C-Section Recovery: What to Expect and When to Call

After a caesarean section, the NHS says you will probably be in the hospital for 1 or 2 days and may need to take things easy for several weeks. ¹ MedlinePlus says not to lift anything heavier than your baby for the first 6 to 8 weeks. ²

Key takeaways

• The NHS says you will probably be in the hospital for 1 or 2 days after a caesarean section. ¹
• The NHS says non-dissolvable stitches or staples are usually taken out by your midwife after 5 to 7 days. ¹
• MedlinePlus says not to lift anything heavier than your baby for the first 6 to 8 weeks. ²
• MedlinePlus says not to soak in a bathtub or hot tub, or go swimming, until your provider says it is OK, which in most cases is not until 3 weeks after surgery. ²
• The NHS says staying mobile with gentle activities, such as a daily walk, helps reduce the risk of blood clots. ¹
• MedlinePlus says to keep the wound area clean by washing it with mild soap and water. ²

Urgent: C-section warning signs to act on

**MedlinePlus says to contact your provider if you have swelling in one leg that is red and warmer than the other, pain in your calf, redness, warmth, swelling, or drainage from your incision or an incision that breaks open, a persistent fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius), increased belly pain, vaginal discharge that becomes heavier or foul-smelling, a tender, reddened, or warm area on one breast, or if you become very sad or have feelings of harming yourself or your baby.** ² **MedlinePlus says postpartum preeclampsia, while rare, can occur after delivery even if you did not have preeclampsia during pregnancy, and to contact your provider right away if you have swelling in your hands, face, or eyes, a sudden weight gain, a headache that does not go away or becomes worse, or vision changes such as flashing lights, spots, or blurry vision.** ² **In the UK, the NHS says to contact your midwife or a GP straight away after a caesarean if you have severe pain, leaking urine, pain when peeing, heavy vaginal bleeding, a wound that becomes more red, painful, and swollen, a discharge of pus or foul-smelling fluid from the wound, a cough or shortness of breath, or swelling or pain in your lower leg, as these may be a sign of an infection or blood clot.** ¹

**A quick, honest note:** we're not medical professionals - everything here was researched by us from the public sources listed at the bottom of this page, and it isn't professional advice. Read our full note ↓

How long does it take to recover from a c-section?

The NHS says you may need to take things easy for several weeks after a caesarean section, and that a hospital stay of 1 to 2 days is typical. ¹ The NHS says non-dissolvable stitches or staples used to close the wound are usually taken out by your midwife after 5 to 7 days. ¹ MedlinePlus says getting out of bed at least once or twice a day at first can help speed your recovery. ³ MedlinePlus adds to make sure someone is around to help you in case you get dizzy or weak. ³ The NHS says to stay mobile and do gentle activities, such as going for a daily walk, while you are recovering to reduce the risk of blood clots. ¹

What should you not do after a c-section?

After a c-section, MedlinePlus says, "Do not lift anything heavier than your baby for the first 6 to 8 weeks." ² MedlinePlus also says to avoid heavy housecleaning, jogging, most exercises, and any activities that make you breathe hard or strain your muscles, and adds, "Do not do sit-ups." ² MedlinePlus says not to soak in a bathtub or hot tub, or go swimming, until your provider tells you it is OK, which in most cases is not until 3 weeks after surgery. ²

How do you care for a c-section wound?

To care for a c-section wound, MedlinePlus says, "Keep the wound area clean by washing it with mild soap and water." ² The NHS says your wound will be covered with a dressing for at least 24 hours after surgery. ¹ The NHS says non-dissolvable stitches or staples will usually be taken out by your midwife after 5 to 7 days. ¹

When should you call the doctor after a c-section?

Below is what MedlinePlus and the NHS say about when to call your doctor after a c-section. MedlinePlus says to contact your provider if you have swelling in one leg that is red and warmer than the other, pain in your calf, redness, warmth, swelling, or drainage from your incision or an incision that breaks open, a persistent fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius), increased belly pain, vaginal discharge that becomes heavier or foul-smelling, a tender, reddened, or warm area on one breast, or if you become very sad or have feelings of harming yourself or your baby. ² MedlinePlus says postpartum preeclampsia, while rare, can occur after delivery even if you did not have preeclampsia during pregnancy, and to contact your provider right away for swelling in your hands, face, or eyes, a sudden weight gain, a headache that does not go away or becomes worse, or vision changes such as flashing lights, spots, or blurry vision. ² The NHS says to contact your midwife or a GP straight away after a caesarean if you have severe pain, leaking urine, pain when peeing, heavy vaginal bleeding, a wound that becomes more red, painful, and swollen, a discharge of pus or foul-smelling fluid from the wound, a cough or shortness of breath, or swelling or pain in your lower leg, as these may be a sign of an infection or blood clot. ¹

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to recover from a c-section?

The NHS says you will probably be in the hospital for 1 or 2 days after a caesarean section and may need to take things easy for several weeks. ¹ The NHS says non-dissolvable stitches or staples are usually removed by your midwife after 5 to 7 days. ¹

What should you not do after a c-section?

MedlinePlus says not to lift anything heavier than your baby for the first 6 to 8 weeks. ² MedlinePlus says to avoid heavy housecleaning, jogging, most exercises, and any activities that make you breathe hard or strain your muscles, and not to do sit-ups. ²

How do you care for a c-section wound?

MedlinePlus says to keep the wound area clean by washing it with mild soap and water. ² The NHS says your wound will be covered with a dressing for at least 24 hours after surgery. ¹

When should you call the doctor after a c-section?

MedlinePlus says to contact your provider for signs such as a persistent fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius), increased belly pain, or redness, warmth, swelling, or drainage from your incision. ² The NHS says symptoms such as a cough or shortness of breath, or swelling or pain in your lower leg, may be a sign of an infection or blood clot after a caesarean. ¹

A note from us

We're the team behind Yael & Michal. We are not doctors, nurses, lactation consultants, or psychologists, and nothing here is professional advice.

Everything above was researched by us from public, reputable sources - we name and link every one of them below - and summarized as carefully as we could, as a free resource for other mothers. We do this because we wished something like it had existed for us.

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Sources

1. NHS (National Health Service, UK). https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/caesarean-section/recovery/ (retrieved 2026-07-10).
2. MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine). https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000624.htm (retrieved 2026-07-10).
3. MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine). https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000620.htm (retrieved 2026-07-10).