Table of contents:
- Body condition after giving birth by caesarean section
- Vaginal bleeding
- Pain
- Swollen and painful breasts
- Stitches bruising and itching
- Bloated
- When is it okay to drive after a cesarean?
The surgical procedure during a cesarean delivery usually leaves a suture wound that is deep and wide. Therefore, recovery also takes longer. Generally, doctors advise patients to rest longer and not perform various strenuous postnatal activities, including driving a car. So, when can you go back to driving after a cesarean?
Body condition after giving birth by caesarean section
After a cesarean section, you will usually experience several body changes such as:
Vaginal bleeding
After a cesarean section, you may experience bleeding from the vagina for several weeks. This happens because the body gets rid of the waste tissue and blood in the uterus. At first, the blood will usually be bright red. However, over time, the blood turned brown, yellow, until it stopped completely.
Pain
After a cesarean delivery, you will usually experience cramping-like pain. This happens because the body narrows the blood vessels in the uterus so that it doesn't bleed too much. In effect, you will feel stomach cramps that are similar to those of menstruation.
Swollen and painful breasts
About 3-4 days after giving birth, the breasts usually begin to produce a substance called colostrum. Colostrum is a nutrient-rich substance that helps boost your baby's immune system. After that, the breasts will swell because they are full of milk. This swelling can be painful if you don't pass milk continuously.
Stitches bruising and itching
The caesarean suture will usually feel bruised and itchy. Generally, it is very difficult for the wound under the folds of the stomach to dry out. This condition can last quite a long time. Generally, it will take 6-10 weeks for the wound to heal completely.
Bloated
After a cesarean section, you can experience flatulence for days to weeks after surgery. The trapped air in the stomach causes pain which is enough to interfere with daily activities. For that, mothers need to avoid various foods and drinks that can cause flatulence such as milk, cabbage, apples, and so on.
When is it okay to drive after a cesarean?
Basically there are no definite rules regarding when to return to driving after cesarean section. However, it's a good idea to get back to driving when you feel completely healthy and recovered.
Most women will generally recover from cesarean section after 4-6 weeks after delivery. After that, then you are usually allowed and able to do various quite strenuous activities, one of which is driving a vehicle.
Driving by car involves the abdominal muscles so it is very risky to do it when the caesarean suture is not completely dry. The reason is, women who have a caesarean section have stitches that are quite large and deep. If you force it by driving too fast or pressing hard on the brakes even though the seams are still very wet, it is not impossible that this can actually worsen the condition.
In addition, after surgery you will usually still feel pain in the abdomen if you move too much. It is for these various considerations that your doctor will advise you to wait until you are healthy and strong enough to get back to driving.
If you are not sure or you still have questions, you should immediately consult your doctor.
x
