C-section recovery slow

[Daisy453]

Hello,

I'm looking for some advice from fellow c-section mums regarding recovery. I'm nearly 5 weeks post operation and I just feel like my recovery is so slow.

The incision area looks totally fine but it is still a bit tender but the main issue is my whole groin area feels horribly tight/stiff which makes moving really uncomfortable. I still can't raise my legs fully and haven't dared even attempt to bend down yet. Getting in and out of bed is also still a struggle.

The other issue is I initially felt like my stomach was going down well also then around two weeks after my c section my lower abdomen started to swell up slightly and has felt bruised since. I was wearing my gym leggings fine for the first two weeks but now can't bare to wear them as my lower abdomen feels so sensitive.

I know you shouldn't compare yourself to others but researching online I see so many people feeling back to normal by now and can't help but think there's something wrong with me :(. I was fit and healthy pre-pregnancy and just can't understand why it's taking me so long (I am 37 so suppose I don't have age on my side). Apart from the physical discomfort and frustration to feel semi normal again I generally feel alright within myself, no sign of fever or sickness etc and I'm no longer bleeding much so don't think there's any indication of anything else going on but I'm not sure...

Any advice would be much appreciated!

I've not had a C-Section but that doesn't sound right to me. Recovery from birth and an operation should steadily progress usually.

Are you able to book on with a specialist post-partum physio?

I have actually booked to see a specialist physio next week and also have a doctor's appointment the following day. I spoke to a doctor today over the phone who didn't seem concerned with my symptoms and said recovery is usually 6 weeks but in reality can be a lot longer. I have been getting out on daily walks which is progress compared to what I was a couple of weeks ago and I'm not needing my husband to help me near as much with daily tasks but just didn't expect my recovery to be this slow.

From one c section mama to another - it's a big operation. I think it's perceived to not be a big deal, but you've been cut open, lots of layers of muscles and whatever else cut into.
Some women are apparently pushing the hoover around within a week (yeah right) but it took me ages to feel physically better and I was on codeine based painkillers for about 2.5 months.
Definitely still see the doctor to check nothing untoward is going on, but be kind to yourself OP. Rest when you can as it will only aid your recovery.

I'm so pleased I got a vbac with my second baby, still some recovery required of course, but nothing compared to the c section.

Sending well wishes

I know. Anyone who thinks that a C-Section is the easy option had never had to go through PG, major abdominal surgery and looking after a newborn within a very short space of time

The first two weeks after both my c sections I felt okay, I felt I could fit into some slightly bigger than normal al gym leggings and albeit bending and moving about was uncomfortable, it wasn’t painful.
weeks 2-6 were awful! I was in so much pain, felt very bloated and couldn’t move much. I phoned triage and it turns out I had an infection but I could only see a slight bit of redness on my scar.

Might be worth just getting a check up and seeing how it’s going but please go easy on yourself. You’ve had a major operation and now caring for a new little bundle of joy, it’s exhausting and painful so please look after yourself. Plenty of time to ‘bounce back’, don’t compare yourself to others.
My youngest is about to turn one and I only now start to feel a bit like the old me again.

I've had two, in my 40s. First one fine I was off out to lunch a couple days afterwards and walking regularly. Second I had injured my back at 8 months and needed drains after the op, but otherwise ok. Once my back hit better I was back to doing my three mile walks but with a toddler and baby in tow.
I dying experience anything like what you are - yes I was careful and funny drive fur dud weeks, but I was going to the gym and getting out and about like normal.
Definitely get yourself checked out.

Is there a chance you’re pushing it too hard with the walks? Moving with speed/pushing the pram etc

Id say I was feeling 95% better 3 weeks out but when walking with speed for months after it felt a bit tight/like tugging. I would always take that as a sign to slow down.

A fellow c-section mum also put me off going straight back into the gym and focus on very gentle exercise which I think did help.

Thank you, did you feel like you were physically unwell with the infection apart from the pain? How did they diagnose the infection? I feel fine apart from a bit of discomfort and wouldn't say I'm reliant on painkillers now but I do still take one or two each day to help me move around easier but I do have the bloating and the wound area just feels so stiff.

Possibly but I'd say I'm still walking fairly slow although not at a total snails pace. I started last week with small walks around the block each day and have increased it this week to our local park but I'm still only doing around 4/5k steps a day max and will be 5 weeks post op on Saturday. It's just so hard to know.

Thank you. It's so hard to know what's normal as everyone's recoveries seem so varied and it's hard to not compare yourself to the people who are deep cleaning the house after a week. Its also hard to not rush yourself as I'm just so desperate to get back to normal.

Your appointments with the physio and GP will reassure you, but like you said it’s pointless comparing yourself recovery to other people’s. My friend met me three weeks post c-section for lunch and walked about 1.5 miles home afterwards. I could barely walk to the top of the street after three weeks!

I found a large tubigrip around my stomach helped with the pain as it kept everything in place and didn’t squeeze too hard on the scar.

Deep cleaning the house a week post-partum isn't usually however you gave birth!

No other than the pain and then the swelling I felt okay.

My first C I was out for the count for 6 weeks. Much longer for getting back to normal.

I am now a week post 2nd C and this time things are different. I’m a lot less bruised but have a lot more gas in my abdomen and my bladder isn’t right.

Im fairly relaxed this time around as know it will go back to normal eventually.

You really do just need to rest and be kind to yourself. At the 12 week mark start some light excercise like post natal yoga. At 6 months would recommend pilates to recondition your internal pressure and posture. The pressure is a huge thing I learnt about first time around. You have a sleeve inside which contains all your organs and runs from your diaphragm to your pelvic floor. During surgery they pump gas inside to inflate it so they can see what they are doing. They also move your bowels around a bit with the jostling. This internal pressure affects everything and takes time to correct.

If your on pain meds still that will also be slowing your bowels which will cause the bloating and discomfort.

Basically this will go back to normal. Dont panic and just take your time.

Its a lot and your doing amazing!

Your post reminded me of my 2 c-sections!

The feeling is healing - your nerve ends are reconnecting and for a few weeks the area feels sensitive and puffy. The tightness is the same, you need to do some physio exercises to loosen up the ligaments underneath.

Keep moving and check in with your GP/physio for advice! It does get better soon.

It’s so hard isn’t it, because I worried not exercising would also slow the recovery.

For me it was less about distance and more if I was running late for anything and got a power on I’d feel it tugging (if that makes sense).

Hopefully physio/doctor can give some good advice.

Even though I’d say overall I had a much better recovery than I expected, I do think I was really poorly prepared for c-section recovery. I was probably too fixated on having a vaginal birth - which I was super prepared for the recovery of, but then ended up with an EMCS. And from chatting to other mums I know I’m not alone in this experience.

I know it's a lot and an extremely humbling experience!

Thank you, this is really reassuring to hear. I hope things start to ease off soon and I can relax a little knowing things are going in the right direction. My physio appointment next week should hopefully help with my tightness 🤞

Thank you this is really helpful and reassuring. I think since I've never had any operations before and I'm usually pretty fit and healthy this has really knocked me. I worry that every little symptom/strange feeling something is wrong and even though a few people have said my wound looks great I still have the fear that it's going to burst open with any movement! I probably need to chill out a bit and just ride the wave.

No you’re doing great! Honestly it’s impossible not to worry if you haven’t done this before!

People say the fitter you are the faster you recover. I have to say I actually think this isn’t true. The fitter you are the more they had to pry everything apart to get babe out! And the tighter they tie you up, hence all the pulling.

It’s also likely you had a good internal pressure and correctly functioning inner sleeve to begin with so it’s a big change and your body is freaking out. This time around my body gave up the ghost so there is a lot less bruising of my abdominals. I don’t know whether it was stretched more so they pumped in more gas, because the gas this time around is much worse for me. My stomach is literally lop sided 😅

You might feel one side more painful and tight than the other. I’m sure this is the side they finish the stitching on.

Would also recommend the dulcoease gel tablets. You will be backed up and slow still even if you don’t realise it and they have been helping me loads this time around. It’s not a strong laxative. Just a stool softener to keep things moving.

Yes there's definitely one side of my wound that looks tighter and a few people have said this is usually where it was tied off by the main surgeon. I have to say the whole pubic area feels tight though, only way I can describe it is feeling like someone has stitched a stick under my skin from one end of my groin to the other and I can feel it all the time when I'm walking. I don't know if this is common 🙈. I did manage to raise each leg fairly high this morning though which is a little bit of progress.

Would the internal pressure/inner sleeve be causing the swelling in my lower abdomen? I do have dulcoease but took it a few weeks ago and had a few days of constantly going to the toilet so stopped taking it. I do go regularly each day but could still be backed up, I still get the off gas pains around my back etc but definitely no where near what it was in the first week or so.

Itst so weird not having any ab muscles too, when can you start trying to use them? I've been avoiding it and still using my legs but on the odd occasion I do accidentally use them my body freaks out and it feels like there's nothing there which there probably isn't! I haven't attempt to do any low bends yet and am still getting my husband to tie my laces but can do everything else for myself, I'm not sure if I'm being too cautious which is making everything feel so stiff but all advice online is to avoid bending for 6 weeks so I've avoided it as I'm scared I'll cause more damage. It's a bloody minefield!

It sounds exactly like my first! You will spend the next 3 months cursing the surgeon and the next 3 years after being very grateful they did such a good job 😂

I am having my dressing off today. I can tell its really not going to be pretty as I dont have half the tightness I did first time around. It can take up to a year for all the swelling to go and for it to flatten so I will see after that whether I m going to get scar revision surgery.

Yes the inner sleeve pressure issue affects everything! Strength, digestion, bloating, comfort, breathing, pelvic floor, back pain, absolutely everything! My lower abdominal swelling didnt resolve until I reconditioned that. Its a quick fix once your body is ready but you do need to wait until everything settles down. I will be doing this at 6 months PP.

As your 5 weeks now you can do scar massage. You can also move and bend down. Nothing is going to break or be damaged I promise.

And pain. Pain this time I’m seeing as good. It means the nerves are working and reconnecting. Many women have dead spots so pain and sensation is good! 😊

Keep us updated with how it goes. I know these threads were useful to me first time around and many women will read them in future.

Thank you, you really don't know how helpful it is to talk to people about all of this. I feel like there should be someone on speed dial to answer all c-section recovery questions, you leave hospital and they really don't give you much advice on what to expect. I've phoned triage once or twice since to check out a few symptoms but always feel like I'm being a nuisance.

Glad to hear your recovery is going better this time round, good luck getting the dressing off and and I hope the incision is better than you're expecting xx

Haha very true, couldn't think of anything worse!

Interesting, every doctor or midwife makes you think you need to be physically unwell and have pus coming out of your wound for there to be an infection. I wasn't sure if I had a tiny bit of redness on one side but my husband assures me all I'm seeing is the red line of the incision and it's the same the whole way along. I don't have much pain though and haven't taken any painkillers today, more just discomfort from the tightness. I'm glad I have a doctor's appointment next week though as I'm going to get them to thoroughly check everything over.