When Can I Wear Pants After C-Section?

If you had a cesarean section, then chances are the first question that popped into your head was, “When can I wear pants after C-section?” Most women who have gone through this experience will tell you that it is common to ask this question when they wake up from surgery.

You can possibly wear your pants the first week after surgery, provided that the pants won’t rub against the incision and stitches to make everything painful and uncomfortable for you. If the pants are tight, you should consider keeping them away for some time to avoid the risk of complications such as infection or blood clots by constricting blood flow.

Below, you’ll learn about when you can wear pants after a C-section, the signs you’re ready to start wearing clothes after a C-section, how to take care of the incision, and a summary guideline on when to wear pants after a C-section.

When Can You Wear Pants after C-Section?

You are likely curious if it is safe to wear pants after your C-section. Not only will tight clothes make you feel bad, but they also put you at a greater risk for developing complications.

While there is no right or wrong time to wear pants after C-section, it’s important to consider your recovery when choosing what clothes you will be wearing during the first weeks of postpartum.

Pants are tight inner clothing and can make the healing process of the incision slow and make you feel uncomfortable.

So when should you wear pants after a C-section? The short answer: if you feel comfortable.

While waiting for full incisional healing, it’s best to wear loose clothing that you can move around in.

During the first week postpartum, many people are advised against wearing pants, but still, many women choose to wear them.

If your doctor says it is okay for you to start wearing pants after C-section, be sure they have an elastic waistband and are not too tight.

Signs That You’re Ready to Start Wearing Clothes Again After Having a C-section 

Most women don’t get a green light from their doctors to start wearing pants or tight clothes immediately after C-section. Therefore, most of them will always wait for the healing before they can resume putting on pants or tight inner clothes.

If you’re waiting for the healing to take place before you can resume wearing your pants, there are signs you should be looking out for. They include:

• When your bleeding is over, and the white discharge has disappeared.
•  When your doctor gives you the go-ahead to start wearing pants and tight inner clothes.
• When your wound is completely dried up and closed, with no more signs of oozing or discharge from it.

These signs will appear sooner or later depending on the type of incision you had.

For those who had a mid-section incision, if there’s still an open line that runs down in between your two belly buttons, it will take longer for the wound to heal.

Once you can see a faint line that runs all along your midsection and is no longer red or oozing with discharge, then you probably have about another week before you’ll be able to wear pants again without discomfort.

For those who had an upper-section incision, it will take around one to two weeks before the wound is completely healed.

How to Care for Your Incision with a Cesarean Section Delivery

The quickest way to getting back to your normal dressing ways is to take good care of your incision wounds so you can heal faster.

 During this time, avoid putting pressure around or over the area so you won’t disrupt its healing process and delay when it is fully healed. Remember to dress the wound properly so that it won’t cause any further irritation.

Regular cleaning of the incision wound is also crucial to help prevent the accumulation of dead skin and sweat in the area.

Many women will often use bandages to cover up the wound, but this can also block air from circulating, which may cause infection. To avoid this, dress your incision wounds in clean and loose clothing that doesn’t irritate them.

Summary of the Guidelines for when you can wear Pants after C-Section

Now that you already understand that wearing pants after C-Section entirely depends on your surgery case, it is important to understand when to wear pants after C-Section.

Here are some of the general guidelines to consider before you safely start putting on ants again:

• Ensure that your pants do not irritate the wound. Be careful when choosing a garment and make sure it is loose enough for air to reach the incision area effectively.
• If there are any bandages on the surgery area, ensure they are clean before wearing pants again.
• Do not wear pants when you have heavy drainage and blood loss. You can also wait until your doctor has given a clearance before wearing the garment again.
• Ensure that you are in top shape to avoid any complications while dressing up or undressing. This is very important, especially if there is an increase in pain after surgery.
• You can put on your pants starting at two weeks postpartum, but only after you start feeling comfortable.
• The first time wearing them should be when the staples have already been removed, and all the bleeding has stopped.

Final Thought

While there’s no fast and hard rule for when you can wear pants after C-section, it is important to consider your doctor’s advice.

The doctor should be able to better assess the situation, given that they have seen how everything was done during surgery.

Avoid any possible risks by following the above guidelines and consulting with your physician before starting to put on pants once more.

You can also wait to put on pants after you’ve healed and are comfortable in them.