Your stay in hospital might be quite a short one, perhaps only four or five days. Do ask if you want to stay a little longer if you don’t feel confident to go home, or there’s no one there to look after you. Lifting and carrying and even going up and down stairs can be difficult at first so you will need someone to help you.

Remember that your midwife will come to see you at home for as long as you both feel it’s necessary. She will check that your wound is healing properly, make sure that you’re not showing any signs of infection and help you with feeding if you’re having any problems.

You may be advised by your obstetrician that you shouldn’t drive for several weeks until you have recovered. Your insurance may well be invalid if you drive within six weeks of having a Caesarean. So if you are determined to drive before then, check with your insurers first.

There are a lot of things you can do to help yourself recover:

• Don’t expect too much of yourself. You’ve had major surgery and you should be convalescing for several weeks
• Rest as much as you can
• Have plenty of drinks of fruit juice or water to flush out your bladder
• Eat well - especially cereals, fruit and vegetables that will provide vitamin C to help you heal and roughage to help your bowels open easily
• Limit the number of visitors you have so that you don’t get over tired
• Ask for help - from whoever and whenever! The visitors you really want are the people who will make you meals, keep the house clean and tidy, and go to the shops for you!
• Enjoy resting after your Caesarean. Stay in your pyjamas to make it clear to others that you’re still recovering. This is time you can spend with your baby without having to take responsibility for housework and day to day chores

If you want someone to talk to about your Caesarean because you’re feeling unhappy about it or because you need to understand exactly what happened, contact The National Childbirth Trust Caesarean Support Group.

Where to next?

• What happens during a Caesarean?
• What will the scar be like?
• After the Caesarean
• Breastfeeding after a Caesarean
• Your next baby
• Feature: What happens after the Caesarean?
• Ever had a Caesarean or booked to have one? Share your thoughts on our Labour and birth discussions board