Tell me about your CS

BonnieBlue83

I'm a little nervous about them - tell me about your experience!

How long until you felt like you were feeling okay?  Any awful scarring?  If I'm chunky and already have that "stomach flap" thing, will a CS make it worse, or just the same?  Can you feel anything while your on the table?

Courtimilk

Mine was scheduled due to a frank-breech baby with low-amniotic fluid, so I don't have the ''horrible'' recovery that comes with a few emergency CS's. The scarring is nothing compared to my stretch marks, but from between the scar and my belly button is numb in spots (and probably will be for the rest of my life, mom's been numb for the last 25 years).

The ''stomach flap'' varies person to person but I do believe I can get mine touched up a tad bit should I get a RCS (depending on the doctor). Also, where they make the incision is usually at the panty line (top of the bush-line) so it won't be the same area as a previous stomach flap. Sorry.

It would be a lie to say I felt absolutely nothing on the table, but I felt no pain. I could tell to some degree where they were touching me with the ice but could not feel the cold; and I could feel them pushing on my body as they removed LO.

As for recovery, stay on top of your pain meds; do not over-exert yourself; and avoid constipation.

SarahRae85

With my c-section (both of them) I was up and moving in 1-2 days. My first one was harder initially, I was bent over every time I tried to get up to pee on day 2. My second was easier. I was walking up and down hallways on day 2 to visit my son in NICU. It hurt. Too often I'd be heading back to my room from NICU with no painkillers in my system and it ended up being more of a sore shuffle with me gripping the walls than actually walking.

However, by the end of the first week, I was off all pain killers and moving around more or less at full strength. Just had to take it easy or my incision started burning and I started cramping a little.

My first scar is almost non-existent. You can see it if you're looking for it, but it's thin and white and smoothed over. My second one may not heal so neatly because I pushed myself and I'm pretty sure I tore it open (only a little not all the way through) here and there. We'll see.

As for the stomach flap, as pp said, mine is an inch or two below my "flap" (I've got about 20-30lbs to lose before and after pregnancy). Currently, I'm still waiting for the skin to tighten up, and it is noticeably worse. However, before pregnancy it wasn't all that bad, at least not outrageously so. I'm optimistic about it returning to the same.

As for feeling something, I felt no pain. I didn't even feel the pressure from them making the incision. What I did feel was the tugging and pulling as they pulled DS out. It wasn't painful and I was almost detached from it. It was very strange to feel the tugging, but feeling nothing else. I could also kind of feel them holding things together before it was stitched. It felt like skin stretching, but again, no pain, just a distant sensation.

amb04006

The first 5 days or so were really rough, and I needed a lot of help with everyday tasks. By 2 weeks I was feeling pretty much normal and taking long walks with baby in the stroller. By 4 weeks I was jogging again.

The scar is nothing compared to the stretch marks, and it's so low that no one would ever see it anyway. I do have the flap, and it folds right at the scar, but once the extra weight is gone, I have no doubt that'll go away too.

I didn't feel a single thing on the table, not even pressure.

MrsJ723

I was a scheduled c/s and it went well.  The IV they put in my wrist was more painful than the spinal (which I was worried about). I didn't feel anything except pressure when they pulled him out and while it was uncomfortable, it certainly wasn't painful.  People had mentioned to me that I might have the shakes after surgery, which I did, but no one mentioned the itching. It was terrible! I took the max dose of benedryl but still ended up breaking skin from scratching so hard. Thankfully it went away by the next day.

 I made sure to get up and walk as soon as they let me and that seemed to make a difference. I felt pretty good right away, although laughing, coughing, and going from a sitting to standing (and vice-versa) position was still painful. I took the pain meds as recommended because I wasn't sure how the pain would be.  I felt pretty good once I got home but overdid it (too much stairs, walking) and that would make me sore by the end of the day and prolonged the bleeding. I don't remember when I felt "normal" again, but I'd say 2-3 weeks.

I already had a little bit of a belly pooch which remained after my c/s, but my scar did fade a bit in the 3.5 years after DS was born.

Jessicadbaker

My 1st was 8 years ago and yes I felt the pulling tearing and smelled a funky smell LOL. But afterwards recovery was fine. But remember to take it easy. I am a go getter. I can't just let people do things for me. Anyways I put my body into shock while in the hospital because I was trying to move and walk around to much. That felt pretty horrible. So don't do that LOL. But I want to say with in a week I was up walking normal and taking care of baby. I have my second csection scheduled on the 20th of next month. You will be fine! If you have anxiety like me just make sure to tell your doc and the anesthesiologist who will gladly help you with meds to make you comfortable.

mnj05

Mine wasn't planned but wasn't emergent either. I was up walking the next day, DS was born at 7:51pm, when the pain meds were working. When they wore off, I stayed in bed until my next round came and walked more when they were working again. The first few times getting out of bed was horrible but have your caretaker help lift you under the arms so you aren't having to use your ab muscles as much.

By two weeks I felt good enough to walk around the block, but I pushed it too far and ended up really sore the next day. By three and a half weeks I could walk a ton without hurting. I did have the typical sun burn irritation feeling between my belly button and scar but that went away by four weeks.

I didn't have any of the skin flap before but do now along with a lot of excess skin elsewhere but hoping that will go away with time. My scar is barely noticeable anymore to me but like PP said, I have to pull my underwear down to even see it.

I didn't feel anything on the table although I was so preoccupied with the fact that I hated not being able to move my legs or feet, I might not have noticed any pressure.

The first part of recovery does suck but stay on top of your meds and move as much as possible and you should be just fine. Also take stool softeners around the clock. I did colace, one pill at every meal and once in the middle of the night. It could take days to go I think it took me 7 or 8 but you don't want to be straining as it would hurt plus the softer the better anyway after it builds for days.

gingerfamily

I was back to myself in about 2 weeks.  The stomach flap doesn't make it any worse.  You just have to make sure to keep the incision dry which can be tricky with skin to skin like that.  The only thing I felt on the table was a lot of tugging and pulling.  I was anuseous b/c my bp kept going down but then the anestesiologist would administer something to regulate it and I'd be okay again. 

My 2nd was a LOT better than my first because I was prepared for it. 

 Good luck!

 

tig594

I had my first and only on March 27 by scheduled c/s and, honestly, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought.  I was very nervous, too.  I HATE IVs and wasn't thrilled about the spinal but, while still a bit unpleasant, the spinal wasn't THAT bad.  After that, I felt nothing but some nausea at the very start of the procedure and for an hour or two after returning to my room.  It sucks to feel like you're going to toss your cookies but you can't move most of your body to hop up and run for the toilet. 

I didn't feel anything during the procedure and my OB was chatting at me almost the whole time.  As soon as dd emerged they took her to do whatever it is they do to newborns...they didn't have her very long before they wrapped her up and brought her to her dad and I.  I had my tubes tied at the same time so the doc was still busy down there when they brought baby to me and it sucked that I couldn't hold her but her daddy held her by my head and I could touch her and coo to her.

Recovery was also not that bad. I was up and walking the halls the same day...c/s was at 7:30 a.m. and I was out of bed by dinner time.  I was still a little wobbly but made myself get moving.  I heard from several people to get up as soon as you can. On day 2 I was getting up and moving around my room and going to the bathroom on my own. They let me go home the morning of the 3rd day so, technically, I was only hospitalized 2 days. I can honestly say that, while I was somewhat uncomfortable, I was never in any severe pain or anything.  I was driving within a few days (sssh, don't tell).  Stay on top of your meds, take what they give you when you're supposed to and you will be fine.  Two weeks later I felt about 90%...now at 4 weeks pp it's hard to remember I'm technically still on restrictions.   

The only complication I had was getting a yeast infection on my incision which itched like a mofo. I, too, have a little pooch down there and it was hard keeping the incision dry. I'm also a type 1 diabetic and was told the yeast infection is not uncommon with diabetics. The doc gave me some talc based powder and it went away after a couple days.    

Good luck to you.  I hope your surgery goes well and your little one is a healthy happy baby! 

amb04006

MrsJ723:

I was a scheduled c/s and it went well.nbsp; The IV they put in my wrist was more painful than the spinal which I was worried about. I didn't feel anything except pressure when they pulled him out and while it was uncomfortable, it certainly wasn't painful.nbsp; People had mentioned to me that I mightnbsp;have the shakes after surgery, which I did, but no one mentioned the itching. It was terrible! I took the max dose of benedryl but still ended up breaking skin from scratching so hard. Thankfully it went away by the next day.
nbsp;I made sure to get up and walk as soon as they let me and that seemed to make a difference. I felt pretty good right away, although laughing, coughing, and going from a sitting to standing and viceversa position was still painful. I took the pain meds as recommended because I wasn't sure how the pain would be.nbsp; I felt pretty good once I got home but overdid it too much stairs, walking and that would make me sore by the end of the day and prolonged the bleeding. I don't remember when I felt "normal" again, but I'd say 23 weeks.
I already had a little bit of a belly pooch which remained after my c/s, but my scar did fade a bit in the 3.5 years after DS was born.

Oh yeah, the shakes and itching were pretty bad here too. The shakes lasted maybe an hour, and the itching lasted probably 4 or 5 hours.

ali26

Mine was performed after being in labor overnight and pushing for several hours unsuccessfully, so I was seriously delirious and don't remember much.  It wasn't so bad though.  I didn't have much trouble at all with pain, swelling, itching, etc.  for me the worst things that happened afterwards were that I threw up that night from the anesthia (just once though) and had a lot of gas pain in my upper back/should which went away when the nurse gave me some sort of gas medicine.  I had an epi so I could tell they were cutting but it didn't hurt.  With a scheduled section you usually have a spinal and supposedly can't feel a thing.  

 

I took Motrin for a few days once home but barely needed the pain meds.  The hardest thing for me for the first few weeks were getting up out of bed or up off the floor if seated there.  Everything else was ok.  My stomach eventually went down to the same flatness it was before but it took several months.  I did not develop any of the typical flap- I'm average weight but not particularly thin through the middle.   I had a good recovery overall and am not nervous for my repreat c/s in a few weeks.  I hope I have a similar experience.  Honestly my labor and pushing experience was so much worse than the csection itself- I had no epi for that and it was very painful.  

rockyrollgirl

I had an emergency section after being in labor for about 50 hours. My surgery and recovery went pretty smoothly. The worst part for me was really my stay in the hospital. Yes, it was hard getting up but I just wanted that IV and catheter out already. I wanted to go home. I was sent home with Motrin and Norco but only really needed the Motrin. I was off of a it after two weeks. My scar healed perfectly and only my husband can see it since its so far down. I can't comment on the poochy belly. I am pretty thin and it is almost nearly gone at 4 months post. Breastfeeding is probably to thank for that.

Mama-Bear

It was painful/uncomfortable to cough, sneeze, laugh, blow my nose for the first few weeks.  It started out as painful, after the first week or so it because uncomfortable.  My scar looks fabulous.  For the first year+ it was raised and red (not painful, just how it looked), now it's just a white stripe.  I don't have any kind of flap. 

I didn't feel anything on the table.  I know many say they feel extreme/intense pressure/pulling/tugging, I felt NOTHING, but I was so terrified that I tried to block a lot of it out so maybe I just didn't notice. 

aegarrettrn

I had an urgent c-section for severe pre-eclampsia so I was a little shell shocked to start out.  Getting my spinal placed was hands down the worst part of my surgery and recovery.

I had one little spot that I felt pressure around whenever they did anything near it. As my surgey went on that feeling became more intense and by the time I went to the recovery room I was hurting pretty badly. Otherwise I only remember pressure, mainly when they pushed her out, I vividly remember letting out an "ahhh" when they were pushing more intensly.

My scar is a disaster. It is totally off center on my body and one end is puckered up. I already had that little hang over belly and it is not different now than before. Ask for subcutanious suture versus skin staples. It will make some difference in your scaring but will keep then pulling to a minimum after surgery.

As for recovery time. I was up and in the NICU to see my daughter in 6 hours or less. I won't lie, it hurt & you wont want to get up out of that bed the first few times, but the more you move the easier it will be and the less sore you will be.  You will have cramping as well as incisional pain for about 5 days then it will slowly get better. For me I had soreness & discomfort, sometimes pain for a good two weeks. Remember, it's major abdominal surgery, it will hurt.

Good luck to you

hols0326

I had a scheduled c-section. The surgery was not nearly as bad as I had pictured it. The spinal barely hurt, and I felt absolutely nothing while I was on the table. I couldn?t even tell that I was naked, and didn?t know they had started the surgery, that?s how numb I was. I already had the stomach flap thing, so that didn?t change at all. I was up and walking (slowly) around my room the next day. The recovery was really rough, though. I think it took the whole 6 weeks for me to feel normal again. I also had an issue with some fluid build up behind my incision about a week PP, but I was told it was totally normal?albeit really painful and gross. Now DD is 4 ? months, and I barely remember the pain. You?ll be fine!

mmooki

I had an urgent c/s at 33w 3d due to breech baby. My water broke at 5:30am and dd was born at 9:57am. I was in labor for a short time, but they didn't give me pain meds because the monitor wasn't picking up my contractions and they kept telling me they weren't that bad!

I was terrified because it was march and baby wasnt due till may! But once I had the spinal, I didn't feel a thing. No tugging, pressure... Nothing.

I spent the next 8 hours throwing up and that was terrible! Dd was in the nicu. They wheeled me to see her right after, but I didn't really get to see her and hold her until the next day.

I was up walking the next day. It was really hard to be wheeled to the nicu, and the wheelchair was uncomfortable to sit in. So I walked. That, plus the recovery time at home while dd was in the hospital helped me recover faster. She was only in for 12 days felt like an eternity!, but it meant I was able to rest at home.

13 months later, the scar is reddish, and I do have some numbness but not as much as I did right after she was born.

Truchana

I had a scheduled c section at 38 weeks due to breech baby. Overall, it really wasn't that bad.  I agree that getting the iv was more painful than the spinal. I asked for the doctor not resident as that was the part I was most scared of! During the procedure, I was surprised how much I felt but I never felt "cutting" or "stitching" just lots of pressure and tugging. They kept laughing at how strong my stomach muscles were and had to push pretty hard to get her out. Kind of felt like someone jumping on my stomach! None of it was painful, just uncomfortable.  Afterwards I did I get the shakes for about an hour which I hate from previous surgeries, but they put the baby skin to skin and that helped along with warm blankets.  I also got pretty itchy but didn't have to take anything for it. they got me up later that evening for a quick wash (basically shoot water at your crotch) ... I threw up any of the food I'd eaten that afternoon due to the medication.  

You will be sore for a few days.  I got up and walked the next day... I was sore and certainly not running marathons but it wasn't anything awful.  Second day was probably worst pain wise and I'd say it never went above a 5 but I took the pains meds, and I was only in pain if I was moving, getting up, etc.  Just laying in bed I felt no pain.  Each day gets better.   Stay on pain meds but becareful of the tyenol 3. They constipate you! I wish someone would've warned me about it. I had my first bowel movement about 5 or 6 days later ... it was awful! I couldn't push because it felt like incision was coming apart (it wasn't), you have no abdominal strength ( they have to relearn how to push/work), and my bm was just very big and hard! It took me two days to fully get it out (sorry tmi).  I literally cried. Use the colace and eat lots of fiber. 

At home, I'd say the first 7-10 days were a bit difficult to get out of bed, my husband had to help.  A few times I did it myself or over did it at home and my incision would be a little sore/burn.  I'm 12 days post csection now and I feel great.  Again, not running marathons or moving quite as quickly, but I'm not in pain.  I feel a little soreness every once in a while but I can squat and get out of bed on my own now. 

overtinsanity6

I'm a larger girl and I also had a stomach flap and yes the c-section made it worse. I could see my original "flap" going away with diet and exercise, but this one scares me.

With my first c-section I remember hearing all these stories about women mistaking pressure for pain, I was so determined not to be such a "wimp" about it that I didn't actually realize I was in pain. I didn't know this until halfway through my second c-section when they announced baby was out, I had no clue they had even gotten that far. With my first I knew.

I actually always surprised the maternity nurses. My OB yanked my cath out 4 hours after I could use my legs and I made my first walk (10 feet to the toilet) about 2 hours after that. 

My scar isn't actually that bad, I can't see it because of my "flap" but my DH says that its barely noticeable.

kreeper611

My first was scheduled and I felt it was relatively easy. Keeping in mind that it is still major surgery!

I walked myself to the operating room. Once they started, I could feel tugging and I felt like they were going to yank me off of the table, but it wasn't painful. I spent a few hours in recovery. I would say the worst I felt was from 4-7 hours post surgery. Not painful bad, but just really hit by the drugs and being overwhelmed in general.

Once they took the epi out the next day, I walked around the room and ended up making a lap around the floor that evening. I was sore, and stiff and it was painful, but not unbearable.

Coming home did take a lot out of my physically but the next day I felt a lot better. I would say a few days later I walked a few blocks through the neighborhood.

Also, DS was over 10lbs and my doc suggested I not pick him up out of the crib and especially off of the floor. Thankfully someone was with me for the first 2 weeks and I followed her directions - I'm positive that helped me recover quickly. By day 10 or so I was stir crazy and wanted to leave the house alone!  

Things I didn't expect: I left more swollen than when I came in. And I was REALLY swollen before delivery. Also, night sweats. The drugs caused me to sweat like crazy and I'd wake up soaking wet.

I'm totally dreading those two things this time - only because I know! 

I also had numb sections of my stomach for almost a year, but eventually the feeling came back. 

BrookieA

I had an AWESOME c-section experience. I was in labor for 17 hours and my son was NOT coming out so we opted for a c-section. I already had an epidural in place. They came in to my labor and delivery room and prepped me (checked all my bracelets, washed my stomach, put on surgical cap, ect.) and brought my husband a pair of scrubs. Once I was wheeled into the OR they assured me that I was completely numb by poking my legs and belly with a needle and then my arm so that I could feel the difference. I requested that my arms not be strapped down and they said that was fine as long as I didn't move them. Just before my OB started my incision they brought my husband in. As far as the incision I felt nothing. I could smell when they burned the incision which kind of grossed me out but it was no big deal. The anesthesiologist stayed by my head the entire time talking to me, keeping a check on my vitals and telling my exactly what the OB was doing. The OB also talked to me throughout the surgery telling me that I would feel pressure, ect. While I felt NO pain I did feel extreme pressure. There is a lot of pressure when they are pulling the baby out and for a few minutes afterwards. The pulling sensation (after my son was out) made me nauseous but they gave me medicine in my IV for that. When they pulled my son out my OB held him over the curtain for me to see and for my husband to take a picture. After he was cleaned up my husband brought him over so that I could look at him, touch him and kiss him. My husband went with LO to the nursery while I was sewn up. For me the worst part of the entire ordeal was this: after you are sewn up they push on your stomach. Fairly hard. This is to make sure that there is no excessive air/bleeding, ect. They did this twice while I was still in the OR and once in recovery. While it was rather painful, it is over very quickly. I was in recovery for about an hour where my vitals were monitored very closely and I was hooked up to a morphine pump. While in recovery my husband was allowed to come in and check on me and bring the camera in so that I could see pictures of LO. Once I was wheeled back to my room we had lots of visitors. When everyone left I slept well that night. The very first thing the next morning my morphine pump and catheter were removed and I got up and went to the restroom. I was VERY sore but it wasn't as bad as I had been expecting. Later that morning I took a shower (unassisted) and even washed my hair. I had LO at 630 on a Wed night and I took a shower Thursday and Friday and came home on Saturday. I kept LO in the room with me the entire stay but he did have to go to the nursery three times a day to be bathed, checked out, ect. I made sure to walk him to the nursery each time. The secret is to MOVE AROUND!!!! Don't over do it but don't just lay in the bed the whole time. Once my morphine pump was removed I never took anything stronger than a 800 mg Motrin. Recovery was WAY easier than I expected. I honestly believe with all my heart that it was so much easier because I made sure that I was up and moving. Your body will tell you when you are doing too much. You will be sore. Very sore. But just push through it and you will be SO glad that you did. Getting in and out of bed, getting up out of chairs and sitting down and getting up from the toilet was the worst for me as far as soreness. By two weeks postpartum I was doing laundry, ect. You will be fine and your little one will be worth every minute of it. Good luck!!

HattieDornbush

I had an emergency csection to deliver my twins just over two weeks ago. I was very scared. It was very quick. I felt what seemed like someone touching my stomach and before I knew it my first baby was here and the second came right after. There was no pain at all with the actually procedure. My babies went to the nursery with my husband, but were brought to me in recovery almost immediately after I got there and I was able to breast feed and do skin to skin. I did not take any pain meds after surgery my nurses said that was extremely uncommon. I felt pretty good by about 3 or 4 days and back to normal after about a week.