038 | Common Misconceptions: About C-Section Recovery (and What to Know Instead)

038 | Nicole Alfred, C-Section Recovery Coach

Nicole Alfred is a cesarean recovery coach, registered massage therapist, and mother of two. She has given birth two times by C-section: one emergent and traumatic, the other empowered and planned. Her different experiences opened her eyes to the abject lack of support mothers receive post-operatively. Nicole sees a need for much more emotional and physical attention.

Nicole believes there are important steps that new mothers need to take beginning immediately after surgery and through the first 12 weeks postpartum for optimizing their recovery. These steps include restoring normal function with every day movements, wound & scar healing, core muscle system recovery, and connecting with the incision scar to facilitate emotional processing and healing.

How c-section recovery looks today

C-sections are the 2nd most popular surgery done daily. With healthcare based in a man's world, women's care is not prioritized, or often understood, as to what we need after having a baby, whether natural or by c-section.

Being responsible for a child in recovery is a lot different from recovering from any other surgery or hospital stay. A lot of mother's fall into survival mode and can never turn that switch off. Lack of knowledge and support, from either our doctors or others, effects women's' recovery greatly when we don't know what to focus on or have the ability to do so.

What we should know in the first 2 weeks

C-section recovery requires a lot of rest. Practicing basic functional movements and listening to your body is essential in the first 2 weeks of recovery. Having support in those movements can help make the process less frustrating in teaching your muscles how to turn back on.

As time move forward in your recovery, resting as often as possible between movements is important. Doing anything that requires intense movement, like trips to the store or walking long distances, can drastically effect your recovery in a negative way.

"C-section recovery can be easy and feel empowering."

Ways to Support Your Body

Mothers are so good at not prioritizing themselves. By taking care of our bodies and our minds in recovery, we are creating a better environment for our children to learn and understand from.

There is a sequential order of things that need to be worked on when it comes to c-section recovery. Focusing on key areas like posture, breathing exercises, pelvic floor support, core system exercises, and scar massage are some of the ways you can support yourself.

Topics covered

What got Nicole started as a c-section recovery coach (1:41)

3 misconceptions around cesarian recovery (8:19)

What you should and should not do in the first 2 weeks (12:37)

Looking at the layers (19:26)

We should prioritize recovery (24:10)

Getting back to the basics (30:47)

Healing the c-section shelf (33:40)

Ignoring yourself (44:02)