The pain of cesarean section is unimaginable? How to turn over and get out of bed?

Author: Yang Jie, deputy chief nurse, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University

Reviewer: Liu Changwei, Chief Physician, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

"Although I haven't opened ten fingers for you, I have performed eight abdominal cuts for you." This sentence is very popular on the Internet.

Figure 1 Original copyright image, no permission to reprint

Is a cesarean section that painful?

Anesthesia will be given during cesarean section, and generally no pain will be felt. Combined anesthesia is now commonly used, with two types of anesthesia performed at the same time, namely spinal anesthesia and continuous epidural block anesthesia.

Spinal anesthesia takes effect very quickly, and has very good effects in pain relief and muscle relaxation. However, its disadvantage is that it does not last long enough. Continuous epidural anesthesia can make up for this. They work together to achieve the best anesthesia effect.

Because of the presence of anesthesia during the cesarean section, there may not be any pain. However, after getting off the operating table and returning to the ward, you may face some discomfort, including gastrointestinal discomfort, wound pain, etc.

1. How long after cesarean section can I eat?

Cesarean section anesthesia sometimes causes nausea and vomiting. During anesthesia, the protective function of the throat will be weakened. When nausea and vomiting occur, it is easy to aspirate or suffocate because the protective reflex of the throat is reduced.

After a cesarean section, you need to fast when you return to the ward until the anesthesia is fully recovered. With the continuous improvement of anesthesia methods, the fasting time is gradually shortened.

You can drink water 2 hours after returning to the ward after combined anesthesia, which can greatly promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function; you can eat liquid food 6 hours after the operation, such as rice soup; as the gastrointestinal function gradually recovers, you can eat semi-liquid food after passing gas, such as soft noodles, noodle soup, etc.; after the intestinal function is fully restored and bowel movements are completed, you can eat normally. The whole process needs to be gradual.

You should move around as soon as possible after cesarean section. This can increase blood circulation and promote recovery of gastrointestinal function.

Figure 2 Original copyright image, no permission to reprint

2. What should I do if the wound hurts when turning over after cesarean section?

After returning to the ward after cesarean section, the upper limbs can basically move, but the lower limbs may feel heavy. After the lower limbs gradually recover, you should turn over or move your legs and feet as soon as possible.

Because of the wound, it may be painful when turning over. Now, appropriate management is given to the pain after cesarean section. First, an analgesic pump may be used. The anesthesiologist generally sets a 3-day dosage and usage time according to the corresponding situation.

When you feel pain, you can press the pain pump yourself. There are requirements for the dosage of the pressure. After 24 hours after the operation, you basically don’t need to press the pain pump anymore.

In addition, mothers can also use abdominal bandages to apply pressure after surgery, and low-temperature ice packs can be used to relieve pain.

After taking these measures, some mothers still feel pain and are afraid to turn over. It is very important to learn how to turn over with the guidance and help of a nurse.

First, move your shoulders to one side of the bed, then lift your legs, support the bed with your legs, lift your buttocks, and move in the direction of your shoulders, then move your feet to the side of the bed, that is, move your whole body to one side of the bed first.

After moving, for example, if you want to turn to the right, move your left shoulder to the right, and then put your left leg on your right leg. Use the movement of your shoulders and legs to move your waist and abdomen, and turn your hips to the side. This can reduce abdominal traction and reduce the pain of the wound.

3. How long does it take before you can get out of bed after a cesarean section?

After returning to the ward after a cesarean section, you can usually resume semi-recumbent position within 4-6 hours, and get up and move around after 6 hours.

The sooner you get up and move around, the better it will be for you, as it will not only promote blood circulation and stimulate gastrointestinal motility, but also reduce the risk of lower limb venous thrombosis.

There is a process of adaptation when getting out of bed. First, shake the bed and keep in a semi-recumbent position. Sit in the semi-recumbent position on the bed for 2-3 minutes to adapt first, which can reduce the involvement of the wound when turning over.

Then move your legs to the side of the bed, with your legs suspended over the edge, and move your body and hips to a side-sitting position. This process is relatively slow, taking about 2-5 minutes, so the wound is not easily pulled.

After sitting next to the bed for a while, slowly move to the ground and stand for about 5 minutes.

The whole process is relatively slow and gradual, and you will slowly adapt. In this way, the pain of the abdominal wound will be reduced to the point where you will not feel any pain. In clinical practice, this method of getting out of bed and moving around is very effective.

In order to reduce the traction on the wound, you can also apply pressure on the wound with an abdominal belt before getting up to reduce pain.

As the wound gradually heals, the pain will gradually subside. It is not recommended to use a belly belt when lying flat on the bed, because the belly belt has a certain amount of pressure. If the pressure is too high or the time is too long, the blood circulation in the abdomen will be affected to a certain extent, which will have some impact on the recovery of organs and the body.