Things I Learned After Delivering Via C-Section

Having a c-section, for me, was not what I wanted. I wanted to deliver naturally, and tried for eighteen hours before having an emergency c-section. I had to be bullied into having an epidural because I didn't even want that. Personally, I can't fathom why anyone would prefer a c-section unless they had no other choice.

However, these are the things that I found after having a c-section:

1. They HURT a lot

I can't begin to describe the burning, tearing, searing, debilitating pain after a c-section. Now my particular c-section came after eighteen hours of a pitocin-induction with magnesium IV drip necessitated because of preeclampsia. So there's something to be said about the possibility that my body was literally worn out. This may have contributed to my recovery pain. But consider this - I have a high tolerance for pain.

I went from 6:00am to after 3:00pm in hard labor (which pitocin throws you straight into hard labor) without once crying out, except for when my OB broke my bag of water. I was managing the pain. I also have an autoimmune disorder that causes extreme amounts of pain when I'm having a flare up. What I'm saying is that I know pain. I can handle pain. This pain, however, was like no pain I've ever dealt with.

2. You NEED to get up and walk

Yes. It's tantamount to stabbing yourself in the abdomen with a white hot knife. But you MUST do it. Get out of that bed. Inch by inch, you need to move, get the blood circulating. The more you walk, the quicker you will heal. But on the flip side, don't OVERDO it. Pushing yourself TOO far can lead to setbacks - you can tear, hemorrhage, or simply overtire yourself, making your body work harder to repair the damage.

The first time I got out of bed, I literally thought I would black out from the pain. But it is necessary. If the nurses and doctors don't push you, you need to push yourself to get moving. It hurts, but it is better for you in the long run.

3. MANAGE your pain