A cesarean section or cesarean delivery, also known as a C-section, is the use of surgery to deliver one or more babies. The procedure entails that the obstetrician makes an incision in the mother’s abdomen just above her bikini line and another in the womb to lift the baby out of the uterus.
The World Health Organization published the following research-based conclusion: “a cesarean section is effective in saving maternal and infant lives, but only when performed if medically necessary”.
Although a C-section delivery is a relatively common practice and offers a safe alternative to expecting mothers who are at risk of birth-related complications, natural vaginal birth remains the preferred option for most mothers. This is primarily because they can go home sooner and recover faster post a vaginal delivery than a surgical one.
All things considered, C-section is still a lifesaver for countless women and babies who may not fare so well in a vaginal delivery due to the following reasons:
- Obstructed labor, which might occur because the cervix fails to dilate enough despite strong contractions for several hours
- Expecting multiple births due to twins, triplets, or quadruplets
- High blood pressure in the mother
- Abnormal positioning of the fetus such as breech (feet first) or transverse (shoulder first), which can make vaginal delivery highly risky
- Evidence of fetal distress, such as an elevated heart rate of the baby, indicating insufficient oxygen supply
- Problems with the placenta such as placenta previa, wherein the low-lying placenta covers the cervix
- If the baby’s head or body is too large to fit through the birth canal
- Excessive vaginal bleeding
- If the umbilical cord enters the birth canal before the baby or becomes pinched, thereby cutting the baby’s oxygen supply
- If the mother has a contagious condition such as genital herpes and HIV, to avoid transferring the virus to the baby
- If the mother suffers from a certain health problem that can complicate natural childbirth such as high blood pressure, an unstable heart ailment, or diabetes
- If the mother has a massive fibroid or a displaced pelvic fracture that can obstruct the baby’s passage through the birth canal
Prevalence of C-Section
The decision to have a baby through C-section can either be a premeditated one or a last-minute call by the obstetrician to avoid putting the mother or the baby in jeopardy on account of unforeseen complications.
However, some women request a C-section even if there is no apparent medical need for it, mainly to avoid the pain associated with vaginal birth. This is often the case with women who have previously had a grueling vaginal delivery and don’t want to suffer through it again.
The widespread prevalence of C-sections was demonstrated by a 2016 study that compared C-section rates of 150 different countries and reported that 18.6 percent of all births worldwide occur by C-sections, ranging from 6 percent to 27.2 percent in the least and most developed regions, respectively.
Latin America and the Caribbean region had the highest C-section rates (40.5 percent), followed by Northern America (32.3 percent), Oceania (31.1 percent), Europe (25 percent), Asia (19.2 percent), and Africa (7.3 percent).
In 2018, the National Vital Statistics Reports published data that cesarean delivery rates in 2016 had declined for the fourth year in a row to 31.9 percent of births in the United States, the lowest since 2007. The percentage of cesarean delivery peaked in 2009 at 32.9 percent after increasing every year since 1996 (20.7 percent).
Whether or not you plan on having a C-section, it’s best to do your research beforehand as you cannot preempt the need for this medical intervention, which might arise at any point during the birthing process.
Given that C-section is increasingly becoming a common delivery type globally, it is important to brief yourself about simple restorative measures that help your body recover quickly in the event you may need this intervention.
Tips for a Fast Recovery from a C-Section
Here are some useful tips to help you heal and feel better after a C-section.
1. Take the Prescribed Painkillers
Postoperative pain is a common by-product of a C-section delivery. It takes anywhere between 2 weeks and 6 weeks for the mother to recuperate after such a surgery, but the pain intensity generally tapers off by the second week.
According to a study published in 2009, approximately 50 percent of the participants rated their post-cesarean pain as moderate, while 75 percent reported experiencing pain that limited their movement during walking. Moreover, almost all of the participants experienced pain while performing basic movements such as sitting down and standing up.
Pain management is particularly crucial for a new mother as pain that is not well controlled can hamper her ability to care for her newborn as well as her overall healing and quality of life.
This is because pain increases the body’s stress response, which comes in the way of the body’s natural healing process. It can even interfere with the release of the hormone oxytocin, which is imperative for the production of milk in nursing mothers.
Moreover, C-sections have been shown to impact a woman’s overall mental health more than a vaginal delivery, which can be a factor in the experience of postpartum depression.
Pain related to the surgery can also keep the mother from attending to and bonding with her newborn, in the way all mothers should.
Healthcare providers often prescribe anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen, to be used in conjunction with narcotic or opioid pain medication. Using more than one kind of drugs in this way has been shown to improve the safety and quality of pain relief, while also reducing the amount of opioid use.
While NSAIDs are considered safe to take while breastfeeding, opioid use warrants a certain degree of precaution. It is, therefore, essential to stick to your doctor’s directions when taking any such medication to manage postoperative pain and promote healing.
It is also important to avoid aspirin or aspirin-based products for the first 10 to 14 days following surgery unless your healthcare provider prescribes it. This is because aspirin can reduce the body’s ability to adequately clot the blood, which is an essential aspect of healing after surgery.
2. Start Walking
As soon as your doctor thinks you are fit enough and gives you the green signal to return to your normal routine, it is essential to ease yourself back into an active lifestyle after a C-section.
Walking is an excellent way to start. It increases blood circulation, thereby reducing your risk of developing blood clots.
It also helps to prevent common post-surgical side effects such as constipation and gas buildup in the abdomen and improves bowel function and your body’s ability to heal.
It might feel uncomfortable at first, but the sooner you begin walking after surgery, the quicker your healing process will begin. After being bedridden for so long, this light exercise is just what you need to start feeling in control and normal again.
Enlist the support of family and friends through this recuperative journey by asking them to join you for short walks several times a day. Start slowly by walking around your room and home before eventually venturing outside.
Subjecting your vulnerable and weakened body to a sudden jolt of activity can be counterproductive. It is important to give it time to adapt by gradually increasing your level and period of physical activity.
3. Take Care of the Incision
The incision from your C-section may be closed off with dissolvable stitches, or there may be staples that will need to be removed by a healthcare provider. It is essential to take proper care of the incision to reduce the risk of infection.
Clean your incision daily with warm, soapy water and pat dry your skin. If there are strips of tape on your incision, let them fall off on their own or remove them at the time specified by your doctor.
Do not use lotion or powder on your incision. Avoid rubbing, scrubbing, soaking, or sunbathing, all of which can slow the healing of your incision. These actions can also increase the risk of reopening the wound.
Keep the area as dry as possible. If you feel warmth or increased pain; notice redness, discharge, or foul odor emanating from your incision; or are experiencing a fever higher than 100.4 F, report it to your healthcare provider immediately. These may be signs of an infection, which must be treated promptly to ensure a healthy recovery.
4. Get Plenty of Sleep and Rest
A C-section is a major surgery, and your body needs time to get back to its original strength. It is recommended to give your body proper rest for up to 6 weeks to let it heal completely.
A minimum of 7–8 hours of sleep is a must for the recuperating mother, a feat which is often rendered impossible when you have to care for a newborn simultaneously. Proper rest encourages tissue growth, which will help your incision heal. Sleep also lowers your stress levels, reducing your risk of developing postpartum depression.
If your little one keeps you up at night such that a good night’s sleep continually evades you, take short naps during the day instead. One nifty and oft-repeated advice to new mothers is to align their sleep pattern with that of the babies to get their fill of daily rest.
If needed, do not hesitate to ask friends and family to take care of the baby for short periods so you can get some much-needed shut-eye.
5. Combat Constipation with Fiber
Many new moms experience constipation after delivery, particularly if it’s a surgical one.
There are a number of reasons culpable for this rather common after-effect of cesarean surgery. For starters, the use of anesthesia during the operation can continue to make your abdominal muscles relatively sluggish for some time after.
Also, a major abdominal surgery such as a C-section is likely to disrupt normal bowel movements, at least temporarily. Other contributing factors include the use of narcotic medications for pain management, dehydration, hormonal changes during pregnancy, iron in prenatal supplements, and weakened pelvic muscles.
To ease constipation, include more fiber-rich foods in your diet. Both soluble fiber from fruits and vegetables and insoluble fiber from whole-grain cereals and bread are beneficial for restoring bowel regularity.
Fiber adds bulk to your digestive tract to keep food moving through your body. It also absorbs water, thereby softening the stools to make them easier to pass.
Along with fiber-rich foods, drink plenty of water and increase your activity levels to avoid constipation.
6. Eat Right
Adequate nutrition is also extremely vital for timely healing after a C-section. What you eat is especially important not only for nursing yourself back to health but also for nursing your baby.
A well-rounded and nutrient-rich diet not only helps your body spring back to optimal condition but also helps replenish your breast milk, your baby’s primary source of nutrition. Thus, eating a variety of foods is doubly recommended to keep your baby healthy and to help you gain strength.
Eat foods that have anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce pain and inflammation in the body.
Consume foods rich in vitamin C such as berries, kale, and broccoli to support the production of collagen, a protein that helps repair tissues.
Eat salmon, as it contains amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins required for tissue synthesis.
Also, have more iron-rich foods, as they will help increase blood production in the body to make for the amounts lost during surgery.
7. Drink More Fluids
Increasing your fluid intake post-delivery is highly recommended as it aids your body’s healing process in more ways than one. Drinking lots of fluids, especially water, can help replace those lost during delivery and on account of breastfeeding.
Fluids also help prevent constipation and flush the anesthesia and medications out of your system.
Keep water readily available to yourself throughout the day. Instead of gulping down a glass of water all at once, sip small amounts at regular intervals. Drink at least 64 ounces of water per day or 8 cups.
Other fluids such as fruit juice should be limited, and caffeinated and sugary sodas should be avoided during your recovery to promote healing.
8. Breastfeed with Support
If you are breastfeeding your baby, positioning can be challenging while managing your incisional pain. Many mothers find sitting up in a straight-back chair while feeding the baby to be a favorable position in this regard.
Other helpful breastfeeding positions include the football hold, side lying, and cradle/crossover hold. These positions put the least amount of stress on your incision, making it easier for you to manage the discomfort while holding the nursing baby.
After a C-section, you may not be able to bend over to lift your baby until you have fully healed. While in the hospital, you can ask your nurse to carry the baby to you.
Once you get home, do not lean forward to pick up your baby on your own. Ask your partner or others to help you so you may care for your baby without compromising your own health.
Additional Tips
- Instead of using an abdominal binder that provides sustained compression that is meant to help ease the pain, opt for a graduated compression undergarment.
- The antibiotics administered to you during surgery can wipe out the healthy bacteria in your gut. Eat probiotic foods to help restore healthy gut flora.
- For the first two weeks after your C-section, don’t lift anything that weighs more than 20 pounds.
- Avoid crunches; instead, try exercises like modified planks and bridging.
- As you need to care for both your baby and your body, do not hesitate to ask for help from near and dear ones.
- Continue taking your prenatal vitamins to help promote healing and to provide nutritious breast milk for your baby.
- Refrain from climbing stairs for the first two weeks after surgery. Have all your necessities at your disposal to minimize the need to travel up the stairs in an emergency.
- Hold a pillow over the incision when you cough or take deep breaths to decrease pain and lower the risk of your wound reopening.
- Wear loose and soft clothes that do not rub against your incision.
- Wear pads to absorb vaginal bleeding for the first month after childbirth. Do not douche or use a tampon, as this can cause an infection.
- Consume all-natural broth, especially bone broth, to give your body an additional dose of strength.
- Due to surgery, new scars can develop. So, avoid sunbathing or exposing your incision for 6 to 9 months or longer post-surgery.
- Whether your C-section was planned or not, many women suffer from postpartum depression. If you are plagued by feelings of overwhelming sadness, despair, or loneliness soon after delivery, consult your healthcare provider for professional assistance to get you through this unwanted trauma.
- Contact your healthcare provider immediately if your stitches rupture.