Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

you will enjoy this one.

mine was scheduled, it was a dream.

The nurses down here were so freaking nice to me. I could not have been made more comfortable.

Once I got the spinal, I laid down...did not feel a thing.

Anastesologist(sp??) was at my head rubbing my temples and shoulders...DH was holding one had, another nurse holding the other.

Totally painfree.

Within an hour, we were in recovery, with my baby nursing.

Once I could feel my legs again, I was up and around. I took one does of ibprofren just incase when spinal wore off I did not want pain to hit, but pain never came.

The next morning I walked down to cafeteria.

I lived on 3/4th floor...in apt. The stairs were fine. I healed no problem and was bumping uglies on week 4

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

Posted by JennZ

I am having one on Saturday morning and I would like HONEST opinions. Did it hurt, how long until you felt "normal", what is the worst part? Anything you want ot share would be groovy. I want to be as prepared as possible. Im sure it varies person to person, but I'll take what I can get. TIA.

Message edited 1/22/2009 8:54:05 PM.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

Message edited 1/22/2009 9:06:41 PM.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

Ii have to say--my first two were not good but there were reasons...
the third...was cake!
I laughed the entire time joked with everyone and felt nada!
Ii just felt like stretch armstrong-you feel tugging but no pain at all...u are not soppose to climb stairs but I did from the first day home with twins..
it will be fine!
trust me!
its more annoying that they bother you every 10 seconds

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

I was scared to death of getting a c section but DD was breech. My doctor said how many times do you get surgery and leave with a gift??? Very true!

In any case, they wheeled me in a bit after 12pm. The epidural was just a pinch. It was really nothing.

They lay you down and you go numb so fast it is incredible. They put a curtain up in front of you so you can;t see anything then DH came in. I remember being terrified. I turned to DH and said tell me when they start. He said "Hon they already did". You feel tugging but there is NO pain.

Right before our DD was born I got sick from the anastesia. They let me see her and kiss her face and hold her for a brief second being wheeled out. She was born at 1:11pm and they would not let me see her again until I stopped getting sick. Unfortunately that was not until about 7pm that night.

Walk around as soon as you can. Yes it will be painful. Don't do what I do..take pain meds. I wanted to be supergirl.

All in all the experience was ok. If I had to get another csection I would still be just as terrified. I do feel like I missed out on not going into labor. I am saddened by the fact that I did not get to bond with my daughter until 6 hours later but in the end it's a happy and healthy baby that counts. Good luck!

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

Message edited 1/22/2009 9:46:10 PM.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

Yeah it hurts....obviously not during, but the day after it is not too fun. If you push yourself and get out of bed you will feel better....I was sore for a while, but only took pain medicine for a day or two....after that it was just motrin. It takes a while to feel 100% back to normal, and you really feel it after you do some strenuous activity - like I remember sweeping and afterwards felt very sore. That being said, I don't think the recovery was THAT bad - I was up and walking around the next day and felt MUCH better after they took the staples out (3 days after c-section)

ETA: for me the worst part was the spinal - that hurt alot for some reason. Afterwards I was VERY nauseous (I think that is common) but didn't get sick. However, the morphine made me VERY ITCHY and that was a PITA.

Message edited 1/22/2009 9:56:35 PM.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

honestly, the c-section itself was not that bad for me and neither was the long term recovery.

Here are the things I did not know about and wish someone would have told me:

1. The gas pains were as horrible a pain as I have ever experienced in my life. My incision felt fine. In fact I had a morphine drip and barely used it and didn't take any pain killers afterwards. But, oh, the gas pains. Horrible.

2. dumb me. I didn't realize there was a catheter involved. they put in it before any anesthesia. yuck!

3. I still don't completely feel okay. I get twinges in my scar all the time 9 months pp. not real pain but twinges of discomfort.

4. I am sporting the most lovely pooch of a belly that I just can't seem to get rid of.

but in honesty, the operation took maybe 30 minutes, I was in recovery for maybe an hour and half and after that (other than the gas pains) the healing itself was not too bad. it hurt for a week or 2 to bend down or try to reach, but I was never in excruciating pain.

Good luck!!

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

I honestly didn't think either of my c-sections were bad at all....Yes, I was sore afterwards, mainly when they had me turn to my side or scoot myself up on the bed etc...Also when they press on your belly to check your fundus isnt "fun"....Here I am 2 weeks after, and could run if I had to- Zero discomfort at all...

With my 1st C, gas was my biggest issue- This time around, I took gas pills from day one, and the pain meds around the clock while at the hospital...After I got home I took a total of 3 Vicadins ( and I have a full bottle and a refill sitting in my medicine cabinet) I just really didnt need it...As some PP have said, walk as soon as you can in the hospital, you will bleed
( maybe even a lot, I'm still bleeding now weeks after decently heavyish) I wore the band they gave me when I first started walking but removed it while in the bed because they said it can keep the gas trapped inside...

The actual c-section itself, you just feel some tugging etc...not pain at all...You will do great Keep your eye on the prize !!!

ETA- I was able to see my DS and DD in my room, maybe 1-2 hours after the surgery ( pretty much after I was moved from recovery to my room and they were being bathed during that time anyhow) I used that time with DH to make all of our "calls"

Message edited 1/22/2009 10:14:08 PM.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

You've gotten some great feedback here so I'll just add a few things that I've learned going in for my 2nd that I don't think have been mentioned.

If you feel nauseous on the table, tell the anesthesiologist IMMEDIATELY and he/she can give you meds in your IV that will make it go away very very quickly. It will help you avoid throwing up on the table.

If you feel very itchy afterwards (side effect from anesthesia), tell the recovery nurse right away & ask for Benadryl.

As others mentioned, take all the pain meds they offer you. I had to page the nurses every few hours to remind them that I needed my meds as soon as it was possible. I did NOT want to be the last room to get the meds! It helped a lot.

good luck & congratulations!!!

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

I agree with the gas advice ...

Every 4 hours make sure you ask for the gas pills.
And for the first 24 hours make sure you get the pain meds right away.
I would 'remind' the nurse 30 minutes before each so I could take them ASAP.

Also I drank prune juice 2x per day and took colace also. Made it easier.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

I agree with all the advice these ladies have given. Take the pain meds, take colace because that first bowel movement is excruciating. Peeing for the first time after they take out the catheter burns quite a bit. Walk the hallways.Keep everything you'll need right away on one level at home, you need to take it easy on the stairs. Try not to laugh or sneeze and when you do , please make sure you put pressure on the incision. my family kept making me laugh and it really hurts. keep taking motrin at home for the pain bur also as an anti inflammatory, my swelling went down really quickly and I took motrin every day for a couple weeks.

The first 2 nights, It took me forever to get up out of bed, its hard to sit up to get out. it will take a while to be able to just get out of bed. once home i got stuck in a position in bed and had to wake dh to pull me up...lol

i was surprised how painful the recovery is at first, but within days , you'll feel better and within weeks (which go by soo quickly)you'll be back to normal.

i couldn't believe that at 6 wks PP, i was running at the gym and feeling as if nothing happened.

the scar does remain numb for a while, mine still is if i rub it.

good luck :)

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

It hurt afterwards but get up and walk as soon as possible. I was doing laps around the hospital the second day. By the time I got home, I didn't need to take the pain pills anymore. The worst part for me was the swelling in my feet. my feet were huge after the c-section which just added to the discomfort.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

I had a great experience. During the actual surgery I didn't feel a thing - no tugging, no pulling and no pressure. I didn't even know the baby was out! You're given pain medication which helps a lot and walking around is very important. You have to remember that each person handles pain differently. I have a very high threshold of pain so for me it wasn't a big deal plus you have this new beautiful baby which will distract you.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

Honestly a lot of it is what your pain tolerance is. I have to admit I have a very low threshold for pain and the beginning was REALLY hard but very quickly it got better.

I was in labor for a long 20 something hours before I had the section so I was told that makes it harder in the beginning versus just going in for the csection which is what I will be doing for this baby unless I go into labor before my scheduled date.

The scary - I had an epidural b.c I was trying to go naturally so they just turned it up. I had a reaction to whatever they gave me and ended up nauseated so they had to give me more zofran (I was already taking it for the magnesium b.c I became preeclampsic when I went into labor). The worst part was the shaking. I could not stop shaking the whole time (and for 1-2 hours after the section). They put a large blown up plastic thing on my arms and pumped in hot air and it didn't help.

I was taken right to recovery and they gave me DD to hold. I was afraid to hold her b.c I was shaking so badly.

Most people are encouraged to get up and walk that day or early the next morning. I wasn't allowed to get up and walk until friday morning (I gave birth to DD on Wed night) b.c I had to keep in my magnesium drip for 24 hours.

The first time you lie flat, the first time you try to stand, and the 1st time you walk are honestly the hardest part. You will be in a lot of pain. But the more you move and the more you force yourself to move the better and quicker you will feel like yourself.

For me the worst part was the 1st week and I still was uncomfortable for 1 more week - but the second week was MUCH easier. I did need someone to lift the baby and put her down b.c for me that was very hard.

Restriction wise - my OB says no driving for about 4-6 weeks (Until you can twist at the waist quickly with no pain), no housework for a few weeks b.c he says a lot of patients tear their stitches doing housework, bending and lifting and basically pushing themselves too early.

Despite all of the above honestly I think I made out that a section was going to be harder than it really was. I'm scheduled for a repeat section with this baby and I'm nervous but so many moms say the second one is usually easier than the 1st so I'm counting on that.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

Thank You all, Such great advice and info.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

i was extreamly happy with my experience. i had twins 6/23. i actually had no pain and a very easy recovery.

i was in good shape before i got pg and my dr said that had a lot to do with it. other factors that make a difference is if it is scheduled vs emergency. if you are already goign thru labor and then need to have emergency surgury it is very differnt for your body than having a planned procedure.

the night of my surgury i was sleeping and my monitor went off which woke me up. apparently i was sleeping on my side/ partially on my stomach and was laying onthe monitor wires. the nurse came in and said this dioesnt usually happen b.c peiople usually cant sleep on their sides due to discomfort i didnt have any. i took mainly motrin as often as they reccommended and for 2 days i took some perceset. when i got home i took advil for about a week b.c they reccommended it not b.c i felt pain. i also thouhg maybe this would prevent me from feeling the pain.

in 24 hours i was walking slowly but i was walking. by the time i left the hosipital i was fine.

i had occassional twings of shapr pain but by the time i acknowledged the pain it was gone. it hurt but like i said only for a moment. this happened a few time in the first few weeks if i bent down or moved a certain way.

i asked the same questions before my procedure and wanted to know everyones experience but ultimatly everyons is so differnt and mine was better than i expected.

i actually remember my experience so fondly that i aske dpeople who were withme right after if i am remember ing it differntly. like did i "forget" the pain. they said no i was fine right away. i dont know how common this is but i had a very positive experience.

i felt back to myself 100% after a month. i went to a 1st bdayparty 10 days after having the twins and was fine.

good luck!

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

Did it hurt? Yeah. Was it manageable? Absolutely. All I took was motrin, and as long as I stayed on it every 6 hours I was fine. I was up out of bed a few hours after the surgery and got myself moving around which helped a lot too. I was expecting much worse.

How long until I felt normal? I guess a few weeks... you're just sore in the area for a while. Once I came home from the hospital I was pretty much back to a normal routine, with less lifting and a little slower!

What is the worst part? For me, the gas pains afterwards. When they cut you open your belly fills with air. I was in more pain from that than the incision itself! I also had a lot of swelling from the IV and my feet were so swollen they hurt. The catheder isn't fun and neither is baring it all to the doctors/nurses but there's no way around that! I didn't even find the spinal to be so bad... and I am a huge wuss!

Anything else to know... the spinal and your hormones will give you the shakes. When I was laying on the table I was trembling! Also, things happen pretty quickly. It was about 8 minutes from the spinal to being born... took longer to staple me up. If there is a mettalic light above your head don't look at it... you can see a reflection from the other end of the table. When they are ready to get the baby out it is very likely a doctor will squish your belly to move him along. While you feel no pain, you do feel pressure and tugging. It's interesting.

I really didn't find the experience to be that bad, and I was petrified! Please feel free to FM if you have any questions!! You'll be fine and it's all worth it in the end!!

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

I had an amazing experience with my c-section. I have read some on here (and my sister told me too) that when you stand up the first time you are in excruitating pain and that was not true for me. Little sore but nothing like I heard. I was up and walking around the floor with my PJs on within 24 hours. My nurse got a little peeved at me when I was putting on PJs for guests the second day. She's like you really should not do that and I go I can't wear a gown when I have guests.

As for the actual c-section part...I was most worried about the needle for the spinal and the thought I would feel paralyzed. The needle was not that bad at all and you can feel your legs and feet still during the surgery. The worst part for me during the surgery was the feeling in my chest that I was not breathing so I just focused on the air coming through my nose. I think that was more panic on my part.

My nurses gave me a bit of advice that the minute I felt discomfort to ask for pain medicine because if you don't it will hurt. The second night I decided to let it go for a bit and wowzer.....the nurse came in and within 5 minutes I was being good. However, buy the 3rd day I was only on Tylenol.

A week later I was up, driving, walking around BRU, but take it easy....I think I overdid it the first week and I would get really sore down there. The next 2-3 weeks it felt like a bad cut more then anything else for me. Also it's a little tough to get up and off your bed and couch the first few weeks.

However, I think everyones experience is different. Their were woman walking around the halls in a lot of pain and then there were others like me. So it depends.

Good Luck!!

ETA - Just a few things that I read on here that I did not have: I didn't shake during the spinal (but I did when I had other anesthesia for another surgery I had), my first fart , poop and pee was easy for me and I felt NO tugging and pressure during the surgery. I did feel the babies coming out of my belly (weird!) but none of what I have heard others felt.

Message edited 1/23/2009 9:48:09 AM.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

It is uncomfortable the first couple of days. I was able to walk, slowly, the day after and started to slowly pick up the pace. BY the time I was home, I felt so much better and was walking around no problem. I had no idea I was going to bleed so much afterwards. That was a very uncomfortable part b/c the first couple of days you are pretty much immobile and the nurses had to come and clean you - blah! I also BF and it was hard to comfortably hold my DS with the incision. You have to wear really loose pants. Two weeks after I had the c-section i put pants on that were a little too tight and my incision really hurt. I had a really easy time of it, but my BF had a really hard time getting over her c-section. She said it took her about 2months to feel better. Also, I threw up a couple of times right before and during the c-section and had the major, major shakes after the c-section because of the medication. I was not expecting to have such bad shakes.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

I will be honest with you..

everyone's pain threshold is different..and some recover more quickly than others..that being said..

I've had two c-sections...

1st in 1994- I couldn't get out of the bed for 3 days...LOL..it was very painful..I felt a lot of pressure during the c-section (felt like pain to me..)
and the epidural hurt a lot...the catheter hurt too...

2nd in 2008- I got out of bed the next day...it wasn't painful at all..as a matter of fact I didn't feel any pain until later the next day...just discomfort..I didn't feel anything during the c-section...and instead of an epidural..I had a spinal block...and it didn't hurt at all...the catheter this time was just uncomfortable...but not painful..

Just keep a positive outlook...always take your meds...Meds are your friends..LOL...and please try to get out of the bed as soon as possible to walk around..it really does help..and one more thing...drink the tea...I did and it helped a lot with my gas...LOL..

everything will be fine...and soon you will be seeing your dc..

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

I am had a great experience with my c-section. I was out of bed the next morning and walking around. I would take painkillers every few hours and in between them I took tyneol. Once I got home I did not need the painkillers but once in awhile I would take tyneol. I am hoping with my second (which is in 8 weeks) I can recover as great as I did with the first.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

Honestly, I have nothing negative to say about my c/s experience. I was actually surprised how easy and uneventful it was. It hurts but it wasn't terrible. I went home from the hospital less than 48 hours afterwards, I felt so good. The worst part, for me, was the night of the c/s when the epi was wearing off and I was feeling the contractions from the Pitocin. I used the pain pump once, but I hated the "cool breeze" feeling in my back SO I never used it again. I never had to take anything more than Motrin after that (I EBF and that was all I could take) Oh and getting out of bed is annoying. I recommend walking around as much as you can as soon as they let you. The more walking, the better you feel and the faster you heal. Im an anxious mess and Im afraid of everything and I still can't believe how well I did.

ETA: GAS!!! OMG that was the worst part, I forgot about the gas. I suggest when you have to just let it out and during or right after the surgery you might get the shakes. I did but it was kind of cool.

Message edited 1/23/2009 11:19:40 AM.

Re: C-Section Moms, I need the good, the bad and the ugly...

Posted by JennZ

I am having one on Saturday morning and I would like HONEST opinions. Did it hurt, how long until you felt "normal", what is the worst part? Anything you want ot share would be groovy. I want to be as prepared as possible. Im sure it varies person to person, but I'll take what I can get. TIA.

Posted by JennZ

I am having one on Saturday morning and I would like HONEST opinions. Did it hurt, how long until you felt "normal", what is the worst part? Anything you want ot share would be groovy. I want to be as prepared as possible. Im sure it varies person to person, but I'll take what I can get. TIA.

Message edited 1/23/2009 12:12:59 PM.