C-section reality.?

Question

My OB and I have mutually agreed on a C-section. Can anyone tell me what they are really like during and after? How long does recovery take? Please be optimistic, I don't think I could handle any horror stories. LOL

Answer 1

I don't know what you will consider a horror story, but here it is as realsitic as possible.
First, you are prepped like any other surgery...no big deal. You are mildly sedated....no big deal. Your doc will talk you through the procedure so you know what to expect. You will feel pulling and pushing in your belly...it doesn't hurt. It's kind of like someone pushing on your stomach to try to make you pee. (sorry my brother's used to do that to me, they thought it was funny) After the baby is out, there is so much going on that you don't even realize that they have stapled you up. Afterward - this is where it get's a little harder. You are numb from the chest down for a while. They will try to get you up asap....when you stand up for the first time it feels like all of your insides are shifting back into place....very weird. The more you get up and walk, the better you will feel. You will be sore where the incision is for the first 3 days. Then it will start to get better. You will be back on your feet comfortably in about 5 days.

I had 2 C-sections. The first was a little overwhelming - nobody told me what to expect. The 2nd was easy.

Answer 2

I have had 2 c-sections. The first was not planned, but my labor was not progressing and the baby was stressed, so we opted for the c-section. I had a great dr and was up and about the next day. Two weeks following the c-section I could typically do anything I wanted with very little pain.

The second was a planned c-section. I battled for a while whether to go with the c-section again, but finally realized that the c-section was the better decision for me (medical reasons.) I have never regretted that decision.

The only thing I can say that will help with the recovery is to remember to use the restroom regularly right after delivery. I was so numb from the epidural, I couldn't tell that I needed to use the restroom, until I started hurting. Turns out my bladder was extremely full and I couldn't go. Had to put the catheter back in (painful) and after it was removed the second time, it still took some time to be able to go on my own. I didn't make this mistake with my second delivery!

Answer 3

Ok I am fixing to have my third child and my second c-section. I had my first daughter vaginally and my second daughter via c-section.. I would have a c-section a thousand times over!! Yes it is a little more painful after the baby comes because you have had surgery but it is nothing you can't handle. I am the biggest weenie on earth and I did just fine. Be sure you stay up on your pain meds for at least the first two or three days. Don't try to macho woman or you will be in a great deal of pain. The first time you get up out of the bed it is going to be hard it will hurt but the more you get up and move the better off you will be. Don't sit for long periods of time you will get stiff. also get a little toddler pillow to put over your stomach to hold the baby so you don't sit him/her on your incision. Put the pillow between you and the seat belt also when you are in the car for the week or so. Tell your husband/boyfriend to go slow on roads even the slightest bump or crack will jostle you. My Doctor told me there is no reason for you to be in any pain so you don't let anyone tell you that you don't anything. You will do fine I promise. And when you hold that precious baby for the first time it won't matter if it hurt or not. They are truly the greatest healers!!

Answer 4

Why are you consenting to a c-section? Legit medical reasons? I hope.
Why would any woman deny herself from the right and priviledge to have her baby naturally???
I've obsviously never had a c-section and would never, ever consent to one unless I'm told that my life or my baby's life is endangered unless I get one. Almost every woman I know including most of my female family members have had c-sections and all I can tell you is, they were let with much to desire from their birth experience.
I know the truth truths sometimes hurt, but you should't submit yourself to a 'major surgery', because that's what a c-section is, without first also looking into all the diferent complications or 'horror stories' like you mentioned. I have witnessed a few of those 'horror stories'. The wife of a good friend of my usband has been hospitalized or 3mths now because her OB accidentally lacerated her stomach during her c-section. She's now in septic shock.
Please get informed. Know the good and the bad.
If it's the pain of labor you're afraid of, that is only a very insignificant fraction of what you will have to endure for your children.
I hope you're doing this for the right reasons.
Good luck!

Answer 5

I haven't had a c-sect myself, but my friends have and all said it wasn't as bad as they thought it might be. They said they felt pressure and tugging, but no pain at all. The incision won't be painful either - my aunt had staples and couldn't feel them (same for my daughter when she had her appendix out - the incision itself never hurt - she had 4 staples), because the nerves aren't connected there anymore. It is numb I guess.
The epidural is probably the worst part - but they will give you lidocaine or something local before putting the needle and cath in. Lots of people go through it and it's really nothing after the initial poke - like an IV. Not pleasant, but not terrible.
Recovery is about 6 weeks, but most women are up and around (just moving slowly) before being discharged.
You can still breastfeed too - so let them know ahead of time this is what you want to do. Otherwise, they might automatically offer the baby a bottle while you are in recovery. My neighbor nursed her 3rd daughter after a c-section and she had no problems at all. My sister in law had a c-section and she never tried to breastfeed because she thought formula was easier - she never has tried very hard to do the best thing for her children. It's whatever is easiest for her -- pretty sad.
My friend had to have a c-sect in Feb because her 2nd son was well over 10 lbs and she physically could not have him - her pelvis is smaller and too narrow. She had no complaints, nursed the baby, recovered very quickly! She didn't say anything negative about the whole experience, although I think she was a little disappointed. She had her 1st son naturally.
I don't know why you made your decision, but if it were me, I would make sure you're having a c-sect for very good, legitimate reasons. If it's because baby is breech or something, there are natural turning excercises you can do - I did this with babies 1 and 2 and had both turn and natural labors at home with them. It was EASY to turn them too - not like how doctors do it in their office. I would never go through that! Also - doctors can't always tell if a baby is too big, they are just guessing. One of my doctors told me I was physically incapable of having a baby over 7 lbs - well, all of my kids were over 7 lbs. One was 9 lbs 11 oz and I am tiny and she was my fastest and easiest labor and delivery! E-mail me if you want! Best Wishes!!!

Answer 6

i have 3 kids, 2 were natural and the last was c-section. i personally preferred c-section. U don't have to have hours and hours of labor. I was taken into the c-section room they did the spinal which only took about 10 mins. then layed back and was delivered and closed back up in less then an hour. The day of the c- section was pretty painful but i had my son at 11:30am and was on my feet by 7:00 pm. The worst part is the tenderness in ur stomach for the next few days. But don't worry it wasn't too bad.........Good luck and enjoy.

Answer 7

I had a C section myself and I had no problems at all! I stayed in the hospital for two days and recovered quickly.
During the C-section I was awake and I can honestly tell u that I felt when they took my baby out! No pain, just a weird sensation.
The only pain I experimented was when I got a laugh attack (I was heavily medicated) and couldn't stop laughing... that hurts a lot because u use ur abdominal muscles to laugh and the stitches almost came apart! But other than that I had no problems.
Basically just be careful at cleaning it, take some mild pain killers and you should be fine.
Good luck!

Answer 8

You are going to be sore afterwards there's no getting away from that i'm afraid.
I am a physical therapist in a big hospital and ive seen lots of people after a section and even watched them be performed. It is major surgery and your abdomimal mucles are separated and can take a while for them to work properly again.
Expect mild to moderate pain and soreness around the incision for the first week and youll need a bit of help around the house and with the baby. Your midwife should show you the least painful ways of moving around and lifting your baby. You should gradually move onto normal activity and see the pain reduce over the next 2 weeks after that but with reduced stamina. Most people can return to normal activities/work 6-8 weeks post surgery.
Hope this helps
love maxie x

Answer 9

everyone is different and depends on your threshold pain. I was up as soon as the meds wore off in 3 hours, walking around. I was too excited to just sit and rest. I had no real problems and was told that by me getting up as active as I did, I was promoting safe recovery. A lot of women just use it as an excuse to laze aroud. I never let a little surgery stop me and was fully functioning 2 days after the c-section. If I had pain, I just sucked it up, no meds. SO, like I said, depends on how much you can handle the pain, for some it puts them on the couch for the entire 6 weeks of recovery.

Answer 10

I've had 2 previous c-sections and am scheduled for my third on the 27th of this month. It takes a couple weeks to a month to fully recover afterwards. The second was more difficult for me since I had a little toddler running around and needed homecare to come in daily to help me clean my incision due to the possibility of infections. It all depends on your situation and your size at birth ( I was plus size so had more complications). You will also want to consider having someone around to help you as doing reg. chores will be more demanding. Take care and good luck!

Julie
DD Sept. 27th with #3