💊 Pain medication: A caesarean is major abdominal surgery, so your Dr will provide you with strong pain killers in hospital & ibuprofen, paracetamol to continue at home. You wouldn't usually be given a tiny human to take care of immediately after major surgery, so now isn't the time to be a hero! Get yourself comfortable!
🛌🏾 Rest: Like any new mum, rest is an important part of healing, but can be hard to come by! Practice feeding in a laying down position, take naps or curl up with a cuppa on the sofa!
🛀🏼 Keep your wound clean & dry: If you have an concerns about redness, weeping, smell or pain in the scar itself (or any feeling fluey, feverish etc) visit your gp or call your midwife.
🍵 Mint tea/peppermint water: After any abdominal surgery, gas or fluid can become trapped in the abdomen which causes shoulder tip pain? Weird huh! drinking mint tea has been shown to help with this! So def pop a pack in your bag if you're planning a caesarean birth.
🍬 Chewing gum: In the first 24 hours after birth can increase bowel function & reduce the liklihood of constipation after surgery. (30 mins 3x a day!). Pop a pack in your hospital bag!
🍲 Be nourished: Good food and being well hydrated helps the body to heal faster. Ask friends and family to leave meals of the doorstop, consider a postnatal doula or pack the freezer with some batch cooking in advance!
🚶♀️ Move, but take it slow: Moving your body gently, encourages bloody flow, which helps the body heal. It reduces the chance of blood clots and constipation too. But listen to your body, start very gently (with a walk to the loo or the chair!) and over the coming weeks gradually build up to a stroll in the park. Avoid heavy lifting- including of older children- or housework until this feel comfortable
Support your scar when you cough or sneeze, and avoid twisting motions initially. Consider a bedside crib and ideally have someone else in the home/hospital who can pass you baby initially until you're more comfortable to twist
If youve had a c-section what are your top tips to add?
