- Many women experience back pain after a C-section due to hormonal changes, anaesthesia, and surgery.
- Remedies include improving posture, engaging in light exercises, and utilizing heat/cold therapy.
- A nutritious diet with protein, iron, calcium, folate, and vitamins aids recovery.
- Seek medical help for persistent or severe pain and other concerning symptoms.
Have you recently gone under a C-section or caesarean delivery? Then you might feel back pain which needs some effective remedies to solve.
Around 70% of women who have undergone c-section delivery experienced pain in their upper and lower back during the postpartum recovery period. This pain is caused due to surgical trauma, hormonal changes, anesthesia application and more reasons. To address the overall well-being of the mother and newborn child, it is necessary to treat the pain with physical therapies, posture correction and pain relief medication.
Incase you have always wondered;
How is a caesarean section operation done to deliver a baby? Watch this video:pic.twitter.com/aAP50ct97V
— #OurFavOnlineDoc 🩺 🇬🇧 (@OurFavOnlineDoc) November 16, 2024Remedies for relieving C-section back pain
1. Practice good posture:
While carrying the additional weight of a baby your posture gets bad and you need to solve it after your delivery, but how? Try to seek a comfortable sitting position. Seek the support of a pillow or anything while feeding or holding the baby. Always try to sit on a chair and relax your shoulders by avoiding slouching.
2. Do back pain exercises:
After your delivery, you need to recover your body muscle and for that, you can engage in several back pain exercises. They are not complex. Take some light walks, this can increase blood circulation. You can also do some pelvic tilts and some pelvic floor exercises that can help you to fast your recovery.
3. Try massages and stretching:
If you are a mother, then you might do an oil massage to your baby to soothe and calm them. This can also work for you to get relief from your pain, wondering how? Just gently massage your back with oil or without oil. You can add some stretching exercises also that can reduce the muscle pain in your back and just take enough rest.
4. Heat and cold therapy:
You can apply hot packs or ice packs to your back to reduce inflammation in the areas. use them alternatively to get faster results. You can also take a hot bath for faster relief of your pain.
5. Pain medication:
If you’re experiencing severe pain and these remedies do not work for you then you should consult your doctor. The medicine they prescribed for you add them with these remedies and you might find yourself getting relief from severe pain.
C-section back pain causes
Hormonal changes:
During pregnancy, the relaxing hormone is released from the body to loosen the ligaments and joints to prepare the body for childbirth. In the postpartum recovery period, the ligaments and joints tried to recover their condition which led to lower back pain.
Anaesthesia:
To prepare for c-section delivery, doctors use epidural or spinal anaesthesia which can cause soreness or muscle spasms. In post-surgical conditions, this causes severe lower back pain that lasts for several days or weeks.
Weight gain:
During your pregnancy period, you gain additional weight for your baby and your body creates pressure on the spine to maintain a balance that affects your normal posture. After delivery, regaining the posture can also create pain in your back.
Surgery process:
The surgical process of c-section delivery can also create pain in your back. The muscle and tissues in your lower abdomen are cut by a doctor and to recover the muscle again your back supports you which places additional strain on your back.
Breastfeeding:
Do you know when you see your baby’s face during breastfeeding this can also create pain? This happens because of poor posture. Slouching your shoulders and tilting your head can strain your upper back muscles and neck causing severe pain in both your neck and back.
Emotional perspective
Besides physical pain, some mothers also suffer from emotional pain. One out of ten women experienced postnatal depression in the first year after childbirth. This is caused by to hormonal imbalance called baby blues in which women feel sad or tearful most of the time.
PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety that women feel after a c-section birth. This can happen due to the trauma of surgery or due to unexpected complications. A mother who suffers from PTSD oftentimes face difficulties in creating bonds with their babies.
Moreover, pain in the back muscle may limit the mobility of women. They aren’t able to weigh weight or do daily work like maintaining their house. This creates a guilty feeling in them and creates stress among them. Severe pain can also affect their mood. In that case, consulting a doctor might be helpful.
Proper nutrition diet in postpartum recovery
During the postpartum recovery period, you need to add some effective food options that can speed up your recovery process. Prepare a meal that has protein, iron, calcium, folate and vitamins. There are a few options of foods that have these nutrition values which you can add to your breakfast, lunch and dinner.
1. Protein:
Source- chicken, fish, eggs, milk, yoghurt, lentils, chickpeas, nuts, seeds and beans.
Benefits- These sources are beneficial for the production of breast milk and muscle and tissue repair.
2. Iron:
Source- Red meat including beef and lamb, chicken, beans, lentils, fish, leafy greens and dried fruits.
Benefits- It can help to rebuild blood after the loss of considerable blood during delivery.
3. Calcium:
Source- Dairy foods including milk, yoghurt and cheese, soy products, leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds.
Benefits- Calcium-rich food sources can help in reducing bleeding during and after c-section delivery.
4. Folate:
Source- Vegetables, fruits, peas, seafood, eggs, meat, poultry, dairy products and grains.
Benefits- Folate-rich foods can help in building blood cell and it helps in development of body muscles.
5. Vitamins:
Source- Spinach, legumes, lentils, peas, cereals, avocados and citrus fruits.
Benefits- It can help in the growth and development of the body’s muscles and reduce pain.
When to seek medical help
If you have been experiencing persistent severe back pain for a long time then you should seek a doctor’s help otherwise the condition might worsen. A doctor’s consultation might be helpful when you face difficulties in body movement. Difficulties in breathing and constant mood swings also require doctor consultation.
If you are constantly changing your pads due to passing large clots or heavy bleeding it might also require medication. Other symptoms like redness, swelling etc. can be a sign that your condition has worsened. A high fever can indicate you need to consult with a medical professional.
FAQ
What are the common causes of back pain after a C-section?
Hormonal changes, anaesthesia, weight gain, surgery process, and breastfeeding.
How can I improve my posture while breastfeeding to avoid back pain?
Try to seek a comfortable sitting position. Seek the support of a pillow or anything while feeding or holding the baby. Always try to sit on a chair and relax your shoulders by avoiding slouching.
What are some back pain exercises?
Take some light walks, this can increase blood circulation. You can also do some pelvic tilts and some pelvic floor exercises that can help you to fast your recovery.
Can I feel lower back pain after c-section delivery?
Yes. During pregnancy, the relaxing hormone is released from the body to loosen the ligaments and joints to prepare the body for childbirth. In the postpartum recovery period, the ligaments and joints tried to recover their condition which led to pain in your lower back.
How does nutrition play a role in postpartum recovery and back pain relief?
During the postpartum recovery period, you need to add some effective food options that can speed up your recovery process. Prepare a meal that has protein, iron, calcium, folate, and vitamins.
When should I seek medical help for persistent back pain after a C-section?
If you have been experiencing persistent severe back pain for a long time then you should seek a doctor’s help; otherwise, the condition might worsen. A doctor’s consultation might be helpful when you face difficulties in body movement. Difficulties in breathing and constant mood swings also require doctor consultation.
