C-Section Recovery: How to Recover from Your C-Section in Days, Not Weeks

Getting a C-Section?  Worried about recovery time?
Here's everything you need to know about shaving days and even weeks off your total C-Section recovery time.

If you're schedule for Caesarean delivery in the next few weeks, you're probably worried about how to recover as quickly, painlessly, and comfortably as possible.  While recovery time is different for every mother, here are some general principles you can follow to help speed your healing process after your C-Section.

In the hospital 

After a C-section, most mothers and babies stay in the hospital for about three days. To control pain as the anesthesia wears off, you may use a pump that allows you to adjust the dose of IV pain medication. 

[MORE ABOUT PAIN MANAGEMENT POST-SURGERY.  CLICK HERE.]

Within the first 24 hours after your C-section, you'll be encouraged to get up and walk. Moving around can speed your recovery and help prevent constipation and potentially dangerous blood clots. The catheter and IVs will likely be removed within 12 to 24 hours of the C-section. 

While you're in the hospital, your health care team will monitor your incision for signs of infection. They'll also monitor your appetite, how much fluid you're drinking, and bladder and bowel function. 

Before you leave the hospital, talk with your doctor about any preventive care you may need, including vaccinations. It's a good time to make sure your immunizations are up to date to help protect your health and the health of your baby. 

Breast-feeding 

IVs and discomfort near the C-section incision can make breast-feeding somewhat awkward at first. With help, however, you'll be able to start breast-feeding soon after the C-section. Ask your nurse or the hospital's lactation consultant to teach you how to position yourself and support your baby so that you're comfortable. 

Trying to breast-feed when you're in pain may only make the process more difficult. Your health care team will select medications for your post-surgical pain with breast-feeding in mind. Continuing to take the medication shouldn't interfere with breast-feeding. 

When you go home 

It takes about four to six weeks for a C-section incision to heal. Fatigue and discomfort are common. While you're recovering: 

• Take it easy

  Give yourself time to rest. Keep everything that you and your baby might need within reach. For the first two weeks, don't lift anything heavier than your baby.

• Support your abdomen

  Use good posture when you stand and walk. Hold your abdomen near the incision during sudden movements, such as coughing, sneezing or laughing. Use pillows or rolled up towels for extra support while breast-feeding.

• Drink plenty of fluids

  Drinking lots of fluids can help replace those lost during delivery and breast-feeding, as well as prevent constipation. Remember to empty your bladder frequently to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections.

• Avoid sex

  Many doctors recommend waiting six weeks before resuming intercourse. But don't give up on intimacy. Spend time with your partner, even if it's just a few minutes in the morning or after the baby goes to sleep at night.

• Take medication as needed

  Your doctor may recommend acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) to relieve pain. If you're constipated or bowel movements are painful, your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter stool softener or a mild laxative, such as milk of magnesia.

• Know when to contact your doctor

  Promptly report any signs of infection to your doctor. These include a fever over 100.4 F (38 C); severe pain in your abdomen; redness, swelling and discharge at your incision site; or flu-like symptoms accompanied by pain in one or both breasts.

Contact your doctor if you develop a rash or hives; foul-smelling vaginal discharge; burning with urination; blood in your urine; extremely heavy bleeding that soaks a maxi pad within one hour or passing large clots; or swollen, red or painful areas in your legs. 

Postpartum depression may be a concern as well. If your mood is consistently low, you find little joy in life or you have trouble summoning the energy to start a new day, seek help promptly. 

If you're disappointed that you had a C-section rather than a vaginal birth, remind yourself that your health and your baby's health are more important than the method of delivery. Although it often takes longer to recover from a C-section than from a vaginal birth, the end result is the same — and the adventure of caring for your baby is likely to overshadow it all. 

And most of all, remember: one of the most effective ways to speed through recovery is by PREPARING properly.  Calm For Surgery has some incredible resources to help you prepare thoroughly and recover quickly.