caesarean recovery

[mels71]

Hi there

I know each person is different but I had a beautiful little girl a week ago via c-section and was wondering whether my pain is consistent with a c-section. I know the scar is of course and that is getting better each day provided I remember to take it easy. It's looking good and dh keeps an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get infected. The other pain i'm talking about is in the abdominal area just below my breasts you could say, it comes and goes but also travels around to my back, is this normal? My obs went on leave last week and is away for another week and there is a fill in for him but I don't want to bother them if it's something that is natural. I did mention this pain to him in the hospital and he did say it can be normal. But I was wondering firstly from others who have experienced c-section if it is and how long before it disappeared? I know they said that it takes six weeks but I suppose after a difficult last three months of pregnancy I just want to feel myself again. Maybe knowing that it is normal and there is light at the end of the tunnel will make it easier. The other thing which I know can be related to a number of things is headaches did anyone also suffer from these as for the last two days I have had them. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

[Manxie]

Hi mels71 congratulations on your little girl :D

I had a c-section 7 weeks ago, I had bad pain when I got home (I left hospital day 4). I cant really remember the location of the pain but I stayed on regular endone and panadol for about a week.

Personal Q but are you constipated? Even though I was pooping well afterwards I still was constipated causing a lot of pain, I had basically got really dehydrated during labour and this had made the poops large & hard (sorry for so much detail I'm a nurse just love poo conversations!!) . Apparently wind pain is very common after abdominal surgery and very painful. Dr recommended Parachoc which worked brilliantly.

Are you being followed up by the community midwifes if so mention it to them, otherwise I'd get it checked out by the GP better safe than sorry and its what they are there for.

Hope this helps

[JanetF]

Sending healing vibes your way~~~~~

I'd check it out with the midwives. Headaches are a really common side effects of epidurals and spinals (and all the other common drugs) but panadol is safe to take even while bf. I hope you get some relief soon and a chance to really debrief your birth experience too.
*hugs*

[mels71]

Thanks for the replies and good vibes, and it's ok about the poops conversation lol I'm actually quite good considering. I was constipated prior to my c-section but thankfully that has returned to normal, it's about the only thing I think lol.

Nothing has been said about a midwife coming to see me so i'm assuming that they aren't. I'll give my gp a call I think on Monday if it doesn't subside at all and just see what he thinks. I have been taking panadol on and off depending how bad the pain is sometimes I don't even feel it. Some people have said to me that it's normal since they pull and push all your insides around etc and it could be the abdominal muscles that seperate which just haven't come back together again or something along those lines. If it is that they may mend on their own or I will need physio.

[JanetF]

It's important to remember that women who have c-secs are rehospitalised with complications at about 6 times the rate of women who birth vaginally. So anything that bothers you, get it checked out. You're precious to your baby and family, so any concerns you have ought to be treated as important by your careprovider. *hugs*

[Chickadee]

You might find that providing some artificial support to your abs and back muscles might help. Talk to your chemist or perhaps a midwife. My ob insisted all her cs patients wear an elastic tube bandage around our middles. It gets awfully hot (november/december) but I think it really did help me. I wore mine constantly in hospital and for a few weeks after I got home, and then after that would put it on for another few weeks if I was going out walking or going to be doing a lot of standing, up and down work, etc.

[taiyasmum]

Hi there

I had my little girl by C Section 10 weeks ago. I experienced pain when I returned home until about Week 6 or 7.

I am ok now but still get pain if I overdo it or lift anything heavy. I spoke to my Ob and he said it will take a good 3 months until it heals.

I would check with your GP but I know I took Panadene Forte and it helped ease the pain. I also experienced headaches to the point that I almost had a migraine. This lasted for about 2 weeks on and off.

Just remember you have had major abdominal surgery and it will take some time to recover. My ob also mentioned that the younger you are the faster you will heal. I hope you feel better :o

[Zarbz]

Hi ladies,

I had a C-section in May this year I had very min. pain out on day day3!
If you have any concerns just get in touch with a midwife or ob. You can't b 2 careful!!!!

Hope you're feeling beta very soon!!!!!

in a month you'll forget you ever had a c-section!!!!! :)

[Kat]

Hi there,

I had a c-section last november and had pains around about where you describe...very bad in the back, but I was on so many painkillers I couldn't feel my front.

anyway as it turns out I had severe cholesistatis (gallbladder infection due to stones) and obstructive jaundice (not that you could see it) due to a blocked gallstone. That required my re-hospitalisation and treatment or I possibly would have died.

However at one point when I complained my ob said it was 'breastfeeding pains' due to bad posture, so I guess that is also a possibility for pain in that area!

I'd be getting it checked out ASAP - I found that drs and midwives were way too easy going about telling me that the pain was ok coz "after all you've had such a big time, with labour and csection..yeah whatever.

Kat

[Kaileysmum]

Hi there

If I was you Id get that checked out. My Step Mother had a baby last year and she had a c/s and after she had pain just bellow her ribs and the Dr's told her it was just normal pain, so she didnt worry about it. In the end a few weeks later she started bleeding heavily and went t emergency and they found that some of the placenta was left inside her. I don't want to worry you but If you are worried about it get it checked out, and make sure they check you out properly not just say "aw thats normal". Sometimes I think Dr's can't be bothered!!!!

[Angel_baby_1982]

Hi

I'm sorry i can't be much help, after my c/s 12 weeks ago all i needed was a panadol first thing in the morning, and even that was only for 3 days after the operation.

I had the c/s at 12:43 friday avo and was up having a shower and walking around Saturday morning with only mild ternderness around the operation site.

Then again my surgeon said I healed remarkably quickly and couldn't believe it when he saw my meds chart! Only panadol! The other 3 women that had c/s the day I did were unable to get out of bed and having loads of morphine when I was discharged (Monday morning). Guess I was lucky or something.

[Kat]

Hi there

make sure they check you out properly not just say "aw thats normal". Sometimes I think Dr's can't be bothered!!!!

Unfortunately I've found this is absolutely the case!!!!

I asked every single day I was in hospital (8 days) why am I on so many painkillers, why does it hurt so much when I cut back, the day after I left hospital I went to my GP, the next day was Sunday, then I went back to either GP or ob Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs before someone actually started to take it deadly seriously.

I kept going back because I didn't want to be on the painkillers but the pain was worse than labour pains whenever I tried to stop the medication!

Kat

[Chickadee]

I kept going back because I didn't want to be on the painkillers but the pain was worse than labour pains whenever I tried to stop the medication!
I actually was initially given both painkillers and anti-inflammatories in hospital. After the first 3 or 4 days I found just the anti-inflammatories were enough to keep pain and discomfort under control. Obviously everyone's pain and pain threshold may be different, but if you really are concerned about the number of pain killers you might try talking to your dr about anti-inflam and see if that helps.

[Anna&JacksMum]

I had a c-section last year, and was in quite a lot of pain for about 3 weeks. I kept quiet about it, thinking it was normal. Then my scar/wound got infected so I went back to the OB. He noticed how much pain I was in getting off the couch, and asked how I was doing. When I told him I was still in pain, he was genuinely concerned. He prescribed panadene forte and told me to take the pain medication for as long as I was in pain. He told me this allowed my body the time to heal. It was great advice as I felt 100% within a week.

Listen to your body and your instincts, if something doesn't feel right, go back to the doctor - that's why they are there!

Also don't compare your recovery to anyone else. Everyone is different, and it depends on whether you had a tough pregnancy, whether you were in labour before your c-section and a raft of other things.

It does get better - after all we often choose to do it all again!

[Hopeful]

Hi there,

I had a Caesarean when I had my son 4 years ago. Although it wasn't something I wanted to do, I had no choice because he was a breech baby. But I did also fee quite a lot of pain for a while after. Even though it is quite a general and common procedure, it is quite a big one. Remember your abdomen is cut open and stretched in any which way..... I also suffered from pains very similar to what you are having and realised that those pains were in relation to wind. Once I started getting it out, I felt much better. So cheer up, what you are feeling is I would say pretty common!
:o

[ThomasMum]

Hey there, I had my C-sec about 8 months ago. I might not be able to help you much, because to be honest I cant remember the pain lol. I left hospital day 2 based on my health and I my fantastic recovery after the operation.

Little tips: take it easy rest as much as you can, always support your abdomen, try not to have too many visitors, drink fluid as much as possible, dont drive if u can avoid it, just remember during the recovery tightness and slight pain around the abdomen is very common, no need to panic :)

Oh and pls, dont lift anything heavy (or anything at all really), oh I remember for me this was the time where I can boss my DH around (I still do) :D

Happy recovering!

[Goddess_Mamma]

I had my caesarean nearly 10 weeks ago, planned for a breech that refused to turn and a cord presentation ( cord was down near by cervix near his little feet!).
I had a fair bit of abdominal pain which I managed with panadine forte and drugs of that calibre until I was fine on regular panadol.

Any pain that I felt was located low, around the incision area. What you are describing could definatley be wind pain, which as everyone has told you, is a common 'complication' experienced by post caesarean women. Of course, as you have already said you will, you should get it checked out. I have forgotten how much time has passed since your c-section, but I think that wind pain should resolve itself within at the most a week after the operation. As stated, your muscles have been moved around a lot - both with the surgery and pregnancy strain itself - and a section is MAJOR abdominal surgery.

Yeah, so I agree with you and everyone else that you should get it checked out. If it doesnt feel right to you then something needs to be done about it. I hope that it all goes well and that the pain stops so you can get on with being healthy! :p

[Tisme]

The pain COULD be caused by wind. I had terrible pains after having mylittle girl, to the point where I was convinced I was having a heart attack. My mother (being as insensitive as she is (HEHEHE) and having 3 c-sect herself) gave me a dose of Gaviscon, I farted, heart attack stopped. I still laugh about it .... I had all but called the ambulance.

I don't know how it works elsewhere but for both my children I HAD to see a mid wife a week after my babies birth to ensure that bubs was still gaining weight and to do further physical exams. She came to me on both occasions as Ciaran didn't put on weight and Alana was c-sect so I got home visits for the 6 weeks for both.

[pumpkin]

I have had 3 caesareans, first was due to pre eclampsia which i spent 5 days in hospital as bub waas 5 weeks premmie. 2nd was due to them inducing me and failure to progress, which i went home on the 2nd morning. and 3rd was because i had had previous ones and i had a risk of rupturing my old scars if i tried natural, which i went home 1.5 days after having it done. As for pain it is major surgery so you will get discomfort for a week or so but mine went away after 2 weeks and i was doing all the things youre not supposed to be doing until 6 weeks at 2 weeks. The sooner you get up from having it done E.G after having mine i was out of bed within 5 to 6 hours of having it done, I found that it helps to get mobile ASAP so that you are stretching the scar and its not geting used to the one position to cause ongoing pain for weeks. but hey thats my experiences and with the next bub I will get up early after having it done too.

[Terrible2+1cutie]

I have had 2 csections, my first was 2 years ago , it was a emergency csection. I recovered quite well after that and was walking to the shops and all over the place within days of being out of the hospital, i did however have pains where you described them and was told that it was bruising because of the fact that my baby was so big they had to push heaps to get him out. My second csection was 11 months ago and i recovered really slow after that one, i had 2 csections 15 months apart, i was really good in the hospital though very minimal pain, i was pushing myself to get out of bed every day because my son was in the special needs unit and i had to get down there and see him. When i got home i was in soooo much pain i couldn't sleep in my bed for a few days and ended up sleeping on the couch my doctor said that if i didn't get any better to go back and see him but i got better after a few days but i found panadol helped heaps.

Catherine