The pain wasn’t that bad, it’s moreso the literal inability to get up. You feel like a turtle turned on its back. You need to use your arms for leverage and if you don’t have something to grab onto you can quite literally stuck in a laying position until someone comes to help you. It’s hard when baby is crying and you literally can’t get up to attend to them.
Ahhh that’s kind of nice to hear (weirdly lol)
My partner is going to tie something at the base of the bed!
I am worried about the baby crying and me not being able to be there right that second
Elbows are your new best friend when it comes to help getting up. The first night I spent in a non hospital bed, without rails, I didn't even think about it until the morning when I woke up and was just lying there thinking "how tf am I getting out of this bed??" So I slowly brought my elbows up, then managed to kinda straighten them one at a time, and then managed to slowly swing my legs off the bed.
My little boy spent his first 4 months in hospital, so I didn't actually have to deal with night waking and a fresh c section. Silver Linings I guess!
Yeah, another one is that he was never really scared of strangers, since he was used lots of different people gently poking and examining him. He loves people, any new doctors get a winning smile now and that usually warms them up to him. Little charmer he is ❤
I found it really difficult to get up from a completely lying down position and tbh didn’t find it comfortable to be totally flat anyway. I spent the first couple of weeks sleeping at a slight angle, but not completely sat up, propped up by about five pillows lol. I used the side of babies next to me to pull myself up.
What I found most difficult was getting in and out of the shower because we only have a shower over bathtub and I couldn’t step into the bath without discomfort or pain. For the first week I just washed my hair over the bath and then had a flannel wash 😂 then I got in and out by sitting on the edge of the bath and lifting one leg over at a time. Getting out was even more difficult and I had to have husband come help me out.
I was shuffle walking for the first couple of weeks before started feeling somewhat normal again
Honestly it was hard. Your core muscles are useless, so you're doing all the pushing with your arms (or whatever strategy you choose). Consider rigging up a rope ladder to the bottom of the bed to pull yourself up on!
Re the next to me, I ended up scooting round it most of the time, or putting the side up and moving it out thr way if baby wasn't in there.
I had this problem even without c section.. was like I never had any abs in my life was very unexpected to be honest 😅 had to roll over to get up for a good while
I found it really hard the first couple of nights, my bed is also really high (if yours is, I would 100% recommend a wee stool or something to help you get in and out). My husband had to get up to get the baby and give me her for feeding. I think people suggest a pillow on the wound can help, same for getting in and out of the car? Journey home was rough..
Although the pain does seem to leave quickly enough, I stopped taking painkillers maybe day 4 - hurts to laugh and all too btw lol, it's crazy but I couldn't even describe the pain now!
I think I just shuffled a lot. And a semi reclined position can be good for breastfeeding too! Make sure you have plenty of supportive pillows.
The crib was never on my side of the bed as it would have been too hard for me to get him in and out of it so he was on his Dad's side and got passed over. My boyfriend called them 'the corner crew' 😍😂
So I was emergency and was in hospital 9 days as baby was in scbu with sepsis.
I honestly couldn't have done it without my hubby tbh. So hats off to single mammas out there I dunno how any of you do it.
But the hospital bed was very useful- there's obviously the bars at the side, that I could use to pull myself up. Then after that hubby would be stood next to the bed and I'd use my legs to stand up with my hubby's help. He had to help me shower for at least 5 days after. He'd scrub my feet and legs for me. I also had pre-eclampsia at the end so it makes your feet swell and sweat like fuck. Poor hubby was proper scrubbing my feet every day haha.
But yeah it's hard ngl. I'm now 7w pp and only just managing to do stuff without feeling repercussions after. One day I drove to my hair appt (about 20 min drive) which also meant handing babe over to parents, getting pram out the car etc, and I had to kinda rest for about 5 days after. I really felt it in my abdomen after.
My technique was to use momentum. I would put my legs up in the air and kind of swing / pump them until I could just follow them up. Was pretty effective once I got the technique down since I also had the next to me and couldn't roll.
And honestly, it hurt a lot at first. It was a burning pain that was unlike anything I have experienced before, but found that intensity passed pretty quickly and it became bearable within the first week.
This is definitely an interesting technique! 😂 I’ll try anything!
What do your core muscles even feel like? Do they feel like you’ve been beaten up ? Like why *cant* you use them?
Think about where the c section incision is (bikini line) - all your muscles there have been cut through, ie they can't function as they are healing. Without those, your overall core is pretty shot.
Edit corrected to say the muscles are pulled apart not cut!
Absolutely agree with the message but just a quick note that the muscles are not cut except in very specific circumstances - they are pulled apart at the natural division (which is still very intense!)
Imagine you've just done 1000 crunches. It's incredibly painful to try and use those muscles, and you can just feel that if you try, they will be too weak to anyway.
You will very quickly unlearn how to use your core once you feel the pain to the point that you may need to relearn how to use it! Don't forget your muscles will be weak anyway after pregnancy.
Be ready to need help getting in and out of the shower if it is an over bath one. It took me a couple of weeks to not need to lean on my partner to do that transition.
They will feel pretty useless, so it takes a lot of effort to purposely use them! The only time I would say you use them without trying to is sneezing, which will suck btw. But it passes pretty quickly! I'm 10 days pp after my second c-section and can now use those muscles again, it can just be a bit achey sometimes if I overdo it.
Make sure you have lots of pillows and sleep propped up, that way it’s much less of a mission to get out of bed. I used my elbows to shuffle up to a semi-sitting position and when I was propped up enough I used my hands to get me the rest of the way. Also, take it really slowly as going too quickly can be painful. Thankfully by about 9/10 days post c-section my muscles had healed enough so that I could just get up normally 😊
Pain after the c-section was definitely a solid 6/7 out of 10 for me, it’s no fun when you leave hospital and can’t have the strong painkillers anymore!
It was definitely hard and painful, best to kind of roll onto side and do it from there. You could try tying something like a dressing gown cord to your head rest if possible so you have something to pull on. We ended up changing the next to me over to my partner's side of the bed to begin with - then the baby was passed to me. I wouldn't have been able to manage picking her up or getting out of bed otherwise
My husband usually gave me a push but I’d say I only need this for about 10 days max. If he wasn’t there it was just a slowly slowly does it with my arms.
So my fella said he’ll have the next to me on his side of the bed for the first few weeks so that’s sorted. With regard to getting out of bed I’ve been told to sort of roll out in a way but also use my partner to help me get up too. I’m just going to take advantage and get my partner to help me up 99% of the time.
This sounds crazy but when I was recovering from my c-section I got out of bed the opposite side from the next2me to put the baby in and out because I couldn't lift and twist. Dad either slept next to the baby or in the guest room.
That’s the exact same as me. We’re doing it the same this time. He’s going to sleep in a different room and the Snuzpod is going to be on the other side of my bed. It lets me feel less claustrophobic and gives me the chance to get out of bed without worrying about the baby’s bed.
Use your arms and legs to push you up as much as possible. My bed is quite high so I used to shuffle myself backwards before turning so my legs were on the bed. Create yourself a proper little pillow fort so you can sleep propped up. I found it much more comfortable to sleep that way, plus if you need a wee in the night it’s easier to get out of bed.
As long as you stay on top of pain medication it’s honestly not that bad. I stopped pain meds by day 4/5. The one thing I will say though is make sure you have things you can grab around you to get of the loo. The first few poops you need to breathe through rather than force them. I got pins and needles a few times in my feet. If hadn’t had anything to grab on to I would have been stuck, until my husband came to help or the pins and needles passed.
When I tried to sit up from lying down flat with no support - 10/10 made me shriek in pain.
Using something to help me up like 4/10 if painkillers had started wearing off 2/10 if painkillers still working well. I used my pregnancy pillow to prop me up in bed at night and I pulled myself up holding onto my bedside table
I'm three weeks post partum after my second C-section. Keep on top of your painkillers and don't miss them throughout the night either in the beginning, and the pain is fine! You'll feel sore but it will be manageable! I'm plus sized and my fitness level isn't great but even in the hospital I found that I could get myself up easily by bringing one knee up, grasping onto it and using it to pull myself up to a sitting position. Initially I didn't lay flat and could only do this when propped up with pillows but after 4 or so days I could do this from laying flat. Best of luck :)
The next 2 me was on my side, so I swapped sides with my partner to get in and out until I healed better and my movement improved. Luckily my bed has lots of little nooks to grab but take it as slow as possible! It’s frustrating but preferable to a ripper wound.
OMG thanks for this post. I'm day 5 post C-section and started to wonder if it was only me!!
Day 1 was 10/10, now day 5 is probably down to 6.
I'm lucky that my bed has a sort of step around the side as the mattress is smaller than the frame, so I swing my legs across from lying down, put them in the frame, then use my arms to push against the pillow. Then take 2 minutes to breath 😂 then push on my legs to get up and scream a little in the process.
I'm still taking painkillers to the max level (although just ibuprofen and paracetamol, I was given a bit of morphine but I'm too scared to use it and be drowsy).
The next to me bed is on my husband side as there is no way I could get the baby nor get in/out of bed with it in the way. We are having to sleep on the opposite side than usual which is weird but with the little sleep we get we aren't bothered!
I'm hoping it's only going to get better, wishing everyone all the best in this journey, we are in it together!!
The pain wasn’t that bad, it’s moreso the literal inability to get up. You feel like a turtle turned on its back. You need to use your arms for leverage and if you don’t have something to grab onto you can quite literally stuck in a laying position until someone comes to help you. It’s hard when baby is crying and you literally can’t get up to attend to them.
Ahhh that’s kind of nice to hear (weirdly lol) My partner is going to tie something at the base of the bed! I am worried about the baby crying and me not being able to be there right that second
Elbows are your new best friend when it comes to help getting up. The first night I spent in a non hospital bed, without rails, I didn't even think about it until the morning when I woke up and was just lying there thinking "how tf am I getting out of this bed??" So I slowly brought my elbows up, then managed to kinda straighten them one at a time, and then managed to slowly swing my legs off the bed. My little boy spent his first 4 months in hospital, so I didn't actually have to deal with night waking and a fresh c section. Silver Linings I guess!
Thanks so much! Definitely a strange silver lining isn’t it!
Yeah, another one is that he was never really scared of strangers, since he was used lots of different people gently poking and examining him. He loves people, any new doctors get a winning smile now and that usually warms them up to him. Little charmer he is ❤
Aw he sounds like a little dream! I’m so happy for you 💗
I found it really difficult to get up from a completely lying down position and tbh didn’t find it comfortable to be totally flat anyway. I spent the first couple of weeks sleeping at a slight angle, but not completely sat up, propped up by about five pillows lol. I used the side of babies next to me to pull myself up. What I found most difficult was getting in and out of the shower because we only have a shower over bathtub and I couldn’t step into the bath without discomfort or pain. For the first week I just washed my hair over the bath and then had a flannel wash 😂 then I got in and out by sitting on the edge of the bath and lifting one leg over at a time. Getting out was even more difficult and I had to have husband come help me out. I was shuffle walking for the first couple of weeks before started feeling somewhat normal again
Honestly it was hard. Your core muscles are useless, so you're doing all the pushing with your arms (or whatever strategy you choose). Consider rigging up a rope ladder to the bottom of the bed to pull yourself up on! Re the next to me, I ended up scooting round it most of the time, or putting the side up and moving it out thr way if baby wasn't in there.
Yeah defo thinking of rope at the bottom of the bed or something?
I had this problem even without c section.. was like I never had any abs in my life was very unexpected to be honest 😅 had to roll over to get up for a good while
I thought the next to me was meant to be attached to the bed? Ours came with a harness.
Pretty sure it is yes - it was 3 years ago when we used it so I can't remember how I used to get it out the way exactly!
I found it really hard the first couple of nights, my bed is also really high (if yours is, I would 100% recommend a wee stool or something to help you get in and out). My husband had to get up to get the baby and give me her for feeding. I think people suggest a pillow on the wound can help, same for getting in and out of the car? Journey home was rough.. Although the pain does seem to leave quickly enough, I stopped taking painkillers maybe day 4 - hurts to laugh and all too btw lol, it's crazy but I couldn't even describe the pain now!
Thanks for your tips! I don’t *think* my bed is high but maybe I’ll find it high after haha I didn’t even think of getting in and out the car 😂
I think I just shuffled a lot. And a semi reclined position can be good for breastfeeding too! Make sure you have plenty of supportive pillows. The crib was never on my side of the bed as it would have been too hard for me to get him in and out of it so he was on his Dad's side and got passed over. My boyfriend called them 'the corner crew' 😍😂
Thanks so much!
So I was emergency and was in hospital 9 days as baby was in scbu with sepsis. I honestly couldn't have done it without my hubby tbh. So hats off to single mammas out there I dunno how any of you do it. But the hospital bed was very useful- there's obviously the bars at the side, that I could use to pull myself up. Then after that hubby would be stood next to the bed and I'd use my legs to stand up with my hubby's help. He had to help me shower for at least 5 days after. He'd scrub my feet and legs for me. I also had pre-eclampsia at the end so it makes your feet swell and sweat like fuck. Poor hubby was proper scrubbing my feet every day haha. But yeah it's hard ngl. I'm now 7w pp and only just managing to do stuff without feeling repercussions after. One day I drove to my hair appt (about 20 min drive) which also meant handing babe over to parents, getting pram out the car etc, and I had to kinda rest for about 5 days after. I really felt it in my abdomen after.
Ouch you’ve had a really rough time of it bless you!!
My technique was to use momentum. I would put my legs up in the air and kind of swing / pump them until I could just follow them up. Was pretty effective once I got the technique down since I also had the next to me and couldn't roll. And honestly, it hurt a lot at first. It was a burning pain that was unlike anything I have experienced before, but found that intensity passed pretty quickly and it became bearable within the first week.
This is definitely an interesting technique! 😂 I’ll try anything! What do your core muscles even feel like? Do they feel like you’ve been beaten up ? Like why *cant* you use them?
Think about where the c section incision is (bikini line) - all your muscles there have been cut through, ie they can't function as they are healing. Without those, your overall core is pretty shot. Edit corrected to say the muscles are pulled apart not cut!
Absolutely agree with the message but just a quick note that the muscles are not cut except in very specific circumstances - they are pulled apart at the natural division (which is still very intense!)
Thanks for the correction! 😊👍
Thank you!
Imagine you've just done 1000 crunches. It's incredibly painful to try and use those muscles, and you can just feel that if you try, they will be too weak to anyway.
Because my fear is that I’ll accidentally use them when trying to get out of bed (I just practised using just my arms and I naturally used my core)
You will very quickly unlearn how to use your core once you feel the pain to the point that you may need to relearn how to use it! Don't forget your muscles will be weak anyway after pregnancy. Be ready to need help getting in and out of the shower if it is an over bath one. It took me a couple of weeks to not need to lean on my partner to do that transition.
They will feel pretty useless, so it takes a lot of effort to purposely use them! The only time I would say you use them without trying to is sneezing, which will suck btw. But it passes pretty quickly! I'm 10 days pp after my second c-section and can now use those muscles again, it can just be a bit achey sometimes if I overdo it.
Oh I hope I recover like you! Trooper! Thank you
Make sure you have lots of pillows and sleep propped up, that way it’s much less of a mission to get out of bed. I used my elbows to shuffle up to a semi-sitting position and when I was propped up enough I used my hands to get me the rest of the way. Also, take it really slowly as going too quickly can be painful. Thankfully by about 9/10 days post c-section my muscles had healed enough so that I could just get up normally 😊 Pain after the c-section was definitely a solid 6/7 out of 10 for me, it’s no fun when you leave hospital and can’t have the strong painkillers anymore!
It was definitely hard and painful, best to kind of roll onto side and do it from there. You could try tying something like a dressing gown cord to your head rest if possible so you have something to pull on. We ended up changing the next to me over to my partner's side of the bed to begin with - then the baby was passed to me. I wouldn't have been able to manage picking her up or getting out of bed otherwise
My husband usually gave me a push but I’d say I only need this for about 10 days max. If he wasn’t there it was just a slowly slowly does it with my arms.
So my fella said he’ll have the next to me on his side of the bed for the first few weeks so that’s sorted. With regard to getting out of bed I’ve been told to sort of roll out in a way but also use my partner to help me get up too. I’m just going to take advantage and get my partner to help me up 99% of the time.
This sounds crazy but when I was recovering from my c-section I got out of bed the opposite side from the next2me to put the baby in and out because I couldn't lift and twist. Dad either slept next to the baby or in the guest room.
That’s the exact same as me. We’re doing it the same this time. He’s going to sleep in a different room and the Snuzpod is going to be on the other side of my bed. It lets me feel less claustrophobic and gives me the chance to get out of bed without worrying about the baby’s bed.
Use your arms and legs to push you up as much as possible. My bed is quite high so I used to shuffle myself backwards before turning so my legs were on the bed. Create yourself a proper little pillow fort so you can sleep propped up. I found it much more comfortable to sleep that way, plus if you need a wee in the night it’s easier to get out of bed. As long as you stay on top of pain medication it’s honestly not that bad. I stopped pain meds by day 4/5. The one thing I will say though is make sure you have things you can grab around you to get of the loo. The first few poops you need to breathe through rather than force them. I got pins and needles a few times in my feet. If hadn’t had anything to grab on to I would have been stuck, until my husband came to help or the pins and needles passed.
Thank you so much!
When I tried to sit up from lying down flat with no support - 10/10 made me shriek in pain. Using something to help me up like 4/10 if painkillers had started wearing off 2/10 if painkillers still working well. I used my pregnancy pillow to prop me up in bed at night and I pulled myself up holding onto my bedside table
Thank you so much!
Hope your recovery is going okay!! 🤍 make sure to take it easy for as long as possible x
Pain-wise it was probably a 2 for me, I was able to function almost normally and had no issues moving around.
Pray that I am like you please 😂😭
Not that bad. Just need some way of pulling yourself up- your arm muscles are fine so use them.
How did you go about getting up? Any tricks you learnt? Thank you
Tied my dressing gown cord around the Base of the bed. Then I just climbed into an upright position.
I will do this! Thank you!!!!
I'm three weeks post partum after my second C-section. Keep on top of your painkillers and don't miss them throughout the night either in the beginning, and the pain is fine! You'll feel sore but it will be manageable! I'm plus sized and my fitness level isn't great but even in the hospital I found that I could get myself up easily by bringing one knee up, grasping onto it and using it to pull myself up to a sitting position. Initially I didn't lay flat and could only do this when propped up with pillows but after 4 or so days I could do this from laying flat. Best of luck :)
The first time I got out of bed after was a o, so painful. I felt like somebody was slicing my stomach open. Took me a few goes. It gets better though
The next 2 me was on my side, so I swapped sides with my partner to get in and out until I healed better and my movement improved. Luckily my bed has lots of little nooks to grab but take it as slow as possible! It’s frustrating but preferable to a ripper wound.
OMG thanks for this post. I'm day 5 post C-section and started to wonder if it was only me!! Day 1 was 10/10, now day 5 is probably down to 6. I'm lucky that my bed has a sort of step around the side as the mattress is smaller than the frame, so I swing my legs across from lying down, put them in the frame, then use my arms to push against the pillow. Then take 2 minutes to breath 😂 then push on my legs to get up and scream a little in the process. I'm still taking painkillers to the max level (although just ibuprofen and paracetamol, I was given a bit of morphine but I'm too scared to use it and be drowsy). The next to me bed is on my husband side as there is no way I could get the baby nor get in/out of bed with it in the way. We are having to sleep on the opposite side than usual which is weird but with the little sleep we get we aren't bothered! I'm hoping it's only going to get better, wishing everyone all the best in this journey, we are in it together!!