C section recovery

For those who have had C-sections, how did your recovery go? How long before you were able to do certain things like bathe, have sex, walk normally, begin other physical activities and so on? Any advice, words of wisdon, warnings?

I was walking around the morning after the c-section (had it at 9pm), showered that morning, walking normally that day, started the exercises given by the physio as soon as I could. I started driving about 3 weeks after the c-section but my husband was home so didn't need to before that. I had a friend who couldn't drive for bout 5-6 weeks after but not sure why.
Take all the pain relief you can, and don't be afraid to request it, and get a prescription on discharge. They forgot to give me the morphine when they did the spinal and I had to argue to keep the PCA for as long as the anaethesist wanted me to. The midwives (and nurses) can be very stingy with pain relief so if you want say you are in more pain than you think you are in and don't wait till are already sore to request it.

ETA: Recovery is very different for different people, so don't push yourself too much or expect it to be like other people's. A friend of mine who was a nurse in the maternity ward was actually shocked to see me up and about the evening after the c-section and said most women aren't as mobile. Had another friend who had a c-section and she struggled a lot with her recovery in terms of what she could do.

Edited by fairy1

Mine was a very rushed emergency one. I took lots of pain relief in the first 24 hours, especially in the first 12 when in ICU. I wasn't allowed out of bed until about 36 hours after it all. I started feeling heaps better between 2-4 weeks and by 6 weeks felt really good. I didn't drive until 6 weeks. I only occasionally have tender spots now.

better 5than what they will have you believe and a breeze when compared to a 3 degree tear

My c-section was an emergency one performed when the baby got stuck after a full day of labouring. But by that time, even though I was a little disappointed, I was mainly just excited to meet my baby :)

I think it was about 24hrs before I was up and walking around and going to toilet etc. I was given good pain killers, Tramadol and Ibuprofen, and was also given a script when I left hospital for a large supply (so I could decide how much and how often). Once I was able to get up and move around I was eager to get home and was going to be allowed after three days but unfortunately my baby had jaundice and so had to be in the light bed for a couple days.

I unfortunately got a post op infection :( Which landed me in ED a few days later in intense pain and I was admitted and put on IV antibiotics. I was home again a couple days later. (post op infection sadly led to decreased milk supply landing us in hospital again the next day because my baby became malnourished and had to be tube fed - but after a few days we got that all sorted and I was put on Domperidone which increased my milk supply back to normal).

My scar healed up pretty good. Was a bit tender and itchy but other than that. I was driving after 4 weeks. And going for walks to BUT take it slow, its amazing how just a couple hundred metres tires you out after a c-section.

All in all it probably took me about 6 weeks to feel normal again, but I had a far from normal recovery! I'm sure without all the complications I probably would have been feeling good a lot sooner.

i had an emergency cs aswell as i failed to progress. i def didnt want one.
i think my recovery was slow.
i had quite alot of pain when i got home as they forgot to give me codiene and i would wake up at night unable to move from the pain.
that lasted a couple of days
i think it was slower as i really didnt want it but if ur prepared then might be easier.
we had sex about 3weeks after just took it real slow n stuff but was still quite painful.
i didnt do any house work or cooking for about 6weeks after DF done it all as i found it quite hard. but once i started going for litle walks each day i found it alg.

Oh I wish they would scan you when you are in labour to check if cord is around neck, I have heard so many tragic stories esp when labour is long/slow to progress etc. My DD1's cord was around her neck twice (had to be cut when only her head was out and body still inside me)
we were very lucky to have her. If they had scanned me it would of been straight for c/s which would have been far better in the long run for me and her both. no2 & no3 were c/s and way better than my vb recovery

Did you actually ring your insurance MissJen?

I rung my insurance and they said I was covered. I guess it depends on your policy?

oh we were lucky our hospital had remote control up and down beds both the back support and the height. i buzzed the nurses/mw in for all the pick ups / nappy changing first 3-4days in hosp, gotta make most of them nurses/mw while you are in hosp

alexie that sounds aweful re the spinal wearing off.

I didn't even think to check that after my c section but definitely will if there's a next time!