What was or has been the hardest part of recovering from a c-section?

I'm 12 days post c-section and I think the hardest part from recovering for me has been emotionally. The reason is because I have a two year old daughter and it hurts me that I can't pick her up and I think she resents me for bringing home another baby. So for me it's definitely emotional. As for the physical part the hardest thing for me has been the sore abdomen. I feel nothing on the incision area but I'm still really sore around my lower abs. What has been the hardest part for you?

What was or has been the hardest part of recovering from a c-section?
OMG - I can't believe what a jerk your husband was for saying that. As a matter of fact, you are recovering from MAJOR abdominal surgery and he SHOULD be treating you as someone who is recovering and somewhat incapacitated and unable to perform normal functions. A C-section is serious business, that's why there are so many people against elective C-sections. I wasn't even allowed to drive my car the first two weeks post C-section. Also with a C-section the government gives you 8 weeks post partum to recover (rather than 6 weeks for a normal delivery). He should be WAY MORE sympathetic and helpful.





There were many things I was unable to do after my c-section. I was emotional; I couldn't laugh or sneeze; it was hard to get in and out of bed; it was hard to sit down and stand up; it was hard to hold my baby against the incision site; and it was hard to walk and move around in general.





The first two weeks of my recovery my husband helped out a lot. I barely changed a diaper. Then my mom came and pitched in. Try to get someone to come and help you as much as you can. If you are unable to have someone help, just let some of the chores go for a while, at least until you're feeling physically better (for me that was around 6 weeks, but I felt even better after 8). Have your daughter come to you and snuggle with her and the new baby in bed, show her that there is more than enough love for both of them.





Lastly, don't beat yourself up too much. I was an emotional wreck post-partum, but was in total denial that I had PPD.





Congratulations and good luck. :o)
Reply:I had my c sec. in April. The hardest part for me was emotional. THen when my husband went back to work I was even more upset. Being a first time mom it was not easy.
Reply:The hardest part for me was getting out of bed. When my vicodin prescription ran out I was still in a lot of pain. I'm not sure what the motrin was for...in case I got a headache? It sure didn't help the pain. I didn't feel "normal" till at least 6 weeks post op for both my C sections.
Reply:the hardest part was getting up either from sitting or laying down and using the toilet my bed was up really high i had to use a little stool to get into it and the only way i felt comfortable was on a certain side and i had to get up with my daughter about 3 times a night it got to the point where after a week i slept on the couch and propped myself up and had her sleep in the pack n play right near the couch and i started using the coffee table as a table to hold the wipes the diapers the bottles for that day and the formula lol so i didnt have to get up to much and she wound up sleeping with me on the couch after a couple nights it hurt sooo bad to get up and walking i was sooo slow that bothered me big time because i wasnt able to walk good i wasnt able to take care of my child the right way meaning her sleeping in her crib me sleeping in my bed and having to stay on the couch for the first few weeks of her life that was hard once i was able to move around good again i was in heaven i didnt have staples i had the dissolvable stitches which wound breaking open and i moved i felt something wet and i was drenched in yellow pussy looking bloody **** called the dr and they kept telling me it was fine went in to see them oh its fine i wound up having to wear a towel right there under my pants because it would leak every so often now 9 months later it gets red and hurts every so often and now i have nothing but back pain thinking about this makes me NOT want to have another kid lol i wanted to try natural but the cord was around her shoulder and neck which made her like a yo yo she never would have come down so i needed to have a csection in a way i thank god i wasnt in labor that long and didnt experience all that pain but the after effect from a csection is probably soooo much worse
Reply:Having bad allergies and asthma, the worst part was trying to stifle a sneeze or a cough. Both were agony. During my recovery, a pillow was my friend. If I felt either coming on, or even getting out of bed, I'd press my extra pillow tightly to my abdomen to support it so I wouldn't injure myself further.
Reply:My second son was born via c-section two years ago (will be 2 years ago in July), but I remember VERY vividly the worst part--sitting on the toilet. LOL Didn't have any problems using the toilet, but it was the act of sitting down (then standing back up!) afterwards. It's amazing what you use your ab muscles for that you don't realize. :) Close second would be lying down in/getting up from bed.





My other son was 16 months old when his brother was born, and we didn't have a problem with picking him up. I'd sit on the sofa and have him crawl up and sit next to me. Plenty easy to give hugs like that. :) I couldn't lift him into or out of his crib, but that's what my husband was for. :)





I just wish all the women who WANT elective c-sections would realize that it's NOT some piece of cake. We're not movie stars who can hire 24/7 nannies to do all the hard stuff for us!! :)
Reply:Same as you, the hardest part was not being able to pick up my daughter, she was only 15 months old when I had my second. She got sick, just a cold, after 3 weeks and I starting picking her up then. How could I not pick up a sick child?! Physically I didn't have any problems, I was off any pain medication after a week. I still have a strange feeling (not really numbness) above my incision site 16 1/2 months later, but it doesn't bother me.





I also still have a regret that I never delivered a baby naturally. My first was breech, so I had a scheduled c-section with her. Then I was hoping for a VBAC, but my second had a health problem that meant he had to be delivered early and they won't induce you after a c-section. So I had another scheduled c-section. I never even went into labor! I know it doesn't matter and all that matters is I have 2 beautiful (and now healthy) children, but I still wish it could have been different!
Reply:I had my baby by c section 4 wks ago and the hardest part for me is getting out of bed when the baby awakens. Im still very sore. Plus I have a 17 month old and she always wants me to hold her.or pick her up. My incision is infected so Im on antibiotics.
Reply:The hardest part for me was everything! I was so sore, I could hardly move, but I had no choice but to. The Hospital made me take a shower the next morning, less than 24 hours, and remove my own covering and replace it myself. I have odd relationships with my family, so the only ones that came to see me did not stay more than 10 mins, including my husband because he had to get rides from others, but I could tell he did not want to be there anyway (he hates hospitals). So, I was alone, and trying to cope with extream pain and and new baby that I was breast feeding (another thing that hurt like hell, even at birth my son had a superhuman sucker). Then, when I was released, I had to go take care of all the business that had piled up while I was in the hospital. I had to go see my lawyer, I was setteling a lawsuit, put my rent, which my husband forgot and was now late, and the list goes on. I then had to drive anywhere we went, even though my husband was perfectly able, he refused. The 1st week while I still had my staples was the worst week of my life. Both my son and I cried all the time. I had to stop breast feeding as it hurt too much, and he litterally ate all day, he only stopped to get his diaper changed and burp, even then it was against his will. I wish I could go back and try it over again, because it should have been the best time in my life. But when I look back, all I can remember is the pain. Both physical and emotional. I am now doing much better, and my son is wonderful. He is 6 months old, and never cries, even though I still do sometimes, but tears of joy mostly. The insicion is not painful, but every once in a while, it is for about 30 seconds, then it goes away. I have yet to get att the feeling back around it (they cut through nervs and muscle), but it is getting better. Just remember, things WILL get better. Try to create some happy memories in these early days so you can have something nice to look back on. Congratrs on the new baby, and good luck!
Reply:Mine actually was a breeze. I only have 1 child for now and I had no pain or any problems. The only thing I had a hard time with was 6 months before mine my friend almost died from a loss of blood. When they told me I had to have one I lost it and cried all the way to the room. The other bad part was during the surgery I had a RLS episode, and all I felt like I had to do was run, but I couldn't move my legs...LOL I can only imagine how hard it is for the 2 year old but that is totally normal. Good luck!
Reply:Omg! The hardest part for me was trying to move with those darn staples in my stomach. They hurt so bad they pain killer helped but I had a UTI and since I was on pain meds I couldn't feel any pain down there so it turned into a Kidney infection and I didn't know what was goin on but I was sick for days it was awful. But emotionally I felt great cuz I had just brought a new baby boy into the world even though my husband was bein an a** the baby made me smile through all the pain!
Reply:same as you-but it gets easier-don't worry-good luck
Reply:My hardest part was also my other children I couldn't pick them up or play with them and when I had my Csection I had a 10 month old and a 4 yr old so I had to try and do everything for the 10 month old without picking her up. Your older child will go back to normal when you do, just make sure you have some really good emotional support. I had my mom to help with alot of it and there dad was great about it too. Even if you didn't have a Csection your oldest would still be a little bit jealous that is natural for all kids after a new baby comes. Try to get your older one involved in changing the baby clotes feeding and things like that my oldest daughter loved it. Here soon though you will be back to doing all that you were doing.
Reply:The hardest part was that I never realized how much I used my ab muscles. In the hospital I never really held my son that much b/c it was too uncomfortable for me so my husband held him more than I did and that was upsetting for me and then coming home and still hurting and not taking the pain meds b/c i was too afraid I would not wake up when my son cried.......it was just all around hard!!