(soft upbeat music)
- [Narrator] At the
University of Michigan,
we want to help your
Cesarean section recovery
go as smoothly as possible.
We know having a C-section
can be overwhelming.
But don't worry.
Your care team will be
there to support you
every step of the way.
Our goal is to make sure
that every patient undergoing
a C-section, whether
planned or unexpected,
has a healthy delivery and
a safe, rapid recovery.
This video will explain
what to expect before
and after surgery and how
we can help you get back
on your feet taking care of
yourself and your baby sooner.
This video outlines the
most common experience
of women undergoing Cesarean,
but each woman's delivery is unique.
Talk to your provider about
how your delivery might be different.
Your care team will use the
enhanced recovery after surgery,
or ERAS method, to
decrease medical treatments
that slow down your recovery
and help you heal from surgery faster.
We will focus on three
goals for your recovery:
controlling your pain,
helping you eat, drink,
and go to the bathroom sooner,
and getting you up and moving faster.
Goal number one, controlling your pain.
While some pain after surgery is normal,
good pain control improves your recovery
so you can walk, breathe
deeply, eat and drink,
feel relaxed, sleep well,
have bowel movements,
and prevent blood clots.
Good pain control starts before
you're even in the operating room.
We'll help you prevent pain before surgery
by giving you medication like Tylenol.
The medicine you receive at the same time
as your numbing medication
will help you feel comfortable
for up to 18 hours after surgery,
even after the numbing medicine wears off.
After surgery, we will give you Tylenol
and Motrin around the clock to
keep your baseline pain down.
This helps you use less opioid medication,
which can help you recover faster.
We will work together with your care team
to decide which medications you
should take when you go home
and when you should take them.
Goal number two, helping you eat, drink,
and go to the bathroom sooner.
Helping your digestive system return
to normal as fast as
possible can reduce pain
and help speed up your recovery.
Remember, you can eat
normally until eight hours
before your surgery and drink clear fluids
until two hours before.
This will help you stay hydrated.
After your surgery, you will start eating
and drinking as soon as you're ready.
You'll also get chewing
gum and medications
which can help your gut return to normal.
You will also get your catheter out early,
which can decrease infection,
help with mobility,
and prevent bladder irritation.
Goal number three, helping
you get up and moving faster.
Walking and moving around
helps prevent complications
following your surgery.
To prevent blood clots, you
will wear compression boots
on your calves until
you are up and walking.
Walking not only prevents blood clots,
but can also improve your
pain and prevent constipation.
You will also use a breathing
device 10 times an hour
to keep your lungs open.
Controlling your pain, returning
your digestion to normal,
and getting you up and
moving will help you feel
like your usual self sooner.
This quick recovery is
good for you and your baby.
You'll be able to carry, feed,
and focus on enjoying time with your baby.
We know this is a lot of information.
But don't worry.
We've made a booklet
with helpful checklists
for every step of the journey.
Still have questions?
Your care team would love to answer them.
