C-Section Recovery

[PatchChild]

Sounds like there are a number of us walking real slowly now. I spent from Monday am to Saturday am at the hospital all told but am so glad to be home now. Standing up is still not my favorite activity, but walking around really isn't as bad at this point as I had feared.

My big challenge right now, underwear. What in the world can I wear? I have a very, very light flow but I've got to have something and everything I own seems like it just hits that line. Should have stolen more of the mesh panties while I had the chance. Any suggestions?

Any other gripes, groans, or celebrations to share?

[jessma]

Popping in from the May DDC - I too had a c-section, and when I left the hospital (Saturday, May 27), I took a ton of those mesh undies they had... I've been wearing them ever since. I'm too nervous to have any of my undies pushing against my incision. I'm still wearing them, because like you, I still have a flow. If you don't have any, maybe buy some undies that are a size or to large on you, to get the same effect... Good luck with your recovery!

[Marvelleaux]

My incision is healed but the stitches are still disolving. The only undies I'm comfortable with still are the mesh panties. I'd send someone to the hospital to grab you a few pair--at least three.

Happy recovery!

[Ks Mama]

Yeah, the underwear issue lingers for a while, unfortunately!

I found the "grandma" undies - really high waisted, are the best, particularly right after post partum - when you still have quite a bit of a belly to help hold them up. The ones that have a really wide waistband are the most comfy.

Otherwise, once I stop flowing, for me was right around one week, I just go commando as much as possible!

[Marvelleaux]

I wanted to add another thing about the undies...

Yeah, high-waisted unsexy granny undies would seem to be a very good idea right now. My incision is fully healed but the real pain I'm still feeling is from the stretched skin. It feels much better to be "bound up", so to speak. I think I'm going to make a post-partum stomacher to help.

[PatchChild]

I also rediscovered mt belly bands. They feel wonderful.

[Ks Mama]

This time around, the hospital gave me a binder post-c. It was really helpful in the first few days post partum... a little too uncomfortable to wear now (very bulky), but the idea is a good one. Bella bands probably would be a great idea! Never used them in pregnancy, maybe I should get one?

[wombatclay]

I'm still pregnant (and hoping for that VBAC) but after my c/s last time there were a few things...

The mesh panties really are amazingly comfy, but the high belly grannie undies worked too (I'm a low cut bikini type and ALL my regular unders hit the line...ugh). I sent DH to target to buy plain old white undies in a huge size and then I cut through the elastic of the waistband so they stayed on but had no real "pressure". And I didn't feel bad about throwing them out later.

I also had DH buy a "toilet topper" from a local pharmacy. You can find them in the "geriatric" section usually...they are essentially a tube of plastic that sit on top of the toilet seat and raise the level of the toilet. I found that the bending/squatting motion of getting down onto and then back up off of the toilet was just horrible...and the toilet topper is designed to help people with that sort of mobility issue. I used it for about a week and it was the best 20 bucks I ever spent.

If your surgeon didn't send you home with information about scar massage call them! Or check out the info in the "Natural Family Living Cesarean Support" sticky at the top of the Birth and Beyond forum. It's my pet peeve about c/s actually. Scar massage is free, easy to do, and can speed healing, reduce or even prevent adhesions, and stimulate nerve healing. Just about everyone I know who has had surgery has been told about or instructed in scar massage...but no one mentions it after a c/s! Basically, once the staples are removed or the sutures dissolve (give it a week or two) you can start doing scar massage. There is a whole chapter on it in the post-partum exercise book "Bounce Back after the Baby" (the author had a c/s) and links to "how to" info in the Birth & Beyond sticky.

I had really bad constipation after my c/s. Although I kept taking the colace and gas-x and doing all that eventually I turned to the "traditional" mineral oil cure. This isn't a terribly healthy cure, and you shouldn't use it more than a day or two, but it works! Basically, you make up some chocolate pudding and add a few tablespoons of mineral oil to the pudding. Then eat a bowl. I think I had 2 bowls the first day, and 2 bowls the second, and then it wasn't an issue anymore! The mineral oil will pull vitamins/nutrients out of you though so as I said, it's not a good idea to use frequently, and make sure you're taking a good supplement. But after 5 days I was desperate...

Hang in there mamas...healing from a c/s is tough work, especially with a toddler or older kiddos on top of the new babe...so make sure you pamper yourself as much as possible and cut yourself A LOT of slack in terms of what you "need" to do. Eat a few yummy chocolates, have a glass of something you enjoy, let your older kiddos watch yet another video or more tv than they usually get, ignore the cleaning/dishes/whatever and just focus on healing up and loving that babe!

[GenomicsGirl]

As a survivor of 3 c-sections, I'd say that I'm somewhat of an expert Get some high-waisted undies - I went to Target and bought 4 pairs for $5 - nice, very soft, Hanes cotton. I bought one size bigger than I normally wear to make sure that they would fit.

By the time I left the hospital, I was able to get up and down from the toilet, the car, the couch without any issues. For me, coughing and sneezing were the issue (and getting up from lying down). Make sure you roll over to your side before trying to sit up!

I had internal stitches and some little white strips of tape across the scar. I removed them when I took a shower on day 4 at the hospital - only remove them if they are already coming off.

Try not to twist your torso. Ouch.

I'm 4 weeks PP tomorrow and I'm planning on starting light exercise by using the elliptical. I am not pushing myself, I'm pretty fit and used to physical activity. Most Drs recommend that you wait until the 6 week check-up before you exercise.

And finally, pay attention to what hurts and don't do it if you can avoid it. Adjust your motions to avoid the pain and you can get along surprisingly quickly. A lot of pain management is in your head - yes, the drugs play a role, but you're a lot tougher than you might think

[Ks Mama]

Originally Posted by GenomicsGirl

A lot of pain management is in your head - yes, the drugs play a role, but you're a lot tougher than you might think

I absolutely agree.

This time around, I didn't need any narcotics once I got home. I know this was directly correllated to the much more overall positive hospital experience I had this time (coupled with the ability to go home on day 3, instead of day 7). Absolutely the better you feel in your head, the better your body heals. I had such a better experience with this C-section, phyiscally & mentally. Almost makes me want to have another C section. HA HA.

[torio]

Even those mesh hospital undies rub my incision. I'm not bleeding much so I just try to go to the bathroom often and s ometimes sleep on an old towel. So far no major accidents.

I'm curious though, from those of you who've done this before--how long before the saggy belly goes in? And what did you do to help it along? And how long before all the weird numb spots come back to life (or do they ever?)? I have numb spots around the incision and around my pubic bone, but also on my back around my sacrum. Not painful, but really feels unpleasantly altered...

[SuzymomofLaura]

! second the high waisted ugly granny undies, and I also put a small pad in my undies up front, so as to cushion the scar until it had healed properly (that took a very long time due to an infection)
This works well in the mesh panties too

[wombatclay]

I'm curious though, from those of you who've done this before--how long before the saggy belly goes in? And what did you do to help it along? And how long before all the weird numb spots come back to life (or do they ever?)? I have numb spots around the incision and around my pubic bone, but also on my back around my sacrum. Not painful, but really feels unpleasantly altered

Hugs torio...c/s recovery has so many things they don't tell you about in the books. It really is a big operation and a big change and a big recovery, especially since you've got a little one to care for at the same time.

Let's see...the numb spots. You get these with any surgery (my dad has a numb spot from his heart surgery, DH has a numb spot on one knee, and a friend has a huge numb area from his appendix removal and that was over 15 years ago!). It's the result of nerves and things getting cut and jiggled during the operation. The return of sensation is very personal...some people find that sensation returns quickly, say within a month or so, while others still have numb spots after several years. My own surgeon told me that in his experience the majority of people have the majority of what they will regain at a year after the operation. Scar massage can help nerves and muscles and tissues heal and reduce the numbness. It can also help you connect in a positive way with your "new" body so it helps emotionally as well as physically.

It's been 2 years since my c/s and I still have a small numb spot about two inches long and a quarter inch high along the left side of my scar. But I had a huge numb area for the first few months (and it REALLY bothered me...it made my stomache clench up every time I noticed it). So while it gets better it may never go all the way away.

The saggy belly thing is more universal to pregnancy though. The cut/pulled muscles and tissue from the surgery make it more noticable though. I used the exercise program in the book "Lose the Mummy Tummy" (horrible title I know, but a great book with exercises adapted for c/s mamas...and plenty of health info too since the author is a nurse and had a c/s herself) and the belly bulge was more or less gone within 4-6 months. There have been a number of threads in the exercise forum about this book (or at least about the author) since she's become pretty well known in the world of pre and post partum exercise and healing. She mostly focuses on "pulling together" post partum diastasis, and having a c/s makes this sort of muscle recovery a bit harder. But it's totally doable. I certainly didn't have anything like the abs I did pre-dd, but I was able to get the incision line belly bulge to smooth out a lot.

The early weeks of recovery can be tough...especially when it's your first c/s or your first "major" surgery. But hang in there. Take care of yourself, if something hurts or feels wrong just say no! And don't be afraid to call your care provider or surgeon and bug the heck out of them for information...I know it was tough for me to pick up the phone, but I think I called that surgeon's office every other day for WEEKS asking about this or that.

[GenomicsGirl]

Originally Posted by torio

Even those mesh hospital undies rub my incision. I'm not bleeding much so I just try to go to the bathroom often and s ometimes sleep on an old towel. So far no major accidents.

I'm curious though, from those of you who've done this before--how long before the saggy belly goes in? And what did you do to help it along? And how long before all the weird numb spots come back to life (or do they ever?)? I have numb spots around the incision and around my pubic bone, but also on my back around my sacrum. Not painful, but really feels unpleasantly altered...

Firstly, I stopped wearing those mesh panties while I was still in the hospital - I have very sensitive skin and the nylon was too irritating. Go for cotton. It's much softer and not nearly as tight.

The saggy belly takes time to go back in (and may never go fully back in, depending on your body). Your uterus needs to shrink, the fluids need to disappear, and your muscles need to tighten up.

I never fully got sensation after my c-section. The scar itself healed beautifully and there was no thick scarring (the Dr told me during my 3rd c-section last month), but it seems that some nerves were cut and never healed.

A c-section is major abdominal surgery. It's no walk in the park, so to speak. It takes time to recover, it takes time to feel good. I'm sorry that you're still feeling yucky

[torio]

Thanks for the insight. I read a lot about the muscle recovery, but had this feeling that the surgery seemed to make everything more difficult. I imagine a twins belly takes more work too, than a single baby. I've totally expected to need time to get back in shape, but will confess that since I've never had surgery before (well, except tonsillectomy at 5 yrs old that I barely remember) I'm a little freaked out by how radically different my body feels. I guess I keep feeling like it would be much, much easier to recover from a vaginal birth. Something I will probably never experience.

[PatchChild]

I've been feeling a lot better since I've been getting up and out and about more. Three days in a row! Monday we went to the pediatrician and CVS, Tuesday to Taget (yeah nursing bras!!), and today went to the grocery store. Just getting out of the house and having everyone tell me what a beautiful baby I have has helped so much. I feel more human, although I still think I look like a cavewoman when I first get out of bed. All hunched over is not a good look for me.

[GenomicsGirl]

Oh .... but hunched over feels so good when you first get up in the morning But yeah - you can see how a lot of it is mental: Get up, get out, and get moving!

Torio: Yes, a twins recovery is different, I'm sure. Your belly was way bigger than that of a single birth and it will take longer for your tummy to shrink down. But looking at the two awesome little babies that you grew must make it so worth it! I'm impressed that you carried them and had such sizeable twins

[Ks Mama]

Originally Posted by torio

I'm curious though, from those of you who've done this before--how long before the saggy belly goes in? And what did you do to help it along? And how long before all the weird numb spots come back to life (or do they ever?)? I have numb spots around the incision and around my pubic bone, but also on my back around my sacrum. Not painful, but really feels unpleasantly altered...

I honestly don't remember the specific time period when my belly got "back to normal" after my first... it just slowly came back to shape. Having a baby who needed constant motion really helped!
Of course, back to normal wasn't really the way it was pre-baby. My belly button was permanently stretched, and my ab muscles were, not sure how to describe, split down the middle in a way... like when I do sit ups (of course, previous to THIS pregnancy, but after my first), my muscles just bunch up in a different way. I never completely lost the pudgy shape of my tummy after DD... I just mean, my stomach will probably never be "flat" again... but at this point, as long as we're not talking hanging over the pants, I'm happy.

As for the numb spots... mine went away after my first, gradually. My scar still remained that weird tingly don't touch me there scar feeling... and now after DS' delivery, I have the numb spots again, above & below.

All I can say is to think positively about your body & your body will follow. Having a baby is a HUGE change to your body. Nurse as much as possible - it really helps take the initial weight off, and of course is so wonderful for your baby(ies). Remember you've done the incredible - brought new life into this world. Your body SHOULD have changed, and SHOULD show the battle scars - whether they are actual scars or simply stretch marks. Mamas, and their postnatal bodies, are awesome reminders of the cycle of life. Without us, where would we be?

[wombatclay]

my ab muscles were, not sure how to describe, split down the middle in a way...

That's the diastasis...there are exercises that will help bring the muscles together again, as well as exercises you should avoid or modify if you still have a diastasis since they can actually pull the muscles further apart if you don't modify them (for example, by using a splint during the exercise).

and I so so so agree...Mama bodies are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PatchChild]

Originally Posted by wombatclay

...Mama bodies are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes!!!! Exactly.