How many of you had a C-section?

Hello ladies my name is Lisa, and I just found out this week that I'm expecting twins. This is my 5th pregnancy! I've got 4 children, and when the twins arrive, 3 will be under the age of 3! Yikes!!

Well, my question is, did you end up with a c-section, and if so was it a positive experience, or was it totally miserable? I know my chances of having a c-section are quite high. I've never had a C-section before and am really afraid of having one. I wonder how much harder it is to have a c-section, both the surgery and recovery vs an easy vaginal birth? All my labors have been pretty easy. Thanks for your help!

 

I have had 2 c-sections now, and they are no picnic...but someone with both Vaginal and C-sections should comment..since they would have both experiences.

 

I had a scheduled c-section at 37 weeks 5 days. It was a very postitive experience for me. The pain after was not that bad, and I recovered quickly. For me it was the only choice as my baby B was not head down and my OB would not agree to a vaginal delivery because of that. Also, I am a person who doesn't like surprises, so I was a happy to do the c-section. I knew what day I would have the babies, approximately how long it would take, etc., etc. I was terrified of going into labor and not knowing how long it would take.

All that said, the twins are my only children so I have never had a vaginal birth. I can't compare the two, but would have a c-section again if I had another child.

 

I had a vaginal birth with my son- wasn't the best going through it- I lost some blood, and my BP dropped and the epidural wore off before the doc decided he need to reach up in there to be sure I wasn't retaining placenta- but a day or two later I forgot all about it and thought it wasn't bad.
I had a c-section with the twins- they were both transverse- and I hated it while going through it. They could not get my spinal in and after 3 attempts went with the epidural which took forever to get numb enough- then they had some trouble getting them out, then forever to get me to quit bleeding. I had a ton of fluid and both girls ended up in the nursery for a bit on oxygen because of getting fluid in their lungs- then I ended up losing enough blood that I had to get 4 units! (I kind of suspected this since it happened with my son- and my platlets were a bit low). The first two days were hard, very sore- thanks to them having to push on me so much to get the girls out- BUT again- a few days later I forgot all about it. I went home on the 4 th day ( had them on Thurs, went home Sun) and was moving around without a problem. I felt pretty normal 2 weeks or so after- my incision was healed, and I could move. I don't really have any effects left from it now- 4 weeks out- other than back pain, but I think that is par for the course after carrying over 12 lbs of baby!!!!

 

I was scheduled for a c-section on Sept. 26 but my water broke on Sept. 10th at 3:10am (at 36 weeks) – by the time I finished packing, got a shower and headed to the hospital, it was about 4:00am. On the way, my contractions started and by the time we got there, they were 3 minutes apart. We checked in, had monitors put on the boys, I was then prepped and wheeled to the operating room, given the epidural and @ 6:55 we had babies. Fours hours isn’t bad for a start to finish time frame

My biggest suggestion is that you follow all of the directions of the nurses – I was soooo hungry by that evening that I had to have something to eat. They suggested that I wait until I had my first BM before I ate anything, (and I did have a small one but not enough), to alleviate the gas pocket that sometimes forms after eating. I’ve never felt such pain in my life as when the gas got stuck in my “belly” and I couldn’t get rid of it. The pain was much worse than the contractions just hours before. We tried everything to get rid of the gas, but finally after 2 days, I passed it and everything was good after that.

Also, it seems that there is someone (nurses, dr’s, nutritional consultants, picture takers, etc.) in and out of your room every 20 to 30 minutes – we finally had to request a “do not disturb” sign be put on the door.

My biggest compliant was I had to request my pain meds, even though I was supposed to be on a schedule, they sometimes would forget about it and I’d have to wake up in pain to call them. By the time they got there with the pills, I was in bad shape. Make sure they keep up with all your meds!!!

Good luck with your pregnancy, it’s a wild ride!!!

Take care,
Angela

 

I,too, was afraid of the C/S. Honestly, the surgery itsself was a breeze! The thing that hurt the worst was the IV insertion. The spinal was OK ... she hit a nerve so I had a funny feeling down my back but it wasn't really pain, just felt odd. My husband is an anesthesiologist and says this is fairly common. I was terrified and cried like a chicken the whole time ...

I had a C/S b/c I had severe pre-eclampsia. Also, Twin B was transverse and my OB rec C/S if both twins were not head-down ... Twin A was head down and ready to go for months =) To this day, she is my easier baby!

The recovery was not as bad as I thought it would be ... but not great. It took about 2 weeks before things were easier and about 6 weeks before I pretty much felt like my old self. I had one home and one in the NICU though ... so I was doing things I wasn't supposed to like ... not resting at all ... trekking to and fromt he hospital 4 times a day ... and calling in the middle of the night to check on her ... and pumping for 20 mins every 2 hours after my first ate ... so, that may have slowed my recovery down ... or all the activity may have helped ... who knows!? I went for a run 8 weeks after and felt pretty good. I'll tell you though, GET an abdominal binder from your nurses. My OB told me to get one so I asked ... they didn't just offer it to me. It is a big stretchy thing that goes around your middle ... like from below your boobs to an inch or so below your scar. It made all the difference for me. Also, see if they will give you colace the day or so after your surgery ... I swear, taking my first poop felt like I was birthing a triplet! It took me like 30 minutes to get it out. Sorry if that is TMI.

The thing that was good about C/S, for me, was that these were my first and I wanted to BF really bad and having the extra days in the hospital for the nurses and lactation consultants to help me BF ... and other baby care ... it was helpful. Anyway, good luck to you. I have also had friends with perfectly uneventful vaginal twins. That being said, I have a friend who had the vaginal then C/S ... so ... choosing which way you go is a gamble.

 

vaginal for me!

 

DS1: ER c/s after 24-hr trial of labor (age 23). This was the toughest recovery because I was so exhausted by the time I got the surgery. They used bigger needles then and I did get a spinal headache and need a blood patch (which worked like a dream).

DS2: Induced VBAC (age 26). This was the easiest recovery, although I did have to have a 3rd-degree episiotomy (15-inch head), which caused me some problems.

DDs: scheduled c/s (age 34). It was too dangerous to induce because of my previous c/s and I do not go into labor well on my own at all. Much easier recovery than the c/s after a trial of labor. Really, I had more problems because of the sleep deprivation from 2 babies than from the surgery. I am allergic to narcotics and took only ibuprofen for the pain after the duramorph shot they gave me before the surgery wore off (supposed to last 24 hrs). My biggest problem was that I was extremely nauseated because of the morphine in that shot and couldn't eat a thing until it wore off. If painkillers don't bother you, this won't be a problem for you.

If your twins are both vertex I would go ahead and try for vaginal since you have had successful births already. I am good at carrying them, but not so great at getting them out. A vaginal birth is the easiest, quickest recovery, but if you have to have a c/s, it's a lot easier to recover from a scheduled c/s than from one after a trial of labor. HTH!

 

I had my first 3 babies vaginally but Sean was an emergency c/s. It was a difficult recovery but part of that was due to the fact that it was an emergency c/s and not scheduled. I recovered in about 3-4 weeks after my vaginal births (felt normal or close to normal) but it took 2-3 months before my incision didn't bother me constantly.

I don't think you should be too worried or scared about getting a c/s. The recovery is rougher because it's a major surgery but it's not too bad as long as you take your meds on time and keep the area dry. (A washcloth folded into a triangle and held against your incision with some granny panties will do the trick!)

 

I think one of these forums has a thread with a link for stats on how many TS mommies wind up with c/s, vaginal or double whammy... I think it's around 50% of twin moms wind up with a c/s. I had a c/s...planned due to their positions. I've had vaginal delivery with epidural and now a vbac all natural. Honestly there are things about all of my birth stories that weren't fun. My c/s wasn't ideal...but it wasn't as bad as I expected either. The recovery took longer than my recent vbac....well, a lot longer.... but not much longer than my first vaginal birth where I wound up with a 3rd degree tear. So it's all relative I guess. The one good thing about a planned c/s is that it does enable you to plan a little bit better for your other kids...to get help in at the right time...to have all the meals ready to go...to have your dh taking off on the right days. And another huge benefit to c/s was no labor pains.. I tried to focus on the positives once I knew for sure that I would have a c/s.

 

I had a c-section at 38 weeks. It was not as bad as I thought but it does take time to recover from it. If you have one, make sure you have some help for sometime afterwards because your mobility will be limited.

 

I'm 2 weeks post c-section right now. And in my opinion the recovery is easy compared to the actual surgery.
Just a forewarning if you do have a c-section- YOU WILL FEEL PAIN/PRESSURE/DISCOMFORT. I assumed I would be numb. Not so true.
I couldn't speak my entire c-section and had my eyes and mouth shut for the most part. I didn't even ask about my babies till they were sewing me up. And I have a high threshold for pain.
The worst was at the end when they didn't tell me they were giving me pitocin to induce contractions and I felt like I was in labor. My shoulders cramped, my back cramped, my whole stomach cramped. So they gave me a lot of morphine which then made me throw up all over the place.

So the actual surgery was horribly nerve wrecking and the most scared I have ever been in my entire life.

Recovery on the other hand- not so bad. As long as you have good pain management with the medication. My babies were born at 9:46PM on Friday night and I was walking at 9:45AM Saturday morning. Not walking far but I got up out of bed went to the bathroom- peed.
I guess with the recovery you know what to expect cause its the same dull pain the entire time (which is a lot more manageable to me that sharp uncertain pain)_

 

QUOTE(Chase&Parker @ Jan 11 2008, 04:39 PM) [snapback]568053[/snapback]
My biggest compliant was I had to request my pain meds, even though I was supposed to be on a schedule, they sometimes would forget about it and I’d have to wake up in pain to call them. By the time they got there with the pills, I was in bad shape. Make sure they keep up with all your meds!!!

Take care,
Angela




I agree with Angela! I had a scheduled c-section, and had no problems. I knew I could only get meds every 3 hours or so, so I would request some as soon as I knew they were allowed to give it to me. I didn't want to wait until I was in pain... if you keep up on the meds you can stay ahead of the pain.
Also, I had great advice from one of my nurses. If you have a c-section, when you first walk, resist the temptation to curl over and hold your stomach. Things will go much easier if you breathe and hold yourself up tall. It makes a world of difference!
Good luck!
Helen

 

Oh I also don't have any help and I take care of the twins all by myself. So it is possible after a c-section. You just can't lift more than the baby. (I do have help when I go to DR's appointments though). But I don't leave other than that.
2 weeks- and I can now drive but I can't lift them in their carseats. So I wont be going anywhere quite yet!! haha

 

Scheduled c-section at 38 weeks with my kids. DD was head down and low and DS was transverse and my doctor wouldn't attempt a breech delivery if DS didn't flip head down. I didn't want to try vaginally for one and then have a c-section for the other, so I opted for the c-section. Like a pp said, I like to know what is going to happen and having a scheduled one worked great for me. I went to the hospital at 6 a.m and for an 8 a.m. surgery and the kids were born at 8:20 and 8:21. I had some issue with anesthic (apparently I have a high tolerance for it and they had to use a lot) but other than that, mine was a good experience (as good as major surgery can be). I recovered quickly. Take your pain meds on schedule for the 1st week or so because you will need them. This might be TMI, but if you have a c-section, don't hold your gas in. Fart if you need to and don't care who is in the room. I realize it is a normal body function but when you have 5 people in your hopsital room, do you really want to let one rip? Well I didn't and that night (2nd night after surgery) was the most pain that I had. Once the nurse told me to fart, worlds of difference. Again, sorry if that grosses anyone out, but it was a lesson learned.

Good luck with your pregnancy.

 

I know exactly how you feel. I had three singletons and my labors were relatively easy. They were so uneventful that I chose to have my third baby at home with a midwife (and loved it!) When I found out I was pregnant with twins my biggest fear was a section. I mean recovery from vaginal births were not that bad, and I could not imagine that a section could be that easy, after all it is major surgery.

When I went into labor at 24 weeks baby A was transverse and the only way I could safely deliver was via c-section. It really was not bad at all. I was awake for it all, having a spinal, so once the babies were born I was able to see them before they went to the NICU. The only thing I felt was the tugging of them stitching up my uterus. Since I was only 24 weeks they had to do a vertical cut, so there was pulling as they stitched up the vertical incision on my uterus through the bikini cut on my abdomen. I was up and walking about 8 hours afterwards. When I compare the differences between a vaginal birth and a c-section, I don’t think the recovery was much different. I was slow to move for the first week or so, but that was it. I have been told that if I get pregnant again I will have to have a c-section because the cut I had, but I am not afraid now.

The circumstances of the twins' birth was emotionally very difficult, but to be honest it was the easiest of all my births physically.

Good luck, and let’s hope for no c-section, but it you need one don’t stress about it.

 

I had a c-section at 36 weeks. Both babies were head down and I could have opted for natural but my DR had a lot of experience delivering twins and said that a c-section was the safest bet for delivery so we went with that, especially since I was not progressing on my own with natural. I question that decision now after what I went thourgh what I did and after talking to other ladies that had that DR. It seems that that DR does c-sections just to be done and over with the delivery as fast as possible. Anyway, the procedure itself (spinal, delivery,etc) wasn't that bad. It was all the blood loss that I experienced that was bad. Apparently my uterus did not contract back after delivery so I experienced a ton of blood loss and my blood pressure dropped to 60/40. I was in recovery for 6 hours and almost had to have a blood transfusion. Ended up not having one, thank goodness. I also had a bad reation to the antestisia. My actual recovery from the incision was not terrible....to be expected. It was painful for a week or so and now at 8 weeks it is still tender. What was really hard for me was being weak from all the blood loss. I was weak and not myself for about three weeks after.
My DR claims that the c-section was for the best and if he would have tried for natural most likely I would have ended up with an emergency c-section anyway and probably a hyserectomy.....but who knows...

 

I had a C-Section and to be honest it wasn't that bad. Compared to what I had gone through earlier in my pregnancy, it was quite easy for me. I have never delivered vaginally so I don't have that to compare it to. But what made it easier for me, I think, was the fact that I got to recover while the twins were in the hospital and when they came home and was able to take care of them. I don't remember how many days it was exactly after the birth that it got easier, but it did. The only thing I remember being hard, was that it was hard to sit for long periods of time, so when I was with the babies in the NICU, I felt bad because I couldn't hold them very long, it hurt me too much.

This next baby is going to be a different story. Cross my fingers, that it will be full term and can come home with me, so I think this C-Section will be harder. I will have two 17 month olds and a new born. But with a lot of help, I think we can manage.

Good luck with your pregnancy. It sounds like you will have a lot of little helpers around!

 

I had a c-section at 36 weeks. I was on a terb pump and when we turned it off I went into labor. It wasn't an emergency section, but it came close. Baby A was breech, B was transverse. I actually requested a c-section from the very beginning. I had no desire to push these two out on my own.

I was terrified of the spinal, but it went fine. The surgery went well, I didn't feel a thing. I don't even remember any tugging or pressure.

I had a problem in recovery with bleeding. They gave me a shot to stop it which increased my bp so I ended up on mag. That made me dopey and sick. I didn't even get to see my girls until 8 hours after they were born because of the mag. But post-delivery bleeding can happen any way you deliver.

I had them on Wednesday, was home Saturday. I felt fantastic to be home! Then Sunday at midnight my incision opened (this is NOT a common thing). It took almost 8 weeks for it to completely heal from the inside out. Even with the open wound, I didn't take the prescription painkillers for more than 2-3 weeks because I just didn't need them.

I do recommend a post-partum support band (Motherhood or BRU has them). It helped keep everything in, shrunk my uterus and I was back in my pre-preggo clothes one week after delivery.

 

I didnt read all the replies but here is my experience....

I have 5 children also, two step DDs three bio DDs counting the twins. I dont feel I ever got an accurate description of a Csection so I am sorry for my brutally honest story LOL . My 1st delivery was vaginal 8lb 8oz baby girl. I tore to a 4... the worst you can tear... all the way through and beyond my rectum. No epidural, tons of stitches and swelling. I would have done it a hundred times over not to have to go through a Csection again. Now I am no baby and my recovery wasnt nearly as bad as some people have described to me. But I hated every minute of not being able to breath or feel my body at all and all the pulling and tugging (although that is just odd, NOT painful). I forgot about it for about 2 min. while the babies were actually being pulled out of me and then I think I paniced a little because after i kissed my babies they knocked me out! :blush: I would have traded those 10 min. of csection for my 21 hours of labor the 1st time. But you might be able to handle the section better than the pain of a vaginal, everyone is different. They used stitches inside and then glued me up on the outside... the ONLY way to go if you ask me, much less chance for infection and my Dr. let me take bath the day I got home, and I really needed that!! The bleeding was much lighter but the pain was much worse.... take your pain meds for as long as possible. I nurse and the pedi wanted me off of them in the hospital but I stayed on for about a week after I got home and weined myself off, recommended by my OB. I couldnt have cared for my kids if I couldnt have taken the meds. Either way it is worth every minute of it of course because you get two beautiful babies out of the deal and I would even go through another Csection if the reward was a healthy baby!!

I hoped this helped and didnt discourage you.

ETA: My babies were born at 35 wks exactally and we were in the hospital for 5 days recovering.

 

I had a c-section. I have nothing to compare it to because it was my 3rd c-section.

 

QUOTE(KJS @ Jan 11 2008, 05:35 PM) [snapback]568162[/snapback]
Scheduled c-section at 38 weeks with my kids. DD was head down and low and DS was transverse and my doctor wouldn't attempt a breech delivery if DS didn't flip head down. I didn't want to try vaginally for one and then have a c-section for the other, so I opted for the c-section. Like a pp said, I like to know what is going to happen and having a scheduled one worked great for me. I went to the hospital at 6 a.m and for an 8 a.m. surgery and the kids were born at 8:20 and 8:21. I had some issue with anesthic (apparently I have a high tolerance for it and they had to use a lot) but other than that, mine was a good experience (as good as major surgery can be). I recovered quickly. Take your pain meds on schedule for the 1st week or so because you will need them. This might be TMI, but if you have a c-section, don't hold your gas in. Fart if you need to and don't care who is in the room. I realize it is a normal body function but when you have 5 people in your hopsital room, do you really want to let one rip? Well I didn't and that night (2nd night after surgery) was the most pain that I had. Once the nurse told me to fart, worlds of difference. Again, sorry if that grosses anyone out, but it was a lesson learned.

Good luck with your pregnancy.



LMBO... sorry I am laughing but I totally get what you are saying. I held it in and ended up having to take gas meds and a suppository to get all that trapped gas out... then I felt WORLDS better!! LOL I completely forgot about that.

 

I also know exactly how your feeling. I had my first 3 vaginally with no epidurals and no problems recovering. When I found out I was having twins my biggest fear was having a c-section because of the recovery and the epidural.

At 34 wks I went into labor and both babies were transverse so I had to have a c-section. I had a spinal which was not bad at all, not any worse than having my IV put in or blood drawn. The things I didn't expect were the uncontrollable shivering I had for the first 24-48 hrs, my feet swelled up like an elephant and didn't completely go away for about 2-3 weeks, and gas & constipation didn't resolve for about a month. Those are all things that I never had with my other deliveries.

All in all though, I don't think it was any more pain to recover from than my previos deliveries, just in different places.

As for the operation, I didn't feel any pain. I felt tugging and pulling, but that's all.

Good Luck, take it easy so you can keep them baking for as long as possible.

 

i had a c/s and it was great! these are my first, so i have nothing to compare it to, but really, my c/s was a great experience! but i have a wonderful doctor, which helps a lot, in my opinion

 

This was my first pregnancy & I had a scheduled c/s at 38 weeks (placenta previa and baby b was transverse).
I expected WAY worse than what it was. I agree w/ a previous poster that the IV insertion was the worst part!!!!!!
If you are right handed you should ask them to do it in your left hand!!
The gas pains that I felt up in my shoulders and back was pretty uncomfortable for a few days when I was still in the hospital, but keeping up on the meds helped so much.
I am still a little slow with some things (getting out of bed etc) at 2 weeks post surgery.
But all in all it was not a bad experience for me ~

 

My first son I had him natural and the twins i had a c-section. I was also really scared because I have never had surgery before. Everything was fine and if I had more kids I would do it again. Don't be afraid. Good luck with your pregnancy.

 

Wow, thanks everyone! I'm really nervous about having a c-section...I hope I don't feel the cutting and that I'll be able to do what I have to do for my kids and the twins. I am such a worry wart!

 

QUOTE(TraciF @ Jan 11 2008, 10:53 AM) [snapback]568078[/snapback]
I,too, was afraid of the C/S. Honestly, the surgery itsself was a breeze! The thing that hurt the worst was the IV insertion. The spinal was OK

Same here!! The IV was the worst!!! In my hand! My doctor was very willing to deliver twins vaginally, but my twin A was breech. SO I was terrified of having a c-section, but it did work out fine. Take your pain meds on schedule. Don't play hero!
During the surgery I did NOT feel a thing!

 

My C section was unexpected, but it went perfectly well! I was up walking around the next day. I am not one of those sit in the bed kind of people. I felt back to normal in about 2 weeks.

 

My oldest DD was a vaginal birth. I was induced and labor from start to finish was 8 hrs which I considered great. Therefore, I was really disappointed when they said I would have to have a c-section with the twins because one was breech. I worried about it for months. All for nothing! It was awesome, even easier than my vaginal birth. I wasn't tired from being in labor all day. I recovered faster - sorry TMI, but it hurt down there for a looong time. Sex was painful for me for about 6 months, but we didn't even wait the 6 weeks after my c-section. You also get to stay in the hospital longer!!!! With 4 kids at home, enjoy any rest you can get! They told me I could go home after 3 days or stay one more. I stayed!!!!! It gave me more time to recover without having to care for other kids plus I had more time to bond with the twins.

I had no complications at all. Only advice I would give is get up walking soon as they will let you. It hurts really bad, but you'll feel a lot better within a day or so. I was climbing up and down stairs by the time I got home from the hospital.

 

Congratulations on babies 5 and 6! I had a c-section with the girls and a vaginal birth with Dax and the c-section was way worse for me. I had a tough recovery from that while I was feeling pretty good with an hour of my vaginal birth. Don't give into a c-section unless you have to. If both babies are healthy and head down (or sometimes if only Baby A is head down) then you can proceed with a vaginal birth. Since you've already had 4 kids you have a high chance of having a successful vaginal delivery of your twins. Definitely be mentally ready for a c-section, but don't assume that it will happen to you.

 

My oldest daughter was vaginal she came too fast to get pain medicine and at the time I swore I was dying and immediately after she was born I was fine. I could walk to my room no pain didn't need so much as a motrin. Based on that with the twins I wanted vaginal again with lots of pain medicine. Plus I was scared for a c-sec because I was the only one taking care of my babies afterward and needed to be mobile etc. Well got my lovely epidural and was pushing Morgan out and Megan flipped wrapped herself up in the cord and boom C-section for me. The ONLY downside was in recovery I got a blood clot and my blood pressure went to 51/30 and it was very serious but I didn't even realize what was going on. Also the next morning I was sick when the pain meds were working out of my system. That said I am so lucky because I've always been easy to recover and maybe it is my high pain tolerance but I was immediately up and moving again. Again not so much as a motrin. The nurses and doctors were pretty surprised but I had things to do so I needed to recover. I didn't wait the recommended time to do anything because I felt fine. Drove myself to the store the day I got out of the hospital. Carried both carseats to the doctor the day after that. (The babies were a total of 7 lbs though) so not too heavy. I could walk the stairs etc. I had one of those elastic support belts and wow what a difference that made. Oh yeah laughing or coughing wasn't so much fun but honestly for what I expected a c sec was a breeze. Most people I talk to say the same but I do have a friend who had a terrible time with it so I guess it depends on the person. Now pregnant again I think I'm all good for another c sec i hope I don't jinx myself saying what a breeze it was and have a bad time this time. My cousin just had a baby and had the same worries but she had a very good experience with the c sec too. I wish you the best with whatever happens.

 

I have had 2 c-sections. The one with the twins was horrible. I was in so much pain, the Tylox pain meds wouldn't touch it. The first 2-3 days were the worse. The surgery itself wasn't bad. They got my spinal in quickly, I didn't even feel it go in, I swear. When they come into push on your belly to make sure your uterus is going down, is the worst pain ever. I grabbed the bed rails and cried. 6 hours after surgery they come in and get you up to walk. It is misery. The worst part is getting out of the bed... it hurts! Try not to cry or breath hard because that make the surgery area really sore. They will ask you if you want to leave in your cathedar (sp?) overnight, say yes. That way you won't have to worry with getting out of bed that night.

My 2nd c-section wasn't too bad. I was still numb during the pushing on my belly, so thank goodness I didn't have to feel it!!

 

I've had both -- vaginal with my first, C-section with my twins. With the vaginal delivery, I was in labor for 24 hours, and then ended up having a forceps delivery because DD wouldn't budge.

Still, that was WORLDS easier than my experience this time around. The prep and surgery itself weren't too bad -- odd sensations, but nothing too bad -- but the recovery was just miserable. I had some complications with high blood pressure and swelling, but aside from that, the pain was just really bad.

I was taking ibuprofen and percoset combined the first few days, but it didn't touch the pain -- so they switched me to morphine. Not really the best idea with breastfeeding, but honestly I was too foggy to even question it at that point.

Anyhow -- it took several months to feel somewhat normal again. But, if you read through this thread, you'll see that some women had no problems at all -- so experiences can really vary!

 

I had a vaginal delivery with my five year old and a c section with my month old twins because one baby was transverse. I ended up with a vertical incision because of the positions of the babies, which I heard is a little more painful to recover from. I was really nervous about having the cesarean, but really it was not that bad. The spinal hurt less than the epidural I was given when I had a vaginal delivery, it was just a little stinging pinch and then it was over before I even realized it. The c section itself went by super fast and it felt like someone gently touching my stomach, there was no real pressure at all. Someone told me that there would be so much pressure that it would feel lilke someone was standing on my abdomen......and that was not the case at all. Maybe because of the spinal, I really don't know. For the first day after surgery I had this morphine button that I could press anytime I needed to. I really was not in pain at all that day. The next day, my abdomen was sore, but getting out of bed for the first time was the worst of it. I was still getting some kind of pain medicatin through my IV every 6 hours or so at that point, I wasn't in any kind of excruciating pain or anything. We went home the third day, I did have a prescription for percocet and I took one the night I got home and one the next day too.....after that I really didn't need them. To be honest with you, the episiotomy that I was given during my vaginal birth was MUCH worst and for a lot longer too. One thing I didn't realize was that a lot of the pain I did feel the following day was not from gas. My doctor told me to get up and walk the halls, and after I did that I felt ALOT better. I think making yourself get up and get moving really does help.

Overall I would say that recovering from my cesarean was a lot easier than from my vaginal birth. Two weeks after my c section I felt totally fine, two weeks after my episiotomy I couldn't even sit comfortably.