C section recovery - what to do?

[BetsHilton]

Hi all,

I’ve been told I need to have a c-section. I’m finding it very difficult to get information on it and on recovery. There is only a short section on the NHS and it’s very conflicting. For example - go for a walk and get mobile and rest in bed but also avoid going up and down the stairs.

I have a bedroom down stairs - should we set up in there for the first month or so to avoid stairs? I have a bad back and the mattress in my room upstairs is a special one whereas downstairs is just normal so what’s worse - better mattress plus stairs or worse mattress and no stairs….

also how much time is spent being mobile? Should I be in bed all day and get up for a gentle walk a day or should I be up for the day and rest on the couch and walking around?

Finding it all very confusing!! Any help appreciated.

also any tips on recovery in general!

Lots of peppermint tea as soon as you get out of theatre and for the next few days.
high waisted knickers and trousers.
Its difficult to say how much is too much when getting up and about but just listen to your body and don’t over do it. Stairs were hard for me but had no choice as loo is upstairs. Only do the things that need doing and get someone else to do the rest. Lots of pillows on sofa and bed. I slept upright for the first two weeks as struggled getting out of bed and lying down really hurt my wound too.
Do you have the option of bringing your mattress downstairs for the other bed? You don’t want extra pain if it can be avoided

There have been excellent threads on here in the past about how to prepare and what to expect. Mine was an emergency one so I was in a bit of a state after and clueless and I scoured them and got loads of useful tips. I’d have a search and hopefully you’ll find a few.

Wishing you the very best of luck.

I think you’re overthinking it a bit, I can understand though. I’ve had 2 c-sections and basically it’s a case of rest while you can but also don’t just rest - go for a short walk each day. Helps the blood flow and therefore everything heal more quickly.
Also you’ll be fine going upstairs to bed, you just do not want to be going up and down stairs all day to fetch stuff etc. But obviously you’ll be fine to do stairs, just not excessively.
I don’t recommend being in bed all day, as I say rest is important but so is being mobile. Personally I preferred being on the sofa and pottering round when baby was asleep.
Your body will let you know how much you should be doing.

3 sections here. I never moved the bed downstairs. Being mobile helps recovery. The midwives will have you up fairly quickly. That obviously doesn't mean running a marathon but sitting up and down, shuffling to the toilet, kitchen. The best thing to do is keep on top of your pain meds so don't wait until it hurts.
I think the first 5 days are the worst but for me, after that, I was OK.

When you’re upstairs, make sure you have everything you need ie phone, snacks, drink etc
When you’re downstairs do the same in reverse ie nappies, change of baby clothes etc. This is to minimise trips. Try to have someone with you to help carry stuff.

Gentle exercise ie short walks and general pottering around the house and garden. It’s best to keep moving, but don’t overdo it. Listen to your body.

I'm hugely overweight, very unfit and have arthritis, I was up and moving same day, hobbling about for 2-3 days then basically fine with occasional stiffness for another week.
Try not to overthink it and just take is as it comes

Your recovery may be different to another's, but I've had two so I'll tell you about mine.
Back then (my kids are late teens) you stayed in hospital for two or three days. I couldn't get up for a day after the op as you are pretty much without feeling waist down, but I hear people get mobile faster now. But in the second day I was up and going down the hall to the toilet (you still feel like your insides are going to come out because the wound is low, so that first bowel movement is a triumph) and picking up my baby. Third day the same - getting up, took a shower, demonstration on bathing baby...then home.
Once home I was fairly active - loads of visitors and we went out to a restaurant fourth day post section. Walking up and down stairs was fine. You take things a bit easy but I found normal day to day stuff ok - I wasn't whipping out the vacuum cleaner or anything but certainly not lying around. I did stick to the six weeks no driving which meant I did a lot of walking. I also started post natal classes after three weeks.
One thing that I didn't know was that you still bleed for a few weeks. We still managed to resume sex third week.
Do what you feel comfortable doing. If it hurts - stop. Accept help!

Had three C-sections. First was an emergency, felt like a cripple afterwards but I think due more to being induced at 19 days overdue (wouldn't be allowed now!) long, worrying labour, failed ventouse and forceps and an element of shock! The following two were planned. Recovery was fine, the advice to move as much as you feel able to sounds counterproductive but is standard advice in speeding up healing and recovery from operations. Put hand firmly over wound to support tummy whenever coughing, or laughing, etc! Keep on top of painkillers. I was in the supermarket the day after discharge with the third one. And I'm a complete and utter wettie with pain and operations!

Thanks all, glad to hear from some who have a low pain threshold/ aren’t in top shape!

I guess it’s move more than I had thought which is good to know as otherwise I would’ve likely thought I was primarily in bed with only a bit of movement. As baby is born in July I wasn’t relishing thoughts of being stuck upstairs in bed all day and no time outside or in fresh air so I will take the advice here to have a stash of whatever I need both up and downstairs and minimise use of the stairs and try base myself downstairs. I am lucky DH is off for two months with me so I will be just doing baby minding and nothing else to hopefully help recovery along.

First had infection and in hospital for a week, recovery v slow.
Second Discharged at 24 hours and recovery pretty quick, in labour section but not emergency. Could do most things at 2 weeks, felt almost completely back to normal at 6 weeks.