For the ladies who had a c-section....
 

I know someone who had a baby about 10 months ago by c-section....now she's going to have another one on Thursday ( yes, that's right, a 10 month old and now a new born :eek: ) I have never had a c-section nor do I know anyone who has...

But when she had the first one she was 90% bed ridden for a solid 2 weeks and in extreme pain...the next 2 weeks she could get around some what but it was as if she had been in a car accident, very slow and still very uncomfortable....

She's so afraid it's going to happen again this time....I told her that maybe the first time was unusual and it wont be as bad this time....So my ? is, are c-sections that debilitating and she's most likely going to have a repeat like the last time?

Everyone has a different tolerance to pain - so maybe hers is very low. I believe it also depends on whether or not it was an emergency. With emergency C-sections, the internal cut is usually vertical.

With my C-section 24 years ago, I was up and out of bed within 12 hours. I was not bed ridden at all and although there were some movements that were not pleasant for a while (bending over), it wasn't bad.

Thanks Jody, that sounds reassuring...yes the first one was unplanned...

I just hope the last one was unusual in severity and this one is easier but I have no experience with this to advise her on it so if anyone has any tips to help in her recovery it would be helpful...

I had a c-section 25 years ago and I am petite and had twins. I was up and about in 1 day and was able to get around well enough to care for my twins without much pain at all and I consider myself to have a low pain tolerance. I hope your friend has a much better experience this time around.

Wow...congratulations on the twins!!...Now if you could do that with twins she should be ok this time around...I'm going to tell her this later today to help ease her fears....

Speedy recovery.
 

I have never had a c-section both mine were standard delivery. I did have an emergency hysterectomy last November...I was walking around 6 hours later. I think Jodie is right, it depends on her pain tolerance. No it's not easy AT ALL, but you have force your self to feel better and think positive. Tell her good luck and hope all goes perfect for her!

My SIL had a c-section two years ago, and it was planned. My niece was 11lbs at birth, so there was no way she was going to have natural birth. She was in the hospital for a few days for recovery, but she was fine after a week with tylenol and taking it easy. After that she did take some laxatives and stool softener. The c-section did leave her stomach floppy disfigured for a while, but then it went back to normal. I think women have more issues when its an emergency c-section rather than planned, since they are in a hurry moving all your organs to get to the baby.

I had an emergency c-section 4 years ago and was like your friend. I was in so much pain and couldn't move for a couple of weeks.

A little over a year ago I had a hysterectomy. They cut through my c-section scar (only made it bigger - they had to cut from hip to hip :eek: ). I had no problems this time. I was feeling fine the very next day.

I know the hyster isn't quite the same has having another c-section, but it is kind of similar.

both of mine were horrible. the last time, they had to give me a hysterectomy b/c they could not stop my bleeding. i lost half of my blood supply. so no more for me. it took me 12 weeks to feel back to normal w each of mine

Well, from the responses so far it sounds like her first one was not typical, but not unusual, I hope she's up and around soon , she will have two in diapers :eek:

That sounds like it was a close call....your family is lucky you where in good hands...at the hospital and from above....

Wow!...she had a 3 month old baby!....This brought back a memory, my second baby was 8.8lbs, and for some reason he looked very large, I was discharged from the hospital
within 23 hr. of delivery. On the way home from the hospital I stopped at the grocery store and the cashier asked how old was the baby ( I briefly considered lying), I told her 24 hrs. and she looked wide eyed at me and said "Oh" , I was so embarrassed...he looked like he was a couple of months old...he was also the biggest in the nursery ...

Oh no! I was hoping c-sections were easier. I didn't have a c-section with my son and I had no actual complaints about the actual delivery. It was easy. About 1 and a half hrs later, that's another story. :eek: That is what made me want a c-section for the next. I dunno now....

IDK i heard they are dangerous from some ppl and that they are not painful at all for others. I am hoping that you a)don't feel a thing,b) that there's no scarring and c)that it's safe cause i def. plan to have c-sections when i have kids. I'm scared to have natural!:eek: BTW is she having a boy this time cause I saw on the news that like 90% of babies born right after another is born a male.

I had a C section 16 years ago and it wasnt so bad... My first was born naturally 21 years ago and I was up and around in about the same amount of time. There are a few things that are harder with a section but honestly, it was easier the second time around... I was up in a few hours. Dont get me wrong, there is pain, but not any that isnt worth every second.
Good Luck to your friend.
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It's my DD who's preg. I'm out of the baby making business, Wooo - Hooo!!...It's so much nicer to hand them back and they go home....

It's another girl....YES!!....She wanted to go back to a natural delivery but she called four doctors and they all said they wouldn't do it....

Don't worry, from what I hear once you have your epidural it's a piece of cake...

You where up and around also...., good to hear.....I just had a feeling her difficulties may have been in the minority, I hope it's better for her this time...but I do wonder why it was so bad for her....

I had an epidural with my son at it was a breeze!!! The shot nor the delivery hurt. I vomited once after I had the shot but I can handle that. :) The only thing I didn't like about it was afterwards I don't remember much cause I was kinda out of it. In pics my eyes are like half open and I don't remember half of the people coming to visit. I see pics and I'm like when was that taken? It was worth it though. I remember all of the delivery part. :)

I had 2 c-sections and a hysterectomy. First C-Section- I had b/g twins and they were feet first. Second C-Section-daughter was over 9 lbs and they said she was too big w/ a prev C-section scar already. Which was fine by me. Both C-Sections were a piece of Cake. I swore by them. No labor on the 2nd one. That was great. Was up and walking once I was out of recovery.

All three surgeries were on the same scar line. So that was cool. ALthough, my scar was from the belly button down.:rolleyes: Hysterectectomy was due to Cervical cancer.

BTW Epidurals are Great....I was able to be awake for both deliveries.

I hope hers goes as smooth as both of yours did....she's had v-deliveries and C-deliveries and much preferred the v-delivery....

I had a c-section with both my boys aged 13 and 4. I did think the second one was easier but I wasn't bedridden for two weeks for either one. Of course, I was sore but once out of the hospital, I wasn't even on pain meds and the day I got out of the hospital with my second, I went directly to a school meeting about my oldest but I was tired by the time I went home. Hope all goes well for you friend.

She must have had the vertical cut (Emegency section) the first time because they will not let you deliver vaginally (V-back) due to a high risk of uterine rupture. Hopefully, this planned section will go more smoothly for her.

My 2nd delivery was a V-back; 27 1/2 LONG hours of labor and a 9 lb Thanksgiving butterball daughter!!!!!!!!

Forgot to add that they will tell her she can lift only the new baby for at least two weeks, so she will need help with her other still baby. Usually there is no driving or stair climbing for 1-2 weeks either. Vacuuming and cleaning the tub are no-no's for at least 4 weeks. Other than that, try not to overdo anything or she will feel it later. If the new baby naps when the other one naps, she should too!!!!!!!!

LOL...We women tend to tell our labor stories like men tell their war stories.....

Well, you don't get the Purple Heart unless it was done epidural free.. :D

i had a emergency c-section 2 /12 years ago and was soo glad that i didnt have to do any manual labor, that scares the crap out of me:D and i will be having another c-section, planned, in decemeber and i cant wait. i think if you make yourself get up like the nurses say it doesnt hurt so bad but if you are more lethergic then everything tightens and makes it rougher on you to heal. i had jayson by c-section at 6:30pm, by 2 am, they helped me get of the bed, and rolled to the nicu to hold and see my baby. i was home on 4 days later (xmas day) and washed dishes (shouldnt have) but i cant stand a mess, and never really did a lot of resting. hardly any scaring, no pain, maybe it was a little uncomfortable at times but that was it. tell your friend to move around and keep the it from tightening, that way when she moves its more bareable.

good luck!!!

That is what they tell you...but try telling your other baby that you can't pick them up. I had 2 c-sections (9.1 lb & 8.8 lb babies) and I didn't have trouble w/ either one of them. I did start to get a spinal headache from the spinal tap (is that right, I didn't have an epidural, it was the other one they put in your spine??? My memory's gone after having 2 kids!). My nurse had me take tylenol w/ diet coke (for the caffeine) and it took my headache away. I was up and in the shower in less than a day & I went home in 48 hrs. When I had daughter #2 my 1st daughter was only 22 months old and w/in a couple of days I was lifting her in & out of her high chair, her crib, diaper changes, baths, etc. I hate asking for help so I did it all myself...stupid & I would do it differently now, but I did survive. I only took the prescription pain meds for 1 day after I got home w/ my first daughter & I didn't take any after I got home w/ my 2nd daughter. I was in some pain/discomfort, but it wasn't unbearable. I did have some postpartum depression w/ both of mine which makes it hard to force yourself to get up and get going again. My girls are 7 & 5 now and I would be scared silly to have a vaginal birth because c-sections are all I've ever had. My first c-section was unplanned (couldn't get that huge head out!) but my 2nd was planned (they thought she was going to be close to 10 lbs) and I would have pushed for a 3rd c-section if I had decided to have any more babies.

Tell her good luck & try not to worry about it. Take advantage of the time in the hospital to get some rest. Let the nurses pamper her for a little while. I'll pray that this one is much easier for her.

You sound like a real trooper.. LOL....Isn't it funny how at the time we think we have to do everythingby ourselves when we really should have just taken it easier, maybe bi**hed and moaned to milk it for what it was worth.....and not rush to be discharged til they kicked us out of the hospital......Thanks for thinking of her....

COMPLETELY drug-free the entire time!!! A true natural childbirth. Now, do I get that purple heart???