C-Section Recovery Tips
First and foremost, follow all your doctor’s directions around recovery, pain medication and incision care. Here are some additional tips:
Moving
To give your body the best shot at healing, avoid stairs and minimize how often you’re getting up and down
This is truly the moment to call in the troops, whether it’s grandparents, friends, siblings, etc.
Ask for help with tasks like refilling water, changing a diaper, getting a snack, or even reaching the remote
You can also consider hiring a daytime postpartum doula to assist with newborn care while you heal
It’s best to sit up upright chairs that provide a lot of back support - you may even need to add an extra pillow
Important to walk every day to prevent blood clotting but take it slow and don’t overdo it, even as you start to feel stronger
It’ll likely be around 6-8 weeks before you can resume exercising beyond walking, depending on when your OB gives you the go ahead
Sleeping
Consider lowering your mattress to the floor - this allows you to roll onto all fours and get up from the ground, as your abs heal
Some women find that sleeping in a recliner chair works best, since it’s then easier to go from sitting to reclining
Even if you keep your bed as is, use the log roll to get in and out
Invest in getting as much rest as possible early on, whether that means recruiting your partner to do more of the nighttime care or hiring a postpartum doula. It’s better for everyone in the long run if you have the opportunity now to heal, so it’s not at all “selfish”.
Breastfeeding
Research finds that it might take slightly longer for milk to come in following a C-section, but by day 6 postpartum there is no difference in milk volume between C-section and vaginal
Due to the potential delay, sometimes pediatricians recommend “triple feeding” in the early days, where you breastfeed, then pump, and feed your baby a bottle of breastmilk
It’s easiest if your partner/support person feeds your baby the last pump’s bottle while you pump again, to be most efficient and give you time to rest
While this system can be exhausting, a silver lining is that partners often enjoy the chance to be more involved in feeding and bond with the baby
A couple regular pillows or a nursing pillow can help protect your scar while nursing
Opt for My Brest Friend over the Boppy, since it wraps all the way around and can be buckled, which feels more secure
A Wedge Pillow may also be helpful for sitting upright while nursing or pumping
The “football hold” position, where the baby’s body is tucked under your arm, may be better than the traditional cradle hold, since it avoids the baby being pressed up against your stomach
Side-lying may also be a more comfortable position since it allows you to lie down, but it can take a little time to get the hang of
Definitely recruit someone to help you arrange the baby and pillows to make it work for the couple weeks
Make sure the baby is also on their side facing you, so they don’t have to turn their head to reach your breast
Eating
Protein-rich food is crucial to helping your body repair tissue
Hold off on food that may cause indigestion or bloating/gas (e.g. spicy or greasy foods) since it could aggravate discomfort in the incision area
Good hydration and high-fiber foods (plus stool softener) can help ease constipation
Constipation is a common postpartum symptom regardless of delivery method, but it can be especially acute and painful following a C-section since the ab-muscles used to bear down to poop are healing
Caring for your Incision
Keep the scar clean and dry - after taking a shower, pat it with a towel (or you try the blowdryer on a low/cool setting)
Wear loose clothing and avoid underwear that rubs against your scar (high waisted underwear can be good)
Pay attention to your posture - you will put less pressure on your incision scar if you sit more upright with your ribs lifted, rather than hunched over
Coughing, sneezing or laughing can cause awful pain in the first week or so
Try to keep a pillow nearby, because if you feel a cough/sneeze coming on, it can help to press a pillow up against your tummy to brace your wound
Keep cough drops on hand so you can minimize any bouts of coughing
Numbness is normal, and may take months to fully dissipate. Itchiness around the scar area is also common - definitely don’t scratch it, but you can try briefly applying ice packs
After 3 weeks postpartum, you can put microtape on your incision which may help reduce scaring (research). Remove using baby oil or something similar, as the adhesive is very strong.
After 4 weeks postpartum, physical therapists sometimes recommend “scar mobilization” (which is essentially massage) for a few minutes each day. This can help to reduce pain, speed up healing, and improve how the skin looks aesthetically.
Processing
It’s very common to have mixed feelings about your birth experience being different than you may have envisioned
This could be a sense of disappointment or failure, or could involve processing serious trauma if your baby’s life or your own had been at risk, leading to an emergency C-section
Whatever this looks like for you, know that it is normal and it can be healing to talk about it with loved ones
It may feel especially helpful to connect with others who have had a c-section, both on an emotional level and on a practical one, to learn about their recovery
Given that 32% of deliveries in the U.S are C-sections, chances are you probably have a handful of people in your network who have been through this experience too
For more resources, consider buying the Expecting and Empowered C-section Recovery Kit
