C-Section Recovery Tips
Congratulations! You’re officially a mama now! It took a Caesarean surgery for you to successfully give birth to your cute little bundle of joy and you must be very drained after such a taxing process. What’s next for you then? Is there a specific way for C-section mommy to recover? How should you take care of yourself? We understand how challenging it is to recover from a C-section delivery compared to the normal ones. Hence, we have provided a few C-section recovery tips for your convenience.
Rest Well
No matter how many times you try to convince yourself that you don’t need it, your body will always have a way to inform you about it. Resting is a key component to a fast and healthy recovery. While it is difficult to rest when you have a newborn that requires constant demand for your care, you will also need to keep in mind that your body has just undergone major surgery and having proper rest has never been more important. To get support, ask your partner or close family members to help out. The first six weeks after the surgery would require you to be very delicate and easy on yourself. Do not overwork or push yourself too much when it comes to chores or your baby. Rest whenever possible so that you will be able to facilitate your healing process, mentally and physically.
Give Your Body Delicate Care
With a C-section delivery, keep in mind that you would need more time to recover than you would after a vaginal delivery. Hence, it’s important for you to take the utmost care of your body during this period to speed up your recovery. Do your best to avoid strenuous activity to allow your body to fully heal. What do we mean by that? Here are a few scenarios you may be able to relate to.
First of all, try to rest in a room in your home that has a bathroom nearby, so that you don’t have to walk too far everytime you need to use the bathroom. If you live in a double storey house, it’s better for you to stay at the ground floor to avoid going up and down the stairs too often. Furthermore, avoid carrying anything that is heavier than your newborn, as this may lead to complications around your incision site.
On the other hand, an essential part of taking care of your wellbeing is to pay attention to your mental health too, especially when you are likely to experience postpartum baby blues during this period. One tip is to keep your room bright and airy during the day, as having natural light in the room can help improve your mood. Meanwhile, it’s normal for you to feel overwhelmed or stressed after childbirth. When these emotions come up, talk about your feelings with your loved ones for support.
Pay Attention to Your Discomforts
If you ever felt a niggling discomfort or pain in your incision site, you shouldn’t keep mum about it. Consult professional help as soon as possible. Communicate your concerns and worries with your partner, take your medications and supplements as prescribed by your doctor. If you are breastfeeding, talk to your doctor about the suitable medication you can take to help you with your current condition. In a situation where it is safe and applicable, you can also opt for heating pads to treat your discomforts too. The key is to constantly be proactive and take rational measures in dealing with your postpartum discomfort and don’t ignore them.
Have a Healthy Diet
Eating healthily especially after C-section surgery is essential for a smooth postpartum recovery. Having a well-balanced diet is important for you as a breastfeeding mommy because your breast milk is your newborn primary source of nourishment. That begs the question, “how to increase breast milk after C-section?”. Well, you can start by having more lactation-friendly foods to increase breast milk. Some lactogenic foods to increase milk supply include green papaya, fenugreek, fennel seeds, ginger, and garlic.
On top of having breastfeeding-friendly food, be sure to have a variety of food that contains different vitamins and minerals. Not only they help with your recovery, your little one will benefit from them through your breast milk too. For instance, consuming a diet high in vitamin A would help you form good eyesight and encourage your newborn to develop a healthy vision. But that is not all, vitamin A is also crucial in improving your collagen formation to promote your wound healing around the genital and caesarean area after labour.
Meanwhile, a diet rich in Vitamin B1 helps you and your newborn to have a good immune system and keeps you energized to support your muscles, heart and nerves function too. Consuming folate, on the other hand, would help in maintaining healthy cells for you and your newborn. Folate is also important in supporting your newborn’s brain development. Making it a super nutrient to have for your baby! Lastly, having a diet that is packed with fibre helps in promoting a healthy bowel system for you and your newborn as well as establishing a healthy gut for a good immune system.
In conclusion, looking after yourself after a C-section surgery is an important matter that you should definitely pay attention to. At the end of the day, your plans and goals for the next stage in your life starts with a smooth recovery. For a smoother transition to motherhood, you might be interested in MumChecked as they provide various nursery, maternity, household and breastfeeding products for your convenience. Wishing you a smooth recovery, mama!
