Recovery after a caesarean section: the first six weeks at home

The wound

Shower daily and let water run over the wound, then pat it dry with a clean towel. Wear loose cotton clothes and high-waisted underwear that does not rub on the scar. Numbness around the scar is common and usually improves over months.

Hot water treatment after birth is a cherished tradition, often part of omugwo. After a caesarean, hot water must not be pressed on or near the wound: it can scald the skin and open the cut. A warm bath or shower is fine. Do not apply herbs, shea butter or powders to the wound until it has fully healed.

Pain and moving around

Take the painkillers you were given regularly for the first days, rather than waiting for the pain to build: paracetamol and ibuprofen are safe while breastfeeding for most women. Hold a pillow against your tummy when you cough, laugh or stand up. Walk around the house several times a day, which reduces the risk of blood clots.

Lift nothing heavier than your baby for the first weeks. Let someone else carry buckets of water, shopping and older children.

Food, drink and the bowel

Eat normally: pepper soup, pap, rice, yam, beans, fish and vegetables are all fine. Drink plenty of water, especially if you are breastfeeding. Constipation is common after a caesarean; fruit, vegetables and water help, and your doctor can give a stool softener.

Your body over the six weeks

Bleeding from the vagina (lochia) is normal for up to about six weeks, getting lighter and browner. Avoid sex until the bleeding has stopped and you feel ready, and think about contraception before you resume, because you can get pregnant again before your first period. Doctors usually advise waiting before the next pregnancy to let the womb scar heal.

Driving: wait until you can do an emergency stop and look over your shoulder without pain, often around six weeks, and check your car insurance. Exercise beyond walking usually starts after the six-week review.

Feeling tearful in the first days is common. Low mood that lasts beyond two weeks, or thoughts of harming yourself or the baby, may be postnatal depression: tell your doctor, it is treatable.

Warning signs: get help now

• Fever, or shivering
• The wound becoming red, hot, swollen, opening, or leaking pus or smelly fluid
• Heavy vaginal bleeding, soaking a pad in an hour, or large clots
• Smelly vaginal discharge
• Severe or worsening tummy pain
• A painful, swollen calf, chest pain, coughing blood or sudden breathlessness
• Severe headache, blurred vision or swelling of the face, which can mean high blood pressure after birth
• Pain or burning when passing urine, or being unable to pass urine

Common questions