Have you recently had a C-section? Are you planning to have a C-section? I had a C-section for my first and let’s just say these are the things that worked for Me.
Many mums experience a wide range of emotions after a C-section, so it’s hard to predict how you’ll feel.
A common emotion in these parts is a disappointment, especially when you had your heart set on vaginal birth.
Please let these emotions go! Your baby is here, healthy and happy. Hope you find this guide useful, here it goes:
1. Help
Accept it in whatever form it comes to mums. It’s easy to overestimate your capabilities but you’ve just had a major operation and you will need help.
For the first 2-3 days however as the anaesthetic and pain relief wears off you will need help moving around, feeding baby, preparing meals and perhaps looking after other kids if you have them. Please take advantage of the help because very soon the offers will start to dwindle.
2. Pain control
Again it’s ok to take analgesia if you need it, paracetamol and Ibuprofen are safe within normal limits even if you’re breastfeeding so please use them if you need it.
3. Rest
Your body has just carried and birthed a whole human being! Pat yourself on the back, rest, bond with your baby and recuperate.
You also need to take it easy as you will have a c-section would that needs rest to heal.
4. Exercise
Sounds like I’m contradicting myself but I’m not asking you to become a couch potato! You need to try to move around indoors and stretch your legs.
You can start by doing very light walking as your body allows and build up slowly.
The risk of blood clots in the legs is increased post-surgery and the one thing you can do to help this besides the use of prescribed blood thinners is to exercise your limbs to keep blood moving.
5. Breastfeeding
You can definitely breastfeed after a C-section! Just remember to get help with moving baby if you need to!
It’s important for your mental well being too, recovery can be isolating when other people are busy and you’re resting.
Take the time to get to know your little one!
6. Wound care
Your scar needs to be kept clean and dry, even when you take showers or baths try to keep the area dry.
Also, monitor your scar site for worsening pain, bleeding, discharge, discoloration or any worrying features. If any of these occur, see your doctor immediately for a review.
7. Answering the call of nature
Going for a wee or poo has never been so complicated lol! These might be tricky initially due to pain but as the pain settles will gradually become easy.
Remember to look out for symptoms of urine infection and constipation as these can occur commonly after a c-section.Your complete guide to C-section recovery – Source: Healthline.com
8. Pelvic floor exercises
These are very important post-delivery. Our pelvic floor becomes weak post-pregnancy and we need to exercise the muscles to improve strength and support for all our pelvic organs.
Pelvic floor exercises are important to prevent pelvic organ prolapse in the future.
9. Postnatal check
Whether or not you feel you’ve recovered a postnatal check is very important post-delivery. It is usually scheduled 6-8 weeks after delivery and usually involves an entire body systems review for the new mum and in some cases baby as well.
In this appointment, you will discuss scar healing, how feeding baby is going, mental health, contraception, etc
10. Sex
While this might be far from your mind if you’ve been given the all-clear from the doctor decided on contraception and you’re feeling up to it you can broach sexual intimacy.
Remember you can still be intimate without sex and recovering from a c-section is not an excuse for you not to show affection or receive affection from your spouse.
Remember the guide above is what worked for me, we are all different but my key points are rest, exercise a little, bond with your little munchkin and accept all the help you can get, you’ll need it!