May need a c-section due to medical need. What will recovery be like?

[wifeywoo2]

I have an inguinal hernia in my labia which is growing in size. I got it from pushing for 2 hours with my daughter in 2012, but was only diagnosed a year later.

It was sooooo painful recovering from the birth of my daughter. I had an episiotomy & the hernia would push on it. Everyone told me the pain I was feeling was normal but I knew something was wrong.

It has now increased in size to a tennis ball size when I urinate or open my bowels & I'm so scared about pushing.

They have mentioned that I may be able to have/ may need a c-section & would like to know what recovery is like.

My DD will be 20 months when I have this LO so nervous about caring for her after the birth when my DH goes back to work.

Thanks

 

[Celesse]

Generally reported to be better recovery when its a planned c-section than when it is an emergency. I felt like I'd been sliced in two for the first few days, couldn't bend, cough, reach for my baby, sit down/sit up with out something or someone to lean in. Better after a couple of weeks, but took 9months+ for the numb feeling in my belly to go away.

 

[mysteriouseye]

^WSS…. I have never had a natural birth so I cant comment personally on this, but my C-section recovery was horrible hence why I am desperate for a VBAC, In hospital I couldn’t lift my daughter, couldn’t lift myself up, struggled to get up and walk, struggled to get in and out of bed. When DD wanted to be Breastfed lifting myself up to feed her was excruciating. Then I had the inconvenience of not being able to drive for 6 weeks, walking up the stairs and down the stairs for me was pretty much impossible… it really was horrible I hated every minute of the recovery and am desperate for a VBAC as apparently once the birth is over your mobile again (unless you have a tear) xx

 

[BrittBS]

Mine was awful as well, I couldn't stand up straight for a while. My advice is to get up and move as soon after as you can. I had high BP so I was put on magnesium sulfate before and 24 hrs after birth. So I didn't get to get up move like I should. When the nurses tried to move me to a wheelchair after 24 hrs to switch to my recovery room, I swear people on the other floors could hear me. Every little move felt like my stitches were tearing apart. I cried so much. Coughing and sneezing were extremely painful for a while, taking showers also. When I had to get up at night to feed dd, I'd have to roll out of bed because I couldn't sit up, even with help. I am too trying desperately for vbac, i do not want to go through that again! Good luck to you!

 

[the why bird]

My C section recovery was a breeze, despite it following 18 hours of labour (including 4 hrs of pushing).

I was off prescription painkillers and just on paracetamol on day 5, and walking to the local shops. Driving and having sex after a month.

It is major surgery, and I certainly don't mean to make light of other people's experiences, but it isn't the end of the world and you won't necessarily have a hard time.

The worst part for me was having to stay in hospital for three days - I really wanted to be back with my husband since I was so exhausted and had no one there to hold the baby when I was falling asleep.

 

[mysteriouseye]

OK I think my hospital must be idiots, the only thing they gave me after my C-section was paracetamol and ibrupofen… I was never given anything else.. no wonder I was in pain in hospital xx

 

[MichelleW]

I had an emergency C-section after a 4 day long failed induction and I must admit I was up and about very quickly, yes you are sore but it was manageable, I am opting for an elective C-section this time and as people generally say an elective is easier I am not too worried about afterwards and my son will be 20 months old when baby girl makes her appearance. Unfortunately everyone's situation is different the reason for the emergency C-section the circumstances leading up to it etc all have an effect on your recovery, but don't feel you have to suffer, I took the painkillers and kept myself as mobile as possible and I swear this helped, I was classed as having a traumatic time and it was the exhaustion after having no sleep for a week that was the hardest for me but once I was home it was much better xx

 

[Ashley8806]

My first csection recovery was pretty painful, but I also had a large incision because of a large baby! But a little word of encouragement for those scared of a second one, I tried for a VBAC but unfortunately ended up in an emergency situation and needed another csection, but recovery from #2 was completely different, so much easier than the first!

 

[KatyKat]

Mine was ok, was an emergency section as I went into labour early and my planned section (daughter was breech) went out the window. Saying that I was on paracetamol and diclofenac for 3 days, and then just paracetamol, and the pain was definitely manageable. I was walking around Asda 3 days after the section and back at my spinning classes after 10 weeks.

I think the first week was the hardest as I needed a little extra help to sit up in bed, and couldn't really lift anything too heavy, but after that it seemed to get better very quickly?

 

[pineapple91]

After having 2 c-sections one vertically after 26hrs of labor and one planned horizontally and having my tubes puts back together also cut open horizontally is that each one hurt like hell. But is saying that if you can get up and move you will heal way faster as much as it hurts the first day get up and move as much as you can. When you have to cough grab a pillow and hold your tummy tight or bend over. As much as it may feel you are going to pop a stitch it is highly unlikely. I went home the day of my tubal reversal and because I was forced to be up and around I was healed so much faster. Good luck it does hurt a lot in the beginning but its not forever.

 

[leash27]

I had an emcs after being induced for 3 days and then finding out LO was actually breech and had been all along!

My recovery wasn't too bad, I was up and about within a few hours to have a shower etc. I think the worst for me was being kept in hospital as I was so tired from the induction and once DH visiting times were over I was pretty much left on my own to look after LO eg pick him up out of the cot to feed and change nappies etc. It was understandable as the MW were so busy but it was hard!

Once I was home, I was fine as I had my DH and my mum to help out. I was out shopping within a few days and came off strong painkillers in less than a week.

I agree that everyone has different experiences but on he whole, I am told that a planned section is a lot easier in terms of recovery!

X

 

[sunshine03]

I had an emergency c-section and if in honest, it wasn't that bad. First could of days were sore obviously but got easier. On day 5 when I had my staples out it was like a new lease of life - day 6 I was in Tesco with my partner doing a shop and having a coffee!!
I drove after 4 weeks and was totally fine and totally back to normal by then! I had my baby at 2:34am and was I bed into lunchtime the next day. I then got up and had a shower and then that night in hospital the midwife a didn't come to the bells so I had no choice but to get up and pick baby up myself.
Don't let people scare you - everyone will react differently but just do as your advised and look after yourself you will be fine. Xx

 

[wifeywoo2]

Thanks everyone! My recovery from my vaginal birth was awful & found it hard to stand even for a few minutes a week after the birth. When my DH returned to work after 3 weeks I really struggled to stand & look after DD.

What made it worse was that the midwives/doctors couldn't see anything wrong, as when I layed down the hernia went in. I felt like I was being a wimp, but I also knew something wasn't right.

Having another scan on my hernia on Friday & then will see consultant on the 11th & hoping they will let me have a c-section. I'm in so much pain with my hernia now, never mind what it will be like after giving birth, so hopefully a c-section will be better for me.

Thank you everyone for your replies xx

 

[MichelleW]

Thanks everyone! My recovery from my vaginal birth was awful & found it hard to stand even for a few minutes a week after the birth. When my DH returned to work after 3 weeks I really struggled to stand & look after DD.

What made it worse was that the midwives/doctors couldn't see anything wrong, as when I layed down the hernia went in. I felt like I was being a wimp, but I also knew something wasn't right.

Having another scan on my hernia on Friday & then will see consultant on the 11th & hoping they will let me have a c-section. I'm in so much pain with my hernia now, never mind what it will be like after giving birth, so hopefully a c-section will be better for me.

Thank you everyone for your replies xx

Good luck hunni, hope all goes well and you get that hernia sorted properly afterwards xx

 

[lala222]

I didn't find my recovery that bad. The first 12 hours after are kind of a blur (morphine and other drugs wearing off lol) and I felt very nauseous for the first few hours...but the next day wasn't too bad (I was up walking around-although I think I did sort of over-do it) now with that being said, I wasn't up lifting my baby or feeding him/changing him or anything because he was in the NICU..so that may be why I didn't find it as difficult as others do. I definitely think having to tend to your baby WHILE recovering from a c-section would be quite difficult and painful as getting in and out of bed really hurts. Other than that I couldn't stand up straight/walk straight for about a week because my "uterus hurt" as I put it haha. So there's my experience. ...will be different this time around as I (HOPEFULLY) won't have a nicu baby so I will be gladly caring for him/her myself.

 

[Rosered52]

First off, you poor woman! That hernia situation sounds horrific, I'm so sorry that's happened.

My c-section was not planned, but happened after 36 hours of labor, and failure to progress (baby was in an awkward position, and hitting my bladder). It was NOT an emergency c-section, but it was not planned until after three days of labor and a bit of pushing.

The recovery for me was a breeze. I was on stronger meds (oxycodone, I think?) and ibuprofen for the first week, and then down to just ibuprofen and acetaminophen after that. It was sore and painful at first, of course, to get in and out of bed. It really did feel like being cut in half, which is, I suppose, exactly what's happened to those muscles. But the meds made it bearable, and I think some pain after childbirth is pretty much to be expected. After a week, I was feeling MUCH better, and after two weeks I was almost back to normal.