Recovering From Your C-Section

• Once You Get Home

  The ward will inform your community team when you are discharged from hospital. They will contact you the following day and arrange your home visits as appropriate. If you have any worries or concerns, please contact your community midwife.

• What Happens With My Stitches?

  Dissolvable stitches are stitches that will gradually disappear on their own. They are not removed and normally dissolve in around 2 weeks.
  
  If you have non-dissolvable stitches or staples, they will normally be taken out by community midwives around the 5th day after your caesarean.

  Staff at the hospital will remove the dressing on your wound within 24 hours of your caesarean to check it looks clean and healthy. You should keep your wound as clean and dry as possible while it heals.
  
  Things to look out for:

  • If you notice any redness, oozing, pain or an offensive smell, please contact your midwife to get it checked out.
  • You will notice a loss of feeling/sensation around your scar; this is normal for the type of surgery you have been through and is not usually permanent.

• How Long Will I Bleed For?

  After the birth, it can be normal to have vaginal bleeding for up to 2-4 weeks after a caesarean. By 2 weeks it should be reducing in amount, similar to a light period.
  
  You should use sanitary pads (not tampons) until your postnatal check with your GP at 6-8 weeks.
  
  See your midwife or a GP if at any point:

  • Your blood loss has an offensive smell
  • You think the blood loss is not reducing in amount
  • You pass clots bigger than a golf ball 

• Can I Take Over The Counter Pain Relief?

  We usually recommend paracetamol and ibuprofen as pain relief after a Caesarean section (as long as you have no allergies or issues with taking them).

  If you require more pain relief, please check with your midwife that there are no complications that may be causing extra pain.
  
  You can use co-dydramol as extra pain relief, but NOT co-codamol if you are breastfeeding as this transfers through breastmilk and can make the baby drowsy.

  If you do take co-dydramol while breastfeeding, please be aware and if your baby becomes drowsy, stop the medication immediately and seek medical help.

   

• How Long Does It Take To Recover After My Caesarean?

  Most people will try to do too much, too soon. So take it easy and aim to have help at home for the first two weeks, possibly longer.
  
  Remember to:

  • Avoid heavy lifting for the first 6 weeks
  • Wait 6-8 weeks before starting exercise.

  When you begin to exercise, start with low-impact exercises such as swimming, pilates, yoga, gentle jogging or low-resistance gym work.

  Your GP may recommend you wait at least 12 weeks before starting any high impact exercises such as aerobics, running and high resistance or weight training in the gym.

  Be aware that hormones after pregnancy can affect your joints for up to 6 months after birth, so always remember to stop if it hurts.

• When Can I Have A Bath?

  You can have a shower as soon as you can move about following your caesarean. We recommend starting with showers as they are easier to get in and out safely.

  Once you are confident you can get in and out of the bath safely and your wound has healed over, you can have a bath.

  Things to remember when washing:

  • Don’t soak in the bath for a long time as it will soften the scab on your wound and can affect healing
  • Make sure you allow the wound to air dry before dressing
  • Don't use perfumed products in the bath water or on and around the wound while it is healing.

• When Can I Drive After My Caesarean?

  You should be able to drive again when you feel you can concentrate and are able to perform an emergency stop. This is usually within 6 weeks after your operation.

  However, you will need to check with your car insurance company before you start driving.

• When Can I Go Back To Work?

  We recommend not returning to work for 6-12 weeks after a Caesarean Section.

  However, this depends on the nature of your job and can be decided following your doctor’s advice. Speak to your GP for personal guidance. 

• When Can I Have Sex?

  You can resume sexual intercourse when you feel comfortable.

  It is still possible to fall pregnant after having a baby as soon as your ovaries start to ovulate again, which can be as early as 4 weeks after giving birth. If you are not using contraception, it could result in another pregnancy.

  It's important to think about your family planning needs and pregnancy spacing as soon as you start to resume having sex.

  Sex and family planning will be discussed at your 6-8 week GP check, but you can make an appointment to discuss this sooner with your family planning nurse at the GP surgery if you are planning to resume sexual activity before then.