Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Hospital Treatment
• Part 2 of 2: Home Treatment
• Tips
• Warnings

Caesarean section is a surgical procedure used during childbirth. Caesarean section is not an easy operation, after which it takes longer for the body to recover than after a normal natural birth. If you have a successful caesarean section and have no complications, you will need to stay in the hospital for about three more days after giving birth. You will most likely have to deal with bleeding, discharge, and various types of wounds that take four to six weeks to heal. Provide yourself with proper care, experienced doctors, as well as support from family and friends, then your body will recover as soon as possible!

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Hospital Treatment

1. 1 Move. You will most likely stay in the hospital for 2-3 days. During the first 24 hours, you will most likely be advised to stand and walk more. Movement helps prevent side effects that may occur after a cesarean delivery (for example, constipation, gas in the abdomen, blood clots and other dangerous deposits). A nurse will look after you.
   • At first, walking will not be very comfortable, but gradually the pain and discomfort will go away.
2. 2 Ask your healthcare team to help you with feeding. When you feel well enough, you can start breastfeeding or bottle feeding yourself. Ask a nurse or other medical staff to help you get into the correct position and hold your baby so that it does not press on your abdomen. You might find a pillow useful.
3. 3 Learn about vaccinations. Talk to your doctor about prophylaxis and vaccinations for your child. If you have ever received a vaccination, but today it is no longer valid, repeat the procedure, just now is the right time.
4. 4 Maintain your hygiene. Shower and keep your hands clean during your hospital stay. Feel free to ask a nurse or other healthcare professional to disinfect your hands before touching you or your baby. Never touch the child with unwashed hands! Remember that some hospital microorganisms (for example, MRSA - methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) can be eliminated simply by washing your hands with soap and water.
5. 5 Make an appointment with your doctor. After you leave the hospital, you will need to make an appointment with your doctor for the first 4-6 weeks.

Part 2 of 2: Home Treatment

1. 1 Get some rest. If possible, try to sleep 7-8 hours a day. Sleep and rest stimulate tissue development and growth, which helps the incision site to heal. Sleep reduces stress levels, and it also leads to a decrease in inflammation, accelerated tissue regeneration and recovery of the body.
   • Of course, you can't sleep for a long time with a baby in your arms! Ask someone close to you to help you watch your baby at night. If you are breastfeeding, they can bring your baby to you at night. Keep in mind that in many cases, nocturnal rustling and other sounds from the baby's crib can subside by themselves. Wait a few seconds before getting up and going to the baby's crib.
   • If you have free time, take a nap. Try to sleep with your baby (during the day). If you have frequent visits from your family, ask someone to follow your baby while you take a nap. Do not worry, this is not rude or arrogance, because you are recovering from the operation.
2. 2 Drink plenty of fluids. Drink water and other fluids often to replenish the body water you lost during labor. Moreover, it is a good prevention of constipation. In the hospital, the diet is prescribed and monitored by a doctor, but at home you need to keep track of it yourself. When breastfeeding, place a glass of water next to it.
   • There is really no set amount of water to drink every day. Just drink as often and as much as you like. If you notice that your urine has turned dark yellow, it means that your body is lacking fluid, so drink more water.
   • Consult your doctor. The doctor will tell you whether to drink more or less water.
3. 3 Try to eat right. Adequate nutrition and sufficient micronutrient intake are especially important for a quick recovery from surgery. The digestive system will repair itself along with the whole body, so you may need to adjust your usual diet. If you have an upset stomach, eat soft foods that are low in fat (such as rice, baked or boiled chicken, yogurt, toast).
   • If you suffer from constipation, eat more fiber. Before dramatically increasing your fiber intake or taking fiber supplements, be sure to check with your doctor.
   • While cooking, you may need to bend over or turn sharply. Therefore, if you have a partner or someone close to you who can take care of you, ask him to help you with cooking.
4. 4 Walk more and more every day. After you have been discharged home from the hospital, you need to keep moving. Try to increase your walking time every day. Of course, this does not mean that you need to start training hard. Exercise (such as jogging, cycling, and any form of strength training) should be contraindicated for 6 weeks after the caesarean section. The possibility of any stress should be discussed with a doctor.
   • Don't take the stairs. If you live in a private home and your bedroom is on the second floor, lay yourself on the first floor for the first few weeks (within a few weeks after you leave the hospital).
   • Do not lift anything heavy (other than a child), do not squat, climb stairs, or bend over.
   • Do not squat under any circumstances, avoid any movements that put pressure on the abdomen.
5. 5 Take pain relievers prescribed by your doctor if you feel pain. Your doctor may recommend acetaminophen, Tylenol, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Most pain relievers can be taken while breastfeeding.It is very important for nursing mothers to get rid of pain, because pain causes stress, which prevents the release of hormones that are necessary for the normal formation of milk.
6. 6 Buy supportive underwear to help you get back in shape faster. It is very important to support the abdomen (especially at the incision site) to reduce pain and the risk of dehiscence. When you cough or take a deep breath, press a pillow against your stomach.
   • It has not been proven that clothing that strongly tightens the abdomen (corrective) is beneficial for recovery. Please consult your doctor before purchasing such clothing.
7. 7 Take care of your scar. When you shower every day, wash your scar with warm soapy water and then pat dry with a towel. If the doctor has applied tape to the scar, wait for it to peel off by itself. Or remove it yourself after a week. You can use a gauze bandage over the scar if you prefer, but the bandage needs to be changed daily.
   • Do not apply powder, body lotion, or other cosmetics to the scar. Keep in mind that rubbing, scratching, and any other pressure on the scar will slow down healing and also increase the risk of wound reopening.
   • Do not use any foreign substances that can slow down wound healing (such as hydrogen peroxide).
   • Shower as usual. When you're done showering, gently dry the scar. Try not to wet your scar when you take a bath or shower.
8. 8 Wear loose-fitting clothing. This can be a jacket or a loose dress that does not fit the scar.
9. 9 Abstain from sex for a while. After a cesarean section and vaginal delivery, you will most likely need about 4-6 weeks of rest and recovery when it is advisable to refrain from intimacy. If you have had a caesarean section, you may need even more recovery time. Refrain from sex until your doctor tells you it will be safe.
10. 10 Use pads for a while after giving birth. Even if you did not give birth naturally, during the first month after giving birth, you will have a bright red spotting called lochia. Do not douche or use tampons until your doctor tells you that it is safe to do so, as this can lead to infection.
    • If your bleeding is too heavy, you notice an unpleasant odor, and your body temperature is above 38 degrees Celsius, call your doctor.

Tips

• Many people believe that meals based on meat and bone broth will help speed up the healing and recovery of the body.
• After surgery, the skin begins to actively regenerate, but the incision site is very sensitive to any impact. Therefore, try to avoid exposure to sunlight for at least three months after surgery.

Warnings

• See your doctor if your suture breaks open.
• Call your doctor if there are signs of infection at the incision site. You may feel fever, pain, swelling, redness, red streaks from the incision, and pus and swelling in the axillary, cervical, and inguinal lymph nodes.
• If you feel discomfort, pain, heaviness in the stomach, if you experience pain when urinating, you may have an infection.
• Call an ambulance (03) if you feel unwell, severe abdominal pain, fainting, coughing up blood, shortness of breath.
• See your doctor if you have chest pain and flu-like symptoms.
• If you are sad, sad and hopeless, or have anxious thoughts after giving birth, you are most likely suffering from postpartum depression. See your doctor.