How well did you recover in the 6 weeks after your c-section? What was the pain like?

Hi,
I'm just wondering how bad it is or isn't. Have heard so many different stories, just curious to see what the 'norm' is. I'm currently booked in for one as bubs is breech. We have a double storey house and am worried how I'm going to get up the stairs when I get home. When were you able to lift your baby? How was the pain? My DH is only taking one week off as that time of year is busy for him at work and I doubt I'd be able to cope on my own with DS as well. Plus the no driving rule, DS would need to get to and from preschool.

My mum has suggested I stay at her place for a few weeks until I feel better as she doesn't drive and has my 90 year old grandmother living with her and my dad runs his business from home too. As I didn't have one last time, I'm not sure what to expect. Any advice or information would help me alot. :)

I have had two elective c-sections and both times have recovered really well. I've heard that emergency sections are worse but yours is scheduled so that's not the case for you. I had no trouble lifting bub from the day after, and walking up and down stairs would have been fine pretty much straight away. I was able to lift DS (a very heavy two year old) after about 2.5 weeks (I had to - DH went back to work) and was vacumming etc at that point. I found the hardest thing for me was occasionally when I'd roll over in bed I'd get an exruciating pain, but that went after a few weeks.

I see your DS is four so prob far less lifting involved for you. But if your doc says you cant drive for 6 weeks (mine said 2) then you'll need someone to help you get around.

I hjope that helps..

not sure if i am of the minority or not, but i didnt think it was anywhere near as bad as people had led me to believe. yes the first week was a bit of a hassle, the first time i had to get out of bed at hospy hurt like hell, but it just got better each time. They give you plenty of pain killers in there, and i stayed 5 days afterwards so in case anything happened or the pain was just too much they were on hand to give me some relief. If i was to have another c/s i probably wouldnt plan on staying that long though, but thats just me.
i was up and showering (with help) about 40hrs after my cs, and lifting my baby a few hrs after that. i was walking the hospy floors the next day after that, albeit slowly, and on the way home from the hospy stopped to go shopping for baby clothes and a breast pump again walking slowly.
The first time i um, you know went to the loo, that hurt to use them muscles.
Really it was more of an annoying aching type feeling in my abdomen than actual pain, i came home sunday and dh went back to work monday. I had no pain relief whatsoever once i left the hospy, there was just no need.
Later when i had an infection, that hurt a lot more than the recovery did.
I hope your recovery is like mine was.
Try not to stress out, its not always what we are told it will be, usually medical staff like to give a worst case scenario, and people in general tend to fear monger

I had what was classed as an emergency C-Section and I also recovered really well. DS was born at 4.16pm and I couldn't really do much for that night but the next morning I was up and in the shower and I could pick my baby up too. I was feeling pretty sore but not in any pain. I took the meds that they gave me for 2 days and on the 3rd day I was just having Panadine. When I got home DP did all the vaccuuming and washing etc. I think the stairs you mentioned will be more tiring to climb than painful. I started walking down the street when I got home, very slow stroll and it was more of a tired ache. I really took it easy though - you have had major stomach surgery. I had a nap every day too. I didn't drive for 6 weeks but I was doing the vaccuuming and hanging washing by the 5th. Darn it.

Hope all goes well for you.

Bug's mum and Jen82 thanks so much for sharing your experiences and for your well wishes :) I've been so stressed about it as everyone I have told has made it out to be the most awful thing that I should go through :( My last birth was traumatic for me so I was very open to the suggestion of a c-section. My ob was actually very positive about it saying that recently he's had more issues with women who have tore and needed stitches (like I did last time) then with the c-section scars. He didn't seem to think it was a big deal. It is the fear mongering that has got me down and I've actually been teary thinking about it over the last few days. Thanks so much for your replies, you really don't know how much it means to me.

Thanks Aussiegirl :) I'm really surprised to read all of this, some of the things people have been telling me have been horrendous. I think taking is easy sounds like a good idea for the first 5-6 weeks. I'd rather be at home then at my mother's place so maybe something can be arranged. Thanks again for your well wishes. All the best to all of you too :)

I should also say that with my second I was down to panadol only after 48 hours because the other drugs were wiping me out and I couldn't stay awake with the bub. And the pain was still bearable and I could function. Try not to stress it, you'll be fine :)

I also recovered really well. Was picking up baby right away, was a bit hard in hospital having to sort of twist to get her out of the bassinet while I was stuck to the bed that first day, but other than that was fine. Getting up the first time was a little strange, not so much the pain but just feeling really light headed and a little dizzy. Make sure you have someone with your the first time you get up and for your first shower. I was given Tramadol and panadol in hospital and was given a script for tramadol when I left on day 3, so took that for about a week all up I think. I was doing all the normal things like hanging washing etc. in the first week. I waited for 5 weeks before driving, but I know a lot of people do earlier. A that a friend told me before my c-section, make sure you buy yourself some big granny undies for afterwards. You don't want to have the elastic of hipster style undies sitting right on your wound. Also it helps to put a maternity pad in your knickers across the scar for a little extra protection.
Good luck hun, I hope it all goes well. I'll pop back in if I remember anything else that I think might be helpful :)

I recovered well and quickly, no painkillers after a couple of days. My mum was around to help until two weeks after, so she took care of housework and drove me in that time. DP didn't get any time off either. I had no issues with lifting, driving, etc, after that two weeks. I took things relatively easy, but walking and movement was fine.

GL!

My c-sect was classified as 'emergency' and my recovery was great. First night I couldn't get up to bubs, but they took her into the nursery and bought her back for feeds. The next morning they took out the cathetar and I showered on my own, was walking around and was feeding and holding my DD straight away. I could get up to her during the night - I did need to use the 'thingy' above my head to help me out of bed, but other than that I was fine. I also was on pain meds. I went home on day 8 and my DH was home for two weeks then my mum come around for the next two.

ok, so I know everyone has been very positive so far, my experience was different, it was classed as an emergency but it wasnt (nothing wrong with bubs, they didnt want me to labour over 10 hrs, for no reason other than their time schedule) I was in ALOT of pain, for weeks, months afterwards.
Yes, I did have a slight infection afterwards and internal bleeding which probably contributed, but after 2 weeks on endone, I cut myself down to panadeine forte and then down to panadeine around a month after wards.
I struggled bending over, lifting, doing the washing, feeding baby, lifting baby, I didnt drive then, but it was around 6 weeks after when I walked to the shop (about a 7 min walk) and I almost couldnt get out of bed the next day.
My experience is not general, I hope you have a positive and generaly pain free birth :)

Oh Yeah......the jumbo undies. I agree. My Sister told me to buy a pack and put them in my bag just in case I ended up having a C-Section. Thankfully I listened to her because those undies were my best friend after the op. :D

I had a emergency c-sec with DS. It was awful, I was in so much pain afterwards for weeks. But I think there were alot of contributing factors to that....I'm having an elective CS on Wednesday and I'm hoping now that I know what to expect it'll be alot better and recovery alot swifter. Let you know how I go after Wednesday :) xxx

it is different for every one, I was very sore but my son was very difficult to get out and forceps were used which left a lot of bruising, having said that, I was home in 48 hours and didn't take any pain relief, getting off the bed and the couch were the hardest. I went to uni 5 days later and drove over an hour to get there so it can't have been that bad! best of luck!

Another one here who had a great recovery twice. As soon as my catheter and IV were out (the next morning) I was up and totally caring for my baby myself. My advice would be to get mobile aand move around asap (but don't overdo it) so you don't get stiff and sore. And to also keep up your pain relief for the first few days. Don't wait to be in pain before taking them. I only skimmed the replies but I saw something about big undies? My advice would be to buy some pairs of control briefs as opposed to just big compfy undies. They're not very pretty but they will give your tummy lots of support and the physio recommended them to me.

Oh, and when we had my DD we were in a double storey place and climbing the stairs was fine.

best of luck! How exciting

I had 2 c-sect's. The first I would have been fine sooner but my BP was out of control. My second was born at 1.15am and I was on my feet and showered and into see my son in the NICU by 11am and managed very well on panadol for pain relief (and was very naughty and was driving in 2 weeks cos I had to get into the hospital to care for my son)

I had a planned c/s at 34 weeks, due to alot of reasons.
I was off everything but panadol after 48 hours. I got out of bed after 24 hours.
I was moved in Ronald McDonald House on Day 5, which required me to walk up and down 2 flights of stairs and I was fine with that.
I'm not sure about lifting, as I never lifted DD. She was only 1.6kg anyway.
Good luck for your c/s!!

My CS was an emergency CS and my recovery was pretty good. My sister had two, the first was quite good, the second was not.

If you can take it easy the first couple of weeks it should get easier after that. And jumbo undies rule :lol:

All the best :)