C-section recovery?

[LostGirl]

I got a C-section two weeks and one day ago, and I'm still quite tired and feel like my stomach aches in the afternoon. Need a nap a day, and feel pooped if I walk a mile. Is this normal?

What was your C-section recovery like? I am weaning myself off Tylenol with Codeine but sometimes still take it. Sometimes I can get by with regular Tylenol.

I'd love to get a sense of how others dealt during the first weeks after surgery. Did your body just feel better at that magical 6 week mark?

Please share your stories. I'm desperate to know!
Lostgirl

[Cocoa]

Well I'm changing your name from lostgirl to CRAZYgirl!!! Walk a MILE?!?!?!? Are you kidding?!?!? There is a reason that you have 8 medical weeks recovery from a c-sec... its MAJOR surgery! Its no wonder you're pooped AND you had better be careful cause you could wind up with adhesions if you do too much too fast. I was a mess for four weeks and after that I still took it easy. At 6 weeks I felt "normal" but could tell at times WHY we are given 8 weeks. Take the painkiller when you need it and REST... You won't have time once the baby is awake many more hours per day starting at about 2 months and by the time they are 5-6 months they get pretty mobile with rolling and scooting and need a lot of floor time - so HEAL while you can crazy girl!

xxxCocoa

[LostGirl]

I guess I should cool it! Thanks for your advice Cocoa. I tend to be v. hard on myself and was wondering why I didn't feel better after two weeks of "rest" but I guess my definition of taking it easy isn't exactly resting. I'll try to make this a two nap day....

Lostgirl

[sugabeanzs]

I know after 2 weeks I was still sore. But I do not think I was horribly sore. It hurt to get in and out of the car and I do remember that I was tired a lot. I remember that if I did too much I hurt and had to take a nap as well. Just take it easy! After about 4 weeks I was pretty much back to normal.

[LostGirl]

Sugabenzs: THANKS. Did you walk at all? If so, how much and when? Or did you rest completely till 4 weeks out?
Lostgirl

[sugabeanzs]

Ummm well my girls were in the NICU so I went there a lot. I even drove though they say not to but I could not stay away from them. I did walk like around Target and such because we had to buy them stuff since they were early and we were not totally ready. But I do remember about half way through I started to hurt and when I got home I had to lay down. I knew if I over did it if I hurt. But I did do things and did go places but I did have to take it easy and not do too too much. But really after about 2-3 weeks it was much much better.

[squeezan]

I have to agree with cocoa, you need to take it easy. There's no way I could have walked a mile after 2 weeks but I hardly took any pain killers after the first 3 - 4 days. If you over do it now you will take longer to heal and risk getting an infection. I had an infection in my scar and was back in hospital on iv antibiotics 3 and a half weeks after my section. Once that was treated I healed quickly and was able to drive again after 5 weeks. I don't think I really felt 'normal' again til about 8 weeks

[riogirl71]

I am 4 weeks after c-sec and I am still having a hard time. The skin around the incision is swollen but it is not infected, my insides also still hurt. It is much tougher than I thought!

[beachbaby]

Hi Lostgirl, i had further complications (4 surgery's in total) but by 4 weeks i was walking quite a distance again, DH and i have always walked a lot and i was back walking 8 miles by 6 weeks. I took it easy and was much slower than normal also i could feel that my abdomen swelled but my dr said i was fine as long as i listened to my body. I was back swimming at 10 weeks. No pain killers after 2 weeks i was fine.

good luck

[riogirl71]

how long does the skin around the incision stay numb for? And did you have the swollen skin around the incision?
thanks!

[beachbaby]

Hi Riogirl, My babies are 4 months old and i still have quite a lot of numbness, we may never get total feeling back. Don't forget they cut through all your muscle tissue.

[4fanops]

I have had 2 c sections and I can say that it gets easier every time. With my first one I was not even able to stand up straight for awhile. With number 2 I was up walking the same day that I had him. Ithink that is because the tissue and nerves have already been cut into before. And I also knew what to expect the second time around. As for the area being numb around the incision, my sone is now 2 and the area is still numb. I do not believe that ever fully repairs itself.

[4fanops]

I have had 2 c sections and I can say that it gets easier every time. With my first one I was not even able to stand up straight for awhile. With number 2 I was up walking the same day that I had him. Ithink that is because the tissue and nerves have already been cut into before. And I also knew what to expect the second time around. As for the area being numb around the incision, my son is now 2 and the area is still numb. I do not believe that ever fully repairs itself.

[Marina_A]

I can say I was only sore for 2 weeks and never took any painkillers since I got home from the hospital.In a month I was totally back to normal-walking,doing housework,except lifting heavy things.The numbness went away probably after a year-or two(I don't remember for sure)

[riogirl71]

I can live with the numbness then, but was it still swollen? I feel like I have a small roll right above the incision that I never had before! (I am not overweight).
Thanks!