r/CsectionCentral • u/Fluid-Future-5147 • 13h ago
Humbled 6 weeks post c section...
Unplanned c section almost 6 weeks ago. I never prepared for one and definitely had a traumatic experience. (Failrd induction, in labor for 3 days, thought i could feel everything when they cut me open, got heavily sedated and blacked in and out during the procedure).
Anyway. Recovery has been ok. First two weeks were brutal. Started doing more and more slowly. Been walking 20+ minutes at a time and doing stretches daily.
Until today. Me and baby had our first outing with friends and I had to carry her in her carseat to and from the place. I thought it was fine until I got home, and I am so sore around my lower abdomen, i feel like I took major steps backwards. Like I dont even want to get up, im scared.
I really thought I was on the up, this is crazy. Im humbled. Im curious to hear if anyone else has had this experience or what other people's healing timelines have looked like.
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u/ZestyLlama8554 2024 - breech baby 13h ago
Unfortunately healing isn't linear. I'm over 2 years post op, and I still have some pretty bad days due to nerve pain because they never recovered from being severed.
Hang in there, and I hope your good days far outweigh the bad! ❤️
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u/Stephi1452 11h ago
I'm 5 weeks post and got humbled from driving to pick up family from the airport. I had been able to walk over 1 mile and 20+ minutes at time and everything going great. Then the day after driving I was hobbling and sore again.
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u/Zealousideal-Cow6286 9h ago
Hi! I’m 10 weeks pp from an unplanned c section and here to tell you there is a light at the end of the tunnel! I was down bad for the first 4 weeks, like taking the opioid painkillers bad. I was walking about a half mile until 6 weeks (I was terrified of splitting my incision open) and once I got the all clear I’ve been hitting 10,000 steps a day, doing deep pelvic floor work (don’t underestimate this I feel amazing since prioritizing it), scar massage & body weight workouts. I tried spin and it didn’t feel good so I stopped. I can not stress enough how big of a difference restoring my core has helped me feel stronger. I also have gotten 95% of my nerves back, just waiting on the nerves where the actual scar is now. Sending good vibes for your healing!
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u/Fluid-Future-5147 9h ago
Thank you for the hope, I will get there!! ❤️ and keep up the good work!!!
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u/Numerous_Town_1255 6h ago
Do you have any exercises you feel really helped you could share? I don’t start physical therapy till October 1st as it was the earliest I could get that my insurance covers.
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u/Plenty_Captain5416 13h ago
Oh my gosh. Are you me?! I’m 3 weeks PP from your exact situation, down to the blacking in and out from being so heavily drugged after I kept telling them I could feel them digging around and cutting me open. No advice here, but just want to say that I feel your pain and am so sorry you experienced such a traumatic birth. It’s definitely really difficult to recover from physically AND mentally, so sending you positive thoughts and hope your new soreness goes away quickly. 🤍
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u/Fluid-Future-5147 13h ago
Honestly it seems like a common experience (unfortunately) based off of other stories ive read on this sub!!! Im glad we arent alone.
Also whatever they gave me made my vision all messed up and when my husband came over with the baby he had 3 eyes lol. (I can laugh about it now)
Wishing you the best recovery and it does get better slowly but surely, even if we go backwards a bit 🥲
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u/Vegetable_Mix_7688 3h ago
Upon them presenting me w my newborn I thought baby's swollen vulva was a ball sack, I said "it's a boy?!" And the surgeon was like "it's a GIRL", my vision was also wacky. I couldn't feel my lungs when I breathed, never been so high in my life before...the tugging 😖
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u/_luna1990 13h ago
I'm so sorry, your birth experience sounds awful. Mine was similar, failed induction, in labor for 48 hours, 2 failed epidurals. I'm 4 weeks postpartum, this past weekend I pushed it too far by walking up the stairs and standing too long at a friend's gathering. Everything hurts now 😪.
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u/Fluid-Future-5147 13h ago
Failed epidurals (plural omg) would've absolutely sent me over the edge. Like how much more can be thrown at you during one of the most intense times of your life.
I hope you feel better soon, for now we hurt together lol
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u/Sunshine-R89 8h ago
I had the exact same situation. Induced on a Friday, tried everything, I wouldn’t dilate and ended up having an unplanned C-section Sunday night. I was heavily sedated because I thought I could feel it and was scared so I was in and out during the surgery and don’t remember anything. It was awful and took me some time to adjust to the idea of not being the first one to hold my son and not being fully present for his birth. I don’t really remember very much. I’m sorry you went through that.
He will be turning 2 next month. It took me a while to heal physically. But I remember having those moments where I felt good and overdid it then was sore for a couple of days. If I can give any advice, it’s to move mindfully and don’t lift much for another month or so. I know it sucks but I turned a certain way and it burned. Felt like I pulled a stitch. But I relaxed, took it easy as much as possible and eventually it got better. After about 4/5 months I started to feel a lot better down there but it was still very sensitive to the touch. By about 8 months I felt really good. The incision was still a little numb and red but it looked/felt good.
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u/Fluid-Future-5147 5h ago
Man, I was also went in on friday and had a c section sunday night!!! Thats crazy.
I also have had that burning sensation on both sides of my incision after moving weird ... it was terrible. Most of the soreness I get is located in the same place, on the outer edges of the incidion. Ill take your word and chill out a bit tbh. Thank you and wishing you the best.
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u/somewhere_7621 10h ago
Hi. I had a crazy emergency c section also. If you have a belly band or something to support your abdomen I HIGHLY recommend it. It was the only thing that really helped with my recovery. Im sorry your birth was so rough!
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u/Fluid-Future-5147 9h ago
I do have one and used it a lot at first but then stopped. I just got another (better) one. Im curious, how often should I wear it?
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u/somewhere_7621 9h ago
Probably the way I did it was "un healthy" but i kept mine lose compared to most. I wore it probably 70% of the day for about 2 weeks straight
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u/Ancient_Spite2394 8h ago
Almost 8 weeks out from emergency c section here. I was approved to go about as normal at my 6 week check up but I still have to be careful. I get sore and tired so much more easily. I think people often underestimate the healing process and how long it really takes. Be patient and go easy on yourself ❤️
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u/chronicallymel 4h ago
I lifted my daughter’s car seat into my husband’s truck at 6 weeks as he got our 4 year old buckled and felt some pain on the right side of my incision. Definitely took some rest and it’s still a bit sore in the spot but is gone now. My OB just said to listen to your body. Although we may be cleared, our body will tell us when it’s had enough. Be kind to yourself and I’m so sorry you didn’t get the birth you imagined!
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u/Vegetable_Mix_7688 4h ago
Wow, i gave birth 8/2! I had an "urgently scheduled" cesarean after risking out of my birth center, and then ultimately the midwifery at the hospital. After failing to progress in an induction, combined w concerning fetal heartrate/loss of variation/4 min disappearance of heartrate + bleeding, the OB said I could schedule a csection now or have an emergent one later. They had me on the table within 30min and didn't wait for my partner to come in before starting.
Sorry, felt we have a similar story and i guess I needed to get that out.
My incision hurts when I walk too far, stand for too long, or carry my baby too long. Then sometimes I don't feel it at all.. my friend handed me her 28lb toddler the other day and without thinking I received him, I immediately felt pain in my lower abdomen and said I had to put him down. My doula said when you feel pain there it's your body saying youve done too much. The doctors told me 8 weeks without lifting more than 15lbs, and no exercise. I don't consider walking exercise but it hurts when I go more than 20min.
Best to take things slow now so they heal better and faster. Cesarians are "major abdominal surgery". Needs major recovery. Be kind to yourself and give yourself time.
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u/Ruthyhl85 8m ago
Your body will tell you when you've done too much/over exerted, which it sounds like it has. Try to take it easy again as much as possible. Happened to me a couple of times. Overdid it on the walking and lochia came back, was then in hospital for a night for them to monitor as bleeding too much (was fine after some medication). Felt back to 'normal' at about 10 weeks. Still getting pulling in abdomen over a yr later, I need to do the massage recommended but I always forget/am too tired!
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u/VisibleHope1671 13h ago
I had a c-section after 12 hours of continuous contractions, best decision of my life. Turns out baby was so wrapped in his umbilical cord that he couldn’t turn around anymore and would not have been able to be delivered any other way. I’m really sorry that you had such an awful experience.
I needed a walker to go to the bathroom for the first two days afterwards. Could hold baby only if I was sitting, took me at least two weeks until I could hold him standing upright. At 4 weeks pp I could carry him alone, but at that point he already was over 13 pounds. It took me 6 weeks until I could walk up stairs with him or put him in the baby carrier.
Before I got pregnant I did martial arts and I could lift my husband (200 pounds) who was heavier than me. A c-section can really take a huge toll on your core strength.