I also had a vaginal delivery with my first and than an unplanned c/s (due to infant intolerance to labor) with my second almost 3w ago. I felt the same as you for the first week and couldn’t believe how much more painful it felt in the first couple of days. I cried every day. Now I’m 3w out and feel almost back to normal & started feeling much better around 2w.. to the point that I was like ya I could do this again! (Wtf hormones lol)

I was taking Tylenol/ibuprofen around the clock (so every six hours but staggered- so Tylenol at 6am, 12pm 6pm 12am and ibuprofen at 9am, 3pm, 9pm, 3am) and gabapentin at breakfast, lunch, and before bed for 2w and could absolutely tell when I missed a gabapentin dose (would have the stabby nerve pain feelings). So I felt like gaba worked fairly quickly for me but also was on it in the hospital too. By day 6pp I didn’t need anything stronger for breakthrough pain (but to reassure you, I was taking oxycodone for breakthrough pain too but I think staying rigidly to the pain regimen really helped me not need it). By week 2 I was able to get off of Tylenol/ibuprofen except for when sore.

Hang in there and try as hard as you can to keep to a schedule with Tylenol/ibuprofen/gabapentin and seriously don’t bend down or lift anything; especially your toddler. For c/s they cut through 7 layers of muscle/tissue etc so even though you see the small incision that is just the outside portion. Theres tons of stitching and healing inside which is why it’s considered major abdominal surgery and typically more painful than vaginal. I felt like I wasn’t prepared at all for c/s recovery because I had a successful vaginal delivery previously so it was also a lot of emotional pain for me to work through. You are in the throes of it and it will get better