The Surgical Birth Support Blackhole

I've watched women apologise for needing help lifting their newborns after major abdominal surgery.

As a registered midwife, I witness a glaring contradiction daily. We tell patients recovering from any surgery not to lift anything heavy. Yet women who've had caesarean sections are expected to immediately become primary caregivers to their babies.

The assumption that surgical births receive comprehensive support is fundamentally wrong.

The Broken Leg Paradox

If someone breaks their leg, they're not expected to walk on it. But women who've had major abdominal surgery are expected to lift, twist, and bend to care for crying infants.

I've seen this contradiction play out countless times on the ward. Outside visiting hours, when babies cry, mothers who just had C-sections become the sole caregivers. They're expected to feed, change, comfort, and lift their babies despite fresh surgical wounds.

The physical reality is stark. Recovery guidelines explicitly state not to lift anything heavier than your baby for six weeks. Yet these same women must constantly lift, hold, and manoeuvre their infants around the clock.

The Feeding Pressure Cooker

The "golden hour" guidelines create impossible expectations. Women are told babies should feed within the first hour of birth, regardless of surgical recovery status.

I've witnessed mothers struggling to find breastfeeding positions that don't compromise their wounds. We lack trained lactation specialists who understand surgical recovery needs. Research shows that milk comes in later after stressful births, typically days 2-6 rather than immediately.

The pressure forces rushed decisions. Women abandon planned breastfeeding goals not by choice, but because they're in pain, on medication, and lack proper positioning support.

I've seen the faces of women making these decisions. They feel guilty. They feel like failures. They believe they're letting their babies down.

The Operating Room Reality

The emotional abandonment begins in the operating room itself. Bright lights, unfamiliar smells, clinical efficiency. Nothing resembles the birth environment women prepared for.

Medical teams perform caesareans day in and day out as routine procedures. For them, it's work. For the woman on the table, this is her life. She goes home with this memory.

Emergency sections amplify the trauma. Sensory overload, panic, crisis-mode decision making. Women are forced to make life-altering choices while their bodies are being operated on, often without fully understanding why they're in that position.

The Equity Crisis

The support gaps hit some communities harder than others. Data reveals that Black women have caesarean rates of 27.4% compared to 22.4% for white women, with additional barriers in pain management and respectful care.

Partners also lack support. They're suddenly caring for someone who's had major surgery without the knowledge or skills to provide appropriate help.

The haPPIE® Solution

Through our haPPIE® initiative, I've learned that transformation requires listening to women's actual experiences, not just following clinical protocols.

We incorporate feedback about what women wished they'd known before, during, and after caesarean sections. Our approach recognises that psychological recovery matters as much as wound healing.

We support products like Elle's Bliss, founded by four diverse women with medical and scientific backgrounds, some who experienced these gaps first-hand. Their natural remedies address the overlooked complexities of surgical birth recovery.

Real change means training healthcare professionals to see caesarean sections as both medical procedures and profound life events requiring comprehensive support.

Supporting Your Recovery Journey

On 12 September 2025, Elle's Bliss launches to bring mothers all-natural, herbal postpartum care, grounded in science and guided by compassion. As part of this launch, we're shining a light on Brave Mothers-to-Be whose journeys inspire us all.

Whether you have:

• Confirmed an elective caesarean section
• Been told you have a high-risk pregnancy that may require a caesarean section
• Are preparing for the possibility of a caesarean section

There will be an exclusive session on how to prepare for a caesarean section, what to expect, and post-recovery advice and guidance. Partners are included! Expect goodie bags, an exclusive taste of our blends, and a first-of-its-kind neurodivergent session on how to prepare before, during, and after a caesarean section for women or partners who are neurodivergent parents.

Elle's Bliss understands that every mother's journey is unique. Their Mummy's Comfort collection offers the ultimate solution for new mothers seeking comfort and relief during their postpartum journey, tailored specifically for new mums and those recovering from caesarean sections.

Visit Elle's Bliss to learn more about the launch and discover how thoughtfully crafted, science-backed herbal remedies can support your healing journey.

Nominate someone you know for a chance to win a seat at the launch event! Elle's Bliss | The Essential Baby C

Supporting Your Recovery Journey

If you're facing caesarean recovery or supporting someone who is, you don't have to navigate this journey alone.

Elle's Bliss understands the unique challenges of surgical birth recovery. Tailored specifically for new mums and those recovering from a caesarean section, this herbal tea selection serves as a beacon of relief and relaxation when you need it most.

Visit Elle's Bliss to explore Mummy's Comfort and discover how thoughtfully crafted, science-backed herbal remedies can support your healing journey. Because every mother deserves care that recognises both her strength and her need for gentle support.

Beyond the Guidelines

Women need support systems that account for surgical recovery realities. This means flexible feeding guidance, trained lactation specialists who understand wound care, and recognition that recovery timelines vary.

Healthcare professionals must remember that routine procedures for them represent life-changing moments for families. The memory of how they were treated during their most vulnerable time stays with women forever.

Creating equitable support for all birth experiences requires reimagining how we approach surgical births. Women deserve care that honours both their medical needs and their humanity.