What Happens the First 24 Hours After a C-Section? What I Wish I Knew

I’ve had two C-sections, and one of the biggest things I wish I had understood before my first was what actually happens after the baby is born. There is so much information about preparing for a C-section and recovering from one, but the first 24 hours are their own experience.

You’re recovering from major abdominal surgery, meeting your baby, being monitored, taking pain medication, dealing with a catheter, and eventually being asked to get out of bed and walk. It’s a lot to experience at once, especially if your C-section wasn’t planned.

My two C-sections were very different. My first came after 39 hours of labor and wasn’t what I had planned. My second was an early C-section at 33 weeks after developing severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. Despite the very different circumstances, there were a few things about those first 24 hours that I wish someone had explained to me beforehand.

Here’s what the first day after a C-section was actually like for me, including what surprised me most and what I think is helpful to know going into it.

Related Article: C-Section Recovery Must-Haves: What I Actually Used Twice

Quick Answer: What Happens in the First 24 Hours After a C-Section?

During the first 24 hours after a C-section, you’ll typically be monitored closely as the anesthesia wears off and you begin recovering from surgery. You may have a urinary catheter for part of this time, receive medication to manage pain, and eventually be encouraged to stand and walk with help. Your exact experience will depend on your delivery, hospital, anesthesia, and individual recovery.

One thing that surprised me after both of my C-sections was that the first day wasn’t necessarily the hardest part. I was still receiving a lot of medication immediately after surgery, so for me, the more difficult part came once I started moving around and more of those initial medications had worn off.

Immediately After the C-Section

After your baby is delivered, the surgery isn’t over. Your doctor still needs to finish the procedure and close the incision, so there is a period of time when you’re still in the operating room after your baby has arrived.

With my first C-section, everything happened unexpectedly after a very long labor. I remember experiencing intense shaking and feeling freezing afterward. I hadn’t known to expect anything like that, so it was unsettling in the moment. It was so bad that I couldn't even hold my son immediately.

My second C-section felt very different emotionally. I knew I was having surgery, and one small thing that made the experience better was having music playing. We had a C-section playlist playing from my husband’s phone throughout most of the surgery, and it made the operating room feel calmer and more personal.

If you’re preparing for a possible C-section, I’d make the playlist even if you don’t think you’ll need it. I didn’t have one ready for my first C-section because I never expected to have one, and it was something I intentionally did differently the second time around.

The First Few Hours After Surgery

Once the surgery is finished, the focus shifts to monitoring your recovery. Your care team will check things like your vital signs, bleeding, incision, and pain level as the anesthesia wears off, although exactly what happens will depend on your hospital and individual circumstances.

This part looked very different after my second C-section because my daughter was born at 33 weeks and went to the NICU. I wasn’t able to simply get up and go see her right away. About 12 to 13 hours after surgery, I was finally able to get into a wheelchair and go to the NICU, and I held her for the first time the next day.

That experience was a reminder that the first hours after a C-section can look completely different from person to person. Some moms may have their baby with them throughout recovery, while others may be separated because either mom or baby needs additional medical care.

You’ll Probably Have a Catheter

This was one of those C-section details I never really thought about before having one. A urinary catheter is generally used around the time of a C-section because you can’t simply get up and walk to the bathroom immediately after surgery.

When it comes out will depend on your hospital and recovery. With my second C-section, mine stayed in until around the second day. Once you’re able to get out of bed and use the bathroom yourself, it starts to feel like you’re crossing some of those first major recovery milestones.

It may sound minor before you have the surgery, but things like standing up, walking to the bathroom, and getting back into bed suddenly feel like major accomplishments. I definitely had a new appreciation for how much we normally move our abdominal muscles without even realizing it.

Getting Out of Bed for the First Time

After my second C-section, I first got up and walked about 12 hours after surgery. The nurses helped me, and I definitely wasn’t moving quickly. Getting out of bed for the first time was one of the moments when I really became aware that I had just had major abdominal surgery.

Standing can feel intimidating because you’ve spent hours lying down and suddenly you’re asking your body to move in ways that involve the exact area that is healing. For me, getting in and out of bed and beginning to move around was when I became much more aware of my incision and soreness.

I took everything very slowly and let the nurses help me. There was no prize for getting up faster or walking farther, and those first few steps were simply the beginning of a much longer recovery.

The First 24 Hours Weren’t Actually the Most Painful for Me

This was probably one of the biggest surprises of my C-section recoveries. You might assume you’ll wake up from surgery and immediately be in the worst pain of your recovery, but that wasn’t my experience.

During that first day, I still had a lot of medication in my system and was receiving pain medication on a schedule. For me, days two and three were harder than day one because I was getting out of bed more, walking, using the bathroom, and generally moving my body while the initial medications from surgery were wearing off.

At its worst, I’d describe my pain as around an eight out of ten, but I stayed on top of the pain medication my doctors recommended rather than waiting until I was extremely uncomfortable. After my second C-section, I didn’t need narcotic pain medication once I was home, although I continued taking Tylenol and ibuprofen as directed for several weeks.

One of my biggest takeaways from having two C-sections is not to assume you’re in the clear because the first day feels more manageable than you expected. Your body is still incredibly early in the recovery process, and for me, the harder part came after those initial 24 hours.

Walking After a C-Section

Your care team will generally want you to start moving when they determine it’s safe for you, but that doesn’t mean you should expect to be walking around normally the day after surgery. For me, the progression back to regular movement was incredibly gradual.

During the first week after my second C-section, I barely moved beyond what I needed to do. By the second week, I could walk about a block or two. During weeks three and four, I started taking short walks but still needed plenty of rest. I break my recovery down week by week here if you want to read more.

Those first few assisted steps in the hospital were simply the beginning. I think this is important to remember because postpartum recovery can look surprisingly normal from the outside. Someone may be standing, showered, and holding her baby in a hospital photo without showing how difficult it was to get out of bed earlier that day.

What Surprised Me Most About the First Day

One of the biggest surprises was how dependent I was on other people for incredibly basic things. Getting out of bed, walking, going to the bathroom, reaching for something, and repositioning myself all required more thought and effort than usual.

After abdominal surgery, movements you normally make without thinking suddenly involve the exact area of your body that is healing. I also didn’t realize that pain could increase after the first 24 hours, rather than each day automatically feeling dramatically better than the one before it.

Knowing that ahead of time would have helped me mentally prepare for days two and three. C-section recovery wasn’t completely linear for me, and some things became easier much more quickly than others.

What I Would Tell a First-Time C-Section Mom

If you’re preparing for a scheduled C-section, or even if you’re planning a vaginal delivery, I think it’s worth knowing the basics of what those first 24 hours can look like. I certainly didn’t expect my first delivery to end in a C-section after 39 hours of labor, which is why I wish I had known more about the process beforehand.

You may be surprised by how manageable the first several hours feel because of the medication, and then surprised again by how difficult it feels to stand up for the first time. Let the nurses help you, follow the pain-management plan your medical team gives you, and move when they tell you it’s safe without feeling like you need to rush your recovery.

I also learned that there are small things you can do to make the experience feel a little more like your own. For me, having music during my second C-section made a surprisingly big difference, which is why I now recommend making a C-section playlist even if a C-section isn’t part of your birth plan.

Most importantly, my experience is just that: my experience. Your first 24 hours may look very different depending on your anesthesia, the circumstances of your delivery, your health, and your baby’s health. Your medical team should always be your source for guidance about your own recovery.

What Happens After the First 24 Hours?

For me, days two and three were when C-section recovery really started to set in. I was moving more, the initial medications from surgery had worn off, and everyday movements became much more noticeable. Recovery continued slowly over the next several weeks rather than changing dramatically overnight.

If you’re preparing for a C-section or recovering from one now, you may also want to read my C-section recovery week-by-week guide, what to wear after a C-section, C-section scar care, when I started driving after a C-section, and the C-section recovery essentials I actually used. If you’re preparing for the delivery itself, I also shared why I recommend making a C-section playlist even if you aren’t planning on having a C-section.

Frequently Asked Questions About the First 24 Hours After a C-Section

How soon do you get out of bed after a C-section?

The timing varies depending on your anesthesia, health, hospital, and how your recovery is progressing. Your care team will tell you when it’s safe to stand and walk. After my second C-section, I first got up and walked about 12 hours after surgery with help from the nurses.

Is the first day after a C-section the most painful?

It wasn’t for me. I still had significant medication in my system during the first 24 hours, and I found days two and three more painful because I was moving more and the initial medications from surgery were wearing off. Everyone’s recovery and pain experience is different.

How long does the catheter stay in after a C-section?

The timing can vary depending on your hospital, anesthesia, and individual recovery. With my second C-section, my catheter remained in until around the second day, but your care team will determine when it’s appropriate to remove yours.

Can you walk after a C-section?

You will generally begin walking after a C-section once your medical team determines that it is safe for you to do so. My first walk after my second C-section was about 12 hours after surgery with assistance, and my activity increased very gradually from there.

Can you hold your baby after a C-section?

Whether and when you can hold your baby can depend on the circumstances of your delivery and the health of both you and your baby. My second baby was born prematurely and needed NICU care, so I first held her the following day rather than immediately after delivery.

Is C-section recovery harder on day two?

It was for me. Days two and three were the hardest part of my immediate recovery because I was moving around more and the initial medication from surgery was wearing off. That doesn’t mean everyone will follow the same timeline, so talk to your medical team about pain that is severe, worsening, or concerning.

This article shares my personal experience and is for informational purposes only. It isn’t a substitute for medical advice. Always follow the guidance of your OB-GYN and medical team.