After the Caesarean
It is important for you to have excellent pain relief for the first few days after your
operation. This may mean:
- Topping up the epidural that was used for the Caesarean
- Injections of strong drugs such as pethidine, omnopon or diamorphine
- Voltarol suppositories which are absorbed through the back passage to give very good
pain relief
Don’t suffer in silence. If your tummy is hurting, tell your midwife. It’s
better to keep the pain under control and to ask for pain medication before you become
very distressed.
Emotionally you may have all sorts of feelings:
- Happiness that your baby has been born safely
- Relief that you have come through the operation safely
- Relief that you didn’t have to go through labour, or that labour was brought to an
end by the Caesarean
- Disappointment or guilt that you weren’t able to give birth naturally
- Fear that your insides have been damaged in some way
- Unhappiness about the scar you now have on your body
Any or all of these feelings are normal. Major surgery is a lot to cope with and when
surgery and birth happen together, it is inevitable that you will need time to come to
terms with what has happened.
Recovery
You may be cared for on a ward that is devoted to women who have had Caesareans or
difficult births, or perhaps on a postnatal ward with other women who have had
vaginal births. You will be looked after by midwives, with visits from your anaesthetist
and surgeon who will check that you are recovering well. Ask them to explain what happened
and why you needed a Caesarean birth.
You will also see a physiotherapist. Her job is:
- To teach you how to support your wound while you cough. People often tend to breathe
shallowly after abdominal surgery because they’re frightened that it will hurt to
breathe deeply. It’s vital to keep your lungs clear so that you don’t get a
chest infection
- To show you how to do ankle exercises to prevent clots from forming in the deep veins of
your legs
- To help you get out of bed and start walking around as soon as possible to speed your
recovery
Some practical hints for coping after a Caesarean include:
- Drink peppermint water to help with the wind that always troubles people after abdominal
surgery!
- Wear very large knickers that don’t put any pressure on your scar. The NCT sell special Caesarean
knickers which are made from very stretchy material. They let air through to the wound,
hold a sanitary pad in place and don’t put any pressure on your stomach.
- Get a pair of slippers without backs so that you can put them on without having to bend
down
- You may need help to lift your baby in and out of the hospital cot for the first few
days
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