Top 5 C-Section Recovery Tips from Real Moms
Welcoming your baby into the world via C-section is both an exciting and scary time. C-sections (or as some mamas call it - Belly Births) may be planned or unplanned. Whether it was part of your birth plan or not, the end result is that you hold your gorgeous newborn baby in your arms. While your doctor will undoubtedly send you home with a list of do’s and don’ts as you recover from this surgery, it doesn’t hurt to have a few extra tips up your sleeve. Here are 5 top recovery tips recommended by real mamas who have been there!
TIP #1: Don’t rush back into your regular activities. Take your rest time.
The #1 tip from many of our surrogates who have birthed via C-section is to take all of the rest you can! It can take a full 6 weeks until your body truly begins to recover from the birth. Step back into your activities slowly, and only when cleared by your doctor.
This includes staying in the hospital, if possible, where you can be cared for, fed, and have nursing staff available to help you with your newborn. Expect that you may have to stay an extra night or 2 depending on your recovery needs. Enjoy it! The nurses and staff are there to help you so you can rest and recover.
Accept the help as people offer it and don’t be afraid to ask if you need it. Loved ones around you may be looking to assist as they can but don’t want to overwhelm you. Don’t be too proud to accept the help. Whether it is to watch your older children, do the laundry, bring frozen meals, or whatever it may be, allow those who wish to help the opportunity to do so.
You may consider hiring a postnatal Doula for extra help and care around the house. The more you can rest and recover without overexerting yourself, the faster your recovery will be.
TIP #2: Have a pillow on hand to use against your stomach for the first week or so.
The second top tip from the C-section mamas was to have a pillow on hand to support your stomach at the incision site. In the first few days, using the pillow to apply firm pressure directly over your incision may be your go to for comfort. This added support will be especially helpful when you cough, laugh, sneeze, or move from a seated to standing position. This extra pressure was found to help recovering mamas with the discomforts associated with these movements. A nursing pillow was also suggested as it can be dually used and helpful in positioning your baby for feedings.
TIP #3: Take home all the big white pads they give you in the hospital!
No matter which way a woman births her baby there is no escaping the postnatal ‘diapers’. Those good ol’ disposable panties with the massive white pads added in. Not the most glamorous, however absolutely necessary as mothers recover. Turns out those big white pads are extra useful for your incision site. One C-section mama says, “Take home the big white pads they give you from the hospital and use it as an incision cover but also a way to monitor any leaking from your incision site and keep it dry. I have had 6 C-sections and it was after my first one at 19 years of age that a nurse made this suggestion and it has been my go-to ever since.” (insta: @courtney_colwill)
Having a good supply of your own on hand when you return home might come in handy as well.
TIP #4: Take the pain relief!
When it comes to healing from your C-section, you will be dealing with pains from afterbirth and abdominal surgery. C-sections require your lower abdomen to be cut open through several layers of muscle, so expect your recovery to be painful.
The best tip is to be prepared! The recommendation for pain medication will come directly from your doctor, although the general recommendation is to take ibuprofen and acetaminophen together on an alternating schedule, 4 times each day, for 2 weeks after you leave the hospital. Don’t wait until the pain gets to be too much to handle, stick to your medication schedule to stay on top of the pain.
This top tip from C-section mamas was loud and clear - TAKE THE PAIN RELIEF!
TIP #5: Use a blow dryer to use after a shower to keep the incision dry and avoid infection.
You will need to be gentle with your incision care and take care of it to avoid infection. In order to do so, it will be important to keep it clean and dry. Daily showers to gently rinse the area is a must. And while patting dry with a towel does do the trick, several post C-section mamas suggest using a blow dryer on low heat to thoroughly dry the area afterwards. Should you also want to speed up healing and minimize scar tissue, this is a great time to gently massage 2-3 inches above and below your incision to increase blood flow to the area. Be sure to get the ok and instructions on how to do this from your medical provider.
BONUS TIP: Be gentle with yourself.
It goes without saying, your body has undergone a major surgery and you are now caring for your new baby. This is also a special and sacred time to bond with your baby and cherish him/her as much as you can. Go easy on yourself.
Many of the surrogates here at JA Surrogacy come to us after having had C-sections with their own children. Their birth history is not a hindrance to becoming a surrogate in Canada as they have gone on to have healthy surrogacy pregnancies without complication afterwards. We value their real-life experiences and contribution to our community as they bring their support to all our first-time C-section mamas too.
We are proud of all the warrior C-section mamas! That tiny scar that may be left behind will always serve as the reminder of how you birthed your baby safely. It may not have been the way you had planned, but it’s you and your baby’s birth story. C-section is still birth!