C-section recovery tips matter — this is major abdominal surgery, and the recovery looks very different from vaginal birth.
We need to take care and rehab not just our pelvic floor but also that abdominal incision!
In this article we will share with you 10 C-section recovery tips from a labor and delivery nurse that will help you recover faster after your surgery.
Whether this is your first C-section or you’ve been through it before, I hope you’ll find this information helpful as you prepare for your recovery journey.
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10 C-section Recovery Tips for Faster Healing
Some Tips I give to my patients who have a C-section are:
- Abdominal Support – Compression
- Pain Relief – Stay on top of it and Manage expectation of pain level
- Splinting of Incision
- Gas Pains can happen! Movement, Fluids, and Gas Eliminating Medication
- Blood Clot Prevention
- Drink Fluids and Eat nutritious food
- Tips for First Time going #1 and #2
- Incision Care!
- Why they don’t recommend driving for first few weeks!
- Be Patient – recovery can take longer
1. Abdominal Compression
This is using either a belly band or high waisted leggings or pants with some compression over the incision and abdomen to provide some support and pain relief.
The Belly band provides support of the abdominals while they are healing from both pregnancy AND the c-section. This allows you to be able to walk around somewhat without having to use the abs as much.
The compression of the band provides pain relief from the incision while it is still healing in those early stages!
This doesn’t always feel great for everyone, but MOST like having some support of their compressions!.
They can give you one at the hospital that will work just fine OR you can order our favorite belly support band from bodily here. This is the band we recommend to all our c-section doula clients and friends!
2. Pain Relief
Staying on top of your pain relief for the first few days of recovery can be really beneficial because of the effect being in pain has on motivation and willingness to move! Also, Understanding that you will likely not be pain free during the recovery process after a c-section. So finding the level of pain that is tolerable for you is helpful.
When you are in pain you are less likely to want to move, which can actually make recovery harder due to the lack of movement!
It is also harder to catch up to the pain when it get bad because of the time it takes to metabolize the medication.
I usually recommend, once they know the pain level that is tolerable and comfortable for you. Whether that is a 3/10 or 4/10. When it starts to rise above that level, that is when I advise taking the next dose of medication that you can!
3. How to splint postpartum
Splinting is when you hold a pillow or blanket over the incision when coughing, laughing, sneezing, or pretty much anything that increases the intra-abdominal pressure that can put increased pressure on the incision, which can be painful!
By putting gentle pressure on the incision from the outside with the pillow or blanket, this can decrease the amount of pressure that is forced on the incision and decrease the pain!!
4. Gas Pains are real and uncomfortable!
Some don’t realize the gas pains are REALLY painful when there is a lot of build up! After surgery you have a lot of excessive air in the abdomen from being opened up, and this gas can take some time to disappear! This can cause a lot of pain. Not just because gas pains in general are uncomfortable, but because it is also increase the pressure in the abdomen.
If you start to notice you are having left shoulder pain as well as abdominal pain, this could be referred pain from the gas OR it could be due to blood in the abdomen. So reach out to your nurse so they can assess!
Ways to help alleviate the gas:
- Movement can help get the gas out
- Drinking fluids and eating can help get the bowels moving to get the gas out
- Gas relieving medication can help decrease the amount of gas in the abdomen. They can be magic for helping that gas pain!
5. Blood Clot Prevention
Blood Clots can form in our deep veins of our legs during pregnancy or postpartum at an increased rate compared to those who are not pregnant/postpartum. This is due to the changes in our blood volume and circulation during pregnancy, and then the lack of mobility during postpartum. ESPECIALLY after a c-section. During the surgery you are not able to move your lower extremities which can increase risk, and then postpartum you are not able to move as easily or as much as usually. This can cause blood to pool in our veins and potentially clot.
Ways they combat this risk are with things call Sequential Compression Devices (SCDs) and Compression Socks! They help keep the blood in our lower extremities moving and blood circulating! It is recommended to wear the SCDs or Compression Socks when laying in bed during the first few days to weeks postpartum!
I describe the SCD machine as little portable leg massagers! They can feel nice at first, but can get irritating after a while, especially if you are trying to sleep!
6. Drink Fluids and Eat Nutritious food
Drinking Fluids and eating nutritious food is more than just beneficial for your healing, but is also great if you are breastfeeding!
Drinking enough fluid helps ensure you are not only getting up to go to the bathroom but also staying hydrated! A hydrated body is working more optimally than one that is dehydrated!
The Nutritious foods help to rebalance our blood levels after going through labor and birth! It also can help with the next tip! Going to the bathroom!!
7. Tips for first time going #1 and #2
The first poop after birth can be scary, not only for those who had c-sections. Most people i talk to are afraid for the first poop.
Along with eating a balanced diet (not taco bell or chik fil a) Stool Softeners like Colace or Miralax can be helpful so you do not need to strain as hard when having that first bowel movement. They are not a laxative that is going to make it so you have to go immediately, it mostly works by getting more fluid into the poop so that is it softer when it comes out!
Urinary retention or incontinence after the foley catheter is somewhat common. During your recovery in the hospital, at some point you will get out of bed and walk to the bathroom with your nurse and attempt to void after the foley catheter has been removed. This has three outcomes:
- Urinate just like normal
- Urinate without even realizing it
- Cannot get your body to urinate, despite having a full bladder
Most it is #1! They have no issues after birth and the catheter.
When #2 or #3 happens we want to make sure we are supporting them.
If they feel they have no control of when they pee, that it just happens. Ensuring they are educated on pelvic floor pt but also that it may just be the pelvic floor is still numb from the spinal/epidural medication.
When #3 happens we have lots of trick to help them pee.
- Run the faucet to help them relax
- Give them warm water in the peribottle to spray while trying to pee
- Peppermint essential oil in the toilet hat
- Alcohol pad in the toilet hat
- Patience
I usually don’t want them sitting on the toilet for too long. If they are unable to void after 10-15 mins, we will just try again in an hour or so! It could be that their spinal/epidural hasn’t worn off on the sphincter.
If they are unable to void within 6 hours of the catheter being removed, this is when they will likely offer to empty the bladder with a catheter to help avoid any potential complications of a full bladder!
8. Incision Care
One of the biggest difference of recovery with a vaginal birth versus a c-section is the abdominal incision care that is needed postpartum! We want to ensure the incision is healing well to avoid any potential complications that can lengthen the recovery process!
What I go over for c-section birth is:
- Keep it Clean and Dry – If there is a belly fold at the incision, putting a menstrual pad there to keep it dry and clean
- Avoid scrubbing the incision vigourously, gentle cleaning with soap as needed is all the is recommended
- If steri-strips are present, don’t mess with them. They will fall off on their own in 7-10 days. If they are still there at 14 days, you can take them off then.
- If staples were used to close the skin – ensure you know if they are disposable or if they need to be removed by your provider
- Monitor for signs of infections: redness or irritation of incision, yellow or cloudy drainage from the incision, painful to touch around incision, warm to touch, fever over 100.3
- Avoid sitting up for too long and putting pressure on the incision
- Starting scar desensitization as soon as you feel ready!
- Go over benefits of scar mobilization and recommend seeing a pelvic floor pt for more education! (We have our self-paced scar mobilization course for anyone who cannot find a pelvic floor pt)
9. Why they don't recommend driving for first few weeks!
Sometimes during discharge they will recommend not driving a car for the first 2 weeks postpartum, or until your incision is healed. This is for a few reasons.
- The pain medication prescribed to you for recovery it is not advised to operate a vehicle while taking this medication.
- When Driving or sitting up, you are putting more pressure of the lower part of your abdomen, just from the way you sit. This can be painful.
- The abdomen is still healing after surgery, this makes it hard to be able to safely operate a vehicle such as, pressing the gas or break, turning to check your blind spots, breaking suddenly can cause abdomen pain, or using the steering wheel can require you to use your abdominal muscles.
- Even as a passenger it will likely be uncomfortable because of having to buckle your seatbelt or the belt can rub on your incision being uncomfortable.
10. Be Patient with yourself
Postpartum is hard just by itself, but add in recovering from a major abdominal surgery makes it a little more challenging. While also having to keep another tiny human alive! Being patient with your recovery process, and allowing yourself to feel what you are feeling about your birth, recovery timeline, and where you are at in your life! It is okay to be frustrated with how long it is taking you to feel like yourself again, but know you will get there!! Be patient and forgive yourself daily!
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What You Should Remember About C-section Recovery?
Recovering from birth in general can be hard in different ways, and each type of birth can bring different challenges to overcome and address. Vaginal Birth is considered the “easier” recovery compared to c-section, but that is not always the case!! I have met some who had an easier time with their c-section recovery compared to their vaginal births and vice versa. It’s so individualized sometimes!!
It is easy to compare our postpartum recovery to other people we have seen on social media, which can make us feel down about ourselves. BUT know that your recovery timeline and process is yours and yours alone! You just had MAJOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY, you need to rest and allow your body to recover!