C-Section Recovery: No More Learning Curve
- Ann P Vernon
- Apr 20, 2015
- 4 min read
Planned or not, most women if they have had a c-section (unless they have already had a major surgery) are in for some major surprises. Prenatal classes discuss what a c-section is but not about how to recover from one. Once it happens the focus is on the baby and not educating the woman for her journey ahead.
The first critical hours and days there are things that are important to know, but are rarely shared. So lets share. This will not be an exhaustive list as each individual’s experiences will be unique, but it is a good place to start for most.
Medicine
If you are one of those people that does not like to take medicine until after complaining about their headache/backache/cramps for a few hours first (all guilty raise your hands) this experience will require you put that aside. The way pain after surgery works is if you wait until you start to feel like you need it, it is too late. If you wait until you “feel” you need it the pain will only get worse before it gets better, so keep to a pain management schedule for the first few days and then start backing it down according to your doctors’ directions.
Itching
At the first signs notify your doctor or nurse. As someone who went through over 12 hours of natural unmedicated labor with contractions that were measured as twice as strong as what the “feared” drug pitocin is capable of creating and never cried, the itching did me in. A possible side effect of narcotics in the epidural can be an intense itching response. Oral medicines may do the trick, but I will forever be grateful for whatever was in the shot I finally received.
Constipation
Now that you are keeping track of how often your baby is peeing and pooping, don’t forget about yourself. Many of the medicines you are administered between surgery and recovery can cause constipation. A stool softener many be needed in the hospital or after you get home.
The Shakes
This can happen even with a vaginal deliver and should go away within a few hours. It can be the result of trauma, hormones, nerves or a side effect of the epidural. Make sure to let your doctor or nurse know in case there is something more going on.
Gas
Just let it out. If it becomes uncomfortable let your health care provider know.
Recover Belts
I wish I had know about these. They can help you feel more secure moving around. When you think about all the things that had to be moved around for baby to come out, it is amazing to think it all went back into the right place.
Bleeding
You will have vaginal bleeding just like would occur with a vaginal delivery. Only wear pads, not tampons, to allow internal healing and lower any potential for infection.
Breastfeeding
Don’t give up, just keep trying. Find a position that works for you and baby and have your partner learn to help if needed. I was afraid of having a pump on hand at first because I wanted to make sure my baby learned to latch to my breast. However, when baby is hungry and you are stressed and things are not going well, pump a little off to loosen your breasts to make latching a little easier or to feed them. Try again after giving them a little bit to calm them down. Starting feedings before baby is showing signs of hunger can be important in getting them to calmly latch. Of course there are circumstances that breastfeeding might not be able to happen and support, not judgement, is what is needed most.
You will be (should be) sent home with instructions for what you can lift (usually just your baby and nothing else), when you can start driving again (usually 2 weeks), when you can start exercising (usually 4-6 weeks) and even for when it is safe to have sex (usually 6 weeks, tell your partner this is not some cruel joke by the “establishment” but there can be some very real and potentially life threatening complications).
Perhaps one of the most important and overlooked part of any birthing experience is the mental recovery. For some this may include grieving the loss of a planned “natural” experience. It is appropriate to feel this grief and though I hope the outcome was good for both you and your baby the phrase “everyone is healthy and that is all that really matters” does not help you feel any less loss. We can second guess every move by our medical professionals or ourselves but in the end it is ok to feel this loss. However if you are having trouble functioning please speak to a professional for help.
Please share this information anytime you hear of someone having a c-section and let them take what they need from it and ignore the rest. Perhaps you will have your own insights to add. This is not however the time to swap “war” stories, listening is important but the swap can wait until she has had the chance to begin her healing. This is also an important point for women who are pregnant, please send them positive vibes and wait to share your stories (except for the encouraging parts) until they have had a chance to live their own experiences without the burden of added fears and worries. Just as we share our list of favorite baby products that we “cannot live without”, lets remember to share support for each other in the many new, exciting and sometimes scary experiences that is motherhood.
A great resource and free download to share with more information on c-sections is: http://bestcsectionrecovery.com/wp-content/download/C-Section_Guide_Booklet.pdf
