How long after cesarean section will the incision heal?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist II Lai Thi Nguyet Hang - Obstetrician and Gynecologist - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Ha Long International Hospital
Caesarean section is a method chosen by many pregnant women today. Although the cesarean section takes place very quickly, the recovery time after childbirth is longer for women who have had a caesarean section and if they do not know how to take care of them, they will easily face sequelae.

1. How long does it take for a cesarean birth to heal?

Unlike a normal birth, after a cesarean section, the mother has to stay in the hospital for 3 to 4 days for the doctor to monitor and take care of the postpartum incision. fully recovered after 6 weeks of rest at home.
In fact, every woman's health condition is different, so the recovery time after cesarean will also be different, most women will feel less pain after practicing walking for a few days and recovering completely after 6 weeks of reasonable rest.
Because each person's recovery time is different, to answer the question of how long it takes for a postpartum incision to heal will depend on many factors, in addition to the care and rest of the mother, the length of time. Recovery time also depends on whether the mother gives birth for the first time or the 2nd, 3rd time.

2. Should I use pain relievers after cesarean section?

There are many women who give birth for the first time and do not know how long after the cesarean section the pain will go away, so they have used pain relievers in the hope of quickly recovering their health. However, after cesarean section, whether to use pain relievers or not, must be prescribed by a specialist. If you are under spinal or epidural anesthesia, your doctor may inject some pain-relieving medication for up to 24 hours. In addition, depending on the pain in the pregnant woman, the doctor will prescribe medicines containing pain relievers to help the mother feel more comfortable after labor.
Pregnant women after cesarean section, without a doctor's prescription, absolutely cannot use pain relievers on their own because this can cause side effects and cause milk loss or blockage of milk which is very dangerous. Instead of using pain relievers, you can exercise gently to help contract the uterus, relieve pain quickly and have a good effect on health recovery. Pregnant women after cesarean section are advised to try to sit up and practice walking after 24 hours to help reduce pressure in the abdomen, reduce pain and increase blood circulation.

3. Maternity care after cesarean section

The care of the incision after birth and the woman having a cesarean section needs to be done according to science to help the incision heal quickly and avoid the mother having complications later.
3.1 What should pregnant women eat after cesarean section? The nutrition of pregnant women after cesarean section needs to ensure adequate nutrients to provide enough energy and help the body recover quickly. Pregnant women do not need to abstain from many things, but maintain healthy eating habits like during pregnancy, foods rich in vitamin C, protein, iron ... are very good for the body during this period.
Some foods that pregnant women can choose after cesarean section such as: chicken, eggs, beef, dairy products, oranges, strawberries, grapefruit, papaya, watermelon, fruits, cereals.. In particular, after giving birth, the body loses a significant amount of water, so it is necessary to replenish water sufficiently to prevent constipation and postpartum dehydration.
3.2 Care of the incision after birth Care of the incision after childbirth while in the hospital will be carried out by a nurse, the mother will be used pain relievers and antiseptics to make the incision dry quickly and not become infected. . In case the pain is unbearable, the pregnant woman should immediately notify the doctor for timely examination and treatment.
In particular, pregnant women also need to pay attention to the diet to prevent the incision from leaving scars. In order for the incision to heal quickly and to reduce pain, the mother needs to rest, so she should lie on her side to avoid pain when the uterus contracts. When the incision is sutured, you must follow the doctor's instructions on caring for the incision after giving birth to be safe, should use a warm cotton towel to apply to the incision every day when the incision has healed, this will help pregnant women not to itch and hurt the incision when the weather changes.
In case the postpartum incision is itchy, absolutely do not scratch it with your hands. If the incision is tight and exudes fluid, perhaps the process of caring for the incision after childbirth is wrong and the mother has an infection of the incision, needing to see a doctor for timely treatment. In order for the incision to heal quickly, in the first two months after giving birth, the mother should not do heavy work to avoid muscle relaxation, and the family should help the mother do household chores and take care of the baby.

3.3 How can pregnant women lose weight after cesarean section? To ensure safety and not affect the wound healing process, weight loss after cesarean section should only be carried out after 6 weeks. Pregnant women can lose weight without affecting lactation by eating less starch, dividing meals during the day, not eating junk food, and exercising gently every day. Weight loss after cesarean section needs to be done slowly, step by step, for a long time, not too hasty but having a strict diet or using weight loss aids because it can be harmful to the mother and baby. little.
Some exercises can help pregnant women quickly recover health and support effective weight loss such as:
Deep breathing exercises: Mothers should practice taking 2-3 deep, slow breaths every 30 minutes to prevention of postpartum pulmonary embolism. Shoulder rotation exercise: This exercise is quite simple, after every hour, the pregnant woman can sit up straight and rotate her shoulders about 20 times in the direction from front to back and back to front. Gentle stretching exercise: Stand with your back against the wall and then slowly raise your arms above your head until you feel the muscles in your abdomen stretch. Hold this movement for 5 seconds and then lower your arms again. Maintain this exercise 10 times/day. The process of taking care of the incision after birth should be done carefully, regularly monitored for abnormal signs. Pregnant women must quickly go to the hospital for examination when there are signs such as fever, swelling, redness, discharge or vaginal discharge with a bad smell...
For women who have a cesarean section or give birth vaginally at the Hospital Vinmec International General Hospital will be anesthetized under the guidance of an ultrasound machine in the treatment of pain during and after surgery and postpartum. The most recent evaluation of pain relief results shows that: All pregnant women giving birth at Vinmec International General Hospital do not have to use morphine, and post-partum pain is almost completely gone. record.

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