Things to know before having a c-section
Tips for a better recovery after a c-section
The 360 Mama founder and soft tissue therapist Hannah West, talks all things c-section.
Having a c-section was not something I planned, but I am a proud 2x c-section mama and really happy with both my birth experiences.
Caspar, my first, decided to turn breech (bum down) in the last few weeks of pregnancy and no one believed or checked me until it was too late.
With 1.5 weeks until my due date, when I finally had a scan confirming what I thought, I was booked in for a c-section two days later.
No time to think, prepare or argue. My home birth was out of the window.
I had attended antenatal classes, but there was very little information on what to expect if you have a cesarean, more on how to avoid it - not much use if you're given no choice at the last minute.
Being well prepared for a c-section and knowing what to expect can make a world of difference to your recovery and help reduce anxiety pre and post-birth.
Here are my top-tips for expecting c-section mamas.
Nutrition
It's a common suggestion to meal prep prior to your baby, but making sure your meals are high in protein will help your body to recover quicker from birth.
Easy things like adding beans and pulses to stews and curries really help to bulk up the protein content. Adding natural protein powder to smoothies is a quick, easy way to up your protein intake.
Make sure you're also getting in lots of vegs, especially leafy greens.
Its major surgery
Being such a commonly performed surgery, it's easy to think otherwise.
Put plans in place to be able to rest and heal post-birth and accept all and any help you're offered.
It doesn't need to be scary. I was pretty terrified once I found out I needed to have a cesarean. If you have an 'elective' c-section it can be a really calm, relaxing experience - the room is full of people who are all there to care for you and your baby.
I was asked what music I wanted on, and the anaesthetist was just chatting and laughing with my husband Simon and myself while we were waiting for Caspar to be born, it was a lovely experience.
Second time round they even let Otis work his way out of my tummy himself, and I got to breastfeed him while being stitched up!
You can take pictures
Simon was able to film both of our boys emerging from my tummy; it's pretty special to have those videos.
You will have a catheter
The thought of this was weird, but actually, it was great as it meant I could drink loads of water and not have to worry about having to get up for a wee for a good few hours post-birth.
Take the pain killers
Paracetamol and Ibuprofen are prescribed for a reason, and if taken as directed, they can be beneficial with easing the pain. Write a schedule each day to remind yourself when to take them.
The drugs can make you sick
You are pumped with a lot of drugs during and after surgery which made me feel very sick. Throwing up after abdominal surgery is incredibly painful and stressful.
If you start feeling nauseous, tell your midwife so they can administer anti-sickness drugs - this made such a difference to me the second time.
Coughing, sneezing, laughing, pooping
Bodily norms can hurt like crazy - press a small towel against your incision with a flat hand to help ease the pain and help you to feel less nervous about it.
You may be discharged from hospital as soon as the following day. If this is the case, the midwife will expect you to stand and go to the toilet by yourself by 6 hours post-surgery. It seems like a scary prospect and quite difficult when the drugs make you super wobbly and lightheaded. Listen to your body and speak to the team.
Lifting your baby
Twisting and lifting your baby from the cot beside you in hospital is pretty much impossible; having someone with you to pass them to you is a big yes.
It's painful waiting on the midwives to do this for you as they are understandably busy and can't do this every 5 minutes.
Constipation and bloating
Initially post-birth, your tummy may look pretty flat compared to after vaginal birth. Still, the drugs, lack of movement and your bowels being jiggled about during surgery can mean you bloat right back out again making it pretty hard to poo.
Drink plenty of water, gently massage your tummy in a clockwise direction (avoiding the incision) and eat plenty of fibre-rich foods and greens.
Take care of how you move
Try not to use your abdominal muscles when moving; this is particularly important when moving from lying to sitting.
Rather than straining forward, roll on to your side, then use your hand to push you upwards. You can also use a dressing gown tie tied on a door and pull on it to get yourself up.
How it feels
Expect your scar to be sore one day, ranging from sharp pains to dull aches. Sensitivity, numbness and itchiness are also all normal. Massaging above and away from your incision can help reduce this and speed up recovery.
Buy big pants
You won't want anything rubbing on your lower abdomen. Big pants and high waisted elasticated waistband trousers are going to be your best friend for quite a few weeks.
The support and slight compression of them can feel nice and supportive too.
Watch for infection
You shouldn't be wearing a dressing on it for any more than 48 hours (unless advised otherwise by your doctor).
Check your scar daily for signs of infection - redness, swelling, oozing, heat or feeling unwell - if you think you have an infection, get in touch with your doctor straight away.
Mobility
Although resting is essential post-op, it's essential to get up and move as soon as you can, even if this is just walking to and from the bathroom/kitchen regularly to begin with. This will help speed up recovery.
Try to get out for a short walk when you feel up for it.
Pelvic floor
Don't presume just because you didn't push a baby out of your vagina that you won't need to recover your pelvic floor.
The weight of the baby in pregnancy, postural changes and hormones can all contribute to weak pelvic floor function. Get on those pelvic exercises to release and strengthen immediately post-birth.
Scar care
Scars can impact our whole body. Pulling and tightness at the scar site and away from it are common.
Abdominal scars can often contribute to lower back pain, hip pain and poor pelvic floor/core function. Tightness in the scar can put pressure on your bladder, causing urinary urgency and scarring and tension in the area can be a cause of pain during sex.
As soon as your scar is healed, start massaging it regularly or see a scar massage therapist.
Our complete postnatal recovery programme includes all the advice and self-massage classes you need to help you heal from your c-section.
Sign up now to be ready for our launch in September.
