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Recovering After a Cesarean
In the United States, where nearly 99 percent of women give birth in hospitals, the average hospital stay after childbirth is two days for a woman who has given birth vaginally, three to four days for a woman who has given birth by cesarean. Right After Birth The day after birth, you may ache all over from the work you did in labor. Your arms and legs may be sore from pulling back on your legs while pushing out the baby. Although achy legs are normal, tenderness, pain, or warmth in your calves and swollen or reddened veins are warning signs that you should report to your doctor or midwife immediately. Medications may also be needed to prevent infection and clot formation. The affected leg should not be massaged. Joints that relaxed in pregnancy to allow for the baby's growth and birth will return to their pre-pregnancy condition within several weeks of birth. Many women, however, feel that the rib cage and pelvis remain slightly expanded for the rest of their lives. Any stretch marks you have will seem more obvious after birth than before. Although stretch marks never completely disappear, they fade to silvery white lines in the months after childbirth. Darkened areas of the skin, such as the areola and the linea nigra, a dark line from the belly button to pubic bone, may tighten but may not completely fade. Perhaps the most common feeling of new mothers after childbirth is that of being bone-tired. This seems especially true of women who have just had their first babies. Beyond the first few days after birth, most women find daily naps are essential to their well-being. Caring for Yourself after a Cesarean. Each woman recovers in her own unique way after cesarean birth, just as after vaginal birth. Pain medications can help during the first few days. The nurses will assist you in getting up the first time, learning to cough or huff to keep your chest clear, and learning to hold your baby in ways that are comfortable for you. For a woman who has had a cesarean birth help is essential for at least the first week. Not only are you undergoing a transformation to a nonpregnant state and learning to care for your new baby, you are recovering from major surgery. Do as little as possible, although walking as soon as possible is very helpful in your recovery. Adequate help, allowing you to rest often during the day, can make a great difference in how quickly you feel strong and well. Taking care of yourself and your baby should be your only duties until you feel ready to take on more. Things usually recommended: • Limit stair climbing as much as possible. • Don't lift anything heavier than your baby for the first two weeks. • Ask your mate or a friend to do laundry, vacuuming, and other tasks that require bending, lifting, or pushing for at least the first few weeks after birth. • Do not drive a car for the first two weeks. • Take showers instead of tub baths until the incision is completely healed and dry. During this recovery period your vital signs will be monitored carefully and the firmness of your uterus will be periodically checked. As will the flow of blood. You will feel pain from the surgery and it's important to deal with it early on, because the less pain you feel the more likely you are to be up and moving about, which is key to a speedy recovery. While medications will get to breast milk, some are better than others for nursing mothers, talk to your doctor and the baby's doctor about what is right for you and your baby. Try to walk: • Always begin your walking with help, • Avoid the tendency to lean forward, stand up straight, • Walk as frequently, even if only a few steps, as possible. The Incision The first day it may be covered by gauze, and some women may have special drains to help remove fluids that are collecting on the inside. There are different types of external incision. The area may look bruised, red, and irritated. You will notice that there are staples or stitches. These will usually be removed within a few days of the surgery or will dissolve on their own like the internal stitches. Your Baby After a Cesarean Your baby may need special care, particularly if that was the reason for the cesarean. So he or she may spend extra time in the nursery. If your baby is doing well after the birth and is healthy, you may be able to hold your baby through the entire recovery room period, bringing the baby to your postpartum room with you. Breastfeeding is also still possible after a cesarean, although the positioning may be a bit trickier with your incision. Emotions After a Cesarean You may have been afraid when told that you needed a cesarean that something was wrong with you or your baby. That may have ended with relief as a healthy baby was born, or more fear if your baby had to go to the special care nursery. You may feel disappointed for the way things went or that certain things didn't happen, like a vaginal birth or breastfeeding your baby in the recovery room. These feelings need to be dealt with just as much as the physical healing. Most women say it takes days to come back into themselves. This is the natural rhythm of things. Something amazing is going on. As boundaries are reclarified, they are also redefined. You are now a mother. Your baby is no longer one with you, as in pregnancy. But the new boundaries are extended, to connect you for a lifetime to this other person.
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