Going Home After a C-Section

General Recovery:

Having a c-section is major surgery and typically requires a longer recovery time than a vaginal birth. Your hospital stay will typically be from 3-4 days. Your physician will prescribe you pain medication prior to leaving the hospital. You may need this for several days, and then may transition to a point where you need this medication only at night. As you transition away from prescription medication, you can supplement with ibuprofen to help with inflammation and pain. Do not supplement with Tylenol until you have stopped using prescription pain medications, as most prescription pain medication already has Tylenol in it.

Breast-feeding after c-section:

Breast-feeding is not contraindicated after a c-section, even while you are taking pain medications.

Normal things to expect after a c-section:

• Tingling along the abdominal incision that lasts for several months
•  Numb areas in the incision
•  Mild cramping similar to menstrual cramps that worsens with breastfeeding
•  Vaginal bleeding that lasts 4-6 weeks after delivery
•  Constipation. This is normal after surgery and compounded by the use of narcotic pain medications and the iron found in prenatal vitamins. Make sure you are drinking lots of water. You can also take a stool softener like Colace twice a day.

 Possible signs of complications and reasons to call the office:

Most people do very well after a c-section. Complications from a c-section are uncommon, but can occur. Some of these complications can be serious, so call the office if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Redness or warmth around the incision site
•  Fever >101
•  Foul smelling drainage from the incision
•  Swelling or pain that is much greater in one leg than the other
•  Heavy vaginal bleeding (1 soaked pad/hour for at least two hours) with the passage of large blood clots

Things to remember:

• Do not put anything in the vagina for at least six weeks to prevent infection (no douching, tampons, or intercourse)
• No lifting >12 pounds for six weeks to prevent formation of a hernia in your incision site
• Continue taking your prenatal vitamins until you are seen for your postpartum visit. You are likely to be anemic from the pregnancy and from the surgery. The iron in the vitamins will help your blood counts return to normal sooner.