Okay, so I told you all before that I ended up having a c-section that I did not want. I’ve never had a surgery of any kind before, and I didn’t know what to expect. Everybody is different, so I can’t tell you for sure what you should expect, but we will talk here all about c-section survival.

Tips for c-section survival:

• Get to moving as soon as possible- Due to some complications, I wasn’t allowed move for 12 hours after my c-section. That was infuriating to me, but once I was up and moving, I kept moving, because the more you move, the less you’ll hurt.
• Stay on top of your pain medicine- Ask for it in the hospital. You don’t have to take it around the clock, but you should take it before you start hurting, so that the pain doesn’t get unbearable. I was good at remembering as long as my husband was there to remind me, but if he ever had to leave, I would completely forget about taking pain meds. Stay on top of it when you get home too! They prescribe it for a reason. You’ll also still need something (more than likely) after you’ve run out of prescription medication, and for that ibuprofen is a Godsend! Take it!!!
• Take it easy- This is hard for me. I like to run my house, and I have a hard time letting go. BUT, I quickly figured out that the last thing you want to do is to overdo it. I nearly busted my incision back open and got a small infection because I didn’t think I had to slow down. I learned to accept help though and to let go of things for a little while.
• Soft leggings and pajama pants are your friend- I made the mistake of wearing my jeggings thinking that they would be comfy. An hour into that, I was changing back into my pajama pants. I can now fit into my blue jeans, but cannot comfortably wear them for more than a few hours without them rubbing my incision site and making me uncomfortable. I’m not sure when or if that will ever change.
• Spanx are your very best friend- Yes, while it’s true that jeggings and blue jeans will cause discomfort, Spanx will do the opposite. I had wanted to get a postpartum girdle of some sort to help me lose my preggo belly, but I never did. A friend of mine told me on day two about getting Spanx, so I asked my midwife about them, got the okay, and on day three I sent a dear friend out with my debit card to buy me three pairs. I won’t lie, it was interesting getting them on, but I felt so much better moving around once I started wearing them. I still live in them, and contribute them to me having a nearly flat tummy less than two weeks after having my baby boy!
• Snuggle your baby as much as possible- Whether you breastfeed or not, snuggle with that sweet baby as much as you can! I am convinced that babies have some sort of drug that can be inhaled while you’re holding them that just makes everything better!

Have you had a c-section? What are your tips for c-section survival? Please leave a comment below and share your tips!