For the expectant mother, the thought of a c-section can be scary. Whether you are looking at a repeat or a first-time c-section, here are the best tips on how to recover fast from c-section. Here are 6 (natural & healthy) tips, not from a nurse or a doctor, but from a mother who has had several and knows what works, for that fast and healthy c-section recovery.
It’s baby season around the homestead (goats, chickens, and soon a human). All these babies have me thinking about c-sections (as that is the way all my children have entered this world).
So begins the quick and healthy c-section recovery planning. Wha??? Baby brain and I have lost my mind, right? Is a quick and healthy c-section recovery even possible? I mean it’s like a major, major abdominal catastrophe, right?
Yes, it is. And Yes, it is. It is a big ol’ ordeal. However, there are some easy tricks I have learned to speed you down that path of recovery. These simple tips for a quicker c-section recovery will get you back to your usual self faster than you ever thought possible.
How to recover fast from c-section
30-35% of babies born today are born via c-section. That is both emergency and planned or repeat c-sections. I don’t know anyone who likes it or came out thinking it was the “easy” way to birth their bundle of joy. However, when it’s what you gotta do, it’s what you gotta do.
Here are the best c-section recovery tips I have learned from 4 c-sections (on my way to 5). The “best hacks” for planning how to recover fast from a c-section, both quickly and in a healthy natural way. If you find yourself under the knife in a freezing surgery room, waiting nervously for the cries of your c-section-delivered baby.
Regardless of how you feel or the information you may (or may not) be armed with as you leave the hospital with a brand new 6+ inch scar across your lower abdomen. You can recover faster than you think, and you can feel better than you imagined, and you can do it in a very healthy way.
1. Movement is your friend
Shortly after surgery, you may get several hours to let the anesthesia wear off, but very soon to the new mom who feels like she was just run over by a semi, the doctors and nurses will want you to move. To try to walk. And at that point in time, it sounds like the worst thing you could ever do. But in reality, it is exactly what your body needs. Blood flow is the name of the game here, the more often you can get muscles moving and blood flowing the faster you heal.
Related Reading:
How I had a Natural Birth after 5 C-Sections
As you move further out from the actual surgery, use those muscles that were cut. One of the best things I found was to, early on even a week or 2 weeks out from surgery, lay in bed and simply tighten the abdominal muscles. Do not do sit-ups or crunches just tighten them and release while in a laying position for 10-15 repetitions several times a day. This also helps to get the blood flowing to where the healing needs to be. The more healthy blood flow the faster the healing.
Then once your doctor gives you the okay to work out make sure to incorporate lots of abdominal and core movements into your workout routine, always making sure you feel in control of your body, and don’t overdo it.
2. Compression is key
You may often feel like your guts may fall out. And rightly so there is not much holding them in, your abdominal wall was just cut through. One very important factor in a quick and healthy c-section recovery is giving your muscles support. This is the point where a little outside help is awesome.
Start off with the very first time you get out of the hospital bed putting on a wide ace bandage and wrapping it from the hip up to ribs. You may need more than one. This will stabilize your midsection without causing added pain. At first, you will not be ready for any sort of compression wrap or girdle yet, but you will still want support, trust me the Ace-like bandage is the first tool needed!
Then after the swelling has gone down and you can move around a bit more comfortably, the absolute best c-section support tool out there was the Abdomend C-section Recovery Kit. I say was because it is basically impossible to find anymore (except maybe used on eBay). Most post-pregnancy girdles or belly wraps often are far too short and end exactly where your incision might be and put a lot of pressure and therefore pain on the incision site and don’t help at all.
So when looking for a post-c-section girdle or wrap make sure to look for one that is longer and wraps from below the wound area to up close to the ribs. I have even found a workout waist trimmers to feel better than most post-partum girdles because you can control where they sit and how tight you want to wrap them a little better.
Then lastly you will want these awesome c-section recovery underwear, which is made to be able to use as your recovery continues past the first several weeks. They continue with the compression on the incision site, along with silicone to help heal the skin and reduce scarring. These are great because they help provide support without the bulk. And the support may be a need for quite some time. I was not much of a fan of the high-waist kind, however, they do a great job at support. I absolutely recommend every mama going through c-section recovery to get a few pairs of these!
3. Bone broth For healing
Internal healing after a c-section is so very important, and bone broth is one of those ancient secrets to healing and recovery. Bone broth helps your body to get the nutrients that it needs including amino acids which speed recovery and healing. Check out this site for more on bone broth, and how to make it (it’s super easy, so no worries there). Regularly consuming bone broth will be one of the best things you can do for yourself nutritionally to speed up the recovery process.
Related Reading:
Healthy Lactation Cookies | Oatmeal Raisin
4. Heat for pain relief
Pain in childbirth is unavoidable, however, the pain with a c-section is a whole different thing. Surgery after 9 months of stretching and growing, followed by the typical afterpains but in a newly cut uterus. It’s all just too much. Luckily there are ways to help with the pain. In many cases, c-section recovery can take months to feel good again.
One of the best and fastest forms of pain relief is heat. A heating pad on a low setting was great in times of relaxation, and the heat certainly helps the blood flow. As we have all experienced during times of working out warm sore muscles hurt less than cold sore muscles. So go on add a little heat, when rocking your new baby, nursing or simply laying down to take a nap.
5. Proper nourishment is a must
Your doctor or midwife will likely recommend you continue to take a prenatal vitamin, I recommend you take one that is raw and not synthetic, quality vitamins cost more but they are worth it. This is the best vitamin I have ever found Here
When your body is trying to heal and recover from a major event like pregnancy let alone a c-section it needs all the great nourishment you can give it. Your body only has the tools you give it to rebuild and repair it. Don’t even get me started on why most doctors don’t address this!
So let’s talk about real, whole, fresh, organic foods I can not state that enough. I am also a huge, huge fan of naturally probiotic and cultured foods, especially after baby and surgery you want everything moving right internally if you know what I mean. Here and here are two great sites for fermented and cultured foods.
6. Sleep when you can
I know this one is difficult, everyone says to get lots of sleep but the whole aspect of having a baby kind of takes away from getting that sleep. Especially when your significant other returns to work almost immediately after, which is the norm for many families.
However, this is a great time to downgrade everything you are involved in or do. If you garden step back a bit, if you work from home try to take on less (if you can), if a clean house is a must think about hiring someone to clean your house for a season. The point is to rest more and go less, (seriously this is always hard for me). Naps can be super helpful, sleep when the baby does. Your house does not need to be perfect you have other things to do.
Related Reading:
Breastfeeding Problems | Naturally increase your milk supply
C-Section Recovery Tips
Leaving the hospital unsure or unprepared on how to really recover from a c-section can be daunting. New baby, tons of pain, and no idea how to juggle it all! Trust me I know. However, here is a list of “keys or tips on how to recover fast from c-section” if you will. These are the best tips I have learned from 4 c-sections (almost 5).
There is no way to feel perfect, but you can lessen the damage or the downtime. C-sections may be almost the norm in the baby world but it is no less a major, major surgery. Know that your body is amazing, give it the right things to heal and recover and it will, in fact, heal from all sorts of craziness. Including quickly recovering from that c-section that you needed to bring your beautiful baby into the world ♡♡♡
Comment, Share and Enjoy
From our family to yours, thanks for stopping by
P.S. Looking for more natural family goodness? Subscribe to our newsletter and join the community full of natural health and family-friendly goodness!
Beth is a mother of 6 living on a handful of acres in an old farmhouse in central Kansas. Beth has a background in the military and health and fitness however her passions come from her homestead life. Beth is an enthusiastic homeschooling mom, avid organic gardener, chicken & goat wrangler, who is obsessed with herbs and natural remedies and maintaining an all-around Do-It-Yourself lifestyle. Beth loves to share all she has learned about and sustainable living. While striving for a healthy, natural life, family-centered life.