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No one starts off their pregnancy anticipating a c-section. It can be scary when you are faced with that reality, and it can feel even more scary when you have not prepared yourself for that possibility as well as you have done research on vaginal birth. I know that I knew all the tips and tricks for healing my lady bits, but nothing about caring for my scar. Sadly no one in the hospital really let me know what to do for aftercare. The most I was told was to gently wash it and to put a maxi pad on the incision to keep it dry. That was it.
Here are my top 5 tips that I wish I would have known before my c-section. Hopefully they make your recovery much easier! (Links included!)
1.) Step Stool
You are going to want to get a small step stool to help you get into your bed at home. A C-section is a MAJOR abdominal surgery. They cut through all your muscles so you have essentially no abdominal control right after. You will want a stool to help you get up into bed, just trust me.
2.) High-Waisted Compression Underwear & Waist Binder
You are NOT going to want to put on normal rise underwear that will rub all on your scar and you are going to feel like your guts are going to fall out! For this reason you are going to want high-waisted underwear that are going to hold you in and make you feel like a person. I LOVED these underwear I got off amazon! They were just enough compression to make me feel secure, but not enough to make me feel bound or anything.
You will want a waist binder for when you are walking around postpartum. Again you are going to feel like your insides are going to fall out and a waist bind helps you stand up straight and feel like a person! I got mine from my hospital for free, but they have lots like the one I have on amazon in case your hospital will not give you one. I will note I had to ask and request one.
3.) Blow Dryer
You are probably confused, and rightfully so. My OB told me my goal was to keep my incision clean and dry. Well. I am going to be graphic and frank. When you have a giant belly coming down from preganancy, it is just a fat flab. Unless you are extremely thin you will probably have some tummy overhang (don’t fret, this will go down, mine has now!) It is going to hang over your incision a little… which makes it nice and m o i s t. *barf* Not the best for a healing giant wound. So after my shower and whenever it felt damp I would get my blowdryer out and on low heat/cool I would lift my csection pouch and blow dry under there. Weird and slightly disturbing? Yes. Did it work wonderfully? Also yes.
4.) An Old Cotton Tshirt
Along the lines of keeping your incision dry, your surgeon is going to give you the idea of putting a maxi pad on your incision. This was not comfortable, did not stay well, and surprisingly wasn’t very moisture absorbent. What was? An old t-shirt I didn’t care about cut into about 4 inch wide strips folded in half the length of my scar. I would just stick them under my c-section apron (lol, this really is humorous now, but definitely was NOT in the moment) against my scar. I changed them out as needed usually about 3 times a day to keep it nice and dry! Worked like a charm!
5.) Frida Mom Upside Down Peri Bottle
Like just about every expectant Mom I did my research on vaginal birth. Ya girl was ready! I had all the things, tuck pads, fancy adult diapers, dermaplast, everything- including the Frida Mom Upside Down Peri Bottle. After my c-section I found an alternate c-section Mama use for the peri bottle! After I gently lathered up my scar with dove body wash I would then fill up my peri bottle with warm water and use it to gently rinse my scar under my c-section flab! It worked like a charm, and helped keep everything squeaky clean!
A few other things you are going to need? You are going to need maxi pads, just because you had a c-section does not mean you are not going to bleed a bunch- you will. I LOVED the flex foam ones, they weren’t so gross to wear. You will also want loose clothing that is high-waisted or just a dress to recover in. You will not want anything pressing on the scar for a bit. You may want to start taking some probiotics to help you not get a yeast infection on your scar. I got a yeast infection, but these probiotics really helped me! I also really loved the halo bassinet because you could push down the side and it was bed height so I did not have to lean over to pick up my daughter Elsie. You are going to also want LOTS of help everything is hard after a c-section especially that first week!
A c-section is tough, but so are you, and it is worth it for that sweet baby!
Love,
