Post Cesarean: Days 3-5 During this time, you should gradually regain your mobility and your pain will begin to subside, but you still need to take certain precautions. Strenuous movements, for example, can place undue strain on your incision site.
At first, your cut (incision) will be raised slightly and pinker than the rest of your skin. It will likely appear somewhat puffy. 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.
Many guides suggest that full recovery from a C-section takes 4 to 6 weeks. Yet every person is different, and much research suggests a significantly longer recovery time. Some studies , for example, have found that 60 percent of women have some pain in the incision 24 weeks after delivery.
Walking after c-section is encouraged and should be your go to for the first few weeks. You'll start to notice day to day movement getting easier and less discomfort lifting baby or moving around.
1 week later: You'll probably be feeling better physically, but it's important not to overdo it. Remember not to lift anything heavier than your baby. And that the old adage about sleeping when the baby sleeps is worth following—getting enough rest is essential to healing.
C-section pain typically spikes 18 hours after delivery.
You may have some pain in your belly and need pain medicine for one to two weeks. You can expect some vaginal bleeding for several weeks. You will probably need about six weeks to fully recover. It's important to take it easy while your incision is healing.
About six to eight weeks after baby's birth, your c-section incision should be completely healed, and you'll be able to gradually resume most of your normal activities, including exercising, driving and lifting items heavier than baby.
The classic back sleeping position
While back sleeping isn't recommended once you're more than 20 weeks pregnant, this position is recommended for those recovering from surgery. It places the least amount of strain and pressure on your incision site and ensures that your body is aligned in a neutral position.
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.
You might have some bleeding for up to 6 weeks. Check with your doctor, nurse or midwife if the bleeding gets heavier rather than lighter, you have a sudden heavy blood loss or large clots after the first few days, the blood smells bad, your uterus feels tender or sore, or you're still bleeding after 6 weeks.
Post Cesarean: Days 3-5
During this time, you should gradually regain your mobility and your pain will begin to subside, but you still need to take certain precautions. Strenuous movements, for example, can place undue strain on your incision site.
Women should walk for about 20 minutes at a moderate pace to increase circulation and speed up healing. Fit mothers recover quickly and can be back on their feet in a matter of weeks. Walking after a cesarean delivery is regarded as an important part of recovery exercise.
Try not to do too much housework or other activities for the first couple of weeks. Check with your doctor before returning to any of these activities, but in general you will have to wait: 4-6 weeks before doing heavy exercises that involve your belly or lifting anything larger than your infant.
If you're sleeping on your back, it is very important not to sit up directly from this position. First rolling to your side and using your arms to help you sit up will protect your recovering abdominal muscles. University of Washington Medical Center recommends the “logroll” method to get yourself out of bed.
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.
Coughing and Sneezing Will Hurt
Eskridge, who underwent two c-sections of her own, experienced the same thing—and offers some useful advice: “Splinting (holding a pillow against the abdomen over the incision) is very helpful in preventing pain with coughs, sneezes and laughing,” she says.
Since you'll receive two incisions — one in your abdomen and one in your uterus — your surgeon will close both incisions.
For Cesarean births, apply pressure over the abdomen with a pillow. This supports the healing incision while you poop, and also supplements the muscles of the abdominal wall that normally help to regulate pressure during defecation.
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.
Vaginal bleeding after a C-section occurs because the lining of the uterus, which has grown to be very thick during pregnancy, sloughs off after delivery and removal of the placenta. The resulting discharge, which is called "lochia," is a mix of this uterine tissue, blood, and mucus.