If your baby is born via a C-section, recovery may be one of the things foremost in your mind. You’ll be sent back to your home with all the post-operative instructions to live a smooth life after a c-section. The truth is it is not easy to ease back into your old routine, you have a new baby of course, and trying to recover from childbirth. But don’t worry, you’ll be back to your old routine with these easy tips. Be extremely wary of the symptoms you may experience, too much pain may obviously be a red flag, so, be mindful of your symptoms and keep your doctor in the loop. Here are a few easy tips to recover quickly from a c-section delivery.
Have Fiber-filled Meals
One of the most common complaints of a C-section delivery is constipation. Lack of movement, with painkillers, antibiotics can lead to this uncomfortable problem. However, fiber and fluids are what you need to make things go smoothly. Drink lots and lots of water, say about 8 glasses a day; when it comes to fiber, you can get your fill with fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
You can also add more fiber through chia and flax seeds. It makes the stool softer and easy to pass. Get some good bacteria into the scheme of things with probiotics such as raw sauerkraut or kimchi can help you when things go out of whack. Probiotics can also help you prevent postpartum depression and anxiety.
Eat Nutrient-packed Meals
As your body slowly gets into recovery mode, you need to add more nutrient-rich foods to your diet. You have carried another human being around for months and underwent major surgery, so you need all the nutrients you can add to make your diet more wholesome. Good nutrition is the healthy building block you need to recover from childbirth. While many people recommend you different types of foods to recover, there is no specific food that can set you on the recovery path.
Just add a whole lot of foods that have the power to replenish and rebuild you. In this regard, protein-rich plant-based foods are usually your best bet. Plant-based foods are a great option full of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
Your entire diet should contain colorful vegetables, fruits, a source of protein, animal or plant-based, and some slow-carbs on the side such as berries, brown rice, quinoa, and sweet potatoes. Don’t forget to add some good fat in the form of avocados, a drizzle of olive oil, nut butter. Nuts and seeds are great as they have anti-inflammatory properties and help reduce swelling. You can use herbs and spices to add some flavor to your dishes.
Get Ample Rest
It is easier said than done, but rest is such an essential part of recovery, but so often we tend to ignore it. Surgery of any kind is an emotionally and taxing experience, it especially holds true of a new mother who needs to also take care of a baby; all mothers have to learn on the go. When you allow your body to heal it gives the body ample time to repair itself and enhance the immune system. It is necessary to ask for help from people around. Rest is different for different people.
For someone it may be taking a nap in the middle of a busy day, for others, it is curling up with a book a steaming cup of tea in hand while the baby sleeps away peacefully. Find your own definition of rest and take it without any modicum of guilt, when you are well-rested and recovering quickly you are much more likely to take care of the baby and everyone in the family in a better way.
Conclusion
The tips above are a few of the most effective tools to help you manage your health post a c-section delivery. Don’t pressure yourself to lose the extra weight; it won’t be easy, so give your body time and ease back into healthy eating.
Keep healthy snacks all around you and ensure you don’t have a lot of junk all around you. Junk food can have a derogatory effect on your health and also derail your weight loss efforts. Seek help from your doctor and also a nutritionist if you can who will guide you through this transitionary phase and help you get to a stronger and healthier you.