C-section: Recovery tips
Your body needs time to heal after a C-section, so these tips can help
If you’ve had a C-section it’s important to remember that you are recovering from major surgery as well as adapting to life as a new mum. It’s important to take care of yourself as well as your new baby so your body has a chance to recover. Here’s our guide to helping yourself help your body to recover from the C-section.
Go slow
Straight after the operation it’s a good idea to get moving as soon as you can for your circulation, but take it very slow. There’s no need to push yourself to move around how you usually do, take your time getting your body moving again after the operation.
Listen and rest
It’s important to listen to the advice from the hospital on resting after the operation. It may sound hard to imagine now you have a new baby but take every offer of help to insure you get the rest your body needs. Your body will let you know when you need rest so listen to it.
Look after your scar
Look after the scar by keeping it really clean and it’s also an idea to wear big knickers so no clothing lays on the scar for the first few weeks. You may also find that when you sneeze or cough you feel tightening in your scar, try holding your stomach when you sneeze or cough. Air promotes healing so expose your scar to the air after bathing or showering and choose clothing made of breathable materials which do not rub the scar directly.
Take pain killers if you need to
Don’t feel you have to put up with pain after you have the operation, if you need to take paracetamol or ibuprofen to ease the pain, take it. After all you can’t focus on your baby if you’re in pain and you won’t get the best sleep you can if you’re in pain.