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Original poster

C section recovery

18 replies

Theweedonkeeey · 03/05/2021 21:15

Can someone talk me through what to expect? From what I’ve heard the first week I’ll be in pain and it will ease up after that but I’ve still not to lift anything heavier than the baby or drive for 4 weeks after. Will I manage short walks after a week or 2? Pub lunch a week after? Or will I be mostly housebound for the first 4 weeks?

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Thisismyname77463 · 03/05/2021 21:22

I didn’t feel any pain from it, near the incision or anything
It was odd as I was expecting too. don’t like painkillers but I took arnica tablets and wore a belly bandit which I would recommend.

AssassinatedBeauty · 03/05/2021 21:33

It really can be quite individual. My first c section was after a long failed labour and the recovery was long and painful.

My second was an emergency unplanned section, but I hadn't been in labour at all and so it was effectively the same as a planned c section. Remembering my long recovery the first time, I put a lot of effort into mobilising after the epidural wore off. It is a little scary when you first have to swing off a bed a stand up, you must really remember that your core muscles are healing and use your arms and positioning to help you stand. The more you can gently mobilise the quicker you will be up and about. Keep on top of painkillers, there's no need to be in pain and not take them.

I found that I could go for short walks a a couple of days afterwards, but if you find you lochia increases afterwards then you might have done too much. You won't be housebound at all, even with my horrible first c section recovery I was out on walks after a couple of weeks.

LatteLover12 · 03/05/2021 21:33

I've had three sections and recovery has been different with each one.

CS1 - an emergency after a long labour. I was sore and bruised for about 3 weeks. Felt much better by 6 weeks. Was at a Pilates class by 10 weeks.

CS2 - planned so no labour. Fully mobile and driving by 7 weeks pp.

CS3 - planned. Lovely calm section, the best in terms of the surgery experience. Horrific recovery. Was put back together with staples rather than the prolene and beads I'd had previously. In agony for the first month and mobility impaired. Felt a bit better after three months. Fully recovered by 4/5 months.

Average recovery is probably about 6 weeks with no complications. There are lots of variables though; infection being one of them.

You should get a sheet from the hospital of what you can/can't do for the 12 weeks following the birth, that's a good guide.

Good luck!

Aprilshowersandhail · 03/05/2021 21:36

I had an emcs. My worst nightmare.. Dressing off the next day. Catheter out same day.
Hardly needed pain relief..
Managed to walk /shower alone etc. Drove after 10 days.

With permission from insurers..
Managed gentle dog walks at 10 days.
And cafes also after a week!

tecatea · 03/05/2021 21:40

It's quite dependent on various factors, how long you stay in? what painkillers you are on.
I was discharged the next morning with paracetamol & I found the first few days hard but I had expected no pain (stupidly!).
I think I went for a walk after a week & it was fine.

Dinosauratemydaffodils · 03/05/2021 21:41

Varies dramatically from person to person. Dc1 was in Nicu so I went 2 days in a daze before realising I wasn't in pain and hadn't had any pain killers or food since he was born. I stood up and dressed myself as soon as the epidural wore off and I was walking alone across the hospital within 24 hours. Dc2 I just refused all painkillers and was out for lunch with her when she was 2 days old. Both of those were emergency sections, the 1st of which involved 75 hours of back labour, pushing and failed forceps.

Friends experiences varied on pain levels but no one was housebound for a month.

tecatea · 03/05/2021 21:42

I didn't lift much other than baby & I took advantage of the "rest" & because I was bfing didn't do much for the first month tbh.

Babyboomtastic · 03/05/2021 21:44

I was out hsving lunch on day 3 (first day home from hospital) and module back to normal within a week. With my second one, I was going down the sides at soft play within 2 weeks 😂

tecatea · 03/05/2021 21:48

It terms of what to expect I had the catheter out the next morning (CS was previous afternoon). Then they want to check you can pee, I had a shower and was then discharged & walked/shuffled to the car, DH carried baby/car seat.
A doc told me to drink peppermint water to prevent wind or something & I did have quite a lot of bleeding after (similar to my VB) which I hasn't expected.

JumperooSue · 03/05/2021 21:56

I found it less painful than I had been expecting but after a long drawn out Labour the c section pain felt like a walk in the park!

Mobilise as soon as you can as it massively helped, go slow and steady. I actually ended up out shopping for a new sofa 4 days after and in hindsight probably over did it a bit! Laughing and coughing is the worst bit and I unfortunately was really sick the week after birth so vomiting with a fresh incision was hideous but other than that I was okay. I drove after 2 weeks and probably felt pretty much back to normal maybe 2/3 weeks after the c section!

Fleetw00d · 03/05/2021 22:22

I had an emergency c section and lost 3 pints of blood, I think my recovery would have been different if I hadn't had such a long labour but this is my timeline of recovery:
(Baby born Monday evening)
Monday night and Tuesday morning still unable to move due to having spinal tap, still relatively numb so no pain and catheter still in. Couldn't really roll over or move myself easily so frustrating but no pain just the odd twinge.
Tuesday afternoon - catheter out and was my first time standing up, shortly after had a very slow walk to the loo down the hall. First wee feels very weird. Generally feeling a bit tender and couldn't move fast at all. Worst part was having dressing changed! Was also moved out of observation onto recovery ward.
Wednesday - able to stand up and move to toilet pretty easily. Had first shower where I removed the second dressing, much less pain doing it in the shower. Was even pushing baby's crib along the hallway and walking to the tea and coffee station. The adjusting bed helped a lot. Was picking baby up changing nappies etc.
Thursday - pretty mobile once up standing but getting up and down still took time, got sent home. Felt pretty tender and slow but no actual pain.
1 week on - walking with pram for about 30 mins, quite a slow walk but feeling good. A bit achy (like post ab workout) but no pain.
2 weeks on - feeling surprisingly good, walking at a good pace for an hour a day, able to get in and out of bed unaided for a few days now. Meeting friends for coffee.
3 and 4 weeks on - feel mostly normal. Fast walking over an hour a day, could probably drive but waiting 6 weeks just to be sure. Absolutely no pain and don't even feel like I had surgery. Out and about as normal, bending and doing housework etc.

Honestly worst part was the trapped wind a few days in which I wasn't expecting, peppermint tea is your friend!

Amichelle84 · 04/05/2021 12:50

I think the thing with things like this is everyone is different.

For me I was having a pub lunch the week after and was able to move around quite well surviving on paracetamol, which I probably didn't need but didn't want to risk pain stepping in.

Chelyanne · 04/05/2021 13:03

I found it pretty easy.
I didn't need any painkillers after my spinal wore off. Did feel like a lead weight when I got up and about the day of surgery (did have heavy blood loss too) but the next day I felt fine. Once my catheter was out I walked down the ward for lunch and a shower, got home that evening. Was back doing all cooking cleaning etc and had no problems carrying both our twins around together (17lb combined at birth). I was out pushing the double pram a few days after surgery and we went out for a pub meal within the week too. I did get an infected wound after a couple of weeks as my stitches didn't dissolve, it was painless though and was sorted with removal and antibiotics. I was able to pick our 2 and 4 year olds up after a few weeks with ease. I didn't drive for 6 weeks as dh was off work that long, our car insurance said I was fine to drive as soon as I felt physically able though so there are no set restrictions there.

Giraffe888 · 04/05/2021 13:19

I had a planned section due to placenta previa.

I was out walking short distances 3 days later and going out for coffees & lunch after 4 days

Moominmiss · 04/05/2021 13:24

I’ve had 3 sections, due my fourth later this year.

With all of them I was up about about a few hours after surgery. Then once home I was out for gentle walks with baby after 3-4 days.

I was signed off fit to drive after 2 weeks.

Pain was minimal, only really felt uncomfortable if sneezing.

My stomach area around the scar now is totally numb to touch but was told it can be expected.

Good luck

IWouldntBother · 04/05/2021 13:41

Emergency section here.
I took oramorph for pain relief during hospital stay and then moved on to paracetamol and ibruprofen at home for around a week.
I felt comfortable to be able to do an emergency stop around two weeks later and after speaking to my GP and insurance I was able to drive.
Although I didn't carry anything heavier than my baby for the first 6 weeks, even though I felt fine to do so.
Pain was minimal for me and I'm a complete wimp, but everyone heals differently

Chanel05 · 04/05/2021 15:15

I had a very bad emergency section, so I, out of choice chose not to drive for 8 weeks.

You should be able to walk after a few days, building it up.

The important thing to remember with a section is not to do too much just because you think you feel fine, it will end up prolonging your recovery.

StaceImpactWfan · 05/05/2021 17:49

I had my first c section in January, and honestly it's the worst thing I've ever been through. But I think it's partially due to never wanting a c section in the first place and having the choice being taken away from me due to placenta previa.

That being said I had the c section at 2pm and by 2am I had the catherter removed (my choice) and was up walking. I felt fine in the hospital (must of been the drugs) cause as soon as I got home I had panic attack after panic attack. I couldn't lie down or move without being in so much pain. I cried every day for 10 days due to the blood thinning injections. It took me 20-30mins to get out of bed to go to the bathroom which is literally 3 feet away if that. Day 5 dressing came off and after that omg it was like something changed, I was able to walk properly I was able to shower etc. By day 7 I was off pain medication and walking around fine.

But everyone is different.

Good luck, after a few days you'll feel much better x

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