As a newly pregnant mom planning a home birth for our first child, I never dreamed that I would have a c-section birth. I wasn’t prepared when it happened and quickly purchased these essential c-section recovery products when I was back home!
A c-section recovery is no joke. Not only does it take months for the pain to dwindle down, but it can take even longer for you to fully feel like yourself again.
Having the right products on hand can make your postpartum experience after a c-section more enjoyable. When I went online after my c-section I purchased these items to make like just a little bit easier, and I am so glad I did!
Here are the c-section recovery products that personally worked for me the first few months after giving birth to my daughter…
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Did you know they make specific underwear to help with your c-section? I had no idea until I stumbled upon it on the internet.
Most underwear currently in your dresser drawer will sit right near your c-section scar, causing it to rub and chaff. I was so happy to find a quick and easy solution to this problem!
I purchased several different kinds of c-section underwear: mid-rise, high-rise, and compression hi-rise. Honestly, all of them have pros and cons. I found that some worked better on certain days or even stages of my recovery than others.
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Having underwear that does not land right near your c-section scar is an essential piece to your c-section recovery products!
Another option to consider is adult diapers or disposable underwear like these. However, I found these to still be very irritating because the material they are made out of is much rougher than the underwear I purchased above.
Just like the underwear, you don’t want pants or leggings that will sit right on your c-section scar. Not only will it rub and irritate it throughout the day, but you also need to give it space to breathe and heal properly.
I didn’t realize until I got home from the hospital that I didn’t have comfortable pants to wear around the rouse that didn’t rest on my c-section scar.
I found that joggers were the best option for me and bought several different pairs (like these and these). Joggers are much looser fitting than leggings, allowing more breathability and airflow to help your scar heal correctly.
Also, the key is that the joggers are mid-rise or high-rise so that they can sit on your waist above your scar. Consider sizing up too so that they can fit over your belly as it slowly decreases in size over the first month postpartum.
Don’t forget to purchase a few pairs of joggers like these to add to your c-section recovery products bundle. I wish I had these going home from the hospital!
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One way to help protect your c-section scar is to also invest in a compression nursing tank. I bought several of these and they became my preferred choice in helping my belly compress back down while avoiding impact with my c-section scar.
While it is similar to a belly band, it is much more forgiving. It moves with your body throughout the day and doesn’t sit quite as low as a thick belly band would so you can avoid disrupting your scar.
I had a lovely routine where I used the compression nursing tank with the c-section recovery underwear I mentioned above. The underwear would be high enough over my scar that I could tuck the bottom of the tank into them.
My body would feel tight and secure with both pieces working together, and at the same time, my scar was safe and protected.
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I had much smaller belly bands purchased originally (linked here) that I wore during pregnancy to help support my growing baby. I loved that it would be a great option to wrap my belly with postpartum as well.
However, I wondered if I needed a bigger one (like this) for my postpartum recovery instead.
Truth be told, if you have a c-section birth, then you do not want a larger belly band! Instead, stick with these smaller ones as I had originally purchased.
The larger belly bands will come in contact with your c-section scar, especially when you are sitting down. The smaller ones, however, will not and can be easily adjusted as you move throughout the day. They are also easier to wear on walks, which are an essential part of c-section recovery!
So, don’t purchase a big bulky belly band if you have a c-section. Instead, choose something smaller and more minimal like this.
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When I came home from the hospital, I didn’t need to use pain medication any longer, which I was extremely grateful for. However, I tried to wean off the stool softener and it was a huge mistake.
Stool softener became my best friend as I recovered from my cesarean birth. I didn’t have a pain-free poop for weeks after the birth and when I ran out of stool softeners, I was sitting on the toilet in tears.
My husband had to leave work, rush over to the pharmacy store and pick up Colace stool softener just so I could get up off the toilet. It was incredibly painful, and I wish I had prepared better.
Pick up some Colace the next time you are in town and add it to your c-section recovery products. Believe me, you won’t regret it!
Like I’ve been saying in this blog post, it is extremely important to allow your c-section scar to heal properly. One way you can do that is by applying essential oils to the scar area and allowing them to do their magic!
One of my favorite ways to apply them was to first rub a layer of coconut oil on the scar, then a drop or two of lavender essential oil rubbed in on top of that.
I never had any issues with my c-section scar and I believe a huge part of that was the fact that I used essential oils to help heal the wound!
When you go to purchase your own essential oils to have on hand, make sure they only the best quality you can get. The grocery store essential oils will simply not work as they are often filled with additional additives and falsely labeled.
I only purchase essential oils from Young Living because of their Seed to Seal guarantee. You can purchase them here or reach out to me with any questions you have and I can help you along the way!
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Lastly, I had no idea how much water I would need to drink as part of my c-section recovery. Between breastfeeding and recovery from major abdominal surgery, my body needed tons of water to keep up.
One solution to help me stay hydrated and drink more water was to purchase a larger water bottle like this one.
Since you can’t leave your bed often, especially at the beginning of your c-section recovery, it can be hard to continually fill up your water bottle. Unless someone is always at your side ready to fill it for you, it’s much better to have a jumbo water bottle that you only need to fill up once or twice a day.
Don’t forget to stay hydrated with a water bottle as one of your essential c-section recovery products!
Let me know in the comments below which of these products you are picking up first! I’d love to hear from you!
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
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