“Top tips to help you recover after a C-section” is a collaborative post.
Being a new mum is tough enough without having to also recover from a considerable surgery – and that’s what a caesarean is, major surgery. Any other surgery of its like, and you’d be ordered to rest as much as possible and not worry about a single thing. For new mums, however, they have to somehow juggle recovering from having multiple layers of their flesh cut through while caring for a newborn infant.
The good news is that there are ways you can improve your recovery, so you can focus most on the new life in your home. You owe it to yourself, and you owe it to your new child, to do all you can to recover efficiently and effectively, without pushing yourself too far.
Ready to learn how to do it? Try out these top tips.
Keep your incision sterile
It is very important that you gently clean and dry the incision every single day, sometimes multiple times per day if essential. This is to minimise the risk of infection. You’ll also want to stick with loose, 100% cotton or linen underwear (buy some if needed) so it doesn’t irritate the wound. The incision will usually close enough to get the stitches removed after five to seven days, but this doesn’t mean you’re fully recovered.
Consider HBO therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is regularly used to help the body recover from surgery and injuries. When you go for hyperbaric oxygen therapy near NYC, for example, you are placed into a tank where the air pressure is slightly increased. This increase in air pressure makes it easier for your cells to draw in oxygen via your lungs (up to 1200% more oxygen, in fact). The increase in oxygen is like giving your body extra fuel to help speed up recovery.
Several studies have tested how effective HBO therapy is for C-section recovery, and the results are very promising. The treatment is also non-invasive and painless, making it a very easy choice for new mums.
Ask for help
You need help. You need someone to help clean, cook, change the baby’s nappy, and so on. While you are recovering from your C-section you are also a patient, which means you need to act like one. Ask family or friends if they can help you out, or, barring that, hire help (a cleaner, for example).
Rest, rest, rest
You need to rest. Your body has a huge job recovering from a standard pregnancy, much less from a C-section. If you can’t find the time, then try to rest when the baby rests. Otherwise you are going to need to rely on your partner to take care of your infant so you can get the sleep you need. Prioritising your own health for a week or two will mean you can get up on your feet and take the lead again, rather than struggle with issues like infections, pulled stitches, or worse.
Take it slow
You shouldn’t expect to get around to doing the activities exactly you used to (like exercise, driving, or even having sex) for at least six weeks. Yes, surgery recovery takes time, especially when you do it right. Being gentle with yourself and following your body’s tells can help you avoid re-injuring yourself during this process, or developing blood clots.
