section recovery times?

[ithappened]

I am wondering for those of you that had sections (planned, emergency or otherwise), what was your recovery time like with the first section?

[Altair]

Mine wasn't so great in terms of getting my strength back. (C-section was for a jammed head after a 3 day homebirth attempt)

The first few days I felt like I couldn't straighten up my body. Getting out of bed was rough and sitting up to nurse at night was rough (couldn't nurse laying down until 3 weeks when he finally latched well that way). I alternated between the couch all day and bed all night the first 2 weeks. I went outside the first time at 1.5 weeks (I live in a 3rd floor walkup so I couldn't do the stairs before that), but I couldn't wear him in the sling until 3-4 weeks. I had to travel to see my father on his deathbed at 2 weeks and the long car ride and uncomfortable bed was AWFUL so I had saved up some percoset for that and it helped.

On that note, TAKE THE MEDS! You're not doing anyone any favors by being in pain! The effects on baby are minimal. I alternated perc. and the extra strong advil in the beginning, then weaned off the perc. in order to save some for traveling. It was much easier to take care of him when I wasn't in so much pain. Especially in the middle of the night I had to write down when I took it to make sure I didn't forget because waking up with no pain meds in my body was really awful.

It was about 3-4 weeks before I could walk well around the neighborhood.

If there's any chance of having a vaginal birth, go for it!

[BettinaAuSucre]

My first c-section ended with problems. I had a severed spinal fluid capsule which fed fluid into my skull to keep my brain afloat. Well when it was severed, it drained alot of the fluid out, so i ended up with a severe migraine and lots of back pain.

All in all, after i got a "blood patch" to fix it, i was better.

My advice is "dont be a hero" if you are in pain, take care of it. Dont try to tough it out. Let your body tell you how you feel. If it hurts, dont do it. Especially lifting.

my recovery time was increased bc of the spinal mishap but my next one was easier and i was back to normal in a couple of months.

[MsBlack]

1 csec, 6th baby, I was 41yrs old; csec not exactly an emergency but not planned either (I transferred from UC during labor, called for csec because I knew something was wrong, which turned out to be true tho baby and I were fine upon surgery). I'd labored for about 18hrs but due to the time that labor started, I'd only slept about 2hrs in 36hrs.

Anyway--because I wanted to bedshare with my baby and otherwise keep him with me at all times, I agreed to taking ONLY extra-strength tylenol. For me, it worked just fine as long as I kept up with my doses for those first 2wks--and perhaps it was good because of it's limits: I knew what I could and couldn't do, without causing strain/pain on the wound!

My recovery was really quite good. I had about 3-4 days where all movement was painful to a good degree even with the tylenol (but no pain when lying down), then another 10dys where movement was far less painful unless I was on my feet 'too long' (more than several minutes--long enough to get to table to eat, long enough for a shower, things like that). When I started to feel the burn, I just laid down again. At 2 wks pp I started climbing to the upstairs again--slow and careful and not often on a given day, I also stopped taking the tylenol at 2wks and really didn't have much pain at all--I used the pain that arose from movement as a reminder to go easy.

At 3 wks pp I went for a hike. A slow, careful hike, but in the woods, on uncertain footing, a real hike nonetheless. It brought on a heavier lochia flow for a few hours, but nothing major--and my lochia reduced greatly after that henceforward, AND my wound healing also sped up. But then I'm a forest woman...the experience of being in the woods again was healing to me in spirit and body both. My friends were agog, and hovered somewhat (bless them), but after awhile they realized I wasn't going to be doing anything too risky, fall down bleeding heavily, nothing like that

After 3wks, healing was rapid and fairly easy. At 3mos pp I suddenly realized that I was not favoring my healed wound or my abs at all anymore....had not really been doing so for awhile.

[Tizzy]

Although it took exceptionally long for my spinal to wear off (in comparison to the appendectomy I had when I was 24wks pregnant), I was up and ready to go very soon afterwards. I didn't take any pain medications aside from two regular strength tylenol.
Under 2 weeks for me to start feeling pretty normal. I don't recommend this, but I felt good enough to go grocery shopping 3 days after. The splitting pain from coughing/sneezing continued until about 4 weeks.

Rest as much as you can, the scar tissue builds up a lot more if you overdo it too quickly. And the resulting discomfort and pain in following pregnancies is NOT NICE.

[pampered_mom]

I've only had one c/s. It was an "elective primary" cesarean which is apparently supposed to be so easy to recover from. I didn't find it that way at all. I had a vertical skin incision, JP drain (though low-transverse on the uterus) and staples. I found maneuvering with all that incredibly difficult. I couldn't lie on my side because it always felt like my incision was going to fall open. It took me awhile to get up and going and the first week was pretty much the worst I could have imagined. This in spite of the fact that I was good about taking the pain meds.

It's been almost five years so I don't remember exactly how long it took me to feel like I was back to "normal", but I do remember it was in the order of months not weeks.

In addition to the pain meds I think stool softeners and gas relief meds are very helpful. This was the standard of care at the hospital my c/s was done at, but at the hospital across town my friend literally had to beg for them and ended up with some issues. If they don't offer it, ask! :0)

[pumpkin]

I was up walking around about 6 hours later, but I walked like I was about 112 years old. The worst was getting in and out of bed or getting up and down from the toilet.
It was very hard to change position for about 5 days. Very sore for about 3 weeks. Pretty much 95% by six weeks.

I had no pain medication. My csec was done with only numbing meds, no narcotics. I can't take them so it simply wasn't an option. I'm used to this and I really don't think its a big deal. The pain is temporary. It will pass. The only really bad thing was the catheter. A few hours after the surgery I was screaming for them to take it out. That is actually the longest I ever lasted with one. Normally as soon as I open my eyes after a surgery I need it out NOW!!!!

[AlexisT]

Emergent section, not in labor. 38 weeks.

Epidural anesthesia, I don't know what long-lasting narcotic was given--supposedly diamorphine is preferred in the UK but not always available. Whatever it was, I was pretty high, but not loopy or out of it, if that makes any sense. I don't know what, they gave them to me but it was stronger than what I had later-- then co-dydramol (comparable to Vicodin I'd say) and diclofenac. I had a catheter till about 18 hours post-op. That was uncomfortable.

Out of bed 24hrs post-op, couldn't walk well, had to be taken in a wheelchair to the NICU. Showered the day after. I was moving around fairly well within a few days, but not for very long distances. The day I was discharged (I had my section Friday night, was discharged Tues afternoon) I went into the pharmacy to get some stuff and after walking down an aisle or two, realized I was NOT healed!

My incision separated and I got a mild infection which was treated with penicillin. I took the pain meds till a week or so post-CS. I was doing okay with everyday tasks fairly quickly but I wasn't able to walk longer distances (to the shops, to/from the train--I didn't drive) for a while, maybe not till 2 weeks post-op at least. ETA: thinking about it, my first really long trip out of the house, where I had to walk, was about 3 weeks post-op.

[Bokonon]

My c-section recoveries were pretty easy. With the first, I was still on magnesium sulfate for 4 more days, so I wasn't able to just get up and walk whenever I wanted to (and the mag. made me very dizzy and woozy anyway), but I managed ok in my several walks down to the NICU every day. I was discharged 5 days postpartum and went to Costco and Babies R Us before going home. I probably overdid it a bit, but I was so glad to be off mag. and out of the hospital!

DS was in the NICU for 6 weeks, so I was to and from the hospital every day. I would say that within 2 weeks, I felt pretty normal. I don't think I took any painkillers after about 1 week postpartum.

With DD, I was discharged 2 days postpartum and was in more pain once I got home, because the Motrin I was taking just wasn't cutting it. I got a prescription for Vicodin the following day and then I was much better. I didn't have to take any painkillers after probably 5 or 6 days postpartum.

I went to a Mothers' Day breakfast at DS's school 8 days postpartum and had to sit in a tiny little preschool chair, which I was so nervous about, but it didn't even hurt to stand up. 15 days PP, I came down with a stomach virus and spent 8 hours vomiting. Even that didn't hurt my incision.

I agree with the PPs - it is imperative that you stay on top of your painkillers, meaning take them on schedule, even if you feel ok. It is much, much harder to get the pain under control if you lapse with your meds than it is if you stay on schedule. I had 2 preemies and there was never any concern about the effects of the painkillers on them via breastmilk. Additionally, being in pain can inhibit your milk from coming in, and increase your blood pressure to boot. So take the meds.

[michellebelle]

I had a c-section after almost 48 hours of labor when DS was not descending.


It took a couple months before I felt even remotely close to healed. I was on painkillers for almost five weeks after the section, partially because my incision got infected a couple of weeks post-op, which was very painful. Car rides and going up and down stairs were the things I remember being the most painful.

And yes, take your pain meds!!! When my first prescription ran out a few days after leaving the hospital I toughed it out for the most miserable 24 hours of my life, remembering that I had read in "What to Expect" that most c-section mothers didn't even need pain meds by the time they left the hospital. I cried every time I could hear DS stirring because I knew I was going to have to move/pick him up/breastfeed and it was excrutiating to do so. Once I got the prescription refilled, the pain was managable and I could go back to mothering my baby.

I went back to the gym when I was cleared to at 8w pp, and was still so weak and exhausted that I had to quit. When I went back two months later I was shocked at how much my strength and energy levels had increased, compared to 8w pp.

Healing took a lot longer than I had anticipated.

[Drummer's Wife]

I've had four sections, but all were pretty similar with regards to recovery. If by recovery, you mean when you felt back to normal? I would say 4-6+ weeks - but I still had some pain from scar tissue/adhesions for months/years later.

With all of them I was somewhat (old lady) walking 12+ hrs later - but the pain didn't get immensly better for about 2 weeks. And then several more weeks until I wasn't overly tender and having a hard time lifting anything heavier than the baby.

[bjerme]

The first was about 4 weeks, with no issues at all. I healed very quickly after all of my csections, and had no issues at all. With the third, I took pain pills the first day only and felt back to normal within the week.

[kathleen_mary]

Just had one on Nov. 6, after 30 hours of labor (baby stuck in cord, stalled dilation). I agree about the pain medication. Although I did worry a lot that my baby was drowsy because of the vicodaine. She slept a LOT and lost more than 10% of her birth weight, and I spent the first two weeks trying to wake her up every two hours to nurse.

My incision healed up very nicely. I had staples for four days, they took them out before I left the hospital. The external incision doesn't hurt at all. I still have internal pain, especially when I lift something too heavy. I am still keeping my activity light, but I do short walks, go to the grocery store. Carry the baby around in the Moby wrap all the time. I was not doing that for about the first 2 weeks. It was pretty painful to move in and out of bed for the first week.

I was also pretty exhausted by the time I had the C-section. My contractions started on Tuesday afternoon and I did not sleep much at all until Friday afternoon, after I had the surgery. I think this affected my recovery time somewhat.

[Chryseis]

Both of my recoveries were pretty quick and not terribly painful. My first c-section was the worst because it came after a labor and pushing. I had the surgery at about 6 p.m. and I didn't get a chance to get up and walk until the next day. That first day was pretty rough and painful, but the next day I felt pretty good. By the third day I had given up the pain medication and was doing quite well. I felt pretty "normal" at about a week out.

My second c-section was a scheduled c-section and my recovery was amazing. I felt fantastic afterward and was ready to get up and walk around. I did have to wait until the next day as it was a late evening surgery. I never took anything stronger than a couple of ibuprofens the first day. Again, I felt normal within the week.

[Sk8ermaiden]

I had an unplanned c-section after labor and pushing. I had a spinal.

Everyone else thought I had a great recovery, was walking so much, blah, blah. To me it was agony every waking moment. I was in horrible pain upon standing, moving, sitting, breathing. It took a month for the horrible pain to end, and three months for me to feel like a normal human being. It still feel achy around the scar most of the time, and my midwife suspects I have fairly severe adhesions. I took my pain meds religiously for the first 5 days, but barely after that.

[PreggieUBA2C]

I had no labour with my two c/s and really recovered during my labour with ds3 when for the first time, I could stand up without feeling my abdomen being pulled. I was in labour nightly for a month with him while adhesions tore, which was both very painful and unbelievably relieving. I could take in a full breath for the first time in 3.5 years.

I was hypothyroid and had severe adrenal exhaustion, both of which were obvious, but undiagnosed. I would say that my recovery BEGAN 3.5 yrs after my first c/s.

With both of my uc's, I was up and making food the same day and steadily increased in energy and vitality each day. It took weeks after my c/s's before I could stand long enough to make a sandwich or even just walk to the kitchen. I was very hungry.

The experiences (c/s vs. uc) were so vastly different as to be nearly incomparable. I couldn't have predicted the enormous stress and difficulty my c/s's would cause.

[maotmsmi]

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Edited by maotmsmi - 5/21/11 at 12:59pm

[limette]

Months. The pain didn't go away until about 6 months later.