The dry air in the hospital made me cough ... which made my stitches feel like they were ripping apart. Keep some hard candy or cough drops handy!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You must keep the gauze in place to avoid infection. Do not remove it until your doctor has given you the go-ahead.

I left the hospital with nothing over my scar. No tape, gauze. Nothing.

What? It's not even a scar then. That seems ... irresponsible.

Anonymous wrote:I wish I had known that I would be OUT of it for the first day. I have photos and I look fine, but I barely remember the first day. I was pretty loopy. Baby was born around 9:30am but I think I was finally lucid by dinner time.

+1.

I had two c-sections. The second one was at a teaching hospital (GW here in DC), and the resident putting in the epidural was new and fumbling. I WISH I had the presence of mind to request someone else. In the end, it all turned out fine, but I was terrified that something would go wrong. (Later, I was told that the meds that help you feel less nauseous that they give you via the epidural may cause paranoia, so that may have been part of it.)

Anonymous wrote:Yes to the double layer of stitches - this can help if you want to have a VBAC for your other babies.

Yes yes yes yes to the first poop being EXCRUCIATING. I was HORRIBLY consipated from I guess the surgery and I suspect especially from the opioids. If I had another C-section, I would try to get by on just motrin instead of percocet. I actually don't think I noticed a difference between the two, and I went straight to motrin when I got home from the hospital with no problems. The colace WAS NOT ENOUGH. Get up and get moving as soon as you can. Drink a bunch of prune juice as soon as possible after surgery. If you have to, get a laxative suppository before you leave the hospital - that's what I ended up doing. My husband bought me earrings that were supposed to be my push present. After the surgery, I was jokingly calling them my "slice" present, but after I pushed out that first poop, I decided I definitely deserved a "push" present afterall.

I threw up on the table from all the manipulation when sewing me up.

I actually did not experience trouble walking, sitting, sleeping, holding my baby, wearing pants, etc.

Oh, and the biggest surprise to me was that it was a very happy and joyful birth! I still cry (happily) when I think about the dr lifting her over the curtain. I held my daughter on the way out of the operating room and was able to breastfeed her within an hour after delivery with no problems.

Second this! I've had an unplanned c-section and a VBAC, and I'll try for another VBAC this time around for the shorter recovery. That said, I remember my c-section as a calm, peaceful, and joyful birth -- a little scary at times, but not as exhausting and overwhelming as my VBAC. The c-section recovery was longer and more painful, but I still remember feeling way better 2 weeks after the surgery than I had felt immediately before the delivery, when I was still immensely pregnant.

I think they often don't tell you: It's often not a big deal.

I was blessed with an easy recovery, it's true. But there are a lot of us who are: no complications, kid is fine, both of us are alive, healing was swift and mostly painless. We tend to be quieter than those who had a rough time, but for most people: it's just fine.

Oh, one thing I did *not* like was that weird sensation of being rummaged around in, like a suitcase, after they lifted out the baby. But still, no big deal.

1. I bled a lot more, and longer, than I had expected. I somehow thought a c-section would mean little bleeding.

2. Of course I couldn't sleep on my stomach for months after the section, but i hadn't thought of this.

3. Pants! You can't wear pants that touch your scar, or at least I couldn't. Not for a long time. I started wearing dresses all of the time post c-section.

After they stitch you up, you are moved to a recovery area. You can't be moved to your room until you can move your legs and toes again. Your catheter won't be removed until the next day and those f&*$ers are long!

Anonymous wrote:I had an unplanned c section and it was much easier than I thought it would be.

There’s a long time between baby being born and you being able to see them. They stitch you up before you can hold baby and that process felt interminable to me- maybe 20 minutes but torture bc I could hear her crying and couldn’t see her.

There is a lot of people in the room as a matter of course- anesthesiologist, OB, nurses, pediatrician. I was surprised but it’s normal apparently.

You shouldn’t feel pain but you will feel a lot of pressure- it’s a very odd feeling like they are pushing you down to get the baby out.

I took Colace in the hospital (not before because it wasn’t planned) and my first poop was fine. NBD.

My scar is really low, below the hair line, and, 2 years out, I can hardly see it. And I do still have no feeling in part of my lower abdomen.

My core strength was ruined post C section and took a long time to rebuild. I seriously had trouble even like sitting up in bed.

This is not always true. I was able to hold two of my three babies while they stitched me up. My first was an emergency and had to go to the NICU. You can ask to hold your baby immediately and likely the hospital will allow this if your partner is there to help/support you.

Sorry not reading everything but have had three sections. Single most important thing is that you need to move as soon as you can as much as you can. I'll preface this by saying overall that my c sections were largely positive and I recovered very quickly. Because most of what I'm going to say is negative, but overall it was actually very positive.

1) GAS PAIN IS WEIRD. It can happen anywhere in your body. My first section it was a sharp crippling pain in my shoulder, I thought I was having a heart attack or something. I literally thought I was dying and did not believe them when they said it was gas and gave me a gas x. You minimize this by moving as quickly and as much as possible.

2) Anesthesia is weird and uncomfortable and unsettling. You'll have to go in without your partner and they will sit you on the table and you'll be basically naked and they will put these weird socks on you. They'll also put these bags around your legs for air compression to prevent clots. It feels weird and you'll be sitting on this table where multiple people will be touching you and putting things on you and talking to you. I always feel this part is very anxiety provoking. While all these people are buzzing around, the anesthesiologist will be inserting a needle into your back and asking you for queues on how it feels to see if its working. Then it does work and you are laid down and they spread your legs and put up the curtain. You feel very exposed. This part isn't very long, maybe 10 minutes, but its weird. I would have liked to know this beforehand, so I hope this isn't scary to know.

3) Pooping issue is real. Start taking colace a week before and keep taking every day for at least two weeks. Work on pooping as quickly as you can because that is a problem that DOES NOT GET BETTER IF YOU WAIT. Most traumatic issue with a c section I ever had was a poop issue, and I had HELLP and almost died in my first one!

4) You'll feel a lot better after a week-10 days but you won't be at 100% for probably 3 months. Your scar will feel weird maybe up to a year after the surgery. It's not usually an issue but just so you know and don't think there is a problem.

Yes to the double layer of stitches - this can help if you want to have a VBAC for your other babies.

Yes yes yes yes to the first poop being EXCRUCIATING. I was HORRIBLY consipated from I guess the surgery and I suspect especially from the opioids. If I had another C-section, I would try to get by on just motrin instead of percocet. I actually don't think I noticed a difference between the two, and I went straight to motrin when I got home from the hospital with no problems. The colace WAS NOT ENOUGH. Get up and get moving as soon as you can. Drink a bunch of prune juice as soon as possible after surgery. If you have to, get a laxative suppository before you leave the hospital - that's what I ended up doing. My husband bought me earrings that were supposed to be my push present. After the surgery, I was jokingly calling them my "slice" present, but after I pushed out that first poop, I decided I definitely deserved a "push" present afterall.

I threw up on the table from all the manipulation when sewing me up.

I actually did not experience trouble walking, sitting, sleeping, holding my baby, wearing pants, etc.

Oh, and the biggest surprise to me was that it was a very happy and joyful birth! I still cry (happily) when I think about the dr lifting her over the curtain. I held my daughter on the way out of the operating room and was able to breastfeed her within an hour after delivery with no problems.

Uniqlo maternity leggings and their over the bump
Underwear are great for the weeks after the c section because it doesn’t put any pressure on the scar area

Have ur partner do all baby care in the first weeks—it is such a special bonding time for them and it will help you heal faster and better.

I wish I had known that I would be OUT of it for the first day. I have photos and I look fine, but I barely remember the first day. I was pretty loopy. Baby was born around 9:30am but I think I was finally lucid by dinner time.

Anonymous wrote:You must keep the gauze in place to avoid infection. Do not remove it until your doctor has given you the go-ahead.

I left the hospital with nothing over my scar. No tape, gauze. Nothing.

Two C Sections- the last one was about a month ago. During the second one I had intense pain in my right shoulder. Apparently it’s called referred pain which is from trapped gas. Luckily I had a nurse right next to me explain it to me. Just be aware it’s a possible and normal thing. It went away in the recovery room.

Also, you will need to rely heavily on your significant other for the first week or so. Try not to feel guilty- I promise you’ll be pulling your weight very soon