After giving birth by cesarean section (c-section), most women experience some pain related to surgery.
After a c-section, you may feel general body aches along with pain at your incision and in your low back. Good pain relief speeds recovery. With good pain relief, women can better enjoy their postpartum time.
What is your pain level?
Everyone reacts differently to pain. It may be hard to explain how much pain you feel.
Occasionally your nurse will ask you to rate your pain on a scale of 0 to 10. A rating of 10 is the worst pain you can imagine. A rating of 0 means you have no pain at all. Use the pain scale in your room to help you rate your pain. Nurses and doctors have found this scale to be one of the best tools for making sure patients get adequate pain relief.
Why is pain relief important?
Pain may actually slow down the body's ability to recover from injury. Besides being more comfortable, women who have as little pain as possible after c-section tend to recover more quickly.
Good pain relief will help you rest, move, eat and care for your baby more easily than you could if you were in pain. These activities will help you prepare for your return to activities at home.
How will your pain be managed?
Pain is much easier to manage if it is treated before it becomes severe.
Many women receive spinal (epidural) anesthesia or a self-controlled IV narcotic to relieve their pain for 24 hours after surgery. Along with this, the doctor also prescribes an oral medication. The oral medication begins when the spinal anesthesia or IV narcotic is being discontinued.
The oral medication is a slow-release medicine (that is, it works slowly over a period of time). That is why your nurse may give it to you even before you feel pain. You will receive it every 12 hours. If your pain returns between the 12-hour doses, let your nurse know. You may need a different medication.
Some women take ibuprofen or acetaminophen (for example, Advil or Tylenol) to help ease pain. This is especially helpful for women who:
- Have pains with nursing
- Labored for a time before having a c-section, or
- Simply did too much activity for the day.
Regular, light activity with warm showers and rest times throughout the day can help reduce stiffness, soreness and pain.
How will pain medication affect my baby if I breastfeed?
The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that it is safe for breastfeeding mothers to use pain medications prescribed by their doctors. Even if you breastfeed, if is important to get relief from your pain so that you can care for and feed you baby.
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