How good/bad can recovery be from planned/emergency c section

[mrxrsx]

Tuesday I will be having a appointment with consultants to see if i’m having a planned c section or natural birth.

If I go into labour early it’s a emergency c section.

Im just wondering how good and how bad the recovery can be from both. My friend said her planned was painful but fine she was more or less moving straight away. She also said there’s no point me asking because everyone has different experiences but I was wondering how good and how bad the recovery is and how long does it effect abilities to do things you could do before childbirth like permanently/long term like driving/learning to drive ?

I had an unplanned one when my induction failed. No experience of a planned one. I recovered fine but I always think the key part was I never got into labour so wasn't over tired when I had the c-section.

Yes I was tired as it was done at midnight and didn't get to the ward till 3am but I hadn't been in labour for two days previously and over exhausted as most people are when they then get to their emcs.

Does that make sense?

yeah that makes sense. How many months did it take you to recover? When did your natural strength come back?

I had an emergency c section after 8 hours of active labour. Had been in slow labour for a couple days but didn’t realise it. I was relieved for it and it saved my baby’s life. The recovery was fine and I was back to normal (apart from driving) in less than 2 weeks. I was driving after 6 weeks as insurance is invalid until then not because I didn’t feel up to it. I did get an infection on the wound after around 4 weeks but antibiotics cleared it up very quickly. I’m having another c section this time round but will (hopefully) be a planned one.

Your friend is right though, everyone’s experience is different. One of my friends had an awful recovery and didn’t have another child after in case it ended up in a c section.

I had an emergency c section after failed induction. I was exhausted and just couldn’t continue with the induction which clearly wasn’t working.

I found the recovery fine. I was out of bed the next day and carrying my own bags between wards the next day. I am T1 diabetic and generally take longer to recover from anything than someone without diabetes but I think after two weeks I was off the pain meds and fine. Just being careful with lifting etc. All in all a very easy recovery.

I weighing up whether to try for an induction with this pregnancy or go for a planned c section. Leaning towards c section at present.

Good luck x

I had my twins by c section. Technically it was an emergency at 34 weeks, but we knew they would probably need one by 36 weeks, so we had kind of planned if you see what I mean.

Recovery was definitely tougher than from my vaginal delivery, basically because getting up required a weird rolling manoeuvre for nearly 3 weeks. And the post-section poo was TRAUMATIC for a moment or two. I literally thought for a terrifying second that something must have ruptured and i was going to bleed to death. I didn't and hadn't. But that was absolutely the worst moment. I could zombie shuffle within 13 hours and was walking pretty normally normally next day. I did have ibuprofen/paracetamol for just over a week, but it was uncomfortable not agonising. Reminiscent of period pain by the 2nd day unless I sneezed.

Long term - nothing. By 6 weeks it was just a pink ridge and it's almost invisible now (2 years on, but I think I was like that by 4 months or so).

Personally I much preferred the vaginal delivery because my recovery time was basically zero - I felt totally fine by the next morning and was normal sized by day 2 whereas with c section I was still pretty massive until over a week later and the wound was certainly uncomfortable and inconvenient for a little while, when really I wanted to feel like myself so I could adapt to our new family. BUT my delivery was.without complications beyond a small tear. That's obviously not the case for.everyone.

No long term impact for me, im pregnant again and doesn’t seem to be causing me any problems now either. I expected the recovery to be really painful and I’m not good with pain at all but I didn’t find it that bad. I’d say a couple of days in I did just feel a bit pathetic and I think the fact it was our first baby so my husband wasn’t very confident in how to dress baby, swaddle baby etc or in the middle of the night after a feed he started being violently sick and I was trying to get out of bed as fast as possible but felt so helpless as I literally couldn’t get there and my husband was just kind of standing a bit clueless. This time I think it will be much easier as he won’t hesitate to do stuff as much and will just do it. After 5 days it was a lot easier.. walking around wasn’t painful, the only sore part for me was trying to get out of bed or out of the sofa if I’d say too far back. I was really pleasantly surprised by the whole recovery and by 2 weeks I just felt a bit tender but could do everything again. All in all mine was a really good experience and I’m hoping for the same again

I've had 2 sections after traumatic vaginal delivery and shoulder dystocia with my first DC. I found the c section recoveries a breeze compared to what I went through with DC1.
DC2 was elective section at 39 weeks but went into labour at 38+2 so went into hospital and they just did section early. Although I was petrified, it was so lovely and relaxed and once I had spinal block done I was laughing and chatting with everyone. In hospital for 2 days then home, trapped wind was awful in hospital and caused the most discomfort but they can give you some minty medicine stuff that helps. Sitting up from lying position hard but you get used to swinging legs out first and pushing yourself up on your arm. I felt relatively OK after a week, just felt it more if I over did it.
DC3 was planned c section at 39 weeks and by far my favourite delivery, i had a really lovely midwife and anthesitist who gave me lots of options I didn't know I could have, they made sure I could do skin to skin as soon as baby born and checks done then held them then whole time for the rest of it (with 1st section I had a quick cuddle then baby given to dad and he took baby out of theatre whilst they finished stitching me up) it was honestly a wonderful experience for me and again recovery was nothing like what I went through with DC1, home from hospital after 24 hours because I insisted and pain management was fine (wanted to go home to my other babies!) Again was fine after a week, both times could drive after about a week as could do emergency stop and fully move around to drive properly but you will need to check with insurer as different ones have different rules. Can't be all bad as I'm doing it all over again with surprise DC4 (and final one, I'm being sterilised at the same time as section this time round) worst bit for me was walking into the theatre as its so overwhelming but I wouldn't change my experiences for the world.

@Barelycopingmum congratulations on doing it all again! I’m glad you repeat c section went just as well to the first one, my first one was a dream so I’m really hoping this is the same 🤞🏼

@BCxx thank you, and to you!
Definitely found this pregnancy much harder this time round emotionally and physically so I'm quite looking forward to being done but it's also been my favourite pregnancy as other kids are much older than they were before (12, 8 and 6)so they understand it all so much more and are super excited which has been the best experience after the initial shock and worry about having another one.
Hope all goes well for you

I had an emergency c section with my fourth as I suffered a placental abruption at 26 weeks.
I was put under general though and it was a very traumatic experience due to the circumstances but the recovery wasn't bad.

I was up and walking a couple of hours later, mostly due to when my partner was wheeling me around i thought it was safer to walk 😂
I was back home the next day and with two toddlers I didn't have much chance to rest as they wanted picking up all the time. I wouldn't recommend that though as you have to be careful with your stitches.

As someone said above, bit scary going for a poo as your tummy is tender. I never used to trump in front of my partner but after the c section I just had to let it out because I couldn't let them out in private cause it hurt 🤣🤣