How long does a caesarean section take to recover? Recovery after caesarean section: bounce back without loss. What is a caesarean section

During which the reverse development of the organs of a woman is completed, during and in connection with those undergoing changes. During the section, the doctor makes a dissection of the wall of the uterus. After the fetus is removed, it is sutured. In the postpartum period, the prevention of infectious diseases in women is important. To prevent complications caused by infections, antibiotics may be administered to the woman during the incision operation and after it, after 12 and 24 hours. Antibiotics may be prescribed for 5-7 days. It is not recommended to refuse, so as not to harm your body.

A woman in labor during the recovery period may be prescribed painkillers, depending on the intensity of pain. These measures are applied no longer than 2-3 days after cesarean.

In order to recover faster, doctors recommend turning in bed a couple of hours after the operation, while lying down to do a light warm-up with your hands and feet. You can get up, sit down and walk after 5-6 hours. Try not to strain your stomach and not lift weights so that the seams do not come apart.

For quick healing, the nurse daily treats the seam with brilliant green or manganese solution and seals it with a sterile bandage. Usually, on the 7th day, the threads dissolve or the sutures are removed mechanically. But the dissection site itself should be continued to be processed until complete healing. A sterile dressing will prevent the suture from rubbing against the underwear, which will ensure its rapid healing. A skin scar should form on about the 7th day, complete healing will occur in 2-3 weeks.

We must not forget about the care of the genitals: after each urination, they must be washed with warm water moving from front to back, you can also use special antibacterial intimate hygiene products.

In the postpartum period, a special postoperative bandage should be worn. It will contribute to the speedy recovery of weakened abdominal muscles. The bandage is worn for a month from the date of birth or more. It is allowed to put on a postoperative bandage from the first day after the operation. This device is very light and elastic, it is a little tight, but breathable, allowing the skin to breathe and the seam to tighten naturally. The bandage is worn over a sterile dressing. The tightening is needed to prevent hernias, stabilize the position of the uterus and internal organs. Most importantly, the bandage fixes the seams and helps to reduce pain at the site of the caesarean section.

After a cesarean section, as after any operation, you need to move. It is better to wear a postpartum bandage - it is easier to walk with it, it will help to quickly restore the previous tone of the abdominal muscles, fix the postoperative suture correctly, and relieve the load from the spine. However, it is undesirable to wear it for a long time, since the muscles still have to work on their own.

The mother spends the first hours after a caesarean in the intensive care unit or intensive care unit under the close supervision of doctors. After six hours, with the permission of the doctor, she can already get up, on the second day she can walk and feed the baby.

So that the postoperative suture does not become inflamed, you can lubricate it 1-2 times a day with lavender or tea tree oil, after dissolving them with vegetable oil in a ratio of 1:10. Suitable and pharmacy ointment from calendula.

Exercises you can do the day after surgery

Starting position sitting with support on the back. Perform slowly with repetition up to 10 times.

Pull the socks towards you, then away from you at an average pace.
Rotation of the feet inward, then outward.
Press your knees together, then release.
Tighten the gluteal muscles, then relax.
Bend one leg and stretch forward, lower, then the other.

Repeat all exercises up to 10 times, then rest.

Also useful exercise for the muscles of the perineum and pelvic floor.

Kegel Exercises: Squeeze your perineal muscles as if you were trying to hold back a stream of urine. Hold tight for a few seconds, then relax. Do 10-20 repetitions at a fast pace 3-4 times a day. Increase the voltage time by 1 second each time, gradually reaching 20 seconds or more.

Regular performance of this exercise helps to avoid problems with urinary incontinence.

Once you have been allowed to walk, you should use it to improve your condition. Spend as little time in bed as possible, walking helps you recover from surgery and prevent constipation.

Important! Until the stitches have completely healed, try to get out of bed correctly! You can not raise your head and rise while lying on your back, this strains the abdominal muscles and can cause the seams to diverge.

To get out of bed, you need to turn on your side, lower your legs and slowly sit down, pushing with your hands, without straining your abdominal muscles.

After suture removal with the permission of the doctor, you can start light exercises for the abdominal muscles:

Retraction of the abdomen. Sitting position with back slightly bent. Inhale, then exhale and as you exhale draw in your stomach. Hold this position for 1 second, then relax your stomach and inhale. Perform 10-15 repetitions several times a day.
Lifting the pelvis. Lying on your back on a hard surface, legs bent at the knees. Raise the pelvis up, without lifting the lower back, lower it. Perform 15 - 20 repetitions several times a day.

Intense physical activity and swimming should be started no earlier than a month and a half later. The same is with sexual life, but here the recommendations of doctors differ: from 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on individual characteristics.

In this, a cesarean section has one of the few advantages over natural childbirth: the vagina does not stretch, there are no tears and stitches on the perineum, so there are no problems with sexual activity.

Sometimes after childbirth, some women become depressed. In the case of a caesarean section, this can be exacerbated by the disappointment of a missed delivery. It must be understood that all these sensations are normal and characteristic of many women, and in case of a difficult emotional state, they will seek help from a psychologist.

This article was produced by our experienced team of editors and researchers who reviewed it for accuracy and completeness.

Number of sources used in this article: . You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.

A caesarean section is a surgical operation used during childbirth. A caesarean section is a difficult operation, after which it takes more time to recover than after a normal natural birth. If you had a successful caesarean section and had no complications, you will need to stay in the hospital for about three more days after giving birth. Most likely, you will have to deal with bleeding, discharge, and various types of wounds that take four to six weeks to heal. Provide yourself with proper care, experienced doctors, as well as support from family and friends, then your body will recover in the shortest possible time!

Steps

Part 1

Treatment in the hospital

Move. You will most likely stay in the hospital for 2-3 days. During the first 24 hours, you will likely be advised to stand and walk more. Movement helps prevent side effects that can occur after a caesarean section (such as constipation, abdominal gas, blood clots, and other dangerous deposits). A nurse will look after you.

At first, walking will not be very comfortable, but gradually the pain and discomfort will go away.

Ask medical staff to help you feed. When you feel well enough, you can start breastfeeding or formula feeding your baby on your own. Ask a nurse or other medical staff to help you get into the correct position and hold the baby so that it does not press on your stomach. You may need a pillow.

Learn about vaccinations. Talk to your doctor about prevention and vaccinations for your child. If you were once vaccinated, but today it is no longer valid, repeat the procedure, just now is the most opportune moment.

Follow hygiene. During your stay in the hospital, shower and keep your hands clean. Feel free to ask a nurse or other healthcare professional to sanitize their hands before touching you or your child. Never touch the baby with unwashed hands! Remember that some hospital germs (such as MRSA - methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) can be eliminated simply by washing your hands with soap and water.

Make an appointment with a doctor. After you leave the hospital, you will need to make an appointment with your doctor for the first 4-6 weeks.

Part 2
home treatment
1. Rest. If possible, try to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Sleep and rest stimulate the development and growth of tissues, and this contributes to the healing of the incision site. Sleep reduces stress levels, which also leads to reduced inflammation, accelerated tissue regeneration and recovery of the body.
  
  Drink more fluids. Drink water and other fluids frequently to replenish the water in your body that you lost during childbirth. In addition, it is a good prevention of constipation. In the hospital, the diet is prescribed and supervised by a doctor, but at home you need to monitor this yourself. When you breastfeed, keep a glass of water nearby.
  
  Try to eat right. Proper nutrition and a sufficient amount of micronutrients are especially important for a quick recovery after surgery. The digestive system will regenerate along with the whole body, so you may need to adjust your regular diet. If you have an upset stomach, eat soft foods that are low in fat (eg, rice, baked or boiled chicken, yogurt, toast).
  
  Walk more every day. After you have been discharged from the hospital to go home, you need to keep moving. Try to increase your walking time every day. Of course, this does not mean that you need to start training hard. Physical activity (such as jogging, cycling, and any type of strength training) is contraindicated for 6 weeks after your caesarean section. The possibility of any load should be discussed with the doctor.
  
  If you feel pain, take pain medication prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor may recommend acetaminophen, Tylenol, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Most pain relievers can be taken while breastfeeding. It is very important for nursing mothers to get rid of pain, because pain causes stress, which prevents the release of hormones that are necessary for normal milk production.

A caesarean section, which literally translates to "royal incision," is a major abdominal operation to remove a newborn through an incision in the uterus. Sometimes surgical intervention is carried out at the request of the woman in labor, but most often the basis for the procedure is a clear indication. Artificial childbirth is indicated if:

the dimensions of the woman's pelvis do not correspond to the "dimensions" of the child;
the placenta is located in such a way that it closes the way for the exit of the fetus;
there are mechanical obstacles to natural delivery;
the threat of rupture of the reproductive organ;
pathological conditions that can be aggravated if a woman gives birth in a natural way.

There are several other indications for intervention, but recovery after a caesarean section is always required. A woman in labor who wants to return to her usual way of life as soon as possible must follow certain rules.

What medications are needed?

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

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

As it was said, antibacterial therapy is being carried out in relation to a woman who has just given birth, but this is not a reason to worry. The fact is that all the drugs used are fully compatible with breastfeeding, that is, they do not affect the health and development of the baby.

What is impossible?

Before letting a young mother go home, the doctor consults her in detail about the rules that must be followed. Listening to the recommendations will allow her to restore her figure as quickly as possible, overcome postpartum depression and fears. Be prepared that this will take a lot of effort.

Surgical intervention in obstetric practice allows you to save the health and life of the mother and child in the event of a difficult course of pregnancy, the presence of contraindications for natural childbirth or the development of unforeseen complications already in their process. Many women consider this method of delivery to be more gentle, since it is not associated with the need for a long experience of contractions and possible breaks. All that is required of the mother in such cases is to be an outside observer of the work of doctors busy extracting the child. However, despite the seeming harmlessness of operational childbirth compared to natural, this path is no less dangerous. Caesarean section is an open abdominal operation requiring anesthesia, associated with extensive tissue injury and massive bleeding.

The main difficulties for women arise in the postoperative period. Recovery after caesarean lasts several months, the most unpleasant is the first day. At the same time, during the entire rehabilitation period, no one releases the young mother from the responsibility of caring for the newborn.

Recovery after anesthesia

Like any traumatic procedure, surgery to remove a baby requires the use of anesthesia. With a planned intervention, its type is prescribed taking into account the state of health of the woman. Emergency surgery is often performed under spinal anesthesia. Recovery after cesarean, physical well-being and emotional state in the first days is directly related to the anesthesia used. The body's response to drugs can be the most unpredictable.

Immediately after the operation and for the next 6-8 hours, the woman is forbidden to get out of bed and roll over on her side. Depending on the complications, blood transfusion, infusion therapy containing nutritional and rehydration solutions may be required during the operation. Then movement becomes a necessity. To quickly recover and get rid of the effects of drugs, it is recommended to slowly sit down, lower your legs from the bed. You are allowed to get up the next day. You should not be afraid of the divergence of the seams, since they are fastened until complete healing. Much more trouble is brought by the consequences of anesthesia.

General

The advantage of this method of anesthesia is considered by many to be the complete loss of consciousness and the absence of the need to monitor the progress of the operation. However, for both doctors and patients, this type of anesthesia is associated with great risks.

An endotracheal procedure with the provision of artificial lung ventilation entails a decrease in blood pressure and a slowdown in cardiac activity for 40-60 minutes - while the operation lasts. During this time, doses of drugs are administered intravenously into the body. When all manipulations are over, the supply of drugs is stopped. Their anesthetic effect stops almost immediately. Consciousness gradually returns to the woman in labor after a few minutes. Severe pain sets in almost immediately.

Within 30–60 minutes, residual effects of drugs are observed, hallucinations, hysterical states, stupor, perceptual disturbance, and speech impairment are possible.

To relieve pain after general anesthesia, a woman in labor needs analgesic drugs for several days.

Spinal

One of the easiest anesthesia techniques to use. It involves a single injection of painkillers into the narrow subarachnoid space that separates the spinal cord and arachnoid. The injection is placed in the region of the spine between the 4th and 5th vertebrae. The active substances almost instantly block the nerve endings, anesthesia fully anesthetizes after 15 minutes. The lack of sensation in the lower body allows the operation to be performed while the patient remains conscious.

spinal anesthesia

Body features, nationality or type of appearance also do not affect the time of the return of menstruation.

The physiological processes that take place in a woman's body after the birth of a child ensure a prolonged absence of menstruation. If a young mother is breastfeeding, large doses are regularly released into her blood oxytocin and prolactin. These hormones are natural estrogen antagonists responsible for ovulation. Lactational amenorrhea is a normal state provided by nature. This is a period of a kind of rest of the reproductive system after childbirth. Most women do not have periods until lactation ends on its own or artificially. The recovery period of the cycle in this case is from one to five months from the date of the end of feeding.

Don't expect your next period to be regular. In the first 2-3 cycles, more scanty or abundant than usual discharge with the presence of blood clots is likely. Breaks between them can vary from 21 to 50 days, the duration can be from 2 to 7 days, which is also not a sign of violations. All these phenomena are due to changes in the uterus and the endocrine system. Within a few months, the hormonal level fluctuates, which affects the thickness of the endometrium.

In some cases, pain during menstruation in women who have previously suffered algomenorrhea, after childbirth may weaken or disappear altogether. This is due to changes in the shape and location of the uterus.

In almost 10% of young mothers who traditionally breastfeed their children, menstruation appears before six months after childbirth: in the second or third month. Such a surprise is associated with hormonal disorders, insufficient milk production, long breaks in feeding. Sometimes this is an individual feature of the organism. It is not necessary to curtail lactation in such a situation, but then the mother will have to deal with the increased load: reconsider nutrition and rest a lot. The diet must contain animal proteins, carbohydrates, a sufficient amount of fat, foods rich in calcium, iron, vitamins E, D, A, ascorbic and folic acids. It is necessary to supplement the menu with special complexes and bioadditives.

In cases where circumstances force from the first days to feed the child with artificial mixtures, and there is no need for lactation, the restoration of the monthly cycle can be expected within 1-3 months from the day the postpartum period ends. Usually, for mothers who are not breastfeeding, the first menstruation occurs 6-8 weeks after the end of the lochia.

intimate life

Having sex after surgical delivery should be postponed until the end of the postpartum period and the formation of a dense postoperative scar. The minimum period is about 2 months in the absence of any complications. If nerve endings were damaged during the operation to remove the child, the seam became inflamed, other health disorders appeared, it will be possible to return to intimate life no earlier than in 3-4 months.

Full recovery of tissues after childbirth by caesarean section occurs within a few years. Despite the fact that a woman can start doing household chores, sports, work, and lead an active image much earlier, the next pregnancy is possible only after two years. Otherwise, one cannot hope for its successful outcome: there may be a violation of the integrity of the uterus, its divergence along the seam, improper location of the fetus, detachment placenta or the germination of its tissues through the scar into adjacent organs.

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The danger of an early onset of the next pregnancy makes contraception after a caesarean section more relevant than ever. For safety net, it is desirable to use not one method, but several. It is usually recommended to combine barrier protection and oral contraceptives. The former block the penetration of spermatozoa, but are not reliable enough. Hormonal agents have an almost 100% effect, but do not exclude the so-called "breakthrough" ovulation. The combination of several methods practically guarantees safety.

Hopes for the calendar method or lactational amenorrhea medically insignificant. Their effectiveness is no more than 40-50%, since ovulation tends to come on suddenly. It is impossible for a woman to expose her health to the risk of premature pregnancy after a caesarean section.

Figure restoration

The extra pounds gained during pregnancy and the stretched protruding belly do little to please the young mother. Annoyance after the operation is added by the need to spare one's health, avoiding tension in the first months. Restoration of the figure after a caesarean section, indeed, fades into the background. Compared with the need for proper care of the baby and control of one's own well-being, this aspect can be considered unimportant.

It is not always possible to return an elastic flat stomach and a thin waist after a cesarean section. The reason for this is overstretching of the skin and diastasis - the divergence of the abdominal muscles. This problem is especially characteristic after multiple pregnancies or for women who have never played sports before. With such problems, harmony can only be restored with the help of plastic surgery. In all other cases, you need to be patient.

Diet

In the first days after caesarean section - the use of only light liquid food. During the day, the intestine is unable to function, as it is under the influence of anesthesia. It is allowed to drink plain or mineral water with a small amount of fruit juice. Over the next four days, the menu is gradually expanded, gradually introducing broths, juices, dairy products, liquid cereals and pureed soups into it.

For several weeks after discharge from the hospital, it is recommended to follow a special diet for surgical patients. All dishes must be cooked without frying: steamed or baked, do not contain hard crusts, a lot of salt, spices, animal fats, artificial colors.

lean meats and fish: turkey, skinless chicken, veal, cod, chum salmon, horse mackerel;
cottage cheese and kefir with a fat content of not more than 5%;
chopped vegetables: first stewed and then raw;
berries, fruits;
whole wheat bread.

Dishes high in starch and sugar should be limited. These include:

potato;
pasta;
semolina;
polished rice;
products made from white flour: cookies, gingerbread, buns, pies;
sweets: chocolate, sweets.

It is necessary to completely exclude various delicacies and heavy foods from the menu:

salo;
sausages;
fast food;
ham;
margarine.

New mothers who are breastfeeding need to adhere to stricter restrictions. Often, their diet in the first weeks consists only of cereals on the water, pureed meat and vegetable stew.

Usually, within 3-4 months, with proper nutrition, most of the extra pounds accumulated during pregnancy gradually disappear. More radical measures: various express diets and fasting days can be practiced not earlier than the end of the lactation period.

Moms whose children are bottle-fed, in search of how to quickly recover from a cesarean, are also not recommended to torture themselves with a starvation diet. The energy value of the daily menu to preserve all body functions should be at least 1500 kcal. For the full healing of tissues, it is recommended to use meat products, aspic, fruit jelly, chicken eggs.

Fitness

Any physical activity associated with tension in the abdominal muscles after a cesarean section is allowed no earlier than after 4 months. Until the expiration of this period, only walking is allowed.

In the first month, it is necessary to support the press and alleviate pain during the daytime. It is advisable to wear it for several hours a day.

Performing physical exercises aimed at strengthening the press should be regular, and the load should increase gradually. It is better to do it in the gym under the guidance of a coach, it disciplines. If this is not possible, a place should be equipped at home.

Additionally, you can go swimming, skiing, cycling. These exercises gently stimulate the tone of the abdominal muscles, help tighten the abdomen.

Yoga

Of the Eastern practices, strengthening the press after a cesarean section is helped by breathing, static exercises, movements to stretch the muscles. They need to be performed in a calm environment, in the morning or evening, preferably daily. Many yoga exercises are great as a warm-up or the final step in fitness.

Exercise at home

For homework, you can purchase a stepper or treadmill. As auxiliary projectiles, room furniture is suitable: a chair or a sofa. In order for the stomach to tighten after a cesarean section, it is useful to perform twisting exercises, imitation of cycling from a prone position, pulling the legs to the chest, and rocking the press. At home, it is desirable to practice daily, for 30-40 minutes. In the absence of time, instead of a full-fledged complex, you can perform several approaches at different periods if possible.

When to See a Doctor

If the recovery process after surgery is successful, you can come to the next medical examination to the gynecologist six months after the birth.

An earlier visit should be made if warning signs appear:

change in the nature of lochia before the end of the postpartum period: the appearance of impurities of pus, a heavy odor;
the occurrence of frequent cramps or sudden cutting pains in the abdomen after the healing of the stitches;
the appearance of swelling, redness, itching or suppuration in the suture area;
absence of menstruation for five or more months from the date of cessation of lactation.

An additional medical examination is also necessary in case of a sharp change in the menstrual cycle: the release of blood or pus before or after menstruation, persistent internal pain, attacks of weakness or dizziness.

When a woman is in the hospital, her condition may be relatively stable, and complications after surgery develop later.

What are the possible complications

Approximately 20% of cases of caesarean section in parturient women experience various kinds of complications. Basically, they are associated with existing systemic diseases, circumstances that arose during the operation or during the early recovery period.

Most often, these are various infectious processes, pathologies of the vascular system and hematopoietic functions.

Common complications:

inflammation or divergence of the postoperative suture, the formation of hernias;
accession of a secondary infection: the development of an inflammatory process in the uterine cavity, adjacent pelvic tissue or in the appendages;

Depending on the physical condition of each woman, other complications are possible. For these reasons, when figuring out how to recover from a C-section, it's important not to overdo it. In case of strange changes in well-being or a change in the appearance of the seam, the appearance of redness, burning or severe itching in this area, you should consult a doctor.

Doctors' opinion

A caesarean section is a complex surgical operation. She is prescribed to women in labor not out of a whim, but for serious medical reasons, when there is a real threat to the health of the expectant mother or her child. It is no coincidence that doctors of maternity hospitals refuse to perform this procedure for patients at will, without any reason. After all, natural childbirth is a painful, but less dangerous process when it comes to completely healthy women. After a natural delivery, the mother can get up in a few hours and gradually return to normal life. Caesarean section requires a long recovery, sometimes lasting more than six months.

It is important that the first such operation is an almost unconditional reason for subsequent artificial births in the same way. Although over time, the place of the incision of the muscles and the wall of the uterus is reliably overgrown, the structure of the tissues in the area of the suture is inelastic. A woman can give birth naturally after a caesarean, but only if she is less than 30 years old and more than three years have passed since the operation.

With a second surgical intervention, the surgeon makes an incision along the previous suture, which significantly slows down subsequent healing and increases the risk of complications. The allowable number of safe caesareans that one woman can endure is no more than four. In practice, successful and relatively fast recovery after caesarean section occurs only after the first two interventions. Of course, each case is individual, there are mothers who were born in this way for 5 or more children, but these are exceptions.

A condition for the successful restoration of health after a cesarean is compliance with all medical prescriptions. The first few days are especially difficult. The young mother suffers from pain, residual effects of anesthesia. Almost everyone develops intestinal atony, so you can not eat solid food.

Staying in bed is not recommended. Already a few hours after the withdrawal of anesthesia, it is desirable to move your arms and legs, start turning. On the second day, the work of the intestines should be activated: rumbling appears in the stomach, gases begin to leave. In the absence of signs of intestinal activity, stimulation with drugs is necessary.

Milk from such women comes with a slight delay - after 3-4 days. During this period, the child has to be supplemented with mixtures.

After discharge, the recovery process continues. You can not load yourself with physical work, walk for a long time, carrying a baby in your arms, lift a stroller up the stairs. To maintain the muscular corset, it is useful to wear a bandage. It is necessary to select not squeezing the sides, but a comfortable elastic model. The design should be worn no more than 6-8 hours a day and only for two months after the operation. The habit of sleeping in a bandage or using it to draw in the abdomen for too long will lead to the opposite effect - the muscles will weaken and become flabby.

To do fitness to return harmony, you need to be careful. In the first few weeks, the daily load should not exceed 20-30 minutes. In this case, you can not use weights or do exercises that strongly strain the press. Before starting classes, you must consult a supervising doctor to exclude possible contraindications.

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