How to Survive a C-section Recovery

Weather it's an emergency or planned first time or repeat, c-sections are major surgeries. Here are some helpful guidelines to make your recovery as smooth as possible.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• pain medications
• hospital post-op instructions
• a few helpful friends or family members
• rest
• patience
• comfortable clothing

1. Take pain meds as necessary, and keep on schedule- pain management is essential to your recovery. Not everyone requires the same types and dosages, so be intuitive to your own needs. Try to "stay on top of the pain" by anticipating the need for your next dose before the pain is upon you. It takes more medicine to tone down pain once it has had the chance to arise after previous doses of meds have worn off.

2. Utilize the supplies sent home with you from the hospital. The nursing staff will send you home with a goodie bag of all sorts of necessities. Each of these items assist in various ways to help you cope with the symptoms accompanying recovery from this type of surgery. Also keep handy the list of warning signs and symptoms in case something does not go according to plan. It's important to know what is expected and what may indicate medical attention.

3. Revise your maneuvers- all functions such as getting out of bed, walking to the bathroom, sitting up or even sneezing can have a painful impact if care and precaution is not taken. The nurses at the hospital will be especially helpful in guiding you through this. Your incision involves the core of your body, so take it easy when standing and sitting.

4. Take advantage of your time in bed- part of accepting help during your recovery is accepting it all from your bedside or a comfortable rocking chair. This is not the time to adopt a "do it myself" motto, you'll really need your meals brought to you, help with feeding the baby, help with meds, etc.

5. Plan for sleep- Your baby will surely dictate the number of times you're forced to peel your aching eyelids open during the night. However, newborns are notorious for sleeping the day away only waking to feed. No matter how counter-intuitive to your own schedule, take advantage of their snooze-fest and sleep whenever you can. Soon enough you'll be back on your feet and ready to help that baby understand the difference between day and night. For now, sleep at any hour you have the chance.

6. Ask for help! Make a plan before your baby is born to have help lined up for several weeks after your c-section. If you have other children in the home, it is especially important that you are not the sole caretaker, or in a position to have to lift another child (at least for 6 weeks)

7. Lower expectations, change priorities and stay open minded- No matter how your birthing experience was, it is still unique and special. We may go into something like this with a plan and hopes for how it will all go, but the most important aspect of all is the health and wellness of you and the baby.