Woman supports petition for better NHS post-Caesarean care

About 45% of babies born in England are delivered by Caesarean section, according to NHS data.

Kyra Faces Physical Tolls After Scheduled Surgery

For Kyra, a 36-year-old resident of Kibworth Beauchamp in Leicestershire, the arrival of her third child via a scheduled procedure on 22 October 2025 brought unexpected physical tolls. The surgery had been scheduled because her baby was in the breech position, with his feet positioned first. They make it as comfortable as possible for you. There’s chatter and music playing, it’s only afterwards you realise this is major surgery, she says, recalling the operation. Because I’d had two emergency Caesareans before, I had a baseline to go off, she says. As it was planned, I thought it would be a lot better.

One year after the operation, Kyra continues to experience pelvic floor dysfunction, bladder symptoms, and persistent discomfort around her abdominal incision. She noted that the wound required five months to fully close. My scar, especially on one side, is very pulled in. It affects day-to-day life; just walking, any physical activity that I do, even when I laugh there is a tug, there’s pulling.

Standard Post-Operative Care Versus Patient Realities

Official NHS guidelines indicate that most patients can return home one or two days post-surgery in the absence of complications, managing mild discomfort in the initial days and avoiding driving until a six-week postnatal check-up. Kyra and her newborn, Tobiah, left the hospital the day after the procedure, subsequently receiving routine check-ins from midwives and health visitors alongside a standard six-week GP appointment.

However, yahoo.com noted that early midwife appointments prompted a referral back to the hospital due to an infection and delayed wound healing, ultimately driving Kyra to seek private healthcare services. Granted, on the day of the Caesarean I was really well looked after, but afterwards everything drops off. Everything’s focused on the baby, but you’ve just had open surgery. I took ages to heal, she added. I felt left to manage my recovery by myself and if there was better postnatal support, then I wouldn’t be suffering the way that I am today, she explained, as reported by yahoo.com. She contrasted the lack of structured rehabilitation with other major orthopedic procedures: If you’re having other major surgery like a knee or a hip operation, you’d probably expect to have some type of rehabilitation afterwards like physiotherapy. There is nothing offered to C-section mums. It’s sad.

Petition for National Postnatal Care Reform

In response to these gaps in the healthcare system, Kyra is supporting a petition initiated by Hannah Poulton from Broughton Astley in Leicestershire. The petition demands government funding for enhanced post-Caesarean care across the NHS, including standardized scar management, abdominal rehabilitation, and comprehensive pelvic and mental health support. The petition has garnered over 2,000 signatures, moving toward the threshold where the government must issue a response.