I need info about C Section recovery please!

[aries girl]

I ended up having an unexpected c section and am looking for some feedback from others who've also had them.
How long did you bleed for? I am still bleeding at 5 weeks 1 day, is this normal? How long did others bleed for and how long is too long?
How long did it take you to feel like you were healed? I can't wait to be able to walk and clean my house but I still feel sore and fragile. Is this normal?
Can anyone recommend good books for someone who had a traumatic experience during a c section?
Any other tips/thoughts anyone would like to share would be appreciated.
Thank you!
Jasmine

[phoebemommy]

Hiya,
If you don't get much response here, you might try posting in the Birth and Beyond forum.

[ariahsmum]

[How long did you bleed for? I think at least 6 weeks.

I am still bleeding at 5 weeks 1 day, is this normal? Yes

How long is too long? Depends really on how you are feeling- ie, do you have anemia, low blood pressure, etc? How much you are bleeding.. still tons of blood, soaking pads, etc? How low can you lay low? Bleeding should increase with activity, so if you are worried about loss, you need to take it easy.

How long did it take you to feel like you were healed? Physically, 3 years. It still hurt a lot for a very long time. I spit out suture material at 3 years, and then I knew I was healed. Still healing emotionally, but that took an intense 2 years, I would say.

I can't wait to be able to walk and clean my house but I still feel sore and fragile. Is this normal? You just had major abdominal surgery and you were pregnant for months before that. Your body has a lot of changing and shifting and healing to do. Five weeks feels like very soon after surgery to be feeling like yourself again!

Can anyone recommend good books for someone who had a traumatic experience during a c section?
Ended Beginnings, Healing Childbearing Losses by Claudia Panuthos
Rebounding from Childbirth: Toward Emotional Recovery by Lynn Madsen
Silent Knife by Nancy Wainer Cohen
Open Season by Nancy Wainer Cohen

Any other tips/thoughts anyone would like to share would be appreciated.

Be gentle with yourself.

Honor all your feelings, like the gratitude and the loss and grief and anger.

Find other women who understand you.

Read stories. Listen to women who have had cesareans. read about their VBAC journeys. Reading the stories, you will realize you are not alone, and there are other women who are upset, traumatized, etc. You will see how it can affect you, your relationship to your partner, yourself and your child. You will see that wholeness and healing are possible, and you will see great strength in women!

Nourish your body- red rasperry leaf tea would be a good choice right now, as well as nettle tea.

Plan a VBAC for next time, if there is one.

Get acupuncture to mend the incision through the major life force vessel. (called the CV line)

Join ICAN. There is a wonderful (albeit high-volume) email chat group. I COULD NOT HAVE gotten where I am today without those women. They are amazing, and saved my thousands of dollars of therapy sessions quite literally. go to www.ican-online.org to subscribe.

Talk about it, talk about it, talk about it. Don't let the people who tell you "at least you have a healthy baby" "at least the head isn't squished" etc make you stop or doubt yourself.

Stumble around www.plus-size-pregnancy.org or www.birthtruth.org. Read "you should be grateful" at the birthtruth webpage.

FWIW, I personally do not frequent the VBAC forum here, cause it seems more negative than positive to me... so many women still doubting themselves and running into stumbling blocs with doctors... I think ICAN is a much better place for recovery and planning VBAc.

That should get you started. I don't know your story, which if I did would help with suggestions, but f you need to talk, or need other resources, pm me. I am sorry you had a traumatic experience. Many healing vibes to you!

[aries girl]

Jaya,
Thank you for taking the time to write such a long post. I really appreciate it and will take a look at some of the websites and books.
Jasmine

[amybw]

i still have pp bleeding & i am 7 wk 2 days
i called my ob & they said give it 1 more week...
i thought it might be AF but not sure

this is my 2nd c-sec & my scar is still tender.
before this one though, my scar ached monthly right before AF



take it easy
dont pull laundry out of the washer or carry baskets
dont run the vacuum
take steps only as necessary
& dont lift anything heavier than babe

It gets better


Amy

[magpiedee]

Me, too, and I had some of the same questions...

How long did you bleed for? I'll be 6 weeks on Monday, and although it seemed like bleeding stopped this Wednesday (5w3d), I had some more blood this morning. Then again, the OB has me on the mini-pill, and this week is sugar pill week, so it could be that. I definitely had PMS!!

How long did it take you to feel like you were healed? Still not there. My surgery went amazingly well, and I healed really, really quickly with no problems walking, sitting, standing, nursing, carrying baby, etc.... but I still feel weak. I tried running across the yard last week and felt weak and slow and pathetic, like a sick buffalo lumbering around. If I go on too long of a walk, my bleeding starts back up. My incision healed well but still stings a bit if I wear the wrong undies or pants, or if Cleo kicks it at night while nursing in bed.

At first, I felt fine about my section, because it was an interesting experience and a relief after 24 hours of labor and 4 hours of pushing and then the abject fear of finding out about the complete breech. It was wonderful to give up control and feel that I would live, when i'd pretty much decided I was going to die!

Then, in my first weeks, when baby blues hit, I cried a lot and faced the fact that I might have died and that I lost the very special natural birth I had tried so hard to experience. I got all the way to the end, but couldn't crown and birth-- just endless presentation and slipping away and futility. But, after talking with my husband and family and friends and reading lots of stories online and on mdc especially, I feel I have come to terms with my experience. I can't wait to get back to heavy exercise, martial arts and ... um... married life... but other than that, I feel that I had the best birth experience possible. I'll tease Cleo a lot for flipping during labor when she gets older, but for now, I feel good.

Tell us your story, maybe it will help. We're here for you, and none of us are perfect women with perfect births.

[Bay Area Babe]

I'm just over 6 weeks and still bleeding a little bit. I thought it was over earlier this week but it started up again yesterday.

I agree with ariahsmum who said that the VBAC groups was a little negative. I poked around there a few weeks ago and it just added to my fears about future pregnancies. To me, that is the real tragedy because I can never be as innocent about childbirth as I was. If my husband and I planned and practiced and had a doula and if I trusted my body I could do what my woman's body was designed to do. Yet, there I was at 42 weeks, with a 70% effaced cervix, not dilating, then going into with prodromal labor with back labor thrown in for fun, being induced, strapped up to machines and an IV, succumbing to narcotics and then the epidural after 48 hours of labor (so I could have the energy to push and avoid a c-section), and then finally agreeing to a c-section after his heart rate was plummeting after each contraction.

I don't talk about it much except with my husband - dunno if it's because I'm still processing or I don't want to think about it too much. While it was unexpected, I did choose the c-section so at least I would have that "healthy baby." I put my life on the line (or the table or whatever) to bring him into this world because we didn't want to risk brain damage.

My physical recovery has been way faster than I had anticipated - I didn't need any pain meds afterwards (took Motrin for swelling and whatnot) and felt relatively good at around 5 days. At 3 weeks I was cleared for excercise and sexual activity if I wanted. Before we checked out, I was in the little store the hospital has renting a breast pump and there was this woman there had her section a day after I did and she had to be wheeled in. It was pretty shocking for me to see this stark difference, though we all have different bodies and tolerances and of course labors and sections.

While the physical scar is mostly healed, I still have shooting pains sometimes when I turn over at night and I've realized that I can't wear (at least for now) certain types of underwear and pants. I think it will be a while for the mental scars to lose their tenderness as well. There are certain things that I will never experience with Lucas and those thoughts sometimes threaten my joy. What helps me get past it in the day to day is the knowledge that I can't change the past and not wanting to lose anymore experiences with him. My son is a gift from God.

[Meeshi Mama]

How long did you bleed for?
I bled for about 4 weeks and then got a bit more blood around 6 weeks, which I was told was from the release of the "scab" that is formed when the placenta pulls away from the uterine wall.

I am still bleeding at 5 weeks 1 day, is this normal?
Yes, it is within the range of normal.
How long did others bleed for and how long is too long?
Not sure how long is too long.

How long did it take you to feel like you were healed?
I highly recommend taking homeopathic arnica to help with healing. It's not too late to start now! I took the tabs and also rubbed Arnica ointment on my abdomen until I felt better. I am around 7 weeks and feel 100% back to normal. I really think it is because I took arnica and upped my iron.

Can anyone recommend good books for someone who had a traumatic experience during a c section?

This doesn't deal with the trauma, but the book Cesarean Recovery is a good one for exercises that tone and strengthen your abdomen after a C-section

[hipcoolmama]

First, I'm so sorry! I hope you are getting better everyday. Be good to yourself and good luck!

To answer your questions, the bleeding seems normal. If you are worried check with your doctors or nurses (or midwife if you used one before c/s). Don't be afraid to ask for follow-up care or even just phone advice. If the flow becomes excessive or if other things change, call and ask.

How long did it take before you were healed? It took a good month before I didn't feel pain when I was sitting still. It took about 3 or 4 months before I felt like I could walk and bend and lift without pain.

At more than a year later, I can still feel the ache when I twist or turn, lift something too heavy, and especially during cramping during periods. The scar line still hurts a little too.

It was a good 6 months before I felt I could fully care for my child on my own and do household chores the way I had always been able to.

C-Sections are major surgery so give yourself the care and time you need to recover.

The books another lady mentioned might be good resources for you. What helped me was connecting with other moms who shared my experience...through Mothering and also through a birth healing group. There are some other forums on Mothering along those lines that you might find helpful.

Finally, don't be afraid to ask for or hire help. My DH didn't take much paternity leave and my own mom didn't want to help out after the birth and C-Section. My mother-in-law (out of town) said she would but ended up staying with us for less than 3 days (it was really a blessing, though!). In hindsight, I wish I would have hired a post-partum doula. Three days of semi-help was simply not enough. I couldn't justify the expense at the time, but it would have been so worth it looking back. I'm still kind of upset about everything, but with time, you heal, physically and emotionally.

Good luck! Take care of yourself!

[Katiemare]

I had DS1 by section (footling breech) and for me one of the most healing things was breastfeeding him. It helped me so much in terms of bonding and being the "crunchy mamma" I'd envisioned myself as.

I also had an abdominal incision when I had a ruptured fallopian tube (ectopic miscarriage) and because of the 1.4 liter blood loss I was "weak" for at least 6-8 weeks on top of being emotionally devasted. I think the miscarriage made me more appreciative of my son and less concerned with his birth.

Bleeding--I think it was just about done by 5/6 wks. Yours sounds normal. It should be getting "browner" as time goes by . . . call your ob/mw if you have any bright red bleeding or bleeding is significantly heavier than in days/weeks before.

Your feelings are SOOO normal (whatever that means)-- time, perspective, doing your little crunches, eating well, loving your baby all help the healing process along. Talking (blogging/posting) about it may or may not be what you need at any given time.

After DS1, I felt physically back in business by about 2 months. I didn't have a lot of pains at the incision.

Take good care, Mamma[s]!!!

[coop_mom]

I'm really glad you started this thread, I have also noticed that some of the other threads on MDC can be a bit disheartening on this topic.

How long did you bleed for? About 4-5 weeks
How long did it take you to feel like you were healed?
I'm at 5-1/2 weeks now, and my outside scar feels pretty good, but my inside one is still sore. I'm seeing the doc next thursday, and I'm hoping he'll tell me it's normal.

I generally have very high expectations for myself, and it's been a bit tough to deal with the fact that it's taking a while to get back to "normal" physically.

Emotionally, I go back and forth a little bit. My birth experience was similar to magpie's - 24 hours of labor, 6 hours of pushing - so by the time I went to the hospital, I was fairly resigned to getting a c-section. I felt that my body had tried very hard and had done its best, but in this case, the baby was just not going to come out through a vaginal birth.

Most of the time, I'm fine with that...when I was growing up, as long as you gave it your all, tried your best, then that's all that you could do and people didn't expect perfection - and I certainly feel that I gave it my all!

I do regret a few things during the c-section, but I am working on accepting that things aren't always perfect. I am of the "I have a healthy baby" school of thought, and realize it is OK to be sad about not having a natural birth while rejoicing in the beauty and joy of my new son.

One thing I noticed is that it's really hard to find the answer to questions like these on the web, so I've enjoyed reading these responses. Most c-section recovery sites talk about the first few days, but they don't give details on the first few weeks/months/year(s).

good recovery vibes out to all of us!

--k

[joesmom]

I ended up having an unexpected c section and am looking for some feedback from others who've also had them.

How long did you bleed for? I am still bleeding at 5 weeks 1 day, is this normal? How long did others bleed for and how long is too long?

I barely bled. I don't know why- I can't even remember using pads after I got home, although I must've. My periods are light & I always wondered if that had anything to do with it...

How long did it take you to feel like you were healed? I can't wait to be able to walk and clean my house but I still feel sore and fragile. Is this normal?

I healed physically really fast- in only a week or two I was up & active, although I could not wear jeans for a long time after Joe was born. I still can't stand to wear high waisted jeans. Mentally I felt really frumpy because I could not wear attractive clothes, just my few pairs of ugly pants I wore while pregnant. I did not realize I was feeling kind of sad until I stopped feeling that way, if that makes sense. Now, all that is affected is it is hard for me to vacuum- for some reason that motion still bothers me. Joe is seven.

Any other tips/thoughts anyone would like to share would be appreciated.

The biggest thing IMO is: however you feel is the right way to feel. My SIL tried to prepare me for the horrible sense of failure I would have after my csection. (She had those feelings after three sections, each time she tried SO hard for a vbac & could not do it...) I never felt that way. I felt grateful for my healthy son & SO blessed that his birth & my being under general anesthesia did not at ALL affect his ability to nurse. Were my feelings right, or my SIL's? We were BOTH right. Every person is different. Sometimes it takes a long time to recover physically but not mentally- some people bounce back physically but are horribly depressed for a long time. However you feel is the right way to feel.

Hope this helps. I realized while posting that this is in a DDC thread- I saw it in New Posts & had to respond.

[aries girl]

This is my story... (long story!)
I've always dreamed of being pregnant and how wonderful it would be. I thought I'd love it, that I'd be really natural and healthy and fit and do all sorts of yoga and exercise, take nude pictures of my beautiful pregnant body, and have an amazing natural water birth.
At 5 weeks that all began to change. I became so sick that I thought I was going to die and ended vomiting so much for 2 months straight that I fractured a rib. That's when I gave up trying to make it through the "morning" sickness without help. I went on Zofran and had to stay on it until the day my son was born. I continued to throw up every other day or so, but was able to eat (not without nausea but without throwing it all up) and somewhat able to function. But then my joints because so painful from the relaxant hormone that I could barely walk, and couldn't walk on our hardwood floors without soft shoes on because my feet hurt so badly. Because I couldn't exercise at all due to the pain I gained about 50 pounds, and that put even more strain on my joints. And needless to say there were no nude pictures taken of my pregnant body (but some nice ones of my belly )!!
The last 5 weeks my blood pressure got so high that I was put on bedrest and all of my nesting instincts had to be ignored because I wasn't allowed to go to the grocery store never mind scrub every inch of my house! I didn't even get my sons room ready (not that he'll sleep there for quite a while but I really wanted to decorate!). Then I started going through regular non stress tests to make sure the baby was OK, and then one day they couldn't get the clear reading of the heartbeat that they wanted so we scheduled an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed that there was very little fluid left and the baby had only gained about 3 oz since my last ultrasound at 35 weeks. My midwife sent me straight to the hospital. I was told that I could try to be induced but that it would be risky and they didn't think the baby would do well at all, and that I might not do well (due to the high bp) and that I would most likely end up with a c section anyways. I completely trust my midwife so when she said that I decided to go straight to the c section. It was the hardest decision of my life so far. I don't like to make decisions based on fear but I was SCARED, for myself and for my baby. The operation was terrifying. I have some sensory issues and when I couldn't feel my legs I flipped out. Totally flipped out.(And I think about it everyday with fear). And it was the wierdest sensation to not feel anything and then have a baby handed to you. I said to my midwife " how am I supposed to feel like this is my baby when I didn't feel him come out?"
Of course I now feel like he's my baby and love him so much, but I wasn't sure that feeling would come at that moment. I feel so terrible I don't even want to write that, but it's the truth.
Dealing with the pain of recovery has been difficult also. And on top of it I also got a double ear infection the day I came home from the hospital, and over the past 2 weeks have been having a lot of pain nursing. I hope the pain is almost over.
Not many of the hopes/expectations/plans I had for this pregnany and birth actually happened. I am now trying to sort it all out to see what it all means, because there's got to be an important lesson for me to learn from all of this (perhaps I need to learn to give up control?!). I definitelty need to heal both emotionally as well as physically from this experience, and I appreciate you all sharing what worked for you.
But I LOVE my son and he smiled at me for the first time yesterday and I actually clapped my hands and jumped up and down saying "did you see that?!" So, it was all worth it.

[swtmama2be]

I'm so sorry things have been so difficult ariesgirl. I hope you don't mind, I'm jumping in from another ddc, I'm not due until Feb. I just wanted to share something with you that might be helpful. I was diagnosed with placenta previa, meaning my placenta was lying too low for a vaginal birth. There's a good chance the placenta could migrate off of my cervix in which case I wouldn't need a c-section. Like you I had planned to be a beautiful, vibrant, au naturel pregnant mama.......and suddenly I felt as though that dream had been taken from me. This was complicated due to the fact that I had had major abdominal surgery 10 years prior that involved hip to hip incision, years of recovery, lots of scar tissue and fertility issues. I had so much trauma in that lower area of my adomen that it felt like a grey, non-pulsating dead zone. I couldn't imagine the baby being delivered via this area of non-life. My mom, who is a therapist recommended EMDR which is a great therapy for deep trauma that involves utilizing the left and right side of your brain simultaneously....creating deep healing in a very short amount of time. I can't tell you how much this treatment has helped and empowered me. I feel so differently and so connected to this area of my body that I have been dissassociated from for so long. The trauma has truly been brought to a minimal, and at my ultrasound yesterday I learned that my placenta moved 1/2 way off of my cervix. Even if it doesn't completely move, I feel in such a different place to deal with this next challenge than I did prior to my emdr treatment. I urge you to consider it....you could call a psychotherapist and ask them if they know or recommend anyone who is skilled in this. I'm sorry this is such a long response, I just can't begin to express how much only one treatment helped heal something that has been so hurt for over 10 years now. Maybe it could help you with some of the emotional healing. Good luck aries.... also, visualize great beauty and life where your incision is....and maybe think of it as a "belly birth" vs. a c-section.....I'm sending you positive thoughts in your recovery.