2 weeks after c'section - some recovery questions

[xenabelly]

hi all

I had an elective c'section 2 weeks ago and gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy! Everything is going well but I'm a bit bothered about my own recovery but not sure whether I'm rushing myself...

1. I'm still bleeding on and off, nothing all day and then suddenly really heavy - how long does this go on for?

1. My boobs are still leaking a bit, even though I didn't breastfeed. They've reduced in size and aren't sore or anything but still getting spots of milk coming out - how long does this last?

1. I've lost 2 stone 2 lbs in 2 weeks (woo hoo - slimmer of the week!) I'm chuffed to bits cos am now same weight as I was when I got pregnant BUT am still having to wear maternity trousers/jeans/tracksuit bottoms cos my belly is so swollen and sore. Will be belly go down (a bit) still? How long did you wear maternity clothes afterwards? Is this normal?

Thanks, know I am being a bit vain about myself but am just desperate to get myself back to normal and my body back!

Thanks

[totaleclipse]

The bleeding is normal, I bled for 7 weeks and it fluctuates between light and heavy.

[ChaCha]

Hi Xenabelly, Congratulations again

I remember the bleeding fluctuating between light and heavy too. Lucky you at weight loss, any tips - my next section is in a couple of weeks! I had no such on the weight loss last year and stayed a 14-16 until i got pregnant again 5 months later.

[lulumama]

give yourself 6 weeks at least for the bleeding to stop...

the milk will diminish and disappear, give it time !

and give your belly at least 6 weeks to get back to normal..don;t be in such a rush, took 9 monhts to get to this point, you won;t just snap back.

don;t squeeze yourself into tight clothes, it won;t help your tummy, whihc is still healing..

take it slow, and gentle and enjoy your LO x

[TuttiFrutti]

C-sections wreak havoc with your stomach muscles, so even if you lose weight you will still look 3 months pregnant long after having the baby. Sorry, I know that's not what you want to hear.

I found only an exercise programme helped get my stomach back in shape. You need cardio stuff like running/fast walking to burn off fat, and also abdominal exercises like stomach crunches to tone up those muscles, BUT don't do anything like that yet! 2 weeks is way too early.

The bleeding is normal - you get lochia after a c-section pretty much the same as after a vaginal birth. I bled like having a heavy period for about 6 weeks.

[Nip]

1. I bled for 6 weeks

1. I didnt BF and my boobs leaked for ages and were very sore - this went at about 3-4 weeks i think

1. I wore maternity clothes for quite a while

So yes your totally normal!

[funkimummy]

Totally normal I'm afraid!! Had 2 c-sections. Recovery slow with both.

[rachelhill]

Hiya

(1) I bled on and off for two months. If the blood suddenly slows then gets heavier, head for the docs (sign of an infection or retained products apparently
(2) I breastfed so can't help you out but you can try eating lots of sage which will dry it up.
(3) The swelling on my stomach still isn't back to normal 14 weeks on.

Don't forget to do your pelvic floor exercises too, even though you had a section you still need them ; )

Rachel

[uwila]

2 weeks and you are your pre preggers weigh?? 2?????



Everything you mention is perfectly normal. If in four weeks you are still in pain, then tell your GP at your 6 week check.

[BigHotMama]

Its been 23 wks since my beautiful ds was born by emergency cs and I'm still wearing my maternity trousers, my normal ones just dig in and hurt as still have major overhang. I also bled on and off for weeks too, you think its stopped then suddenly comes back again lol. Have bought the Davina box set dvd which I plan to start doing asap. I can only dream of a 6-pack You've done well with the weight loss so far, just take it easy its still only been 2 weeks, its early days yet hun.

[suwoo]

My DS is 7 weeks today and I am equally vain about my body. I had an elective section (for medical reasons, not because too posh to push)and I'm happy to report that my stomach is now as flat as a pancake and I have 9lb to go to get to my pre pregnancy weight ( I put on 3 stone). This is not my first baby, I have a 5 yr old so was not expecting to get back into shape this early. I have eaten well, done lots of walking and taken arnica tablets which have helped with the swelling. It is not true, that you will have an overhang etc over your scar as I haven't. The only bugbear is the pain from tight clothes is unbearable, so jeans are out of the question. I am living in my leggings, thank god they are still fashionable!!
Congratulations by the way and keep working at it.

[cryingatthediscoteque]

Took me 12 months to get back my pre pregnancy tummy. Then got pregnant again!

[Flumpybumpy]

I had my 2nd C section 4 mths ago and although I am lighter than my pre-preg weight I still have the 'kangaroo pouch' hanging obver my scar. My skin either side of the scar is still numb but this is normal

I bled for 9wks on and off so you will just have to grin and bear it I'm afraid.

Don't try to rush anything like getting back in shape, my scar opened after 3wks because I did too much, it got infected and was agony. I was on AB's for ages and it was really yucky.

Take it easy, enjoy your LO and REST!!!!!

FB x

[BigHotMama]

Ooh i got an infection too not nice at all!

[incy]

With DS1 I was also back to pre-pregnancy weight within a couple of weeks but in all honesty I had to be selective about clothing for about 4 months beccause my tummy wasn't as flat as I was used to.

[sunnysideup]

1. I do know the bleeding can go on for 6 weeks ish but mine stopped after about 3.
2. Can't advise on this, sorry - my ds never tried to suck my boobs, never latched on, and my boobs never produced even one drop of milk, not one...... so can't help you there though lots of others have answered this anyway
3. Yes your tummy will go down lots yet, at this stage I bet you still have some swelling from the surgery.

My tummy was a bit sore for ages after, though, if prodded and some of it is still numb and I expect will stay that way now.

You're getting there, well done for your recovery so far.

[eidsvold]

bleeding is normal - mine fluctated after both c-sections heavier if I was doing more.

can't advise about milk - breastfeed dd2 and expressed for 8 weeks for dd1.

as to belly - will take a little while for it to go down - two weeks is not that long.

[macneil]

8 weeks after mine, I just stopped bleeding - I think maybe a week ago, but I thought I'd stopped two weeks ago and hadn't. My waist came back immediately, but the skin on it is very very soft, not the hard as heck stomach I always had, and I also still have to lose 10-12 pounds - I gained 35 pounds with the pregnancy, lost 8 with the birth, and then a bunch of it fell off very quickly a couple of weeks later, and then suddenly plateaued horribly! Have been the same weight for about 6 weeks. Will actually have to do something about it, although I feel like I'm eating nothing like what I used to eat - it's the lack of exercise, I think. The weight is being stored where I've always stored weight - bum, thighs, face - so I don't think there's a particularly bad waist-centric c-section problem, it's just about where you've always put weight on - I hope that's somewhat encouraging? Well done on losing all the weight, I am VERY JEALOUS!

Oh, and the vanity? MORE than normal. First thing I did after getting home from the hospital was weigh myself. When I found out I'd only lost 8 pounds giving birth I did one of those things they do in films where you shout 'NOOOOOOO!' and look upwards while the camera pans up away from you and your anguished face.

[Harry2007]

Hi xenabelly

I had a CS 2 and a half weeks ago and like you, I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight - fab! I was amazed that immediately after the section, my belly was completely flat. It did swell slightly for the next couple of days but then went back to being quite flat. I'm not wearing my maternity clothes but am wearing my slouch fit jeans as they don't press on the scar - which is healing beautifully. I had 1 week of heavy bleeding, then nothing at all, but over the last couple of days, I have had a few occasions of heavy bleeding - one when I was walking around Boots yesterday! I've found that it can happen after I have a bath aswell - apparently, the heat of the water can cause it.

[Hels67]

I had a c-section almost 8 weeks ago and am back to pre-pregnancy weight. Just when I think the bleeding has stopped...it starts up again, I think when I start doing too much. Until last week I was still wearing my maternity jeans, but have managed to squeeze into "normal" jeans since the weekend. I think it depends on how your wound and the tummy around it heals - my wound is fine, but the tummy around it is really flabby and "doughy"-feeling (much preferred the taut pregnant belly), but has gone down a lot since the first few weeks. Can't comment on the breastfeeding, like another poster, DD never wanted to latch on and was never able to do so and as far as I can tell no milk ever really "came in".

[matildax]

im still in maternity trousers 7 weeks on,, tummy still bloated and sore. still bleeding also, went to drs about this and was prescribed antibiotics to sort it out but apparently its quite normal.i didnt bf but milk came in at around 5 days, i just wore my bra constantly and that seemed to help dry it up. as for your weight loss, well done, i myself have loads still to lose!!! take it easy though and look after yourself, enjoy your baby x

[fineanddandy]

god, this chain is very encouraging! I am not yet pregnant but thinking about TTC and if I do I definitely want a c-section, vain or not! The thought of giving birth naturally and all the possible related problems terrify me. I know that is bad and flaky but that's how I feel? What's this about overhang over the scar though????

[lulumama]

will this be your first baby, if so , unless there is a strong medical reason why you would need one, then you might not be able to get one on the NHS......


after a c.s you tend to get an overhang of skin, around the area where the scar is, just above your pubes.....

[fineanddandy]

really? Does that happen for everyone? Have heard mixed things

[lulumama]

pretty much.....although if you are overweight, the overhang is bigger obviously....remember, a c.s is major abdomional surgery and there are risks, to you and the baby..it is not to be undertaken lightly IMO...having had a c,s and a vaginal birth, i know what i would choose every time ! if you have fears and worries about a vaginal birth, it is best to address those and look at those fears and how they can be allayed, rather than opt for surgeery, IMO.....

[Rochwen]

I had a c/s and I don't have an overhang at all. I don't know what causes the overhang in some women but if it's fat then there is something you can do about it, e.g. aerobic excercise combined with toning your abdominal muscles (something you should do after a c/s anyway.) I have two other close friends who've had c/s and they don't have overhangs either, so I think they are not inevitable. All three of us are very active and sporty though.

I believe I was very lucky with my c/s in that I recovered very quickly from it. I was driving after two and a half weeks (my insurance didn't have a problem with it). My scar is barely visible as it's just under my hairline.

Regarding the bleeding, I bled very little after my c/s, the surgeon said the reason is that they 'scooped' a lot of the gunk out of my womb during the section.

I also was terrified of giving birth vaginally and luckily I didn't have to do it. I'd rather have a scar on my belly than on my fanjo, when I read the stories about tears, cuts and incontinence I feel so lucky to have a had a c/s, so I understand where you are coming from Fineanddany. I wouldn't worry about giving birth until you are actually pregnant though, lol.