Today, looking back, I find myself thinking and remembering everything I went through to get pregnant and also all the postpartum care, since each was quite different from the other. With Joana’s birth I did very well with my recovery, but it was also a very calm delivery, with no complications. It was in fact an emergency C-section because the baby was in distress. I remember as if it were now, the tiny prick of the needle and my legs quickly becoming heavy. I had no reactions to the anesthesia, which was the Spinal anesthesia. It was truly and without a doubt an amazing delivery in terms of not feeling anything, except for the classic discomfort of a drop in blood pressure during the birth. This drop in pressure always comes from the anesthesia and, even in a cesarean, was handled very well.

Besides staying an extra day in the hospital because Joana was admitted due to other issues, my recovery was easy. I didn’t feel any pain after birth and would only feel minor discomfort if I was more than 8 hours without taking pain medication. My OB-GYN at the time prescribed cephalexin and also Lisador, which is honestly a great postoperative medication. I spent every day from 7 AM to 8 PM at the maternity ward until Joana was discharged. Those were tough days, but I wouldn’t change a thing. After just 15 days since the surgery, I had the stitches removed and I was as good as new.

With Dudu’s delivery it was very different, the complete opposite of Joana’s. I know cesarean is a SURGERY, but since it was necessary—since there was no dilation even after induction—I went back to the operating room and this time had a harder experience. The anesthesia was again spinal, but this time a larger dose was given and it ended up traveling up to my lungs. I had some bad moments in the operating room, but even so, everything went well. Dudu was born very healthy, chubby, flushed, and crying a lot. The postpartum recovery was a bit more difficult. I had post-spinal headaches and struggled a bit to breastfeed. I had no milk or even colostrum for breastfeeding. Not to mention a stubborn suture that ended up getting inflamed. At discharge, the attending doctor didn’t prescribe any antibiotics, and that made a big difference in my recovery. It took me a little longer to really feel well, I think about a month in total and I only started to recover after my sister-in-law Patricia, a doctor, prescribed me cephalexin to help with the inflamed stitch that was even oozing. After the recovery period, I felt great and had no further problems.

Not Everything Is Roses…

I also recently shared the story of Melissa’s birth and this was by far the most painful and the longest. Yet another C-section, but this time I was also going to have a tubal ligation and although I again felt the drop in blood pressure, everything went smoothly. Right after delivery I had some post-anesthesia reactions like shivering—but I didn’t feel cold, actually quite the opposite. I felt very, very hot, sweating and shivering at the same time. It was strange, I’ve never had a sensation like that. I also had a reaction of itching a lot where the clothes and elastic touched my skin. It took about 2 days for all the side effects to go away and, according to my OB-GYN, this was completely normal. I can’t forget to mention that in the other two births I had absolutely no dizziness when getting up to take a shower, but this time…

I swear it felt like I was in a ship lost at sea in the middle of a huge storm. I was like that for about 3 hours after getting up to shower, and the nurse who assisted me advised that I stay seated in bed longer so the labyrinth fluid (the oily fluid inside the ear responsible for balance) could stabilize. In fact, the dizziness stopped and soon I was able to balance on my own. This dizziness happens from spending too long lying down in the same position and, together with the anesthesia, causes this reaction.

Going to pee was a whole other issue with all three of my C-sections! Because of the catheter, the first few times peeing are always complicated. It feels like you’ll never be able to pee again! In the end, it all worked out. I had issues with gas all three times, and in the last delivery it was the worst—I could feel the gas moving inside my belly and wasn’t able to have a bowel movement, only after taking Tamarine prescribed by the OB-GYN, and what a miracle remedy that was!

Fernanda’s Birth Story

“The recovery was very quick, I was so scared of the anesthesia and didn’t even realize how major the surgery was. I had a lot of pain right after the anesthesia wore off, but after 10 days there I was, cleaning the bathroom, hanging up laundry, etc… Rest period? What’s that!? LOL The doctor prescribed me an antibiotic, Luftal, and some others I can’t remember now. It’s been 2 years!! Going to the bathroom was OMG I thought everything was going to fall out and I wouldn’t be able to stand up. I spent 8 hours lying down and I think my bladder got way too full, and I was so nervous that I forgot to say I had to pee. The pain was insane, but I would go through it all over again to achieve this DREAM.”

It’s important to know that not all doctors prescribe antibiotics after delivery—most of the time they prescribe appropriate anti-inflammatories instead. But if you feel any inflamed stitches, you do need to use antibiotics. Cephalexin is safe for breastfeeding and doesn’t harm the baby. If you feel any abnormal burning or moisture near the C-section scar, you should talk to the OB-GYN who performed the procedure. That way, they can check if you need medication. Of course, also be very careful with postpartum care. That means not lifting heavy things, avoid going up and down stairs unnecessarily, and being very careful to avoid falls.

Ideally, there would be a humanized C-section where mother and baby could have the same skin-to-skin contact as a natural vaginal birth. As soon as the baby leaves the mother’s body, they could be held and cuddled on her chest—and I really miss that… It would have been so much better, but even with three C-sections, each experience has been different. I don’t know if it would have been any different with a vaginal birth, but anyway… that’s how it was, and there’s no changing that. I focus much more on the fact that everyone is healthy and well, and that’s enough for me.

See also: Humanized birth is now law!

Photo: Todd Anderson