Discharge Instructions for Cesarean Section (C-Section)
- Incision care. Shower as needed. Pat your incision dry. Watch your incision for signs of infection, like more redness or...
- Activity. Don’t try to take care of anyone other than your baby and yourself. Remember, the more active you are, the...
- Follow-up. Make a follow-up appointment as directed by our staff.
What to expect during a C section?
What happens during a c-section?
- Giving your consent. The doctor or midwife will explain what will happen and ask you to sign a consent form. ...
- Anaesthetic during a c-section. When you’re in the operating theatre, you’re likely to have either a spinal or epidural anaesthetic.
- The c-section operation. ...
What is the recovery time after a C section?
What to expect after a C-section
- Immediately after delivery. Most women undergoing a C-section receive an epidural or spinal block. ...
- The first 24 hours. The first 24 hours following a C-section present many of the same challenges as a vaginal delivery. ...
- The first weeks. The risk of infection is highest during the first few weeks. ...
- Long-term recovery. ...
What are the reasons for C section?
Your health care provider might recommend a C-section if:
- Your labor isn't progressing. Stalled labor is one of the most common reasons for a C-section. ...
- Your baby is in distress. ...
- Your baby or babies are in an abnormal position. ...
- You're carrying multiples. ...
- There's a problem with your placenta. ...
- Prolapsed umbilical cord. ...
- You have a health concern. ...
- Mechanical obstruction. ...
- You've had a previous C-section. ...
What happens after a C section?
After your C-section, you might look like you're still pregnant. This is normal. Most women lose 13 pounds (6 kilograms) during birth, including the weight of the baby, placenta and amniotic fluid. During your recovery, you'll drop more weight as your body gets rid of excess fluids.
Is it normal to have discharge from C-section incision?
After a C-section, it is normal to experience some swelling, redness, and pain around the wound. In some cases, clear fluid may also seep out of the wound.
How do you know if your C-section incision is infected?
Signs of an infected C-section incision include: Redness around the incision. Abnormal swelling around the incision. Fluid leaking from the wound....Common signs of an internal or uterus infection after a C-section include:Fever.Increasing abdominal pain.Foul-smelling vaginal discharge.
What do I do if my C-section incision has pus?
Call your doctor for advice or seek medical care if you have any of these symptoms after your release from the hospital:severe abdominal pain.redness at the incision site.swelling of the incision site.pus discharge from the incision site.pain at the incision site that doesn't go away or gets worse.More items...•
What kind of discharge is normal after C-section?
This discharge will be red and heavy for the first few days. Then it will taper, become increasingly watery and change from pinkish brown to yellowish white. Contractions. You might feel contractions, sometimes called afterpains, during the first few days after the C-section.
Is yellow discharge from C-section incision normal?
It is normal to have a small amount of a watery yellow discharge from your healing incision. Notify your healthcare provider if: your incision is red, warm to touch, and swollen. you have a fever.
Is it normal to have yellow discharge after a C-section?
You may have bleeding from your vagina for up to 6 weeks. It will slowly become less red, then pink, and then will have more of a yellow or white color. Bleeding and discharge after delivery is called lochia.
Is pus coming out of a wound good?
“A wound that's oozing pus definitely means you have a bacterial infection,” said Dr. Brady Didion, a Marshfield Clinic family medicine physician. An incision or wound that's healing well looks slightly red and may seep clear fluid. An infected wound may ooze whitish, yellowish or greenish pus.
Is it normal for an incision to have pus?
Pus appears in a surgical incision when it is becoming infected. It's a sign that you need further treatment. Surgical infections can become serious quickly, so if you see pus call your surgeon at once.
Why are my stitches Pussing?
Stitches, or sutures, join the edges of a wound together to repair it and stop any bleeding. However, they can sometimes become infected. Some symptoms of infected stitches are worsening pain, redness, swelling, and pus around the wound.
What does infected lochia smell like?
Lochia will smell like menstrual blood. Some describe it as musty, metallic, sour or stale. However, it shouldn't smell fishy or foul. This could mean bacteria has gotten into your vagina and caused an infection.
How do I know my C-section is healing?
The biggest outcome predictor is how other scars on your body have healed. While many women will see their c-section scar thin out and gradually fade in color over time, some scars will protrude and remain reddish or purple for longer.
How do I keep my C-section incision dry?
If you are having trouble keeping the area dry due to the shelf of skin that can sometimes hang over the incision, ask your doctor about using something like cornstarch once the site is completely healed. You can also use gauze or cotton. Be sure to thoroughly dry the skin after bathing.
What are contractions after a C section?
Contractions. You might feel contractions, sometimes called afterpains, during the first few days after the C-section. These contractions — which often resemble menstrual cramps — help prevent excessive bleeding by compressing the blood vessels in the uterus.
How to heal a C section?
During the C-section recovery process, discomfort and fatigue are common. To promote healing: 1 Take it easy. Rest when possible. Try to keep everything that you and your baby might need within reach. For the first couple of weeks, avoid lifting anything heavier than your baby. 2 Seek pain relief. To soothe incision soreness, your health care provider might recommend ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or other medications to relieve pain. Most pain relief medications are safe for breast-feeding women.
What happens if you have a severe mood swing after childbirth?
Postpartum depression. If you experience severe mood swings, loss of appetite, overwhelming fatigue and lack of joy in life shortly after childbirth, you might have postpartum depression.
What to expect after a C section?
While you're recovering from your C-section, remember that you're also recovering from pregnancy. Here's what to expect: Vaginal discharge. After delivery, you'll begin to shed the superficial mucous membrane that lined your uterus during pregnancy. You'll have vaginal discharge made up of this membrane and blood for weeks.
What to take for a baby incision?
To soothe incision soreness, your health care provider might recommend ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or other medications to relieve pain.
How to support a baby during a C section?
Once your baby latches on to breast-feed, use one arm to support your own head and the other to help support the baby. For support or breast-feeding information during your C-section recovery, contact a lactation consultant.
How to breastfeed after a C section?
For comfort, put a pillow along your side and use a chair with broad, low arms. Hold your baby at your side, with your elbow bent.
What percentage of C section surgeries have infections?
Infections following a cesarean delivery, which some people call a C-section, are common. They occur in around 2–15 percent of all C-section surgeries. The wound coming into contact with bacteria or other harmful microbes is a common cause of these infections.
How to know if you have a C section?
After a C-section, it is normal to experience some swelling, redness, and pain around the wound. In some cases, clear fluid may also seep out of the wound. However, with wound infections, these symptoms increase in intensity.
What does it mean when you have fever after a C section?
Fever-like symptoms and inflammation around a cesarean delivery, or C-section, wound could be signs of infection. Keeping the wound clean and in a sterile environment can help reduce the risk of infection. Infections following a cesarean delivery, which some people call a C-section, are common.
What are the signs of a wound infection?
Signs and symptoms to look out for include: abnormal swelling, redness, and pain around the wound. clear or discolored fluid coming from the wound. abnormal vaginal bleeding. pain or swelling in the legs. abdominal discomfort.
How to diagnose C section wound?
A doctor will first try to determine the presence and severity of an infection through a physical examination. They will then examine the wound and ask about the presence of fever-like symptoms.
How long does it take for a symtom to show up after surgery?
difficulty concentrating. Signs of infection may not show up immediately after surgery. It can take up to 30 days for symptoms to develop. If symptoms do develop, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible for guidance on the best treatment.
What are the risks of C section surgery?
longer periods of labor. epidural use. recurrent pregnancy loss. There are also factors relating to the C-section surgery itself that can raise the risk of infection, such as a longer surgery time. Antimicrobial prophylaxis is a medication that doctors once prescribed following C-sections.
What to expect after a C section?
What to Expect Post C-Section: Swelling, Discharge, and Other Symptoms. In a cesarean section, a baby is born through an incision in the mother's abdomen and uterus. After this operation, a person needs to take good care of their body to speed up recovery. Let’s take a closer look at what to expect after a C-section and what measures to take.
How long does it take to recover from a cesarean section?
On average, you’ll have to stay in the hospital for three to four days, unless any complications occur. A full recovery often takes approximately six to eight weeks.
Why do my feet swell after a C section?
Swelling after C-section — also known as edema — is caused by extra fluid in tissues. This can lead to swelling on the face, ankles, hands, and feet or around the incision area. Intravenous (IV) fluid can also provoke swelling after a cesarean delivery. The main manifestations of this condition are tissue enlargement, skin stretching, and the appearance of dimples after pressing on the skin. Swollen feet after a C-section can be minimized through home care.
Why does my abdomen hurt after surgery?
This kind of post-surgery pain has a few different mechanisms. One results from nerve and muscle damage to the abdomen and uterus during surgery, and the second helps your blood vessels narrow to keep you from bleeding too much in the postpartum period .
How long does it take for a syringe to fade?
You may start developing symptoms such as shooting pain from nerve regeneration and continuous itching. Week by week, the pain should fade and disappear in about four weeks.
How long does it take for breast pain to go away after delivery?
After delivery, the breasts fill with milk; if the milk isn’t emptied regularly, it can cause some discomfort. This discomfort can last for about four days. Taking a warm shower before breastfeeding, using different feeding positions, and feeding your baby on demand can help relieve breast discomfort.
What is the name of the bleeding that happens when you have a baby?
This bleeding is a normal type of vaginal discharge known as lochia. The discharge is usually thicker and heavier than menstrual blood. This is how your body sheds the extra tissue and blood that keep your baby safe during pregnancy. The blood gradually changes from red to pink, turns brownish-yellow, and then stops.
What is the incision for a C section?
Abdominal incisions used during C-sections. A C-section includes an abdominal incision and a uterine incision. The abdominal incision is made first. It's either a vertical incision between your navel and pubic hair (left) or, more commonly, a horizontal incision lower on your abdomen (right).
What happens if you have a C section?
Increased risks during future pregnancies. After a C-section, you face a higher risk of potentially serious complications in a subsequent pregnancy than you would after a vaginal delivery.
How long after a C section can you drive?
To prevent infection, avoid sex for six weeks after your C-section. You might also consider not driving until you are able to comfortably apply brakes and twist to check blind spots without the help of pain medication. This might take one to two weeks. Check your C-section incision for signs of infection.
What is a C section?
Overview. Cesarean delivery (C-section) is a surgical procedure used to deliver a baby through incisions in the abdomen and uterus. A C-section might be planned ahead of time if you develop pregnancy complications or you've had a previous C-section and aren't considering a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).
What to do if you have a C section in advance?
If your C-section is scheduled in advance, your health care provider might suggest talking with an anesthesiologist about any possible medical conditions that would increase your risk of anesthesia complications. Your health care provider might also recommend certain blood tests before your C-section.
What to do if you have a vaginal birth?
Even if you're planning a vaginal birth, it's important to prepare for the unexpected. Discuss the possibility of a C-section with your health care provider well before your due date. Ask questions, share your concerns and review the circumstances that might make a C-section the best option.
What happens if a baby is born by C section?
Breathing problems. Babies born by scheduled C-section are more likely to develop transient tachypnea — a breathing problem marked by abnormally fast breathing during the first few days after birth. Surgical injury. Although rare, accidental nicks to the baby's skin can occur during surgery.
Where is the C section?
A C-section is the delivery of a baby through a surgical opening in the mother's lower belly area, usually around the bikini line. The procedure is most often done while the woman is awake. The body is numbed from the chest to the feet using epidural, or spinal, anesthesia. The surgeon usually makes a cut or incision across the belly just above ...
What to expect after a C section?
You are going home after a C-section. You should expect to need help caring for yourself and your newborn. Talk to your partner, parents, in-laws, or friends. When it's not possible or safe for a woman to deliver a baby naturally through her vagina, she will need to have her baby delivered surgically, a procedure referred to as cesarean section, ...
How long does it take to recover from a C section?
A C-section may also cause problems in future pregnancies. The average hospital stay after a C-section is 2 to 4 days, and keep in mind recovery often takes longer than it would from a vaginal birth. Walking after the C-section is important to speed recovery and pain medication may be supplied too as recovery takes place.
How long after surgery can you go swimming?
Do not soak in a bathtub or hot tub, or go swimming, until your provider tells you it is OK. In most cases, this is not until 3 weeks after surgery. If strips (Steri-Strips) were used to close your incision: Do not try to wash off the Steri-Strips or glue.
How long does it take for a cut to heal?
Any pain should decrease after 2 or 3 days, but your cut will remain tender for up to 3 weeks or more. Most women need pain medicine for the first few days to 2 weeks. Ask your provider what is safe to take while breastfeeding.
How long does it take for a vagina to bleed?
You may have bleeding from your vagina for up to 6 weeks. It will slowly become less red, then pink, and then will have more of a yellow or white color. Bleeding and discharge after delivery is called lochia. At first, your cut (incision) will be raised slightly and pinker than the rest of your skin.
Why do women need a C section?
A woman may have a C-section if there are problems with the baby, such as an abnormal heart rate, abnormal positions of the baby in the womb, developmental problems in the baby, a multiple pregnancy like triplets, or when there are problems with the placenta or umbilical cord. A C-section may be necessary if the mother has medical problems, ...