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C-section surgery is a commonly performed operation worldwide and estimates that 20% of pregnant women give birth through cs delivery (1)
In this c-section, the baby is delivered through surgery where the lower abdominal incision has been done on the mother.
This stage is run around 45 minutes from the incision to remove the placenta and tightly stitched your uterus and abdomen.
CS birth has been done for many reasons including high BP, diabetes, babies being too big to get out vaginal delivery, etc.
After surgery, a doctor may recommend staying usually for 3 to 5 days in the hospital.
However, most patients are able to take care of their babies soon after the procedure, and full recovery may take 6 to 8 weeks.
Make sure to follow this recovery after a c-section surgery o going home after a CS surgery including:
Take Enough Rest
After surgery, your body needs time to heal itself, during this, you just give the body enough rest to heal.
Expect may recommend you stay 3 to 5 days at the hospital, time duration may increase if there are any complications.
During the procedure, a mother loses blood, which recovery is very important, so enough sleep is an essential need.
Do
- Sleep the left side to give your digestive system better blood flow
- make sure to keep sleep on your back and right or left position (2)
- create a cozy environment for sleep
- take support of pillows for more comfort
Don’t
- Make sure don’t lie on your stomach, because it may increase the pain
- don’t lift the heavy weight then baby
Focus On What You Eat
Usually, after surgery doctors recommend eating a well-balanced or nutritional diet which is essential also.
A study suggests that feeding after CS surgery is a safe and effective alternative for most women, who now face early hospital discharge.
Focus on good nutrition which is as important as when you will do normal delivery or when you were pregnant.
Because it keeps both mother and baby health through breastfeeding, and your baby’s primary source of nutrition is you.
Do
- Consume oatmeal, green vegetables, iron content food that will fulfill your blood loss
- stay hydrated with water, which helps the body to recover fast
- consume high-fiber contain food which keeps you away from constipation
Don’t
- Avoid eating solid food until full recovery
- make sure not to eat frequently or fast
- avoid eating junk or street food
However, a study showed that solid food intake can be resumed sooner which improves patient satisfaction.
Caring For Your C-section Incision
After delivery through CS surgery, you need to be more careful at the incision site, because it new wound takes time to heal.
Do
- keep the incision area clean and dry
- wear loose and comfortable clothes (4)
- take a prescribed painkiller if your wound is in pain
- do a bath with just running water
Don’t
- Avoid doing rub or scrubbing it
- do not go swimming, in the bathtub, or the hot tub, until it heals as much
- do not wear tight and fit cloths
- Be extra careful until the stitches are on the incision site
- don’t cover your wound
- watch your signs of infection
Exercises
Physical activity is one of the things during this time, which can strengthen your abdomen, heal faster, and ease your pain.
But make sure don’t jump quickly into exercise at least wait 6 weeks, after your healthcare suggestion.
Exercise after CS surgery may increase the incision pain, so make sure first to heal your body (4)
Do only low-impact exercises like walking, little jogging, and pelvic floor exercises, and start gently, which also helps in sleep by giving tired.
Do
- Walking is one best physical activities to enhance strength and stamina, and prevent blood clots and constipation.
- allow bath but with gently,
Don’t
- Avoid doing stretching exercises
- do not lift heavy weights for the first 6 to 8 weeks
- avoid heavy housework like cleaning, and other activities or exercise that can strain your muscle
- don’t drive for at least 2 weeks, because wearing a seat belt, can easily trigger your cut.
- avoid strenuous exercise
Keep Your Body Hydrated
Keeping your body hydrated is an essential parameter to avoid blood clots, and constipation, and will help the body to recover fast.
Clotting is a natural and normal response of our body to prevent excessive bleeding when we are injured.
However, clotting can also be made without any injury inside our body itself that can travel to the vital body organs, which is quite dangerous.
Women who have a c-section surgery are more at risk of forming an increased blood clot according to WebMD.
Constipation is a condition, In which our poop becomes hard, lumpy, and dry, which creates stiffness or pain while leaving.
Drink more water, and eat fiber contain food can prevent patients’ from having blood clots and constipation.
What About – Pain and Bleeding?
Women may experience lochia (a vaginal discharge that is seen after giving birth) for up to six weeks, and it is normal.
After a week lochia changes in color including turning brown, light pink, red, and finally white (6)
It has been discomfort for the first few weeks, and the pain can last for several weeks.
After 6 weeks light bleeding also stops which is a clear sign of your monthly period cycle, but if you are breastfeeding, your period may take more time to back.
If bleeding occurs in the vaginal then use pads, (avoid using tampons), if there is pain along with bleeding, then talk to a doctor about pain relievers.
If bleeding occurs in the incision site, which is not possible, but if it occurs, it may be your new stitches are not tight, talk to your doctor.
Make sure to avoid consuming regular painkiller medicine, and ease pain by exercising, resting, and making yourself more comfortable.
Manage Body Changes
Your body will continue to go into physical changes before delivery, or after the baby is born.
There are some changes you may see after the baby is born in your body which include:
- Breast tenderness
- cramping
- hair loss
- vaginal dryness
- acne
- headache
- swelling
- constipation
- night sweat
- weight gain
- feeling stressed or overwhelmed
- fatigue
- urinary problem
- postpartum depression
Try the following tips to ease this problem to an extent level include:
For breast tenderness – breastfeed your baby, and take a warm shower that helps your milk to flow.
If your engorgement is really painful, put cold packs on your breasts (7)
For swelling – moving, take enough sleep, drinking plenty of water, and staying cool by wearing light clothes.
Hair loss – The hair loss will automatically stop after 4 to 5 months after delivery, however, there are some treatments including exercise, supplements, etc
Use lubricants or vaginal creams made of estrogen for vaginal dryness
Wear light clothes, stay cool, do yoga, keep your healthy weight, eat soy products, exposure medication for night sweats.
For headaches – massage the head, ginger tea, and relaxation, if it still occurs, then talk to a doctor about the prescribed medicine.
For stress and depression episodes – talk to your partner about how you feel or your loved ones, connect with new mothers, try meditation, etc
Avoid trigger situations like drinking alcohol, smoking, and illegal drugs.
Other Essential Tips To Recover Fast From C-section Surgery
- Wear abdominal binder
- use tampons or douche until healthcare permission
- when you sneeze or cough, hold your abdominal to protect the incision area
- avoid intercourse for several weeks
When To Talk To Doctor?
Having a c-section surgery procedure is considered safe, however, there is some risk whether it’s seen in an incision site or other health issue.
Feeling pain in the incision area, bleeding or discharge is normal for several weeks.
If you see any discomfort or abnormal change in the incision site then you should talk to your doctor include:
- severe pain during discharge or around the area
- redness, swelling, infection, and pus at the incision site
- fever
- dizziness, which probably occurs due to blood loss during birth producer
- injury to the urinary tract
- heavy bleeding, or abdominal color of blood
- bad smell on the incision site
- swelling on legs
- infection of the bladder or uterus
- any other discomfort like difficulty in breathing, chest pain, and any type of pain, consider your doctor
Down Line
C-section surgery is also known as cesarean section delivery of a baby, this baby is delivered through an incision in the mother’s abdomen.
Recovery after c-section surgery may take 6 weeks to fully recover, and the doctor may recommend you stay 3 to 4 days at the hospital.
However, after back home, you may follow these tips to recover fast, like taking enough rest, keeping the incision clean, nutrition, etc.
