C-section recovery

melissaquinn106 · August 2014

Hey ladies! Curious about how everyone who had a csection is recovering...

I'm almost 4 weeks PP and I have my checkup tomorrow with my doctor. I'm still pretty sore though and I went for a brief walk yesterday and it took a lot out of me, and just above my incision area is a puffy swollen area about an inch and a half wide. It looks like a mini muffin top and it's sore to touch. My bleeding is still there but minimal and I can wear a pantiliner. Obviously all that I will ask my doctor about but I was curious how everyone else was recovering?

Soon2BMrsN · August 2014

DD is a month old today and I feel amazing. I've had three sections and this has been my easiest recovery by far! Did you go through labor before your CS, OP? That made a huge difference for me. My first CS was unplanned and occurred after 22 hours of labor and my recovery was much more difficult.

RJHarmon · August 2014

I am 4 weeks pp and this was my first c section. My recovery has sucked and I still have a small opening on the right side. I just started my second round of antibiotics for an infection at my incision site.

Overall, I'm feeling more like myself but I still get pretty sore if I overdo it.

IrishTraveler · August 2014

This was my second C-section. Overall, recovery has been much smoother than the first because it was planned, as another poster said. I have been walking several times a week for a couple of weeks, and I am less sore than the first time around. I won't be cleared for lifting my toddler, etc. for another couple of weeks though.

shortstack930 · August 2014

I am only 10 days post partum but I am already feeling loads better. This was my first c-section and it happened after 15 hours of labor so I'm pretty relieved at how good my recovery has been so far. It's still difficult to get in and out of bed but I find myself taking fewer pain killers and being able to do more each day. Looking forward to feeling completely normal again!

mdaniels4813 · August 2014

This was my first c-section and it happened after about 50 hours of labor, but recovery has been great. I was up and about as soon as the nurse let me and several people commented on how well I was doing. My incision was healed by two weeks pp and I'd completely stopped bleeding a couple days before 3 weeks pp. I still get sore if I try to drive for longer than an hour, but everything else is going well. I'm 5 weeks pp today and I'm so happy that recovery has gone so well, I would have had a much harder time emotionally if it hadn't.

littlemissmarla · August 2014

6days PP and I'm still feeling sore but more itchy, guessing from hair growing back. I get my staples out tomorrow, it's still slow goings but everyday gets easier. This was a lot better than I had expected it to be. Bleeding has really lightened, still using 2 big pads put together but that's just for extra caution.

AMcLaws · August 2014

I'm 12 days post op, feeling great. This was my second CS, this one planned. I was up and walking the hall 7 hours post op (with the assistance of a nurse, to be safe). Up and moving on my own about 12 hours PO. I was discharged after 48 hours. Did a full grocery shop 72 hours PO. My incision was healed by 10 days PO. My stomach is still a little swollen and sore to the touch above my incision site. I'm thinking it's nerve pain. I have my first check up on Tuesday, so I'll ask him about it then. Feeling really great, otherwise. Been able to keep up with light household chores and my (nearly) 3 year old.

lowen83 · August 2014

I'm about 3 1/2 weeks PP. It was my second c section and it's been great!! First section incision became infected and had to be packed for about 3 months. This time I had a wound vac for the two days I was in the hospital. I am no longer sore, incision looks to be healed and I have very light bleeding. I am basically back to normal. Yay!!!

Mamanorris81 · August 2014

I'm 4 weeks PP and this recovery has been a lot slower than my first c section. My incision hurts if I physically over do it which is constantly.

NugsMom · August 2014

I'm 3 weeks post c-section and feeling better each day. I usually have no pain and have stopped taking Tylenol, etc., unless I overdo it and become sore. I am very happy to be feeling human again and fit in walks when I can.

mcvgal · August 2014

2nd CS for me. recovery was a lot better this time and I attribute it to get up and walking 9 hours after surgery. I also walked the halls 4 times a day while in the hospital. I had my 6 week PP appointment last Tuesday and everything went well. I start teaching my Zumba class again tomorrow.

seells · August 2014

I'm 10 days out and feeling good! This was my second csection. We tried for a vbac so I was in labor for about 15 hours before we called it. I was up 18 hours after. (That's the soonest they would take the IV off and the catheter out) This time around has been do much easier then with my first. The pain has been minimal, the bleeding minimal, and I've really felt like myself for days. I go to my OB tomorrow to get checked out but from what I can tell my incision has healed up nicely! I'm sore and puffy above it like some PPs mentioned though. And sometimes when I sneeze I get a weird stabbing pain around my belly button.

GoodSpirit8511 · August 2014

Just over 5 weeks post my first cc section. I hadn't planned on having one but baby was breech and fluid was low. I terrified myself way more than necessary because this has been a breeze. The nurses were shocked when I was asking to get up and walk after a few hours and never hitting the pain button (on top of what was already dripping). I'm still puffy over the incision but it is less every day. I'm still lightly bleeding however, and am tired of that! I hope to be cleared tomorrow for my check up for all the fun things!

ghostof5letters · August 2014

I felt damn near normal at 2 weeks, and now at 4 weeks feel 95% normal. Some tingles just above the incision site, but it's really nbd. I'm walking and jogging daily.

melissaquinn106 · August 2014

I was in labor for 8 hours and pushed for 3 hours after being induced for 12 hours.

I was walking that second day while in the hospital. I don't feel horrible but the area above the incision is definitely still sore, I guess I was just curious as to how much longer until I feel normal again. Also, I got really bad carpal tunnel during pregnancy and it hasn't gone away, my fingers are still swollen and none of my rings fit. Wahh ok I'm done.

NugsMom · August 2014

Ditto to what others said about walking the halls in the hospital. I actually did it because I was having bad gas pains, but getting up and walking a few times a day in the hospital definitely helped my recovery.

littlemissmarla · August 2014

melissaquinn106 said:

I was in labor for 8 hours and pushed for 3 hours after being induced for 12 hours. I was walking that second day while in the hospital. I don't feel horrible but the area above the incision is definitely still sore, I guess I was just curious as to how much longer until I feel normal again. Also, I got really bad carpal tunnel during pregnancy and it hasn't gone away, my fingers are still swollen and none of my rings fit. Wahh ok I'm done.

***stuck in gray***

Same here! I am still only a week pp but i'm praying this goes away, still pretty swollen in my feet but the carpal tunnel is driving me mad!

Katieryan13 · August 2014

I had a c section because Caroline was breech. I'm only 10 days pp but I feel pretty good for having major surgery. I was really afraid of how recovery was going to go, but I would do it all again. I am a little sore at the incision site and have some numb areas, but overall I am feeling great.

dobbyisfree · August 2014

Im a month post op now. I wasnt allowed out of bed for 24 hrs PO (on mag and catheterized... woo) and Im still supposed to be only 'taking it easy' until my 6 week appt. That said, it wasnt really an awful recovery. For a week or so if I stood too long or did too much it was awful, but that went away really soon. I was never puffy around my incision, but it is oddly numb to the touch because of the nerves she cut through. Its a weird sensation. I just cant wait til Im allowed to get moving again!

Soon2BMrsN · August 2014

symphony4586 said:
I'm 21 hrs pp and honestly these stories are making me feel a whole lot better. I've been up 3 times, once just to my room door and back to bed, the second down to the nurses station and back, and the third just to get to the bathroom after they took my cath out. I just got my first dose of pain meds in almost 5 hrs so we're waiting for those to kick in before we try one more trip down the hall tonight.

And for everyone else, what were your sleeping styles like your first few nights? I think I'm going to try sleeping in the recliner we have in our room tonight because I can't even fathom laying flat right now.

Recliner is a good idea. It is weird to lay flat of a few days afterwards, in my experience.

ADC1979 · August 2014

I'm 10 days pp, and I think my recovery overall has been great. I was pumped full of fluids during my 28 hours of labor before the c section, then was pumped full of more during recovery. Lost 11 lbs of fluids in about 4 days which helped a lot. I'm still wearing the binder the hospital gave me. I'm supposed to take it easy and not lift anything heavier than the baby for 6 weeks. I can't drive for 2 weeks. But overall, I feel pretty good, considering. I am taking prescribed Motrin for pain but only take it as needed.

littlemissmarla · August 2014

symphony4586 said:

I'm 21 hrs pp and honestly these stories are making me feel a whole lot better. I've been up 3 times, once just to my room door and back to bed, the second down to the nurses station and back, and the third just to get to the bathroom after they took my cath out. I just got my first dose of pain meds in almost 5 hrs so we're waiting for those to kick in before we try one more trip down the hall tonight. And for everyone else, what were your sleeping styles like your first few nights? I think I'm going to try sleeping in the recliner we have in our room tonight because I can't even fathom laying flat right now.

We are stationed in the living room and I'm sleeping in the recliner. Tried to take a nap in our bed today and it went fine, but couldn't get up by myself. The recliner is great because if I need to get up for LO or whatever reason i'm not dependent on DH. I don't think i'll be ready for the bed for at least another week.

NugsMom · August 2014

I slept in the recliner or propped up on the couch for two weeks. I couldn't have laid in bed/gotten out of bed without it hurting until this week. I also had DS's bassinet and changing table in the living room with me.

kenziebug22 · August 2014

Its been 16 days for me and have almost no pain unless i over do it or ill get a random pain here or there if i move the right way, ive been off all meds for about 4 or 5 days. I found getting in and out of bed was the worst part through the whole thing, but besides that recovery had been so much better than i anticipated. I also got up as soon as i could and walked the halls in the hospital which i really believe helped a ton, and as far as my incision i got the glue stuff, no staples or stiches here and its healing just fine but so have the swollen and tender spot above it like others have mentioned

honeybee434 · August 2014

@littlemissmarla‌ @melissaquinn106‌ My carpal tunnel took a good 3-4 weeks to go away to where I didn't notice pain in my fingers when sleeping anymore. I was really worried for awhile that it was here to stay becAuse of how long it took, but it's MUCH better now and I'm 5 1/2 weeks out from surgery right now. If I flex my fingers I notice just a little that they aren't completely normal yet, but that's only when I'm thinking about it. Otherwise I wouldn't think anything of it.

littlemissmarla · August 2014

Thanks @honeybee434! That gives me some hope!

TurtleMonsters · August 2014

this is my second and the recovery was MUCH better being planned. It's been 3 weeks and I can function normal. Last time I know it took a good 6 weeks to feel that way, it was harder to move around too. My incision is tender a little but not too bad, I'm still wearing maternity clothes/elastic waist bands. I can sit up without pain, though I am trying not to push it with my abs, they are kind of funky after 2 sections, and the first I wasn't good about resting after. I have been on long walks with the Ds's and can do most house work minus really heavy lifting.

littlemissmarla · August 2014

What are all you ladies doing as far as binding? Is anyone using a bellefit or some other kind of abdominal binder?? I was thinking of trying out the c-panty, I like how it looks like I'd still be able to move around in it. I am just so kind of skeeved out by this low hanging belly and I need some recommendations on how to tighten it up.

Also got told today at my 1 week check up that the incision has s light odor, so it's antibiotics for me for the next 5 days, this kind of freaked me out as I don't want this to turn into some kind of infection.

JMSbaby2014 · August 2014

This is my first child and I had a scheduled c-section so I don't have anything to compare it to but I feel like recovery is going well. I'm 5 weeks pp and haven't been taking ibuprofen for about 2 weeks. Yesterday I did randomly start feeling uncomfortable again but I think I just overdid it this weekend.

taylorjeanne84 · August 2014

I'm 4 weeks pp and I'm feeling great, but I have that annoying little muffin top too. It's driving me insane.

mrscutforth · August 2014

Mine's great. I will be 2 weeks PP on Wednesday. I've only been taking my meds before bed to alleviate any pain in the morning. My bleeding is very minimal. I walked about 2 miles (around downtown San Antonio) after dinner a couple nights ago, I didn't stop once for a rest. Having had a previous csec I kinda knew what to expect.

coleemarie91 · August 2014

First c section , after 12 hours of labor. Very happy when they told me the pain would be over ! 14 days PP feelings good . I have the little pouch & it's sore to the touch , I'm walking better now still get very exhausted.

MrsLele · August 2014

This was my second section. I was unsuccessful at attempting a VBAC and was in labor for 24 hrs. I actually suffered a uterine rupture so I'm moving a little slower. 2 weeks post partum and I still need Motrin regularly.
Mostly I'm just emotionally frustrated and sad bc I can't care for DD #1 by myself. My recovery was definitely easier when I only had a newborn to care for.

sxymamakat · August 2014

I got a Bellefit since my hospital doesn't "do" binders (side note: I swear, I will never go back there again!). It's really helpful when I'm up and around but I find I get to a point where all of a sudden it has to come off, five minutes ago. It just gets really really uncomfortable all of a sudden. Otherwise, it's helping, and I can definitely see a difference in how my tummy is shaping up. I got the dual closure which is a LOT easier to get into with my incision.

shanaynerz · August 2014

I'm just over 4 weeks PP and I've been doing great overall. I had an emergency C/S with no labour. Still have some light spotting (UGH), but my incision seems good. It's still tender and I find if I walk too much or climb the stairs too often I do get a bit sore. I can't lie on my tummy yet, mostly b/c I'm scared, but I tried once and it was hard to turn back over.

kenziebug22 · August 2014

I just started wearing my c panty a few days ago and i love it! Already noticing a difference and its really comfortable, after about 5 minutes i forget i even have it on

littlemissmarla · August 2014

Did anyone have any drainage with the c-section??? At my 1 week appointment my OB noticed a little odor and decided to put me on 5 days of antibiotics as it might have been the start of an infection. Tonight.. 5 days after I started the meds, I'm noticing yellow discharge and it still has a little bit of an odor? Of course it's saturday and I have to wait until Monday, just wondering if anyone else has had anything like this. It's only in one spot and I can see the steri-strip in that area is yellowing!

littlemissmarla · August 2014

symphony4586 said:

littlemissmarla said:
Did anyone have any drainage with the c-section??? At my 1 week appointment my OB noticed a little odor and decided to put me on 5 days of antibiotics as it might have been the start of an infection. Tonight.. 5 days after I started the meds, I'm noticing yellow discharge and it still has a little bit of an odor? Of course it's saturday and I have to wait until Monday, just wondering if anyone else has had anything like this. It's only in one spot and I can see the steri-strip in that area is yellowing!
I'm not even one week pp and all my steri-strips fell off already, but they were all a little yellow when they came off.

This is so crazy! I feel like mine should have fallen off already! She said they would but they haven't budged and my OB didn't tell me to try to remove them and I'm betting that them hanging on there isn't helping my infection.

Jillhorner87 · August 2014

This was my first baby and after 6 hours of pushing and 15 hours of labor I had a emergency c-section.. The first 2 weeks were so freakin hard.. My son was in the NICU for 1 week due to being a month early so that made things even more difficult! It will be 1 month tomorrow sense the surgery and I still have a lot of soreness.. I wore my band day and night until yesterday. The band helped SO MUCH!! And today was also the first day I haven't had to wear a pad! Woot woot!

RKSnyder · August 2014

@littlemissmarla‌ I've been there, done that and my yellowing/ odor did turn into an infection. I've taken medicine for it and it's helping but I'm 7 weeks pp (and labored before my ECS) and still SO sore (though some of that may be from my placenta rupture). The BEST advice I have is to keep it dry! For instance, after the shower and a couple of times a day, blow dry the incision (on the cool setting, duh, haha). The doc said that improved it more than anything! And if you are at home and laying around, let the air get to it. I wish I did this more when the infection started!
Good luck!!

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