Is having a C-section painful?

Anna · Full member **Joined:** 20 Oct 2004 **Posts:** 204

I am having a C-section on Nov. 30 (the doctor said it's much better for me and the twins to have one)
My cousin suddenly announced to me yesterday that if you have a C-section you're in a lot of pain afterwards, is this true?
My doctor didn't mention a lot of pain.

I have also had people tell me that C-sections are "wrong". Why is this? surely it's better that I have a C-section and *hopefully* my twins and I will be fine than try and have a natural birth?

Guest · Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 1:27 am Post subject:

I had one and it wasn't too bad. I'm not sure how they do things where you are but this is what happened when I had mine.

I was worried about being awake during it and wondering how I would feel knowing that they were cutting me open. I had the epidural and that wasn't as bad as I thought. I went into the operating room and a few minutes later my husband was there. It was a weird feeling, I could not feel any pain but I could feel them tugging and pulling and then I could here a cry, it was over a done with within 5 minutes. They stitched me up while I was holding my daughter . I spent the rest of the day in bed. The next day they made me get up, I mostly sat in a chair but they said it would be worse to recover if I wasn't moving around. By day three I was walking around like normal, I would have slight pain if I turned to do something quickly but overall I was feeling great. When you first start walking just start by doing one lap of your room and slowly increase it. But please try to walk straight right from the start. If you start to walk hunched over and then try to straighten up a few days later it will be much worse. For the first few days they should ( did for me ) give you strong painkillers. When I was home I took Panadol ( Paracetamol sp??) for a week just to make sure. They said to take painkillers every four hours or so for a week. Even if the others haven't worn off yet. It is easier to control the pain when you don't know it is there. If you leave it too long before taking something it is much harder to get rid of the pain once it is there ( did that make sense?? ) Even though I didn't feel like I needed to take any painkillers once I was home I did as the hospital said. My recovery went well. I have diabetes and it is easier for everyone invloved for me to have C- sections so I know that will happen again next time and I will not be worried in the slightest.

So I guess the moral of the story is it's not too bad and take painkillers every few hours just to be sure, and try to walk as normally as possible right from the start. Smile

Sorry about the length Embarassed

Anna · Full member **Joined:** 20 Oct 2004 **Posts:** 204

Thank you so much KirstyS Very Happy

That's really helpful and it's definitely relieved my nerves!

P.S I love your daughter's name, it's gorgeous Smile

Guest · Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:04 pm Post subject:

I was hoping I didn't go on too much about nothing. Believe it or not I did try to keep it short.

In regards to my daughters name Thank you. I chose her name when I was 16. When we were TTC I told my husband that that was what I wanted to call our daughter if we had one. I said he was free to find other names and tell me about them if he wanted. He said he liked the name and that was the end of it. She was never going to be anything else.

If you have any other questions that I can help you with just let me know. You can always PM me if you want.

Guest · Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 6:39 am Post subject:

I had a c-section with my triplets, and I did have a lot of pain afterward. Part of the problem might have been that I was trying to get by with as few meds as possible. BIG MISTAKE! Take everything they give you, and don't wait until you can't stand the pain anymore to page your nurse.

As far as the people who tell you that c-sections are wrong, just ignore them. The people who's opinons should matter to you are your babies', and I'm sure they'd pick the safest method if they could. I've heard enough of the "people got by for thousands of years without c-sections, hospital births, etc." arguments. Yeah, sure they did, but 1 in 3 women used to die in childbirth. No thanks! People also got by without indoor plumbing, and I sure don't plan on giving that up anytime soon. Take advantage of the medical advances to insure the safest birth for you and your babies.

Nealie'sMom · Senior member **Joined:** 25 Oct 2004 **Posts:** 1693

After my section I had a morphine pump Very Happy

. My nurse told me to push the button whenever I felt like it. She said the machine wouldn't let me get too much. My pain wasn't really that bad. I got to go home after 2 days. My nurse fussed at me, but my doctor told me I could go if I wanted to. I did.

The worst part of the pain was when I stood up. It hurt the most then. My feet also swelled up really big. Worse than when I was pregnant and they were bad then. They hurt really bad. But that was it. I was up walking the next day and got in the shower.

I will tell you this. When you start to take the tape off be VERY careful. Mine pulled two huge chunks of skin off!!! It was so bad the spots turned into blisters! The nurse said I might have been alergic to something in the tape.

Good luck. I wouldn't listen to those who say c-sections aren't right. You do what your doctor thinks is best for you and your babies.

Guest · Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 5:08 pm Post subject:

I've had 3 sections already and now pregnant with 4th and i never had much pain after them. As you do get pain relief afterwards. And why are they wrong? If it wasn't for sections i would have been dead giving birth to my oldest son who was stuck because i'm too small for natural birth.

Anna · Full member **Joined:** 20 Oct 2004 **Posts:** 204

Thank you to everyone who replied! very helpful! Smile

I'm just getting super excited now! Very Happy

Guest · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 10:41 pm Post subject:

Good luck with the birth. It will be the most weird feeling you will ever feel.
Just remeber to walk straight ( painful but worth it ), and take whatever medication they give you. Even if you don't think you need it, take it because you really will need it but maybe not for another hour or so. Once the pain is there it is hard to get rid of so take whatever is coming your way. Once again Good Luck!!

Guest · Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2004 7:23 am Post subject:

I've heard from women that have had both that the cesarean was more painful afterward, but whether that's true or not, you are going to have some sort of pain either way. I wouldn't choose a surgical birth, but if it's what you decide to do after exploring the options, then don't feel any regret about it. No one else has the right to tell you that your decision is wrong. And pain doesn't last forever; I'm sure you'll be so excited about your babies, and so full of maternal hormones and endorphins that you'll feel great. But do get up and walk as soon as possible; this is what I think everyone agrees on for a quicker, less painful recovery.