C section recovery time?

i'm considering an elective c section. my baby is 8 lb, 4 oz at 38 weeks and my dr wants t induce early. i am very anti pitocin and its risks so would rather just go straight for the c section. anyway i attend school 4 evenings a week for a couple hours. i know i'll have to miss at least a week but if all goes well is it impossible for me to return to class after a week? also is it true you can't pick up your baby? how will i breastfeed? my husband has to work and i have no firends or family nearby.

C section recovery time?
The official advice is 6 weeks recovery period. From practice (2 x unelective C-sections) it is less but that depends on the individual





In my experience the first week you have to rest flat for 3 days (usually in hospital) and then the next few days get up and each day a little more movement (e.g. to bathroom and then walking about). I couldn't have attended a class until the 3rd week personally and even then it would have been dependant on how long %26amp; where it is located (you know that you cannot drive after a c-section right?)





You CAN pick up the baby no problem, but not things heavier than that.





Breastfeeding you can also do. The hospital midwives can help to show you different methods. For the first couple of days you will probably have to breastfeed lying down but this is a nice method anyway





Anyway, good luck. Hope all goes well
Reply:An elective c-section might not be the best way to go, since recovery can be very difficult. Here are some articles about breastfeeding and recovery. Good luck with your decision.
Reply:the c section didn't impact my ability to look after my baby in any way, you only can't lift heavy things, a newborn is fine! also, i was able to breastfeed successfully. but as for other things, i think it is better to completely minimise your activities as much as possible. the main thing is, you cannot drive for about six weeks after a csection, so that may resrict you. you will probably be very tired, vague and need to focus on looking after your baby. so dunno how school would fit in with that!
Reply:I had an emergency C-section after many hours of labor. He's my only child, so I can't compare the recovery rate to other deliveries, but I didn't find it particularly taxing.





However, the first few hours after the C-section were awful, and I understand that some of it may have been related to the drugs. I couldn't breastfeed - my arms were shaking. But, then again, I'd been in labor for over 24 hours, and probably hadn't slept in more like 36 hours. (My water broke around 9 p.m., after I'd been to work all day.) So it's a tough call whether it was after-effects of the anesthesia, pure exhaustion or some combination of both.





Even with a truly grueling delivery, though, I held my son immediately. In fact, they let me hold him while they pushed my stretcher to the maternity ward. (Which was actually the first time he opened his eyes and looked at me - truly a memorable moment.)





Whether or not you can go back to class, however, is going to be tricky, and not because of the C-section entirely. Bringing home a newborn is beyond exhausting. If you don't have anyone to give you a break, going back to a full courseload on no sleep is daunting.





I'd talk with your professors and try to arrange for at least two weeks completely off. If you make it in before that, great. But just learning how to get out the door with an infant takes time, and best to negotiate up front for extra time.





You might also want to schedule a visit with a lactation consultant while you're still in the hospital. I didn't do this, and struggled mightily with breast feeding. In fact, I ended up having to pump and bottle feed. (Which might have happened anyhow, but at least I'd have known we had a problem earlier.)





Oh, and friends? It sounds crazy, but it's time to make some. Being a mother is an experience that really requires other mothers to help you get through. If you can find a mom's group, join. You won't necessarily click with everyone, but you won't be alone.





Best wishes!
Reply:I had two C-sections sweetie. The second day, I left the hospital with my baby in my arms. Each woman recovers differently. Yes, there was some pain involved, yes, I breastfed with tears in my eyes and I couldn't sneeze because the pain was awful. Yes, I was alone at nights and had no friends either.


Trust me, once you have a baby, you gain all the strength that is necessary because you will be overwhelmed by love. Good luck and be strong !!
Reply:You can pick your baby up, but nothing heavier than your baby. You can't bend and lift, you need to lift things from bench top height, so put the cot base up on its highest setting to save your tum. If you are determined you may be able to return to classes in a week, but I wouldn't push yourself, usually they don't recommend driving until after 4 weeks, and lots of exercising until after the 6 week check. Don't forget that a cesarean cuts through 7 layers of skin, tissue and fat and it all has to be sewn back together, so you have internal stitches as well as external ones. But I am in no way trying to talk you out of it. I am wondering why you are against Picotin, a cesarean has more risks for you and baby that using a prostoglandins infusion to make your uterus contract. It is major surgery. After the Op you will be on morphine (or something similar) for the pain for the first 24-48 hours and still on meds a week later unless you are super woman. I wouldn't get your hopes up about returning to school a week after a cesarean.
Reply:Your recovery from a C-Section varies between six and eight weeks.





Why not just refuse to be induced, you can refuse stuff you know.





Going natural would be ALOT easier for you: recovery wise.

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