How to recover after a cesarean section. What not to do the first time after a caesarean section

According to statistics, on average 20-25% of pregnancies end in a cesarean section. This method of delivery is considered relatively safe and has minimal complications. But doctors never tire of repeating that a caesarean section should be a necessity, and not a woman’s whim. A cesarean section is performed only when indicated: an anatomically narrow pelvis in the mother, full presentation placenta, 2 or more cesarean sections in history, acute fetal hypoxia, etc. Recovery after cesarean section is longer and more difficult than after natural birth.

In this article we talk about recovery after a cesarean section: what difficulties may arise in the first days and weeks after childbirth, and how to cope with them.

The operation is performed under spinal or epidural anesthesia. The anesthesiologist decides which type of anesthesia to choose, based on the situation and the health of the mother. General anesthesia is given in some emergency cases when you need to quickly remove the baby from the mother's womb.

A catheter is installed into the urinary canal to drain urine. Thanks to this bladder does not put pressure on the uterus, the doctor gets the baby out faster. Then the anesthesiologist administers anesthesia, and the woman in labor is fenced off with a screen. During the operation without general anesthesia, the woman is conscious.

The surgeon cuts the abdominal wall. If there is already a scar on the uterus, then another one is made in the same place, after cutting off the old one. The subcutaneous fatty tissue, muscles, aponeurosis, and abdominal wall are cut. Remove the bladder to the side. An incision is then made in the lower segment of the uterus. In this place the muscle layer is thinnest; upon healing, a small scar remains. Cut amniotic sac and the child is removed. In the reverse order, the incision is sutured with silk, self-absorbing threads, or closed with staples.

Removing the baby during a caesarean section

The operation lasts 30-40 minutes. The child is removed 15-20 minutes after the start of the operation. If the mother is conscious and non-endotracheal anesthesia was performed, then the child can be immediately put to the breast.

Negative consequences of cesarean section

The operation is considered safe in our time, but complications after it are quite common.

The recovery period is complicated by the following factors:

Suture on the stomach. In 90% of cases, a horizontal intradermal or outer seam above the pubis. Only in emergency situations a vertical suture is made when there is a risk to the life of the mother and child. How quickly the scar heals depends on individual characteristics body. Some are predisposed to the formation of keloid scars, with the growth of fibers connective tissue skin in the scar area. You can get rid of a keloid scar using laser resurfacing.
Suture on the uterus. Before the attack next pregnancy It must take at least 2-3 years for the scar to heal thoroughly. Otherwise, during childbirth or pregnancy there is a risk of uterine rupture at the seam. After three caesarean sections, tubal ligation is indicated.
Spikes. Surgery almost always leads to the formation of adhesions (fusions of internal organs). They glue like film internal organs pelvis, intestinal loops, fallopian tubes. This happens due to inflammation, which provokes contact with unsterile operating room air, blood entering the open wound and even particles of talc from the doctor’s gloves. Can lead to infertility, digestive disorders, constipation, endometriosis. In severe cases, removal of adhesions using laparoscopy is indicated, in mild form- treatment with physiotherapy.
Consequences of anesthesia. If general anesthesia is used during surgery with a tube inserted into the trachea, trauma to the mucous membrane occurs. Sputum accumulates and a cough appears, causing tension in the abdominal muscles. Spinal anesthesia leads to microtrauma of the roots spinal cord. This causes back pain, dizziness, and headaches.
Delayed onset of lactation. After natural birth, milk comes in 3-4 days. In case of caesarean section - after 7-9 days. Start labor activity triggers lactation hormones. A cesarean section is usually performed as planned, when the body may not yet be ready for childbirth. In this case, lactation hormones are produced with a delay.
Large blood loss. During natural childbirth, a woman loses 250-300 ml of blood. The body recovers such blood loss quickly. During CS, blood loss is 500 - 1000 ml. To maintain the body after surgery, blood-restoring drugs, plasma, and red blood cells are infused.
Weak contraction of the uterus. Due to the suture on the front wall, the uterus contracts weakly. To avoid subinvolution, the postpartum woman is prescribed auxiliary therapy for fast contraction uterus.

External and cosmetic seam

The success of the operation depends on the experience of the surgeon, how quickly and efficiently the operation was performed, the quality of the suture material, and whether postpartum antibiotic therapy was used.

Recovery in the first days after cesarean

The first days after surgery are the hardest. Most women complain that the seam hurts. Some suffer from the effects of anesthesia.

The woman spends the first day after the operation in the ward intensive care under supervision medical personnel. Her blood pressure is measured, blood loss is restored, and painkillers are given. A heating pad with ice is placed on the stomach to make the uterus contract more intensely. If there are indications, antibiotic therapy is carried out. It all depends on how the operation went. On the second day, the woman is transferred to the postpartum ward, where she can, if she wishes, take care of the baby herself.

You are allowed to sit on the bed on the second day after a caesarean section. You need to sit down carefully, first lower your legs from the bed, then, supported by your hand, rise into the sitting position. Before getting up, you need to sit for a while, and get up for the first time with the help of a nurse or at least leaning on the back of a chair. To relieve stitch pain, use.
After a caesarean section, urinary retention often occurs. During the operation, a catheter is installed in the urinary canal, and after a day it is removed. But damage to nerve endings and microtrauma of the mucous membrane cause pain that goes away after 1–2 days. Even if there is no urge to urinate, you need to urinate every 2-3 hours. Otherwise, a full bladder will put pressure on the uterus and prevent it from contracting.
Every day, the suture on the abdomen is treated with an antiseptic solution and the bandage is changed. You cannot get the seam wet for the first 7-8 days until the stitches are removed. Showering is allowed after discharge from the hospital and removal of stitches. And take a bath only after 1-2 months, when the seam has healed. The bath should not be hot. For the first 2 days, the stitch hurts very much. The doctor prescribes painkillers that are safe for a breastfed baby.
If a woman has a cough after general anesthesia, then she should not be afraid to cough. The accumulated mucus in the trachea after anesthesia should come out. During a coughing attack, place a pillow or palm on your stomach. Inhale deeply and as you exhale, release the air slowly but forcefully with a sound.
In the first days after a cesarean section, you need to improve the functioning of your gastrointestinal tract. Due to surgery abdominal cavity intestinal peristalsis is weak, the first stool appears on the 3-4th day. Constipation should not be allowed, as strong straining can lead to seam divergence. For the first day after surgery, you are only allowed to drink still water. Nutrition enters the body through an IV. From the second day, easily digestible food is introduced, which gently initiates bowel function. We wrote more about nutrition after cesarean section.
To stimulate intestinal motility and blood circulation in the pelvic organs, you need to move as much as possible. On the first day after surgery, you can do gymnastics in a supine position.

Exercises can be like this:

Pull your socks toward you, away from you;
Bend your knees;
Squeeze your buttocks;
Squeeze muscles pelvic floor for 5-10 seconds;
Turn the body from side to side.

A bandage after a cesarean section helps relieve pain during movement.

Discharged from maternity hospital 7-8 days after removal of the sutures, having previously performed an ultrasound of the uterus to make sure that involution is occurring at a normal pace.

What happens to the body after discharge from the hospital?

The recovery period after a cesarean section continues even after discharge from the hospital. Mom needs help with housework. The most important thing is to rest more and establish breastfeeding.

Whether a mother will be able to breastfeed after a cesarean section depends only on how often she puts the baby to the breast. Organizing feeding on demand is the right decision. Then oxytocin and prolactin, which are responsible for milk production, will be produced. Lactation hormones also cause uterine contractions.
For the first three months after birth, lifting weights weighing more than 4 kg is not allowed. The maximum that a mother can afford is to carry her child.
It is allowed to start playing sports no earlier than a month after giving birth, when the lochia ends and the stitches heal. We wrote about exercises allowed after cesarean section.
You can return to sexual activity after 1.5-2 months, when the postpartum discharge. Contraception after a CS is a matter of first necessity. You need to wait a break of at least 2-2.5 years. During this time, the suture on the uterus will heal. If you rush, there is a risk of the seam coming apart during pregnancy or childbirth. The condom is the most suitable method protection after childbirth.
Menstruation resumes after 2-3 months if the mother does not breastfeed, and within 1-2 years if she feeds the child with breast milk.

Video: how to establish breastfeeding after a caesarean section

Recovery after a cesarean section takes more than long time than after natural childbirth. But the more actively the mother begins to move immediately after the operation, the faster the process of healing of the sutures and involution of the uterus proceeds.

In modern obstetrics, cesarean section is the most frequently performed delivery operation. It is done under general or regional anesthesia (spinal or epidural anesthesia - with these types of anesthesia, the anesthetic is injected into the spinal canal at lumbar level). When performing such anesthesia, only the bottom part torso. Expectant mother during the operation he is conscious and can hear and see his child immediately after his birth. After the baby is removed, the woman is often given medication to help her sleep for the remainder of the operation. In that case surgery easier to tolerate. Awakening occurs on operating table. In this case, as a rule, the woman feels good and does not feel weak or faint. And when general anesthesia is used, the woman comes to her senses within 30–60 minutes after the operation.

It doesn't hurt at all
Before the operation, the woman is given a catheter into her bladder and a catheter (thin tube) into a vein in her arm. The catheter from the bladder is usually removed at the end of the first day; this procedure is completely painless. The catheter is in the vein of the elbow until there is a need for intravenous administration medications.

The first day after caesarean section - intensive care ward

After the operation, the woman is transferred to the intensive care ward, where she is under the supervision of medical staff. The ward is equipped with equipment that makes it possible to constantly monitor the condition of the young mother, and, most importantly, her well-being is monitored by an obstetrician-gynecologist and an anesthesiologist-resuscitator.

After the operation is completed, an ice pack is applied to the lower abdomen for 1.5–2 hours in order to prevent bleeding and the formation of postoperative hematomas (hemorrhages), improve uterine contraction, relieve postoperative edema fabrics.

2–3 hours after the operation, the woman needs to begin to move her arms and legs, and turn in bed. You are allowed to sit down and walk around the ward 5–6 hours after the operation.

After a caesarean section, a woman is given a number of medications:

intravenous fluids are administered to replenish blood loss and restore water and electrolyte balance. After surgery, as a rule, there remains intravenous catheter(tube inserted into the cubital vein). Liquid flows through this catheter using a dropper. If the cesarean section operation was completed without complications, the drip remains in place for 2–3 hours;
are appointed narcotic analgesics, since the pain in the suture area can be quite severe. These drugs are administered 1–2 times a day for the first 2–3 days, and then gradually withdrawn. They provide the necessary degree of pain relief;
uterine contracting agents (oxytocin) are administered intravenously into a dropper or intramuscularly 2 times a day;
infectious diseases are being prevented postoperative complications after cesarean section with the help of antibacterial drugs. The first dose of antibiotic is administered intravenously immediately after ligation of the umbilical cord and again 6–12 hours later during the first day after surgery. If a woman belongs to a group high risk on the development of infectious inflammatory complications after cesarean section (for example, if genitourinary tract infections were detected during pregnancy, more than 12 hours have passed from the moment of rupture of water before surgery, etc.), the administration of antibacterial drugs is continued for 5–7 days. If the operation was planned and passed without complications, then a single administration of antibiotics during the operation is possible. In any case, the use of antibiotics during and after surgery, as a rule, does not affect the ability to breastfeed. If necessary use antibacterial drugs, incompatible with breastfeeding, the doctor will definitely tell the young mother about this and explain how to behave in order to maintain the possibility of feeding the baby with breast milk after the end of treatment.

On the first day after cesarean section, therapy is carried out aimed at restoring intestinal function. To do this, stimulants of intestinal contractility (potassium preparations, etc.) must be added to the administered solutions. At the end of the first - beginning of the second day after the operation, a cleansing enema is prescribed to activate the intestines.

On the day after a cesarean section, you are only allowed to drink and not eat. This limitation is necessary in order to minimize the load on gastrointestinal tract. You can drink water with lemon juice or mineral water without gas.

In the early postoperative period, the formation of blood clots in blood vessels is prevented. lower limbs: entered medicines to prevent the formation of blood clots, it is recommended to bandage the legs before surgery or use special compression stockings– this measure improves venous outflow from the legs, helping the movement of blood through the veins. It is advisable to wear elastic bandages or stockings for at least seven days after childbirth.

If the operation went well, the mother and baby have no complications, then for the first time the baby can be brought to the intensive care ward for feeding, however, in most maternity hospitals this is not accepted, and more often the baby is brought to the mother already in postpartum ward.

After caesarean section: postpartum ward

At the end of the first - on the second day after a cesarean section, the woman is transferred to a regular ward of the postpartum department. She is allowed to sit down and walk around the ward. Also on the 2nd day the administration continues infusion solutions. In case of use medicines, which can have negative impact for a newborn, it is recommended to start breastfeeding later, after their effect has ended.

Within 6–7 days, the attending physician examines the postoperative suture, and the nurse bandages it once a day and treats it with antiseptic solutions. The sutures are usually removed 5–7 days after surgery.

To assess the condition of a young mother, they are prescribed various tests blood. On the 5th–6th day after surgery, it is performed ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs, which allows one to judge the size of the uterus, the condition of postoperative sutures, the presence of hematomas, blood clots, the size and contents of the uterine cavity.

After childbirth, the uterus is extensive wound. The healing process is accompanied by the presence of discharge from the genital tract - lochia. After a cesarean section, just as after a natural birth, the lochia first comes out bloody, then bloody (brownish-pink) and it will be released for 6-8 weeks after birth. A woman is recommended to toilet her external genitalia after each urination, defecation, and change sanitary pad every 2–4 hours.

Features of nutrition after cesarean

The load on the gastrointestinal tract in the postoperative period should be increased gradually. On the second day, you can eat boiled meat, porridge, low-fat broth, and drink sweet tea. Starting from the third day, mother can afford more good nutrition including breastfeeding.

Belly support after cesarean

Immediately after transfer to the postpartum ward, you can start wearing a postoperative bandage. It is worn over aseptic dressing. Postoperative bandage fixes sutures, abdominal muscles, reduces pain in the suture area and the likelihood of hernias. The bandage must be worn for 2 months after surgery.

Breastfeeding after caesarean section

Breastfeeding is allowed depending on the traditions of the institution, the condition of the mother and child on the 1st–3rd day after surgery. The formation of lactation after a cesarean section is almost no different from that of women who gave birth naturally. If the operation was planned (performed before the development of spontaneous labor), then milk may come not on the 3-4th, but on the 4-5th day, but colostrum begins to be released immediately after the operation.

It is most convenient to feed the baby lying on his side in the first days after a cesarean section. In this position, the postoperative suture will be subject to the least impact. In the future, it is possible to feed the baby while sitting or standing.

In the normal course of the postoperative period, the mother is discharged from the maternity hospital on the 6th–7th day.

After returning home

10–12 days after discharge from the maternity hospital, it is advisable to visit an obstetrician-gynecologist in antenatal clinic to make sure recovery after surgery is normal.

Final recovery after caesarean section

Final healing postoperative wound on the uterus and scar formation occurs within 8 weeks after birth. During this time, it is recommended to visit your obstetrician-gynecologist again. In this case, it is imperative to do a control ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs to check the condition of the uterine cavity and postoperative scar.

Menstruation after a cesarean section is restored in the same way as after a natural birth. If a woman breastfeeds her baby, then menstruation returns 6–12 months after birth, in cases when the baby is on artificial feeding– usually 8 weeks after birth.

Upon resumption sexual relations It is necessary to use contraceptives, which your doctor will help you choose. An abortion performed within 1–2 years after surgery significantly worsens the prognosis of subsequent pregnancies. It is believed that the optimal condition of the scar ( full recovery muscle layer) on the uterus reaches 2–3 years after surgery. It is after this period of time that it is recommended to plan a subsequent pregnancy.

After cesarean section, sexual rest is recommended for 2 months after surgery.
For 2 months after surgery, it is not advisable to lift weights exceeding 3–4 kg (the weight of the child).
Be sure to follow the rules of personal hygiene: it is advisable to take a shower at least 2 times a day, and do not rub the seam area with a washcloth. After a shower, once a day it is recommended to treat the area of the postoperative scar with antiseptic solutions(brilliant green, 70% ethyl alcohol solution). After treatment, a disposable antiseptic bandage is applied to the suture area to prevent friction of the suture on clothing. After complete disappearance of crusts (on average 10–14 days after surgery) in the area postoperative suture The bandage may not be applied in the future.
The menu of a woman who has undergone a cesarean section and is breastfeeding should include a sufficient amount of proteins, since they are the main building material for the synthesis of immune factors and hemoglobin. Also proteins in large quantities are part of breast milk. A lot of protein is found in meat, fish, cottage cheese, milk, and cheese. In this case, meat and fish should be lean, boiled or steamed. The cheese should be mild.
For 2 months after surgery, you should not exercise your abdominal muscles, as there is a risk of sutures coming apart. But after 1 month you can start light physical exercise aimed at restoring the overall tone of the body. To begin with, you can study for 15–20 minutes, then increase the study time to 40 minutes a day.

Breathing exercises

Already 2 hours after the operation, breathing exercises can be performed, aimed primarily at preventing congestive processes and inflammatory complications in the lungs, which can arise due to the fact that the woman has a relatively long period was in a lying position. These exercises are especially relevant when general anesthesia when in respiratory tract a tube is inserted, it irritates the airways, causing increased amount mucus, which is a breeding ground for pathogenic microbes. Breathing exercises conducts nurse. It consists of combining the phases of breathing (inhalation and exhalation) with a certain frequency. You can also use balloon inflation for this purpose.

According to statistics, today every 3-4 pregnancies end in surgery. The new mother will have to face not only postpartum period, but also with the condition after the operation.

And this is doubly more difficult. Nobody canceled the responsibilities for caring for the baby. No one else can put your baby to your breast except you. It’s not for nothing that women are interested in how to quickly return themselves to their previous shape.

How to recover after a cesarean section?

Changes in your body begin immediately after the baby is removed, while still on the operating table. The uterus reacts to the decrease in volume and contracts sharply. Thereby helping to stop bleeding.

From now on, it will decrease in volume every day. It will completely decrease by about 2 months. After the operation, an ice pack is placed on your stomach - this is also a means of improving uterine contraction and stopping bleeding. They will definitely prescribe injections that contract the uterus.

Postoperative scars on the uterus, anterior abdominal wall and skin will make themselves felt almost immediately. Especially severe pain in the first 3 days. Pain contributes to the release of stress hormones: adrenaline and norepinephrine, which negatively affects the condition of the body, as well as the healing of scars and the pelvic organs.

In addition, the tone of the anterior muscles decreases abdominal wall to protect the cut belly. This may lead to the formation of hernias in the future. You must be prescribed painkillers.

The suture after a cesarean section will be treated daily. It will be removed within 7-8 days.

Doctors will tell and show, but only you can help yourself.

14 ways to recover faster after a caesarean section

1.Don't lie around after surgery! After surgery 10-12 hours, and if you had spinal anesthesia, then a day, you will have to save bed rest. The first time you need to go up in the presence of doctors. The sooner you get up, the better for you.

2. Physical activity. Almost immediately after the operation it is necessary to move and turn over in bed. The seam is tightly sutured with threads, it will not come apart. 3-4 hours after cesarean section you need to perform the first exercises. Bend and straighten your legs at the ankles and knee joints, hands.

3. Do breathing exercises.

Lying on your back, move your arm to the side - inhale, return to the i.p. - exhale.
Lying on your back, with your legs extended and arms along your body. Raise your straight arms up - inhale through your nose, lower your arms down - exhale through your mouth.
Lying on your left side, left hand under the head, right - along the body, legs straight. Raise your right hand up, touch the pillow, inhale, lower it, exhale. Repeat 1-2 times. Repeat on the right side too.
Lying on your back, legs extended, right hand lies on his stomach, left hand on his chest. Inhale through the nose - inflate the stomach, exhale through the mouth - deflate.

After you can get up, on day 2, start doing the exercises while sitting on the edge of the bed, with your legs down.

Flexion and extension of the legs at the knee joints.
Inhale - pull your knees to your chest, helping with your hands, exhale - return to standing position.
Inhale - spread your arms to the sides, exhale - draw in your stomach and return to the position.

From 3-4 days:

Lying on your back, bend your knees, arms along your body. Raise the pelvis and turn it to the right - left, lower it.
We lie on our backs, knees bent, arms extended. We lower our knees to the right, outstretched arms to the left, lower our knees to the left, outstretched arms to the right.
We lie on our backs, legs and arms extended, raise one leg and begin to draw numbers from 1 to 6. Then do the same with the other leg. Every day we add 1 digit and reach 20.
To restore the tone of the perineal muscles, there is a set of Kegel exercises.

If you do gymnastics, your recovery after a cesarean section will go much faster. There will be no adhesions, over time the former elasticity of the tummy will return, in short term the uterus will contract. But first you should consult your doctor.

Against the background of fever, if there was a large blood loss during the operation, if you have thrombophlebitis, exercises are contraindicated. You should not perform gymnastics through force. Stop exercising if pain occurs.

C-section not compatible with intense physical activity. You can’t lift weights, pump up your abs, exercise on machines, run, or squat for the first 2-3 months.

Important! You should also remember that excessive exercise will not promote milk production. Therefore, it is contraindicated for nursing mothers.

3. Lactation. Breastfeed your baby. What will this give? When sucking a nipple, oxytocin is produced in the body. It stimulates the production of milk in the mammary glands and the contraction of smooth muscles, i.e. uterus.

In addition, it is a love hormone that helps develop maternal instincts. Oh beneficial properties There is a lot of talk about breast milk for a baby and everyone knows that there is nothing better.

4.Anemia. The need for iron during pregnancy and breastfeeding is always increased. During a caesarean section, blood loss is several times higher than after a natural birth.

You may develop anemia after surgery. This disrupts tissue healing, uterine contraction and in the best possible way affects well-being. If the doctor says that your hemoglobin is low, then you need to take iron supplements.

5. Lie on your stomach. Already on the second day after cesarean you can lie on your stomach. This will speed up the contraction of the uterus.

You will have to endure the first day after the operation. urinary catheter. This is not pleasant and makes movement difficult. It is placed before surgery to control the amount and color of urine, as well as to prevent injury to the bladder during surgery.

After the operation, they also calculate how much urine was excreted per day. This is important to assess whether there has been damage to the bladder or ureters. Empty bladder important condition for proper contraction of the uterus, and you will not be able to get on the bedpan on your own for the first 12-24 hours.

After surgery, you may experience constipation. This occurs due to decreased intestinal tone, hormonal load and, of course, a sedentary lifestyle. If by the third or fourth day there is no stool, you will be given an enema.

Drink more water, move more. At home you should eat more vegetables and fruits, fermented milk products, soups and cereals with buckwheat and pearl barley, vegetable oils.

7. Nutrition. The body needs strength to return to normal after surgery, as well as to feed the child. So eat more meat, protein is building material, and you have scars that need to heal.

More fiber: vegetables and fruits, but exclude overseas fruits. Remember that you will be breastfeeding your baby. Therefore, your menu should not harm the baby. You should not eat food with preservatives, spices, hot sauces, smoked meats, grilled chicken, hot dogs, pizza, fatty or fried foods. Food should be stewed, boiled and steamed.

8. Massage and self-massage will help you recover. It improves skin tone, improves blood circulation and metabolism. Muscle tone also increases.

Interesting! In addition, massage has a positive effect on nervous system. Normalizes sleep, reduces pain sensitivity. You can perform self-massage.

There are 4 techniques in the technique: stroking, rubbing, kneading and vibration.

From the first hours you can stroke your stomach with your palm in a circle, from top to bottom and from bottom to top.

You can use a tennis ball. Make circular movements for them in a clockwise direction starting from the navel.

Perform a massage using a contrast shower.

9. Wear a bandage. It will relieve pain and support weakened abdominal muscles. The bandage is especially indispensable in the first days and weeks. When lying down, the bandage is not needed, only when moving. Do not wear the bandage for more than 3 hours. From 4-6 weeks the bandage is not needed, and its prolonged wearing can lead to reverse effect, i.e. weakening the press.

10. Hygiene. Unfortunately, if you had a caesarean section, you will be allowed to take a shower only after the stitch is removed, and then only if it has healed well. This will happen in about a week.

Before this, you need to wash your face in parts so as not to wet the seam. Be sure to follow intimate hygiene: It is necessary to wash yourself with soap after each visit to the toilet.

11. Keep an eye on the discharge.

In the first 3 days they are bright red and very abundant.
From 4 to 10 days they are pink-brown or brown. Every day their number decreases, and the color becomes lighter.
By day 10, yellowish or white spotting.
By week 3 they contain streaks of mucus.
The discharge will stop completely by 6-8 weeks.

If they are very abundant, dirty in color and with unpleasant smell If you are experiencing pain in the lower abdomen or have a fever, you should consult a doctor. Complications may have arisen that will slow down the recovery of the body after childbirth and the healing of the uterine scar.

12.Dream. The body must rest well. Sleep during the day with your child.

13. Take proper care of your skin scar. The stitches will be removed within 6-7 days. If there are no complications, take a shower at home every day, but do not rub the seam area with a washcloth. After a shower, treat it with brilliant green, unless the doctor prescribes anything else upon discharge.

To avoid a rough scar, after a month you can use special ointments (controctubex, solcoseryl, clearvin), if you wish, you can go to a beauty salon.

Important! If pain, swelling and pus discharge occur in the suture area, you should consult a doctor.

14. Walking in the fresh air. Rapid healing of wounds and nutrition of tissues is impossible without oxygen. In addition, it will be useful for your baby too.

After 6-12 months, the scars will heal, muscle and skin tone will return.

Getting your body in order after childbirth and cesarean section is not so easy, but the joy of the birth of your baby will outshine all the difficulties.

What medications are needed?

Always immediately after the operation, the mother is under the strict and round-the-clock supervision of doctors; moreover, she spends the first 24 hours in a hospital ward to treat patients in an acute, life-threatening condition. To assist female body a number of procedures are carried out, the action of which is aimed at correcting blood loss, preventing complications of infectious origin, stimulating normal functioning Gastrointestinal tract, namely the intestines. Also, through the use of droppers, the necessary for recovery are introduced nutrients, the seams are treated with antiseptics, and the bandages are changed with great regularity.

Provided that everything is fine, the young mother is transferred to a regular ward where patients in a postpartum state are located. This is where the bed rest ends, because the mother begins to get up, walk, and feed the baby. If there are no complications and everything is fine with the baby, then after 7-10 the woman in labor is discharged home, where she independently monitors her condition. It will be useful to know what can be done during the recovery period and what is not recommended.

As was said, in relation to a woman who has just given birth, it is carried out antibacterial therapy, but that's no reason to worry. The fact is that all the drugs used are fully compatible with breastfeeding, i.e. they do not affect the health and development of the baby in any way.

What can't be done?

Before sending a young mother home, the doctor consults her in detail about the rules that must be followed. Listening to the recommendations will allow her to quickly restore her figure and overcome postpartum depression, fears. Be prepared that this will require considerable effort.

Quite often, expectant mothers are interested in a cesarean section (hereinafter referred to as CS). Reading various heart-warming stories about natural childbirth, women think that surgery is... best way. However, in reality recovery after cesarean progresses at a slower pace. The operation is abdominal, which means you will need to prepare for it in advance. There are times when KS is the only solution.

When is a caesarean section necessary?

The procedure itself is relatively simple and frequent. - This is an incision (dissection) of the walls of the uterus. It is necessary in several cases: when natural childbirth poses a threat to the life of mother and baby, when high blood pressure, availability narrow pelvis, breech position of the fetus, abruption or placenta previa, diabetes mellitus, heart defects, uterine surgeries, high myopia. In such cases, vaginal delivery may have a beneficial effect negative influence on the mother's body. At such moments, a planned operation is indicated.

An emergency operation is performed in case of weak labor, prolonged ineffective contractions, the threat of fetal hypoxia, or a sudden change in the position of the fetus.

How is a caesarean section performed?

If you have been told that you cannot do without a caesarean section, then you should find out in advance how the operation itself goes, as well as how to quickly recover from a caesarean section afterwards.

The operation can be performed either under epidural anesthesia(planned), and under general anesthesia(emergency and planned).

Stages of a caesarean section operation

During general anesthesia, you are placed on a couch and the pubic area is treated with brilliant green, and a urinary tube is also placed. Then the pressure is measured and anesthesia is injected into a vein in the arm, after putting on a mask. You don't feel like you're falling asleep. After this, the surgeon makes a thin transverse incision, removes the baby and then the placenta. The incision is then sutured layer by layer. self-absorbing or non-absorbable threads. Instead of threads, staples can be used. The stitches are removed at 6-7 day. If the threads were self-absorbable, then gradually they disappear without a trace, and "tails" disappear on their own after a few weeks.

The incision can be either vertical or horizontal. IN lately Incisions for caesarean sections are made horizontal. When healed, such a seam becomes almost invisible and allows you to show off in a swimsuit and underwear. But the most important thing is that such a cut allows further woman give birth naturally (if there are no additional contraindications).

What complications can there be?

Sometimes complications occur after a caesarean section. The woman loses 3 times more blood than during natural childbirth. To restore severe blood loss, plasma or other blood substitutes are administered through IVs. The number of IVs is proportional to the amount of blood lost.

Sometimes there may be adhesions on the intestines(as a result of the cut). This does not always happen and can be cured with physiotherapeutic procedures. As a last resort, adhesions are removed surgically.

Also, after surgery, the uterus contracts much worse than after natural childbirth. To improve contraction, oxytocin is injected or uterine massage is performed for 1-2 days, which can be painful after surgery. In this case, you just need to be patient. At the same time, antibiotics will drip through the IV to prevent infection of the uterine cavity.

Recovery after surgery

How to quickly recover after a caesarean section? Doctors will take you to intensive care and will carefully monitor your condition. Immediately after surgery, an ice pack is placed on the abdomen. This procedure is accompanied by measurements of pulse and blood pressure. Doctors will watch how well your uterus contracts after a cesarean section and also monitor your discharge. In the first hours after surgery, you will have a catheter to help you urinate.

Recovery from anesthesia- an unpleasant thing. Your stomach will hurt and you will be thirsty. You just need to wait this time out. Don't worry, the nurses will administer pain medications to help relieve the pain. These drugs are not discontinued for 1-3 days.

Don't be surprised if you are forced to move after 6-8 hours. This is very important for quick recovery. After the intensive care unit (usually the next day), you may be transferred to the postpartum ward, where you will continue to receive intravenous and intramuscular medications, be told to move more, and begin to treat the stitch. Processing is usually done with brilliant green. Then the seam is sealed with special tape. Later you will process it yourself.

To avoid touching the already painful seam, wear low-waist panties made from natural fabrics. After the crust falls off on its own, you won’t have to apply tape, but you shouldn’t forget about processing either.

Showering is allowed on day 7. In this case, the seam cannot be touched. Discharge after cesarean section is carried out on days 7-10. It may be difficult for you to straighten up at first, and you will feel a feeling of tightness. This is normal and similar discomfort will disappear over time.

After the operation, abundant lochia also appears ( spotting). Don't be afraid of them, just stock up on absorbent pads. Gradually, the lochia will begin to decrease and disappear completely. During this period, be sure to wash yourself without touching the seam area.

Possible problems after surgery

Uterus. This hollow organ should contract after a natural birth or cesarean section. Contractions are necessary to return the uterus to its natural state. When breastfeeding, a hormone is released oxytocin and this allows the uterus to contract faster. You may feel pain in the lower abdomen as soon as you put your baby to your breast. This is absolutely normal and necessary. Contractions are also necessary to prevent blood from pooling and inflammatory process. To make the process less painful, the woman is prescribed painkillers.

Bowel movement. This becomes difficult after abdominal surgery. Therefore, an enema is given immediately after the CS. Next, in the maternity hospital, the woman is shown a diet that helps get rid of processed food and prevent. Shown fermented milk products. Fiber (pasta, bread) and raw fruits/vegetables should be avoided. The fact is that they cause the accumulation of gases in mother and baby. Increased gas formation For the mother, the postoperative period can be painful. The drug Lactusan, which softens the intestines, has proven itself to be excellent feces and helps you get rid of them. In addition, this drug has a bactericidal effect, which is necessary after surgery.

Abdominal muscles. After surgery, they should not be put under pressure to avoid sutures coming apart. At such a moment, the woman should wear a bandage, which will gradually bring the abdominal muscles back to normal and will fix the seam.

Recovery after caesarean section - step by step

1. During a planned caesarean section, you cannot drink or eat for exactly 24 hours.

2. Recovery from a cesarean section includes good hygiene. You need to wash yourself 2 times a day.

3. The bandage will help you reduce painful sensations and recover faster after a cesarean section. Put it on as soon as you wash your face. It will help you lie down and get up.

How to wear it correctly postpartum bandage after caesarean section

4. Ask you to bring the child not the next day, but on the same day. Place the baby on your chest. You will feel pain in the uterine area, but such contractions are necessary for speedy recovery. In addition, you will establish contact with your child faster.

5. Paste into anus suppositories with glycerin to facilitate bowel movements. In a few days the stool will improve.

6. Apply ice wrapped in a handkerchief. This will help relieve pain and promote contractions.

7. Drink more fluids and take small trips to the toilet more often.

In the maternity hospital after surgery

Help. Ask a relative to be with you in the postpartum ward. To do this, a paid ward is usually ordered in advance. With your loved one, you can recover very quickly after a cesarean section, both physically and mentally. In addition, they will help you with your child.

Movement. No matter how painful it may be after a cesarean section, you absolutely need movement. Remember: the more you move, the sooner it will become painless.

Communication. Don’t be afraid to ask the staff questions about how to recover from a cesarean section and breastfeed your baby. They will tell and teach you everything. Often, after the first feeding, the nipples begin to hurt because they are not used to it. In this case, you will need Bepanten cream or special pads.

Caring for the baby. Always wash your hands before changing a diaper or touching your baby at all! To recover from a cesarean section, you need to be more distracted from heavy thoughts about your abdominal pain and take care of your baby.

At home after surgery

Registered. As soon as you are discharged, you will need to register your baby with the pediatrician at your place of residence within a week.

Dream. Sleep as much as possible and whenever you have free time. How long does it take for the body to recover after a caesarean section? This may take several months. But if you rest more, your recovery will go faster.

Drink. After surgery, you should drink as much as possible. Water helps replenish fluid lost in the body after a caesarean section.

Food. Eat more light, lean foods to help you recover after a C-section. Boiled poultry, steamed rice, kefir or yogurt are suitable.

Movement. Avoid squats, sudden movements, bending, heavy lifting, pressure on the abdomen and excessive load so that the suture does not begin to diverge after a cesarean section.

Scar. Take proper care of the suture after a cesarean section - wash it with soap and treat it several times a day with brilliant green.

Sex. Avoid sexual intercourse for 3 weeks or more after surgery.

Hygiene products. Use only pads and forget about tampons for a while.

Breastfeeding after caesarean section

After a caesarean section, the baby may be delivered the next day or on the second day. You need to start feeding your baby as quickly as possible so that he receives a portion of valuable colostrum. In addition, breastfeeding will help you recover faster after a cesarean section.

Life after caesarean section

In order for a mother to quickly recover after a cesarean section, she needs to remember that she should not lift heavy objects. Now your most valuable and permitted cargo is a child. But no more!

Also, don’t think about your figure just yet. To recover after cesarean section, time must pass. Lungs physical activity acceptable for 2-3 months after surgery. However, you will have to forget about abdominal exercises for a long time. If it is difficult for you to lift the stroller, ask one of your relatives to accompany you on a walk, or after a caesarean section, walk with the baby in your arms.

Carefully monitor the suture after a cesarean section, avoid overwork and overexertion, monitor the condition mental health and walk more fresh air. This will help the body quickly recover after a cesarean section and focus on the baby.

Caesarean Section – School of Doctor Komarovsky (video):

Personal experience of how to survive a caesarean section (video):