You are recovering from surgery, so you might find that the hospital wants to keep you for 2 or 3 days. This extended time is for a number of reasons: Intravenous pain management. Most C-sections are performed under local anesthesia. After the procedure is over, you may be given a pump that lets you manage the flow of IV pain medication. Monitored movement. Your doctor will want you to get up and moving as soon as possible. While this can be difficult, it can speed your recovery, regulate digestion, and ward off blood clots. Care for the surgery site. Your doctor will want to make sure that your incision does not become infected. Neither the incision itself nor the medications you are taking for pain management should interfere with breastfeeding. If you want to pursue this method, feel free to do so as soon as you are able. In fact, pain medication can actually make breastfeeding easier. Pain makes it more difficult to release oxytocin, which is necessary for milk production. Hospital staff can help you find a position in which you can breastfeed while still supporting yourself. Just as you spent a bit longer in the hospital than someone with a vaginal birth might, your at-home recovery will take a little longer, tooat least 12 weeks. Observing these guidelines will make your recovery easier in the long run: Don't overdo it physically. At first, this means that you will want to get up as little as possible. Try to keep everything you need close enough that you can reach it. At the very least, restrict your movements to 1 floor--you should avoid stairs as much as possible in the first few weeks. Don't do any heavy lifting. In the first few weeks, this means anything heavier than your baby. Try not to lift anything from a squatting position. Use extra pillows or a pregnancy belt to support the surgery site. Drink water. This will ease digestion and help replace lost fluids. Take pain medication if you need it. Wait until your doctor says it's OK before having sex. Your healthcare providers will help you with this while you are in the hospital, but once you are home, you will need to keep an eye out for potentially dangerous symptoms. Call your doctor if you notice any of the following: A high fever and/or pain, redness, swelling, or discharge at the surgery site. These could be signs of infection. Breast pain that comes with redness and/or an elevated temperature. Vaginal discharge with an unpleasant smell. Pain while urinating. Heavy bleeding.

Summary: Be prepared for a longer hospital stay. Don't be afraid to breastfeed. Continue practicing proper self-care after returning home. Monitor your health.

Keratin is found naturally in vegetables like kale, broccoli, onions, leeks, and garlic. Include these foods in your meals to boost your body's keratin naturally. Liver, fish, yogurt, and low-fat milk are other good food sources of keratin. Include healthy proteins in your diet to help your body make more keratin. Eat lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and low-fat dairy. Remember that red meat is high in fat, so be sure to balance your other health needs with your keratin-friendly diet. If you're vegetarian or vegan, snack on high-protein products like walnuts, almonds, and beans. Include fatty fish in your meals several times a week. Salmon, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines, and tuna are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids that can help your body make keratin. Limit salmon and canned tuna to 12 oz. per week. Don't eat mackerel if you're pregnant it's considered a high-mercury fish that's best avoided during pregnancy. Your body needs vitamin C to make keratin. Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, as these are high in vitamin C. Some of the best produce for vitamin C include: Citrus fruit and juice, like orange and grapefruit Tropical fruits like cantaloupe, kiwi, mango, papaya, and pineapple Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries, and watermelon Broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts Peppers (green and red), tomatoes, and potatoes (sweet and white) Leafy greens like cabbage, spinach, and turnip greens Your body needs biotin to make healthy hair and skin, partly due to its role in keratin production. Upping your intake of biotin-rich foods may improve hair and nail quality, though not much research has been done on this. Get biotin from foods like: Eggs (with the yolk) Vegetables like cauliflower, beans, blackeyed peas, soybeans, and mushrooms Whole grains Bananas Nuts like almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans, peanuts and their nut butters Cystine is turned into a building block of keratin in your body. Include foods rich in cystine in meals regularly. Eggs are one of the best sources of cystine. Other good food options are beef, pork, seeds, and milk. Choose lean and low-fat options, which are better for your heart and overall health.
Summary: Eat foods that contain keratin. Consume a protein-rich diet. Eat omega-3 fatty acids. Up your vitamin C intake. Eat foods rich in biotin. Get cystine from your diet.