Advice please on coping after a C-section (rider not horse).

Ollie Bears mum

Ollie Bears mum

RIP Suzie Q, Dec 24th
Jan 3, 2008
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Essex/Suffolk Border
I have just been told that I will need a C-section:eek: due to a broken pelvis that still hasn't healed properly (it happened nearly 8 yrs ago), and all I can think of is how will I cope, all the youngsters are ready to be sold, so they should be gone, and have decided not to buy anymore in, but that still leaves my horse and my daughters pony, my hubby wants me to teach him to lunge and maybe long rein, so at least he can keep my boy ticking over once or twice a week as he gets very bored and destructive just going in and out the field, and same with the pony, but he is away at work from 3- 5 days and nights in a row, my yard is only a mile away but I still need to drive as it is a very fast road, my horse was beaten and starved by he's previose owner and it has taken along time to gain he's trust, so feel that hireing someone is not an option, sorry this is so long winded, but has anyone broken the rules and drove before they were allowed to?
Just quickly point out hubby is taking at least a week of when baby is born, unfortuanatly he's self employed so might have to go back sometime in the 2nd week. (Just didn't want him to seem un caring by not helping).:D
 
I wasn't actually told not to drive after a c-section, although I was in hospital for 10 days. I certainly drove in the first week I was home as we lived at the time 3 miles from the nearest shop! Could not pick up or carry anything weightly however for about 4 weeks and doing horse would not have been feasible

Rather stupidly tried to ride as soon as I had 6 weeks check ....very bad idea!!
 
I had two C sections, one booked, the other an emergency. Was ok after both, no problems at all, but I have to say the minimum time before you're really back up to speed is around six weeks. have a chat with your obstetric surgeon, see what he/she says.

I never felt unwell, it's about allowing the divided tissues to heal sufficiently before getting too physically active, and that was incredibly frustrating. Have to say I was driving within a week, we're too isoltaed not to and hubby had gone back to work. Not that I should have done - puts your insurance in jeopardy!
 
our village is fairly isolated as well, you have the village shop but a loaf costs nearly £2 so a few little bits do mount up or am I just being stingy. hehe.

Hubby will do what he can, but horses will have to come in at night as the big boy is a fence breaker and I would worry to much.

10 DAYS in hosp, please no, I was told min of 3 days and I am still arguing to have that reduced, me and hospitals are never good, with the broken pelvis i was meant to be in for 6 weeks, I signed myself out in 4 days, couldn't take anymore.
 
My advice is to rest, rest and rest some more once you have had your c-section. That is the only way that you will recover quickly. You need to remember that it is major surgery and your body needs time to recover.

I had an emergency c-section with my son almost a year ago and due to complications (not related to the c-section) he was in special care which was 2 floors down from the postnatal ward. I was therefore up and about as soon as I physically could move and had to go up and down between the units about 10 times a day. In hindsight a wheelchair would have been useful but no-one gave me one!

All this movement really was not good for me and I was in so much pain with each step. If I coughed or laughed (not that I laughed much!) it was agony. Because I didn't rest it took me ages to recover and not feel a 'pulling' sensation every time I moved.

Although you obviously want to get up and back to normal as quickly as possible I would strongly advise that you try and get someone else to take care of the horses for a few months and concentrate on getting over it. By resting properly you will be able to do more sooner.

Another tip for the c-section - ask for gas and air when they remove the drain!
 
Ollie Bears mum said:
10 DAYS in hosp, please no, I was told min of 3 days and I am still arguing to have that reduced,
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No I think it's generally much shorter nowadays, unless there are complications with your health. Mine were all 5 days stay, and the last one was nearly 6 years ago. I have also heard its now around the three day mark. I didn't actually have any horses when I was having my c-sections ( have had 3, they will put a zip in for the next I think!) but just wanted to wish you luck and to take care of yourself:)
 
I had an emergency C-section and hated staying in the hospital so I was out in 2 days but I think 3 to 5 days is more realistic. The first week you need to be very careful. With regards to the driving it will depend on how you feel. Ideally rest for 4 weeks and use taxis. However, if you do feel you need to drive - keep it to short journeys and don't drive a heavy car (i.e. make sure you only drive cars with power steering) and you need to be confident that you could do an emergency stop if needed.
 
Don't mean to be the stingy one here, but I didn't think it was so much doctors telling you not to drive, but most insurance policies are invalid if you do. Worth considering, that if caught you owul dbe not driving for a lot longer.

When are you due? Is there anyone who could work with you now for your horse to get used to that could take over for a few weeks.
 
Ollie Bears mum said:
10 DAYS in hosp, please no, I was told min of 3 days and I am still arguing to have that reduced, me and hospitals are never good, with the broken pelvis i was meant to be in for 6 weeks, I signed myself out in 4 days, couldn't take anymore.
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That's a rather long time, especially if you already have a daughter at home, and for most busy maternity units thats a bed withheld - or are you being transferred post-natally to a more local hospital?

This is something to talk over with your midwife, as post-natal care obv is still their remit, and there may be staffing issues in the community. Provided everything's ok, and both you and baby are well, then I can't see the rationale personally. I was home in three days after my second ( I made a fuss :eek:), but the midwife was happy to see me at home.
 
I had an emergency C Section 6 years ago... I was fine afterwards and stayed in hospital 3 nights and came home on Day 4. I was told I couldn't drive for 6 weeks as it would invalidate my insurance - you need to check that out... its not driving that's a problem its if you have to do an emergency stop or something. I had two horses at the time but had a good friend who looked after them for me... have you got anyone else who could help out? My other problem was that we live at the bottom of a big hill so I wasn't allowed out to push the pram - as soon as the 6 weeks were up I pushed him to the farm everyday and parked him up while I mucked out and stuff and it all worked out very well in the end.
 
thank you ever so much for all your advice, I'm due 6th May so guess sometime in April, have thought about working with someone and strangly enough a friend of a friend wants a tempoary place for their horse as they will be moving to france at end of June, so have said to send her down and we can chat, and see if she could help with mine and I'll reduce rent are she can have it for free, one door slams another one opens and all that.

My car should be ideal its a jeep cheerokee so no bending down to get in and out and very light on steering, auto as well so no gear change, just the emergency stop to work out

hubby has also asked if beds can be left (deep littered) for when he is at work and he'll dig it all out when he gets back, something to do with him getting fit hehe. Hose pipe will be rigged so no lifting buckets, (this is all if no help availiable), Daughter has said and these are her words, 'I'll do what I can for you mummy, but remember I'm only 8', bless her. so I guess if nothing else that is the hay sorted.
 
I think you should consider some serious backup. Everyone recovers differently. I have had three ceaserians and none of them where any fun.

I would certainly think mucking out was a no no unless you get down on your hands un knees and just skip out with rubber gloves. You will probably be able to lead the horses if they are very good but be prepared to let go as you won't be able to cope with being yanked about etc.

Do you have access to an automatic car? Its the manual ones that are difficult to drive cos of the clutch.

By the way who will look after the baby while you are trying to cope with the near immpossible?

If I think of anything else that might help I'll let you know Good Luck.:D
 
i know it all seems like pie in the sky, but have to explore every avenue.

The baby will be either in the car, (car right next to stables), or in the pram with me, as will be making sure horses tolerate the pram being wheeled around the yard, don't panic will not be leading the horse and pushing the pram, just that when I am up to it, and might push this one to 10 wks + I'll be poo picking and the baby will be with me, but like I say, I might not be able to do that for a long while (wink).
 
I've also had 2 caesarians. One emergency and one planned. I am normally a very fit person, but I definately couldn't have mucked out the first 2 weeks. As someone else said, it hurts just to laugh and sneeze. Its not just the physical strain either, it seems to make you soo tired. All I did was sleep!

I think driving is a definate no-no too. You really will need to check with your insurance company, and see how you feel at the time.
After the first 2 weeks, I started healing really quickly. I was probably driving and mucking out after about a month, but you have to be careful. You're still quite sore. I was riding again after 5 weeks. It just hurt to get on and off, because of the stretching.

Could you chuck your horses out in May, if weathers ok? I think the idea of introducing your friend early is a good idea too.

Don't worry about the CS. It really isn't that bad. The thought of an operation used to be my worst nightmare, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. After the planned one, I remember thinking I'd had worst trips to the dentist! Atleast you have something worthwhile at the end of it;)
 
I would love to chuck them out in may but the horse is a fence breaker, we have stock fencing plus post and rail + electric, then topped with barb, (not good I know) and he will either push he's weight on it till it collapses, or just jump it, good thing is they would not have to be rugged anymore. If I left them out i'd panic all night that he got on the road.

I know I am not being much help here, even to myself, but I really do appreciate the advice you all are giving me. Looks like I will have to persuade hubby to be my slave for as long as possible, now wouldn't that be a shame. hehe.
 
Hi
I was lucky enough to have a normal birth and I would not have been ready to ride for 8-12 weeks or anything else come to that:) You need to plan not to have any responsibility for the horses for at least 6 weeks and that comes from my nursing experience:) You have to look at the short term and the long term. If you do not do as you are advised you will be short term in alot of pain and emotional torment and if you break the rules and do too much you will feel it later on and find things difficult. Sorry to be a party pooper but I came a cropper and took almost a year to recover because I was too head strong and wanted everything back the way it was straight away. enjoy being looked after and good things come to those who can wait :)
 
sheryl said:
Could you chuck your horses out in May, if weathers ok? I think the idea of introducing your friend early is a good idea too.

Don't worry about the CS. It really isn't that bad. The thought of an operation used to be my worst nightmare, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. After the planned one, I remember thinking I'd had worst trips to the dentist! Atleast you have something worthwhile at the end of it;)
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Para 1 Thats a good idea

Para 2 Yes thats the important bit having the healthy bundle at the end of it. Sorry to go off. thread but I lost 2 and could'nt have any more. Long time ago though and have a son so I am well over it now.
 
I've been cut 3 times, 1 to remove a coil that was imbedded (don't ask!!!) second time was a c - section, third time was to be sterilised because they could not get through the belly button because of the scar tissue, from the other two!!!

The first time I was cut I played it by the book. The second time I was up, out and about asap because I realised that no matter how long you sat around and rested it still hurt when you DID get up so may as well get on with it.

The third time although along the same scar it was smaller and a doddle:D

Do as much as you feel you can sensibly, if you push it too soon, too fast, it will catch up with you along the line abit. Don't forget you will also be dealing with a new baby as well. The obvious danger with driving and lifting is ripping the new scar tissue open again, if you had to do an emergency stop, or if you lift anything too heavy. Someone on here has raised the issue of insurance and that is a very valid point. IF you can find someone you trust enough to deal with your horses, even if you do turn them out early, take the opportunity to rest up, you will heal far better and be back out and about doing all the things you want before you know it, push it and get injured it will be months.

I was lucky and always seemed to heal quite quickly, the important thing is to listen to your body and when it tells you enough, it is enough, for that day anyway.....
 
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I had a planned C-section on 31/10/06. I had moved my horse to a yard where he could live out. My mum went and checked on him for first 3 weeks with him living out.

But guess what YO decided 3 weeks after she was born that they needed to come in of a night. So from that point on I went twice a day to muck out etc and lead him as he couldn't be left with other people leading due to issues in the past. My midwife told me that if my body was used to it it would be fine but obviously if i was doing too much then my body would tell me in PAIN!!:D

I didn't drive for first 6 weeks as i was lucky that my OH had 6 weeks off to chauffer me around but I looked into it and its actually down to whether you can perform an emergency stop without pain or fear of pain. If in any doubt speak with Dr and Insurance company.

I'm lucky that I heal quickly but it can be done if done carefully. I didn't ride so he had a holiday and I used to bring baby in car and when she was hungary I jumped in car to breastfeed. Dead easy!!:D

Don't panic though you'll do it and then look back and think how the hell did i do it!!!
 
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