2nd CS questions

HotChocolate79

I will be having a RSC and looking forward to skipping all the drama of going way overdue, failed inductions, etc. That said, I am a little worried about a few things. The first time I ended up with a bad UTI from the catheter. Antibiotics took care of it, but what can I do to avoid getting one in the first place? I still have a lot of numbness around my incision area and it really didn't improve much with time (DS is 19 months). For those of you who dealt with this, did the numbness get worse after a RSC, or did it stay the same? Do you have the same / one scar, or two separate ones? Does it look better, worse, or the same? Vain, I know. Finally, at what point did you feel well enough to take care of your toddler (24/25 months) after a RSC? I am extremely fortunate to have a lot of help available to me, but still want to plan accordingly. My first recovery was fairly easy but I have no idea how I would have managed an active toddler.

ddd2

Im hoping to avoid the uti this time as well. I dont care how mean i seem, this time since it wont be such a hectic process i will be watching the nurses every move and making her change her gloves.

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jeephappygirl

I'm 7 weeks pp from my 2nd CS. First was miserable failed induction. This time was much easier and I knowing what to expect was helpful. Like knowing to hold your belly when sneezing. I too have a 2 1/2 yr old. I was told not to lift her for 2 weeks. I made it about a week. Just be very careful. They do go over the old scar. I had a lot of scar tissue that made the surgery take a bit longer. My new babies are twins so I needed help with all 3 for a week or two.

RedDDD

Im 16 weeks PP from my RSC.  I was told not to pick up my toddler as well....HA HA HA.  Yea right.  My son was 17 months old when she was born so like the other PP said I made it about a week before I was picking him up again.  Not sure how you would do that if you have to put them down for a nap or bed ....you have to pick them up to put them in the crib.  I was told not to squat to pick them up because you are using your pelvic muscles to do that.  So sit down and then reach out and put the toddler on your lap.  

I had very easy recoveries with both C's and no UTI.  However....I think because I have a toddler the length of recovery was much longer.  You just don't get the same rest as you do with your first.  I still have on and off bleeding which I am going in to my OB this month to have checked via U/S.  I only bled for a few weeks with my first.  

As far as the scar......they used the same incision area so one scar.  I think it looks the same as it did last time...no real changes there.  Numbness is the same too.  Body/stomach is NOT bouncing back as quickly but I only had 10 months in between pregnancies.  GL!

slwprincess

No experience with the UTI but I had Group B Strep both times so I had antibiotics in my IV- maybe that's why it wasn't an issue?

My area of numbness was about the same after my second. It never fully returned but it did get better over time. I only have 1 incision. I was afraid it would be darker after the second but it wasn't at all. No idea if this is true but my OB has always told me to faithfully take motrin around the clock for several weeks to help with inflammation and make my scar "prettier." I did and I must say that my scar is hardly visible at all.

As for taking care of your toddler... my advice is to give yourself EXTRA healing time with #2. Stay in the hospital as long as you're allowed and for pete's sake, take your meds exactly as you are supposed to. With my second, I totally overdid it taking care of my oldest and it really made my recovery much harder and longer. This time around, I am actually sending both older kids off to the grandparents for a whole week AFTER I come home from the hospital. They will meet her in the hospital and then go off to hang out with Nonnie. I will miss them but my husband and I feel like this is the best. They will have so much fun they won't know they are missing the new baby. I just know that if they are here in the house, I can't stop myself. I plan to do nothing except sleep, eat, and nurse those days and that maybe it will allow me to heal faster this time.

InLovewSB

This is going to be my 3rd C Section this March.  I can't address your UTI question because I didn't have one, though I couldn't tell you why not because I generally am prone to getting them.  When my doctor performed my RCS, he cut out all the old scar tissue. So my incision site was basically completely redone and healed into a smaller scar than the 1st time, in fact. I did not notice any change in the numbness - the area directly around the scar is numb but everything else is perfectly fine. I am happier with the appearance of the scar this time, but it will look different come March, I'm sure. My recovery was easier with the RCS because I had labored 20hrs before my 1st csection and was wiped out physically.

JMO but I'd ask for help dealing with your toddler until you are healed a little. My MIL came to stay with us for a few weeks after #2 (and will again in March), and it made life so much easier. I was so tender and sore after my RCS that I cannot imagine having to lift my toddler up & down off the potty or in and out of the bath.

bumpuser10194737

This will be my third CS. I did not have a UTI, but I had antibiotics in an IV, so maybe that helped?

My numbness stayed the same. Hasn't gone away and my last was almost two years ago.

I only have one scar, and it actually looks better now than after the first! It's very faint.

I felt pretty good about taking care of my toddler after about two weeks. Just had to be careful about lifting, but MIL had gone by that time and DH was back to work, and I was fine on my own.