c/s moms, how are you recovering?

[texaspeach]

how is it going? I'm 12 days out and still having a lot of pain in the mornings. My bleeding has picked up for some reason. I thought I had been over doing it, but it's still heavier than it was even after confining myself to bed. I'm so tired of not being able to do things for myself.

When did your steri-strips fall off, if you had them? I was told they'd fall off on their own and not to mess with them. It seems like a lot of surgeons remove them at the two week visit but I've seen the OB and she did not remove them. I guess if they're still stuck at 6 weeks the midwife will take them off

[mama*pisces]

I'm 90% back to normal, at 4 weeks 1 day PP. The site of the scar is still sore and my insides still feel sore whenever that area is touched, but other than that I feel fine and have been off my pain meds for 2 weeks now.

My steri-strips were put on when the OB took out the staples at 1 wk, and she told me to take them off myself if they hadn't fallen off in a week. Those things would NOT come off on their own....1 wk and two days later I applied both nail polish remover and lotion to them, then peeled them off one by one, and let me tell you, that was not fun. :

I hope you feel better soon.

[bethcw]

I am 2 weeks pp today. I am feeling good. All the swelling disappeared FINALLY - I have ankles again!

I am still sore at the incision, and it feels a bit tight on the left side, but not too bad.

I still have steri strips attached. I was also told to let them fall off on their own, but they are stuck tight.

I am able to sit up on my own and roll from side to side in bed comfortably, which makes life much easier!

Beth

[RTT]

I'm 4 weeks pp and feeling pretty good. The nurse took off the strips at my 2 week visit. I still have stitches in which the nurse said will either fall out on their own or the Dr. will snip them off at the 6 week visit. I was lucky enough to have my husband off for the last four weeks on paternity leave so I didn't lift anything heavy but now that he's back to work I'm back to lifting our two-year-old so I'm feeling that a bit. Overall I'd say I'm recovering pretty well- I've been walking or hiking every day for the last several weeks and feeling far better than I did at the end of my pregnancy. Bleeding is off and on, some days there is almost nothing and some days it's moderately heavy again.

[GhostRose]

I'm pretty much back to normal at 7 wks. Every once in a while I'll get a blop of blood after nursing, but there's no pain anymore. I noticed last night that the whole bottom side of my belly has no sensation anymore. Its kinda creepy...

[texaspeach]

I have a lot of numbness too. It's really weird. my body doesn't feel like my body anymore.

[Jadzia]

I am 2 weeks plus one day post-op. Still very sore, hurts to walk. I had a pretty complicated section, though (uterine rupture, bladder laceration - had to wear a catheter for 10 days, ugh.) I am still taking ibuprofen but have weaned myself off the percocet. I still have the steri-strips on, but I am going in tomorrow for a check-up.

I was dying to get out of the house last weekend and made the big mistake of going to Target. Made it until about aisle 4 before I started to hurt. DH ended up doing the rest of the shopping while I rested in the nursing glider.

I am hoping this soreness goes away soon. I also had a lot of pelvic pain during the pregnancy and I still have it which is probably a large part of why I am having trouble walking much.

[JoyfamMama]

Originally Posted by GhostRose

I'm pretty much back to normal at 7 wks. Every once in a while I'll get a blop of blood after nursing, but there's no pain anymore. I noticed last night that the whole bottom side of my belly has no sensation anymore. Its kinda creepy...

Yep! That's me at 5 weeks pp tomorrow. Healed great, though I can feel this whole "log" of scar tissue if I feel kinda underneath the scar from above or below. I'm numb from just below my belly button down to the scar. It's the weirdest thing I've ever felt. lol. I've heard you don't ever really get it all back...is that true?

[Jadzia]

Originally Posted by JoyfamMama

Yep! That's me at 5 weeks pp tomorrow. Healed great, though I can feel this whole "log" of scar tissue if I feel kinda underneath the scar from above or below. I'm numb from just below my belly button down to the scar. It's the weirdest thing I've ever felt. lol. I've heard you don't ever really get it all back...is that true?

With my first c-section I was numb for the longest time. Then about 2 years later I tried Pilates for the first time - the very next day my lower tummy was sore. I was actually excited to be sore there because it was the first feeling I had there since the section. Not even sit-ups or anything had affected that area, but Pilates really brought the feeling back. I am eager to do my Pilates video again once it is safe for me to start exercising this time.

[wombatclay]

I didn't have a c/s this time but... I have a small "numb patch" even now, 4.5 years after the c/s. It's pretty common. And creepy (for me at least). A friend of mine had an appendectomy over 20 years ago and still has a numb patch. Some sensation usually returns but how much and how fast depends on what they cut and how you personally heal.

Scar massage can help with restoring sensation though, and with breaking down adhesions and scar tissue "lumps". There are c/s specific how-tos in the Mummy Tummy book (by Tupler) and Bounce Back into Shape After Baby (I think that's the title). There is also info in mdc's Natural Family Living Cesarean Resources sticky. And later Maya Massage can help.

Steri strips- I was told that they'd fall off. When they were still there around 4 weeks I called (total snafu... my care provider doesn't do surgery and didn't know what I should do, the OB who did the surgery wouldn't talk to me since I wasn't a patient) and was eventually told to remove them myself. Ack! I did it in a hot shower and was kind of dissociated from my body while doing it. It didn't hurt, but I had so much adrenaline I almost passed out. Holding a warm/wet compress on the strips while drinking a glass of wine and watching a distracting movie might be a better way to do it!

[sunshynbaby]

Almost 7 weeks pp here. I never had the steri strips. I'm still a bit sore at the incision, but I don't have any numbness. I'm still having a little discharge, especially after physical exertion. I have some sort of vaginitus or something that I'm getting cream for today (natural remedies failed). Sadly, I was told that the cream burns, which is ironic since it is supposed to cure the burning feelings I'm having. I'm also feeling pressure on my pelvic floor, which is a byproduct of laboring before the unexpected section. My OB said kegals and exercise will help. Other than that I'm doing pretty good.

[Grumpy72_ga]

FWIW, I was told to remove the steri-strips if they hadn't fallen off in 10 days. Soak them with a little water to losen them off.

Once the swelling goes down and your bleeding tapers off a little you'll feel a little more normal. Just remember that you've had major surgery and to take it slow.

Ticked me off too that I couldn't do a lot of stuff for myself for a while...

[texaspeach]

I too the strips off the other day. It was emotionally difficult - I cried the whole time because it was scary (yea, I'm slightly traumatized). But hey they're gone! The incision doesn't look as bad as I had expected.

I haven't been taking it as easy as I should, but I have been taking it easier than I usually would. I'm just going stir crazy.

I finally looked at the pictures dh took of the baby after the surgery and in recovery. I still feltt like I couldn't breathe when I looked at them but I didn't cry, so that's a step in the right direction. I'm still not ready to deal with it yet.

[Pernillep]

Originally Posted by texaspeach

I finally looked at the pictures dh took of the baby after the surgery and in recovery. I still feltt like I couldn't breathe when I looked at them but I didn't cry, so that's a step in the right direction. I'm still not ready to deal with it yet.

I still can't look at those. They put the goo in the eyes which we would never have allowed. He doesn't look like my baby.. he is all sleepy and closed eyed because off the drugs I never meant for him to have. I am 4 weeks out and finally beginning to feel bonded to him. The whole experience has been too much for me and I have managed to suppress my emotions. Not healthy but it is what i had to do to make it through the newborn stage,

[texaspeach]

Pernille