C-Sections

[mhoy22]

I really feel it depends on your attitude going into it and coming out of it. I had 3 csections so far, first 2 not by choice, and the 3rd because it is necessary after that many for saftey reasons. It is a major surgery and healing will need to take place, but I found I healed a lot faster after my other 2 compared to my first because of my attitude. You will definately need support, as you can not pick anything up heavier than your baby. I personally didn't think it was that terrible, I haven't gotten through with a natural birth, altho I was in labor with my 2nd and ended up having a csection, but to me that was scary and very painful and I didn't go through the whole process. You will definately be sore with a csection, but stay on top of the pain with tylenol/ibuprophen or if really bad the prescribed pain killers. Drink lots of prune juice, as it makes it a lot easier when you need to go number 2! Don't eat too much at first either. I learned that the hard way my first time around since no one warned me about that LOL!

[eskanto]

It's not that bad. Thankfully, with an epidural (if you don't plan the C-section and are already in labor) the worst part is the labor beforehand. If you have a planned C-section, the worst part is getting the spinal. It's similar to the epidural except they inject you with the painkiller in your spine instead of leaving the catheter in. The doctor explained it might feel like when you hit your funny bone except it would be in your back instead of your elbow, and my goodness was he right! I jumped so high the first time. I guess it's bad if you feel the same thing in your leg, but I only felt it in my back. Once the medicine takes over, you don't feel anything except tugging while they cut you open and when they take the baby out, there's some pressure. It's completely painless. After the actual section, the worst part is standing up for the first time. Make sure you take some painkillers about AN HOUR BEFORE you plan to stand up for the first time. It makes a HUGE difference. I didn't do that with the first baby, and it hurt horribly. The second one, I was up and walking around all morning. Good luck!

[lsanchez0324@yahoo.com]

i didnt have a good experience either with a c-section. at first the nurses was amazed that i was walking an hour after the surgery but as the days passed my feet n legs really started 2 swell, the nurses said it was normal i just had to drink more water 2 make myself pee and that it would go down. I got sick wit a 103.4 fever so I had to stay an extra day. when i was finally discharged that night i was breastfeeding doing the side by side. when i got up i couldnt breath so i called my father to take me 2 the ER. it turned out that the hospital discharged me n i had an infection. the ER doc prescribed me some meds n in like 4 day my swelling was done. but because of the meds i was unable to breastfeed. but i have a question:im 3months now since i gave birth but when my bf n i try to have sex its very painful during n after. it feels like my stomach is getting twisted.we try different positions n use lub n nothing seems to work. did this happen or does this happen to any of you. and do you have advice that can help me. its frustrating to me n my bf.

[giraffes_buddy]

I'm glad this thread has existed for awhile. The "specifics" on c-sections isn't really covered that well in the whole "how to be pregnant" books. This was some of the best info I had going into mine. That being said, by the time the doc said "OK - that's it. We're doing a c-section", I had pretty much forgotten anything I had read here.

Having done this job both ways, I can say that -at least for me- it was much, MUCH easier to recovery from a "regular" birth.

I landed up with an emergency c-section back in July after going through a "regular" birth in 2003. I agree fully with the earlier post that said that the surgery itself isn't nearly as bad as the labor beforehand (if not a pre-planned c-section). I won't go into the morbid details of the labor that led up to it other than to say that epidurals are great - WHEN THEY WORK.

The surgery itself wasn't bad. I was numb from the bra-down, so I didn't feel a thing. Of course, after being pumped up with multiple epidurals and a spinal, I wouldn't have felt it if a semi ran over me.

So the surgery - not bad. The recovery though - WHOA, NELLIE!!!! Yeah - I don't ever want to do that again. The pain was searing. I felt like the incision was made with a blowtorch.

And yes, the evil nurses of doom got me out of bed the next morning to walk around. One thing I can attest to is that the nurses aren't lying when they say that you'll start to feel better the more you move. Of course, it REALLY hurts to move, but you really do feel better with more walking.

It took several weeks to get to the point that the scar didn't just HURT. I'm nearly 4 months past it, and it really only bothers me when I'm doing a lot of sit-down/stand-up motions or when I wear certain clothes.

I figured out pretty quickly (heh - REALLY quickly) that any undies other than hi-cuts and granny panties roll right and sit right on top of my scar. Pantyhose like to pinch there, too. So do the waistbands of jeans. To sum that up, unless I have waist-down undergarments that can be pulled up to my armpits, I don't wear them. Of course, then they're not really "waistdown" as much as they are "underboob", but you get the point. (Bonus - I get a little more support up-top. I'll take whatever I can get at this point.)

[lsanchez0324@yahoo.com]

I found out the same thing it was painful. And still is til this day n its been 3 months. I have a friend who just had a c-section on monday and she is still swollen. My doctors have told me the swelling is normal but how mine was it was horrible I had professor clumps feet and it turns out that I had an infection. How long did it take you guys for the swelling to go down and when should she see a doctor if there hasnt been any changes.

[lilmamma86]

i had a c section and it wasn't that bad. the only part that really sucked for me was my daughter was born with a severe heart condition that required an extensive stay in the nicu. in order to go see your baby if you can't room in with them is that they won't take you to baby until you can sit up and put yourself in a wheelchair. it took me 4 hours to be able to do that because the spinal took so long to wear off. but as for the recovery it wasn't bad at all the only thing i hated was for your pain meds unless your dr writes brand name on the paper the pharmacy will give you a sub. say for norco which you can breastfeed while taking the pharmacy will give you hydrocodone which you can not breastfee while taking. you will have to wait at least 6 hours to be able to nurse baby which all new mothers find out that baby will not wait to feed every 6 hours they need to eat like every 2 hours or so depending on baby.