TTC after c-section

Hi everyone! I'm curious how long all of you waited before ttc after a c-section? I had a very complicated birth and ended up developing HELLP syndrome during my labor. My doctor told me I needed to wait a year before ttc, but I'm worried it'll take me too long. I'm 34 and my husband is 43, and it took us about a year to conceive our first. Ideally we'd love 3 kids, but I'll have to see how everything goes with our next baby because I came close to dying during my first labor. My next birth will be a planned c-section to try to avoid the health complications I had during my first labor, though. Ideally, I'd love to start trying for our second between 6-9 months PP.

Is it really necessary to wait a year before ttc? Have any of you gotten pregnant sooner than a year after a c-section? Also, did you find that it was more difficult to conceive after you had a c-section? I'd love to hear about any experiences you have to share.