Not recovering well ... should I consider c-section next time

[GoingtobebiginAsia]

It's four weeks since I gave birth and I feel rotten. I am so tired and still sore. I can't walk very far, sitting hurts and getting in and out of bed really hurts.
A midwife examined me last week and said varicose veins could be causing the pain. I can't find any information about post-natal vein problems. I had a second degree tear and 10 stiches, which may or may not have been infected a few weeks ago. Maybe the vein was causing the pain the doctor diagnosed as an infection.
I felt quite good through the pregnancy and am usually fit and healthy so this lack of recovery is quite a shock. I'm going to see a GP tomorrow for a checkup. But I'm starting to wonder if these problems could be avoided next time round if I had a c-section.
Any advice?

[Miss H]

Having a baby either way is trying on the body especially afterwards when you are sleep deprived as well. Things may have not gone 100% for you but there are plenty of things that can go wrong with a CS. I have had 2 CS and so wish that I had natural birth. Please see your GP and get things sorted out. Your body needs time to heal as well. It has been through a tremendous thing and it will take some time to get back to normal whichever way you give birth. Lots of hugs to you and hope you are feeling yourself again soon.

[paradise lost]

No real life advice (never had a c-section) but i have at least 3 friends who have babies 12+ month old who are still in pain from their surgical births so i would be VERY wary about opting for a c-section to avoid pain post-birth. I have one friend who had a 3rd degree tear, a seperate episiotomy right into her glute on one side, a forceps delivery, a post-birth vaginal haematoma which required 3 surgeries and 15 units of transfused blood and 3 days in ICU with her #1, she was unable to stand or walk without pain fo 4 months PP and still (3.5 years on) has pain during sex. She chose to have a section with #2 and recovered well by comparison.

A 2nd-degree tear can take a while to heal well, 4 weeks isn't very long at all especially when there was an infection too. I had an unstitched 2nd degree tear with no infection and i still felt that dragging feeling when walking and pain when sitting for long at 4weeks PP, and in fact it was finally gone about 7 weeks PP. Varicose veins will go down but you need to rest plenty (lie down, not just sit) and maybe applying witch-hazel compresses would help provide relief too. What did the midwife suggest?

Bx

[Just Me]

It is really difficult to deal with pain, sleep deprivation and a newborn. These first few weeks are really hard but it sounds like you are in more pain than is normal. I'm not sure a c-section is the solution though.

I have had 2 natural births and a c-section. I had a second degree tear with my first birth. I have found the recovery from a c-section really frustrating and extremely painful. There is so much stuff I couldn't do for so long including sitting up and holding my baby for the first day. I was very dependent on busy midwives to pick her up and pass her to me ... sometimes I waited a very long time. Recovery from my second degree tear took about 6 weeks to be healed and to be able to sit properly. Having said that, mine was pretty straight forward, but it sounds like yours is more complicated.

Every labour and birth can be completely different and you may find this isn't an issue next time and you will recover okay. No-one can tell until it happens.

It is not a nice time to be in so much pain. I hope that the doctor can help you out tomorrow.

[Arimeh]

I'm still in pain from my natural birth on the weekend, and I only got first degree tears - so I can imagine how painful it is for you with stitches too!! The stinging when going to the toilet is about to drive me insane I think

However, having had 2 previous c-sections - I would much rather this recovery, even though its hard to walk because my back is completely shot from labouring - its a totally different recovery than a c-section, and I like the fact I can pick up my kids when they want to, I drove the other day - its just totally different.

By the time you get pregnant with your next one, you might have forgotten about how rotten you feel now - whereas I still remember how horrible my infection was from my second c-section - and I'd never wish that upon anyone.

xxx

[paradise lost]

Mel fill a slosh bottle with warm water before you pee and then slowly squirt it onto your perineum as you pee. Kills the burn by diluting and feels lovely

[BellyBelly]

Tips for the stinging on the loo - get something like a saucebottle filled with water and squirt yourself while urinating. Make the most of the shower when you are in there and pee in the shower. If you don't have it already, grab some Ural (its a urinary alkaliser - hope spelling is right), which will help to take out the sting too.

Lots of salt baths will help healing as well as some arnica (its a well known homeopathic treatment for healing, surgeons even recommend it!) so you can get that from a naturopath or health food store. It helped me recover from a surgery, the bruising and swelling went away quick! Might be worth seeing a good naturopath to help you with all the things going on, to help you feel better.

The thing is varicose veins, pelvic floor issues - can all be caused from the weight and pressures of pregnancy so it's a fallacy that c/s will prevent these issues.

Hang in there, it will get better every day, keep reminding yourself that. The things above can help it happen faster.

[Arimeh]

Mel fill a slosh bottle with warm water before you pee and then slowly squirt it onto your perineum as you pee. Kills the burn by diluting and feels lovely

The tiny tear to my perineum doesn't bother me at all - its the labial tear (apparently right up the middle??) which is super ouchy!! Even water is ouchy on it... lol

[fourthontheway]

I'm sorry you're having difficulty recovering! Have you spoken to a naturopath? I took tissue salts for slow healing wounds and they were fabulous. Ask in your local health food store, they will likely have some, and they're only about $10.

People think c/sec is the easy way to do it, you can plan it ahead of time, and it's over in an hour. But the recovery process isn't great from it in many cases. About 50% of scars get infected! C/sec leaves you without the proper hormone levels, and often times babies are born to early and are not ready to breathe.

I know quite a few women who have torn at their fist birth, and been very fearful of tearing at the second, but have had little more than a graze!

[Olive]

mel my labial tear hurt for longer than my second degree tear

[StrawberryMumma]

Hang in there and give yourself time. 4 weeks isn't long.

Birth is tough either way, and complications can arise following whatever way you do it. There will always be some discomfort and recovery time no matter how brilliantly it goes.

Sending you all the strength you need to get through these tough weeks x

[Lily Dust]

Hey hon, Id stick to a vaginal birth. I have never had a c-section but I don't envy those women one little bit. I had a 3rd degree tear and sometimes when I sit it does still feel a little tender if the perineum pulls a little. I think around the 5-6 week was when I was feeling much less sensitive. Like you though I was wondering if I was ever going to feel ok again! I know 4 weeks feels like a life time when you are so sore but it will get better. At my 6 week post natal appointment the Dr asked if we were back having sex yet.... I just looked at him stupidly!
Big , hope you're feeling much better soon.

[*TripleJ*]

at 4 weeks PP i was still in pain and i had about 15 stiches from my second degree tear it will go away eventually it took me about 12 weeks just to DTD with minimal pain salt baths help so much

i also had a labial graze and that was awful ouchies just thinking about it i think i might not birth on my back next time

[Jennifer13]

Having had a friend who had a serious infection post c/s that put her in intensive care and who finally had her last operation to clear the majority of the nasty stuff that had caused numerous adhesions and scar tissue build up inside her abdomen as a result of that surgery, I would say it's by far the most risky recovery option there is. Considering that her DD was born four days before mine, so that was 3 1/2 years of pain and several other necessary operations (all from an unpredictable reaction during the c/s). She had pain every day until the last op, couldn't ride her beloved horses or do anything strenuous.

No way would I willingly take that chance.

I hope you feel better soon though.

[berrme]

I have had a second degree tear, that I think needed about 100 stitches as it took over an hour to repair, and I have had a c/s. I would choose the second degree tear any day.
I also had varicose veins of the vulva after my labour which ached and were probably worse than the perineum. They went away at some point, probably by about 2 months PP, I haven't been in pain for a long time.
It sounds to me like you are suffering in ways that you would after any birth as they are not necessarily birth related. The varicose veins will be there regardless, you will always be tired, and your abs will be stretched way too far.
Your vagina is the fastest healing part of your body (I love telling year 9s that fact during sex ed), your abdomen isn't. So if recovery from a tear is hard for you, recovery from surgery probably will be too. You still have plenty of time, you don't need to decide anything now.

[~Raven~]

I was very sore after I had my first but I can say that the recovery after my others was a lot easier. I would attribute that in part to already having given birth so the tissues had been stretched previously, but I also knew what made the tearing worse so I purposely slowed things when I was pushing to let the perineum stretch and then post birth I was very vigilant with icing and taking an anti inflammatory.

Also something else to consider is if you are having problems from the pads causing irritation to the wound. I had major problems from wearing pads constantly for weeks.

ETA Don't forget that it takes at least 6 weeks to heal post birth and it can be longer for some people.

[blackduckies]

My first DD was a VB with a cut that got stitched up wrong??? Long back labour and very sore down there for weeks, but after having a CS that got infected from the inside out and in pain for 16 weeks i would say go VB again...next time will be a lot easier having done if before.
Just a regular CS you will be in pain for 4weeks a different type of pain but constant nontheless. A bit of time inbetween will make all the difference to how you feel, all the ouchiness is still fresh in your mind, in 12 months you will feel differnetly Maybe????
Best wishes for a quicker recovery.

[tippytoes]

Hun I feel your pain. I too had a second degree tear and some grazes too. It does take time. Some of my stitches weren't under the skin enough, therefore didn't dissolve, and then became irriatating. It was always stingy to go to the loo too. I highly recommend the salt sitz bath. I also would fill a squishy water bottle with warm water and salt and squeeze the water onto my perenium whilst weeing - it really helps. Repeat this whilst in the shower too. Also, try to keep the area as dry as possible. Have some 'free air' time to help healing along. I had to get my GP to take out remaining stitches at week 5, in all honesty I felt better (ie no stinging or soreness) at 10 weeks. It just takes time I am afraid .

I have never had a ceaser but I can't imagine it being easier at all.

Wishing you a speedy recovery, you will get there!
Rach xx