C section honest recovery time? Last minute change

[Snowtimex7]

Hello,

I had been wanting a natural birth for baby number 2. I was induced last time. I looked at c sections as I had placenta previa but then placenta moved and I no longer needed one so instantly ruled out.

I have a 4 year old at home starting school sept and I am 39 weeks today. It’s not been an easy pregnancy but now I’ve been put on crutches with support bands. Not able to walk further than the length of my living room due to severe Pelvic girdle pain and pain in hips. My legs go dead often. It’s just truly mentally taking a toll. I cry everyday. I have not been able to do much with my little one and I’m just so so fed up. Struggling to even wash dishes.

I went to my midwife appointment, she did a sweep and I scored a 2 on bishop scale. He’s not low. Cervix is not short and is firm. No dilation. Nothing. I honestly cried. I’ve drunk the tea, eating the dates, on the ball, eating spicy food doing what i can without the walking as I just can’t. My midwife recommended referring back to the hospital and see if they can do something.

the hospital have said induction or c section but given the pain I’m in I won’t be allowed a water birth as they won’t be able to get me out in an emergency and I can’t exactly walk around to assist so it could really result in a c section. They recommend a c section. I will be getting a call soon from a doctor to discuss next steps.

it’s not the way I wanted it to go. Im scared for recovery with a toddler. My husband has limited time off work. I bought everything to prepare for after birth in labour not for a c section. Im just lost

has anyone else had this such a last minute change? What should I expect? How was recovery for you?

I've had two sections and the recoveries were awful, long and the most painful experiences of my life.

In many ways very much like what you are currently experiencing just now.

However lots of people seem to do well after a section but it's best to be prepared that it could go well or not.

Totally different here, I'd say just have the section. I was driving by day 10 (with insurance permission) and generally just got on with things, That wasn't to say it wasn't tricky/a bit painful, but it was definitely doable.

Sorry to hear you’ve had such a rough time - you’re nearly there! I hope I can help you to feel more positive if C Section is the root you have to go down. I’ve had 2 C sections and both were brilliant experiences and great recoveries. Both were elective as in pre planned but needed for medical reasons. I have 4 friends who have had them too and all bar one have had a very similar positive experience. Immediately afterwards I was only on paracetamol and ibuprofen and I do not have a high pain threshold at all. 2-3 difficult days but I would describe as significant discomfort rather than full on pain. Couldn’t sit up by myself for example. Went out for lunch on day 5. Down to just paracetamol by day 7 and off all painkillers by 2 weeks. BUT I had a big 3 year old at home for my second one and that made it hard. My husband had 4 weeks off work and then I had to rely on help from family for 2 weeks as you really really shouldn’t lift your toddler/anything heavier than your baby for 6 weeks.

I had natural births with DC1 and DC2 and an emergency section with DC3. Honestly, the section was great! I know not everyone recovers so quickly, but I was moving around (gingerly) within a day, I never felt unable to pick up my daughter, even immediately after, fully mobile within a couple of days and pretty much back to normal in about 2 weeks! The recovery was much better than after DC1, which I felt like went on for months. You'll need a bit of help at first, but unless you're unlucky and get an infection or something it should be for just a week or two. And even then I could do pretty much everything from week 2 onwards.

I also hated being pregnant and found it really hard going by the end. Honestly,recovering from a c section was a breeze compared to the last month or two of pregnancy....

Good luck x

Honestly, I'd go c-section in a heart beat. not least because it sounds like my exprience except I got induction and had emergency c section anyway. A good c-section, handled asap, is far more quick and easy to recover from. If you've struggling with SPD, the immediate relief from not being pregnant will be great - get up and moving as quickly as possible after the c-section and away you go.

I’ve had 3 C-sections, after the second one I was at home on my own with a 2.5 year old and the newborn after my husband had just 5 days off work. It was tough but manageable, by 3 weeks physically I was absolutely fine. Keep on top of the pain meds.

I've had 2 c-sections, 1 elective, then an emergency. The emergency was easier by far because the baby was only in nicu for 5 days compared with 4 weeks for my older child so I wasn't rushing around and could rest more.

It's very much a spectrum. Both mine were emergencies but I literally bounced back physically. Was on my feet within 6 hours both times. Dc1 was in Nicu so missed all the drugs rounds with him. Someone asked on day 3 about pain relief and obviously I hadn't taken any but I wasnt really in pain. Dc2 I just didn't bother. Stayed one night in hospital and went out for lunch when she was 2 days old. Was back taking dc1 to preschool within a fortnight, pushing the pram on the 3 mile roundtrip.

What helped was making up baskets in advance, I.e. one with stuff for dc1 (snacks, treats etc), one for baby (spare clothes, muslins etc) and one with snacks, water bottle etc for me. Also dc1 was 3 when dc2 was born so I showed him my scar and explained he needed to be gentle and help me. We had lots of lovely snuggle time together, the three of us as dh only took 2 weeks off work.

Emcs at 35 weeks. Was well enough to be discharged next day. Ds had jaundice so we both stayed in a week.. Drove at 10 days pp.. Wasn't the nightmare I had envisaged at all. And I had dc at home. And ddogs to walk.
Don't be a martyr though.. Take the painkillers...

My section was a last minute decision in the hospital as I wasn't dilating enough and had been in labour for a long time, so I just wanted her out.
It was very painful the first day or two and standing up was difficult but I just kept myself moving. During my stay overnight in the hospital I kept getting up out of the bed and walking around very slowly, walking around at home and doing as much as I felt possible. I definitely think this helped with my recovery and I was walking around my local town 2 weeks post op.
Even though I was in a lot of pain the first day or two I would definitely choose a section again.

I've had 1 VB and 2 c sections. The c sections were a walk in the park in comparison to the vb! No labour, not much pain. I felt great afterwards. I had a 2yo and 4yo following the second c section and was fine. Off all painkillers around the 2 week mark. Walked the 4yo to and from school. Breastfed. Of course it's a bit sore the first couple of days afterwards, but the recovery was very straightforward. Personally I would take a c section over a vb any day of the week.

It's impossible to say how you and your body will heal from a c-section. Amongst my mum friends the recovery rate ranges from 5 days to 5 months.

You sound in so much pain now, it makes sense to go for a c-section so you can start recovering from what sounds like a very difficult pregnancy.

I wish you and your baby a safe delivery. It will all be worth it in the end.

Not super mobile for 2 weeks but then fine. Did a 4 mile round trip with the double pushchair to a toddler group at 4w pp with dd2. I'd choose a section every time.

I've had three sections, mix of unplanned and planned. Planned was great. I could walk normally once home from the hospital (having the pram to hold on to probably helped).
My tips:
Come to peace with the fact it is happening
Take the painkillers as they help your recovery mentally as well as physically
Absolutely no stretching your arms far above your head or too much getting up and down on the floor with your youngest. This is my biggest tip. How you move your body matters.
Swing both legs out of bed at the same time and then stand up.
Check your car insurance. I could drive any time as long as my doctor was happy.

Best of luck for it

My sections were great. Really lovely and calm through the surgery. Just make sure they prescribe the good painkillers for afterwards and take them on a schedule to get ahead of the pain. Yes it was sore but never painful. My most recent one I had the baby at 7am and was up walking with the catheter out and feeling pretty ok after lunch. Pushed the pram up the hill to the midwife clinic on day 5, back on the nursery run for eldest after a week.

I had my Mum stay for 2 weeks and that was a huge help. She did everything cooking, cleaning, filled my freezer with home cooked meals for me to pull out once she was gone like Bolognese, Fish pie, Shepherds pie, Quiches and she did the shopping caring for me and DC and I just slept and breast fed and cuddled my DC and generally recovered. My recovery was very good. By the third week I could walk quite far, do jobs like loading the dishwasher, loading up the washing machine, and care for older DC cook meals etc. I just took it a bit easy did a couple of jobs then rested for 15 minutes, then did another job then rest over lunch time for an hour. I did try to nap for an hour once both DC and the baby had an afternoon nap. The worse bit is not being able to drive for 6 weeks due to insurance. I left lifting and heavier jobs to DH to do after work. When he got home I just sat reading to DC or feeding baby and he took over house jobs and every evening he cleaned the kitchen, picked in laundry from the line, vacuumed and loaded up the dishwasher as well as bathing both DC and baby. I did night feeds as breastfeeding but DH made me a sandwich to take to bed and a thermos of tea to drink at feeding time. After 3 months I was completely back to normal.

Mine was a planned section so not last minute but it was a really positive experience from start to finish.
I've heard so many horror stories about natural births and emergency sections but a planned one is totally different.
It was chilled and calm, I felt in safe hands the whole time. Quick, my partner cut the cord, I got skin to skin.

I was discharged 24 hours later and could walk fine, i just needed to be careful of lifting. I took it easy for a week or so and had no recovery issues whatsoever, pain was minimal but hated those injections. I could shower and was walking with the pram after a week (maybe even earlier).

Having another planned section with my second

I had one 4 years ago, preeclampsia at 34 weeks. Recovery was great. I have another booked in for October for my second DC. Would much prefer a second planned c section than the uncertainties of a vaginal birth. So many of my friends ended up with an emergency c section and recovery can be much longer that way (not all cases though).

I have had three c sections, each progressively easier than the last, I think due to changing hospital procedures.

With my last c section I went in to hospital on crutches, having not walked anywhere outside my house for weeks due to PGP. Wheelchair from entrance to bed. I had the section, and was out of bed less than two hours later (to avoid a bed bath with a J Cloth!). My husband took the crutches home from the recovery room and I wheeled my baby in his bowl bed to the postnatal ward.

My advice is to take every painkiller they offer and ask for more.

Get up as soon as you think you can - if you think you can't, give it a go anyway!

Try to walk a little bit, often. Don't stay in bed while others fetch things - by all means stay in bed and nurse while they make lunch and do the laundry, but get up and open your curtains, fetch a glass of water etc etc. just keep moving a little, often.

After all three sections I was driving at 10 days or earlier. insurance and doctor both said it was up to me when I felt ready. A good test is if you can jump without hesitation then you could emergency break without hesitation!

Good luck. I really hope your PGP disappears immediately post delivery like mine did. It was such a relief to not have hip pain even if it was replaced by other gripes!

I had an elective c section in December and honestly recovery was fine. I was more mobile and in less pain than some of my friends who’d had vaginal births (ended in forceps delivery). I stayed on top of my meds and put myself on bed rest for a week. I know everyone’s different but it was a breeze really x

Took me way longer to get over natural birth than it did my section.

I never even took any painkillers that they sent me home with. It was amazing! Was driving after 4 weeks. Could have done it earlier but had to get sign off from GP.

Everyone is different but ime, if I'd had a third, I would have begged for another section!!

(Bonded with baby faster too).

Yep i was similar with my 2nd.
By end of week 1 the qirst was over and i was confident of no infection etc.

Do massage / keep an eye on the scar from week 5/6 onwards to about 6m.
Use silicone strips they are amazing

My elective c section recovery has been a breeze, I was home the next day was maybe a little sore for 2-3 days but fine with pain meds, just took a while to sit up from lying down, and bending down was a bit tricky. But then honestly by day 4-5 I was feeling fine, was walking with the pram by myself at 1 week, with the addition of a toddler on the buggy board at 10.days, was able to drive at 2 weeks (check your insurance as mine was fine but others aren't). Now at 4 weeks and feel totally normal.

I was back driving in under 3 weeks, back caravanning in 6 weeks, off painkillers within a week. The C section didn't really stop me doing anything.

I had a cat 1 EMCS (ie most urgent). Baby born at 2.19am. I had my catheter out, dressings off and was in the shower by 4pm. By day 6 I was walking around out local arboretum pushing a pram, day 7 around a shopping centre an hour away and by day 14 doing a 5km dog walk including stiles.
I was declared fine to drive at 3 weeks, was lifting car seat etc after that.

For me the c section recovery was the easiest part of a difficult pregnancy.

I had ibuprofen and paracetamol and diahydracodeine (spelling sorry!) And I was fine so long as I took them on time. If I forgot I'd get very achey. Take a pillow in the car with you to go under your seat belt.

Others find things much more difficult, neither way is right. But just to say the surgery doesn't have to be a difficult recovery. I had one infection which delayed things like swimming and I put down to wearing trousers which rubbed a little.