All things post C-section

kmtz89 · October 2016

So I feel like every day I google multiple things about c-section recovery. Sure google is nice but its also nice to hear someone else say "oh yeah, that is happening to me too" or similar. It's easy to make yourself crazy in these days post surgery and trying to keep your tiny human alive. So I thought I'd start a thread where we can share thoughts/experiences/questions and in general commiserate.

In starting.... How about pooping? Like not the actual process of pooping but ...err.. wiping? It feels like the most difficult thing in the world right now and I'm trying to just suck it up but afterward I feel like I climbed a mountain or something.

kennelchick · October 2016

I had a c-section 6 weeks ago (actually sitting in my OB waiting room now, trying to figure out how involved this check will be). Pooping was hard for me for a couple weeks. And reaching was no picnic either. It does get better if that helps at all.

kmtz89 · October 2016

How do you feel 6 weeks post op @kennelchick ? I know everyone's recovery is different but I feel like stuff is just gonna be sore forever. haha

CopperBoom86 · October 2016

Pooping? What's that?? I've been taking milk of magnesia and colace everyday, but still nothing. I'm freaking miserable.

missmaehurt · October 2016

Pooping has been okay, except for those two random days I forgot to take the colace, then it was slightly painful and TMI a little bloody.

The weirdest thing for me has been the tight feeling I get when walking where the incision is. I almost feel like if I stand up too straight it'll just pop open, but I know that's an irrational fear.

vanessa11411 · October 2016

I'm 9 days post c-section and feel awesome. I'm not on any pain medications. I was able to poop the day of surgery and each day after. I actually had to stop taking the stool softners because they were getting too soft. I was really nervous about the c-section because I didn't want to be useless afterwards but everything has been going great. I was able to make it up the stairs to my bedroom without any issues.
Kaiser had implemented a new post-surgery program in October and I was the very first one. So maybe that is having a lot to do with how great recovery has been.

UFJen · October 2016

I'm with @CopperBoom86 , no pooping going on here!

serenaxo84 · October 2016

I just remember my first poop being hard! But being in pain medication definitely makes you constipated. If you feel you have to go but are having a hard time, putting a little aquaphor on the outside down there can help things feel a little smoother coming out.

Also, there is a really good granola called Kind that has a lot of natural fiber, I'm taking extra iron right now which constipates, and it really helps things to get going.

LGW2015 · October 2016

Yup, granola bars seem to do the trick for me. Wiping was very hard for a while but it's so much better now, I'm 9 days PP. And +1 to feeling like you can't stand up straight. But force yourself to and it'll get easier and easier. I'm feeling pretty good at this point, I have better moments and worse moments depending on my activity level but overall my incision isn't really sore anymore but my insides are (and bruising around my incision).

Speaking of "is this normal", my bleeding has been super on and off. Yesterday I barely bled at all and today it's a somewhat heavy flow. It doesn't seem to correlate to activity level either.

amye102485 · October 2016

My first poop was 4 days post csection and it was watery diarrhea. I'm 11 days now and I've only had one other poop. I take a stool softener every day, but it's just a no go right now.

On pain, my first csection was MUCH harder for recover from than this one. It took me a solid 2 weeks to feel half way decent last time, so hopefully you'll be feeling more like yourself soon!

kmtz89 · October 2016

my incision started bleeding on one side? I started putting a pad on it. I'm seeing my Dr. today anyway but it makes me worry that I ripped it open or something

LGW2015 · October 2016

Oh no! Let us know what they say, hope it heals up soon. Mine is really well sealed now but my incision bled in one spot for a few days while still in the hospital and they ended up having to put on an additional steristrip. Wasn't a big deal at all

kmtz89 · October 2016

Ugh. So the good news is the blood is just blood. To pus, smell, or any other signs of infection. The bad news, well my Dr decided to squeeze out a whole bunch of it BEFORE giving me a pain medicine injection. It hurt so bad! Like... He couldn't have waiting 2 minutes for the nurse to bring the injection before he got started....

anyway. He bandaged me up and I have to have it cleaned and re-dressed daily.

SpaceBurger · October 2016

@kmolleltz AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I'm cringing in pain just thinking about it.

kmtz89 · October 2016

@spaceburger seriously. I was laying there on the table covering my mouth and gritting my teeth. I could not believe he was just going for it like that. That would NEVER be an okay thing to do in America. He even like cut open some stitches. I'm still thinking how insane (and painful) it was.

serenaxo84 · October 2016

@kmolletz yay for no infecfion! But ugh for the extra pain!

missmaehurt · October 2016

@kmolleltz He would have earned himself a punch in the face if that would've happened to me!

mommathoner · October 2016

@kmolleltz

amye102485 · October 2016

@kmolleltz I'm pretty sure I would have vomited!

LGW2015 · October 2016

@kmolleltz Ughhh that sounds horrible!!! They squeezed on the part of my incision that kept bleeding but that was when I was still on good pain meds in the hospital. Glad everything is ok though.

kennelchick · October 2016

I feel perfectly fine now. @kmolleltz It's like I woke up one morning in week 4 and felt like myself again. The only weird thing is if I push on the area above the incision it feels tender in a bruised kind do of way. It gets better, I promise! And, wtf to what the did to your incision! You are very brave to make it through that!

kmtz89 · October 2016

thanks for the sympathies. It was insane. I guess thats life in Tanzania for ya.

and @kennelchick that's good to hear, but 4 weeks! gah. Still feels so far away. I know these things cant be rushed, it's just I kinda wish I could fast forward.

UponAStar16 · October 2016

@vanessa11411 could you tell us a little about what this post-surgery program consisted of? If you think it worked well I'm sure others who are or will be post-op soon would appreciate some tips because I'm super impressed by you not even needing painkillers after being gutted! I definitely needed them and even at that wasn't doing great

mrsman2018 · October 2016

I was able to go the bathroom 4 days PP with help from stool softeners and went every day after that for a few days till I ran out of stool softeners. I stopped taking them cause I figured all was good since I was going regularly. Well turns out I need them cause I couldn't go without them. I started taking them again but still not going regularly.
More concerned with my incision. A week ago I noticed swelling, bleeding and bruising. After a hospital visit and antibiotics I was allergic to and got hives, I am still bleeding and may go back to the hospital this weekend. The Dr said that the bleeding was not likely an infection, but blood pooling under the incision. I keep a pad over the incision becasue it is a lot of blood. Hope I get better quickly cause hubby goes back to work Sunday. I don't feel ready to take care of Macie all by myself yet.

kmtz89 · October 2016

@littlewillie2016 my incision started to bleed mixed with what appears to be water. It has no smell or anything and Dr says its normal I just have to have it cleaned and re bandaged daily while it's "weeping". It sounds like it's often the case that there is some excess fluid under the incision.

kmtz89 · October 2016

also. 9 days post op. I can mostly laugh without hurting but then I need to cough? And that still hurts a lot.

Does anyone else have pain like, under their breast across the ribs on one side?. It feels like maybe I pulled a muscle or something.

missmaehurt · October 2016

Probably a stupid question, but do you think it's okay to put baby powder where the incision is? I'm heavy so my stomach roll is there and it tends to stay moist.

jkmix21 · October 2016

My doctor told me to put a 4x4 piece of gauze in the "flap" to keep moisture out. I change it 2-3x a day. She said it's best to keep that area as dry as possible. Hope that helps!

mrszoess · October 2016

yes my doctor said if i'm sweaty or whatever to put the gauze there

kmtz89 · October 2016

@nataliemaephotography also are you sure its just sweat? I thought mine was just so sweaty ,especially because of crazy night sweats but it turned out my incision is also leaking water/blood. It's clean but it's contributed to the increase of wetness. I also am using gauze.

missmaehurt · October 2016

@kmolleltz I'm pretty sure it's just sweat. After my shower yesterday I just stayed naked for the rest of the night and didn't have the moisture issue. Before that I had clothes on most of the time so I think it just needed to air out. I also ended up putting some powder on before I dressed this morning just for safe measure. The hospital gave me some wicking material so I may use that if need be.

christinab0722 · October 2016

Anyone else have any crazy swelling happen a few days after their section or once you've gone home? I had some selling in my hands in feet prior to delivery, but once I got home today I could actually see/feel just how much extra fluid is on me. I had to get 2 blood transfusions and I got lots of fluids leading up to even after the transfusion but I'm just so shocked at how I look/feel. I asked the nurses before our discharge and everyone was very nonchalant about it but seeing it really myself I'm starting to wonder if this much is normal. I'm going to call my ob tomorrow if I don't see improvement but just curious if any of you other csection mamas had this experience.

mrszoess · October 2016

i was incredibly swollen after i got home. normal.

Schell2013 · October 2016

christinab0722 said:

Anyone else have any crazy swelling happen a few days after their section or once you've gone home? I had some selling in my hands in feet prior to delivery, but once I got home today I could actually see/feel just how much extra fluid is on me. I had to get 2 blood transfusions and I got lots of fluids leading up to even after the transfusion but I'm just so shocked at how I look/feel. I asked the nurses before our discharge and everyone was very nonchalant about it but seeing it really myself I'm starting to wonder if this much is normal. I'm going to call my ob tomorrow if I don't see improvement but just curious if any of you other csection mamas had this experience.

Yes, day 3 I was insane swollen. I'm day 6 now and the swelling is much much less.

serenaxo84 · October 2016

@christinab0722 I would call and check in with your OB- since you had a blood transfusion. Swelling can mean you have an allergy to the donor blood and sometimes it happens a few days after the transfusion. So I would just put a call in to be safe!

Edit re read and saw you're gonna call your OB! Keep us posted! I'm at a high risk for needing a transfusion so I'm curious what they say!

Blonde1817 · October 2016

@christinab0722 Yes, lots of swelling. That was probably the worst post c-section symptom for me, and certainly most surprising. Due to all the IV fluids during labor my feet, ankles and legs were way more swollen then they ever were during pregnancy. Tons of fluids and elevating my feet as often as possible were the most helpful things. And just time.

christinab0722 · October 2016

Thanks girls.... I just talked to my ob nurse and she confirmed the swelling is normal. She said bc of the iv fluids and all the blood it's just creating the great amount swelling in my legs, feet, and abdomen. She said that it will likely only get worse before it gets better, but after day 7 I should see vast improvement. I'm trying to take it easy and rest so I can be over this hump. This is just so much different than having a natural delivery.

thepicklemonster · October 2016

My swelling started around day 3 and didn't go away until day 12. It was the worst swelling I've ever had. It just takes time.

LGW2015 · October 2016

Does anyone else have pretty bad cramping whenever they use the bathroom (even just to pee)? I don't know if it's new or if it's just noticeable now because I'm not on pain meds anymore except for the occasional Tylenol. But it can be excruciating and last for a few minutes afterward making it difficult to walk/stand up straight.

Schell2013 · October 2016

@LGW2015 yes I get that too!

MRSCORKER · October 2016

@LGW2015 yes! And I get horrible cramping if i wait too long to pee.

All things post C-section

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