The Emergency C-Section Checklist You’ll Be Thankful You Had

If you had an emergency caesarean, you haven’t failed, and neither has your body. Caesarean section is the most commonly performed major surgery in the world. The emphasis here is on major surgery: a fact that is all too easily swept aside amid the emotion of welcoming your baby.

If you laboured before your caesarean, you may have done so for days with minimal sleep. You did the physiological work of labour – which is akin to running a marathon – and then underwent major surgery. All of this has taken an enormous toll on your body.

Your Emergency C-Section Checklist

Immediate Post-Surgery (First 48 Hours)

Pain Management – Don’t Be a Hero:
• Request pain medication before it gets out of control
• Remember: You. Are. Not. Being. A. Bother!
• A body experiencing pain cannot focus on healing, bonding or breastfeeding

Essential Movement:
• Deep breathing: Get oxygen into your lungs while on pain medication
• Foot and ankle pumps: Move your feet up and down to reduce swelling
• Log roll: When moving from lying to sitting, roll onto your side first, then use your arms to push up

Days 1-4: Getting Moving

• Day 1: Get out of bed, march on the spot, maybe shower
•  Day 2: Walk around your room
•  Day 3: Walk around the ward
•  Day 4: Walk around the ward twice

Going Home: Your Recovery Essentials

Support Your Body:
• We love the Bare Mum C-Section Birth Care Kit – it’s a recovery essential. The kit has everything you need for comfortable healing: Postpartum Briefs that offer gentle compression and can be worn straight after birth, a Warm & Cool Insert to deliver soothing hot or cold therapy over your incision, Silicone Gel Scar Strips to help soften, flatten, and fade your scar, and a nourishing Skin & Scar Oil to support massage and keep the skin supple as it heals.
• Avoid lifting anything heavier than your baby for 6-8 weeks

Fuel Your Healing:
• Drink 3 litres of water daily for hydration and milk supply
• Prioritise protein for tissue healing: eggs, fish, chicken, beans
• Bone broths and soups are easily digestible and excellent for recovery
• Take stool softeners to prevent straining

Wound Care:
• Keep your dressing clean and dry for 3-4 weeks
• When coughing or sneezing, support your incision with your hand or a pillow
• Some oozing is normal – trust your instincts if something feels wrong

Red Flags: Contact Your Care Provider Immediately

• Heavy, continuous bleeding around your incision
• Sharp or intense pain around your incision
• Pus, swelling, redness or heat around your incision
• Foul-smelling discharge
• Fever
• Heavy vaginal bleeding (soaking more than one pad per hour)

The Reality Check You Need

Your caesarean involves cutting and healing seven layers of skin and tissue. Most health professionals believe this process takes up to a year. While you may feel back to normal relatively quickly, don’t let your body trick you into thinking you can return to your old routines without proper consideration.

The general rule for postpartum is that your pain should decrease every day. If it doesn’t, speak up.

Your Recovery Timeline

0-6 weeks: Acute recovery – rest and healing is imperative
6 months: Your scars will still be remodelling
12 months: You’ll likely feel some semblance of your ‘normal’
18-24 months: A full healing cycle is complete

Remember This

There’s no rushing through recovery; you can’t speed the process along or do it any more efficiently. Your body is doing incredible work healing from major surgery while caring for a newborn.

Be patient with yourself. Lower your expectations. Accept help. And know that taking care of yourself isn’t selfish – it’s essential for your family’s wellbeing.

You did the most productive thing any human can do: you grew a baby, laboured, underwent major surgery, and brought your child safely into the world. That deserves recognition, rest, and gentle care.