Cesarean Healing: 5 Tips For Optimal Recovery
What is a Cesarean
A Caesarean section, also known as C-section or caesarean delivery, is the surgical procedure by which one or more babies are delivered through an incision in the delivering persons abdomen, often performed because vaginal delivery would put the baby or mother at risk
Having a C-Section is no joke -- and it’s definitely not a “quick and easy” way to have a baby. If you’ve had one, we definitely don’t need to tell you this! What we are here to tell you, though, is what you can do to heal from it. Lets review 5 tips for optimal recovery after a cesarean.
Stay hydrated
In order to prepare for the surgical procedure your provider will administer medications and then to recovery from the surgery you will need additional medications including medications for pain management. Moving around is very important after this surgery to prevent constipation and with that caring for yourself via hydration is also beneficial to your healing. Consuming enough fluids help with mental clarity, preventing constipation, helps to flush out medications administered to you during the surgery procedure, and helps to prevent dehydration.
Rest & eating nourishing meals
When making meal choices think vitamins, nutrients, proteins and fat.
Some things to keep in mind include: Eating protein rich foods, protein facilitate with tissue repair which is extremely beneficial for your cesarean healing. Iron helps with maintaining hemoglobin levels. Hemoglobin helps in carrying oxygen in our red blood cells and we lose blood during this surgery. Lastly, items that easy to digest during the initial days post surgery are beneficial to help with any motility issues which can occur post surgery. A balanced diet with whole foods and limiting processed foods is ideal for recovery after a cesarean. Need ideas on what to prep for postpartum? Download out Postpartum Pantry Guide filled with shopping lists, pantry guide and recipes.
The other part of nourishing your body is to promote healing by adequate rest. We have had clients that feel amazing and may spend more time in a standing or moving around position and call us frantic because then they start to feel worse. The first few weeks we encourage you to be Queen of the castle and focus on your new baby and your self care, and spend additional time in bed or resting on your couch. Keep in mind that only because your pain level may be close to gone it does not mean that tissue is done healing.
Take Care Of Your Incision
Look at your incision while your provider is looking at it so that you are aware of what it should look like with no complications and in the healing stage. While recovering we recommend lose fitting clothing, cleaning your wound with scent free soaps, taking your pain medications, and keeping an eye out for signs of infection which can include: discharge, warmth to the area, smell, extreme pain.
It is ok to get help
You may still have daily tasks such as walking the dog or sweeping and dishes we recommend rounding up the troops and assigning some tasks to your loved ones. One of the to-do’s in our Postpartum Planning Guide is to look at your day to day and determine where your community can help! We have to remind you- it is ok to ask for help. We know many of our clients oftentimes move and don’t have much family or friends and in this case a postpartum doula would be a great option. A postpartum doula is a trained professional who is educated on postpartum healing and newborn care, they would come and focus on you. Postpartum doulas can come in and complete daytime or overnight shifts and their primary focus is your family.
Find Support & Ask Questions
Your support can be a fellow mom friend, your partner, your sister or your friend. Identify that person or set of people that you feel comfortable turning to when you aren’t feeling your best and when you need your doubts put to ease. Have numbers handy for your OB provider, your pharmacy and your pediatrician in the event your support system needs to make some calls for you.
Finally, try not to compare yourself to anyone else’s healing pattern just like your pregnancy and your baby are unique so is your recovery. Focus own healing right now and give yourself the time (all the time) to properly recover.
Planning for your upcoming cesarean? Download our cesarean birth plan template in order to better communicate your wishes with your birth team.
You may be thinking, “Where can I find a doula near me?” We provide Tampa & Miami doula support, childbirth education, placenta encapsulation, postpartum doula care, specialized lactation support by our CLC’s and IBCLC’s and birth photography for:
Tampa, St Petersburg
Land O’ Lakes
Lakeland
Plant City
Downtown Tampa
… and more!
Virtual services also available, let’s plan for your amazing birth and postpartum journey.
All with,