Most women recover in the hospital for 3 to 4 days. When you get home, try to give yourself a break.

Learn more about the postpartum recovery period at WhatToExpect.com: https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/pregnancy-health/postpartum-recovery/

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Transcript:

So, you’re pregnant and wondering about C-sections. Here’s what you need to know about the procedure and the recovery.
What to Expect When: Your Baby is Born by C-section
Before
32 percent of babies are delivered via C-section in the United States. Some are planned, while others aren’t. Possible reasons for a scheduled C-section: You’re having multiples, your baby is breech or you develop preeclampsia or eclampsia.
Possible reasons for an unplanned C-section: Labor doesn’t start, labor stalls, exhaustion or fetal distress.
During
You’ll have an IV and anesthesia. The doctor will make two incisions, one in your lower abdomen and one on your uterus. You won’t see anything. Most women stay awake. The procedure lasts about 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes or so to stitch you back up.
You should be able to see and hear baby right away. You’ll probably be able to hold her, too.
After
Most women recover in the hospital for three to four days. When you’re discharged, the doctor will ask you to take it easy for a few more weeks.
You may feel: fatigue, uterine contractions, lochia, breast engorgement or incision pain.
At home, try to give yourself a break. Whenever possible, have someone else bring your baby to you and don’t carry anything besides the baby. Let your partner, family and friends prepare meals and do laundry.
To care for your incision: Keep it clean, wear loose tops and pants, expose your scar to air to promote healing.
It’s normal if the incision itches, pulls, feels numb or changes colors. If you have a fever, or if the incision site gets red or oozy, call your doctor.
Feeling back to normal will take time, so be kind to yourself. Soon you’ll be well on your way to full-steam-ahead motherhood.
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What is C-section recovery like? In this video, we walk you through the “Enhanced Recovery After Surgery” (ERAS) program used at the Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital at Michigan Medicine to aid women when recovering from cesarean surgery. The ERAS program is designed to help you heal more quickly, manage your pain more effectively and get you up and active post C-section as soon as possible. By focusing on three main areas; pain management, eating and drinking, and getting you moving while you are still healing, Michigan Medicine is here for you every step of the way with information, education and support as you go through your childbirth journey.

How long do you have to wait to drink fluids, eat food, or drive a car? When can you start working out again? Is post C-section pain normal? When can you actually lift your baby? If you’ve just had a C-section, or have one planned, it’s likely that questions like these are among those racing through your head. While common, cesarean sections are serious operations, and there is a lot to consider, particularly when it comes to healing. Michigan Medicine has you covered on everything you need to know to navigate your pregnancy, delivery and postpartum healing.

Check out Michigan Medicine’s childbirth resources:
https://www.umwomenshealth.org/resources/womens-health-education-library/childbirth-obstetric-care-resources

Learn more about prenatal and childbirth care from Michigan Medicine’s nationally ranked Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital team:
https://www.umwomenshealth.org/conditions-treatments/pregnancy-childbirth

View a list of locations where our childbirth providers see patients:
https://www.umwomenshealth.org/conditions-treatments/ob-gyn-pregnancy-care/locations
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After your Cesarean birth, you will be in a recovery room for about one to two hours.
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