C-section recovery questions

[YBW]

Looking for a little guidance/advice on what would be considered normal post c-section, had ELCS Monday afternoon so on day 4 today and things just don't seem to be going as well as I'd expected

Since day 2 when I left the hospital I made them aware of a bad burning/stinging sensation on 1 side of my incision and have been told it's normal by some midwives but others hadn't heard of this, spoke with a GP today who thinks it could be the start of an infection but isn't sure, I did wake up shivering on day 3 but midwives said this could be due to milk coming in but the GP today said he had never heard of this and was very surprised! I've got dihydrocodeine and paracetamol and ibuprofen on rotation but it doesn't always manage the pain, I'm really finding moving around tough still and would of thought by day 4 things would seem slightly easier?

So in short has anyone else experienced this burning pain in their incision and had it be normal or infection?

Should movement still be hard on day 4? Still needing full on pain management to just about cope right now

The wound has been seen by midwife and a GP and no outward signs of infection but obviously alot going on internally too

Anyone else's experience and advice would be greatly appreciated! I'm very much a worrier and finding this all really difficult, I have a 2 year old I've barely been able to spend any time with and it's really upsetting me at this point

I felt burning / stinging for the first week or so after my c section but I was quite mobile with it being my 3rd child (1st section) so put it down to overdoing things.
I don't remember shivering when my milk came in though and only ever needed paracetamol and ibuprofen after the second day.
Have you checked your temperature?

I'm currently in day 13 after EMCS.
I did have a slight burning on one side of my wound and it passed by about day 7, weirdly, the other side has started feeling similar around day 11 and still is now, so I'm assuming it's a nerve/healing thing.

Movement wise, I was still pretty uncomfortable and not very agile at day 4, I remember being surprised that they let people home with babies at this point (mine is a premie so we were in the hospital for 8 days).

I'd say from about day 6 onwards I started to feel more like myself, but still very careful and not flexible etc. by day 8 when we left I was feeling a lot more confident, and the past few days I've been reminding myself to slow down rather than my body doing it.

Seems to feel a slow recovery at the start, then happens all of a sudden! Make sure you take it easy though, I've heard horror stories of people doing too much!

I had pai a but assumed nerve repair. I did get an infection with my first CS but that was clearly a pus and reddened area, the community nurse came daily to chance my dressings

Could be worth popping to see a midwife to check it over.

Your mobility will be compromised for a little while longer yet. I've had 2 sections and after my second one I felt back to normal after 5 weeks but still needing pain relief until 2 weeks post partum.

I understand that it's difficult when you can't give your toddler your usual self but give yourself a bit of a break. A section is major surgery and it takes a while to get back on track. If you do too much you'll only slow your recovery.

Pain on one side of your incision i insert stand is normal. I had a CS 11 weeks ago.

Normally it’s the side your surgeon was standing when stitches you up, so when they tie off the stitches the pressure is different and therefore more tighter this side.

However, my right side was still sore 8 weeks later and it turned out a stitch was still in place undissolved so keep an eye on it.

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the advice and knowing it can be normal!

Thankfully the bad burning pains seem to have passed and hoping they stay away now, I was put on antibiotics as a preventative measure but advised to come off of them a day later by an obstetric doctor 😣

Still struggling with mobility but seems to be improving, think some of it is just down to the fear of moving and busting my stitches open now (not the most rational person right now!) 1st week done so hopefully it just keeps getting better 🙏

I've had no outward symptoms of infection either so all reassuring

All really normal what you've described incl the sweats
Does wound look ok has to bandage come off yet xx

Hi OP, I had awful burning pain across my whole incision easily for about a week - I felt like a hot poker was being pressed against my skin, was awful. No signs of infection when checked. It took me forever to feel like I had any decent mobility, and whenever I tried to do anything, even a small 5 minute walk, the bleeding was awful. I would say I started to turn a corner pain wise around day 10. I was still in pain, but was manageble with pain relief. Bleeding was terrible if I did anything even slightly more then general shuffling to bathroom / downstairs / standing to prepare dinner etc for about 3 weeks then slowly improved (stopped completely at about 6 weeks). I have a toddler to so had the mum guilt, just be kind to yourself and don't rush to get back to any unnecessary activity xx

Wound does seem to look ok, still has scab, some areas a bit more red than others but it was checked Saturday by the obstetric doctor who wasn't concerned at all, I never had a bandage put on surprisingly! It was just stitched and then glue put on top, my hospital trust seem to do things slightly different to others!

I had a very sharp stinging pain to the right of my incision for a week or maybe 10 days after the section. It almost felt like a very bad stitch and I mostly had it when attempting to move. I was told that it is completely normal and most likely nerve pain.

I had to take painkillers round the clock for the first two weeks post section. If I missed taking one, the pain would be pretty unpleasant.

What you’re experiencing sounds completely normal based on my experience but obviously do keep an eye out for signs of infection.

I didn't have a burning sensation, but the incision area was very sore for about 6 weeks after, I was using the full pain management as well for a few weeks after as I really struggled with moving about because of how sore I was. The moving about thing is normal, a c-section is major surgery after all. I didn't have shivers but I did sweat buckets through the night.

This sounds like my exact situation sadly, how awful it's so common! Currently day 7 so hopefully by the end of this week it'll all be a little better 🙏

I'm desperately just wanting to be normal Mum again and that's the hardest part I think! Trying to be positive but recovery seems so far still!

I didn't have a C section, but I did have the shivery thing you describe. It was the third or fourth night, I got up to go to the bathroom and started uncontrollably shivering. No temperature, otherwise well in myself - assumed afterwards it was just one of those weird postpartum things.
Congrats!

@YBW yes I have everything crossed you will see some improvements soon 🙏🙏it really is such a major recovery! I don't want to be barer of bad new and hopefully you'll recover quicker than me, but I did suffer for weeks upon weeks with hip pain and deep aches on the incision site, obviously not the same level of pain but noticeable. my DD is now 6 months and I feel the last 2 weeks - month I have fully recovered 👏👏 and I can just about bare to touch the scar now! Something that gave me the heebie jeebies all this time! I completely understand about wanting to get back to normal, that will soon come - I'm now folding my 4th load of washing and need to scrape little ones pureed peas off the floor so you will back to glamour that is motherhood before you know it, just dont rush and be kind to yourself 😘

Hi ladies!

I am 10 weeks PP from an EMCS. I had awful stinging in my wound, it was bad on one end but awful on the other end. It is absolutely normal and nothing to worry about, it's simply the nerves healing themselves... mine felt like bee stings! You have to remember that you've had huge abdominal surgery and we all want and need for it to heal quickly, but it just doesn't work like that. I look back on my first week in recovery and think WTF was I doing?! I was hoovering, making tea for guest and going out for food. Absolutely ridiculous- wish I could take it all back and relax!