Wednesday 16 October 2013

One month Post C-Section

It's been one month today since Albie was born, so one whole month since my CS. You can read my ten day post here, a lot has gone on since now and then. 

I mentioned in the post above that my scar had started to weep, I popped along to the doctors with Mr C and Albie just to get in double checked as I did not feel like waiting for it to get worse. I had tried keeping it dry by placing a maternity pad over the scar which the doctor thought was a great idea, however it didn't help to clear it up. The doctor mentioned that he would only be worried if he could see a stitch poking through, when he had a look he couldn't work out if it was a stitch or a hair (don't judge! a bikini wax with a recent CS scar is not on my list of 'to dos') Anyway it was a stitch, great !! Normally patients are stitched up using individual stitches and knotting each on as they go, however they must fancied a change when they put me back together and did one long stitch that was tied each end, a part of this needed to removed or I just wouldn't heal (according to the doctor) I then had to have the stitch cut and pulled out, the doctor probably took at about an inch of stitch, luckily I am still pretty numb down there so it didn't hurt. I was also given some antibiotics to clear up any potential infection. Ten days or so after the wound has stopped weeping and has started to form a little scab along it, so I am assuming it is healing nicely, the scar is very neat apart from where the weeping was coming from, Not that it matters, no one will ever see it down that low! 

My biggest  milestone came this week, I am back behind the wheel!!! It is the best feeling ever to be able to get some independence back and be able to visit friends and family, I think I may have gone stir crazy with cabin fever if I wasn't able to drive this week. Everything was fine, It's actually easier to drive than walk up an incline with the buggy. The hardest thing is getting the buggy out of the car but I figure once or twice a day will be ok. 

I'm not taking painkillers religiously anymore however I'm not completely healed so when i do feel pain i will pop a couple of paracetamols. To be honest my back hurts me more than my tummy at the moment, my tail bone feels like it has come out of alignment, I did have the same problem during pregnancy and my reflexologist sorted it out so I might have to go and see her, I don't fancy being tugged and bent by a chiropractor right now. I also have a slight pain similar to my SPD, this might be down to my sleeping position though as I can't sleep on my front right now. 

Ten days ago I would have said I would elect to have a c-section next time, my initial recovery was so much better than expected, although after this period, I seem to hit a wall and it felt like I was never going to get better, even though I could pretty much do everything bar hoovering and heavy lifting it just took me twice as long to do it. Don't get me wrong, I'm still not able to get things done as quick as normal however I do feel like I have gotten a lot better in the last 5 days or so. If we do decide to have another baby I will have a hard time deciding what to do. 

The only discomfort I really have is the skin above the scar and below my belly button, it's super sensitive to touch, it feels like sunburn, for those that have had a c-section is this common? The actual scar doesn't really bother me, I probably 'feel' it about an hour a day, usually if I have worn tighter clothing that day. 

Fingers crossed the road to full recovery remains smooth!

How was your C-Section recovery? Did you have similar issues?


3 comments:

  1. OMG I cannot believe it has been a month!!! Where did that go?!!!

    I haven't experienced any of the sensation around the scar that you're describing, and I don't remember feeling the scar at all really (although I do occasionally feel a bit of a stitch type pain every now and then now, but that has only happened in the last few weeks and I think its just that its almost completely healed now so its kind of doing its last bit of "mending"?!).

    Perhaps its because of the infection? Did you have stitches that needed removing, or dissolvable ones?

    I do think the way they close must make a huge difference. My recovery was so easy apart from wind about 10 days in, and I had the dissolvable ones - whereas a friend of mine struggled a lot but she had staples and I think that made it worse?!

    xxx

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    1. Ouch I can not imagine having staples !! Yay for dissolvable stitches (the ones that do dissolve anyway) I've looked on line and a Lot of people mention the sunburn sensation. It's not too bad though.

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  2. Recovering from a C-section really requires a long time. But one month is an achievement and a good start for you to get back on your old routines. I'm glad that you didn't take painkillers anymore. But not-so-good to know that you're still in pain because of your shoulder. It's one of the effects of the procedure, and a chiropractic care is should be considered. But if you're really not into it, you can always consult your doctor and seek for the right therapy/treatment for you.
    *Javier Parrales @ US Health Works (Tukwila Center)

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