What to Expect After a Cesarean Section

English What to Expect After a Cesarean Section
What to Expect After a
Cesarean Section (C-section)
Activity
After a cesarean section you will be
transferred to the Post Anesthesia Care
Unit (Recovery Room). You will stay there
for 2-3 hours after the procedure or until
you can move your legs and are able to
move from the stretcher to your bed in the
post partum unit.
Breastfeeding
You can breastfeed anytime you want. If
you are not up to breastfeeding while you
are in the Recovery Room, place your baby
skin to skin to promote bonding. Your milk
should “come in” 2 to 4 days after delivery.
Before your milk comes in, your breasts
may feel soft. When the milk comes in, your
breasts may feel full and hard.
Colostrum is the “early milk” or yellow
liquid that you can squeeze from your
breasts after delivery. Colostrum is what
your baby will drink during the first couple
of days after birth, if you choose to
breastfeed. Colostrum has fat,
carbohydrates, protein, antibodies and other
special ingredients in it that help keep your
baby healthy. The Post Partum Unit has a
breastfeeding class every day at 9:30 a.m.
They also have lactation specialists who can
help you with breastfeeding concerns.
Baby Care
Your baby may stay with you while you are
in the Recovery Room unless it is your care
provider thinks it is necessary for the baby
to go up to the nursery. Your baby will be
weighed, bathed, measured and given
medicines or vaccinations in the Well Baby
Nursery after you are transferred to the
Post Partum Unit.
Fundal Checks and Fundal Pain
The top part of your uterus is called the
Fundus. After the C-section, your fundus
should start to become hard. A medication
called Pitocin will be added to your I.V. to
facilitate this. This helps control bleeding.
Your nurse will push on your abdomen to
feel how soft or hard the fundus is. If it
feels soft, your nurse will massage it to
make it firm. This may be uncomfortable.
Your fundus is checked often the first hour
after delivery, and checked regularly after
that. You may have “after pains” after
giving birth. Contracting and relaxing of
your uterus causes these pains. You may
feel these pains for up to three days. The
contractions get rid of the blood from
inside the uterus and also help stop
bleeding. These contractions may be
stronger and hurt more while you
breastfeed your baby. Medications will be
available to help with this pain.
Foley Catheter
A Foley catheter is a tube that is put into
your bladder to drain urine after spinal
anesthesia. This catheter is usually removed
12-24 hours after the C-section.
Diet
You may be given ice chips/clear liquids at
first. If you do not have problems after
drinking liquids, your doctor may change
your diet to a regular diet.
Bandages
A bandage is used to cover your stitches or
staples, keep area clean and dry, and help
prevent infection. Your doctor or resident
will remove the dressing 24 hours after the
C-section.
F6218 Labor and Birth / Maternity R0510

English What to Expect After a Cesarean Section
Deep Breathing and Coughing
This breathing exercise helps to keep you
from getting a lung infection after surgery.
Deep breathing opens the tubes going to
your lungs. Coughing helps to bring up
sputum (mucus) from your lungs for you to
spit out. You should deep breathe and
cough every hour while awake even if you
wake up during the night.
Hold a pillow tightly against your
incision (cut) when you cough to help
decrease the pain. Take a deep breath
and hold the breath as long as you can.
Then push the air out of your lungs
with a deep, strong cough. Take 10
deep breaths in a row every hour while
awake. Remember to follow each deep
breath with a cough.
You may be asked to use an incentive
spirometer. This helps you take deeper
breaths. Put the plastic piece into your
mouth and take a very deep breath.
Hold your breath as long as you can.
Then let out your breath. Use your
incentive spirometer 10 times in a row
every hour while awake.
Medicines
Antibiotics: may be given to help treat
or prevent infection caused by germs
(bacteria).
Anti-nausea medicine: may be given to
calm your stomach and control
vomiting. Pain medicine may upset
your stomach and make you feel like
vomiting. Because of this, pain
medicine and anti-nausea medicine are
often given at the same time.
Pain medicine: may be given to take
away or decrease your pain. Medicine
may be given regularly, or may only be
given if you ask your nurses for it. Tell
your nurses if your pain does not
decrease enough for you to feel better.
Do not wait until the pain is very bad to
ask for your pain medicine. If you wait
too long to take it, the medicine may not
control your pain as well.
Venodyne boots
These are pressure cuffs that are connected
to an air pump machine. The pump tightens
and loosens different parts of the boots.
This helps push the blood back to the heart
to keep clots from forming.
Bair Hugger
After C-section, your body temperature is
low due to the anesthesia medicines and the
temperature in the Operating Room, the
Bair Hugger is a warming blanket that is
attached to a machine that forces warm air
to the blanket.
Vaginal Discharge
You will have a vaginal discharge called
“Lochia” after delivery. The Lochia is bright
red the first one to two days after delivery,
and later turns a pink color. The lochia
changes to a white or yellow color by about
the 10th day after delivery. How long you
have lochia is different for each woman.
Use a sanitary pad rather than a tampon.
This help prevents vaginal infection. The
lochia should not have a bad smell, if it
does, you should contact your provider.
Length of stay in the Hospital
Mothers typically stay in the hospital for 3
to 4 days after a C-section.
Visiting Hours in Post Partum Units
From 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
F6218 Labor and Birth / Maternity R0510