C-section recovery: what to expect

(Racheal/ Ede/ Forbes Health) — Cesarean delivery, also known as a C-section, may be the most common surgery in the U.S. It accounts for the delivery method in about one out of three births, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)^[1].

If you’re scheduled for a C-section or the procedure is an option you’ve discussed with your health care provider, read on to learn what to expect during the surgery and subsequent recovery, including some helpful tips for healing.

A C-section is a major abdominal surgery that allows surgeons to deliver a baby through incisions made in the abdomen and uterus. C-sections may be planned (elective) or unplanned (emergency). Emergency C-sections are performed for a variety of reasons, including when vaginal delivery is unsafe for the mother and baby, which can be the case with prolonged labor, when the baby does not fit in the pelvis (cephalopelvic disproportion or CPD), abnormal placentation (when the placenta is over the cervix or attaches deeply into the uterus or surrounding organs) and fetal distress (when the baby in the womb experiences abnormal changes in heart rate. (…)