C section recovery time

[Abombflower]

I am having a planned c section early next year and am looking for peoples experiences with recovery as I’m a little nervous as to how long this may take as I’ve heard very mixed stories/experiences from friends.

What did you find you struggled with most when you were back home?

I ended up not sticking with breastfeeding with my first (not a c section) as my milk didn’t come in for about 5 days and I was so worried it wouldn’t and my baby wasnt getting enough to eat I ended up just solely formula feeding. Is my milk likely to take as long/longer coming in after a c section? I’d really like to breastfeed if possible this time but again have had mixed messages about this too after a c section!

Thanks :)

Hi. I have had 3 C-sections. The first one was not by choice, it was an emergency because my daughter was literally all wrapped up in an unusually long ombilical cord. The second one was by choice, and for the third one the doctors didn’t give me a choice. I had great and easy recoveries after all of them and was up the next day to look after them by myself. The milk only came in during the third night (with sweats) but the babies were fine, got formula in the first night at the nursing station, I was given pain meds and a sleeping pill so that I could recover (first night only).

I was determined to breastfeed all three and I did for a long time. Don’t hesitate to ask for help (and insist with the midwives) in the beginning if you feel the baby is not latching on properly.

its not easy but it’s definitely doable if you really want it. Good luck!

No issues for me. I was out in under 14hrs, no real issues with picking them up. Went for a big walk and pub lunch on day 4. They latched on immediately, but I had other issues with feeding that weren’t related to the section. Ended up mix feeding for 6m, wished I had stopped breastfeeding sooner though as it wasn’t really working (again not related to the section). The birth itself was the most magical, wonderful thing that has ever happened to me. So relaxing and peaceful, I felt so content. Until the night ward - so chaotic and was glad I got discharged early!!

I requested a c section 2 days into an induction. The section itself was painless, however I haemorrhaged and had a balloon put in which stayed in for 24 hours. The first 24 hours with the balloon in felt impossible to pull myself up or walk but as soon as it was taken out I walked round to neonatal to see my daughter and was on my feet non stop with no rest. 3 days later I drove myself home from the hospital and that same day went food shopping. The next day I was out in the town centre. I will say for a good week, maybe 2 bending over to pick things up was the only thing I struggled to do. I had to walk much slower than normal and after around 20/30 minutes of walking it would feel slightly sore but there was no pain. Even after the c section I was worried there would be so much pain and stinging and I felt nothing so i declined the liquid morphine as it was making me feel spaced out and I kept missing paracetamol doses as I was in neonatal and not going back to my room in postnatal but there was no pain at all. I’ve had 3 normal deliveries prior and they were awful healing wise and pain x

I did try expressing but couldn’t get anything out and after failed attempts of getting midwives and the nurses to show me how to use the machines in neonatal, I gave up but my daughter was born at 36 weeks so that could be why I struggled with milk

I've had two c-sections. But both times, I went into labour spontaneously which ended in a c-section. Breastfed my first until age 4. Currently breastfeeding my 6 week old. Both cluster fed on day 2-ish which brought my milk in on day 3. Before that I produced colostrum which sustained them.

Recovery wise, it's been fine second time around. The hardest part is not being able to pick up my firstborn but we've managed. I was up and about pretty much 24 hours after, although slowly and in pain but by week 2, I was no longer on any pain meds and could function relatively normal.

I had a planned section 4 weeks ago, and I was dreading the recovery hearing about how hard it would be, how intense etc, and here I am, literally like 4 weeks out and I’ve been back on the school run for about 2 weeks now, been on big walks, done light cleaning around the house, not been carrying anything heavy but I reckon I could (just don’t wanna push things too hard)

everyone’s different but this recovery has probably been better than my recovery when I had my first and she was vaginally via forceps with an episiotomy.

thing I think I most struggled with if anything was the hormones mixing with my emotions on feeling guilty not being able to do much in them first few days with my toddler maybe!

best of luck with it, I’m sure you’ll be absolutely fine and wish you a speedy recovery !

I don’t have experience with a c-section, but I do have experience with a difficult start to breastfeeding.

I received IVF antibiotics during my labour and it caused intense thrush. This meant my boobs were agony for weeks, and I mean weeks. I managed a couple of feeds here and there, but he was mostly formula fed. Almost exclusively for a good 5-6 weeks.
But because of how flexible milk production is for the first 12-14 weeks, I was gradually about to increase the number of feeds from around 7/8 weeks, and by 10 weeks I was exclusively breastfeeding him.

I think knowledge of how the breasts work and knowing you have those first 3-4 months where lactation can be increased, decreased, and increased again as and how you need really helped me. People might think if you haven’t established it by a couple of weeks then it’s a lost cause. Not the case. You have time to achieve it.

I’ve had two. The first was ok but I did find it hard to establish a good latch and the midwife did give my baby a bottle once, but we persevered and I breastfed him for five months (until I returned to work). I stayed in hospital for three days (this was 2003) but was out and about when I got released, having visitors and going out for a meal the next day (and breastfeeding in public). My second section my DD was in NICU for three days and had a feeding
tube and I did try to express but was not very successful. Fortunately I managed to breastfeed her after she got out and did so for a year. My recovery was a bit slower initially as I lost a lot of blood and needed a drain, but then I was fine once I got home. I did not drive for six weeks which meant lots of walking - a good thing!