How to Take Care of Yourself After a C-Section: A Comprehensive Guide

The physical care done in the hospital after cesarean delivery is as follows-

• After cesarean, you will be encouraged to get up from the bed. You should try to go to the bathroom within the first 24 hours of surgery. Doing this helps in your recovery process. Also, you will have to get used to walking around after your delivery. During this time, you should walk slowly, because after cesarean delivery you may have dizziness and shortness of breath.
• After removing the catheter (Catheter: It is a plastic bag, which is used to collect urine of very sick patients), the woman may feel pain while urinating. If this happens, you should talk to your doctor about this.
• The stitches put on the stomach after cesarean delivery are usually opened before going home. 
• You can talk to your doctor to reduce pain after surgery. If you feel that some medicines taken during breastfeeding can cause side effects to you and your baby, then you should consult your doctor to change those medicines. 
• At this time the woman's uterus starts contracting to return to its previous state and in such a situation you may bleed more. The bleeding that occurs during this time is called Lochia and this condition can continue for up to 6 weeks. At this time you may need more sanitary pads, which are provided by the hospital itself. Do not use tampons in case of heavy bleeding. 
• Walk slowly in the hospital, this helps you recover faster. Doing this also helps you in reducing stomach gas after surgery.

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After reaching home after cesarean delivery, the care of the woman can be done in the following way.

• After reaching home, you should not do much physical work. Apart from this, you should not lift any object heavier than your child and do not do all the household chores as before for some time.
• The bleeding (lochia) that occurs at this time may change over time. Bleeding may increase due to your increased physical activities. If the bleeding is excessive, you have to ensure that you do not do too much physical work. Lochia may turn light pink and dark red over time, which may later change to light yellow or other blurred colors. 
• At this time, take as much water or other fluids as possible to maintain the level of fluid in the body. Eating a healthy diet during this time gives you energy and prevents constipation. 
• Keep the baby's clothes and food items with you, so that you do not have to get up again and again.
• Be careful if you have fever or pain during this time, as both of these are the cause of infection.

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• Spend as much time as possible with your child. 
• If you have trouble while breastfeeding your child after cesarean delivery, then talk to your doctor. 
• You may have emotional problems after cesarean delivery, which takes some time to recover. 
• To reduce negative feelings, you should share the delivery experience with your partner.
• If you have any doubts or questions about your pregnancy experience, then talk to your doctor about it. This will ensure that you do not have any kind of worry before getting pregnant next time. 
• After cesarean delivery, the woman needs more care. At this time you may feel alone, so you should not hesitate to ask for help from family members or friends. 

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• Cesarean delivery is a major surgery. Like other surgeries, it also takes more time for the body to recover. After cesarean delivery, the woman needs to stay in the hospital for three to four days. At this time, it can take at least six weeks for her body to recover completely. After delivery, you need to pay full attention to your child and in such a situation, staying in bed for hours can be a difficult time for you. 
• After delivery, you can take help from your friends or other people in the house to change the baby's diaper and do other household chores, so that you can rest a little at this time. Sleeping for short periods throughout the day gives a lot of rest to your body. 
• While recovering after cesarean delivery, you need more care. During this time, you should avoid using stairs as much as possible. Also, keep the things you need like diapers or food with you. You should not get up again and again to get these things. During this time, do not lift anything that weighs more than your child. If you have to lift any heavy thing, you can take the help of a family member or your husband. Whenever you sneeze or cough after cesarean delivery, support the stitches on the lower part of your stomach. This does not put pressure on the stitched part.
• It may take at least 8 weeks to get back to normal routine after cesarean delivery. You must consult your doctor before exercising, driving or going to the office. You must ask your doctor before having sex with your partner or using tampons. 
• Do not do tiring work at this time, but go for a walk as slowly as possible. Walking or moving around during this time helps the body recover quickly and prevents problems like constipation and blood clots.

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After cesarean delivery, you should avoid doing the following types of work-

• Do not have sex with your partner until the doctor says so. 
• Take a bath only after the incision has healed and there is no bleeding.
• Stay away from public swimming pools.
• Avoid using stairs. 
• Start exercising only after the doctor says so.

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You may face many problems during cesarean delivery. You should immediately go to your doctor if you have the following problems.

• If you have a fever of more than 100.4 degrees Celsius.
• You are having a continuous headache after childbirth and its intensity is not decreasing. 
• Sudden pain in the lower abdomen. Pain and burning sensation when touched. 
• Foul smell from vaginal discharge. 
• Pain and pus coming out at the wound site. 
• Swelling, redness and pain in the legs. 
• Burning and bleeding in urine.
• Breast pain, redness, and sores like flu symptoms. 
• Anxiety and depression.

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A mother needs special care and precautions after a cesarean delivery. It is extremely important to rest and give your body time to heal during the initial days. Taking care of the stitches, keeping them clean and dry, is important to prevent infection. Take the medicines prescribed by the doctor for pain and swelling on time. Avoid heavy lifting and start physical activities slowly. Ensure a healthy diet and adequate water intake so that the body can heal quickly. Contact the doctor immediately if you notice any unusual symptoms such as fever, extreme pain, or swelling in the stitches.