c-section healing

[jannk]

Does anyone have any tips on the best way to heal from a c-section, aside from rest? Any alternate ways to treat the incision?
Thanks.

[Tiffanoodle]

For me this time, the most important thing has been staying active, but not overdoing it. The days that I have stayed in bed or lounged on the couch all day have been my worst. The pain has been horrible once I get up. Moving around, drinking TONS of water, and keeping up on my food intake and iron pills (I'm chronically anemic) have been key. I also keep a peri pad on my incision. I've noticed that if I don't have the pad over the incision, it ITCHES. My OB took my steri strips off at my 2 week appointment yesterday and said my incision is healing really well. All I've done is try to keep it clean (spray it in the shower) and dry (pat it really dry and then use the pad).

I have been very cautious, especially when I'm feeling great, to not lift more than a few pounds. I lifted my 25 pound 2 year old the other day. That wasn't pleasant. I have used more pain pills than I thought I would, but I find that life is easier if I'm not in a ton of pain on top of everything else.

[jannk]

Thanks for the info. Have you been able to find any info on this topic on mothering or are those of us who required a csection the outcasts??? I hope that's not the case and that it's my lack of knowledge in searching the site.

[sharr610]

Calendula gel worked wonders with my first. Healing but breathable. Agreed, a little walk everyday helps. these two things helped me be up and running at 2.5 weeks post surgery with DS.

[Tiffanoodle]

Honestly, I have't done much searching. I just glanced in Birth & Beyond, though, and there seemed to be a few threads on the first page re: c-sections. There's probably more in Healing Birth Trauma, although I didn't look there. I don't consider my c-section this time particularly traumatic, and as silly as it sounds, this section actually helped heal a lot of trauma from my first birth. I don't think we're outcasts. Just in the minority.

[UberMama]

I've never done anything special?! Keep the incision dry and go about my day. I don't do anything overly strenuous for the first couple of weeks, then I resume all normal activities around 10-14 days PP (driving, sex, regular chores, etc.).