Taking care of your postpartum body after C-section

 The term ‘postpartum’ means after childbirth. Your body goes through a lot of changes during pregnancy. In the same way you go through a lot of physical as well as emotional changes postpartum.

What is C-section?

Cesarean delivery also termed as C-section, is a surgical procedure in which a baby is delivered through incisions in your abdomen and uterus. It is done when Vaginal delivery is not possible or when the mother or baby’s life is at risk.  It is a major surgery in which 6 layers of your body are cut. You will usually have to sat at the hospital for 2-3 days, before you get a go ahead for discharge.

Recovery post C-section is a bit longer as compared to vaginal birth. I have had an emergency C-section after being in labor for 15hrs. In my case the doctors physically pushed (down) the baby during surgery, as he was way high up. A catheter was put in to empty the bladder, as moving around is not possible, immediately post-surgery.

As mentioned in my previous blogs, it was just me and my husband and we did almost everything all by ourselves. So, here I am sharing with you the dos and don’ts which helped me in a speedy recover.

 

1.  Get plenty of rest – A cesarean delivery usually takes about 45 minutes to 1 hr. And by the end of it you feel exhausted and washed out, given the amount of blood you have lost. So, once you are out of the operating room take as much rest as you can. I was so anxious about taking care of the baby that I hardly slept. And that took a heavy toll on my health. My back was so sore with all the breastfeeding sessions I started using a hard pillow for back support during breastfeeding and that was such a relief!  Our body needs all the sleep and rest to make its recovery faster and easier. Sleep when the baby sleeps, even during the daytime.
2. Eat healthy food - Food plays a very important role in your recovery. I have literally had broken wheat Dalia loaded with dry fruits for breakfast, for a couple of months. I made sure that my diet was rich in Protein, Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron and Vitamin C. Your diet should include all kinds of fruits and vegetables. It should also have Non-veg protein (Chicken, lean meat, egg, fish), Curd, butter milk, paneer, all kinds of pulses and dry fruits. I avoided frozen or chilled food, spicy and deep-fried items, foods with MSG, junk food and aerated drinks. Ate variety of foods. I chose enough sources of calcium rich food such as milk, cheese, home made fresh curd, paneer etc. And tried to include minimum 2 fruits per day. 
3. Take your supplements - Usually the iron and calcium supplements are to be taken up until a few weeks/months post-delivery. Check with your doctor or care provider about the same and do not skip them. My doctor asked me to continue my calcium supplements for the entire breastfeeding period. Whenever I skipped my calcium supplement, I ended up with body aches. So please do not skip them.
4.  Drink lots of fluids – Drink lots of water and other fluids to flush out all the toxins from your body. I started my day with two glasses of Lukewarm water, infused with carom seeds. Also, I always had a water bottle by my side and sipped it the entire day. Avoid having caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee etc. They can not only harm your postpartum body but can also interfere with and disrupt your sleep. Along with water, I included jeera water, barley water, dal water etc. in my daily diet. You can also include tender coconut water. I personally preferred lukewarm carom seeds water. It not only helps in digestion but also helps in flushing out waste from your body.
5. Take help – C-section delivery requires a lot of rest. For the initial couple of weeks, I didn’t have this luxury. My husband was so tired running around the house the whole day (cooking, cleaning, office work), that I felt bad waking him up at night. This in turn made me weaker, physically as well as emotionally.  Take help from your partner, parents, or friends, whenever possible. If you are breastfeeding, hand over the baby to other family members once the baby has been fed. That way you can take a little bit of extra rest before the baby gets hungry again. 
6. Get Massage – A gentle massage really goes a long way. Indulge in a gentle body massage every day, it will help you in easing the aches post-delivery. You can use any preferred oil. I opted for Lukewarm mustard oil. This not only provided my body with the warmth it needed but also helped me in better recovery. Do NOT massage your tummy. The stitches may appear healed, but they take longer to heal from the inside. Get your doctors approval before you massage your tummy.
7. Don’t worry about your weight – Gaining weight during pregnancy is normal. And not losing the extra pounds post delivery is also normal. I had gained 12 kilograms during my pregnancy and had lost 20 kilograms when I came home from the hospital. That was not a healthy weight loss but that was how my body reacted. So, do not stress yourself on losing weight immediately post-delivery. Give your body the time and nourishment it needs and work on the weight part later.
8. De stress – Postpartum brings with it a series of varied emotions. The physical changes, your hormones coming back to normal levels. It can all be stressing and take a toll on your mental as well as physical health. I know it is easier said than done but do not stress over things. Take baby steps and be kind to yourself. Your baby needs you too and if you are stressed, that will affect the baby too. 

I worked on and set a timetable for exercise, walking, sleeping, and maintaining proper meal timings. If you are breastfeeding, snack on some healthy midnight drinks and snacks to prevent acidity. Also, the stitches take their own time to heal both internally and externally. Avoid lifting heavy weights or bending down to pick up things. Even if I felt hail and hearty, I never missed any of my postpartum appointments. I hope my experiences will help you through in your journey. Wishing you a healthy recovery! 🙂