“It's recommended that you get up and walk around,” says Dr. Higgins. “We don't want someone lying in bed for two weeks.”
The average hospital stay after a C-section is 2 to 4 days, and keep in mind recovery often takes longer than it would from a vaginal birth. Walking after the C-section is important to speed recovery and pain medication may be supplied too as recovery takes place.
After a C-section, she recommends women take eight weeks off and to avoid heavy activity to prevent complications. “A lot of women still have significant pain at two weeks after,” she said.
Get plenty of rest
If there are complications, your stay will be longer. Give your body 6 to 8 weeks to fully heal. That's easier said than done. It's hard to crawl into bed for hours on end when you have a baby who's demanding lots of attention.
Gentle exercise, such as walking, will help you recover from your c-section. But avoid anything more active until you have no pain and you feel ready. For example, avoid driving, carrying anything heavy, having sex or doing heavy housework, such as vacuuming, until you feel able to.
3 weeks post-cesarean delivery
After you've been home from the hospital for 3 weeks or so, you might be walking for up to 15 minutes, gradually building up the time if it feels good. Keep up your daily pelvic floor exercises too.
At the beginning of a caesarean section, six separate layers of the abdominal wall and uterus are opened individually. Once the baby is delivered the uterus is closed with a double layer of stitching.
Walking after c-section is encouraged and should be your go to for the first few weeks. You'll start to notice day to day movement getting easier and less discomfort lifting baby or moving around.
Sleeping on Your Side
Sleeping on your left side aids in optimum blood flow, which is great for your recovering body. You may still need that full-body pregnancy pillow around to support your belly and hips.
When can I go home after a c-section? You will usually stay in hospital for 2-4 days after your c-section. If you and your baby are well, and you have someone to help you at home, you may be able to go home after 24 hours.
C-section pain typically spikes 18 hours after delivery.
A caesarean is a major operation that carries a number of risks, so it's usually only done if it's the safest option for you and your baby.
Ideally, your doctor will cut through the same scar so that you don't have multiple scars on your abdomen and uterus. Sometimes scar tissue can be difficult to cut through but your doctor should be able to cut through it.
There's usually no limit to the number of caesarean sections you can have. But the more caesareans you have, the longer each operation will take and the higher your risk of serious complications becomes. You will have scar tissue where your wounds have healed after each operation.
Coughing and Sneezing Will Hurt
Eskridge, who underwent two c-sections of her own, experienced the same thing—and offers some useful advice: “Splinting (holding a pillow against the abdomen over the incision) is very helpful in preventing pain with coughs, sneezes and laughing,” she says.
Pros of an elective C-section
Lower risk of incontinence and sexual dysfunction after the birth of the baby. Lower risk of the baby being deprived of oxygen during delivery. Lower risk of the baby experiencing trauma while passing through the birth canal.
An incision is made in the uterus to allow removal of the baby and placenta. Other procedures, such as tubal ligation (a permanent birth control procedure), may also be performed during cesarean birth.
During elective (planned) caesarean sections, some obstetricians routinely dilate the cervix intraoperatively, using sponge forceps, a finger, or other instruments, because the cervix of women not in labour may not be dilated, and this may cause obstruction of blood or lochia drainage.
Painful urination after a C-section
That has to do with the fact that C-sections almost always include having a catheter placed, which can cause soreness and pee pain for a day or two. If you spent time pushing before having your C-section, that can cause the same temporary symptoms too.
Post Cesarean: Days 3-5
During this time, you should gradually regain your mobility and your pain will begin to subside, but you still need to take certain precautions. Strenuous movements, for example, can place undue strain on your incision site.
In the five-to-six week postpartum period after giving birth, it's common to experience bowel and digestion issues, and that's true whether you had a c-section or vaginal birth.
Recovering in hospital
The average stay in hospital after a caesarean is around 4 days. You may be able to go home sooner than this if both you and your baby are well. While in hospital: you'll be given painkillers to reduce any discomfort.
Caesarean (C-section) delivery has various complications.
To prevent inflammation, you should keep your legs elevated at most times. Mothers with C-section need six weeks to recover from surgery before they plan to travel.