C Section Recovery Tips & Tricks

Since April is C Section awareness month I would like to spread awareness of the “Easy Way Out” (insert eye roll here). 

I have heard MANY people say, “You had a C Section so you really didn’t have to do much work, you basically laid there and they took the baby out, Lucky you”. LUCKY YOU. HAAAAAA. 

Before giving birth, countless people told me horror stories of C Sections and how they hope I can just go vaginally. Yeah, I hoped so too. Now, I wear my scar PROUDLY because that’s what gave me my baby boy. 

First off, there’s no competition on the method of which you give birth, the baby just needs to come out SAFELY. Having a C Section is still GIVING birth and I was the first one to feel like my body failed me. Was it because I’m so small? Was the baby too big for me? In that moment, that’s when the “mom guilt” started (mom guilt never goes away btw, just embrace it at this point because it is just proof of just how much you love your baby). Greaaaaaaaat. BUT once I held my baby for the first time, I honestly didn’t care how he came out but that he was finally HERE and finally NO MORE HEARTBURN! 

Let the recovery process commence! 

Ok in my opinion, this handy little band made recovery much easier. It wrapped around my waist and basically held everything together so it was easier to get up without feeling like my scar was going to rip wide open. The hospital I delivered at gave me 2 so I didn’t have to buy my own. ASK THE HOSPITAL FOR ONE after you give birth!! A few friends and family members had C Sections after I had mine and before they were discharged I told them to ask for the band and they gave it to them. I mean, why wouldn’t that be the first thing they give them? I wore this band for about 2 months. It was kind of my security blanket at that point. 

Before I gave birth, my friend said to me, “if you happen to need a C Section, make sure you walk as soon as you can stand on your own”. I was like oooooooook lady. She was right. Walking HELPED! It helped physically AND mentally because I felt so proud of myself for getting up and walking. 12 hours after the operation, I was able to walk around my hospital room and 24 hours after, I walked around the hospital maternity unit with my husband by my side and the baby in the bassinet (kinda used the bassinet as a walker). So when I got home with the baby, I was already used to walking. 

I am a very small person to begin with, so when they prescribed me narcotics for the pain, I denied them. I felt like if I took a narcotic which I never took before and I feel a little weird, I wouldn’t know if it was from the medication or from just having a baby. I asked if they can give me something lighter because I am terrified of taking any narcotics. They sent me home with Ibuprofen 600mg and Tylenol. Every 6 hours, I took 1 ibuprofen and 3 Tylenol for the first few days after coming home. Then dosed down to 1 Ibuprofen and 2 Tylenol every 6 hours. And dosed down again and again. I set an alarm on my phone and made sure I was taking the medication every 6 hours on the dot because I did not want to feel like sh*t when I had a newborn to take care of. 

Just when I thought I could go to the bathroom and not be afraid of pushing….ehhhhh WRONG. I think I was more afraid of pushing after I gave birth than I was in the 9 months leading up to it. Am I the only one who was scared to push when going to the bathroom during pregnancy? I took colace during my pregnancy for this very reason and during my hospital stay, I requested colace when they told me, “Ok Teresa, in an hour you’re going to have to poop so ask your husband to bring some Starbucks coffee so it’s easier for you”. They told me it would take a few hours to poop, but with the help of my little friend Colace it took 20 minutes. Whewwwwwwwww. 

What the HELL is a squatty potty? It’s a little stool that you put your feet on to help poop. So at the hospital they didn’t have a squatty potty. I basically made my own by using the ottoman from the hospital room and put my knees to my chest and it worked. It helped me when they took the catheter out and I had to pee on my own for the first time too. 

I gave birth in July, so it was hot and I opted for shorts and tight, high waisted biker shorts helped me feel like everything was held together. My wardrobe for 2 months postpartum were biker shorts, C Section band, tight sports bra (to make my boobs go down after realizing breastfeeding wasn’t for us) & oversized t-shirt.  

When I got home, all I wanted to do was shower. Was it safe? Will my scar rip open and my guts will be all over my bathtub? Probably not, but you couldn’t convince me otherwise. So I showered with my back to the water so my scar wouldn’t get too too wet. If my back is to the water, how am I washing my hoo-ha? Peri Bottle. I filled the peri bottle with warm water and soap and once I was finished washing, I put warm water in it only, with no soap to rinse the soap off. It worked great and made me feel semi-human again. 

For the first three days after giving birth, I put the baby’s bassinet in the living room and slept on the couch because it is lower than my bed. I missed my bed. My warm, cozy bed. My bed was way too high for me to get in and out of so I used a little step stool to get on and off the bed. It helped A LOT. 

If possible, try to have someone home to help you besides your husband. You need to get at least SOME rest. I know that it seems like it will be impossible, and at times- it will. Your adrenaline is still so high after giving birth and your hormones are confused, but you need to try your best to chill. Ask someone who you really trust, someone who you can say/do anything in front of, someone who you can wear your diaper proudly in front of (like your mom, sister, BFF, MIL) to stay over the first few days after giving birth. You can take different shifts at night and in the day and it makes the adjustment period to not being pregnant anymore, recovering from major surgery, plus having a new human in your home a little bit better. 

The diapers. How could I be so in love with diapers? Whether C Section or Vaginally delivery method, you still bleed. A lot. I never took my diaper off. I bled in intervals (which my doctor told me would happen) so some days it was heavier than others. Just when I thought the bleeding was done, it was back. Why risk every single one of my pants/underwear staining? Diapers were comfortable and made me feel like I was protected. And way less laundry. I think I wore my diaper for 2 months (I probably could have stopped wearing it after 6 weeks but I didn’t want to part with it if I’m being super honest). My first period came after 6 weeks and I didn’t know if it would be heavy or light so I wore my diaper and felt like I could take on the world. BRING IT, first period. 

I spoke to a few of my family and friends who had C Sections and asked them for some tips to share with all of you. Here they are:

1. Keep a pillow handy to put on your belly for when you have to laugh, cough or sneeze
2. Use Cocoa butter lotion/wax/serum for scars
3. Elevate legs
4. Wear loose fitting clothing
5. Use a step stool
6. If you know you are ging in for a C Section, follow doctors orders and don’t eat a heavy meal before hand (you will vomit all over the operating table & the nurses (I am guilty of this but did not know I was having a C Section)
7. Bring a fan to the hospital (you may get hot flashes) I used this fan that I attach to my son’s stroller and it worked amazing

What tips would you give to someone who is recovering from a C Section?