A Caesarian section, commonly known as a c-section, is a method of delivering a baby through an incision in your stomach and womb. The incision is typically made horizontally across your stomach, just below your bikini line. Less often, vertical incisions are performed.
Hearing that you are going to have a c-section isn’t always the most welcomed news for every woman. The news itself can bring about many feelings, and usher in a lot of questions.
Whether your c-section was planned due to health risks, your baby’s positioning or even personal preference, or if it was a necessary emergency procedure, recovery from a caesarian section is not easy.
As someone who had an emergency c-section with less than 10 minutes notice, there are several things I wish I could have done in advance to prepare, to help make my first few weeks home and long-term recovery smoother.
For that reason, I am sharing these tips with you in hopes of making your c-section recovery period smoother, faster and safer.
Why Preparation for a C-Section is So Important
Within my first few days home after my c-section, I had made a mental list of things I wish I had done differently to prepare.
All of a sudden, I was home with my new little baby, having to care for her, but also having to take care of myself. Your postpartum period begins as soon as the baby is born. Although self-care after delivery is always required, after a c-section you have to take extra care.
In addition to caring for a newborn, you are in pain, you have to be mindful that you have just had major surgery and are healing inside, and you have an outer incision to care for. That’s a lot for any woman, let alone a new mom.
The Importance of Taking Care of You After Your C-Section
As women, we are used to forging on and working hard despite not feeling our best a lot of the time. This, however, is one of those occasions that it is extremely important to listen to your Doctors and your body. You really need to take your healing seriously.
Taking care of yourself after a c-section is vitally important, not just for a swift recovery, but for your long-term health. Remember, your body is healing from major abdominal surgery. Although you have a baby to take care of and you may feel ok some days, let that replay in your head…major abdominal surgery!
Even after the pain subsides and your incision looks healed, there is still a lot going on inside of your body. The layers of muscle, tissue and nerves that were cut during your surgery will take a long time to heal.
So I will say it one more time for emphasis! It is important to take it easy and to pace yourself. Follow your Doctor’s instructions. Go to your six week check up. Continue to listen to your body about how you’re feeling, and follow up with your doctor if anything seems off.
With All the Focus on Baby, You Need to Remember to Focus on You After Your C-Section
Bringing your baby home will likely be all that you can think about after you have delivered. The people around you will be preoccupied with your little bundle of joy, which is expected!
This is one of the reasons that I am stressing the importance of preparation and self-care after birth, because it is so easy for Mama to be overlooked during that time.
For this reason, taking some time to do some preparation before your c-section can be an immense help to you once you have delivered your baby.
What Can You Do To Help You to Prepare Before Your C-Section
In this post I share recommendations for things that you should do before a c-section, to help you have a safer, smoother and quicker recovery. Some of these things I was thankful I did before my delivery, despite not knowing I was going to have a c-section. Others, I wish I had.
These tips can help moms who are having planned c-sections or ones who anticipate it might be a possibility and want to do some “just in case” preparation as well. Either way, I don’t think it will hurt, even if you end up having a vaginal birth.
These tips are meant to help make your life with your new baby easier during those first few days, weeks and months. They also emphasize the importance of self-care, which as a psychotherapist, is one of my favourite topics!
10 Ways to Prepare Before a C-section
1. Make Plans for Food by Meal Prepping, Ordering & Stocking Up in Advance
Meal Prepping Before Delivery
Apart from having a newborn, you’re going to be sore and slow the first couple of weeks after a c-section. Don’t underestimate how you’ll feel. Some women feel okay and can manage light tasks like preparing food after the first week, however, the pain can be intense for at least the first few weeks for others.
Making food, particularly standing to make meals will not be one of your favourite tasks, if you even manage to find the time for it.
Despite not knowing I was going to have a c-section, I was so happy that I prepared freezer meals like lasagna, soup, taco meat, oatmeal, waffles and other easy to reheat options beforehand. This made it so easy to just take a walk to the kitchen and reheat something quickly. It also made it really easy to have someone do it for me when the pain was really intense, or I was caring for the baby.
Having Food Prepared by Others
If you’re not a cook, you can arrange for a meal train, which is when friends and/or family take turn to drop off dishes once you are home. If you’re lucky to have family and friends close by or staying with you during your recovery, they can assist with meal preparation. Meal delivery is another great option.
The goal is to think about this before you deliver, so you’re not scrambling to make arrangements afterward, when you’re tired, sore and have a baby to care for.
Eating well and staying nourished is vital for your baby’s development and your healing. Your body needs to be well sustained with nutritious food that will help you to recover quickly, while providing care to your baby.
Stocking Up
Stocking all of the rooms in your home that you will be spending lots of time in post c-section, is a great way to remind you to nourish your body and keep these items accessible. Snacks like trail mix, nuts, granola bars, dried fruit and filling drinks helped to keep me full and nourished while I was nursing.
Amazon Fresh is a great option both before and after your c-section, so that you don’t have to leave your home to ensure that you’re fully stocked on everything that you need.
Some of my favourites were:
2. Clean your House
This is something that many women feel to do during the nesting phase, so I was happy I had done some deep cleaning and organization before I left for the hospital. A few weeks into my c-section recovery, I realized how helpful this actually was.
Considering you’re not advised to sweep, mop or do any vigorous activity for some time after your c-section, I was so happy that I took the time to clean my house from top to bottom before I left for the hospital. C-sections severely limit the amount and level of housework you can do for some time, remember most physical work involves moving your abdominal area. I could barely bend or do much else for that matter. To be honest housework wasn’t even a thought in my mind for the first couple of weeks after delivering my daughter. It definitely helped that I had l cleaned the and everything was organized for the baby.
Having things organized in a way that I could direct others to find things easily, when I was unable to bend or search, was essential. My husband could easily find things that I needed for the baby, because I had things organized in such a way that retrieval was easy. For tips on how to prepare the nursery or a space for baby, check out this post.
If you’re not up to this task or have a health condition that prevents you from being able to clean yourself, such as Doctor ordered bed rest, consider asking a friend or family member to assist, or hiring someone to help.
3. Arrange Help for after your C-Section
Help Around the House
Continuing from the previous tip, you won’t be able to do any housework for a while after your c-section, especially anything that involves heavy lifting or moving your core (think sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, etc.)
For these reasons, you may benefit from having a few extra hands around the house to help you, even if you have a partner and other older children around to assist.
SERIOUSLY, even if you think you may, you won’t even have the energy or stamina to perform routine tasks in the beginning.
If you receive offers to help or feel comfortable asking, pre-arranging assistance for things like dishes, laundry, cleaning, running errands and other chores will certainly be a big relief to you. Even more so if you have other kids that need to be taken care of.
Help with Personal Care
Even taking care of yourself will require some help at first. I found it very hard to get out of bed or to pick-up the baby from certain positions for the first week or two.
Other areas that you may need help with might be with showering, getting in and out of the car, putting on your socks and shoes, or picking things up off of the floor.
4. Stock up on Postpartum Essentials (including c-section specific ones)
I’m going to re-emphasize that you won’t feel like doing much of anything other than taking care of your baby for at least the first couple of weeks. So waiting until after your deliver to think about postpartum necessities isn’t the best idea.
Research and stock up on postpartum essentials (especially c-section specific ones) prior to your surgery, and ensure that you have all of these at home, placed in easily accessible locations. Think, near your bed, in the bathroom, in your purse, etc. You will be thankful that you did!
Check out this post about postpartum needs that are important to add to your list, or check out some top rated supplies here: Postpartum Supplies
5. Buy a Belly Binder
This one was so important that it deserved it’s own tip! I can’t stress this more! BUY A BELLY BINDER!
A belly binder was extremely helpful after my c-section. I began wearing it a couple of days after I got home from the hospital, for most of the day, but was sure to remove it for sometime to give myself a break. I continued this ritual for the first three months after my c-section, and then wore it occasionally for the next 3 months. It was particularly helpful in the vehicle.
In my opinion, it helps to you to feel more secure at a time when your body is feeling really out of sorts.
I found that it stabilized both my core area and my back. It helped to reduce the pain when going over bumps (while in the vehicle), sitting up, getting off of the bed, coughing or laughing. You don’t want to feel how intense the pain can be during these activities without one.
6. Prepare a Stockpile of Comfortable C-section Friendly Clothing
Post c-section you will have a very sore incision site that will be sensitive and prone to irritation with just the slight touch of the area. Wearing clothing that sits on or very close to the incision site will cause you great discomfort.
Wearing clothing that sits well above your incision or avoids the area completely will likely be the most comfortable strategy for some time.
I found that some compression in that area helped, so having something fitted and tight over my incision, but high waisted, were the best options for me.
Some great examples included high waist tights and yoga pants or loose dresses, with high waist underwear or bicycle shorts underneath worked best for me. You can also find some cute loungewear that sits in the right spot.
Filling a drawer or basket with comfortable items so that they can be easily accessed will save you a lot of unnecessary stress after your c-section. I filled the bottom drawer of my bedside table with some easy options, and kept the rest in my dresser. It made it really easy to just grab something after spit-ups, poop explosions and showers.
Here are a few items that might work well: C-Section Clothing Ideas
7. Put a Pillow in the Car for Post C-Section Trips
My first car ride home from the hospital was ROUGH! Apart from already being anxious about that first drive with your precious baby, you will be in a good deal of pain. This was the case with me (even while on painkillers). Even if you are discharged several days after your surgery, the bumps and most movement in general cause intense shocking pain and discomfort.
What I found helpful on subsequent car trips was to keep a small pillow in the car. Holding it against the incision site helped to reduce my discomfort. Similar to the compression provided by the belly binder, the pillow helped to keep the incision site from moving around, and eased the pain.
These ones are specifically designed for post surgery, and contain a pocket for a heating or ice pack.
Eventually I traded the pillow for my belly binder, but that pillow was my best friend for some time!
8. Have Everything Ready for the Baby before your C-Section
Labor can come on really unexpectedly sometimes. Even if you have a planned c-section, sometimes circumstances warrant earlier intervention.
Whether you deliver early or right on schedule it is a good idea to try to have all of your necessities for baby ready at least a few weeks before your anticipated due date.
Whether you do the shopping yourself or you put them on your baby registry, aim to have all of your baby necessities purchased and organized before you head to the hospital. The worst thing is laying in your hospital bed thinking about all of the things you still have to do to prepare, or even worse, having to do these things after your c-section.
Driving is a no-no at first after a c-section, so you will be dependent on others to get around. Because you are advised to only lift your baby’s weight, you likely won’t be able to do much shopping for a little while. I relied on online shopping and delivery services a lot after I delivered, just because it saved me a lot of stress and pain!
My other top 2 essentials that I found particularly helpful after c-section were:
My Brest friend made nursing so much easier. Similar to the pillow idea above, the compression against my incision helped, especially during the contractions that accompany breastfeeding.
It helps to ensure that baby is positioned well, rather than on top of the incision site. The pocket was an added bonus!
The Halo Bassinest was a lifesaver when it came to getting baby in and out of her bassinet after the c-section. It swiveled and sat right over my bed, so she could be right beside me and easily accessible without me having to move to much or get off of the bed.
The fact that the front went down with the push of my arm also prevented me from straining or maneuvering too much as well. I highly recommend it for both vaginal and c-section mamas.
Other postpartum essentials that were helpful after my c-section, can be found in this post.
9. Create a Nursery Cart (or basket) Near your Post C-Section Recovery “Headquarters”
I will reiterate this point yet again. After your c-section you will be recovering from major abdominal surgery, and it is vital that you take the time you need to rest and recover. If you don’t, you will find yourself having issues way longer than you have to.
To help with this, it is a good idea to set up a little ‘headquarters”. This is the area where you will spend most of your recovery time, while also caring for your baby.
Depending on the layout of your house, choose a space where you feel comfortable and have access to things that you need easily. This is especially important if you will be spending long periods of time without help. This may be your bedroom or living room or other area. Remember to avoid lots of stairs, when possible.
Set up a nursing cart or basket with all of baby’s much needed essentials, and your most needed items as well. You won’t want to have to get up and down and move all around the house, hunting down things that you need frequently.
For baby, you can fill your cart with things like diapers, wipes, wash cloths, burp cloths, pump supplies, clothing, blankets, pacifiers and anything else that you think you may need. Whatever you will frequently be using with your baby should be in there an easy for you to access.
For you, you can include water, snacks, a change of clothing, your medication and anything else that you use regularly.
Here is an option that works well for a nursing cart, or if you prefer something smaller, a diaper caddy that can be used in another space.
10. Prepare your Spouse (Partner, Housemate, Parent or Friend)
Just because you have educated yourself about recovery after a c-section, doesn’t mean that those around you will be knowledgeable or know what to expect. For that reason it is important to review some of the important details with whoever will be helping you and baby.
Whoever this person (or persons) is(are), they will benefit from having an idea of what to expect in terms of: what kind of help you may need, what your recovery may be like, warning signs to look out for, or other personal requests you may have.
Discuss information that is relevant and helpful for your recovery in advance, rather than after your c-section.
Familiarizing them with your wishes for baby and where to access their necessities is also important.
Final Thoughts
Preparation is the key to a smoother C-section recovery! It is hard to predict how any medical recovery will go, but I have learned that preparing as much as possible does go a long way.
Taking the time to follow these tips prior to your c-section is likely to help you feel better prepared, and consequently less worried or stressed about your c-section recovery. I found that having a positive mindset in terms of your recovery is so important. For me, feeling prepared and like I had some sense of control helped with that.
I hope that you have found these tips helpful, and wish you the absolute best of luck during and after your c-section and postpartum journey!
Don’t forget to check out my post on the postpartum essentials that no one tells you that you need!
I Would Love to Hear from You!
Do you have any other tips to share with c-section mamas? If so, please feel free to share them in the comments.
If you have questions, you can contact me or leave them in the comments.
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I wish I had prepared for both of my C-Sections! This list is so great! I wish I would have invested in a belly binder after both my c-sections! It sounds like it could have helped tremendously!
I definitely recommend it for anyone having a c-section. I felt such an immense difference once I started wearing it! Thanks for your comment.
These are excellent recommendations for someone that has a scheduled C-section. Thanks for sharing!
I don’t have any kids yet but I am planning for it. I’m pretty small so I think it’s a chance I’ll have one. My mom had one with me and my brother so I just want to prepare so def great posts