C-Section Recovery: A Timeline
A C-section is real surgery that requires real anesthesia and real recovery time. What that really means is that if you are expecting to have a C-section know that your c-section recovery is one of the extra steps in a Cesarean birth.
Below is a rough c-section recovery timeline that I put together as a way to help you understand the post-delivery period and how to effectively minimize the time you spend lying on your back and maximize the time you spend enjoying your new family member:
Delivery
The Cesarean delivery is slightly easier than a vaginal birth in that there is no pushing or physical strain; the lower half of your body will be numbed using a spinal tap or epidural and the baby is delivered from the womb through an incision in the lower abdomen.
After delivery though, your recovery will mean your anesthesiologist will leave the epidural in for a period of time after your surgery to allow for more medication to be prescribed. Or you will be given medication into your IV to help with easing your pain.
After your delivery the physician will begin the post procedures meaning delivering the afterbirth and closing the incision. The little one will, in the meantime, be cleaned up and brought over to his or her new mommy, when the doctor is finished with all of the post procedures you and the baby will be brought into recovery.
You will be able to breast feed your baby. Do not worry about the anesthesia affecting the quality of your breast milk, you should be able to breast feed right after delivery. A lot of women are worried about the drugs affecting the quality of their delivery experience and this is one aspect you can put out of mind. You will have to adjust the position of your body for breast feeding to avoid upsetting your sutures, however don’t be afraid to ask your nurse to assist you with this.
A few hours after delivery
There will be some discomfort a few hours after the birth, just like with any surgery. This discomfort may make getting up after delivery a little more difficult than it might be for vaginal births. The best thing you can do for yourself and your new family member is to lay back and relax, there’s no need to jump right up and do anything. Try to focus on breastfeeding and bonding with your new baby, this aspect of post-delivery is going to be tough enough right after you have surgery.
You will have to remain in the hospital a little bit longer than you would with a vaginal birth, use this extra time to focus on your recovery as well as bonding with the little one. Your doctor will continue to prescribe systemic or oral pain medication to keep you comfortable, nurses will be available to assist you with the baby, if you have small children at home this will give you a little extra time to recover and bond.
If you become nauseous or itchy right after delivery, speak up! Let your nurse or doctor know that you are experiencing discomfort and they can help you feel more comfortable. These are normal post-partum symptoms, but while you are in the care of the hospital staff make sure to speak up if you have any discomfort.
Day one
You will be expected to get up out of bed and start walking today. The first time up is the hardest but I promise it gets easier. Your catheter may also come out today as well. You will be feeling a little sluggish the first day so it will be a good time to focus on breastfeeding and enjoying bonding with your baby.
Day two
You are probably going to feel a little tired and sore today, as you recover, however remember to continue your walking. Remaining mildly active will speed your recovery and make it easier to adjust after you leave the hospital.
Attempt to take at least one walk consisting of a couple of laps around the nurses’ desk Avoid the temptation to stay in bed. You might experience some gas pain or bloating which is totally normal, surgery often makes the intestine lethargic causing gas to build up. Moving around will sometimes help to wake the intestine back up and relieve this gas pain.
Continue to do your respiratory and abdominal exercises, urinate frequently to relieve any extra pressure on the abdomen and uterus, and enjoy the forming bond between you and your baby.
Day three
Today you will probably be going home. It depends however on your progress. Sometimes the physician will decide that you need an additional recovery day, in this case make sure you continue to focus on your recuperation. If you do remain in the hospital keep up your walking.
A tip: take walks after you receive your pain medication so you are more comfortable with the strain and are able to move more freely.
Going home
If you had stapes your doctor will probably remove them before going home and will prescribe pain medications and possibly a stool softener if constipated (you can sometimes avoid constipation by drinking plenty of fluids), and give you some final instructions.
Expect to be somewhat dependent for the next few days up to ten days after you get home, this of course depends on you and how quickly you are able to recover. Don’t lift anything heavier than your baby, and pay special attention to the suture area; it is important to maintain recovery mode when you get home and resist the temptation to try and do too much.
If you have discomfort getting out of bed or moving around try using a c-section abdominal binder, they are wonderful for supporting your tummy and minimizing pain, plus they simply help you move a lot easier with a lot less discomfort.
Use this time to bond with your new baby and any older children you have. Enjoy the excuse you will have to relax with your family and really focus on an adequate recovery so you can enjoy more time being a mommy and less time recovering from delivery.
In the coming weeks
Depending on your body and overall health it could take up to 8 weeks to fully recuperate from a Cesarean; most women are able to continue physical exercise, intercourse and moderate lifting by the 6th week, although be very careful with doing exercise after a c-section and consider only exercise that won’t cause risk of injury. Any vaginal discharge should lessen over the coming weeks and have completely disappeared by about the 6th to 8th week.
Also pay attention to your hormone levels, a little bit of the post-partum depression or baby blues is normal but be leery of full blown post-partum depression. Don’t be afraid to get help should you experience more than normal bouts of depression and hopelessness.
