Tips for Getting Through Emotional and Physical Pain After a C-Section

The day my oldest daughter was born was one of the most exciting days of my life. Painful, but exciting! One thing I was not counting on when I started feeling the labor pain was that my beautiful baby had decided she was not going to come to this world via natural birth. After hours of trying to deliver my baby naturally, the doctors had to make the hard decision of bringing her into the world via cesarean section, or C-section.

If I only knew what I was getting myself into, I would have certainly told the doctor to reconsider the options we had. But the truth is, there was no time for other options and the doctors did what they thought was the right thing to do to help me deliver my baby as safely as possible, not only for her sake but also for the sake of my own life.

One thing the doctors never told me was that having a C-section was not as easy as it sounded. After the procedure was done and I was able to hold my baby for the first time in my arms — that’s when the nightmare started. I was in pain from head to toe and even the most minimum movement would make me feel like I was about to die. I am not going to lie; those were some rough days. But, the good part about all this is that after a while I felt better and that is when I was actually able to start enjoying my new life as a mother.

If you are considering having a C-section or your doctor just told you it might be best to have your baby this way, continue reading. Below, I will share with you five tips that helped me.

Tip #1: Even when you feel like the world is about to end due to the pain you are feeling at that time, it helped me to keep repeating to myself that the pain is only temporarily and soon you will start feeling better. Also, I tried to not let the pain keep me in bed. From what I experienced, the longer you stay in bed, the longer the pain will last. When I got up and started walking around, the pain was less present.

Tip #2: You need to take it easy the first couple of days to prevent any damage to the incision. Remember; you just had a major surgery and as such, you need to make sure you allow the area some time to heal. Avoid driving as much as possible, do not carry any heavy objects and pay extra attention to any signs of infection. If you think the incision area is infected, contact your doctors ASAP.

Tip #3: Understand that it’s OK to have help during your recovery. Allowing your body time to recover is the best thing you can do at this moment. This is not the time to play wonder woman and try to do everything by yourself. If you do that, your chances of a fast recovery will go from zero to minus zero. Accept the help and work on getting better yourself. That is the best gift you can give not only to yourself, but also to that little bundle of joy you just brought into this world.

Tip #4: Pay close attention to your feelings. Having a C-section could feel like a traumatic event in your life, and you may start feeling like your body failed you. If you start to experience sadness, grief or even an inexplicable desire to cry, it’s important to talk to someone about it. Experiencing a C-section could increase a woman’s chances of developing postpartum depression and if this is your case, you deserve support.

Tip #5: Try not to allow the C-section to prevent you from enjoying your new baby! Embrace your baby and, when you can, enjoy every single minute you have. For me, the pain was totally worth it.

As you can see, my friends; although having a C-section can be a traumatic experience, you’re not alone and you can get through the recovery. These tips worked for me, and I hope they work for you as well.