How to care for cesarean section wound

During the final period of delivery, pregnant women often pay attention to the recovery period. Caesarean section is a method of delivery often chosen by pregnant women, but what should be paid attention to after caesarean section is the recovery care of the incision. If the incision from a caesarean section cannot heal well, it can easily cause pain. But once infected, it affects human health. So how to take care of the cesarean section wound?

How to care for the cesarean section incision

1. Maintain hygiene

Within 2 weeks after surgery, avoid getting the abdominal wound wet and do not take a full body shower, but use a sponge bath. You can take a shower after two weeks, but you must not take a sitz bath until the lochia is completely discharged. Do not get the incision wet or dirty before the wound heals. If it gets wet, it must be wiped dry immediately and disinfected with betadine. If the wound becomes red, swollen, hot, or painful, do not squeeze or apply any application patches on it yourself. You should seek medical attention promptly to avoid wound infection and delayed treatment.

2. Avoid pulling on the wound

Whether sitting, standing, or walking, mothers who have undergone cesarean section must choose the appropriate posture and should not lift anything heavier than the baby (especially within two weeks after the cesarean section). Also, when coughing, sneezing or laughing, mothers should use their hands to protect the abdomen near the incision.

3. Use less pain medication

In order to ensure good rest and recover as quickly as possible, you can ask your doctor to give you some painkillers on the day of surgery or that night. After that, you need to be more patient and try not to use pain relief drugs, otherwise it will affect the recovery of intestinal motility function.

Generally speaking, the pain from the wound will disappear on its own after 3 days. Gently massaging the wound with your fingers for 3 to 5 minutes every day can promote wound healing and reduce scar formation.

How to recover well from caesarean section wound

Generally speaking, if the transverse abdominal incision heals well, the stitches can be removed in 5 to 6 days. The skin surface looks the same as normal skin, without ulcers and no pain when pressed. It will basically be the same as normal skin 2-3 days after the stitches are removed.

However, if the following conditions occur, it may be an infection and you need to report it to your doctor immediately: the redness and swelling of the incision does not go away; fluid leaks from the incision; the fever exceeds 38°C; the pain around the incision increases.

What else should you pay attention to when recovering from a cesarean section?

1. Hydrate

In addition to daily diet, new mothers who are breastfeeding should also drink 2100 ml (about 10 to 11 cups) of water every day to replenish the water lost during delivery and breastfeeding. This can prevent constipation, promote urination for the mother, restore smooth urination, and increase milk secretion.

2. Exercise

A healthy diet and proper exercise will help mothers get back in shape. Usually, within six weeks, you can do some simple exercises. After six weeks, you can gradually start exercising like a normal person.

3. Review

A follow-up check-up is required six weeks after delivery. The doctor will check your weight, blood pressure, urine routine, blood routine, incision and uterine recovery; the baby's development will also be checked. You can also take this opportunity to talk to your doctor about sex life, birth control, breastfeeding, and physical and emotional issues after having a baby. The doctor may give you good advice to increase your confidence.

Dietary considerations after cesarean section

1. Do not eat or drink within 6 hours after surgery.

2. If gas has not been discharged within 6 hours after the operation, you can drink warm water to stimulate intestinal peristalsis. You can eat after the gas is discharged.

(Do not eat common food during the period of gas discharge, such as boiled eggs, fried vegetables, meat, rice, etc. Do not eat sweets, including chocolate, brown sugar water, sweet juice and milk, so as not to cause abdominal distension.)

3. You can eat any food after the gas is discharged, but you should follow the principle of eating liquid or semi-liquid food first, and then gradually move on to soft food and solid food.

(In order to promote milk secretion and reduce postpartum constipation, mothers should also drink more soup and juice while eating, and eat more vegetables and fruits, which will help with postpartum care and recovery, etc.)

4. Do not eat too much after surgery.

(Caesarean section surgery stimulates the gastrointestinal tract, inhibits normal gastrointestinal function, and easily causes constipation, increased labor period, and increased abdominal pressure, which is not conducive to recovery.)

5. It is not advisable to eat too much fish after surgery.

(According to research, fish contains an organic acid substance that inhibits platelet aggregation and hinders postoperative wound healing. It is important to not eat too much, but it does not mean that you should not eat it at all.)

6. After surgery, you should avoid eating foods that produce a lot of gas.

(Foods that produce a lot of gas include soybeans, soy products, sweet potatoes, etc., which are easy to ferment in the abdomen after eating, and produce a lot of gas in the intestines, causing fermentation.)