Opinion Rest days not over yet

While it is understood that recovery after a normal delivery is faster,it does not take too long to get back on your feet after a C-sec,too,if proper care is taken,I am told. When my mother had the last of her four C-sections 23 years ago,she was discharged from hospital after 11 long days. Medical science has since advanced and hospitals don’t keep patients for more than five days now. I was made to walk the very next morning and discharged on the fifth day. I was even allowed to climb stairs to reach my third-floor flat,though I must admit it was quite a task.

I am,however,not supposed to twist,strain and lift anything heavier than the baby for at least six weeks. With a baby in their arms,women tend to forget that Cesarean section is a major abdominal surgery and that one should give the wound some time to heal.

Another thing I learnt after the delivery is that the recovery pattern does not follow a certain rule and varies from woman to woman. While I was assured that my swollen feet and hands would come back to their normal shape within 24 hours of the delivery,it was not until a week that my feet looked like they did nine months ago. But my fingers are still waiting to wear the rings again,and the wrists the bangle I never parted with earlier and a watch. My sister was 10 kg lighter when she left the hospital after delivery. While I was hoping for a similar result,I had not lost even one gram till the day I was discharged,thanks to all this water retention. A look at my photographs taken after the delivery made me feel depressed. I lost around 6 kilos over the last week,though.

My doctor says the “pregnancy changes” take time to revert and I need to give my body at least six months to come back to the pre-pregnancy shape. The uterus carrying the baby puffs up like a balloon and does not shrink immediately after the delivery. I have been asked to wear a support belt for three weeks. I am also taking an Ayurveda medicine that makes the uterus shrink faster.

According to experts,delivery does not mean your energy and fitness levels will be back to what they were before pregnancy. No matter how depressed you are,it is not time yet to hit the gym because putting any stress on the tissues or internal organs may be risky. Even household work like dusting the ceiling fan has to wait.

But one cannot just sit around either. Rest is important but you also need to adequately move around for the wound to heal fast.

Having kept myself off Chinese food during the pregnancy,I had planned to gorge once I deliver. But that has to wait as my son’s paediatrician has told me to stay away from outside food as much as possible till the baby is completely dependent on me for his feed. Tandoori chicken is all he okayed if eat out I must. Healthy and more frequent meals are what I have been prescribed to restore energy. I have also been told to continue with the high intake of fluids because dehydration affects lactation. Healthy food and plenty of fluids are also necessary to prevent constipation,which many women face after a C-section. Lactating mothers should also avoid spicy food and the cabbage family,besides anything that does not usually suit them even if they are harmless.

Now that your pregnancy is over,it does not mean you no longer need your doctor. Be alarmed if you have fever or pain in the incision area or abdomen,severe headache that won’t go away or subside,and trouble in urination – urinary tract infection is common after a C-sec,but is easily treatable.

I was very anxious when the baby won’t stop crying the other day and I could not make out what was troubling him. With a newborn in the house who cannot spell out his needs,the new mother is bound to feel anxious or panicky. Coupled with the new responsibilities,changes in the body,sleep deprivation and loss of freedom,this can lead to depression,which may occur soon after delivery or up to a year later.

Commonly called the postpartum or “baby blues”,feelings of anxiety,irritation,tearfulness and restlessness are common in the first two weeks after the delivery,say experts. These symptoms usually go away soon and need no treatment. But in case the baby blues do not fade away or the signs of depression show up later,the condition is called postpartum depression,which requires immediate medical attention.

Physical discomforts after the delivery can aggravate the condition and one should try and work out ways to minimise problems like backache,lack of sleep and others pains. It’s not time yet to bring that cushion back from the car. In fact,my back hurts more now and I need to place a pillow behind my back while sitting on the bed or a chair. Sitting straight with the back properly propped up is important to ensure the tummy does not feel as sore. While lying down,placing a pillow under the thighs helps me relax. And while getting out of or into the bed,I consider it mandatory to support my tummy and the stitches.

Off all post-surgery medication,I am recovering well,believes my doctor. And I believe motherhood will make the recovery faster and I will be fighting fit soon.