C-section recovery is no joke whether it was planned or unexpected.
C-section recovery is no joke whether it was planned or unexpected. My first baby was an unplanned CS, but my 2nd and 3rd were planned. So I can tell you for a fact that whether it is planned or not makes no difference to the fact that your body just went through major surgery and brought a baby into the world. That’s a lot!
If you’re wondering what to do next to heal faster and feel better, I’ve got you. This post is about twelve things you should do immediately after your C-section to set yourself up for the smoothest recovery possible.
12 things you should do immediately after a c-section
1. Take Your Pain Meds on Time
A c-section will leave you sore therefore managing pain is key to your recovery. It’s always helpful to stay ahead of the pain. This will help you move around easier and heal faster. Set alarms if you have to because skipping a dose can make it much harder to catch up.
2. Rest
Your body needs to heal and recover from the process, so prioritise resting. Most hospitals ask you not to eat at least 12hours before your C-section. Which means you’ll be out of energy by the time is section is done; the more you rest, the faster you get your energy back.
3.Breastfeeding
Did you know that having a csection (vs going into spontaneous labor) may delay milk production? Also it has been shown that most csection mamas give up on breastfeeding sooner. due to low supply issues.
So if you want to breastfeed successfully after a csection, I recommend these important steps to help you meet your lactation goals – they worked for me, but please remember every body is different.
– Take milk inducing foods – oats, coconut water, lactation cookies, protein shakes.
Put baby on the breast at every opportunity you get. Aim for up to 8–12 feeds in a 24hr period.
– Spend time doing skin-to-skin
– Power pump when baby is not on the breast. There are many breast pump brands to try. I loved using these wearable pumps in hospital . They are the most quiet, convenient, and efficient breast pumps I have tried, ever.
4. Start Walking (Slowly!)
It sounds counterintuitive to what I said above, but once your’ve had some rest, getting up and moving – gently – as soon as your doctor allows is one of the best things you can do. Walking helps prevent blood clots, gets your digestion moving, and actually speeds up healing. Just start with short, slow walks around your hospital room and build up from there.
5. Pass Wee and Wind
Everyone, from your doctors to the midwives is going to wait to see if you can pass wee and gas. Awkward..I know. Keeping things moving (yup, that first postpartum poop) is usually a great sign that your bowel is functioning as it should despite the fact that it has just been opened and moved around.
6. Drink plenty to stay Hydrated
Drinking lots of water helps with healing, digestion, and keeping things moving (yes, I’m talking about that first postpartum poop – it’s coming). it will also help your incision heal and give you energy, even when you’re exhausted. Other than water you can try coconut water (which is great to increase your milk flow), smoothies, and broths.
7. Support Your Incision When Moving
Getting up, coughing, or even laughing can feel like your stitches might pop (they won’t, but it sure feels that way). You may find that using a csection support pillow or your hands to gently hold your incision area when you move helps tremendously. You may also find this csection vest which provides gentle abdominal compression helpful. I wore it from day 3 post CS and it really made things feel way less painful.
8. Move your legs, wriggle your toes and swish your bum
As mentioned earlier, moving is extremely important for your recovery. But if you’re so exhausted and need some more time on the bed, simply moving your legs, wriggling your toes and swishing your bum from side to side is recommended. This will help prevent blot clots which can be very dangerous.
9.Take Care of Your Incision
Your doctor will give you instructions on how to clean and care for your incision – follow them! Keep the area dry, watch for signs of infection (like redness, swelling, or oozing), and don’t be afraid to call your doctor if something feels off. And, PSA: no heavy lifting or strenuous activity for at least 6 weeks.
10. Eat protein-rich and fiber-rich foods
Good nutrition will promote your healing, and encourage your bowels to poop. Additionally, high protein foods like yoghurt, and fibre rich foods like brown rice are also great to encourage milk production.
11. Accept Help (Seriously, Take It!)
If someone offers to help – whether it’s bringing meals, holding the baby so you can rest, or doing a quick grocery run – say YES. C-section recovery is not the time to prove you can do it all. Resting and allowing yourself to heal is doing something.
12. Give Yourself Grace
A C-section recovery takes time, and every mama’s journey looks different. If you’re feeling frustrated, emotional, or overwhelmed, that’s completely normal. Be kind to yourself. Rest when you need to. And remember – your body just did something amazing.
Hope you found these tips useful and they help you heal faster.
Recovering from a C-section isn’t always easy, but with the right care and a little patience, you will feel like yourself again. Give yourself time, rest when you can, and soak in those newborn snuggles. You’ve got this, mama!
