Whenever I talk about postpartum recovery, I get a TON of questions related to C-section recovery. So often, postpartum content focuses on recovery from a vaginal birth, but C-section recovery often has more specific and almost nuanced questions related to it.
So, in this article I’m focusing totally on C-section recovery FAQs. These are some of the questions I get most often, and a lot of them are the ones that aren’t addressed as frequently.
My hope is that this article will help the mamas with C-sections on the horizon have a better idea of what to expect, and the mamas currently recovering from their C-section will get answers to their questions all in one spot.
So without further ado, let’s jump right in!
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The most common recommendation for sex after C-section is to wait until you are 6 weeks postpartum. Most often, your provider will clear you for sex at your 6-week check-up.
This is because even though you didn’t give birth vaginally, you’ll still experience postpartum bleeding, general soreness, and exhaustion following your C-section birth.
I think it’s also important to keep in mind that even when you’re cleared for sex at that 6-week check-up, you still might not feel physically or emotionally ready for sex yet. And that is totally normal!
Keep an open channel of communication with your partner about your feelings of readiness surrounding sex with your partner. Also, remember that there are others ways you can find connection and intimacy with them until you are feeling ready.
Swelling after your C-section birth is very common, especially in the feet and ankles! This happens for three reasons:
Basically, all of those extra fluids take some time to be redistributed and flushed out of the body. And the hormone shift can make everything a little more dramatic. But for most mamas, this pronounced swelling usually only sticks around for the first 5-10 days after their delivery.
But just because it’s common, doesn’t mean it’s less frustrating! To help combat your swollen feet after C-section here are some things you can try:
Most of the time, postpartum swelling is not a cause for concern and will go away on its own. But sometimes postpartum swelling can be a sign of a more serious, underlying condition so it is important to know when you might need to notify your provider.
Let’s take a look at the red flags:
Again, if you have any of these symptoms or any concern about swelling after your C-section, be sure to call your doctor and check in.
Okay, I could probably write an entire article dedicated to C-section incisions and scars, but I do want to touch on the topic in this list of FAQs because it really does come up so often.
So basically there are two different types of incisions used during C-sections to get to your uterus. Let’s review these so that you can understand what your scar will look like:
Then there’s the actual uterine incision, which could be one of three options:
Understanding your type of incision is so important to help you care for it properly, but even more so for when you plan future births. This is because certain types of incisions can put you at higher risk for complications in future births.
In our online birth course JUST for C-section mamas, Birth It Up: The C-Section Series, I go into WAY more details about incisions, scars, incision care, and red flags.
Be sure to check it out if you have an upcoming C-section birth!
This is a question that comes up a lot, because there is literally nothing like a good soak in the tub to ease sore muscles. However, you really do need to wait a while before you can submerge your incision after your C-section.
This is because submerging your incision into non-sterile water can put you at a higher risk for infection, and it’s simply not worth the risk! Showers are considered fine as soon as mom is feeling stable and ready to shower independently. But for a bath you need to wait until your incision is healed.
It’s hard to put a hard and fast timeline on when you can take a tub because healing is different for every mama, but typically it is safe sometime between 3-4 weeks postpartum. Like with all things, the best course of action is to check in with your provider.
So, in general, acute diarrhea after a C-section is probably not cause for concern – although it is worth a call to your provider just so that they’re aware of it and can ask some follow up questions to rule out lingering issues.
But in general, diarrhea is a side effect of abdominal surgery, and that alone could be the reason you’re experiencing diarrhea. If you’re on an antibiotic post C-section for any reason, that could be causing diarrhea, too.
Lastly, if you did experience contractions there’s the possibility that stretching or other damage to your rectal muscles/pelvic floor may have occurred which can result in diarrhea.
In short, yes diarrhea CAN be normal, but this is definitely one to call about just to be safe
A number of women experience back pain after their C-section, and just know that this is very normal! It’s actually a symptom mamas experience no matter how they gave birth.
This is because your abdominal muscles have been strained, and your general alignment has been off for the past 9 months! That combined with shifting hormones that loosened your joints and muscles In preparation for birth can really cause a lot of pain.
What’s more, caring for your baby requires a lot of hunching with a curved spine if you’re not extra aware which can contribute to the discomfort.
Lastly, C-section mamas may have back pain at the site of their epidural or spinal block. This typically feels like muscle spasms and can last for weeks to months post-birth (source).
The biggest difference between exercise after a C-section vs. a vaginal birth is when you can start. And like so many questions on this list, it’s hard to say when that’s going to happen for you.
It will depend a lot on your core strength prior to your C-section, but also just generally on how your body responded to your C-section and what your healing process has been like.
The definite rules of thumb are:
This often happens somewhere between 6-8 weeks postpartum, but for some mamas, it can take 12 weeks or longer. My biggest piece of advice is to trust and listen to your body and wait as long as necessary to prevent long-term damage.
In many cases, yes, you can often do skin-to-skin after your C-section right in the OR! I am a big proponent for skin-to-skin after C-sections if you and baby are both stable and able because it provides so many benefits to mom and baby.
If you do wish to attempt skin-to-skin immediately after your C-section birth, be sure to indicate this on your birth plan and discuss it with your provider prior to the big day. It’s not always standard practice but can often be accommodated.
In the event that you are unable to do immediate skin-to-skin in the OR, keep in mind that your partner could stand in and do the first skin-to-skin with baby, and know that skin-to-skin benefits aren’t exclusive to the first hour after birth! Practicing skin-to-skin as soon as it’s safe for mom and baby is still beneficial.
Belly binders (also known as postpartum compression garments) can be a super helpful tool after your C-section. They provide protection for your incision, and also support the muscles in your core and back, as well as improve your posture while you are healing.
Overall, they promote general comfort as you heal after major abdominal surgery, and in some cases might even help to close the gap between your abdominal muscles if you experienced diastasis recti.
It’s important to get the right positioning of your belly binder. You want it positioned across your hips and waist, so that it’s supporting the muscles of that low abdomen area. It shouldn’t be up high where it’s reaching your bra line.
Note that you should not sleep in your belly binder – breaks are important so don’t use it when you don’t need the support (ie: when you’re not mobile). You can read a bit more about these in this article.
The answer is probably! You see gas pains are a common postpartum symptom in general, and a common symptom after abdominal surgeries, so for you C-section mamas, it’s kind of a perfect storm.
And those gas pains can be pretty dang painful from what I’ve seen and heard! You may experience them in the more typical gas pain spots we think of, but the pain can also feel like pain in the ribs, upper back, and even all the way up to the shoulders! Crazy I know.
This largely happens because of slowed down bowels and organs shifting back to their normal position after birth.
To help aid with this, veteran C-section mamas over on Instagram recommend using Gas X pills. You should also drink lots of warm liquids (like lemon ginger tea) to promote regularity in your digestive system and ease gas pains.
Related Reading: C-Section Hospital Bag List from Veteran C-Section Mamas
It can be tricky to get into a comfortable sleeping position after your C-section because any pressure on your healing wound is super uncomfortable! Also, the general pain and soreness can make sleep difficult – not to mention the extra wakings related to newborn care, too.
Basically, you want to find a way to sleep that is going to keep pressure off your abdomen. In the first few days, this almost certainly means sleeping on your back. Some women find back sleeping more comfortable if they elevate their legs slightly with a rolled blanket or pillow under their knees. Or you can try propping up your upper body for a sort of reclined back-sleeping position.
Once your incision isn’t as sore, you can transition to side sleeping. The advantage of this position is that it may be easier to get in and out of bed without support (source).
So we did touch on the topic of diarrhea after C-section, but more often the issue with pooping after C-section is constipation-related. Your bowels often slow down significantly during birth (and during abdominal surgery in general), so constipation after a C-section is very common.
In fact, many women don’t poop during their C-section hospital stay. Often, we just want to know that at least you are passing some gas and that things are starting to get moving.
Some things you can do to help with poop and constipation after your C-section are:
Breastfeeding after birth is something that involves a learning curve for most mamas, and education about milk supply, latch, and positioning ahead of time can make a big difference! So in this list of C-section recovery FAQs, I knew I wanted to include a bit about breastfeeding as a C-section mama.
It’s ideal to start breastfeeding as soon as possible after your C-section to trigger lactation. It’s also associated with better breastfeeding outcomes. If you and your baby are stable you can often breastfeed right away (with support) in the OR, or at least within 2 hours of birth when you are in the PACU after your C-section.
If for some reason you aren’t able to breastfeed baby within 12 hours of birth (due to either of your needs), you’ll definitely want to start pumping and extracting colostrum to feed to baby and trigger your body to start making more milk.
Above all, I HIGHLY encourage you to utilize the heck out of the lactation consultants on staff during your hospital stay after your C-section. They can help so much with baby’s latch and positioning advice to set you up for success with breastfeeding while you are healing.
Related Reading: Preparing to Breastfeed before You Start
Before you are discharged from the hospital after your C-section, your provider and postpartum nurse will go over red flags and reasons to call them.
Generally speaking, any sign of infection, and anything that seems abnormal in your mind is worth a call! We’d rather you call and it be a false alarm than have something go unreported.
In conclusion, let me just remind you that this is not an exhaustive list but a great starting point for C-section recovery FAQs. Above all you should always follow your provider’s advice for your unique recovery!
If you’re currently preparing for your upcoming C-section, here are some other resources from MLN to help you learn as much as possible: