Looking after yourself after a c-section

Photo courtesy of Lynsey @LynseyTwinMum

I knew from quite early on that I was going to be having a c-section to deliver our babies. One of my main concerns was about the recovery. Would I be able to stand up? Would I be able to walk? How long would the pain last? A week before my c-section our consultant booked me onto a physiotherapy course aimed at providing expectant mums with useful information on how to aid recovery. I found it really interesting and useful.

After the birth of our twins, I found the recovery much easier than I thought I would. I was able to walk the following day and getting in and out of bed wasn’t as painful as I thought it would have been. I was recently reading through the some of the survey results from Wriggly Rascals and found that 29% of women surveyed said they found their recovery much easier than expected. 68% of women surveyed stayed in hospitl for less than 3 days with only 9% being in hospital for a week or more.

I am glad that our c-section was planned, because a few of my friends who have had emergency c-sections had a completely different experience to me. Although I was a bag of nerves, crying and shaking, my c-secton went well. One of Twin Daddy’s friends wives had an emergency c-section and one of her arteries was cut resulting in a lot of blood loss and a blood transfusion. I guess knowing that I was going to have a c-section helped me to prepare for it. I can’t imagine what it must be like to think you are going to give birth naturally, but then end up having to have an emergency c-section. Quite scary I imagine.

According to the survey, 77% of women had an emergency c-section compared to 33% who had a planned c-section. 26% of women said their recovery was much harder than they expected.

I thought I would share with some of the things that can help you after a c-section:

• A few weeks before your due date, cook some batches of food and freeze them before going into hospital
• Delegate tasks to family and friends ahead of time so that you are organised
• After your c-section it is important to rest and take things slowly. You may feel ok, but if you over do anything you will most certainly feel the next day
• You may find it helps to sleep in an upright position as it will be easier for you to get in and out of bed
• When you feel ready, do some simple exercises to help strengthen your stomach muscles
• Bring big knickers that go up to your tummy button with you! They offer more support than normal knickers
• Bring plenty of maternity pads with you. Although you are having a c-section, you will still bleed the same as though you had a natural birth
• Afte a c-section you may find that you are more windy than usual. I found drinking peppermint cordial helped with this!
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Wear loose clothing and avoid elasticated waistbands as they can rub your wound