Care After Cesarean Delivery

Most mothers want to give birth to their baby normally, that is vaginally. However, some complications may arise in your pregnancy that may lead to the baby being delivered surgically, popularly known as a cesarean delivery. Post delivery care is essential for the health and recovery of the mother; however the follow up of a major surgical procedure like a c-section requires extreme care and a number of precautions. The mother may feel very different physically as well as emotionally after a cesarean delivery. There are several precautions after cesarean delivery that must be followed by the mother as well as the family to help in speedy recovery. A list of precautions after c section has been covered in the following section:

• Expect pain and discomfort:  the body goes through a lot during labor and delivery. Added on top of it a major surgical procedure like a c-section will likely to leave you exhausted for a long period of time. The abdomen will feel sore and the stitches will ache for a few weeks. The most important part of post cesarean care is to remain strong and endure the discomfort for some weeks. Allow yourself to rest to avoid any stretching of the pulled stitches. Rest is the key to recover all the wounds before one can return back to their normal life.

• Another precaution after cesarean delivery is self-care. One has to eat a highly nutritious diet and take optimum rest. Restrain from physical activities and take care of private parts by massaging the area and have a warm bath as after delivery care which will allow the wounds to heal. A crucial part of precautions after cesarean section is to learn to take care of you in every aspect, from getting up from the bed to using the bathroom and nursing the child. Whenever one feels feverish or bleeds or doubts of having an infection, it is best to consult the doctor immediately as a precaution after cesarean.

• Take help from others if you want. For a woman who has had a c-section, even the confinement period of 40 days may sometimes not be sufficient to recover completely. No one expects the mother to jump into action right after the delivery. To take care of all the household activities and chores, one can take help from other family members, relatives or even hire someone for a few weeks until you start feeling better.  After cesarean delivery precautions involve preventing exhaustion which can be done by accepting help.

• Post delivery precautions include avoiding anything that you may feel discomfort in doing. After a c-section, the woman may not be able to climb the stairs, lift the baby or other heavy loads. As a precaution after delivery, shift your room to the ground floor for a few weeks and house all of you and your baby’s necessities there. Avoid lifting heavy shopping bags and wear comfortable shoes that give your body the right kind of support. Never wear high heels or overexert the abdominal muscles.

• Another precaution after c section is to follow all the exercise guidelines laid down by the doctor. Although the mother cannot do serious exercises, some amount of physical activity is necessary. The doctor recommends starting walking after 8 hours of the delivery to prevent formation of blood clots. One may consult a physiotherapist who can prescribe the right kind and amount of movement after assessing the health of the mother.

• There are several medications involved in a c-section, like pain killers and anesthetics. The medications live in the body for a long time, and hence it is important to refer to your doctor before starting breastfeeding your baby. Discuss the effects of the medications on the breast milk. Food care after cesarean India ensures the mother gets the right nutrition and her wounds heal quickly.

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