What to Expect in Recovery From a C-Section

Whether you know you have a cesarean section (C-section) in your future, or you want to be prepared in case of an emergency, knowledge is power. Knowing the potential side effects and recovery expectations after a C-section can empower you whether your birth goes as planned or has a few surprises in store.

At Women’s Specialists of Fayette, our goal is to ensure your pregnancy and birth result in a healthy mother and child. If getting there requires a C-section, we aim to make the process and your recovery as comfortable and stress-free as possible.

What might prompt a C-section birth?

In the United States, around 2.6 million babies each year are delivered vaginally, and 1.2 million babies come into the world via C-section. There are many circumstances where a C-section birth is the best and safest for you and your baby:

• Labor longer than 20 hours (or longer than 14 hours for a woman who has given birth before)
• Placenta previa, when the placenta is too close to the opening of the cervix and could be dislodged during the birth
• Cord prolapse, when the umbilical cord is damaged and cannot provide support to the baby
• Signs of fetal distress, such as a slowed heartbeat or oxygen deprivation
• Signs of maternal distress, such as high blood pressure or chronic illness

If you need a C-section, you shouldn’t feel ashamed or that you have failed! Mothers have all different kinds of births, and our team’s overriding goal is to ensure your safety and that of your child.

Recovery after a C-section

A C-section is a major surgery, so be kind to yourself in the days following delivery. In the hospital, take advantage of services provided to keep you and your baby comfortable, and rest as much as possible.

You’ll be administered pain medication as needed, and your Women’s Specialists of Fayette doctor will check with you before you’re discharged to discuss pain management at home. You may also speak with a lactation consultant.

Some pain or discomfort after a C-section is normal. You may wish to take stool softeners to make having a bowel movement easier, and you’ll probably feel a sharp twinge if you cough or sneeze.

Watch the incision for signs of infection (such as discoloration, swelling, or pus). You’ll likely also feel some abdominal cramping and experience some vaginal discharge, just as if you’d given birth vaginally.

It can take eight weeks, or even a little longer, to feel fully recovered from a C-section, and you can continue to feel nerve prickling and itchiness around your incision site for months. If you’re worried about a planned C-section or the possibility of an emergency C-section, don’t hesitate to call our office at 770-203-0920 or send us a message here on our website.