During pregnancy and labor, situations can arise that necessitate a cesarean or <\/span>\u201cC\u201d section<\/span><\/a> delivery. The physicians at Women\u2019s Integrated Healthcare guide women to understanding when a C section is necessary as the safest measure of delivering their baby.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In the United States, about one in three births occur via C-section. So, it\u2019s important for women and their loved ones to understand the procedure and its recovery.<\/span><\/p>\n The C section procedure is a surgery to deliver a baby via an incision in the abdomen and uterus. In some pregnancies, a C section is called for by the doctor to protect the health of the mother and child. Reasons for C-sections include multiple babies, failure to dilate, abnormal birth position, the baby isn\u2019t getting enough oxygen, or problems with the placenta or umbilical cord.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A C-section is <\/span>major<\/i><\/b> abdominal surgery, and as such, it takes time to heal. While it is a rather common procedure, recovery is much different from that of vaginal birth. Here are some things you need to know about recovering from a C section.<\/span><\/p>\n Women who deliver via C section can expect, on average, a two-to-three day hospital stay. The incision will be watched closely while in the hospital. Women are encouraged to rest as much as possible while in the hospital, as it\u2019s significantly harder to rest when mother and baby come home and \u201creal life\u201d sets in.<\/span><\/p>\n As you near the end of your pregnancy, ask your doctor if there\u2019s a chance you might need a C section. He or she might be able to predict based on the baby\u2019s position or other factors. Or, perhaps you\u2019ve already got the procedure scheduled. Whatever the case, it\u2019s important to be prepared. Here\u2019s a list of what you need to have on hand for recovery.<\/span><\/p>\n Again, a C section is major surgery, and it requires rest, recovery, patience and preparation. With the right supplies and support, women who deliver this way can make a speedy recovery and enjoy their new baby to the fullest.<\/span><\/p>\n If you are pregnant and think you may deliver by C-section our Southlake OBGYN’s<\/a> right here in Grapevine, are happy to work with you. We provide expert, compassionate care. Contact us<\/a>\u00a0for an appointment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Recovering From a C Section: What to Expect During pregnancy and labor, situations can arise that necessitate a cesarean or \u201cC\u201d section delivery. The physicians at Women\u2019s Integrated Healthcare guide women to understanding when a C section is necessary as the safest measure of delivering their baby.\u00a0 About 30 percent of women have C sections. Here\u2019s how to prepare. In the United States, about one in three births occur via C-section. So, it\u2019s important for women and their loved ones to understand the procedure and its recovery. The C section procedure is a surgery to deliver a baby via an incision in the abdomen and uterus. In some pregnancies, a C section is called for by the doctor to protect the health of the mother and child. Reasons for C-sections include multiple babies, failure to dilate, abnormal birth position, the baby isn\u2019t getting enough oxygen, or problems with the placenta or umbilical cord.\u00a0 A C-section is major abdominal surgery, and as such, it takes time to heal. While it is a rather common procedure, recovery is much different from that of vaginal birth. Here are some things you need to know about recovering from a C section. C Section Recovery: What You Need to Know Women who deliver via C section can expect, on average, a two-to-three day hospital stay. The incision will be watched closely while in the hospital. Women are encouraged to rest as much as possible while in the hospital, as it\u2019s significantly harder to rest when mother and baby come home and \u201creal life\u201d sets in. Get rest and recover. We mentioned how hard it is to get rest when you\u2019re home with dozens of things to do and a baby who doesn\u2019t sleep through the night, but ask for help. Line up helpers for household chores, and sleep whenever the baby sleeps. Speaking of rest, it might be hard to find a comfortable snoozing position. Use body pillows to relieve pressure on your sore abdomen, and even try the living room recliner if the bed isn\u2019t comfortable. Also, make sure you\u2019re controlling your stress levels so you can get some much-needed shut-eye.\u00a0 Be careful picking up and holding your baby. Your doctor will probably instruct you not to pick up more than 10-15 pounds for at least a few weeks. It\u2019s best for someone to hand you your baby while you\u2019re already in a seated position. Breastfeeding positions can be uncomfortable, especially if the baby is pressing on the tender C section incision area. Women find relief by placing a pillow over the incision site and experimenting with the baby\u2019s positions to relieve pressure on the incision. Try a football hold or lying on your side. If you use an unorthodox method, make sure the baby is latching properly to avoid sore nipples. Get a helper to assist in moving your baby around while breastfeeding. Move often. Yes, rest and try to recover, but also get up and walk when you\u2019re awake, as it\u2019ll help relieve the gas pains you\u2019ll probably suffer. Plus, you\u2019ll need to retrain those abdominal muscles to work properly. It will probably hurt to cough, sneeze and stand up. Again, pillows to the rescue. Press a pillow against your abdomen as you need to cough and sneeze. It\u2019ll help with some of the pulling and pressure applied to your incision. Get help standing up and sitting down whenever you can. Grab solid objects for support. C Section Recovery Kit As you near the end of your pregnancy, ask your doctor if there\u2019s a chance you might need a C section. He or she might be able to predict based on the baby\u2019s position or other factors. Or, perhaps you\u2019ve already got the procedure scheduled. Whatever the case, it\u2019s important to be prepared. Here\u2019s a list of what you need to have on hand for recovery. OTC pain meds: Your doctor might send you home with prescription pain medications, but at some point, you\u2019ll be ready to switch to over-the-counter solutions. Have them handy before you need them. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are great options for pain management. Pillows: You\u2019ll want pillows for a couple of reasons. First, they\u2019ll help you find a comfortable sleeping position. Some women find relief by placing a pillow under their abdomen while lying on their sides. Second, you might use several to help you find a comfortable breastfeeding position. Third, you can grab a pillow and push it against your belly as you cough, sneeze or get out of bed or a chair.\u00a0 Belly support: A good belly binder can aid in recovery from a C section by helping to support the abdominal muscles. By stabilizing your midsection, it can also provide back support and relief from back pain. Laxatives and gas-relief medication: Unfortunately, two common side effects of C-section surgery are gas pain and constipation. You\u2019ll want good, over-the-counter medications on your side to help you cope with the discomfort.\u00a0 Comfortable, high-waisted clothes. You won\u2019t want anything constrictive or that rubs against your incision. High-waisted underwear is a must. There are even lines of C-section underwear on the market.\u00a0 Sanitary pads: Surprisingly, you might bleed vaginally after having a C section. Have multiple types of pads, from heavy to light, on hand, and expect to need them for about three weeks postpartum. Helpers: Line up a list of friends and family who are willing to help you around the house, since you won\u2019t be able to lift the laundry basket for a few weeks.\u00a0 Again, a C section is major surgery, and it requires rest, recovery, patience and preparation. With the right supplies and support, women who deliver this way can make a speedy recovery and enjoy their new baby to the fullest. If you are pregnant and think you may deliver by C-section our Southlake OBGYN’s right here in Grapevine, are happy to work with you. We provide expert, compassionate care. Contact us\u00a0for an appointment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2321,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-birth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expioconsulting.com\/macarthur\/wih\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expioconsulting.com\/macarthur\/wih\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expioconsulting.com\/macarthur\/wih\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expioconsulting.com\/macarthur\/wih\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expioconsulting.com\/macarthur\/wih\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2318"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/expioconsulting.com\/macarthur\/wih\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2318\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expioconsulting.com\/macarthur\/wih\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expioconsulting.com\/macarthur\/wih\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expioconsulting.com\/macarthur\/wih\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expioconsulting.com\/macarthur\/wih\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}About 30 percent of women have C sections. Here\u2019s how to prepare.<\/b><\/h2>\n
C Section Recovery: What You Need to Know<\/b><\/h2>\n
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C Section Recovery Kit<\/b><\/h2>\n
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