c-section mama's?

how bad is it?

i was given the option of a nat birth or c-section, after going over medical reasons we choose a c-section...

now i am extremely scared of getting one... of being in pain afterwards and not being to take care of my daughter when we come home they way i always planned?

how long is the recovery?

Re: c-section mama's?

I had a c-section with DS and had to make the decision as well to have it. I am so glad that I did. I had a great experience with it. I did not have to go through ANY labor what so ever. The recovery is tough, it is a major surgery. Just remember that while you are in the hospital for the 4 days take full advantage of the nurses to help you and your DH. As long as you take your pain meds and take it slow, you will be fine.

Also, don't let anyone make you feel like you are not making the right decision. There are alot of people who will have something to say I'm sure.

Good luck to you!!!

Re: c-section mama's?

I had severe pre-eclampsia, so my recovery was an absolute nightmare, but as far as the actual surgery, I'll give it to you straight!

I felt a LOT more than I expected. Not pain really, but a LOT of pulling and tugging. The books I read said "you may feel a tugging sensation." May feel???? What it felt like was people rummaging through my insides!! NOT PLEASANT AT ALL. I wish someone told me to expect that, bc it made me really scared.

I was at NYU Tisch so I had great doctors and great care. But overall it was not a pleasant experience at all -- It's surgery for god's sake! Major surgery!! My recovery was a full 6 weeks - but that was due to also having pre-eclampsia.

Hope I didn't scare you, i just want to be honest!

ETA: I had a c-section both due to pre-eclampsia AND my son was frank breech. Oy!

Message edited 3/7/2007 8:34:21 AM.

Re: c-section mama's?

I had a c- section and I will say it was not bad at all. I was going to go vaginally but didn't get past 2cms so off to the OR we went.
They upped my dosage of epidural and honestly I don't remember feeling a thing. Recovery was a bit tough. I was very sore and it took a while to walk, but, I did it. The dr.s and nurses let me start walking the halls later on the next day.
DH was off for 2 weeks. The 1st week I was in the hospital and the 2nd he was home with me...Thank Goodness.
I needed those extra hands.
All in all, it wasn't bad!

Re: c-section mama's?

I had preclamsia and had to have an emergency c two weeks early!

I didn't have any pain during my c-section, and my recovery was wasn't bad at all, and I was up and walking around the hospital the day after.

Every woman is going to experience pain and healing differently. I personally didn't have any problems, and was able to take care of my baby just fine. It took me a month to feel 100% better.

Good luck to you!

Re: c-section mama's?

this was just my experience and everyone is different. but i have to admit, my csection was a BREEZE. it really was. i felt nothing, and it was over in less then 5 minutes. recovery with my first csection was a lil difficult because stupid me decided not to take the percocet and rely only on motrin, big mistake. take the pain killers they offer you! i learned my lesson with my ds and recovery from that csection was very easy. my recovery with my second csection was maybe a day. i walked out of the hosptial on day 3 with no problems at all.

Re: c-section mama's?

can i ask how you all felt nothing during the procedure and thought it was a breeze? i've never heard anyone say that about having a section. i'm glad you all had good experiences - i've just never heard anyone say that major abdominal surgery was a "breeze."

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Re: c-section mama's?

Honestly, mine was a breeze too! I think I only pushed the button twice in the hospital for medication. Other than that, it was just Tylanol. People were surprised that I was moving around so much and so quickly and I didn't understand what the big deal was. My sister had the same experience.

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Re: c-section mama's?

I also felt nothing during the procedure. They gae me the epidural and once I was numb, I truly didn't feel a thing! Even when the nurses were massaging my uterus to get everything out, I didn't even know they were doing anything to me. I will admit, I was very groggy though.

I feel that I was in alot of pain during recovery. I made them keep my epidural in a day longer than they normally do, and I made sure that I took my pain meds on schedule. Pain is always easier to control if you treat it before you are in severe pain.

When I came home, DH was home with me the whole time so I was able to rely on him alot. But I have to say the only thing I really needed was to be able to rest when I was tired or in a bit of pain. Otherwise, I was able to care for DD just fine.

I have often regretted not having a regular birth (although the section was not my choice). I have often wondered if I would have had less pain with a regular delivery. The other women in my hospital room were walking around as soon as they were brought into the room, whereas I didn't get up until the next day, and even then I was in alot of pain. BUT, with the stories I've heard about all the pain and discomfort "down there" that even lasted for several months, I'm glad I had what I did.

Re: c-section mama's?

I had a very EASY recovery. I was in the hospital for 5 days. The only time I was limited about taking care of DD was when I was hooked up to the machines and couldn't get out of bed. Once they unhooked me (day 2 or 3), I was able to take care of her perfectly.

The second they took the catheter out of me, I took a walk around the maternity ward. I kept doing it. By the time I left, I was in pretty good shape. In fact, my first full day home, I walked a mile with DD. It was a very slow mile, but a mile nonetheless.

The pain wasn't too bad. I was hooked up to an epidural for 2 days and was able to control the medicine. About 10 minutes before I wanted to get up I would push the little button and I was fine. Then the perkosets come in. Yeah perkoset!!! They gave me Tylenol with codeine for the first week when I got home, but I only took it the first day, and then I was fine. Within a week of being home, I was back to normal. I have lots of advice on this. You are welcome to FM me!

Another benefit is if you want to nurse or sleep. Spending 5 days in the hospital having nurses there around the clock really helped me become successful at breastfeeding. The nurses put a lot of my fears to rest and really helped me.

Also if you want to sleep, you can. They took DD at night and at my request, they would bring her to me when she needed to eat. So if you want to sleep through the night, you can.

ETA: I felt so good I almost checked out early. Then my doctor said- why would you? Here you have help around the clock. I thought- he was right. So I stayed the extra day.

Message edited 3/7/2007 9:47:13 AM.

Re: c-section mama's?

I had an emergency c-section at 35 weeks. And if given the choice I would do it again. take the pain pills they give you!!! I was given pain pills to take when I came home and I didn't really need them but if I was in bad pain I took them.

Re: c-section mama's?

I had a c/s with my first and was able to have a vaginal brith with my second. I will say that the v-birth recovery was so much better, but that does not mean I did not have a good c/s recovery. My c/s was because my son was breech. I had a spinal and, while I did feel some tugging and pulling, it was nothing. It was over so quick and my son was born. I recovered really well. I only took 800 mg Motrin for my recovery and was fine!

Re: c-section mama's?

honestly, it was not bad for me. My dr told me I was a c-section, right off the bat. I prepared myself for it. I never had a vag birth, so I don't know the difference in pain. In the hospital I took pain medicine and I was back to my normal self by the third day. You have to be very careful, with movements. Good luck!

Re: c-section mama's?

I had a c-section and was able to take care of DS right away. DH wasn't able to stay home from work to help me. My mom helped a couple of days, but otherwise I was fine.

It is difficult getting in and out of bed and getting up all night, but thankfully I had a good baby so I wasn't up and down that much. Just enlist DH to help you at night and you will be fine.

I highly suggest taking a shower as soon as possible. Some nurses will tell you that you can't but you definately CAN. I had my c-section at 9:00 pm and was in the shower at 6:00 am and I swear that's what helped me recover quickly.

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My issue with both c/s I had was the gas that builds up afterwards. It doesnt affect everyone but I had it really bad both times. It was literally, the worst pain of my life. The recovery itself was certainly harder than a vbirth but I did OK with that part overall. The gas thing though - pure misery. One nurse told me about 1 in 25 women get it bad like that, I guess I was the one in that case. I tried not eating solids, walking all day all over the maternity floor but nothing helped it but time. Otherwise with a c/s just be prepared to have extra help when you get home if you can. And try not to take too much pain meds beyond Motrin if you can. If you absolutely need it, obviously take it but if you can do Motrin (600mg) I think you are better off. Some of the meds have side effects like slowing down your bowels which doesnt help your comfort in the long run.

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I have to say I am so surprised by how many people said it was a breeze. I had a c/s with DD and I am already getting nervous for my c/s in august for #2. Unfortunatly I felt a LOT during the c/s becuase the spinal did not work and it was horrible. The immediate recovery afterwards (3 hours) was very painful as my body just went thru serious trama, but after the pain meds all kicked in I will say the recovery was a little better then I expected. The key is to take the pain killers and force yourself to get up and move around. It took me about 4-5 weeks to even start to feel normal again.

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I had a c-section and I have to be honest...the pain is a b!tch. I was in a lot of pain. It didn't stop me from taking care of Jared though. The recovery time is about a month.

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Megan

I had one. The good thing about it is that you DONT feel a thing. I had no idea they were cutting me open until I smelt my skin burning from the cotorizer (sp).

After was a different story. It is very painful, IMO. I never had surgery so I have nothing to compare it to. You will be able to take care of your baby. You just have to take it easy. Sleeping for the first few weeks was difficult. You get so used to the hospital bed while you are there and then you come home to a flat bed where you have to use your stomach muscles to get out of it. thats what kills.

Im 5 weeks PP today and it is still sore when i do too much, but every day it gets better. Oh, Im still bleeding though. But everyone is different when it comes to that.

Are you getting excited??? I hope Layla and Maggie adjust. Missy adn Rocky are okay with her for now, I just cant wait unit she starts to crawl and walk. That should be fun with Missy being a PITA. LOL

Re: c-section mama's?

the procedure, for me, was quick and painless - i didn't feel anything.

the next day they made me get up and I put up a fight - but I'm glad I did.

The first day I was in some moderate pain, but then it was pretty mild but lasted for a month.

I'm preparing for another and while it wasn't a bad experience, it's a bit nervewracking having any surgery

Re: c-section mama's?

I had a c-section and had a great experience.

I was walking up and down stairs and everything the day I came home from the hospital.

The worst part for me was being on a liquid diet and then eating the hospital food

I only felt pressure during the c-section because they had to press on me to get him out. I also felt very cold but it was nothing like I had imagined.

And the epidrual is what I was most nervous about I didn't even flinch.

Message edited 3/7/2007 12:09:02 PM.

Re: c-section mama's?

Mine wasn't too bad. I had heard from friends that I would just feel pressure, but it felt worse than that to me. Maybe that was because they still were having a hard time getting DD out. They ended up using a vacuum. Then they could not get my bleeding to stop. My uterus would not contract. I was told it was because I had a long labor and it was too tired. So I ended up losing a lot of blood, but surprisingly, my recovery was very easy. I was up walking around the next day and needed very little pain medicine.