How to Deal with an Unplanned C-Section
Unexpected C-section.
It’s something no one wants to think about because it means something has not gone the way you planned.
Unfortunately, unplanned C-sections do happen, and as someone who had one, I want to help you better understand how to deal with your unplanned C-section.
I’m going to share my best advice for dealing with your unplanned C-section emotionally, physically, and mentally, as well as share some of the products I found to be the most helpful during my C-section recovery.
*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using this link. I only recommend products I love or would personally use.
Recovery Tips for an Unplanned C-Section
Sit in a Chair You Can Easily Get Up From
Moving around for the first few weeks can be really hard. Getting up out of my bed was incredibly uncomfortable, so I chose to hang out in a recliner in our family room. I was able to get in and out of the chair by myself without causing too much strain on my C-section incision. Any kind of chair that you can get up from easily will help make your recovery easier. And yes, I slept in the chair for about 2 weeks, because it was comfortable and easy for me.
Support Yourself with Pillows
I used a lot of pillows during my C-section recovery. I had a bit more time to prepare because although my C-section was unplanned in terms of my delivery plans, I did have 2 weeks before my baby arrived. This allowed me to make sure I had as much prepared as possible. One of these things was pillows. I used pillows to support both me and my baby when I was breastfeeding. And as I share all the time, having a pillow for laughing, coughing, sneezing, etc, was super important because it helped me not feel like my belly was falling apart.
Wear High-Waisted Underwear
Attractive underwear is not the name of the game at this point, but comfort is. To help keep your incision safe, I recommend you have several pairs of these high-waisted underwear. They will sit above your C-section incision, and are a cotton/spandex blend, so they’ll be comfortable. They come in a 4-pack and are available in sizes ranging from XS to 7X. AND, if you’re all about cuteness, they come in various colors.
Have a Spot Close by to Care for Your Baby
One thing that greatly helped me after my unplanned C-section was my Graco Pack’ n Play. It was in our family room beside the chair I was sleeping in for the first part of my C-section recovery. I could easily get in and out of the chair by myself, and having the baby close by made it easier to care for them. I liked this one because it had the napping station that was portable, as well as the changing station with the caddies for supplies.
Keep Snacks and Water Near You
I like having everything I need right beside me. When I am up nursing the baby in the middle of the night, I like to have my drink, snacks, and water easily available. It was easier for me to take my medication when everything was by my side. So, keep everything on a table nearby so you don’t have to move as much when you need things.
Have Your Nursing Basket By Your Chair or Bed
One of my favorite things was my nursing caddy. I had everything I needed right with me all the time. I like this basket for nursing supplies because it can eventually be used for something else in the nursery. Things I recommend for your nursing basket- burp clothes, nipple shields, nipple cream, breast pads, an extra bottle of water, baby wipes, a pacifier, etc. You get the idea. If you don’t have a portable sleeper for your baby, it may be helpful to keep some diapers in yours as well.
Accept Help When Someone Offers
I really enjoy helping other people when they have a baby. I like to take them meals, and do whatever I can to help make the transition home with a baby easier. But I’m not always the best at accepting help. Want to bring me a meal? Great! Want to come to my laundry, no thanks, I’ve got this! If someone asks how they can help you, tell them. Let them do things that are physically challenging for you right now!
Pay Attention to Your Body
Your body knows what it’s doing. As you recover from your unplanned C-section, make sure you’re paying attention to your body. It’s super easy to get wrapped up in caring for your baby, as that’s entirely new to you, but you also need to make sure your body is doing OK as well. Pay attention to your pain, how much blood you’re losing, getting enough sleep, etc. All of those things are indicators of how your recovery is going.
Treat Your Pain as Needed
I am not a medical professional, and no information I share should be taken as medical advice. But, be sure your pain isn’t getting ahead of you. Consult with your medical care team before coming home from your unplanned C-section so that you’re medications can be managed at home. I also found that ice packs were super helpful on my C-section incision.
Walk When You’re Able to Move
MOVE!!! As long as you can get up and move, do it. Walk short distances outside. This will help your body heal faster, and it’s nice to get fresh air. Be mindful, this isn’t a sprint or even a fast walk. This is a gentle walk to get your body moving. This will also help your bowels come back alive after your C-section.
How to Recover Emotionally From an Unplanned C-Section
Give Yourself Grace as You Process Your Delivery
Sometimes unplanned C-sections are emergent situations. This can be a lot to process. Emotionally, it can be overwhelming, especially if your health or your baby’s health was at risk during your delivery. Give yourself grace as you process your delivery. You did everything you could to bring your baby into this world as you had planned. Sometimes things just don’t go our way and result in an unplanned C-section. But, birth is birth, and you and your baby are here and healthy.
Allow Yourself the Time to Grieve the Delivery You Didn’t Have
Regardless of how petty it may sound, I cried off and on for weeks before giving birth. I was absolutely heartbroken that I wasn’t going to deliver my baby the way I had planned. I prayed that God would allow my baby to flip from footling breech into a better birthing position. That just wasn’t in the cards for me, and I grieved the birth I wasn’t going to have. Give yourself time to work through that loss.
Don’t Blame Yourself for How Your Delivery Happened
Even if there was something you could have done differently, it’s over now. You do not need to blame yourself for what your delivery wasn’t. This took me a while to understand. After my delivery, we found out my uterus wouldn’t have tolerated a Version maneuver, and I was grateful that we chose the C-section. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t still sad for not having the delivery I wanted, but I was able to forgive my body for not doing what I thought it should have done.
Birth is Birth
You gave birth. The end. You conceived, carried, and delivered your baby. You’re a mom. There is nothing more to be said. You brought your baby into this world, and that is to be praised. Birth is birth.
Breastfeeding After an Unplanned C-Section
One thing I was very concerned about was being able to breastfeed after having a C-section. I had planned to go skin-to-skin and immediately breastfeed after my vaginal birth, but when that idea disappeared, I switched the conversation to better understanding how breastfeeding would work after my C-section.
This was such an important topic and concern for me that I took the time to write an entire post about breastfeeding after a C-section. I encourage you to read through that after you finish this. I’m certain you’ll feel better about breastfeeding after reading that.
Postpartum Healing After an Unexpected C-Section
Now that I have had both a vaginal birth and a C-section birth, I feel like I can give you details about both.
For me, without a doubt, the vaginal births I have had resulted in easier recoveries than when I had my C-section. Luckily for me, my C-section was my first delivery, and I had no other experience to compare it to. But, once I experienced my vaginal birth recovery, I knew I had a harder recovery with the C-section.
Now, don’t panic or get frustrated. This doesn’t mean I had an awful recovery after my C-section. But I did feel like it was harder to be up and moving, and in general, my C-section recovery took a week or two longer.
First, these are the postpartum essential items I found the most helpful. Along with that, I made a complete guide to recovering after a C-section, and everything in there will help you take care of yourself physically after your C-section.
Aside from following your medical care plan to manage your pain, I want to quickly throw in the importance of eating a high fiber diet in the first couple of weeks after your C-section. As your bowels begin to work again after being moved around, it’s important to eat a high fiber diet so you don’t get constipated and add to the chaos.
Self-Care Tips for an Unplanned C-Section
Do One Thing for Yourself Every Day
I knew recovering after an unplanned C-section would be different. I knew I would have challenges I wasn’t prepared for, and mentally, I wanted to make sure I did one thing for myself every day. I recommend you do this as well, because it can be a big part of your self-care routine after giving birth.
For me, I promised myself that no matter what was happening with me or the baby, I would take a shower every single day. And I did, without fail. Taking a shower helped me to reset mentally, and every day it gave me just a few minutes for my own self-care, physically, and mentally, even if the baby was screaming, sitting on the floor in the bathroom.
It was time I promised myself, and I felt good about that. I was still a person, and if I didn’t take care of myself and my postpartum recovery, then I couldn’t take care of my baby very well.
Change Clothes Daily
You may laugh at this, but I am completely serious. Moving around after your unplanned C-section can be hard sometimes, especially if you’re struggling with pain. Putting on clean clothes may not be at the top of the list, but you will feel better once you’re in clean clothes.
Get Outside to Walk and Get Fresh Air
There are big benefits to walking after a C-section, and more importantly, you will benefit from being outside and getting fresh air. If you’re mentally struggling with your unplanned C-section, the fresh air part is very important. Being stuck in your house, in a situation you weren’t prepared for, just isn’t good for you. But your mood can instantly be changed just by spending 10 minutes outside.
Wash Your Face at Night
I found myself sleeping whenever I could for the first couple of weeks, especially since I was new to breastfeeding. One thing that helped me at night was washing my face. It signaled to my brain that I was washing the day away, and it was time to go to bed. For me, this helped me keep a routine for one part of my day, when every other part was go with the flow of whatever the baby was doing that day.
Take Care of Your Mental Health
Having an unplanned C-section can take a toll on your mental health. As part of your self-care routine, check in with your mental health. How are you feeling about your unplanned C-section? Have you forgiven yourself for not having the delivery you wanted? Did breastfeeding not go as you had hoped, and you’re blaming yourself for that? Sometimes, postpartum depression can sneak up on you without even realizing it. Your postpartum self-care routine should involve daily mental checks.
Ask for Help When You Need It
When I say ask for help, I mean with any and all things. If you need help with the baby, ask for help. Maybe you’re struggling to sleep, and you need someone to watch the baby so you can get some uninterrupted sleep. Or maybe taking a shower is hard because moving is hard. All of these things are OK to ask for help. A C-section is major surgery, and if you didn’t mentally prepare for the recovery, it makes it that much harder. Ask for help and don’t feel bad about that.
Having an unplanned C-section does not mean you failed in ANY way. What it does mean is that you’re a NEW MOM! You carried a sweet baby and then delivered that baby into this world, where you now get to be his or her MOM. It means you made the best decisions you could regarding your health and your baby’s health, and those decisions led you to having a happy and healthy baby.
I hope you have found help and encouragement here. You are awesome! You can do hard things.
You are a mom.
Great Tips for New Moms
Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms
Helpful Resources for New Moms
Postpartum Essentials for New Moms
Postpartum Questions New Moms Need to Ask
The Best Postpartum Leggings for New Moms
What to Wear After Giving Birth
Complete Guide to C-Section Recovery
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