C-section recovery tips
Before I had a C-section I naively believed that
they were a soft option to labour. I looked at the glamorous mums in the glossy magazines,
going in with a face full of make-up and not a strand of hair out of place, numb from
the navel down while the surgeons slid their babies out of a neat little letter
hole, and thought, that looks easy. How wrong I was.
Fast forward 6 hours to the agony of the painkillers
wearing off, the morphine making you itch like a flea ridden cat and the tiny
human screaming for attention next to you, and a Cesarean can seem much less
fun.
I consider myself to be something of a C-section veteran
(though mine were unplanned and both after at least a day of agony and futile
hypnobirthing) but even I am astounded by the lack of information out there on
C-section recovery.
Now I’m not going to patronise you with talk of ‘feet up
and rest’ like some of the other helpful (or unhelpful) websites. I’m from the
real world where aforementioned tiny human needs 24/7 care and does not equate
to a quiet and restful life - sorry.
So in true modern parent style I’ve written a little list
for anyone planning (or who has recently had) a Cesarean Section:
Be prepared for
the ride home – Thought the walk from the hospital to the car was bad? Wait
till you hit your first speed bump…
I took a pillow out with me for all car journeys in the
weeks after my op and held it against my tummy. It helped to buffer the impact
on bumpy roads and pot holes.
The baby won’t be
the only one who needs winding – There is nothing quite as uncomfortable as
the pain of trapped wind. I used to get it in the most random of places too –
windy shoulder anyone? So you have two options here: Get in line behind your
baba for a back rub, or stock up on Peppermint Tea, renowned for its wind
relieving abilities.
Stairs are your
enemy – In the days after a C-section you won’t be able to walk very far
and climbing stairs hurts like hell. Try to bring down everything you need in
the morning or (if you can get away with it) station yourself upstairs for a
few days but try not to stay in bed – see my next point.
Get to walking — With
my first C-section I picked up an infection and was stuck in a hospital bed for
a week. With my second I was up and walking within hours and felt much better
for it. Not only does staying mobile aid a quicker recovery but it can prevent
blood clots too. N.B I’m not talking
about strolls around the park (I tried this and failed) getting up and about
around the house is more than enough in the beginning but always remember to
rest if you feel fatigued.
Go at your own
pace – C-section recovery isn’t a race and everyone’s body heals differently.
My C-section recovery seemed to take forever and, impatient as I am, I made the
mistake of trying to run before I could walk (literally). Long story short, I
had to be sewn back together 9 weeks after my op and it delayed my recovery by
a fortnight.
I hope this helps any C-section mums (or mums to be) out
there. If you have any other post C-section tips, comment below or tweet me
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