Hello Tammy!! It's me JJ - yes Froslass is really very correct , I have had 4 C-sections, all elective as the hosp decided that due to a plumbing op I had had at the age of 20 , that it would not survive the birth naturally, which was a real shame. So I had c-section 1 in 1999, then 23 mths later in 2001 C-section 2, then just 13 mths later in 2001 C-section 3. Then 9 years later in 2011 c-section 4.
I would say the first was a bit hard, but then you don't know the pain etc , but recovered quickly and back to ice hockey within 3 weeks! (don't know how I did that at the time!). Second was pretty much the same, pregnancy and recovery all quick and felt better than the first one , I think as nerve damage had already been done the first time, and tum was all numb still.
Third was an issue in the end. I had lots of pain early in the last trimester (like a burning and warm pain, not terrible but always there), where and slightly higher than the scar inside me I guessed where my other layer scars were. I was consultant led care and so told them at my next appointment, they didn't seem worried. I had a late scan due to being small for dates and they said as far as they could tell all was fine, and not to worry. I kept mentioning it, they kept pressing my tum!? like that would tell them anything, and in hindsight I should really have pushed the point - but that's not me! (next time I would). So on the day of Section - The surgeon had made the first incision, and then she said "Oh , we have a window on the womb!" So one of the layers inside had ruptured causing the pain, so that could have ended very differently.. It has to be said, they do recomend you wait at least a year after a section and idealy 2 before having another pregnancy, so to be fair, I was preg when my second was 5 mths I think, and we had been ttc for three mths before then! Moral of this one was know your body and push the point if you have pain any different from your other sections. They did advise sterilisation and said that 3 was really advised as the max, I didn't get sterilised, I wasn't sure, but I had finished my family.
My fourth Section , after getting older and having all the urges, couldn't believe my childbearing years were nearly over! (5th pregnancyas I had a missed Miscaridge at 12 weeks in march 2010, then fell preg again), - like yours was after a big gap, the first thing the consultant asked me was "when was your last , do I have to worry about rupture?", and when I said (9 year age gap), they were totally fine. Your age gap is 12 years so even better. I took up swimming at 20 weeks ish last time, (can only do breast stroke) but was still swimming 30 lengths at 38 weeks preg, so kept in shape. I then had a small placental abruption 3 days before my section date , and stayed in hosp for a couple of days, back home the night before , and back to hosp the next day (bleeding had stopped). But that could happen to anyone.
This time I did loose over a litre of blood, which they said before was more likely, he did have trouble after stitching my uterus up, it kept bleeding, and so he put a little patching gause (theres a posher name!) but thats how it was explained to me, and that apparently did the trick. To stop the extra bleeding they tipped the op table downwards so my head was lower than my body, which made me throw up, infact I threw up constantly after baby was out and for the rest of the day, (the other 3 sections, I only threw up before baby once , caused by the spinal lowering my BP and then once I had stopped, they carried on). Hubby held baby the whole time, as I had antisickness stuff, (made my nose itch badly!), Back on the ward, I was up and about the same day as normal, but then the shoulder tip pain kicked in, (apparently caused by blood in the diaphram, caused by the extra bleeding and lower op table), This is not real pain, but tricks the shoulders into pain, and I cried on day 3 I think and didn't want vistors , as I couldn't cope and didn't know which end was worse. Normaly I could rely on my top end being good! I did have the Sterilisation, as hubby was addament that was it, and I was pleased to be through it all safely, it only took 5 mins, (and apparently wouldn't have caused any of the above). Recovery was slower and this time, the stiches and perhaps the gause patch inside had made the left leg/groin bit tighter, like my long strides had to be shortened for a bit, or it hindered recovery, but after 6 mths that was better. I did have to have a few days at about 3 weeks after where I just rested , as recovery was going backwards, but then I had 4 kids, and I was 37, as much as I denied it should make a diff, I didn't feel old, I guess in hindsight it did a bit.
I am now 39, and yes, stupidly probably - I am still ttc via IVF as I totally regret having been sterilsed, cant believe how sad it made me, and how big an age gap it is. I really want my son to have a growing up buddy, my others may not even still be at home, there never in now! I wanted 5 before, and the snip did not remove those feelings as planned, my hubby went and gave in far too easily for the grief I had before hand about not having 5!! So here we are , on the verge of financial ruin to have one last C-section! ha It might never happen, and it could be a slower recovery, but I'm prepared to do it one more time, not more.
I was going to have tubal reversal, but the private consultant had advised it would have poor results and it was opening up every layer like section rather than keyhole, so that would have meant potentialy 6 Cection style ops - I felt one too many for my poor tum, I do need my body left for me after , hence the tricky path of IVF. I have a failed cycle in July , and hope to be 4 weeks preg in 3 weeks time, and join you in trimester 1!
The technologies and advice has moved on slightly from 2002 and 3 is not the max now, I would say keep an eye on any pains your not familier with, and look after yourself, keep your iron levels up and checked esp in last tri, as I had issues and they needed to get it up before the op, and was only just sorted in time. I think as long as your healthy and active and sensible you will be fine, and just prepare yourself that your tum might be more painful like the first section again , as mine was after such a gap the nerves had really fixed themself! slower pace after yes probably, but don't worry, as you know it's well worth it. I don't know how term you were with your others, I was 38weeks, 37 +5, 39+0 and then last time, they now only do them 39 weeks plus at my hosp, due to wet lungs risk before then (I did have two babies go to scbu for this anyway , so totally understood), so be warned they might leave you later nowadays.
Congrats on your pregnancy - good luck to you, think you will be just fine X (sorry for going on.., but PM me anytime)
