Like most of the stories I read here so far (just skimmed), my c-section recovery was a BREEZE. I was up and out of bed walking to the bathroom within just a few hours after surgery. My first was easiest on me only because I had horrible gas pains with my second. Still though, once I was able to have a bowel movement I felt awesome. Gas pain isn't uncommon but it isn't extremely common either. If you feel any gas pain talk to the nurses. I took Gas-X and finally used a suppository before getting relief. Walking helps and that is one reason they suggest walking a lot.
My aunt told me to remember that during surgery you WILL feel some tugging and some pressure. It shouldn't be painful (let your anesthesiologist know right away if you feel any pain) but it will feel strange. I kept that in mind my first time around and it helped, especially when the doctor had to practically get on my chest to get my girl out.
Use a pillow as support against your abdomen while you are trying to get out of bed. It helps a lot. You aren't going to split open, but it might feel that way without something to hold you in place. A good wrap for your abdomen for afterwards helps a lot too.
My milk came in within 2 days with both babies, both babies were c-section though the second I did actually go in to labor. I had no problems nursing babies. My daughter was more difficult only because she wouldn't stay awake. My son was so hungry at birth that the nurse brought him to me before my 'recovery' hour was up and had me nurse him.
All in all, I feel like a c-section is the way to go to be honest. No tearing. No sitz baths. Very little bleeding. No bladder issues after. Quick recovery. No pushing. No labor (they stopped my labor with Declan so they could do the c-section). I would have had the epidural either way so that was nothing different. The only pain medication I needed was ibuprofen.
The ONLY drawback, as far as I was concerned, was that I couldn't hold baby right away. Some hospitals let you but ours makes you wait an hour before handing baby over. I did get to see baby and all that before daddy and baby took off to the nursery.
My section had a vertical incision. It goes from just below my belly button all the way down to the top of my pubic hair line. That is the skin incision anyway. The internal incision was a typical 'bikini' incision. My daughter was frank breach and stuck in my ribs in such a manner that the doctor said he would have to slice me hip to hip to make room to get her out. Going vertical was the best option. Because the internal incision was horizontal, I could have gone VBAC if I wanted (I had no desire to even attempt it). After my daughter, I did have a pretty wide scar. It wasn't pretty. It didn't bother me because I don't wear teensy bikinis or anything. Only DH saw it. When I went in to deliver my son the OB asked who did my first section. I told him he did. He shook his head and apologized to me. He said I should not have had a scar that big. That c-section was along the same scar line and now I have a thin little line instead of the thick gash I had the first time.
Oh, and I had stitches, not staples. They were removed about a week postpartum and it was all easy.
When DD was 2 days old I was walking around the mall. I was in the hospital longer with DS, not because I needed to be but because of hospital policy. I got around it the first time because the hospital was packed and they needed my bed. LOL
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