The Best Cesarean Section Recovery Tips
Your Best C-Section Recovery
The best tips for recovering quickly from your cesarean section- every suggestion gathered came directly from my own doula clients and belly birth moms!
Written by: Heidi Snyderburn
healing from a cesarean section
So, you had a c-section. Maybe it was planned, and you had a little bit of time to think about your recovery in advance. Maybe it was unplanned, and you found yourself in a recovery room with no idea what to do next…and then they sent you home a few days later. Now what? I scoured the mom’s boards, asked all my previous clients, and called upon the Birth Story Podcast audience for suggestions. Here are all the pro-tips from belly birth moms that you will need for an easier recovery.
black strap molasses
Braggs Black Strap Molasses is rich in iron and will help to restore your hemoglobin after blood loss from surgery and birth.
pain meds
Just take them. They can cause even more constipation, however, so also take the stool softeners.
nettle tea
The benefits of Nettle Tea include strengthening blood vessels and improving arterial elasticity which reduces the risk of hemorrhoids. Nettle also increases the amount of breastmilk a mother produces, and it is a superb source of Vitamin K which increases your available hemoglobin thus decreasing the likelihood of a postpartum hemorrhage.
the pillow press
Every mom I interviewed had the same advice; whenever you need to cough, sneeze, laugh, get up or out of bed, move in any way-take your pillow and press it against your abdominal muscles and push in for counter pressure. This will help with the pain and reduce your changes of injury to your incision.
nose to toes
When getting out of bed or out of a chair, lean forward and make sure your nose is over your toes. Then use your thigh muscles to stand and not your abdominals.
patience
Go at your own pace. Slow down. Imagine this wound was on the outside of you. If you were to look at it each day on the outside, how would you treat your body? You also have a wound the size of a dinner place inside the uterus where your placenta detached. Get around with slow, intentional movements. Have patience that you will heal but give yourself a full 8-10 weeks of laying around and letting other people serve you.
belly binding
Belly support is key. Make sure to get a prescription from your provider for a support garment and call your insurance to see if they will cover it before spending money. The most recommended ones are the Bellefit Dual Closure Girdle and the Belly Bandit Luxe Wrap. These can be worn post-surgery. Then, after your first few weeks when your abdomen no longer feels sore, I highly recommended moving to Bengkung Belly Binding. There is a full guide to BBB under the workbook tab at Birth Story.
pelvic floor PT
Find a Pelvic Floor PT that you love in your area and is covered in network on your insurance.
c-section underwear
During the first few days, I recommend a mesh panty like Frida’s C-section Undies or SheThinx. Choose something soft that you can bleed into. After the first week, graduate into a panty that provides high waisted compression and support that you can also still easily bleed into or apply a pad to like UpSpring Baby C-panty.
mocktail
Prune juice + sprite. Serve this up on Day 1 in the hospital once you get the clear to eat and drink. This will help keep your stools soft and the gas flowing.
nourishing foods & broths
The First Forty Days-The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mom. Seek out anti-inflammatory and healing foods. This book is a great guide. Drink warm broths every day.
magnesium glycinate
Magnesium helps your body to heal. It is proven to be calming, treat pain, keep your stools regular and soft, promotes better sleep, controls blood sugar and heart rhythms. I recommend any organic magnesium supplement-your provider may even write you a prescription for it. Don’t forget you can use your FSA to pay for supplements like Magnesium.
bidet & Enema
Your vagina and rectum will still be tender even if you didn’t have a vaginal birth. You will also bleed vaginally for up to 6 weeks. The bidet makes it much easier to clean yourself post-cesarean when it’s hard to bend and lean to wipe. Since you will be visiting the bathroom many times each day, the bidet is an easy way to support you in those first few weeks. I recommend the Tushy Bidet. The constipation can be mild to severe as well, so for the first poop-try an enema to get you going first.
water
You need water to heal. You need water for counteracting blood loss, you need water to produce milk….You NEED water! Try to drink ½ of your body weight in ounces of water each day. Example: If you weigh 200 lb., shoot for 100 ounces of water each day. This will also help with the post-surgery constipation.
5-5-5
5 Days in the bed, 5 days next to the bed, 5 days near the bed.
massage & salves
Massage stimulates the nerves around the scar. I suggest that you massage your lower abdomen and over your scar with a salve or a natural oil like almond oil. As well, you can use different materials (soft all the way to scratchy) to stimulate the scar by rubbing them against it. You want to wake up these nerves and help your body to repair them back to normal feeling and sensations.
expecting & empowered
Expecting and Empowered is my #1 most recommended Instagram account for supporting a mom in the postpartum period especially after a cesarean section.
inverted kegels
Do not be intimidated. Everyone should squeeze their vagina within a few hours of birthing as we work quickly to strengthen our pelvic floor. You can do this by stopping the flow of urine halfway through each time you pee, then release. After the first week, I would move on to inverted Kegels, you want to lay on your back in bridge position or with your bum slightly elevated as you do a few sets of Kegels before coming down. Go slow, very gently, and very easy.
heating pad & Ice
Hot and cold are wonderful for healing. I would put a heating pad on your scar for 15 minutes and follow it with ice several times a day for the first 10 days.
Scar Gel & Tape
I recommend using scar tape for the first 6 weeks. If you want to support your scar with scar gel, I recommend Strataderm starting after 2 weeks and continuing for 6-12 weeks.
dresses for bedtime
Avoid elastic bands and pants for bedtime. I would focus on nursing gowns for bedtime. I love the soft gown from Kindred Bravely.
Pregnancy Support Pillow
I personally like the extra large U shaped ones. They provide support on all sides and prevent you from rolling over too far in the middle of the night. It feels really nice to prop it up with a heating pad on your back if you aren’t used to back sleeping. They help you feel supported and cozy while trying to rest in between pumping, nursing, or feeding sessions.