What does a c section feel like

Question

I’m scared. I’m 9 weeks due to diabetes and high blood pressure my doctor says I’m like 100% going to have a c section. I seen my cousin have one and she walked the same day with no pain. But everyone is different. How did u feel? Did u get a spine epidural??? Did that hurt? That’s worrying me a lot

Answer

Here's my experience: (I've had 2 c-sections) So, from what I can remember (my last c-section was back in 2008) They're going to need to shave you down there a bit. Just so it's sterile. They're going to put in a catheter, which doesn't really hurt, but to me is pretty uncomfortable. I do believe they do some kind of spinal block epidural type of anesthetic. For both my c sections I was awake. The spinal block is a bit of pinching/burning sensation then you feel warm all of a sudden and then numb. I was told I wouldn't feel anything from the waist down, but I couldn't from the neck down. During the whole procedure, I didn't feel one bit of pain, just maybe some pressure and definitely some pulling and tugging from the doctors. After baby is born, you're taken to recovery where you're pretty drowsy and drugged up and you just sleep mostly. I think it was the next day, the nurses came to get you up to walk. It's not far that they want you to walk at 1st, just to a chair across my room. That's what was painful, the getting up and walking part. I felt like my whole body was gonna shatter and where your incision is, is a burning kind of pain. Also, one of the worst pains, were the gas pains...not like farting gas, this is actual air from the surgery trapped inside your body cavity. It has nowhere to go and hurts so bad to even take a deep breath, you will feel a pain in your collar bones. The best way to get rid of this is to walk! It sucks and it hurts, but trust me, just do it. This will not only help you heal and prevent blood clots, but will also help your body absorb that awful air trapped inside. Lastly, yes, you will hurt afterwards, there's really no avoiding it, however, you're going to get great pain meds that will definitely take the edge off and make you more comfortable, I promise. For me, I surprised myself, even though I hurt, I handled it all way better than I expected. We're women, we are beyond tough!! You got this, mama!!

Answer

I’ve had 2 c sections. I have a high tolerance to pain and for me to say it hurt, it hurt bad. But it was the first time and maybe it was something my body never left, but the second time it didn’t hurt just very uncomfortable. 
Yes I got the spinal block, it feels like a pinch then your body feels warm and you go numb. I didn’t feel anything from my waist down, just tugging and pulling then I knocked out after I see my babies and I wake up in the hospital bed. Walk no matter how much your in pain because it helps a lot. My first time I was being a baby and didn’t want to walk because of the pain but that was a mistake.

Answer

I was terrified before my first c section, which was also my first surgery. The spinal block isn’t bad, there is a pinching sensation (wasn’t awful). I felt no tugging during my surgery, but a lot of others do. They strapped down my arms and Unstrapped one at my request to cuddle my son. At that point I was focused on seeing him again. In recovery they offered me pain meds, but I chose not to at that point as they’d have made me wait another half hour to see and hold my baby again. I probably should have waited as the transfer to the bed was sharply painful for a moment. From that point on i took my pain meds. I was up 4 hours after surgery and showering. There was a sharp, stabbing pain when getting up or sitting down and when lifting legs (as to put on pants) otherwise the pain wasn’t really noticeable. This pain lasts for a few weeks during those activities. It is bearable. I didn’t have any other pains myself. I’m scheduled for a second with this baby. I hope you have a good experience and a healthy baby.

Answer

I had a c-section with my son 15 months ago. It was definitely not as bad as I was expecting. I was up walking the next day. I got a spinal block, it did not hurt, but did sting. You feel the pinch and warmth, then completely numb. The only thing I actually felt was the occasional pull and tug. The numbness wears off in about 4-8 hours. The pain afterwards catches up with you eventually. It’s more so when you’re repositioning yourself in bed, bending over, or heaven forbid if you cough or sneeze! Walk as soon as you can because it does actually help. You will be numb at your incision site for a long time afterwards (I’m still partially numb at the incision site 15 months later). When you get back home, going up and down stairs is a chore. So is lifting baby out of and into a crib. But it is all truly worth it!!! Congratulations on your growing bundle of joy :)

Answer

No it does not hurt but the after does. And for your cousin to say she didn't hurt, I completely do not believe. I walked the next day but it does hurt a lot.

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I don’t see why high blood pressure and GD means 100% c-section? There is no medical need for that unless your induction was to fail.

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I walked same day with my c section but you have to in order to avoid blood clots. The pain was pretty bad though. I had a spinal tap and didnt feel it because it was during contractions. I had an emergency c section

Answer

My son was born this past april by csection. They had me on pitocin for 24 hours and i would not progress past 3 cm so finally i asked for the epidural because i knew when my doctor got in that he was going to suggest a c section. When they do the surgery you are awake, i didnt feel any pain or anything at all. I just laid there and waited and listened for my boy. I finally heard him cry and they brought him over to me. Then they took him to be weighed and meet his grandparents while they stitched me up. I took a little nap while they did that and when i got to the recovery room they let me do skin to skin and nurse him. After i got back to the room i sat and waited to get the feeling in my legs back and they had these air bags on them to keep circulation going. They were also coming in to press on my belly which hurt pretty bad and change my bed pad every so often so i wasnt sitting in blood. They wouldnt let me get up until they had done some kind of tests (not sure what they were, i dont remember, something about blood loss though). After i was able to get up i noticed the more i stayed in the bed the harder it was to get up the next time. I was up the next day, it didnt feel great but the more i walked around the less it hurt. Id also raise my bed until it was about at my hips and then rest my tummy on it which helped me pass enough gas to appease the nursing staff.

What does a c section feel like

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