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C-section recovery
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Anonymous
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There is a slight possibility I might have a c-section (baby is breech - will depend on if he moves into launch position, with help). For planning purposes, what is the recovery like?
Could you get away with heavy-duty ibuprofen or did you opt for the lortab/percocet? How long did you have stitches for? Did it hurt to cough? Lay on your side? Nurse? Nightgown or pajamas? How long could you not drive? What hurt worse: natural delivery or c-section? (I'm trying to gauge the pain level here - I had med-free vaginal deliveries before) How long was it before you felt like you could physically take care of baby and two young-ish children, without help and/or overexerting yourself (children will be in school during the day)? |
Anonymous
I had a c-section and recovery very quickly! I even drove 5 days later when I wasn't supposed to. I know..I know...I started to run again a month later. Yes I am very good at disobeying my Dr., but I felt I was ready since I heal quickly. I'm also a single mom so I took care of my newborn solo 4 days after I left the hospital. I hope you have it just as easy as I did. 
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Anonymous
| You might want to check with your car insurance..... mine did not cover me to drive for six weeks after c-section..... |
Anonymous
Wow! I never even thought of that! |
Anonymous
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Take the percocet on schedule. Good pain management means faster recovery. Allowing yourself to struggle with pain uses up your precious energy and slows your recovery.
Eat a high fiber, high fruit and veggie diet for 2 days prior to surgery to help your bowels be ready for surgery. Eat a ton of fresh fruit as soon as possible after surgery. Get up (with help) as soon as possible after surgery even though it's scary and it hurts. Use a pillow to support the incision when you nurse, cough, sneeze, etc. |
Anonymous
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Did everyone's doctor say not to drive? Mine never said anything about driving, so I was driving a week later. Never occurred to me not to.
Anyway, I had a very fast recovery (I've had 2 c-sections for 2 breech kids now). The stitches were dissolvable, so I don't know how long they were in for. I took 800mg ibuprofin and also a tylenol + codeine while I was in the hospital. By the time I left, I didn't need it anymore. It did not hurt at all to nurse, I easily found a position that was comfortable. Yes, it will hurt to laugh, cough, and sneeze for the first few days. That said, I got up and started moving as soon as I was allowed. I walked the halls of the hospital several times each day. I think this helped in the recovery. I was also exercising all through pregnancy right up until the day before the c-section. By one month post c-section, I was cleared by my doctor to "resume all normal activity". I went for a run that day and it felt great! |
Anonymous
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Wow, I guess mine was a little tougher recovery. It really hurt to use my stomach muscles, and you use them for a surprising number of things. I had a hard time going up and down stairs for several weeks, so tried to limit it to once down and once up per day. Can't remember how long I didn't drive, but the issue there is that you can't slam on the breaks really hard without hurting yourself, and perhaps your breaking reflex is slower.
I believe i used Percocet at least part of the time. The pain can be misleading because when you're just sitting around it may not hurt so you start doing stuff and then it starts to really hurt from overuse. |
Anonymous
My doctor didn't say anything about not driving either. In fact, he asked me why I didn't take a shower the morning after my first c-section. So I got up and took one. My recoveries were great. I wish I could say it was because I was in such great shape like you. But I was only in great shape for my first c-section - I had my second one less than 18 months later, and I definitely wasn't in shape anymore. But my recovery was the same. |
Anonymous
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Definitely nightgown, or very loose fitting pjs and pants.
My incision area was super sore for days, so I wore loose (maternity) skirts during the day and loose fitting pjs at night. Wish I had a nightgown. Good luck to OP! |
Anonymous
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-You'll definitely need percocet/ endocet
-Didn't have stiches on the top layer, they used glue -Yes, it hurt to cough and I had times were it was too painful to walk or fully get into bed but nursing was totally fine. (for some reason I had white hot searing pain when I walked at times but most people don't have that) -Nightgown or Pj's both work. Just get something that doesn't rest on your scar. The mesh panties from the hospital were a godsend because regular undies hit my scar. -I'm sure I could have driven immediately if I had tried. |
Anonymous
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My OB said I could drive when I wasn't taking the percocet anymore and when I felt like I could physically brake hard if I had to. I was driving a week after the surgery. I took the percocet on schedule for the 4 nights I was in the hospital. I didn't have issues with what to wear as my incision was much lower than anyting I'd have worn, even low cut panties (it was right above my pubic hair line). I found recovery rather easy, really.
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Anonymous
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- Restricted from driving for the first 2 week.
- stitched dissolved in a few weeks - hurt to caugh, stand up and and sit down, laugh, and walk up and down stairs for several weeks. - hurt to carry the baby for months. - nursing was best laying on my side, the football hold with a pillow over the incision was horrible. - pain - stay on top of meds so you are not any more uncomfortable than necessary. Unfortunately for me, pain from surgery has persisted for well over 1 year. So, every c-section is not an easy experience with a quick recovery. Just so you know the down side of things too. |