Whether you’re having a planned c-section or not, there is so much to learn about this procedure as well as the recovery process. I had absolutely no idea what to expect after my c-section which was very scary and I had to learn a lot of things the hard way. Having major surgery like a cesarean is not to be taken lightly and you really need to make sure you take good care of your body while recovering from the procedure. Here are 9 tips for recovering from a c-section surgery that you will absolutely want to know before you have yours.
1. Buy Some Pajama Night Gowns
After your surgery, pants will be your worst enemy. Your incision will be incredibly tender and anything that sits on it or rubs against it will be very uncomfortable. I did not plan on having a c-section so I only packed pajama pants in my hospital bag. Big mistake. I had to wear the gross hospital gown during my entire stay because it hurt too much to have pants on. Plan ahead of time and bring some pajama night gowns with you. You’ll feel cleaner, prettier, and much more comfortable.
2. Wear The Mesh Underwear
Like we just talked about, anything that rubs agains your incision site will hurt, so that means wearing underwear is going to hurt as well. Take my advice and use the mesh underwear the hospital gives you after surgery. It seriously is amazing. It may be incredibly ugly, but trust me, it’s so worth it. It’s really stretchy, therefore it won’t pull, rub, or tug on your incision site. Plus, since you’ll be bleeding you don’t want to ruin any of your own underwear. You can just throw the mesh underwear away when it gets gross.
3. Get Walking
I know this may sound crazy, but you will want to get up and walk around after your surgery. Of course, you’ll want to clear this with your doctor first! You don’t want to stay in your hospital bed for too long. Walking will increase your blood flow, make you feel better, and it will also help move the gas around in your body, which will be a big help. They won’t let you eat or release your from the hospital until you have passed gas. Sounds really gross, I know, but it’s true, so the more you move around, the better.