Recovery after a cesarean section

So many physical and emotional feelings and sensations come together.

You may wonder if what you feel in those first hours and days is normal or not, because in addition to the physical recovery, we may be going through an emotional grief if the cesarean section was not our first option.

Sometimes we have many ideas and fears of what can happen after a cesarean section, will I be able to click and feel attached like other moms talk ... love at first sight? ... will I will be able to attend my baby on my own? Am I going to have a lot of pain? It will be better to avoid medications so they don’t affect my baby? When will I be able to exercise again? Until when can I plan to have another child after cesarean section? Those and many more are frequently asked questions that women ask themselves after their son or daughter has been born thanks to a cesarean section.

It is important to understand that all the feelings you have, no matter how diverse they are, are totally valid, give yourself permission to feel them, experience them and prepare to release them little by little.

It can be a difficult start to motherhood, starting to take care of a human being who depends 100% on you while you are recovering from a major surgery, so it is important to be gentle with yourself and make yourself a priority to be able to recover in the best way.

Today I want to share some things that can help make this process a little more easygoing.

Walk and move but not too much, every day a little more, avoid going up and down stairs but start increasing the steps you take day by day, if you have a second floor at home, plan everything to go down only once a day, make sure you have everything you need so you don't need to be going up and down.

When you feel ready, go for a walk around the house or the patio of the house so that you have contact with the sun and the great outdoors.

Incision Care:

It is important to follow the medical indications for the care of the scar, try to keep the wound as dry as possible before covering it and if possible spend moments where it may be uncovered.

You can use a blend of therapeutic grade oils near the scar (never on it while it is open) of lavender and tea tree or frankincense diluted in fractionated coconut oil.

Once the scar is completely closed, you can place this mixture on it and do gentle massages.

I recommend once you feel fully recovered to take a session with a postpartum physiotherapist where the scar is treated and check the pelvic floor.

Take your time:

Go slowly and allow yourself to take it easy on this first days, make sure that everything you do is necessary, you may feel like going back to normal but if there is someone else that is helping you allow them to do those jobs. It is important to be kind to your body that just had surgery and has gone through a long process of creating a human being, allow it to recover at its own pace. It is not a competition.

Don't try too hard:

When you need to get up, make efforts from your arms and legs to protect your wound.

If it is not essential, leave it for later, do not lift more than your baby's weight, let someone else carry the car seat and place it inside, ask your partner or companion to pass the baby to you whenever you want to hold it of feed him.

Don't be afraid of medications:

Sometimes we are afraid that what we consume may affect our baby, however most medications are compatible with breastfeeding and if you are in pain or discomfort it may be worth using medication for an extra couple of days so that you can recover faster.

That will allow you to feel better about moving your body and taking care of your baby, since doing it while in pain can make things worse.

If you have doubts of your medications you can check them at www.e-lactancia.org so that you are sure of whether it is suitable or not.

If you were sent to take antibiotics, it is a good idea to supplement with probiotics to counteract the effect of these. You can also continue taking the prenatal vitamins and can increase the dose of vitamin C while the scar finishes healing.

Breathing exercises:

Conscious breathing exercises are a good way to stay in the present and also help you to recover the muscle tone of your core and the pelvic floor, you can start lying down doing only deep and slow breaths, when you inhale you feel how the abdomen is filled with air and in the exhalation your belly comes down as all that air is slowly coming out, take slow and deep breaths and you can place your hands on your body so that you can feel how it moves.

This can be done once you are at home and you can add movements of the feet, moving them from toe to flex to help with circulation.

When you no longer feel discomfort in the wound and it is fully recovered, you can start adding gentle Kegel-type exercises to begin to feel and strengthen your pelvic floor area (remember the importance of seeing a physiotherapist specializing in this subject).

Ask for help:

Do not be afraid to ask for help, as with any recovery from surgery, recovery is easier if we have people to support us, it can be help by cleaning the house, preparing food, taking the dog for a walk, taking care of the baby while you take a bath, taking your other children to school, etc.

Ask for help from family, friends, or support staff such as cleaners, caretakers, nurses, doulas, lactation consultants, etc.

Take care of your diet:

A soft diet is important the first days to allow you to go to the bathroom easily, fruits like papaya and mango are good to avoid constipation, if you do suffer from constipation that is not control with food you can ask your gynecologist to prescribe a medication so is easier for you the first few times after the cesarean section. (breathing techniques are good help here too)

Make sure you have a balanced diet but above all that you include protein in your diet as it will help your body to recover more quickly.

If you breastfeed you can eat everything unless any of the baby's parents is allergic to something, if not, you can consume the same food as you consumed while pregnant, the only consideration is that you want to avoid any food that inflames your stomach so that do not create further inconvenience during the recovery.

Try to be very hydrated, and have with you water or some liquid that you like, you can consume chamomile tea and put rosemary to help with the reduction of inflammation.

Wear comfortable clothes:

The more the wound is uncovered, the faster the wound can be recovered, also you probably do not need to have clothes on top if you decide to breastfeed because you will want to be available so that the baby can feed whenever she/he needs it.

Doing skin-to-skin with your baby has many benefits for both of you.

You can wear a shirt or an open robe so you don't feel totally naked.

If you need to go out to the doctors you can put on a postpartum belt, panties or lycra that gives you more restraint since the sensation of movement in the belly can feel uncomfortable, if you go in the car you can place a pillow on your belly if you do not have any of the previous.

Selfcare:

Even if you take 2-3 minutes to do conscious breathing, put cream, wash your hair, have a hot tea, etc., these moments are essential for your mental health, try to take conscious breaths, sleep when the baby sleeps, make yourself a priority so that your recovery is speedy and you feel good.

If you start to feel that you are not being able to handle the sensations in the best way, talk to your doctor, your doula, your partner, your therapist, but always ask for help.

Breastfeeding

Try to use postures where you don't have to put pressure on the wound or have to be tense while holding, such as cross-baby biological posture or rugby ball posture.

Later you can breastfeed lying on your side and start trying positions as you feel comfortable.

Because of all the IV solutions, you may have considerable inflammation on your feet but also on your breasts when the milk comes down (around the third day), you can use the soothing reverse pressure massage to return a little liquid so the areola is softer and the baby can get a better latch.

You can also have cabbage leaves washed and stored in a ziploc or container in the freezer ready to place on your breasts and that can help to reduce inflammation.

If you have discomfort or concerns, it is best to call your lactation consultant or go to the lactation clinic.

When to consult:

If you have any of the following symptoms or something doesn't feel right is importa to consult with your midwife or doctor:

· Redness and swelling in the scar.

· If you see that a point opens or a pus-like discharge.

· Severe headache or body pain that does not improve with the medicine or in a few days.

· Fever greater than 39 for more than 24 hours

Be thankful:

Be thankful with your body for everything it has done for you and your baby, be kind to it, and always remember that the C-section was the sacred way that your baby came to this world.