Your c/s and pain?

[Sterla]

I wonder if it's just different people's pain tolerance?

[Indadhanu]

Yeah, theres that, and theres where they are at in their head too I guess. If you are full of lovely lovey hormones after the birth, you're going to feel better than if you don't. I also had other emotional stuff happening, like losing my grandfather the day I went into labour. That whole time kind of sucked, I didn't start enjoying being a mum or feel any lovey hormones for a few weeks.
I thin that makes a huge difference too?

[Sterla]

Yeah I think so. Leasha - sorry your whole day/experience was so awful.

Plus, with mine I had everything happen so quickly that I was in such a daze that I didn't even think of the possibility of pain, IYKWIM? The newness of having a baby and the constant stream of visitors was probably also a good distraction.

[Sterla]

I should also add that I didn't experience any labour (apart from a couple of hours when they tried inducing me) - so I was relatively well-rested, etc before my c/s. I am sure that helped a fair bit.

[berrme]

Another fairly pain free recovery from emergency c/s here. I never took anything other than paracetamol and was up and about as soon as I was let off the magnesium sulphate for my pre-eclampsia.
I actually found it really frustrating not doing more physically as I felt like I was capable. I also found out the hard way that too much exercise or laughing was not a good idea, even if it felt ok at the time.
It still wasn't something I wanted to repeat.

[Laranna]

Sterla, my c/s was the same, very little pain. Mine was planned initially (placenta praevia) but I went into labour 3 weeks early and laboured for about 2 hours by the time I got to hospital and the OB was called in etc to do the emergency c/s.

I utilised the self-administered pethidine for the first 24 hours which helped alot then it was just panadol and tramadol for the rest of the stay and sometimes I went through the entire night without it. Some of the nurses were suprised that I hadn't had much. They sent me home with some as well but I never used it.

For the 6 weeks after, I did what I had read and not to do any lifting, driving, housework, etc. I took that very literally and only lifted DS and took it real easy. I think that helped ALOT in the recovery. I also believe that as I was doing pilates and water aerobics right up until he was born, that really helped in my recovery also because my tummy muscles were already strong.

I would say that when I had my appendix removed when I was 17 weeks pregnant with DS, the pain from that was a lot worse...I think because of different muscles being cut, etc

[HollyC]

My c/s wasn't painful either. I had an emergency c/s after 6 or 7 hours of labour.

I didn't get up for almost 24 hours afterwards because I still had a catheter and a drip. I was up and about after that, but I was moving slowly and sitting up was difficult, but I wouldn't say painful.

I was given painkillers, but I didn't think I needed them. The midwives said that I would be in pain if I stopped taking them, but I did stop because they were putting me to sleep.

[Gigi]

a c-section is regarded by the hospitals as "major abdominal surgery", you are cut through multiple layers of stomache muscle.

i laboured for 29 hours without ANY pain relief (just kneeling in warm water, in a birthing pool), i think i have a high pain threshold, to have managed that.

I had no choice but to only use lower dose pain relief after the emerg c -section, because i asked, every time, "will that drug be passed to my baby thru the breastmilk", and usually the answer was "yes", so i couldn't take those stronger pain relief options.

i don't think every person's experience will be identical. i wouldn't wish the experience i had (emergency c-section with the complication of Bandl's Ring discovered during c-section) onto anyone.

i do wish i had been more prepared for the variety of things that CAN happen, once you are in labour. i was so focussed on my homebirth, i didn't research c-sections at all, and then in the emergency, i was being asked to make all sorts of decisions, about things i knew nothing about, i cannot tell you how stressful that was (after being in labour for 29 hours already, awake the whole time).

If other people sail thru their c-sections and somehow manage to lift their arms above their heads, lift heavy washing, drive cars (not covered by insurance for first six weeks), do handstands, whatever, - good luck to them, but from the many women i have spoken to, if that happens to you, i'd go and buy a lotto ticket, it's not the most common of experiences.

the gist of this thread seems to be, if you were in pain afterwards, you are a wuss. i find that incredibly insulting.

i had no family backup. My dh went back to fulltime work after one week. i struggled by myself, with my nb each day for months, (i only ate when dh got home, i coudln't stand long enough to make myself a sandwich) it was hell - and i aged alot during that period. it was hell and i am not a wuss about pain.

[Heaven_Sent]

a c-section is regarded by the hospitals as "major abdominal surgery", you are cut through multiple layers of stomache muscle.

i laboured for 29 hours without ANY pain relief (just kneeling in warm water, in a birthing pool), i think i have a high pain threshold, to have managed that.

I had no choice but to only use lower dose pain relief after the emerg c -section, because i asked, every time, "will that drug be passed to my baby thru the breastmilk", and usually the answer was "yes", so i couldn't take those stronger pain relief options.

i don't think every person's experience will be identical. i wouldn't wish the experience i had (emergency c-section with the complication of Bandl's Ring discovered during c-section) onto anyone.

i do wish i had been more prepared for the variety of things that CAN happen, once you are in labour. i was so focussed on my homebirth, i didn't research c-sections at all, and then in the emergency, i was being asked to make all sorts of decisions, about things i knew nothing about, i cannot tell you how stressful that was (after being in labour for 29 hours already, awake the whole time).

If other people sail thru their c-sections and somehow manage to lift their arms above their heads, lift heavy washing, drive cars (not covered by insurance for first six weeks), do handstands, whatever, - good luck to them, but from the many women i have spoken to, if that happens to you, i'd go and buy a lotto ticket, it's not the most common of experiences.

the gist of this thread seems to be, if you were in pain afterwards, you are a wuss. i find that incredibly insulting.

i had no family backup. My dh went back to fulltime work after one week. i struggled by myself, with my nb each day for months, (i only ate when dh got home, i coudln't stand long enough to make myself a sandwich) it was hell - and i aged alot during that period. it was hell and i am not a wuss about pain.

Great post, im feeling the same, like i shouldnt be saying i did suffer pain after a c/s but its totally normal too, it is major surgery, ur stomach is cut open, ouch! but im not ashamed to say i suffered alot of pain, i laboured drug free too for a long time and for that i must be strong.

[Winter]

the gist of this thread seems to be, if you were in pain afterwards, you are a wuss. i find that incredibly insulting.

I'm sorry you feel that way Gigi, but it is not meant in that way. Its just sharing a different perspective. Having a c/s is not a traumatic, painful experience for everyone and I think that our views and experiences are just as valid as yours and others who have suffered pain. It is nice to have both perspectives and share these with each other as we learn about labour & birth.

[Jakabella]

No one means to offend anyone! Sterla was just asking a question in regards to her esperince but Gigi yours is no less valid.

I laboured with a posterior baby for 16 hrs and then had an epi that didnt work down my right side so I felt like my bum was going to explode! I had my epi topped up 4 times and still had feeling in my right side - so much so that I FELT the insicion with the scalpel and they had to stop the surgery and give me a local as well.. In my opinion all that pain was far worse that my c-sect pain after wards. But that is MY experiance and I am only answering the question posed.
I am in no way making other ppls experiance any less valid at all - I am on BB to hear both sides of the coin.

Kate

[Sterla]

the gist of this thread seems to be, if you were in pain afterwards, you are a wuss. i find that incredibly insulting

That was not my intention at all!!!! I'm so, so sorry if it has come across that way! I guess I'd only ever heard of people experiencing pain after their c/s, and thought maybe I was the only one who didn't. But, as I've learnt - as with anything - what pain women experience after their c/s varies greatly. I certainly don't believe anyone is a wuss - sorry again if I made it sound like I do.

[Sterla]

Heavensent: I definitely want to try for a VBAC next time too! I felt quite robbed of the experience of child birth , so I want to try again next time.

[Heaven_Sent]

I was in labour 14 hours and would rather that pain anyday ova the pain i had with my c/s, as soon as i seen my little boy it was love at first sight, i was so happy, on cloud 9, didnt get 3 day blues at all, breastfed but still didnt take away the pain.

[STARRYSKY]

I have come to the conclusion that being in the right head space (attitude, expectation, preparedness etc.) can have a huge difference on the outcome on an individuals personal experience of pain in regards to Csections.

In my experience, I had prelabour for 2 weeks beforehand (-= no sleep, couldnt eat properly) so after labouring for 10 hours then being told I was having a c section anyway, well, I didnt cope very well,

I skipped over all those bits in the birthing books and articles I read, I was goin to do it all naturally, I never entertained the thought That I would be having a c section.

All my friends who now are pregnant, I tell them, do you research, do it properly, read all about it, just in case. Because I had the shock of my life. I am still emotionally scarred from my experience.

But the emotional aspect is another thing that can skew the perception of pain as well. IMO anyway.
I pushed myself through the haze of very strong pain meds I was on to do for my baby, I got told off for picking him up out of his crib, getting out of bed and walking around etc. That was extremely hard for me, But I did it, even with the meds I was still in the worst pain of my life, that pain continued for another 8 weeks, progressively getting less, but always still there.

But then again, I was found to be bleeding internally (Basically I almost died, only found that out not long agao!) on day 3, blood transfusions, ultrasounds etc, then I had a bad experience in the lifts at the hospital as I was leaving, the hospital tried to get me to go back, but after 5 days, no matter the pain I was in, I just wanted to go home!
I was also diagnosed with an infection in my uterus at around 2 weeks post op, not a nice experience.

I still have pain, I think its when I ovulate, but I still get twinges, I still have numb spots. I would NEVER choose to have a c section, but thats just me, like I said I do think that having the right kind of head space can make a huge difference to the individuals experience of a C section.

I hope this has made sense and doesnt just sound like a ramble! xx

[nic]

So very true, not only are our pain threshold varied, but our bodies are different from everyone elses...
With DD I rocked up to my 40 week appointment, I was told I was in labour..I thought the 'pain' I had been having, were mild braxton hicks lol....40 hours later on, no sleep, pushing for a couple of hours, we were told she was stuck.. upon reading my notes a couple of years ago, I also found that there was meconium present, and she was posterior (suppose that explains the back pain i was having)
Spinal block didnt work, so GA was given. The pain when i woke was not nice at all. But it was when i started vomiting that my stomach really killed. It took me months to recover...I was so weak (think I may have been lacking in iron)

With DS, rocked up to the hospital for our scheduled c/s, told the OB when he arrived, that i was having some pain, he checks and tells me I was about 8cms! The pain from the second c/s was different from the first...(could have been that suppository I wasn't aware i was going to have) Vomiting again, and stomach begins to hurt even more... BUT, I did get around so much easier 2nd time round. GA also with this one, but not such a long hard labour (Leasha, think you have a real valid point there.)

I once read something that described how we recover differently depending upon the lead up to the c/s. If you've been labouring, your recovery could be longer, the longer you labour, the longer the recovery, also what drugs you were given pre and post c/s, how you reacted to those drugs, if you were given a spinal,GA, did you have gas, pethidine for pain relief in labour, or was it administered for a c/s ( I was told that pethidine shots given for spinals were a stronger dose than those given for GA's, which is why I could have been vomiting - I was given a dose for a spinal, had a spinal, didn't work, so then had GA drugs..

BG, I think you are right about the no induction if attempting a VBAC.

If I had my way, next time I would attempt a VBAC..Just not so sure my VBAC friendly OB would let me