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Like any new mother, you'll probably feel both euphoric about and overwhelmed by the new person in your arms. But you'll also be recovering from major abdominal surgery while dealing with typical postpartum issues such as engorged breasts, mood swings, and vaginal discharge.

C-section patients typically stay in the hospital for two to four days before going home. But your recovery will be measured in weeks, not days, so you'll need help taking care of yourself and your new baby. What's more, if you have other children, they may be feeling needy after you've been away from them for a few days to say nothing of the fact that you're returning home with a new baby! Plan to get all the help you can.

You may feel groggy and possibly nauseated right after surgery. Nausea can last up to 48 hours, but your caregiver can give you medication to minimize your discomfort. Many moms also feel itchy all over, particularly those who received narcotics in their epidural or spinal. If this happens to you, let your caregiver know so you can get medication to relieve the itchiness.

If you get an epidural or spinal for your c-section, your anesthesiologist may add morphine, which can provide excellent postpartum pain relief for up to 24 hours without the grogginess that comes from systemic narcotics. Some anesthesiologists leave the epidural in for 12 to 24 hours after surgery so you can get more medication through it if needed.

After that, you'll be given systemic pain medication, usually pills containing a narcotic and possibly acetaminophen. It may help to take ibuprofen, too. You'll also be given a stool softener to counteract the constipating effect of the narcotic.

If you have general anesthesia for your surgery or you don't get a dose of morphine through your spinal or epidural afterward, you'll be given systemic narcotics for immediate postpartum pain relief. You'll either get a shot of pain medication every three to four hours or you'll use a system called "patient-controlled analgesia": You push a button when you're feeling discomfort and medication is delivered through your IV. A machine controls the doses so you don't get more than the safe amount.

In any case, don't be shy about asking your nurse for more medication if you're uncomfortable. You don't need to suffer in silence, and the longer you wait to ask for the medication you need, the harder it will be to control the pain.

If the medication that's been ordered for you isn't working well enough, let your nurse know. If the nurse can't help you, ask to see an obstetrician or anesthesiologist. The more comfortable you are, the easier it'll be to breastfeed your baby and to get moving again.

Read More - http://www.babycenter.com/0_recovering-from-a-cesarean-delivery_221.bc