How long does uterine contraction last?

Many people think that they can avoid the pain caused by uterine contractions after a cesarean section. In fact, the uterus will begin to contract after a cesarean section. It takes at least a week to contract to ensure recovery. The recovery time of the uterus after a cesarean section is generally within three months, and it may take half a year for people with weaker physical conditions to recover. During this stage of recovery, you must take precautions.

Uterine recovery after cesarean section

What can a mother do to better restore her uterus to its pre-pregnancy state? Getting more rest is a prerequisite for the mother's recovery. In addition, there are three specific methods that can help the mother's uterus repair.

1. Adhere to breastfeeding : Breastfeeding is very beneficial to the recovery of the uterus. Because there are abundant sensory nerve endings on the nipples and areolas, the baby's sucking stimulation can promote the contraction of the uterine muscles, thereby accelerating the involution of the uterus. However, some mothers refuse to breastfeed after delivery for fear of affecting the beauty of their breasts, or fail to start breastfeeding in time due to early wound pain after cesarean section. In the end, this not only affects the secretion of milk, but also the recovery of the mother's uterus.

2. Postpartum massage : After giving birth, new mothers can often gently massage their lower abdomen in a clockwise direction. The stimulation of the acupoints during the massage can promote uterine contractions and help discharge blood stasis in the uterus, which is beneficial for the uterus to gradually return to its pre-pregnancy state.

In addition, during pregnancy and childbirth, women's abdominal wall, pelvic floor muscles and fascia are significantly stretched and become relaxed. If conditions permit, you can ask a postpartum rehabilitation doctor to massage the mother's sacrum and coccyx, which can also promote the contraction of the pelvic muscles, thereby driving the movement of the uterine ligaments to eliminate pelvic congestion and help the uterus recover.

3. Chinese medicine foot bath fumigation : Use Chinese medicine preparations to soak your feet. For example, motherwort has the effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, promoting the discharge of blood stasis and lochia; angelica has the effect of nourishing blood and promoting blood circulation, which can not only replenish the deficiency of postpartum women, but also remove postpartum blood stasis.

How to Recover After a Caesarean Section

Recovery after cesarean section is a relatively special stage. New mothers need to pay special attention when exercising for the first time after delivery. They must ask their doctors when they can start regular exercise, because women who have undergone cesarean section often have physical conditions such as weak constitution and susceptibility to arthritis. Since pregnancy weight is gained gradually over 40 weeks, you need to give yourself at least 40 weeks to lose that weight.

Post-cesarean recovery tip 1 : Don’t make excuses

As a new mother, you will definitely be very busy, but there will still be some spare time that can be accumulated. Try to arrange some exercise time every day, when parents are looking after the baby, when the baby is asleep... Even if it is only ten minutes each time, it can add up to a lot. These fragmented exercises will be the best start for you to get back in shape. Starting exercise early can not only reduce your waistline, but also make you healthier, so that you can take better care of your baby. Even if it's just taking a walk, stretching, or anything else that gets you moving. If you have returned to work, you can use your lunch break to take a walk around, answer the phone while standing at work... These small actions can not only help you maintain your figure, but also allow you to return to your normal state as soon as possible.

Post-cesarean recovery tip 2 : Get creative

Exercising anywhere, anytime is definitely better than never exercising. If you think more, you will find ways to exercise. You can try skipping rope, doing squats while washing bottles, doing sit-ups before bed, etc. These methods may sound incredible, but they can definitely help you lose weight. Finding the right balance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure will help you lose weight consistently. Make time to play, get outside and keep moving. Believe me, each of the steps above can help you control your weight and get back in shape.