After a c-department, you'll probably feel both euphoric virtually and overwhelmed by the new person in your artillery. But you'll also exist recovering from major abdominal surgery while dealing with typical postpartum issues such as engorged breasts, mood swings, and postpartum bleeding.

C-section patients typically stay in the infirmary for two to iv days earlier going home. Simply your full recovery will exist measured in weeks, non days. Exist patient and gentle with yourself every bit yous transition into motherhood and recover from surgery. You'll be able to do some things quickly, like breastfeeding and walking. Other activities, like moderate practise, may non exist possible for upwardly to 6 weeks subsequently the surgery.

C-department recovery tips

Here's what to do one time y'all go home to help speed your healing and c-section recovery fourth dimension:

  • Ask for help. You'll need help once you lot go domicile. Ask for support from your partner, parents, in-laws, and friends – or hire paid assist if you lot tin. Requite people concrete jobs and then they can best back up yous. It's important that you get residual while you're healing and caring for your newborn. Don't fall into the trap of playing hostess for a parade of visitors interested in cuddling your baby, but not doing your dishes.
  • Manage your pain. You'll likely be given prescriptions for more than painkillers and a stool softener before you leave the hospital. To reduce your need for prescription painkillers, take over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen around the clock. You may need prescription painkillers for upward to a week after surgery, gradually transitioning to only over-the-counter hurting relievers. Most pain-relief medications are safe for breastfeeding moms; ask your doctor if y'all take questions. You may besides find that a heating pad or an ice pack helps relieve pain. Your physician may prescribe a lidocaine patch for incision pain equally well.
  • Avert constipation: Drink enough of fluids and have your stool softener to assist you avoid constipation from the medication you're taking. If you lot're breastfeeding or pumping, get in the addiction of drinking a full glass of water each time y'all sit downward to breastfeed or pump.
  • Walk. Walking promotes healing and helps prevent complications such as blood clots. Start slowly and increase your activity gradually. In half dozen weeks, you'll be able to kickoff exercising moderately – but wait until your caregiver gives you lot the go-alee.
  • Consider an intestinal binder: Some experts recommend wearing a tummy wrap, formally chosen an abdominal binder, to assistance reduce pain immediately following a c-section. These binders are available at drugstores and online and are often provided by hospitals. They stabilize the area around your incision to reduce pain with motion. Talk with your provider or hospital staff if you have questions nigh how to use them.
  • Don't overdo it: Avert strenuous tasks or lifting anything heavier than your baby for up to six weeks. Go on in mind that some things that are ordinarily like shooting fish in a barrel for you might now exist difficult. Listen to your trunk and stop if something feels uncomfortable.
  • Eat well: Good, nutritious food – including plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains – will help you heal and avoid constipation. Continue to take your prenatal vitamin, as well every bit iron supplements if your caregiver recommends them.
  • Hold off on sex and tampons: To foreclose infection, don't put anything in your vagina until you get the get-ahead from your provider. Once you lot become the okay on sex, you'll need to have a plan for contraception.
  • Avert baths and swimming: To prevent infection, don't submerge yourself in water (in the bathtub, a hot tub, or swimming pool, for example) until you have the okay from your caregiver, ordinarily in almost six weeks.
  • Go tiresome on driving: Don't drive if yous're taking prescription pain medication. You'll be ready to drive when you're washed taking prescription painkillers and when you lot don't experience hurting from the motions of driving (turning to cheque your blind spot, stepping on the restriction pedal, steering, and so forth). Ask your doctor for guidelines, but most moms are ready to drive by week two or three post-surgery.
  • Wait on going back to work: Typically, it takes six to eight weeks or more than for moms to be ready to return to work afterward a c-department. If you accept maternity go out, take full reward of it. Give yourself fourth dimension to physically and emotionally heal. Talk to your doctor about specific concerns and familiarize yourself with state laws regarding motherhood leave and breastfeeding at work.

c section recovery milestone timeline - steps of recovery starting from 30 minutes after a c section to 8 weeks out

C-section incision care

Here are some tips on caring for your c-section incision:

  • Clean the incision area very gently with balmy lather and h2o in one case a day in the shower. Don't rub or scrub your incision, just allow lather and water run over it. Pat your incision dry with a clean towel when yous're done.
  • If y'all go home with a dressing (bandage) over your incision, change it once a twenty-four hours, or sooner if it gets muddy or wet. Your md volition tell you lot when to finish keeping your wound covered.
  • If you have Steri-Strips (modest, white, mucilaginous bandages) directly over your incision, don't try to launder them off. Yous tin take a shower with the strips on and pat your incision dry afterward with a clean towel.
  • Steri-Strips should fall off in well-nigh two weeks. If they're notwithstanding in that location later on 14 days, you tin remove them, unless your dr. tells yous not to. They come off most hands when moisture, and then remove them right after a shower.
  • If you have glue over your incision, y'all can remove any remaining glue after 2 or 3 weeks. If you accept metallic staples, your medico will remove them iii to vii days later surgery.
  • If your abdomen hangs over your incision, keep the surface area underneath your abdomen and well-nigh the incision dry out. Moisture that collects in skin folds can harbor bacteria, which can increase your gamble of infection or delay healing of your incision. Your infirmary may transport you domicile with actress gauze to change twice daily.
  • Don't put any creams, lotions, or ointments on your incision without asking your doctor.
  • Call your md if yous have warmth, redness, swelling, or oozing at the incision site.

At first, it may feel more than comfortable to back up your incision when y'all cough, sneeze, or laugh. (Use your easily or a pillow.)

Your incision will probably feel a lot better after the first week, though information technology may be tender for much longer. You lot'll likely experience numbness and some twinges of hurting around the incision for several months.

C-section scars

C-section scars are unremarkably low on the abdomen, below the waistband of your underwear. For comfort, avoid wearing low-rise underwear that hits right at your scar. You may find that hospital-issued mesh panties feel all-time. High-waisted underwear can also be comfy subsequently a c-section.

At first, your c-section scar will be slightly raised, puffy, and darker than the residuum of your pare. It volition kickoff to compress significantly inside 6 weeks of surgery.

C-department scars are usually 4 to half-dozen inches long and about 1/8 inch wide at start. As it heals, your scar volition narrow to about 1/16 inch wide. It might be itchy while it's healing.

Usually, your scar will become thinner and flatter and volition plow either white or the color of your peel.

But in some cases, the trunk overreacts to the healing procedure and develops scars that don't heal as smoothly. These are:

Keloid scars

Keloids are a type of raised scar that abound to be larger than the original wound, and tin can appear thick and lumpy. Keloids tin be itchy and painful.

Hypertrophic scars

Hypertrophic scars are thickened, raised scars that can be itchy and painful. They're similar to keloid scars, but unlike keloids, they stay inside the boundaries of the original wound.

Keloid and hypertrophic scars are more common in people with darker skin. If y'all're prone to either, talk to your doctor nigh prevention and handling options.

Check out these c-department scar photos to meet how scars heal and look over time.

When to call the doctor

You may meet your doctor for an incision check ane to two weeks after leaving the hospital, and you lot'll have a consummate checkup in four to six weeks subsequently delivery. In the meantime, call your caregiver if you lot take signs of an infection, including:

  • Warmth, redness, swelling, or oozing at the incision site
  • Worsening pain or sudden onset of abdominal pain
  • Whatever fever (even if your incision looks fine)
  • Foul smelling vaginal discharge
  • Pain or burning when urinating, the urge to pee ofttimes when non a lot comes out, or urine that is dark and scanty or bloody

Also telephone call your provider immediately if you have:

  • Menstrual-type bleeding past the kickoff 4 days after delivery, or bleeding that comes dorsum after slowing
  • Heavy bleeding at any fourth dimension, or bleeding with clots and cramping (if you soak two pads an hr for 2 hours straight, your bleeding is considered heavy)
  • Severe or persistent pain or tenderness and warmth in one area of your leg, or one leg that's more bloated than the other
  • Pain in one or both breasts, especially if accompanied past a fever or influenza-like symptoms
  • Trouble breathing or chest pain
  • Severe headache that doesn't answer to pain medication or comes dorsum immediately later the medication wears off
  • Thoughts of hurting yourself or your babe, or if you feel incapable of caring for your newborn

For more information on warning signs of a medical problem in the weeks afterwards delivery, see our commodity on when to phone call your caregiver.

Learn more:

  • Video: C-section recovery in the first few days
  • Video: C-section recovery in the first two months