Confinement Care Tips for C-Section Moms

Bringing a life into this earth is such a beautiful feeling, but giving birth is not easy and almost all expectant mothers will face the risks of experiencing complications. When vaginal delivery is not possible or risky, the doctors would suggest going for C-section or Cesarean delivery. 

As the C section involves incisions through the abdomen, it takes a considerable amount of time to heal. Therefore, complete care during confinement is necessary. 

The primary purpose of confinement is to keep you and your newborn at home for a certain period of time to keep you protected from possible infections and get as much rest as possible, which is essential for your recovery after c section delivery.

If you have undergone C-section delivery, here are some confinement care tips that you should follow:

Practise Relaxing Your Mind

A relaxed and happy mind is important for you to maintain good health, not just for a mother who had recently given birth to a child but also for every human being. The energy generated from laughing and hormones secreted from a relaxed mind can help the healing process.

Other Daily Habits to Try (or Not to!)

Getting enough rest is highly advisable for a mother undergoing C section. Doctors would generally advise c-section moms to rest your body and prevent from doing anything strenuous for about 40 days. Do not lift anything that is heavier or even close to your body weight during the days of confinement.

• Taking staircases should be avoided as it may worsen the stitches in the abdomen. Instead, it is advised to take gentle walks for half an hour every day or as much as you are comfortable to. This will help to keep your mind and body refreshed.
• Taking a bath right after a C-section is often not recommended, but it is still okay to take a light one. Wetting the stitches may make your skin vulnerable to infection so always clean and keep it dry.
• Whenever you need to laugh, cough, or sneeze, you can gently place your hand on the abdomen to minimise the pressure on the wounds and ease the pain. 
• Practise sleeping on your left as this can help with your blood flow. It is also easier to prop yourself up using your elbow compared to when sleeping on your back.
• If there is any sign of infection, redness, or swelling, consult your gynaecologist without any further delay.
• Since you need to stay rested, getting maternal help such as hiring a nanny is certainly beneficial. This way, you do not have to perform any household duties when you are healing from childbirth.
• Using tampons and having sex should only be carried out with the doctor’s advice.
• A postnatal body massage is beneficial for both you and your newborn. It will soothe your exhausted body, aid in blood circulation, and relieve breastfeeding issues like engorgement and blocked milk ducts.

Nutrition: 

Eating the right kind of food can hasten the healing process and boost your energy level. Ensuring you are getting fed with good nutrition is essential not only for your body to recover but is also crucial for your baby as you are possibly the only source of their nutrition.

Foods rich in protein, Vitamin C, and iron will help speed up the c-section recovery. Apart from that, drinking a lot of water is also recommended. If you follow the traditional confinement practices and wish to not drink too much water, you may have it together or substitute to with red dates tea. Sufficient fluid intake helps in breastfeeding, prevents dehydration, and keeps away constipation.

You May Also Read this – The Secret to A Speedy Recovery for C Section Moms

A fair amount of fibre intake is also helpful for easy bowel movements. It is concluded in studies that adding vegetables into the diet while breastfeeding imparts flavours in breast milk and increases the baby’s consumption of those vegetables while growing up. If you need help with breastfeeding as well, head to MumChecked for the most recommended breastfeeding tools at the best prices.

Below are some of the foods you can try adding into your daily meals during confinement:

• For protein: Fish, meat, dairy foods, nuts, peas, and legumes.
• For vitamin C: Orange, gooseberry, grapevine, strawberry, melon, etc. 
• For iron: Dry fruits, banana, oyster, walnut, red meat etc. 
• For helping with milk production: Garlic, fenugreek, fennel seeds, cumin, spinach, oats
• For calcium: Cheese, yoghurt, kale, etc. are perfect for breast production milk in new mothers.

 

• Foods that need to be avoided during confinement after C section: Carbonated beverages, citrus juice, highly-caffeinated products like coffee, any type of alcohol etc. 

All in all, it is important that you place your utmost priority in your healing after birth. Take care of yourself and heal properly not only for yourself but also so that your little one will have a mother who is healthy both on the inside and outside.