When can I wet the seam after cesarean? When a woman can take a bath after a cesarean without the risk of complications.

It is pleasant to take a warm bath and this is a necessary condition for hygiene. Bath helps relieve stress, relax, improve mood and relieve swelling. If earlier a warm bath was strictly forbidden for newly-made mothers, now doctors are not so categorical. So when can you take a bath after having a baby?

Is it true that you can not swim after giving birth?

The stereotype has become stronger in society that a woman who has given birth should not take a bath until the discharge from the birth canal stops, which is 6-8 weeks after the birth of the baby.

Most gynecologists, when answering this question, say that you can not completely immerse yourself in water until the lochia stops.

This opinion is based on the risk that pathogenic bacteria will penetrate the genital tract and provoke endometritis or other ailment. Many doctors insist that stitches and small tears in the vagina are favorable conditions for the development of infections. For this reason, young mothers were advised to take only a shower and refuse to take a bath until 1.5-2 months have passed since the birth.

According to recent studies, the risk of infection from bath water is extremely low. But warm water really reduces swelling, relieves nervous tension and pain when stitches are applied. Yes, and when taking a bath, the surface of the genital organs is better cleaned than under a shower.

If the birth was natural

For women who have given birth naturally, doctors do not impose restrictions on taking a bath - in their opinion, this will not harm women's health. Nevertheless, there is one important nuance: the complete closure of the cervix and the restoration of its barrier function occurs only 1.5-2 months after the birth of the child. This means that taking a bath and bathing in the first 40 days after giving birth should be done carefully. At this time, you should not make the water too hot and stay in it for a long time.

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It also takes time for the body's defenses to recover, so a woman can experience dizziness and even faint from steam and temperature changes. So in each case, it is necessary to take into account the state of health after childbirth.

If you had a cesarean

With a caesarean section, the uterus is only superficially affected, but there are no tears or any changes from the side of the vagina, and an open wound does not form at the birth site. When deciding whether to take a bath or not, the condition of the seam should be assessed - whether it has completely healed, whether a non-healing weeping wound appears. If everything is in order with the seam after cesarean, it heals normally, then you can swim in warm water, but only for a short time.

How to take a bath for a young mother?

If you are going to take a bath for the first time after childbirth, a woman should take into account a number of recommendations:

1. The bath must be washed well so that there are definitely no pathogenic bacteria left in it.
2. Water should not be made very hot - optimally 36-37 degrees, and more than 40 degrees is unacceptable (because bleeding may occur due to blood flow to the pelvic organs).
3. Do not add salt, foam or any flavorings.
4. Climb into the bath with caution - if there is still postpartum weakness and fatigue, you may feel dizzy. It is better to ask for help from loved ones.
5. The optimal bath time is 15-20 minutes, but it is better to start with 10 minutes. If everything is in order, next time you can swim longer.
6. You can not lower your chest into the water - this is fraught with a rush of milk and its stagnation.
7. It is useful to add decoctions of string, sage, chamomile to the bath, in which the child is bathed. These are natural antiseptics that also speed up wound healing.

What do women say

• Women who have gone through childbirth also have different opinions about this. Some claim that they took a bath already on the first day after discharge and nothing terrible happened.
• Others say that before water procedures it is necessary to insert a tampon and then you can not be afraid of anything. However, doctors say that this personal hygiene product should also not be used for several months after childbirth.
• Still others say that they did not take a bath for a very long time after giving birth. The thing is, they just didn't have time for it.

Difficult childbirth, the presence of tears and sutures are not absolute contraindications for a warm relaxing bath. Nevertheless, it is necessary to consult a doctor about when it can be taken after the birth of a child, so as not to inadvertently harm your health.

The period of recovery and rehabilitation after a cesarean section requires a special approach. Significant restrictions are imposed on the modes of physical activity of a woman, on sexual life, on planning the next pregnancy. Special attention requires nutrition and care of the seams. There are also limitations with regard to hygiene procedures, in particular, water ones. In this article, we will tell you how and when a woman can take a bath, swim in the sea or river.

hygiene issues

Most postpartum women after caesarean at discharge from the maternity hospital are so happy with the knowledge of a quick return to their family that they simply forget to ask the attending physician about the organization of hygiene after surgical childbirth. These questions usually come to her full height later, after discharge.

Maintaining hygiene is a very important task in the postpartum period. Properly organized hygiene measures will help to avoid infection of postoperative wounds, will contribute to a faster recovery of the body after severe stress, which, of course, is a caesarean section.

But the wrong approach to hygiene is fraught with the development of complications in the puerperal, and therefore the issue of water procedures, as an invariable component of the hygiene of a modern woman, is quite acute.

Care of the postoperative suture before and for some time after the removal of the suture material implies its treatment with brilliant green against possible bacterial infection, as well as moderate drying with hydrogen peroxide and regular dressing changes.

Complete tightening of the external scar on the skin is usually completed 3 weeks after the operation. If the early postoperative period proceeded with complications, then in this case, longer healing of the suture, complications in the form of proliferation of connective tissue, the formation of hernias, fistulas, keloid scars, and part of the sutures are quite possible. In this case, the ban on contact of the postoperative scar zone with water is extended on an individual basis.

If there are no complications, the suture heals well, the first three weeks after the operation, the woman should not take a bath, bathe in the shower. The upper part of the body should be wiped with water, the external genitalia should be gently washed away, trying not to get water into the vagina and the seam area.

Douching is also contraindicated during this period. The healing process of the internal sutures on the uterus takes even longer than the process of scarring on the outside, and therefore it is necessary to exclude any possibility of tap water and bacteria or viruses entering the genital tract along with it.

A woman should wash the external genital organs two to three times a day, change sanitary pads every 3 hours. It is important that cleanliness and hygiene be observed during the separation of postpartum secretions (lochia).

When can you take a shower?

It is recommended to bathe in the shower after a caesarean section not earlier than the healing of the external seam occurs. According to experts, with an uncomplicated rehabilitation period, this takes about three weeks. Taking a shower immediately after removing the stitches is not the best solution. After the suture material that tightens the edges of the wound is removed, it takes about two more weeks for the external scar to be considered formed.

Therefore, it is recommended to take a shower not earlier than 5-6 weeks after the operation. Water should be warm (not hot and not cold), a contrast shower, useful for improving muscle tone and restoring physical fitness after childbirth, should preferably be practiced no earlier than 3-4 months after surgery.

When taking a shower, a woman should avoid directing a jet of tap water to the external genital organs, to the area of ​​the postoperative scar. It is considered optimal at first to cover the seam on the skin with a surgical bandage and fix it on top with a special waterproof plaster. After bathing, the bandage is removed.

You should not use a hard washcloth, especially rub it on your stomach and groin.

It must be remembered that tap water is by no means as pure as it seems. It is inhabited by masses of microorganisms, not all of which are harmless. And given that the woman's immunity is badly undermined after the operation, the consequences of improper organization of water procedures can be quite sad.

Bathing in the bath

It is recommended to take a bath after a cesarean section not earlier than two mandatory conditions are met: the external seam will heal and postpartum discharge (lochia) will end. These discharges are quite natural and normal - this is how the uterus is cleansed of the blood that entered the cavity during the separation of the placenta. The discharge is also accompanied by the process of involution of the uterus - its reverse development, reduction to its former physiological size.

The first days after the operation, the discharge is bloody, bright, then blood clots appear in them, after 5-6 days serous fluid is present in the lochia, and after 2 weeks - yellowish mucus. When the discharge becomes normal, characteristic of a woman before pregnancy, this is a conditional signal that the uterine cavity is clean.

This usually happens 6-8 weeks after surgery. But there may be a later cessation of postpartum discharge. At the end of the discharge, they also talk about the primary healing of the internal scar on the uterus. From this time on, sexual activity with barrier contraception (condoms) is allowed, and bathing is not excluded at the request of the woman.

It is important at first not to lie in the bath for hours, but to limit yourself to a 7-10-minute procedure. Hot water should be avoided so as not to provoke blood flow to the pelvic organs and cause bleeding.

Bath, sauna

Baths and saunas are very useful inventions of mankind that improve health and improve blood circulation. But after the operation, they are unacceptable precisely because of the high temperatures. A woman should not overheat, as this can cause increased postpartum discharge, bleeding. Bathing is strictly prohibited.

A woman who has recently given birth by caesarean section can go to the bathhouse and sauna without harm to health only when the internal suture on the uterus is sufficiently strong. Usually these procedures are allowed simultaneously with the removal of the ban on abdominal exercises. Six months after the operation, visiting a bath, sauna will be safe and will bring a lot of benefits to a woman for beauty and health.

Swimming pool visit

Swimming and water aerobics are considered among the earliest permitted physical activities after a caesarean section. But it should be remembered that in a public pool where a woman comes, there are even more bacteria and microorganism than in tap water. In addition, the water in the public pool is heavily chlorinated, which is an additional irritant.

A visit to the pool will be safe and useful only after 3 months have passed since the moment of operative delivery. An important factor is the absence of postoperative complications. Therefore, before starting to visit the pool, you should always consult with your doctor.

Open waters

You want to swim in the lake, river and sea, especially if it is a hot summer outside. But it should be understood that the likelihood of infection after surgery when swimming in open water is higher than in a public pool. Any open body of water is a natural habitat for numerous microorganisms. At the same time, stagnant water bodies (ponds, lakes) are more dangerous than the sea, in the salty environment of which not all microbes and viruses survive.

Rest on the sea, on freshwater and smaller water bodies should be postponed to a later time.

In the first 3-4 months after the operation, such rest, as well as being on the beach in the open sun, if a caesarean section was performed, are contraindicated.

General rules

Water procedures after a cesarean section will require a woman to follow certain rules.

• Do not use toilet soap with rich perfume fragrances, it dries the skin very much, especially in intimate places. Choose either regular baby soap or special intimate hygiene products. Pay attention to the composition. It is desirable that the composition contains lactic acid.

• When washing, first of all, you should wash the external genitalia with movements from the pubis to the anus. Then proceed to washing the anus. This procedure is important so that opportunistic and pathogenic microorganisms from the intestines and feces do not get into the genital tract.
• Sponges, washcloths and other bathing devices should not be used for genital water procedures.

• Until the stitches on the abdomen are removed, it is advisable to wash yourself after each urination. In order not to upset the balance of the vaginal microflora, you should not use toilet soap every time, it is enough to wash yourself with soap only twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. The rest of the washing is best done without detergents at all.
• After the ban on the bath, the bath will be lifted, you should not rush to use abrasive products for the abdomen - peeling can be applied, but a little later. It is also better to refrain from Charcot's shower.
• If you have a beach vacation, and only 2-3 months have passed after a cesarean section, you should definitely visit a doctor, take tests and ask him about the opportunity to swim and relax in a pond. If there are no complications, the obstetrician-gynecologist can allow.

For more information on how to care for a suture after a caesarean section, see the following video.

The postpartum period is another serious test that every woman who has given birth to a baby has to go through. Especially if the birth took place by caesarean section. In addition to questions about feeding, swaddling and, in general, caring for a baby, recovering from a mother’s operation, a large number of problems are subject to resolution. One of them is the personal hygiene of the woman in labor.

So, a bath after a cesarean - is it necessary, do doctors allow such water procedures, what should be taken into account by a woman who has undergone surgery, performing body care manipulations. About this and many other things that are important for a newly-made mom, later in the article.

When can I take a bath after a caesarean section?

For a long time (which cannot but rejoice) the times have sunk into oblivion when a woman who had just given birth, together with a newborn, was sent to a temporary place of residence in a bathhouse, so that she would wash away all the accumulated dirt from herself and the crumbs in the literal and allegorical sense. After all, earlier pregnancy was considered “damn time”, and women in labor were considered “unclean and filthy” creatures.

Do you like to relax in a hot bath?

YesNot

Modern doctors, answering the question when a woman can take a full bath after a cesarean section, are much more categorical. The terms when hygiene procedures are permissible in their full understanding cannot be the same for everyone. Everything here is individual and depends on:

• the speed of healing of the postoperative scar;
• intensity ;
• characteristics of the body of each individual woman, etc.

But, as a rule, it will not be possible to take a bath before the 10th week after childbirth, and you should not count on anything more than a shower. However, this hygienic procedure also requires a special approach and is not allowed immediately after discharge from the hospital.

Is it necessary to wet the seam after the operation

Let's answer this question in detail and reasonably. Every woman in labor who gave birth to a baby by caesarean, dreams that the scar on her stomach, if not completely disappeared, was barely noticeable. It is quite possible to achieve the optimal cosmetic effect if 4 conditions are met:

1. Perfectly smooth edges of the wound.
2. Proper blood supply to the area where the wound is located (in this case, the anterior wall of the abdomen).
3. Good heredity (lack of propensity to form keloids).
4. Sterility.

Compliance with the first three points, unfortunately, is not in our power, here much depends on the surgeon and genetics. But the fulfillment of the fourth condition is quite possible to ensure independently. The postpartum suture must be regularly treated with iodine, alcohol or brilliant green (it is better to clarify this point with the attending physician), the sterile bandage must be changed at least every other day. It is better if a nurse or doctor does this in a dressing room specially designated for dressings, where the air is regularly quartz.

Important! It is forbidden to remove the bandage from the seam before / after the dressing!

When you can swim after a cesarean, it just depends directly on maintaining the sterility of the scar - only after the doctor allows you to remove the bandage. Taking it off without permission and going to the shower, a woman creates ideal conditions for various bacteria to get into the wound and multiply there. After all, it is heat and moisture that are the best friends of the latter. No matter how much you want, it is impossible to wipe the scar dry. The first thing that will prevent it is pain, tingling and discomfort. As a result, the threads that connected the skin during the operation will swell, and microbial inflammation will not have to wait long. Therefore, until the seam is completely healed, bathing in the shower, and, even more so, in the bathroom, is taboo. It is allowed during this period (it usually does not last long - 5-7 days) to wash the body, but carefully protect the area around the wound. After this period, it will be possible to take a shower (not a bath!) With the permission of a doctor.

Attention! It is imperative to inform the nurse or doctor if the suture is accidentally wetted. You may be given additional procedures or dressings.

What you should pay attention to

The specialist will be able to determine when a woman in labor can swim based on a detailed examination of the condition of the scar. You may have to take additional tests to detect inflammation in the body.

However, even when it is already possible to take a bath after a cesarean, a woman needs to consider a number of important recommendations.

1. Bath before bathing should be thoroughly washed with a disinfectant and rinsed with cold water.
2. For the first few days, it is better to use boiled water for washing, which contains various bacteria in a much smaller volume than raw water.
3. Water should not be hot, maximum - 40-45 degrees. Otherwise, blood circulation is significantly increased, which entails a slowdown in the process of tissue regeneration and.
4. Sea salt, flavored balls and foam should be forgotten for a while. Natural soap, chamomile decoction - these are the best "companions" of a young mother when performing hygiene procedures.
5. With prolonged relaxation in the bath, it is better to wait, the procedure should not last longer than 5-7 minutes.

It should also be borne in mind that hot and even well-warm water enhances. Therefore, it is better not to postpone bathing until the evening to avoid stagnation of milk in the mammary glands.

What could be the consequences

Often, women take the liberty of independently determining when they can bathe in the bathroom after a cesarean. Neither doctors nor anyone else has the right to interfere with this decision, since control over the patient's condition and responsibility for it in the postpartum period is borne and carried out, first of all, by herself. Let us briefly state only the consequences of such a rash step:

• A scar soaked as a result of water procedures will heal for a very long time. Even suppuration of the wound is possible, which means that at least a long-term treatment will be required, and at a maximum, a second operation to eliminate the consequences.
• Microorganisms and bacteria that live in water can enter the uterus through an unhealed suture, causing inflammation and infection.
• Hot water will inevitably increase the intensity, everything can end up bleeding.
• Due to the fact that the immunity of the woman in labor (especially after cesarean section) is very weak, it is necessary to exclude factors that can provoke postpartum complications. Bath is one of them.

The above list is far from complete. In fact, there are much more negative aspects caused by ignoring the doctor's recommendations. And it is worth thinking several times before giving in to your own desires, neglecting numerous risks, especially when it comes to your own health.

What do doctors think

Gynecologists recommend, or rather, insist that a consultation with a specialist is mandatory for a woman after a cesarean in any controversial issue when it comes to her own well-being. Indeed, even such a seemingly necessary hygienic procedure as a bath after a cesarean, when it occurs at the wrong time and incorrectly, can cause irreparable damage to a fragile body.

Let's quote the leading obstetrician-gynecologist of the Moscow PMC Elena Avdeeva: “The first thing patients ask me when leaving the maternity hospital is whether it is possible to take a bath. Of course, if a woman gave birth naturally and without complications, after a week or two she can lie in the bath for hours, the main thing is that the temperature of the water and its purity (first of all) meet the standards. As for the patients who underwent caesarean section, here, like all doctors, I recommend to wait a little with full-fledged water procedures. It is, after all, an operation, albeit a common one today. It is better to take all precautions so that after a couple of months you can lead a full and, most importantly, healthy life, fully enjoying the joy of motherhood.

Conclusion

Let us summarize all of the above and, on its basis, draw up a few rules that must be observed by a woman who has undergone a caesarean section with regard to hygiene measures after the operation.

1. Any decision regarding bathing should only be made after consultation with a gynecologist.
2. A shower after a cesarean, if the recovery is normal, is allowed only after the bandage is removed and the suture is completely healed.
3. It is better to postpone taking a bath for several months, so that the body after the operation completely returns to normal.
4. It is forbidden to use perfumed cosmetics while bathing, whether in the shower or in the bath.
5. Swimming in reservoirs, pools is a categorical taboo.

Advice! If the temptation to run to the bathroom and wallow in fluffy, fragrant foam is very strong, remember the consequences. Decide for yourself whether this half-hour pleasure is worth the long months of treatment and even a possible second surgical intervention.

After childbirth, especially if they were carried out by caesarean section, it is very important to observe the rules of personal hygiene. However, in this matter there are a number of restrictions for women in labor. And even after a complex operation, fatigue from the hassle and lack of sleep, unpleasant discharge, when you really want to plunge into a fragrant foam bath, it is extremely undesirable to do this. Let's figure out why and how much you can not swim after a cesarean?

Why are water procedures dangerous?

Usually, when a woman is discharged from the hospital, doctors give her a number of instructions, including those regarding hygiene rules. At the same time, they emphasize that it is forbidden for a woman in labor to take a bath for 8-10 weeks. This period can be somewhat reduced for those women who gave birth naturally and did not have any complications (in the form of cuts, tears) during childbirth.

Many mothers do not fully realize the seriousness of the recommendations given by doctors and thoughtlessly violate them, believing that clean tap water cannot cause any harm. Alas, this is not entirely true.

How many dangers are fraught with a relaxing warm bath? Gynecologists name several reasons why they do not recommend their patients to take a bath after childbirth.

• Until the moment of complete healing, the scar is undesirable to wet. Dehydration of tissues under the influence of warm water will slow down the healing process and can provoke suppuration. Moreover, until the wound heals, you can not wet it even under the shower. During this period, you can only do wet rubbing of the abdomen. After about a week, when the seam heals a little, a woman after a cesarean can be washed in the shower.
• Bacteria and microorganisms present in raw water can easily enter the uterus through the cervix, which has not yet recovered, and cause internal inflammation. Given that the uterus has a through wound during this period of time, there is a possibility of infection entering the cavity directly through the external suture.
• Hot water increases blood circulation in the internal organs, which leads to a more intense release of lochia. And this, in turn, creates conditions for the development and reproduction in the internal genital tract of pathogenic bacteria. Regardless of how the delivery was carried out, taking a bath is not recommended until the discharge has completely stopped.
• The immunity of a woman after childbirth, and especially if they were carried out by cesarean, is very weakened. Therefore, she needs to avoid as much as possible any factors that can provoke the development of the disease or any postpartum complications. Unfortunately, a hot bath after a cesarean is just such a factor.

Physical and psychological aspects of sexual life after caesarean section

Rules for accepting water procedures

Doctors cannot name the exact figure for how much a woman should not swim. This period depends on the speed of healing of the sutures, the process of uterine contraction, and the individual characteristics of the woman. Approximately 8-10 weeks after the caesarean section, the doctor may allow the woman in labor not only to take a shower, but also to wash in the bathroom. But first, she must undergo an examination, during which the gynecologist examines the condition of the scar and confirms that the woman can bathe in the bath.

However, even after obtaining such permission, the mother after a cesarean while bathing must adhere to the following rules:

• Before taking a bath, it must be thoroughly washed, disinfected, and then rinsed off with cold water.
• At first, it is advisable to wash in boiled water. It contains significantly less bacteria than raw.
• The water temperature should not exceed 40, sometimes you can bask in 45-degree water. Intensive blood circulation caused by hot water slows down the processes of regeneration and postpartum recovery.
• It is very useful to add a decoction of chamomile to the water, which has an anti-inflammatory and relaxing effect.
• Do not add salt, flavored foam, or other similar products to the water. During washing, you can use only natural soap without chemical additives to avoid skin irritation in the seam area.
• Despite the fact that you really want to soak in warm water, you need to finish the procedure no later than 5-7 minutes later. Over time, you will be able to afford to enjoy the bath a little longer.
• It is also important to consider that a hot bath stimulates the production of breast milk. Therefore, it is not recommended to take it in the evening before bedtime, when there may be stagnation of milk in the ducts of the mammary glands.

By following these simple rules, a woman after a cesarean can reduce the risk of developing postpartum complications caused by a violation of the rules of intimate hygiene.

What day are you discharged after a caesarean?

Open waters

It should not be thought that when a doctor allows a woman to take a bath 8-10 weeks after a cesarean, then she can also bathe in the sea, river or lake.

In open water bodies, the number of various pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms sometimes exceeds the permissible sanitary standards by hundreds of times.

No one knows how many E. coli or other infections can be in such water. In addition, bathing in cold water can cause hypothermia, and, as a result, the development of colds. Hypothermia of the breast can lead to the development of lactostasis, when the ducts of the glands are clogged with milk plugs.

Following the recommendations of doctors regarding personal hygiene, a woman can afford to soak in a warm bath in two months. The main thing at the same time is to know when to stop and not to abuse water procedures, so as not to provoke the development of various diseases.

A caesarean section is performed when vaginal delivery is not possible or life-threatening for the mother or fetus. This is the most common operation in obstetrics. What should a woman who has undergone this intervention pay attention to in order for the postoperative period to pass safely?

When is an operation required?

During a caesarean section, the wall of the uterus is cut. Indications for surgery may be on the part of the mother, when, due to a particular disease, childbirth poses a threat to her health, and on the part of the fetus, when the birth act is an exorbitant burden for him. More often, indications are both from the side of the mother and from the side of the fetus.

Indications for surgery may occur during pregnancy (complete placenta previa, premature abruption of a normally located placenta, failure of the scar on the uterus after a previous caesarean section or other operations on the uterus, narrow pelvis, severe forms of toxicosis of the second half of pregnancy, severe maternal diseases (heart defects, diabetes mellitus, high myopia), IVF, etc.). In such cases, a planned caesarean section is performed. It happens that indications for surgery occur during childbirth (weak labor activity that is not amenable to special treatment, acute fetal hypoxia, etc.), when an emergency caesarean section is performed.

What is the postpartum period?

Postpartum is the period during which the reverse development of those organs and systems that have undergone changes due to pregnancy and childbirth ends. Usually this period, taking into account the individual characteristics of the course of pregnancy and childbirth, lasts 6-8 weeks. An exception is the mammary glands, whose function reaches its maximum development during the first days of the postpartum period and continues during lactation.

The main task of the postpartum period is the prevention of infectious complications in women and newborns. In this regard, the observance of the rules of personal hygiene by a woman is of particular importance. The penetration of infection into the genital tract and mammary glands pose a great danger to the health of mother and baby.

Necessary measures after caesarean section

Immediately after the operation, a woman is placed on the lower abdomen for 2 hours with an ice pack to better contract the uterus and prevent bleeding from the uterus. She is transferred to the intensive care unit, where in the first 12-24 hours after the operation, the general condition, size and condition of the uterus, secretions from the genital tract, bladder function are monitored, pulse, blood pressure are measured. Solutions are administered intravenously to improve the condition of the blood, depending on the amount of blood loss (with an uncomplicated operation, it is 500-800 ml). If necessary, the puerperal is transfused with blood components - erythrocyte mass, fresh frozen plasma. The need for this is determined by the condition of the woman - the level of hemoglobin before and after the operation, the amount of blood loss, etc.

Painkillers are required. The frequency of their administration depends on the intensity of pain. Pain relief is usually needed for the first 1-3 days after surgery.

To prevent infectious complications, a woman is given antibiotics: during the operation, 12 and 24 hours after the operation. In cases of high risk of infectious complications (in the presence of chronic infectious diseases, tonsillitis, sinusitis, cystitis, etc., poor results of vaginal smears), antibiotics are administered for 5-7 days.

After modern surgeries, it is recommended to turn in bed, move arms and legs within a few hours. You can sit down and walk around the ward in 5-6 hours. The first time a puerperal is lifted by a nurse in the intensive care unit.

12-24 hours after the operation, the woman is transferred to the postpartum department.

The postoperative suture is examined by the doctor once a day. Every day, the nurse treats it with brilliant green or manganese solution to remove possible bacteria that can cause inflammation, and seals it with a special sterile bandage. On the 5-7th day, the sutures are removed from the abdominal wall and an ultrasound is performed, which allows one to judge the size of the uterus, its cavity, its contents, and the condition of the sutures. After removing the sutures on the 5-7th day, they can continue to be treated with the same solutions and apply a sterile bandage at home until complete healing. The dressing prevents the seam from rubbing against the linen and ensures better healing. Solutions and sterile dressings are sold in pharmacies. When the scab (crust) on the postoperative suture has completely receded, the bandage can no longer be worn. In the event of pain after being discharged home, any discharge from the postoperative suture, especially an increase in temperature, the woman should urgently consult a doctor.

The skin scar is formed approximately on the 7th day after the operation; therefore, already a week after a caesarean section, you can safely take a shower. Just do not rub the seam with a washcloth - this can be done in another week. For 7 days, until the skin scar has formed, you can use wet wipes or wash up to the waist from above, leaning over the tub or shower tray.

On the 7-10th day, a woman can be discharged home under the supervision of a antenatal clinic doctor.

The doctor of the maternity hospital pays special attention to the nature of the discharge from the genital tract and the change in the size of the uterus. Lochia (postpartum discharge) in the first 3 days are bloody in nature, on the 4th-9th day they become serous-sanious (yellowish-brown), and from about the 10th day they take on the form of liquid light discharge. By the end of the 2nd week, the lochia becomes very scarce, and by the 6-8th week, the discharge from the genital tract stops. During breastfeeding, the first time bleeding may increase.

It is necessary to wash the genitals with warm water after each urination, moving from front to back - from the urethra and vagina to the rectum - to prevent intestinal bacteria from entering the urinary and birth canals. If there are no allergic reactions, you can use special intimate hygiene products with antibacterial additives.

Problems of the postoperative period

Uterus contraction. The size of the uterus in the maternity hospital is measured every day, and by the 10th day after the caesarean section, its size is slightly larger than the size of the uterus before pregnancy. In lactating women, the size of the uterus returns to normal faster.

Within a few days after childbirth, the uterus should normally decrease greatly in size. Such contractions of the uterus cause slight pulling pains in the lower abdomen, as during menstruation. Pain may increase with breastfeeding, because. During breastfeeding, the hormone oxytocin is released, which promotes uterine contractions. But after operative delivery, due to the presence of a suture, sometimes the uterus does not contract well enough. As a result of this, remnants of blood can accumulate in it and inflammation can begin and body temperature rises. Uterine contractions can be painful and, just like in natural childbirth, intensify with feeding. In such cases, the woman receives painkillers and drugs that improve uterine contraction in the form of tablets or injections. The duration of such treatment, as a rule, is several days, and it depends on the condition of a particular woman. The treatment begins in a maternity hospital under the control of ultrasound of the uterus, it can be completed on an outpatient basis under the supervision of a antenatal clinic doctor. For better contraction of the uterus, it is advisable to periodically lie on the stomach, a light massage of the abdomen is useful, it is necessary to wear a bandage, regular bowel movements, it is also recommended to apply ice to the lower abdomen 3-5 times a day for 7-10 minutes.

constipation. After a caesarean section, there may be a decrease in normal bowel function - constipation.

On the 2nd day after the operation, a cleansing enema is given to stimulate the activity of the intestines and better contraction of the uterus, since after the operation the intestines are in a relaxed state, which contributes to the accumulation of gas and prevents the normal movement of food through the intestines.

A woman after a caesarean section is suitable for a diet with the use of a large amount of fermented milk products with a high content of bifidus and lactobacilli (kefir, yogurt). Flour products (bread, pasta) in the diet should be reduced to a minimum. Raw vegetables and fruits are excluded, because. their use through breast milk can lead to severe gas formation and diarrhea in the child, as well as increased gas formation in the mother. Reasonable physical activity stimulates the intestines well. If bowel function does not return to normal, a doctor should be consulted. Now in pharmacies you can buy the domestic drug Lactusan. It is approved for use in pregnant and lactating women. The principle of operation of Lactusan is to attract fluid into the intestinal lumen, due to which the stool softens and the process of defecation is facilitated. It also has the ability to normalize the intestinal microflora and fight dysbacteriosis, which is especially important for women after cesarean section and the use of antibiotics.

Food women after caesarean section, as well as after conventional childbirth, should be high-calorie and varied and contain 2500-2800 kcal per day. Preference should be given to protein foods (meat, milk, kefir, etc.) as the main source for the synthesis of the required amount of milk and recovery of the body after pregnancy and childbirth.

On the first day after the operation, you can drink mineral water without gas. On the second day, you can eat broths, cereals, boiled meat, cookies, jam, cottage cheese, sour cream, drink tea. From the third day, normal meals are possible with the exception of foods that are not recommended for breastfeeding (milk porridges, fruit jelly, vegetable broths and side dishes, steamed cutlets, boiled meat and fish, vegetables are recommended). It is necessary to exclude fatty, fried, smoked, salty, flour and sweet, soda, chips, hamburgers, etc. from your diet.

Recovery of abdominal muscles. In the postpartum period, it is recommended to wear a special postoperative bandage, which contributes to a better recovery of stretched and weakened abdominal muscles.

After childbirth, within a few weeks, even without a special load, the muscles of the abdominal wall themselves contract. Immediately after a cesarean section, you can’t pump the press, because. seams may come apart - you should wait 2 months. At this time, you can support the muscles by wearing a postpartum bandage for several hours a day. The bandage is worn according to indications for 1 month of the postoperative period or more. You can start wearing a postoperative bandage from the first days after the operation. Modern bandages are made of elastic fabric that allows air to pass through. It can be worn over a sterile dressing at the seam. The postpartum postoperative bandage provides support for the abdominal muscles, their fixation, exerting moderate controlled pressure on them for their faster contraction and restoration of their tone in the postoperative period, thereby ensuring the normalization of intra-abdominal pressure. The bandage protects against the development of hernias and increase in their size, stabilizes the position of the internal organs and uterus, provides the puerperal with more comfortable movements and walking. Also, the bandage fixes the sutures after caesarean section and in the postoperative period helps to reduce pain in the area of ​​the postoperative suture.

Lactation. Milk production after caesarean section does not generally differ from that after natural childbirth, except for the timing of the onset and establishment of lactation. After the operation, when pressing on the nipple, colostrum begins to be released, then milk. There is not much colostrum, but it is 10 times more nutritious than milk, so even a small amount of colostrum is enough to feed the baby in the very first days after birth.

Milk comes in the same way as after spontaneous childbirth, on the 3rd-10th day (as a rule, after emergency operations performed against the background of the onset of labor, a little earlier - on the 3rd-4th day, after planned operations - on 5 -10th). After transfer to the postpartum unit, a woman should wear a special bra to prevent excessive breast engorgement. To prevent excessive engorgement caused by milk production, limit drinking to 800 ml per day. The first application to the breast is possible already in the intensive care unit on the first day after the operation, if this is provided for by the conditions of the maternity hospital, or in the postpartum department. Teats should be carefully inspected, on the surface of which there should be no cracks.

The main condition for successful lactation, especially after operative childbirth, is the presence of a woman in an atmosphere of complete psychological and physical rest and her correct attitude.

A woman after a caesarean section is given a large number of different drugs. Despite the use of painkillers, antibiotics and other drugs that pass into the milk, after a caesarean section, a woman can fully breastfeed her baby. In the postpartum period, drugs that are compatible with breastfeeding are used. The feeding regimen (on demand or by the hour) is determined by the conditions of the maternity hospital and the desire of the woman. But in each case, a woman should additionally check with the doctor the possibility of such a combination.

The most comfortable position for breastfeeding for a woman after a caesarean section in the first days after surgery is lying on her side, because. in this position there is no effect on the postoperative suture. In the future, when recovering from surgery, other postures are possible - standing, sitting.

If it is impossible to breastfeed (in a serious condition of the mother or child), it is necessary to express milk according to the number of intended feedings.

After recovery

All women after caesarean section with a scar on the uterus should be taken to the dispensary at the antenatal clinic immediately after discharge from the hospital. Dispensary registration is a regular preventive monitoring of a woman and the detection of diseases or complications after surgery at an early stage, which allows for more timely and therefore effective treatment. Women should stay on it for at least 2 years after the operation, since it has been established that the restoration of the full structure of the muscular layer of the uterus after cesarean section occurs within 1-2 years. This is also done in order to diagnose and start treatment earlier in case of menstrual irregularities, inflammatory diseases of the genital area, adhesive process in the abdominal cavity, possible after a cesarean section, and for the speedy restoration of normal reproductive function.

Menstrual function after caesarean section is not much different from that after natural childbirth. In the case of full breastfeeding on demand more than 11-12 times a day (including night feedings), menstruation is absent for 6-12 months after birth. If for one reason or another there is no breastfeeding, then the first menstruation after the operation comes approximately 8 weeks after the birth.

Reliable contraception is required for 1-2 years after caesarean section. Abortion after surgery seriously worsens the prognosis of a planned re-pregnancy.

Independent repeated births after caesarean section are possible, but only in a certain group of women. This possibility depends primarily on the condition of the scar after the previous caesarean section, on the readiness of the birth canal for the child to pass through them, on the experience of the maternity hospital doctors, on the indications that caused the caesarean section, etc.

Ekaterina Venediktova
Obstetrician-gynecologist, City Clinical Hospital No. 67, Moscow

Discussion

Hi, I had a spinal CS + tubal ligation, 4th child, CS for the first time / age 45, fetus 4500 kg. I endured the cesarean with a bang, after the seam did not hurt at all, the tied pipes hurt inside, colitis, burns, it was impossible to bend over. Dad helped with the child in the ward, lay flat for 2 days, on the third day they were discharged home, I live abroad, here, if there are no threats to the mother and child, you can generally leave for the 2nd day and hire a nurse at home. Today we are 5 days old, we are already running!

I had a planned caesarean section, everything is exactly as in the article. The only thing I would add is possible problems after the operation. This summer is very hot, a week after the CS I had bleeding, well, the doctor advised me by phone to put ice on my stomach at home and continue to inject oxytocin, because the uterus did not contract well. Before that, I could not even imagine that hot weather would have such an impact on the body's ability to recover.

The article is good. I gave birth in 2004 and everything was the same as in the article and resuscitation and antibiotics and neat sewing under panties. But a description of the difficulties in bearing the next child could also be added to the article. Now I'm at 24 weeks, it seems that they will again have a caesarean and I'm afraid if my stitch will last until 40 weeks.

for Maria 11,4,2008. I had a caesarean in October 2007 at the 29th maternity hospital in Moscow. He was recommended to us by many friends of friends. I entered there "by gravity", when the waters broke prematurely, they called an ambulance, paid and I was taken from the River Station to Aviamotornaya (maternity hospital at the Burdenko Institute) by ambulance. Everything went great!!! Just like in the article. And it’s also mandatory to stay together and breastfeed. Consider it as an option. By the way, I had spinal anesthesia - so I didn’t miss the most important event in my life !!!

I have -4.5 / -5 vision - now 16 weeks - the oculist scheduled a second appointment at 7 months - said we'll see - most likely go to a planned caesarean
By the way, in the light of the recent births of some of my acquaintances, who almost had their babies killed during normal births, even I myself am more inclined towards surgery.
Tell me who did a caesarean not so long ago, where is it qualitatively and tell me a counter doctor from personal experience
I will be very grateful and grateful. we ourselves live not far from Odintsovo, I don’t even know about the local maternity hospital yet

My Lala is 7.5 months old. She crawled to the baby on the floor above only on the third day. Everything is as in the article. Discharged on the 9th day due to low hemoglobin (by the way, the transfused plasma did not help) a day later, hemoglobin dropped to 74 (only meat helps in incredible quantities). Fed on special pillow for feeding.

I had two cesarean sections, in 2004 and in 2008 (that is, 1 month ago) and everything was exactly as written in this article, and ice on the stomach, and the intensive care unit - 12 hours, and antibiotics - 5 days, and reducing drugs ( oxytocin) - 7 days, and a cleansing enema, and daily treatment of the seam, and the diet in the hospital is the same, and parting words of doctors at home for a full recovery - absolutely the same !!!

I had, in principle, everything that is described in the article. But I'm interested in one question: Did the girls look at anyone on the chair after the COP?

She gave birth via cesarean in 2007. Everything was as in the article. The baby was with me in the ward. A huge plus was dad's round-the-clock stay with us in the ward))), she was able to raise and vilify the baby on the 3rd day, before that she fed reclining on the first day, then she sat down, but with pain .... I advise everyone to involve dad.

The article is good, there are a lot of explanations for questions of interest, but at the same time I agree with Olga, it’s impossible to feed lying down because of pain, it was comfortable to lie only on your back and on your stomach (if you can comfortably lie down). I also feed mostly sitting

Excellent article! I received answers to my questions. Everything was like that for me, but I was interested in the question about the restoration of menstruation, thanks for the explanation.

Feeding after a "caesarean" lying down is impossible, because. stitch hurts. For 5 days, I could only lie on my back. She fed sitting on a high bed, putting a pillow on her knees, and a child on it.

no ice, no worries. Orenburg was immediately allowed to call my mother, or rather they advised me, since there was no one to take care of me. Thanks to the anesthesiologist, he helped me get to the ward and get on the bed. Can you imagine, they asked me, after spinal anesthesia, to get down on the bed myself. And then, thank God, I had my mother, mother-in-law and husband in turn for 12 hours and so for ten days. On the last day, the stitches were removed and an ultrasound was done on the seam. and my son and I went home. it was 1 year ago, but since then I almost hate doctors

but mine was different!

Comment on the article "Caesarean section: recover without loss!"

Recovery after caesarean: uterus, stitches, pain medication and other issues. Print version. After removing the sutures on the 5-7th day, they can continue to be treated with the same solutions and apply a sterile bandage at home until complete healing.

After the COP, to reduce the uterus, a heating pad with ice, injections of current painkillers, and they pricked me that and they pricked me, but it only anesthetized the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe seam .... but the uterus contracted like this. Question to those who breast-fed after cesarean. First, were they injected with any antibiotics ...

Discussion

I had two CSs. When you arrive in the RD, they will give you an enema and a shave, this is a matter of 15 minutes.
The later they will caesarean, the better for the child, ideally - when the contractions themselves have already begun.
After the operation, oxytocin is injected, I did not feel any pain at all from uterine contractions, and also when the baby was suckling the breast.
It didn't hurt at all if I didn't move. Both times, a day after the opera, I demanded that I cancel the anesthesia. injections, because from the very fact of the injection, it was even more painful, the seam hurt only at the moment when she sat down, lay down, and turned over. The level of pain is like a sore abrasion, i.e. strong burning sensation, nothing critical. And when I did not move - no pain at all, no anesthesia. I was discharged on the 8th day, on the 9th day I ran after the departing bus without any problems, nothing hurt at all.

I will join Kapashita's opinion - 40 weeks is the time, and the contractions are even better. there is no point in going to bed in advance, why do you need it?
yes, they inject, it was VERY painful for 2 days, then it was easier, it was hard to get out of bed at first, but they somehow quickly put me on my feet in the PMC, I heard that in the TsPSiR too. good luck!

Recovery after caesarean: uterus, stitches, pain medication and other issues. Print version. 4.3 5 (899 ratings) Rate the article. After complicated childbirth (birth with ruptures of the vagina or cervix, caesarean). In this case, activation can occur not only ...

Discussion

It is necessary to pass an extended bakposev. And so that they also look at good flora - is it there?

Ureaplasma does not need to be treated if there is no clinic and inflammation. This is a conditionally pathogenic agent that lives in many women in the norm (references have been repeatedly cited here). Once you kill her, you can get her again the next day. You, as I understand it, have a clinic, which means, perhaps, it was worth treating.

HPV has no cure at all. The maximum that can be done is to surgically remove warts.

I have a planned CS, after which they always inject antibiotics and painkillers. And my doctor later told me that now everyone is injected with an antibiotic into the uterus once, right on the breastfeeding after cesarean. i was breastfeeding after CS...

The antibiotic was pricked 1 time immediately after the operation, painkiller 1 day and on the night of the second day A girl lay next to her and complained that her suture hurt a lot, and demanded an injection. GV after caesarean. If they did a caesarean section, and they put antibiotics for three to five days, the baby ...

Discussion

I have my last c-section and surgery. They put the baby to the breast after 7 hours and since then every 3 hours I fed her. Regardless of antibiotics. They said that some kind of sparing injections were pricked precisely because I feed. Milk came on the 2nd or 3rd day, I don’t remember anymore and hyperlactation all the time. We are still feeding, so the baby liked it. In general, there were problems with the tummy for the first six months, the doctor says precisely because, against the background of antibiotics, she fed, they say, milk with medicine immediately into the sterile intestine ...

I have a planned CS, after which they always inject antibiotics and painkillers. something is too long, I have a CS, they injected Antibiotics for the first day, 12 hours after the cancellation I put it on my chest, by the way, there seem to be those from the Maternity Hospital itself for a planned caesarean.

Discussion

We are already 5 months old. The first 2 months without problems, and after and still only tidal. Do you think it has to do with caesarean?
I can't wait to feed the porridge... I'm tired. here.

Both times I fed, the first time under general anesthesia - milk came on the third day and fed for half a year.
The second time under local anesthesia and fed up to 8 months. I don’t know what they pricked for the first time, but the second time they pricked from pressure and for a day after that I couldn’t feed, I decanted and poured out harmful drops, then I started to feed. The truth had to be fought. The first one did not suck at all, she had to feed with expressed milk (she was with me in the hospital for 10 days), the second sucked only tidal milk

Recovery after caesarean: uterus, stitches, pain medication and other issues. The most comfortable position for breastfeeding for a woman after a caesarean section in the first days after Everything is fine, now I am wearing a postoperative bandage, the seam is almost invisible!!!

Discussion

Anya, my child is a year old, but somewhere, plus or minus, the seam often hurt at that time. Aching pain - not the stomach, just the seam - also ran around - looked at it :-)))
The casket just opened - we sleep with my daughter, and at this age she began to shove hard with her legs, .. along her length she got her toes right into the seam! :-)
It hurts, but not fatal :-), now she sleeps more quietly, and the seam is no longer scary.
In principle, you can show the seam to the doctor, but, I think, if the pain has gone, then you should not worry too much. (Moreover, such a remedy was found for treatment :-))))
Good luck to you - I often read your messages and admire - and Masik is such a good fellow, and you manage to do everything (both here and work). In general, do not get sick to all of you! Regarding sex, theoretically 8 weeks, but as my gynecologist said, if it’s unbearable, then with a condom so as not to bring the infection.
There was another problem - because of the antibiotics and the contraction, the baby had stomach problems :(
But they drank a course of bifidumbacterin, then a massage and everything was formed. But at first they could not understand why the problems arose :(
The scar very quickly becomes inconspicuous and even when it is felt at the doctor’s examination, it doesn’t hurt. I recommend a bandage and back massage, all this will help you stay in shape later. And to be honest, I didn’t have the strength or desire to do gymnastics before 2 months, and I just walked with a stroller for a long time, and didn’t sit.
Don't worry, everything will pass and it will be wonderful.

Kukus, Bepanten (ointment) helped me a lot from cracks in the maternity hospital. She fed, smeared, and two hours later, by the next feeding, the nipple was already squeezing (I was even surprised the first time). And you do not need to wash it off before feeding.