Wait on going back to work: Typically, it takes six to eight weeks or more for moms to be ready to return to work after a C-section. If you have maternity leave, take full advantage of it. Give yourself time to physically and emotionally heal.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends women take at least six weeks off work following childbirth.
Gentle exercise, such as walking, will help you recover from your c-section. But avoid anything more active until you have no pain and you feel ready. For example, avoid driving, carrying anything heavy, having sex or doing heavy housework, such as vacuuming, until you feel able to.
We know that every patient has a different labor and delivery experience, but in general, it takes around six weeks to completely heal from your C-section.
Any pain should decrease after 2 or 3 days, but your cut will remain tender for up to 3 weeks or more. Most women need pain medicine for the first few days to 2 weeks. Ask your provider what is safe to take while breastfeeding.
During the first six weeks after having your baby, you can gradually increase activity at a pace that suits you. You could start with a five-minute walk, and gradually extend this time when you feel able. Ask your midwife or health visitor if you're unsure about what's best to do.
The first day after a C-section is often the hardest, and moving around may hurt. Take any prescribed pain medication on schedule, and time your trips to the bathroom or around the room to coincide with when the pain medicine kicks in, suggests Dr. Woeber.
3 weeks post-cesarean delivery
After you've been home from the hospital for 3 weeks or so, you might be walking for up to 15 minutes, gradually building up the time if it feels good. Keep up your daily pelvic floor exercises too.
It takes about six weeks to recover from a C-section, but each person's timeline will be different. An incision — typically a horizontal cut made in your lower abdomen — can take weeks to heal. During that time, it's recommended that you avoid lifting anything heavier than your baby.
Increased bleeding after your lochia starts to decrease can be a sign you're overdoing it and need more rest. Seeing ongoing clots could mean your uterus is having trouble getting back to its pre-pregnancy size. In either case, it's always best to call.
While six weeks has long been the traditional timeline for rest and recuperation after a birth, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends ongoing postpartum care from birth to 12 weeks. Six weeks is also the standard recovery time allotted for childbirth-related short-term disability leave.
Fortunately, research suggests that children don't experience any harm when their moms work outside the home. The decision to stay at home or return to work is very personal, and there is no one “right” decision for everyone. Keep in mind that a happy mommy will mean a happier baby!
There are no set rules about how long to wait before taking a newborn out into the world or when to let people near the baby. Some doctors recommend that parents wait until their baby is a few months old before going to crowded public places (like malls, movie theaters, and airplanes).
Avoid any high-impact exercises, such as aerobics, running and resistance or weight training. Once you have recovered from your c-section and no longer have any pain, it is usually safe to start low-impact exercises, such as swimming, postpartum Pilates, yoga, light jogging and low resistance gym work.
Remember, that first 6 weeks you are still dealing with uterus and fluid. For up to 12 weeks, muscles are naturally accommodating and shortening. C-moms can also have mild swelling up to 12 weeks.
Water is obviously important for everyone, but research shows that early hydration after a C-section can help speed up recovery by helping you return to normal eating habits and light activity (like walking) sooner. Also, if you're breastfeeding, you might be feeling extra thirsty — so hydration is key.
Some women do experience symptoms related to their C-section scar long after the operation. Some women feel pain, restriction, or a pulling sensation on or around their scar months or even years after surgery. This is normally due to the build-up of scar tissue which can stick to muscles or even organs and cause pain.
You will usually stay in hospital for 2-4 days after your c-section. If you and your baby are well, and you have someone to help you at home, you may be able to go home after 24 hours. You may not feel ready to go home, especially if this is your first baby or if you or your baby have needed extra help.
Doctors, traditionally, have advised women to avoid stairs after a C-section. But Kathryn Houston, a clinical instructor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, San Francisco, shrugs off that recommendation. “Stairs are fine as long as you take them slowly,” she says.
After a c-section, you should sleep on your back or side. This shouldn't put too much strain on your c-section wound. You can also try sleeping on your back with your head elevated. Use pillows to keep your spine aligned and take pressure off your joints.
You may remove your wound dressing and take showers if stitches, staples, or glue were used to close your skin. Do not soak in a bathtub or hot tub, or go swimming, until your provider tells you it is OK. In most cases, this is not until 3 weeks after surgery.
Similarly, you should be able to resume day-to-day tasks around the house without much trouble around two weeks after delivery. "But always listen to your body," notes Dr. Raghuraman. "If there is any discomfort, immediately stop and rest."