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C-sections
C-Section Pain & Recovery Question
Sorry if this is redundant on this board, but I am really looking for some good answers! Thank you!
It is looking more like I might have to have a c-section for this baby girl to arrive. I have been diagnosed as macrosomic (large baby) and she is measuring in the 90th percentile for growth already (I will be 37 weeks tomorrow). We are going to wait and see how I progress, but the doctor is concerned about the risk for shoulder dystocia and therefore is leaning toward a c-section, but is also OK with the wait and see approach for now.
I have never had an incision before nor have I ever had stitches. So I am hoping that some ladies have had a c-section and can tell me how much pain I am going to be in. I know I will have a good number of visitors, but when I am in pain I don't like to talk or be social. Also I was wondering about how long it takes to recover since DH pretty much has to go back to work right away.
Thanks in advance.
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Re: C-Section Pain & Recovery Question
This is kind of hard to answer. The amount of pain you will be in depends on how you handle pain. I didn't think it was too bad; walking the first few days after was uncomfortable, but they give you pain killers that help a lot. I would recommend not to have visitors the first day, but that is totally up to you. I was in no mood to see anyone after and this time around I am making it a rule no one on the first day.
As for recovery, everyone is different. I was moving around just fine after 2 weeks probably and felt almost normal by 4. Some people take a lot longer to recover. I had help though. My DH took the first week off and then my mom stayed for 2 more weeks.
It seems scary, but it really isn't that bad. Good luck!
I agree with PP, it does vary from person to person. But, I was like you, I had never had any kind of surgery or stitches or anything, and I was so nervous, but it was not bad. Now, I am sure this is NOT the case for everyone, but my recovery was so, so easy. I even had some complications, but it still was all good. By a week PP I seriously felt like my old self- I actually felt better than I did during pregnancy. I had a lot of excess fluid (that was part of the complications- they had to do another incision to drain some of the fluid that was resistant), so I was so much more comfortable with it gone.
The meds they give you work pretty well too. I only had to take 2 of mine after I got home. To put that in perspective, I had sciatic back problems a few months ago, and took the pain pills more then than I did after the c-section.
My DH had to go back to work within a week. I did need him the first few days because I really couldn't lift DD that much, but by the end of the week when he had to go back, we were fine.
I hope that helps ease your mind, and I hope recovery goes well for you if you do have to have a c-section.
Well I have a high tolerance for pain. I don't go to the dr much and don't take meds for stuff. BUT the c/s hurt like hell. Hands down worst pain of my life. I mean the nurses were straight up honest about it too. They flat out told me it would hurt bad and which parts would hurt the most. They were however very caring and sympathetic about it and did their best to make me as comfortable as possible. I know all hospitals are different but mine didn't relish in pushing c/s and acting like it's no big deal. They really treated you like you just had major surgery, which it is. I did ok with visitors except if you have too many you can get really tired and they don't always know when to leave. Plus one night I got caught up in talking to them and forget it had been enough time to call the nurse for pain meds. I wouldn't recommend doing that! I still had trouble getting around 3 weeks out but my c/s just seemed harder on me than most people. You might be hopping around the next week
Or hopefully won't need one at all! My baby measured in the 89th percentile at 32 weeks and the doctor never mentioned a c/s or her getting stuck. I guess they're all different too.
I had my first c/s for the same reasons you posted. DS1 was 9lbs. 10 oz. The first c/s hurt. I know that's not a "nice" thing to say, but I was in a lot of pain. My advice is ask for binder, stay on top of your pain meds. tell your visitors to leave if it's too much, don't be hero about that! FWIW my second c/s was a breeze compared to the first.
Oh! And get up and walk around as quickly as possible. It'll help with your recovery! YOu'll do fine!
I did alot of reading on this board before my scheduled c/s on Jan 4th regarding recovery and pain. I've got a fairly high tolerance, I've had surgeries before and was more freaked out about being awake than the pain. That being said, I didn't want pain to interfere with my experience so as soon as I left the OR I opted for another dose of morphine which I kind of regret. The next morning, I down-graded the pain meds to percocet which I really regret because I spent that entire day in a drug-induced daze (I don't do well with strong pain killers and should have just opted for the Ibuprofen immediately). Regardless, by the 24-hr mark, I was strictly on 800 mg Ibuprofen every 6 hrs and only one part on my abdomen really gave me any pain when I moved in a certain way for the first 5 days. I was doing stairs by day 3, walking 30 minutes by day 5 and off the 800 mg Ibuprofen by Day 9.
We had visitors 24 hours after delivery and I was more concerned about LO's BF schedule with visitors around than I was the pain.
The nurses are really good about making sure you're comfortable and just be ready to change your mind as you feel necessary regarding visitors and meds.
Good luck!
I just want to let you know that a c/s is a wise choice if your baby is really big.
My son was 7lb 4oz at 36w... he had a huge head, and was coming out a little crooked- and i suffered a 4th degree tear... it took a good 8+ weeks of horrible crotch pain.. I was in such horrible pain and miserable- I cried in the tub soaking every day... prayed to God to help me... it was so horrible. I couldn't stand for more than a couple mintues b/c the pressure was too much on that area... I still have problems that i need to have surgery to fix b/c things didn't heal properly down there... my son is almost 5... I'm thinking i'll do it this summer... dreading it.
My c/s with the twins was CAKE! I LOVED it. Sure- it hurts afterwards- but you can take pain meds that help (unlike the crotch pain, meds didn't do anything for me). I was able to bond with my boys without being in horrible pain... I was able to care for them without problems... able to STAND as long as I wanted. I loved my c/s so much more than my vaginal birth experience and recovery.
So - don't feel you are missing out... vag births often are horrible to recover from- women just rarely talk about it b/c it is embarrassing... i don't care - i'm an open book-and have helped a lot of women on here b/c i have talked about it- so i'm not afraid to say that my son tore me a new one
literally....
best of luck with your c/s - and enjoy that big baby!
I had a c-section with my daughter after going into labor on my own because her heart rate kept dropping. I am really not a fan of pain, and I don't think I have a particularly high pain tolerance, but honestly I didn't think the recovery was that bad. The nurses got me up to get me to the bathroom to get cleaned up about 4 hours after the procedure and while it was painful to get up and walk I could do it just fine with a bit of help.
For about the first 24 hours afterward they kept me on the IV, catheter, etc, so I wasn't really getting out of bed--they told me not to try without assistance, but after that initial 24 hour period, they unhooked me from everything and I could get up, take a shower, etc, all on my own. I mostly remember it just being really annoyingly painful to try to sit up, shift positions in bed, etc, but it wasn't agony or anything. I did take all the painkillers they offered and I highly recommend doing so. By the third day in the hospital I went down to the cafeteria (on a different floor, mostly to cure boredom and to get a snack) by myself. And when I went home after day 4 I could walk up and down the stairs in our house when necessary, though that wasn't fun.
My legs were super swollen for a few days after I got home (this is very normal, due to all the extra fluids they pump into you) and that was as much of a hindrance as anything. Within 1.5 weeks, I remember feeling about 80% back to normal, started driving right around then (they tell you to wait two weeks) and at my 3 week or so postpartum check up the doc told me I was fine to resume normal activities. It still took a while to feel 100% back to normal but really within 2 weeks or so, aside from not wanting to walk long distances or lift too much, I was feeling pretty good.
I had a c/s at 38 weeks because DD was measuring large (T2 diabetic) and my birth canal was entirely too small (ob told me that even if she was 3 lbs, she wasn't going to make it out). I had expected a lot of pain because my sister had 2 c/s (1 emergency, 1 planned) and was in a lot of pain. Fortunately, I didn't have a similar experience.
The pain really wasn't too bad for me. MIL kept reminding me to ask for my meds as often as I could take them while I was in the hospital. She told me it's better to stay on top of the pain than to let it build up and try to get it back down. By day 2, I was walking around my room trying to clean it. Walking for the first time was the worst pain I had during my entire recovery. However, the more I walked, the better I felt.
Depending on your pain tolerance (I have a high tolerance for pain), your experience may be different. As far as visitors, I loved having my family in and out visiting. It kept my mind off of the pain. DH returned to work after about 4 days and I was okay with moving around and taking care of DD as long as I wasn't going up and down stairs.