If you had a C Section...

[Jaysmylilpunkin]

A few questions.


How many weeks out are you? 4 weeks and 3 days

Are you still bleeding? Yes, very lightly but still in a pad.

How are you feeling? I'm feeling pretty good actually. If I do too much on my feet, I get sore, when I do more after I get sore, it feels like my muscles down real low are going to rip apart. My incision is looking and feeling better. I had an allergic reaction to the iodine, and I still have some itching, but ok for the most part.

Was this your first? How many have you had? This was my 2nd cesarean and a failed VBAC attempt.

How are you feeling emotionally about the C Section? I'm not sure I'm ready to go there. There is the occasional blame I feel, but I'm glad my baby is healthy.

Anything else you want to tell us? With my first CSection, I stayed in the house and did very little for like 6 weeks and I felt AWFUL. With this one, I was at the mall (with baby in a sling) at 2 wks PP. I have felt so much better. So it's been a better experience...

Your turn!

[Sage_SS]

How many weeks out are you? 5 weeks 5 days

Are you still bleeding? Grr.. Yes, light spotting. I had a tubal ligation at the same time. The bleeding isn't heavy enough to be worrisome, just annoying.

How are you feeling? I'm feeling so much better, but compared to my pregnancy this is a breeze. Due to almost 6 months of bedrest I exhaust easily and being me (what choice do I have?) I push beyond my limits daily.

Was this your first? How many have you had? This was my first planned c/s due to various complications. My 3rd daughter, and 1st c/s, was an emergency section.

How are you feeling emotionally about the C Section? I wish things could have been different.

Anything else you want to tell us? I want my pre-babe body back. I want a decent nights sleep. I want to remember every minute of this time.

[E's Mama]

How many weeks out are you? 8 weeks 1 day

Are you still bleeding? No, stopped at about 4 or 5 weeks pp

How are you feeling? I feel like I am back to myself emotionally- just very discouraged about pp body, but have decided not to worry about it until after the holidays.

Was this your first? How many have you had? First (and only) scheduled c-section (for breech presentation)

How are you feeling emotionally about the C Section? I feel ok now- I know I made a good decision. I do wish I would have held out until closer to my due date, but I am overall happy with the way everything turned out.

Anything else you want to tell us? I can finally sleep on my stomach again! I wish I had done more exercise/stretching after the incision healed. It sometimes feels a little "tight" when I stretch my adbominal muscles suddenly.

[Mrs-Mama]

How many weeks out are you? 8 weeks 2 days

Are you still bleeding? No. Bled until 5ish weeks, then changed over to the yellowish lochia which was mostly gone by my 6 week checkup.

How are you feeling? Exhausted, sleep deprived, but overall ok

Was this your first? How many have you had? 2nd c-section; planned/scheduled due to previous J-incision, but ultimately DD came 2 days before scheduled date.

How are you feeling emotionally about the C Section? I feel great this time. I was a wreck after my 1st, knowing I would never have the opportunity to give birth vaginally. But, this time, knowing it ahead of time and having mostly dealt with it, it wasn't such a big deal. I think I may feel differently if we had made it to our scheduled date, but I went into labor early, progressed rapidly (actually felt a mild urge to push) so I feel like DD was ready, my body was ready, and that she got the full benefit of my labor minus actually being pushed out.

Anything else you want to tell us? Having issues feeling the urge to pee. Seriously. I go mostly on a schedule...haven't had the urge since before she was born OB says it's from the pregnancy and not from the surgery

[louloubean]

How many weeks out are you? 6 weeks 2 days

Are you still bleeding? almost none, a little brownish when i do too much, and i know i shouldn't! (shoveled the snow off the back steps, damn)

How are you feeling? pretty good. tired over the holiday business!

Was this your first? How many have you had? 2nd c-section; planned/scheduled by choice. it appears that i have a small pelvis.

How are you feeling emotionally about the C Section? really great this time. the first was such a shock after two days of labor and no baby appeared. i elected to have the section over forceps because i had no more push left. it took a long time to heal then. i am so glad i had the section this time. i feel much better quicker, i have more energy, and when they operated they found a hernia and fixed that while they were at it, so really glad that didn't get found in labor, or god forbid, i might have ruptured.

Anything else you want to tell us? i made another healthy baby and that is really all that matters. i refuse to feel bad for having two sections because they were necessary, and both mommy and baby are doing so well.

[lookyloo]

How many weeks out are you? 3 weeks and 1 days

Are you still bleeding? Yes, some pretty scary stuff

How are you feeling? I'm feeling really good, almost 100%. The first couple days were pretty brutal, but since then I have felt good and getting better each day.

Was this your first? How many have you had? This was my first.

How are you feeling emotionally about the C Section? I was pretty bummed out about it - I blamed myself, but that is getting better each day too. I am so happy to have my baby with me now and the delivery is becoming a memory.

Anything else you want to tell us? I was late, I was not dilating, the baby wasn't dropping and my doctor was estimating the baby was 10lbs. So, she cleared me for C-section on my due date but I really didn't want one, so we induced about a week after my due date. The induction went well, but after two hours of pushing and not moving the baby past my pubic bone I opted for a C-section. And finally delivered a 9 lb. 15 oz. baby.

This is the first time I have been back to the boards since I had him. Thanks for this post I was feeling like I didn't fit here anymore.

[Mrs-Mama]

Originally Posted by lookyloo

This is the first time I have been back to the boards since I had him. Thanks for this post I was feeling like I didn't fit here anymore.

You definitely still fit in. I've had 2 sections and it does not interfere with AP-style parenting even if it isn't the ideal way to give birth.

[nurnur]

How many weeks out are you? 5 weeks

Are you still bleeding? Yes, very lightly, not steady, but still in a pad.

How are you feeling? feeling pretty good, although weak like where oh where did my muscles all go? Ive done this before, but this time seems like Ive lost more tone and feel like hunchback with no mucsles to hold me up. If Im up and on my feet I start to feel some soreness in my low tummy, c-section area. My incision is finally looking healed, I had to little open areas that had to heal form the inside out, but they are filling in and almost all the way closed now.

Was this your first? How many have you had? this was my 3rd c-sec, I was planning another hba2c like my last birth, but it didn't go anything like I had desired or thought it would. Im still processing it all. I think due to 2 unecesary c-sections it may have made the 3rd necesary. After 2 c-sec and then 2 pregnancies after that my scarred area was very very thin, I think that my uterus was trying to work in unison to open that cervix but the lower segment was compromised and just wasn't firing. After 44 hrs I caved and went into the hospital, I often wonder if I just would've held on for another 10 hours maybe he would've come, but so many factors where telling me that this was different. Trying to just trust what I felt in that moment when I made the choice to seek medical intervention, it was all very clear to me then ~ not so much now.
How are you feeling emotionally about the C Section? I guess I covered some of that above. It's complicated so many feelings, they wash over like waves at times, Im not feeling as hormonal as I was those first 3 weeks, the tears are less right now.
Anything else you want to tell us? I have had an infection in my incision with all 3 c-sections but to varying degrees, this time I thought I was going to skip it, at day 3 pp I felt great, day 4 in jeans ready to go to town, but by day 6 I was feeling absolutely rotten with fever/chills/cold sweats. then I was down for about 10 days. because I was a UC transfer I got the doc oncall, he refused to care for me pp and told me to go to the er when I called thinking I had an infection, also told me to go to my primary care provider. told me he didn't think it was an infection at that late after the surgery (over the phone) then whent he lab inadvertantly sent him the culture report from the ER, he has his nurse call me to ask what antibiotics Im on, they had to quick cover their butts because he knew this was a huge malpractice liability. I had gotten the anbx from my general prac. who I hadn't seen in 4 years, they were all a little confused why the surgeon wouldn't treat the issue with the surgery. I don't feel like I have the energy to do anything about this guy, but I think about at the least filing a complaint. People do walk in off the street and have their babies, all different scenarios everyday, because I chose to do self care and have my baby at home after a history of 2-csec's I still have the right to medical care when I seek it.
Your turn!

[darkblue0729]

x

[nurnur]

s to all of us

[kitkat5505]

How many weeks out are you? 6w 6d

Are you still bleeding? nope

How are you feeling? pretty much back to normal, I healed much faster this time than I did with my first, though of course I still prefer a vaginal recovery lol

Was this your first? How many have you had? This was my second, both were unplanned

How are you feeling emotionally about the C Section? Still sad that things didn't go the way I'd hoped, and a little jealous of people who had a normal birth. It's hard not to keep thinking "what if..." about things I could have done and all that, but I know that kind of thinking doesn't change anything and just makes me sadder. So I'm focusing on the fact that under those circumstances that the c/s was the right decision, and mentally preparing myself to try for another vbac next time.

Anything else you want to tell us? I'm glad I don't feel the same anger this time as I did after my first c/s. With that one I felt angry about being so misinformed. This time I was more educated and I had a great midwife I trusted. She only has a 4% c/s rate with her clients so I know she wouldn't suggest an intervention unless she really thought it was necessary. I tried pushing in so many different positions and nothing was working, and I was so tired and in so much pain I physically couldn't go on any longer. So even though an emergency c/s under general was the last thing I wanted, I am not angry about it, just sad.

[BundleFishMama]

I'm a little late on this thread because we've been away visiting family, but I thought I'd chime in anyway

How many weeks out are you? 5 weeks, 3 days

Are you still bleeding? Almost finished - I'll go a long time with nothing but then have a little, so I'm afraid to go pad-less just yet. I was surprised to find I've bled longer this time than with my vaginal deliveries; I'd been told it would be just the opposite...?

How are you feeling? Fantastic, actually, which surprised me! I'd heard horror stories from friends about c/s recoveries, but I felt great right from the beginning - went home on day 2 just like my regular deliveries, was getting out of the house on day 3, pretty much back to our normal routine by 5-6 days! It certainly wasn't fun, but it wasn't nearly as bad, physically, as I expected.

Was this your first? How many have you had? Yes, first c/s. I had 3 normal, uncomplicated vaginal deliveries, so I never anticipated ending up with a c/s. But I was in on-and-off labor for 2 days and never progressed past 4 cm (and her head never engaged) despite my mw trying *everything*. Eventually she went into distress and my mw transferred me to their backup docs. So much for 4th babies "just walking right out" as everyone told me she would!

How are you feeling emotionally about the C Section? Conflicted....I know it was necessary, but I still wish there had been another way. I keep wondering if there was anything I could have done differently that might have changed the outcome. But I was way more upset at first than I am now - when they first told me I'd need an emergency c/s, I cried hysterically. I was so scared and thought it would be so terrible. But I was very fortunate - the hospital was awesome and respected all of my wishes and honored all of my requests, so it was as good an experience as it could be. Everything went so smoothly afterward (nursing, bonding, my recovery, etc.) that it wasn't nearly as bad as I'd feared, and of course the main thing is that Isabelle is healthy and sweet and beautiful, so it's hard for me to be too disappointed, even though I obviously wish it had been different, IYKWIM.

Anything else you want to tell us? I definitely want to VBAC next time!! Even though I've been processing this better than some, perhaps, I really hope I don't have to go through it again!

It's been really helpful to read everyone else's stories, so thanks!

[felix23]

How many weeks out are you? - 5 weeks

Are you still bleeding? - no

How are you feeling? - Completly back to normal. I'm already exercising and I don't hurt at all.


Was this your first? How many have you had? - This is my second.

How are you feeling emotionally about the C Section? - It doesn't bother me at all. Both of my c-sections saved my children's lives, so I look at them as a good thing.

Anything else you want to tell us? - I have to start back to work today. I work from home and for my dh, but it still sucks.

[nerdymom]

How many weeks out are you? 7 weeks, 3 days

Are you still bleeding? finally finished about ten days ago

How are you feeling? I feel good, very energetic, more so than even before I concieved. I get shooting pains through my incision site occasionally, and that's no fun. But other than some numbness around my scar I've physically recovered well.

Was this your first? This was my first, and it was the most horrible thing that has ever happened to me.

How are you feeling emotionally about the C Section? I am really broken down about it. I labored for 42 hours and I'm kinda angry. I really get emotional about women who follow the medical model like sheep and still end up with vaginal deliveries.

Anything else you want to tell us? My baby is a wonder. He lights up my world.