Pregnancy brings with it so many physical changes. But although we may expect our bodies to feel like ours again after giving birth, a lot still fluctuates and shifts around during the switch from growing a human to healing. If you’re planning a C-section or doing your research just in case, there’s one side effect that people don’t typically talk about: leg swelling.
But what causes leg swelling after a C-section, and how long does it take to go down? We asked an expert for all the details – including when it might be a cause for concern – so you can lean into whatever your birth will look like, feeling empowered with helpful expectations.
Expert Featured in This Article
Suzy Lipinski, MD, is a board-certified ob-gyn and medical director at Pediatrix Medical Group in Denver, CO.
What Causes Leg Swelling After a C-section?
Swollen legs after a C-section can be attributed to two common things that happen during labor and immediately after, Dr. Lipinski shares, adding that “leg swelling is common after any type of delivery.”
The reason it’s so common to develop swollen legs after birth is a blend of medical intervention and natural body responses. “It comes from a combination of IV fluids given during the procedure [or] labor and the natural increase in fluids after delivery,” Dr. Lipinski says. “At the time of delivery, mom’s heart is pumping a lot of blood to the uterus, and then after delivery, only a small amount of blood goes to the uterus.”
When this switch happens after the baby is born, whether vaginally or through C-section, “that means a lot of fluid [and] blood gets squeezed back” into the birthing parent’s blood supply, Dr. Lipinski explains, and it can be the equivalent of approximately 500 to 600 mL. Eventually, that extra fluid will be absorbed and released from the body, but it’s not immediate. (More on how long you can expect the swelling to last later.)
Holding on to fluid – the medical term is “edema”- isn’t a unique experience for people who have given birth; it’s a typical body response to any surgery and the internal stress that comes with it. However, someone who has just given birth is particularly susceptible to developing edema because during pregnancy, the volume of blood in a pregnant person “increases by almost 50 percent during pregnancy,” according to the Merck Manual, a TK what that is. That doesn’t disappear the second the baby enters the world.
What Helps Swollen Legs After C-section?
Swollen legs can be painful at times due to the build-up of fluid and the pressure it puts on the tissue, but there are some gentle ways you can encourage the fluid to resolve.
Dr. Lipinski says the best way to ease the pain and discomfort of leg swelling after a C-section is to get up and move, which can encourage the extra fluid to move out from the tissue and back into the blood supply, where your body can help expel it.
A few other things that can help reduce swollen legs are keeping your feet elevated when you’re resting and using compression socks that help squeeze your lower limbs to prevent fluid from pooling there. Dr. Lipinski adds that “mostly, time will correct it.”
A class of medication called diuretics helps rid the body of excess fluid. However, Dr. Lipinski warns that it’s not a standard first-line treatment for people who recently gave birth and should be avoided when it can be.
“Diuretics can reduce milk supply and cause an imbalance of electrolytes,” she says, adding that sometimes, “if there is a medical complication from the excess fluid, then diuretics are necessary.” Some examples of when it might be medically necessary include heart or lung issues. But rarely, if ever, do the risks of diuretics for a person who recently gave birth and is only experiencing swollen legs outweigh the potential negatives.
How Long Does It Take for Swelling After C-section to Go Down?
“Usually, the swelling gets worse over the first two to three days postpartum, then starts to resolve,” Dr. Lipinski says. For someone who had a C-section, typically on “post-op day three or four,” they find they need to pee a lot more often, and that’s when the “swelling rapidly improves” since that’s how the body gets rid of the fluids. “Usually, by seven to 10 days post-op, the swelling is gone,” she says.
When Should I Worry About Leg Swelling Postpartum?
It’s hard to know what’s “normal” if you’re experiencing leg swelling after a C-section, especially if it is your first baby and you can hardly recognize your own legs. But Dr. Lipinski says there are some clear signs that may indicate that what you’re dealing with is more serious than typical fluid retention.
As backward as it might sound, if both of your legs are swollen and appear similar in size, that’s usually a good indication that you’ve got expected fluid retention. However, if only one of your legs is swollen or significantly more so than your other, or one leg is in pain or looks more red, these could be the sign of a blood clot, Dr. Lipinksi says.”If this happens, contact your doctor for further evaluation.”
She also says that if you’re also experiencing any “shortness of breath or chest pain,” this could suggest that you may have “fluid on the lungs (pulmonary edema) or postpartum heart issues (postpartum cardiomyopathy).”
Dr. Lipinski reiterates that if your leg swelling is “symmetric and non-painful,” it’s typically OK to continue monitoring. But “if there are any other associated symptoms, you should contact your provider immediately.”
Devan McGuinness (she/they) is a Canadian disabled writer, editor, and social strategist who covers politics, entertainment, parenting, and lifestyle. Devan has contributed to PS, Fatherly, Parents, Scary Mommy, Mom.com, and more over her 10-plus years in digital media, specializing in stories that matter most to families.
