what happens during and after a c-section i have heard from all my friends that it is very painful?

Question

i have also heard you cannot physically do much for about 6-8 weeks what should i take for the pain my baby is breach and i am 37 weeks so my doctor said there is a possiblity for a c-section which i dread with great fear i need to go back to work as i had planned to help pay bills what should i do i hope next wensday she can turn the baby or else a c-section! :(

but isnt having the baby vaginally more idk umm normal and thats kind of what makes prengacy speacial right? lol well yea thanx for all the answers

Answer 1

I had a c-section, my baby was in the breech position, a footling breech they called it where one foot was down and the other was up. very dangerous for both if i would have gone into labor. They wanted to make an appointment to turn my baby but i said no. and was yelled at for it.. turning of the baby can cause problems, the cord can get wrapped around the neck. and if that happens you would need an emergency c-section which means you are put under. im not trying to scare you but its what can happen. if you have a breech baby dont be afraid to go against them trying to turn it it can be fatal for both. I was yelled at by a doctors receptionist because I had declined. I was surely not going to have anything go wrong. The c section was alright when i got to the hospital they started me on a iv right away. dont like needles look away cause its a long one lol.. and then they give you a pill i guess to reduce your stomache acid or it was a muscle relaxant.. i dont know.. anyways.. the operating room.. cold.. I had a spinal that was not to bad.. they have to tip the table to one side because if you were lying flat on your back the artery on your right side could be blocked by the baby inside which could aslo cause problems.. be aware of whats going on. I had the spinal and was feeling the medicine going through me i was going numb.. but i was able to feel myself slipping off the table they had tipped me to far. i didnt slip off thank god!!! anyways 45 minutes later my baby was born.. and i was in recovery.. now thats a killer.. the medicine is coming out of your system, you have killer nausea, dont move your head to much. you are going to want to sleep.. but they wont let you because they want you to be breathing heavily to monitor you.. i kept falling asleep and they kept bugging me to breath deeply.. finally they just put a oxygen thing on me and i slept.. and then that was it.. when you are finally back in your room they take all the good stuff out.. ie, the catheter..and make you walk and go to the bathroom!! its like a being a baby horse using its legs for the first time.. not fun . unfortunatly i got an infection which made my hospital stay longer. and my babys weight wasnt going up.. cause they dont tell you that your milk can take anywhere from 1 -4 days to come in and mine was just not coming.. so i had to bottle feed in hospital. my daughter was born 7lbs12ounces and left the hospital at 6lbs15ounces.
They do take your staples out after 3 days.. its scary cause your constantly thinking that if you sneeze its going to come open.. not the case.. but have maalox, beano or whatever else the reduces gas on hand because the gas is going to build up in your body and its painful and hard to release it.. and taking a number 2 wont happen for a while.. took me after i was out of the hospital to get regular again that was like 2 weeks..
After you are home they say you shouldnt do stuff. i was in bed for a week.. didnt want to move.. but im a single parent who had my mom helping me and she had to work so I had to get up and moving if I wanted to eat something.. or bathe my baby..

Tylenol 3 is what they will give you for pain.. and you will bleed for about a good while.. i bled for almost a month or so cause the after baby bleeding and then period on top of that.. so be prepared.. it may be rough . have someone with you at all times just incase. I didnt have that cause my mom had to work. once you get through it its alright.. its been 41/2 years since my daughter was born and sometimes I still get pain where my scar is..

If i havent scared you lol i hope that this info is helpfull for you :)

Answer 2

I just had a c-section last year ( it was unexpected...the baby was too big to fit through), I also had a baby naturally 9 years ago so I had both experiences.

The c-section surgery isn't so bad. You will feel some "pulling" when they are performing the surgery. That can be painful, but not in a sharp agonizing way. Mostly in an uncomfortable way.

The recovery is most definitely the hard part. The first few days are the worst. By the end of the first week, you will be able to do everything you used to, just alot slower and gingerly. Getting out of bed was my biggest challenge. That hurt the most. I could drive, walk up stairs, pick up the baby, etc. I couldn't lift heavy loads of laundry....let's face it, it is major surgery. I could "feel" my incision for about 3 months, but it didn't stop my every day activities. The recovery is long, but not impossible.

The first few days are the worst because you can't move around well. It's sort of paralyzed down there. It's not, it just feels that way. I couldn't pick up the baby for about 3 days....by the time I left the hospital, I was better....take the pain killers they give you when you leave the hospital. They will help you cope especially in the middle of the night. Do NOT listen to the horror stories of other mom's...everybody's experience is different. By the time you leave the hospital, you will be able to move around with help and some pain killers...After a full week, you will see a big improvement in your movement

Answer 3

I have three children, 8, 3 and 1. The first and third were in breach position thus I had to have TWO C-Sections.

My second child was natural, NO DRUGS and lets put it this way.................. I would have a child naturally with no drugs EVERYDAY OF THE WEEK in lieu of having a C-Section. Honest. They were the most awful experiences of my entire life. I hated every minute of the operation (cuz that's what it is, an OPERATION!) as well as the recovery time. With my second C-Section though, I ordered a hospital bed from a hospital supply company (Apria, was the name of the company) and it was soooo worth it! It was around $250 a month and I had it for two months (I probably would have been okay with it for only six weeks though). The second time, I also hired a lady to come clean house for me once a week (my husband did the washing and I did the folding). If I were you, do the same!!! At least get the bed for the first month.

Sorry for the miserable news but this was my experience. Good luck to you and don't lift anything heavier than your baby. At around six weeks you will start to feel better!

mb

Answer 4

I was less sore and healed more quickly after a c-section with my second baby than after my first baby, which was born the usual way, with lots of stitches and tearing.

You will probably be restricted by your doctor from lifting anything heavier than your baby for a few weeks after delivery, but everyone heals differently. Bumpy rides home in the car will feel bad. You'll walk a little slowly for a few days. Also, you will probably stay in the hospital a day or two longer.

But honestly, none of these things are a big deal. You should be taking it easy and spending time with your new baby and let someone else do the heavy stuff anyways. And take the pain meds. They will help you rest and heal more quickly. You'll probably need them if you deliver either way.

Answer 5

Ok I know what you are feeling I have had 2 c-sections and will be having my 3 this october....You do have to take it easy because you can bust open your staples or stiches(i did with my son) they will give you a pain medication usally Percocet. I recommend a spinal block it is better than a epidural because there is no catherder left in your back,A spinal is a straight into your spine. After you are out of surgery you will recieve morphine. As for turning the baby I will say It hurts more than a c-section I screamed and cried they did not give me anything for the PAIN as soon as they got her turned she went right back so it was all for nothing..If you chose to do that I wish you better luck( I would rather have a c-section) As for it feeling different I say no you still bond the same way and the baby comes out with a perfect round head instead of a cone head. Your baby won't care how he comes out as long as he is snug in your arms. Good luck to you I hope you have the birth you want and feel great..

Answer 6

Either with natural labor or a c-section you will not be able to immediately return to work!
I had a c-section with my son in 1996--although my baby was not breach---I was suffering from pre-eclampsia---my baby heart rate began to drop so an immediate c-section was done because the induction of labor did not work---
I was given a choice of whether or not I wanted to be put to sleep or stay awake and an epidural be used! Epidural is where shots are given in the lower back to paralyze the person temporarily until the baby is delivered! I chose the epidural because my baby's heart rate was already dropping and I wanted to be awake if any immedaite decisions was to be made--I would know what was happening!
The surgery was a success--I was in the hospital 5 days after the c-section. It was kind of painful! I had staples on the outside and stitches on the inside of my stomach--even though it was a bikini line cut----but there is minimum scarring! I was out of work for 12 weeks. The problem I had with the surgery is that sometime after I would still suffer from the effects of the epidural---I could be walking and my legs would give way causing me to stumble--sometimes I would lay in bed and could not move my legs---my son is 9 years old now and I still suffer from back pain where the needles were stuck! When my son was 5 I had to return to the hospital to have a hernia moved from the surgical scar!
I would not reccommend theis procedure to anyone--unless you or your baby or at risk--tell your doctor you want to be put to sleep!

Answer 7

I had a c/s by emergency, and they are by no means as bad as everyone reckons. The only pain relief that I had was an over the counter paracetamol, and I was fine. As soon as I got home, however, I felt so much better physically. I was able to do most housework and I drove 3 weeks after the birth. Don't let ppl scare you into thinking you are doing a bad thing for you and your baby. The birth is still special, and going natural while you have a breech baby is so dangerous and risky..

Answer 8

Recovery from a caearean section is similar to recovery from any abdominal surgery - with a delightful difference: instead of losing an old gallbladder os appendix, you gain a brand new baby.

Of course there's another difference, slightly less delightful. In addition to recovering from surgery, you'll also be recovering from childbirth. Except for a neatly intact perineum, you'll experience all the same postpartum discomforts over the next few weeks (lucky you!) that you would have had if you'd delivered vaginally - afterpains, lochia, perneal dicomfort (if you went through a lengthy labour before surgery), breast engorgement, fatigue, hormonal changes, hair loss, excessive perspiration, and possibly, the baby blues.

As for your surgical recovery, you can expect the following in the recovery room.

Anaesthesia aftereffects: Until your anaesthesia wears off, you will be observed carefully in the recovery room. You may be very shaky and sensitive to temperature changes. If you've had a general anaesthetic, your memory of this time may be fuzzy or totally absent. Since everyone responds differently to drugs - and each drug is different - whether you are clearheaded and alert in a few hours or not for a day or two wll depend upon the medications you were given and your reaction to them. If you feel disorientated, or have hallucinations or bad dreams, your coach or an understanding nurse can help youget back to reality when you waken.
It will take longer for an epidural or spinal anaesthesia to wear off - which they usually do from the toes up. You will be encouraged to wiiggle your toes and move your feet as soon as you can. If you've had a spinal block, you will have to stay flat on your back for about eight to twelve ours. You may be allowed to have both your spouse and your baby visit with you in the recovery room.

Pain around your incision: Once the anaesthesia wears off, your wound, like any wound, is going to hurt - though just how much depends on many factors, including your personal pain threshold and how many caesareans you've had. (The first is usually the most uncomfortable). You will probably be given pain relief medication as needed which may make you feel woozy or drugged. It will also allow you to get some needed sleep. You needn't be concerned if you're breastfeeding; the medication won't pass into your colostrum and by the time your milk comes in, you probably won't need any heavy pain killers. If the pain continues for weeks, as it sometimes does, you can safely rely on over-the-counter pain relief. Ask your practitioner for a recommendation. To encourage healing, also try to avoid heavy lifting and even driving for the first few weeks after surgery.

Possibly nausea, with or without vomiting. This isn't always a problem, but if it is, you may be given an antiemetic preperation to prevent vomiting. (If you vomit easily, you might want to talk to your doctor about prescribing such a medication and/or Relief bands - a drug free device worn on the wrist that blocks postoperative nausea in any pateints - before nausea appears).

Breathing and coughing exercises: These help rid your sysem of any left over general anaesthetic, and help to expand your lungs and keep them clear to prevent pneumonia. Such necessary lung calisthenics may be very uncomfortable if you them correctly. You may be able to minimise this discomfort by 'splinting' your incision with a pillow.

Answer 9

C-sections are not fun by any means, but there are alot of young women out there who prefer to have their children that way. It was uncomfortable and it took a while to heal, but it's not that big of a deal, either. After all, it doesn't make it any more special or make you more of a woman if you deliver vaginally; you don't get extra credit for a vaginal delivery. In the end, what is best for the baby is what matters.

Answer 10

In the hospital they gave me painkillers through an IV. When they sent me home I had a perscription for tylnol with codene. I would only take them at night after the baby went to sleep because they made me sleepy. In the hospital my 1rst C was and emergency. They Gave me something The doctor called Astro Morphe. It was like morphine but it didn't have an effect on the baby. That was to relax me because my Blood pressure was sky high. I didn't have that with the second (a planned C section) They give you a spinal and I was awake through the whole thing. Because I had so many meds in me with my first one I don't remember too much of anything. After that. I remember crying when I saw my son and kissing him but that's about it. I was told I breast feed him soon afterwards but didn't have much success because I couldn't hold him as I was dopey. I don't remember this.. My daughter was planned I remember it better because I didn't have so many drugs in me. I had a spinal for her too. For both I was on the table for about 45 Minutes. 10 of those to get them out the rest to sew me up. I was really sore for a long time 6-8 weeks I didn't feel like moving for 4 of those weeks I was really sore. The first C-section was really scary. like I said it was an emergency. Alot of things were going on. The second was less scary. Hope this helped. Good luck.

Answer 11

awww... well first congrats on baby.. 2nd, I have had 2 c-sects. and both were no biggie... I stayed in hosp for 4 days(insurance regulations) then was running up and down stairs (16 of them) as soon as I got home. When it came to the second one, they asked me if i wanted VBAC (vaginal birth after c-sec) I said..."heck no man".. the only thing is i have little or no feeling in the area of the Section, even after 3 years.. it was like that even between the two kids (6 years) but I dont care... babys are fine