Do's and Don'ts For a Successful C-Section Recovery

Don't lift anything heavier than your baby, keep your incision clean and dry, avoid exercise until you get your OB's go ahead, call your OB if there's swelling in your incision or if you have a fever (even if your incision looks fine). These were the standard reminders given to me almost two years ago when I gave birth to Audrey and Antonino via C-section. But what about laughing post-operation? Even weeks after giving birth, laughing would hurt so bad that I would usually end up crying both tears of joy and genuine tears of pain! So for you fellow C-section mamas out there, here are some post-operation do's and don'ts you won't normally hear.

DO's

Have a pillow handy for the drive home. You will need it to cushion your belly/incision especially when you pass bumpy roads.

Laugh. Yes, C-section recovery sucks and on top of that you still have a baby to look after. But this is why it's important to keep your sense of humor. Finding humor in things can really help in coping with the most stressful moments of your life. I know I said laughing hurts and this is why the next do is:

Surround yourself with pillows. Hold a pillow against your abdomen/incision area when you laugh. This really helps reduce the pain. Also stack pillows to support your back and help you find a comfortable position when you're holding your baby.

Wear a binder with medical-grade compression. A great binder helps lessen incision pain and offers reassurance to worrywart mamas like me that my incision wound won't burst open.

Roll. Instead of sitting up, roll to one side of the bed and push yourself upright with your arms. This was the least painful way for me to get up from bed because it didn't work my abdominal muscles.

Accept your scar. It allowed you to bring life into this world and made you a mother.

DON'Ts

Get sick! Coughing and sneezing will make your incision throb. But if you really have to cough or sneeze, remember to hold a pillow against your incision as well.

Do any housework. Of course you get a free pass! You just had major surgery and need to recover. Need I say more?

Eat anything that will make you gassy. Gas pains can sometimes make you feel like your scar is splitting. It's one of the worst feelings post-operation.

Forget stool softeners are your best friend. It's tough to push when your abdomen is still sore. Plus there's that lingering fear of having your stitches rupture (told you I'm a worrywart). Stool softeners will help ease bowel movement so you don't strain too much. 

Think having a C-section makes you less of a mother. How you gave birth is not indicative of how you'll be as a mother. All mothers are unique and have different birth stories but we are all the same in loving our babies unconditionally and in our desire to make them happy and healthy. 

May you heal soon, mama!