Version July 2025
Please read the Disclaimer at the end of this page.
What are discharge instructions? —
Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care.
What is cesarean birth? —
This is having surgery to give birth to your baby (figure 1). The doctor makes a cut (incision) in your belly and removes the baby from your uterus. It is also called a "c-section."
Most people go home from the hospital about 3 days after a cesarean birth. But it can take 6 to 8 weeks to heal completely.
How do I care for myself at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
You should also:
●Expect to have bleeding from your vagina – You should wear a pad, and not use tampons.
•The blood will change color with time. At first, it can be red or red-brown and might have small clots. It should get lighter and more watery after a few days, and might look pink or brown. After a few weeks, it will become a yellow-white discharge.
•The bleeding might get heavier when you:
-Are more active
-Stand up after lying down for some time
-Breastfeed
●Take all your medicines as instructed:
•You can take non-prescription medicines to relieve pain, such as acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol), ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve).
•If your doctor prescribed opioid pain medicine, you might get constipated. Take a stool softener to prevent this.
●Take care of your incision – You might have stitches or skin staples.
•You can take showers. Pat your incision dry afterward. Do not put your incision underwater, such as in a bath, pool, or lake, for at least 2 weeks. This can slow healing and raise your chance of getting an infection.
•Always wash your hands before and after you touch your incision or bandage.
●Increase your activity slowly:
•Start with short walks around your home, and walk a little more each day.
•When you cough, sneeze, or laugh, press a pillow over your incision. This helps support the area and ease pain.
•Avoid heavy lifting for 6 to 8 weeks. During this time, do not lift anything heavier than your baby. Your doctor or nurse will talk to you about how to increase physical activity gradually. This depends on your healing as well as how active you were before pregnancy and giving birth.
•Avoid driving while you are taking strong medicines like opioids, or medicines that make you sleepy. Do not drive if it causes pain or discomfort.
●Avoid sex for at least 2 weeks – After that, you can have sex when you feel ready.
•Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have questions about birth control. It is possible to get pregnant again, even soon after giving birth.
•Having a cesarean birth can cause a lot of physical and emotional changes. These can include pain, vaginal dryness, and feeling very tired. Many people do not feel ready to have sex again for 6 weeks or longer after giving birth. But some people feel ready sooner.
•You might want to physically connect with your partner, even if you do not want to have sex. Some options include holding hands, cuddling, and giving each other massages.
•If you are breastfeeding, your breasts might leak milk during sex. This is a normal response to the hormones your body releases from sex and orgasm.
●Drink plenty of water and other fluids to help with constipation. Eat foods that have a lot of fiber, like fruits and vegetables.
●Wear the abdominal binder as instructed, if your doctor gave you one. This is a stretchy band you wear around your belly. It helps support your muscles as you heal.
●Get help from your partner, family members, or friends when possible. It is hard to recover from surgery while also caring for a newborn. Try to rest when you can.
What follow-up care do I need? —
Your doctor, nurse, or midwife will want to see you again a few weeks after you give birth. They will tell you when to schedule this visit. They will do a physical exam, check how you are healing, and make sure you can care for yourself and your baby.
If you have stitches, they might absorb on their own. If you have staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will usually want to do this within 1 week after your cesarean birth.
When should I call the doctor? —
Call your doctor or nurse right away if:
●You have shortness of breath, a headache that is very bad or will not go away, chest pain, or leg pain or swelling.
●Your vaginal bleeding:
•Soaks more than 1 pad in an hour
•Has clots that are bigger than a quarter
•Gets heavier, and you feel lightheaded
●You have signs of infection, such as a fever higher than 100.4°F (38°C), chills, fast heartbeat, cold or clammy skin, or dizziness.
●Your pain gets worse, or you have new severe pain.
●Your incision gets more sore or red, or is bleeding or leaking fluid.
●You feel depressed, or are having trouble coping.
Call for advice if you:
●Have pain when urinating or during sex
●Are having trouble breastfeeding, or have breast symptoms that worry you
●Have vaginal discharge that smells bad
Patient education: Cesarean birth (The Basics)
Patient education: Watching for problems after giving birth (The Basics)
Patient education: Using an abdominal binder (The Basics)
Patient education: Breastfeeding (The Basics)
Patient education: Depression during and after pregnancy (The Basics)
Patient education: Caring for your newborn (The Basics)
Patient education: C-section (cesarean birth) (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Breastfeeding guide (Beyond the Basics)
