CESAREAN RECOVERY

 Emotions 

It’s likely that you will experience a range of emotions. Many mothers feel let down that they didn’t give birth the normal way. Especially if they prepared for a natural birth – the breathing exercises, Lamaze classes… A lot of time and effort was spent gearing up for a regular delivery, and all that was of no use. Such emotions are perfectly normal, but a healthier attitude would be to just feel grateful that you had a healthy baby and both of you are fine. A lot of mothers just feel grateful that everything went of smoothly, even if the c-section was unexpected. 

Don’t feel frustrated with the time taken to recover from a cesarean section. Many mothers wonder if it is normal to take this long, or whether something is wrong. Remember, a cesarean is a major surgery, and you will take time to recover. There is a lot that needs healing, so don’t expect instant recovery. Mothers have been known to experience prickly sensations even a year later. It takes some time for the nerves to grow back. 

Recovery Time 

After a cesarean section skin staples are removed within 2 weeks, but healing from the surgery can take months.  By four-six weeks after the delivery, pain has subsided and the incision site has mended enough to resume normal activities. In the meantime, the new mother should not lift anything heavier than her baby and should avoid stairs.

Before doing any exercises, she should review them with her care provider. 

It does take longer to recover physically from a Cesarean Section than a vaginal delivery, but you don't have to be bed-ridden.  Take things easy and listen to your body.  If you become dizzy or lightheaded, you are doing too much.  If your bleeding increases, or returns to bright red after it has been brown, you are overdoing it.  If you increase your activity one day and have none of the above symptoms, it is your cue to do the same amount the next day, and maybe a little more the day after that. 

Move around 

It may not be easy to start moving around, and it will probably hurt when you get out of bed. It will even hurt when you cough! But remember, the more you move around, the better it is. By moving, you encourage blood circulation, and this in turn encourages healing. If you keep lying down with minimal movement, your blood is not getting any circulation and may clot, causing further unease and complications. So walk around, but don’t tire yourself. Just move your hands around a bit and shuffle around the room at a slow, leisurely pace. Even though you feel the pressure on your stitches when sneezing, laughing or coughing, you won’t open your stitches.