midwives that I didn't want the painkillers because I had no pain....

sammac · 31/03/2005 18:41

Had an emergency first time round with no labour. 1 day morphine then co-codomol for 5 days.
Second time was elective section,so epidural then 18 hours with morphine do it yourself drip thing, then 4 days of co-codomol.
HTH.