How to take care after cesarean section?

Video content is professionally consulted by Head Midwife Nguyen Bich Hanh - Obstetrics Department - Vinmec Times International Hospital

Mothers after a cesarean section usually take longer to recover than a vaginal birth. The care after cesarean section at home also needs to pay attention to many issues.

Head midwife Nguyen Bich Hanh - Vinmec Times City General Hospital provides instructions on how to care for and abstain after cesarean delivery to help mom recover quickly as follows:
About how to take care of the incision: In the first week after If you have a caesarean section, the incision is still not dry, so obstetricians and midwives will take care of the mother, and at the same time clean the incision, give pain relievers, antibiotics, and shrink the uterus to avoid complications. infection. On the 3rd day after cesarean section, you can open the bandage and let it dry. Remember not to let water wet the incision area. In the 2nd week, the doctor will appoint thread removal after 5 days if the first caesarean section, after 7-8 days if the second surgery or more. If the mother sutures the incision with dissolvable sutures, there is no need to cut the sutures. Mothers should note that when taking care of the cesarean section at home, it is recommended to wipe the body with warm water, or take a quick shower, to avoid soaking the body in the bath to make the wound wet. Antibiotics should not be applied to the surgical site.
About nutrition after cesarean section: Many mothers wonder "what should I eat after cesarean?". This issue is advised by midwife Nguyen Bich Hanh - Vinmec Times City General Hospital that:
The first day: After a C-section, the mother cannot eat anything for 6 hours after the operation. Only drink filtered water, sugar water, eat diluted porridge, until you start to "fizzle" to eat solid food. Do not use a lot of sugar, flour or soy products because these products can cause bloating. Constipation and flatulence often persist after 3 - 5 days after cesarean section due to the influence of local anesthetic, so drink plenty of water. From day 2 onwards, mothers can eat and drink as usual, need to increase foods rich in protein and calcium, and drink lots of water to have more milk for lactation. In addition to complying with the abstinence after cesarean section, the mother should only eat nutritious foods rich in protein, iron, cooked vegetables, etc. When taking care of the postpartum cesarean section at home, it should be noted that these foods should not be used. foods that cause diarrhea or allergies. About the mode of movement and rest: Being active after cesarean section can cause pain for mothers, however, it is not recommended to lie in bed much because of that. The exercise, short walk will help the body's normal functions recover faster, and at the same time reduce the risk of complications after cesarean section such as: intestinal adhesions, thrombophlebitis...
About giving Breastfeeding: After cesarean section, mothers need to breastfeed as soon as possible, because at this time, colostrum contains many nutrients and antibodies for good development and enhances immunity for children.
In addition to paying attention to the issues of care after cesarean section at home and abstinence after cesarean section, pregnant women should also pay attention to personal hygiene to help quickly recover health.