Doula Tips for Caesarean recovery
💊 Keep on top of pain medication
⭐️ Wear loose, comfortable clothes
💦 Keep hydrated and eat a high fibre diet
👶 Don’t lift anything heavier than your baby
⭐️ Do not overexert yourself but do
remember to get up and move
💕 Arrange support where possible
Please don’t forget that giving birth by caesarean section is major abdominal surgery.
It’s so important to look after yourself and keep yourself as healthy as you can to enable healing.
The early days can be difficult as you are taking care of your newborn as well as healing physically and emotionally. Just like a vaginal birth, you will have bleeding and tender breasts.
Nutrition and hydration are really important so keep healthy snacks and a water bottle handy and perhaps ask others to bring some food over in those early days.
Try to take it easy and rest but it’s also important to move little and often to help the healing process, prevent blood clots and ease bowel movements.
Don’t lift anything heavier than your baby and don’t overexert yourself.
Try to set up changing / feeding stations that are at the right height for you.
Driving is not recommended for the first few weeks so arrange support with any trips you need to take.
Can you think about support in advance and arrange for others to help where possible with household chores, food and other siblings etc. This is where a postnatal doula can play a vital role.
Know what to look out for with signs of infection just in case and keep the incision site clean and dry.
Make sure you book a postnatal check with a women’s health physio / osteo to support full recovery of the muscles and body and when the time is right start scar massage.
More details ⬇️
Pain medication:
Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be used for pain management and are safe if breastfeeding. Keep a track of what medications are taken and when – perhaps log these as it can feel like a lot to remember on top of looking after a baby. Stay on top of it and don’t try and cope without. If you’re pain free you can move more, there’ll be less swelling, less risk of clots and it’ll be better for your bowels.
Wear loose, comfortable clothes:
And high waisted cotton pants so as not to irritate your wound. Silk PJs can make turning over in bed easier and having a pillow to hug for the drive home and for if you cough or sneeze is helpful too.
Keep hydrated and eat a high fibre diet:
This will keep constipation at bay and your body needs calories and nutrients to heal. Keep snacks and a water bottle handy upstairs and downstairs where applicable. Perhaps you can get friends and family to bring some healthy meals to you. Peppermint oil / tea or fennel tea can help with any gas pain along with massaging your belly, chewing gum and gentle movement. Bowels can be slow to move and ideally you want to avoid straining which will be uncomfortable against your scar so a high fibre diet is a must with plenty of fruit and veg. Perhaps consider using a small stool / box to rest your feet on when going to the toilet.
Don’t lift anything heavier than your baby:
Hopefully self-explanatory. And even doing that to begin with can be tricky so make sure you have support at hand. You have had major abdominal surgery and muscles and tissue need time to heal. Getting to and from lying to standing can be difficult too. Tuck your knees up, roll to your side, sit up and then bring your feet over the side onto the ground. A stool can make this easier and silk pjs can help you to move more freely in bed.
Do not overexert yourself but do remember to get up and move:
Rest is so important but so is gentle movement. Slow and steady movements help the healing process, prevent blood clots, ease bowel movements and help with circulation. Most birthing people experience diastasis recti through pregnancy and if you’ve had a caesarean you will need to move from a reclined position to sitting very carefully. Protect those muscles. Strengthening and engaging your pelvic floor will help to protect your stomach. Once you have had your 6 week postnatal check you can slowly begin to increase your exercise a little but it would be a good idea to book a postnatal check with a women’s health physio / osteo to support your full recovery.
Arrange support where possible:
Getting support postnatally whether you’ve had a caesarean or a vaginal birth is so important. Becoming a parent is a lot. It takes time. Time to heal, time to recover, time to bond with your new baby and as a new family. It can be so beneficial to have helpful friends and family (and/or a Postnatal Doula) support you with household chores, cooking, siblings and emotionally. It really makes a huge difference to your recovery.
Is there anything else you’d add?
Seek medical advice if you have any of the following symptoms after a caesarean: severe pain; leaking urine; pain when peeing; heavy vaginal bleeding; your wound becomes more red, painful and swollen; a discharge of pus or foul-smelling fluid from your wound; a cough or shortness of breath; swelling or pain in your lower leg. These symptoms may be the sign of an infection or blood clot, which should be treated asap.
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