Recovering from a C-section is almost always guaranteed to be difficult and painful, whether or not your surgery was planned. While you will have to take care of your new baby, you will also have to rest and recuperate from the major surgery you just had. This entire process may raise a lot of questions regarding your incision’s healing process, the amount of discomfort it may bring, or the best breastfeeding positions you can do. Still, how long does it take to recover from a C-section? Provided below are more detailed information that may answer your questions about how to care for both you and your baby during this critical time.
How Long Does It Take to Recover from a C-section?
You will have to bear in mind that your C-section is a major surgery. Because of this, you will not be able to fully recover in as quickly as a few days. Rather, you will have to endure pain while doing everyday activities such as getting out of bed and putting on clothes for a couple of months. Nevertheless, your recovery will come in time, and having a positive outlook and a few tricks will help make the process more tolerable for you.
Women who have just given birth are usually cleared to return to their normal routines on or after their sixth week. These include activities such as working out, driving, doing household chores, and having sexual intercourse.
How to Speed Up My C-Section Recovery
1. Have Reasonable Expectations
Because you will have to undergo surgery in a Caesarean delivery, you will end up needing more recovery period than you will in a normal delivery. Do not expect to get well immediately after your baby is born. It will take a month to six weeks for you to completely recuperate from the many discomforts you will encounter. These include exhaustion, sleep deprivation, bloody discharge, uterus contraction, soreness at your incision site, and breast engorgement.
2. Take a Break
Although you may feel the need to prioritize your baby’s needs before your own, bear in mind that your full recovery will allow you to attend to him more quickly. Have your partner look after your baby, especially when he wakes up in the middle of the night. Besides, don’t burden yourself with household chores and other tasks that will only exhaust you further. Instead, try looking for clever ways to make your jobs easier. Order in or eat ready-made foods, send your laundry to the dry-cleaner, and hire housekeeping. You will need all the rest you can get!
3. Stay Active
As long as your doctor has not cleared you to go back to your regular activities, you should not attempt to work out just yet. However, you can still improve your muscle tone and circulation even if you are fresh out of surgery. Try flexing your legs, calves, feet, and toes often. You can also do kegel exercises to help your strained pelvic muscles heal. After a while, you can begin taking leisurely strolls until you finally regain your full strength.
4. Eat Well
Always be ready with a drink of water and healthy foods for snacking to sustain your energy while you recover. Opt for items such as string cheese, nuts, whole-wheat pretzels, baby carrots with some kind of fresh and dried fruits that are rich in fiber. However, be sure to stay away from foods that are known to cause constipation such as bananas. Your pregnancy will have affected your bowel movement, and it is best that you do not interfere with it by eating the wrong foods.
5. Protect Your Incision
Although you should not be alarmed if your incision scar feels sore or numb even a month or so after your surgery, you can still take some measures to help ease the pain. To prevent your sensitive skin from getting irritated, you can try dressing it and wearing loose clothing so that it doesn’t get chafed. If you start to feel excessive pain in your incision area, or start to see redness and oozing fluids, you might have an infection. Be sure to contact your doctor immediately.
How to Take Care of C-Section Incision During Recovery
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Methods |
Descriptions |
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Take it easy |
Make it a point to rest your body whenever you find the time to do so. To avoid having to get up from bed every so often, keep everything that you and your baby might need nearby. Also, avoid lifting anything that weighs more than your baby does. If possible, do not lift anything at all for the next few weeks after your delivery. |
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Support your abdomen |
Fix your posture when you move around to avoid straining your incision area. Make it a habit to hold your abdomen whenever you have to cough, laugh, sneeze, or make other sudden jerky actions. |
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Take medication as needed |
You can safely take most medications that are meant to relieve pain. Your doctor will probably prescribe acetaminophen or ibuprofen. |
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Drink plenty of fluids |
You will need to rehydrate your body well to make up for the fluids you lost during your delivery and while breastfeeding your baby. This will also help reduce your chances of getting constipated. Though it’s important to replenish the fluids in your body, you should also urinate often to make sure you don’t contract urinary tract infections. |
When to See a Doctor
Be alert when checking for any infections near your incision area. Be sure to contact your doctor immediately if you see any problems such as:
- redness
- swelling
- excessive pain
- fever higher that 38oC
- oozing or leaking fluids
Want to know more tips on C-section recovery? Check out the video below:
