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| |    Recovering from Cesarean Section by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. reviewed by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. The recovery from c-section involves recovering from abdominal surgery plus recovering from childbirth. After cesarean, it is even more important to get rest and take good care of yourself. In-hospital recovery from cesarean While still in the hospital, you will need pain medication. By leaving the epidural catheter in your back for a few days after surgery, it is possible to get continuous pain medications through its tubing. This is ideal, since it gives excellent pain control and the medications don't make you feel drugged or affect the breast milk. The level of anesthesia is less than during surgery, so your legs will be strong enough for you to walk around. Even though it hurts, moving around after surgery is important to help prevent complications and speed healing. Pressing a pillow across your abdomen before getting up will help splint the muscles and allow you to move more comfortably. Most women are discharged from the hospital two to three days after surgery, when they are on only pills for pain and are able to eat and drink. If you get a fever, you may need antibiotics, and your discharge from the hospital might be delayed. One possible benefit to having a caesarean in your first pregnancy is the added time in the hospital in which to get help with breastfeeding. Recovering from cesarean at home Remember that you are recovering from childbirth, recovering from major surgery, and dealing with the challenges of a new baby. Try to keep your expectations low: take physical care of yourself, mother your baby, and don't try to do much else. Take naps when the baby sleeps. Ask for help when you need it. It is likely that you will feel pretty much like yourself again, and be able to do all activities by 6-8 weeks after surgery. If you are going to go back to work outside of the home, discuss with your physician the possibility of eight weeks medical leave. One tip for taking care of yourself after c-section: Pain medications like codeine are mild narcotics and can be constipating. As soon as you can, switch yourself over to a non-steroidal, like ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®) or naproxen. Emotional recovery from cesarean The emotional response to cesarean is quite variable. Some women feel purely glad to have their baby, while many others feel deep disappointment. Some feel angry to have been deprived of a "normal" childbirth experience, and some blame themselves or feel they have failed in some way. It can be immensely helpful to work to understand why you ended up with the cesarean, and to talk about your feelings with friends and family. It is normal to have any or all of these feelings. If the negative feelings are interfering with your enjoyment of the baby or lasting months, you should discuss your feelings with your doctor or seek professional counseling.
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