Recently, Bollywood’s hottest couple – Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor – welcomed their first child, a baby girl on November 6 where as per the reports, the diva gave birth through a caesarean section and parents-to-be were seen taking notes. Regardless of the delivery method, having a baby is a special and thrilling experience but the post-delivery pain after C-section can persist for several days to a few weeks hence, pain management is crucial for such ladies.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Vivek Loomba, Consultant Pain Physician at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre in New Delhi, explained, “Since caesarean section is a major invasive abdominal surgery, it is more painful with a prolonged and difficult recovery compared to a vaginal birth. Pain is typically worse in the first few days and gradually gets better as you recuperate over the course of a few weeks. It may take several weeks to completely heal after the surgery. Women who undergo C-section surgery not only experience physical stress but also go through emotional and mental trauma.”
As per Dr Priti Gupta, Senior Consultant in Fertility and IVF services at First Step IVF (Centre for Reproductive Medicine) in New Delhi, a caesarean or C- section is a major abdominal surgery that involves making incisions in the abdomen and uterus to take the baby out. She elaborated, “When a vaginal birth is not possible, most C-sections are performed in emergency situations and as a last choice. However, if vaginal birth is thought to be too dangerous, C-sections may occasionally be planned earlier in pregnancy. Additionally, a few patients opt for an elective C-section without any medical reasons. Moms delivering by C-section require a good amount of time and care to recover from it.”
Things to do after a C-Section:
- Wear loose clothes and keep the incision area dry and clean
- Try to walk every day. It will prevent blood clots and gas
- Drink enough water
- Eat a balanced healthy diet containing all necessary vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates.
- Prefer home-cooked meals.
- Give rest to your body and mind
- Take your medicines on time
Things to avoid after a C Section:
- Anything that rubs on your incision site
- Pressure on your incision site
- Lifting anything heavy
- Taking bath until the incision is healed
- Sex until your doctor says you can
- Stress and anything negative that bothers you
Pain Management after C Section:
According to Dr Vivek Loomba, there are several pain management options to help ease the discomfort after your surgery. He suggested, “A good pain control will help you bond with your baby and enjoy the moments. Around the clock crocin tablets are the first step in pain management. Crocin is very safe, both for the mom and the newborn. If the pain persists, ibuprofen can be added. Scar infiltration with local anaesthetic is very useful in some cases.”
He cautioned not to self-medicate, instead visit your doctor if the pain is severe. “When you self-medicate, it may result in harmful effects on both the mom and the baby. Do not ignore any pain after C-section. Pain management after a C-section delivery will help you recover faster, take good care of the newborn and help establish a healthy bond with your baby,” concluded Dr Loomba.