I want the truth about planned sections :)

[babz1986]

Hi ladies.

This is my 2nd pregnancy and had a very bad tear with my first, so have been scheduled for an appointment on Wednesday to have a lovely scan up my bum, to see what my scaring is like and whether they suggest a planned section. I was told after my first birth that it's a pretty high chance of me having to have a section. I also have a strong feeling that it will be the only option they give me.

Obviously I know we're all different, have different pain thresholds and recovery rates but I'm trying to prepare myself for this option as much as possible lol. And feel the only way I can do that is from the mouths of people who have been there!

Personally myself, I have quite a good pain threshold (first labour was drug free, start to finish, she was back to back and stuck), I also seem to have quite a good recovery speed.. Obviously only been compared to recovery of vaginal labour and minor things.

My main question is.. How 'inmobile' will I be and for how long? I've heard people saying they couldn't do basic stuff for weeks, others saying only 5 days.

I'm very much of a get up and go person, and don't like relying on people too much lol. I also obviously now have a toddler, and two dogs.. Walking them wouldn't be an issue, if the driving limitation wasn't put on sections, as I could drive them to a local field/park.

Am I really going to be struggling for a few weeks?

Please be all honest .. I want to know the things you couldn't do, things you could, how long you were restricted for, etc.. Anything helps

Thanks in advance!!

 

[mtemptress]

my section was a emergency but i was walking round afteryards which was technically the same but everyone is different

 

[RebeccaG]

I had a section with my daughter. For the first 48 hours I thought my insides were going to burst out whenever I coughed, laughed sneezed etc! Sitting up was also really uncomfortable. I'd say for 2 weeks after I needed help with toddler and dog but now I honestly feel absolutely fine! Able to drive, lift carry toddler, walk dog and do normal things again! Just make sure you have support at the beginning and you'll be fine!
I was talking to my husband earlier about how bad I was after I had our son and I felt worse at this point if that makes sense?! 3 weeks pp from my son I was in a bad way! This time I feel great! Tired from lack if sleep but apart from that great! Xx

 

[babz1986]

Thanks RebeccaG, I take it you had a vaginal birth with your son?

Considering I had a pretty bad tear (the consultant afterwards, said that it was one of the worse ones) I was up and about very quickly and shocked about how unpainful I was. Although I do admit to doing the TESCO shop 3 days later, getting half way round and thinking my bum was about to fall out, was over doing it! Haha

I have been reading some very positive stories about the recovery of the sections, but at the same time, it's equalled out with the horror ones!

 

[Mrs A]

I had a planned (the day before) section, as the op said I felt. Tough my ass was gonna fall off, and my innards out. But pain wise, I was up in 2 hours after and had my catheter out by 2pm, ds was born at 11.16am!
I'd had a shower by tea time. Yes it's painful, but you forget it.

 

[RebeccaG]

Oh wow that's amazing being up and about that quick!!! Mine was in the afternoon and I had a shower the next morning but ended up pulling the emergency cord as I fainted! I really found it hard the first couple of days but each day got easier and easier. And now I feel like it never happened! Scar barely visible and no pain at all.

Yes had ventouse and epi with my son.

They'd mentioned a section for me a throughout my pregnancy for first of all my placenta but that then turned out ok, then baby measuring huuuge and in the end I went in for a 38 week growth a scan on Friday 15th, saw on scan I had no fluid left and wanted to do section that afternoon but I said unless it was an emergency which they said it wasn't I'd rather prepare myself mentally and do it Monday. So it wasn't emergency but I wouldn't really say elective either lol!!
It was a really big thing for me having surgery as never had any operation before and the thought terrified me. But having said that, if we were to have another baby I'd choose a section any day over the birth I had with my son. My son was much more alert a d awake though than my daughter who has taken about 2 weeks to fully wake up!!

 

[AdriansMama]

Will be stalking since im having a planned c section this time ... my c section last time was an emergency and from what I remember I was pretty pain free within 48 hours, only tool tylenol and advil for pain. . Was functioning perfectly fine within a week and pretty much 100% like nothing happened within 10 days ... im hoping everything works out even better with it being a planned section especially having a 4 year old to care for aswell

 

[gracia]

I had third section just after Xmas . Compared to my first 2 everything is much more relaxed and the anaesthetic they use is much better . although saying that I was up and about after getting out of recovery with all 3 I think it is much easier if you keep on the move but not overdo things at home after the 2 days in I was fine stiffer than usual haha but fine was walking to shops etc but as I say don't try to be superwoman haha just take things easy and you will be fine xx

 

[JeepGirl]

I'm also stalking this. I had a EMCS last time, and I can't imagine anything worse The recovery was awful. I couldn't get out of bed for 2.5 days and that was for a shower, they had to give me painkillers just to be able to do that. I spent a week in the hospital. When I finally got home, I needed help getting out of bed for another week or so and wasn't able to get back to my normal life for 6-8 weeks and had pain in the scar area for months after that when I moved the wrong way. I didn't even try to walk my dogs during that time, they are well trained but I was so worried that something would make them pull and I wouldn't have been able to hold on to them.

I have a scheduled csection this time and I'm dreading it (I'm not a VBAC candidate). But everyone keeps telling me that scheduled cs aren't too bad. I hope they are correct, because this time I will have a 2year old to take care of as well. OH is taking 2 weeks off work and then my mother is coming to help me.

 

[marymoomin]

I had an emcs, and was up and about 14 hrs after surgery ( would have been earlier had they taken the catheter out. I was out walking with the pram 3 days later.,.. I don't understand when people talk about long recovery. I think adrenaline drives you on.

 

[sammiexsue]

they kept my baby in the nursery due to her having breathing problems and being on oxygen so i was down there within the 2nd hour because that was the only way i could see her... but i went back to work and mostly normal activity by 2 weeks pp

 

[_Lexi_]

My recovery was the opposite to a lot of women on here. I was up after an hour as Joshua was critically ill in nicu. Whether the fact I didn't lay flat and was sat up/walking for the first 16 hours delayed my recovery, I don't know. I was in absolute agony for a long time. It took a good 6 weeks for me to be able to lift more than a half full kettle without being in sheer hell. Sitting up, sneezing, laughing - painful. For at least 4 weeks I had to have a pillow over my wound whenever I was in the car to protect it from the seatbelt. The 6 week driving limitation is there for a reason. You may seem somewhat healed on the outside, but the inside won't be, and I couldn't imagine having to do an emergency stop!! Walking up stairs was a long process, one step at a time. I couldn't wear clothes that say along my scar for 7 months without it feeling weird, and even now, just over a year on, I still have numbness and random pain in my scar. Trying to sit up from lying down was like torture without help for at least 3 weeks, and I had to get someone else to put my shoes/socks on as I couldn't lean over. I was bruised all the way up to my belly button, round past my hips, and all the way under. Me and my oh couldn't dtd for 4 months as it was just too painful and tender. Even simple things like getting up of the sofa/loo, getting into cars, was like a logistical nightmare. I've always been very healthy, and with the section being planned (due to iugr) I wasn't expecting it to be anywhere near as horrendous as it was. I hated having to depend on others as I'm very independent and like you, very much a get up and go person. I couldn't walk my dog for 6 weeks, and even then it was pretty painful. Sorry to be negative, but that was my experience. I'm definetely opting for a vbac this time as long as its medically ok, there's no way I'm willingly going through that again!! x

 

[SamsMum]

I had one as my water went early and my son was breech.

It was around 10pm, and the next morning I was encouraged to get up for a gentle walk if I needed to loo or whatever, so I was walking the next day, and showering either later that day or the day after. I walked slowly and gingerly more of a fear of the stitches going! I don't look back and remember being in alot of pain or immobile to be honest, (eg woke up several times a night to get the baby out of his basket to breastfeed etc), and was back at the gym, very gently, after 4 weeks. x

 

[Twinkie210]

My experience was very similar to the OP's. My first was a vaginal birth, but my son got stuck and I required forceps/episiotomy and had a 4th degree tear. My second was a planned c-section due to baby being footling breech (he was also bigger than his brother). Honestly for me the recovery from my vaginal delivery was way worse than the c-section. I had my section in the morning. I was encouraged to sit in a chair later that night (I think my memory might have failed me LOL) and I was walking around by the next morning when my catheder came out. Sure I was sore (as you can imagine) but nothing like what I had anticipated! I didn't didn't need the pain meds after a couple days. I was in the hospital 3 days and my husband stayed home with me for 2 more days, but after that I took care of baby on my own no problem. I should mention that I have a high pain tolerence and I heal very quickly, so maybe that helped.

 

[babz1986]

Twinkie210, your situation is very similar!!

I think in my head I've heard so many stories about how bad sections are and the recovery period is much longer and harder than a vaginal birth, that I think that's how it will be.

I was very close to a 4th degree tear, and had to stay in hospital for 3 days with a catheter in, ended up having a spinal and been in theatre for 2.5hrs been stitched up. I remember thinking if I coughed, sneezed, laughed to hard or made sudden movements, then my bum would literally fall out lol.. The first couple of days, turning over in bed and getting up to feed my daughter was a bit uncomfortable, but not impossible, I just had to lift myself out of bed, instead of using my lower muscles (if you get me)

From reading (and correct me if I'm wrong) that obviously a section is far more difficult to recover from then if you have a straight forward vaginal birth, but then a 3rd or 4th degree tear, seems more of the same recovery?

All you ladies have put my mind at rest anyhow, and will just have to see what the decision is after I've had my scan :-/

 

[Twinkie210]

Twinkie210, your situation is very similar!!

I think in my head I've heard so many stories about how bad sections are and the recovery period is much longer and harder than a vaginal birth, that I think that's how it will be.

I was very close to a 4th degree tear, and had to stay in hospital for 3 days with a catheter in, ended up having a spinal and been in theatre for 2.5hrs been stitched up. I remember thinking if I coughed, sneezed, laughed to hard or made sudden movements, then my bum would literally fall out lol.. The first couple of days, turning over in bed and getting up to feed my daughter was a bit uncomfortable, but not impossible, I just had to lift myself out of bed, instead of using my lower muscles (if you get me)

From reading (and correct me if I'm wrong) that obviously a section is far more difficult to recover from then if you have a straight forward vaginal birth, but then a 3rd or 4th degree tear, seems more of the same recovery?

All you ladies have put my mind at rest anyhow, and will just have to see what the decision is after I've had my scan :-/

For me I think I had it in my mind that recovery was going to be horrible that it made the actual recovery seem OK. Plus when you have had a horrible vaginal delivery just not having to repeat that experience is wonderful.

Just plan on having a week or so where you can't do much and if your recovery is better than that great!

 

[TTC LADY]

Great thread - I am in a similar situation so great to read "real" stories

 

[laura3103]

I had an emergency one with my 2nd and as soon as my spinal had worn off I was up and about having a wash and washing my hair never had to call upon the midwives at all I even drive myself home from my dads the day I was out of hospital as I had a 2 yr old at home and being a single mum I just had to get on with it!

I'll have a planned one this time round if I can x

 

[WhisperOfHope]

the worsst part for me was getting back mobile afterwards going from laying to sittiingthen dtanding is painfull but i was walking by day 3 and home day 5 doing basic thinfs for baby now 6 weeks after fully healed and doing wasjing carryong carseat etc best adbise is keep ontop of pain meds takereligiously for thefirstfew days at least

 

[ladysarcasma]

My first was an EMCS. I was up walking the halls after recovery (I was in ICU, otherwise I would have been up sooner) and was dancing at my sister's wedding at 3 weeks, though I don't really recommend it. I was pretty sore after

This time, it was planned. I was out of bed after a few hours, walking around and showering myself by the next morning. My surgery was in the afternoon, so that was actually pretty fast. I thought I was doing really well, but that was mostly because the Morphine from the surgery was still in my system for 24 hours. After that wore off, I was on heavy pain killers for three more days. I was still walking and doing fine, but it did hurt more.

I was released from the hospital on day 3 instead of the standard (for that hospital) day 4 because my recovery was going so well.

Today is 2 weeks and 5 days since LO was born and yesterday, I walked half a mile up to pick up my daughter from school, and half a mile back. I was a little tiny bit sore at the incision site after, but not anything to be concerned about and I wasn't in pain.

Everyone really is different. My body normally has the ability to bounce back and heal from things like this very quickly, but not so much from common illnesses like the cold and flu. So I guess it's up to how your body usually reacts to these things. Either way, it always gets better, so you'll ultimately be just fine