@ocdandme My experience was similar. Unplanned c section, was up and walking just around the 24h mark. First 3 days were the hardest, and after that steady improvement. I was warned about stairs and super nervous because I live in a backsplit… but it wasn’t bad at all. I avoided carrying baby up and down stairs for the first little while, but it was a lot easier than I thought. I also did everything for baby after the first 3 days. Those first few days hubby did pretty much everything except pass me the baby for feeds and cuddles.
@blessedbythebest88 My husband did literally everything except feeding for the first four days while we were in the hospital. I was able to help a bit more when we got home. Standing up from the couch with my baby was really hard for probably a week or two, then got better. By the second week I could raise my legs to get into our bed—before that I could only sleep on the couch. I would say I was lucky and had a pretty easy time healing.
@blessedbythebest88 I stopped taking my prescribed Motrin every eight hours probably after four weeks and today, at 5+5 postpartum, I haven’t taken it at all in four days. I still feel a little burning in the incision sometimes but generally no bad pain. I would say I felt okay probably by start of week three.
@blessedbythebest88 I’ve had two c sections. My husband only had about one week off of work, so during that week he was super helpful. He would at least get me everything needed to feed, change, etc so I didn’t have to get up so much. I do feel I still did quite a bit tho, albeit slowly. Waking with the baby at night was probably the worst (having to sit up in bed with your incision). With my first, he would bring me baby in the night, but he had to help with the toddler when baby number two came along. I felt the pain got better daily and was always worse at night (I would take the prescription strength pain relievers before bed to try to alleviate that). I only needed to do that for probably 3 nights. Two weeks and you will be feeling so much better. Good luck!
@blessedbythebest88 Okay so, emergency c section here and if I had known ahead of time here is what I would have done: installed handle bars next to the bed, toilet and shower. Make sure to take a shorter vehicle to fall into, not a big SUV you have to climb up into when leaving the hospital. Get a c section recovery band, though they will give you one in the hospital. Where it when you walk. Bring an extra water bottle, the meds make you so thirsty. Take your ibuprofen and Tylenol on time. Don't push it. You can hold your baby but take it easy on yourself. Don't push yourself too hard when you get home. If you have stairs to your bedroom that's a problem. Keep baby on dad's side of the bed so he can do the reaching and grabbing. Dad will need to do most of the baby care like changes and burping. Get some high wasted undies now. Invest in bathrobes, get a big soft icepack for your abdomen. Let people take care of you and ask for help.
@shannmisteri Thank you for the detailed answer. There are some of these we won't be able to solve, as our condo is on the 2md floor. So even to get in I have to climb stairs but I can plan for the other things.
Were you able to use the band since the beginning or do you have to wait some time because of the stitches?
@blessedbythebest88 I was able to use it right away! The incision was SO much lower on my abdomen than I thought it would be. It's so small too! It looked SO good right away these docs really have c sections down. Your uterus will still be a bit swollen immediately after baby is brought into the world so the band won't sit against the incision. Have you seen any videos of how they perform c sections yet? It was actually really cathartic afterwards to know how much care they take to try and help your recover as much as possible during surgery. They don't cut the muscle in a horizontal line and you will likely have glue on the outside so you don't have icky stitches to deal with. My pain was never more than a 2 when on the rotation of Tylenol and ibuprofen (if I was resting). It is intimidating to have to get up and walk right after.
Also, there is shaking with the hormone dump and anesthesia. Much worse shaking than vaginal labor though vaginal births still cause the shakes. A tip my nurse gave me was to stick my tongue out when the shakes are bad. It helps a bit! It took about 2 hours for them to go away. The c section goes so fast for a lot of us. In and out in 15 minutes I swear. The silence in the room and this intense pressure of your baby being pulled from your body is so wild. Nothing compares to the moment you see your baby and they hold that screaming little elf up through the plastic and time slows down and it's so intense and beautiful.
I will be planning my c section next time. It's not easy, it is NOT the easy way out. But there are still beautiful birth moments within the surgical context that are just as special. You get to meet your baby safely instead of the risks with a large breach baby who will surely keep you in your toes for the rest of your life. It's so special it's a joy I would trade anything for.
@shannmisteri I have to watch those videos, I really haven't yet.
Thank you for your words. Some people are thinking is an easy way out or that I'll be putting so much stress in my husband (he doesn't think this but his family does). It just makes sense from the medical standpoint and it also narrows down what could go wrong.
I was a c section baby myself so I know birth is birth and it's always special, as we come out if there with our little ones.
@blessedbythebest88 Sigh I'm so sorry you're already getting judgement. That makes my heart hurt for you, as this is not something you can control or should feel guilty about in any way, shape or form. Some plus sides about my husband being the primary care taker of my son early on - their bond is incredible. I mean it is absolutely beautiful to watch the way they interact and that bond started with my husband learning immediately how to care for his son's needs and getting to know him so intensely so quickly. He had to be there to help me change my son's diaper for the first time two weeks in. There are a million more plus sides than downsides. You'll have the trust in your husband to know that he 100% knows what your baby needs and you'll rest easy and it will be far far far better for your marriage to tackle this care as a team. It was a huge blessing in disguise.
@shannmisteri That makes total sense. I'm feeling even better about it now. Thanks again for your words and I wish all the best to your family in this new stage
@blessedbythebest88 My pregnancy was supposed to be an induction, it failed and I so wish they would have just given me the option for a C-section to begin with. Instead they spent almost three full days trying to induce labor and it never worked. I’m thankful that I’ll just be given the option of a C-section if we have another.
it's a joy I would trade anything for.