3rd Trimester

2nd time moms- c-section questions

How much pain were you in after your c-section?

I am hoping to avoid one, but obviously, it's always a possibility. My mom had 2 and said she was in severe pain, but that was 30 and 32 years ago.

TIA. 

Re: 2nd time moms- c-section questions

  • For me the big issue was when they come to push on your belly - to help your uterus contract. I came really close to punching a nurse. 

    Otherwise - I found it to be painful at first but do-able.

    My tip - when you get home - take your pain medicine on time! I thought I was "doing good" and then found myself unable to get off the couch/chair when my pain meds wore off. I had to sit there until they kicked in again.  

  • The day after my c-section was the worst for me and even then, it wasn't horrible. I stayed on top of my pain meds but it really hurt to laugh and the gas pains were no fun either. After that first day and you get up and moving, it gets a lot better (for me anyway). Overall, I had a great recovery and didn't need pain meds after my second day at home.

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  • imageDeansGirl0329:

    For me the big issue was when they come to push on your belly - to help your uterus contract. I came really close to punching a nurse. 

    Otherwise - I found it to be painful at first but do-able.

    My tip - when you get home - take your pain medicine on time! I thought I was "doing good" and then found myself unable to get off the couch/chair when my pain meds wore off. I had to sit there until they kicked in again.  

    How could I forget this! They "massaged" my uterus every 15 minutes for 1 hour while I was in recovery and it was by far, the most pain I've ever experienced. Thank goodness I was so limp from the drugs or no kidding, I woulda tried to punch the nurse!

  • The pain was actually quite manageable for me.  I didn't like taking the percoset they gave me so I only took the lower dosage for about a week after I came home from the hospital and stuck to ibprofin after that.  Just rest a lot, you'll know if you're over-doing anything!!!!
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  • Can you take pain meds if you are BF-ing though?
  • imagePunkyBooster:
    Can you take pain meds if you are BF-ing though?

    Yeah they give you something safe - I can't remember what but it was not a problem with BF. 

  • imagePunkyBooster:
    Can you take pain meds if you are BF-ing though?

    yes, you can take percocet if you're BFing. 

    i did, but only for a day or so after i got home, then i switched back to ibuprofen. 

  • I felt fine when I kept the belt on that they gave me, so I think the pressure helped.  

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  • This is all good to know and very helpful! Thank you!
  • I think it really depends on your pain tolerance. I was begging to be OFF the pain medication within hours of the c-section.  And then I just took ibuprofen when I needed it. I did not have a very tough time at all - but I also had previous surgeries before and knew what to expect from my body post-op.  The key is to just take it easy, listen to your body and when you need to slow down, DO IT.  Don't over do it and get plenty of rest. 
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  • imagePunkyBooster:
    Can you take pain meds if you are BF-ing though?
    I was given Lortab which is supposed to be safe, but they were making K super drowsy, so I stopped taking them after like days.

    LIke PP said, the second day was the first, but it wasn't too bad. Once I started moving around, I felt a lot better.

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  • Best advice I got - Remember to keep moving once they let you up. Little walks (or shuffles) around your room or the floor every few hours make a world of difference. If you stay in bed for the first few days your recovery will be a lot worse because you'll get stiff. Don't over do it, but definitely move or you will regret it.
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  • I thought it was pretty easy. I felt no pain the day of. The next day sucked. They take the catheter out and make you walk around and it completely sucks. Everyday after that is just easier and easier. I was out visiting family 4 days PP, and was out running errands and walking around by 1 week PP. From week 1-2, the pain was pretty low-nothing a little ibuprofen didnt help. I felt pretty normal after the first 2 weeks. I had an emergency c-section, so if you have a planned one the recovery is generally even easier.

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  • My pain wasn't bad at all.  Although I needed a lot of help getting in and out of bed, everything else was very doable.  I was up and walking around our room hours after my surgery

    I spent 3 days in the hospital (free food, people doing our laundry, and a nursery to watch DS - heck yes! lol), the day we went home I walked 3 miles.  I was back to running at 5w pp and ran (well, more like waddle/jogged) a 5k at 7w pp.  

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  • Hardly any pain at all as long as I kept up with my meds.  The day I went home from the hospital I forgot to go to the pharmacy and get my rx filled and then I was in a lot of pain--but as soon as we picked up the meds and I started taking them I was fine.

    I was on pain meds for only 5 days and completely fine after that.  

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  • This is hard to predict.  It's different if you're in labor for a while before the c-section (i.e., you have to have an emergency c-section) compared to a scheduled c-section.  Or so I've been told by my OB.  I had an emergency c-section with DS after about 18 hours of labor (DS was stuck) including 3 hours of pushing, but I'm having a scheduled c-section with DD in Feb. 

    From when I was recovering from my emergency c-section:  When they check your incision and push on your belly to check your uterus, it hurts.  It hurts to cough, laugh, sneeze, get up from a sitting position, etc.  I took the Rx vicodin and ibuprofen for about 2.5-3 weeks afterwards, and that helped.  I think I had a cold pack on the incision most of the time I was in the hospital. 

     

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  • I think a lot of it has to do with your lifestyle, weight, etc. I gained 60 pounds with my now 7-year-old and was slightly overweight when I got pregnant. I was not a very active person, and I ate whatever I wanted (not following any kind of diet). For me, the c-section (unexpected, because baby was breech - but didn't go into labor first) was pretty rough to recover from.

    I remember being pretty sore for a good week or so after getting home. I was on Percocet, but they only gave me so many, so I was afraid I would use it all up and then still be hurting later on. Big mistake! This time around, I will just use up whatever I think I need and not be so concerned with that - I ended up having several pills left over when I was no longer in pain. It hurt to get in and out of bed, or any kind of up and down (off the couch, to use the bathroom, etc.); it also hurt to laugh, cough, etc.

    I agree with PP, though, that the sooner and more often you can make yourself get up and move around in the hospital and at home, the quicker you will be able to recover. Also, it helps because of the potential for blood clots and other complications following surgery.

    And on a final note, I totally don't remember any kind of "massage" on my stomach, but I've seen that in a lot of posts lately... Is that something I've just blocked out or is that a relatively new practice. It sounds very frightening!!

  • After my 1st I was in tons of pain and just couldnt make it stop.

    After my 2nd I was in hardly any pain.

    After my 3rd I was in a pretty good amount of pain and it wasn't easy to get in under control. I think it just really matters on your body and if you have done the things to get your body in good shape before surgery.  If you think you could end up with one I would suggest looking up ways to prepare yourself physically.

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