Face swelling after C-section: what to know

Pregnancy and birth can leave extra fluid in the body, and intravenous fluids given during surgery may make puffiness more noticeable. Swelling around the eyes, hands or face can also occur with some medicines. A new, marked change in the face is different from mild, gradually settling puffiness and should be reported to your maternity team. Pre-eclampsia can first appear after birth, even if blood pressure was normal during pregnancy. It may occur with a severe headache, visual changes, pain beneath the ribs, nausea, breathlessness or feeling unusually unwell.

Tell your midwife, obstetrician or maternity assessment service when the swelling began, whether it is getting worse, and whether both sides of your face are affected. If you have a home blood-pressure monitor, record a reading while seated and share it with the clinician; do not delay care to monitor repeatedly. Rest, drink normally, and avoid changing prescribed medicines without advice. Your clinician may check blood pressure, urine and blood tests, then decide whether treatment or observation is needed. Recovery support after a caesarean can include Postnatal Physiotherapy when your maternity team considers it appropriate.

Seek urgent maternity or emergency care for face swelling with a severe or persistent headache, blurred vision or flashing lights, upper-abdominal pain, chest pain, trouble breathing, confusion, a seizure, or rapidly increasing swelling. Contact your maternity team promptly for new swelling even without these symptoms, particularly if you have high blood pressure or feel unwell. A clinician can assess whether this is postpartum pre-eclampsia or another problem.

Could my blood pressure or medicines explain this swelling? Do I need urine or blood tests? Which symptoms should send me straight to emergency care? When should my blood pressure be checked again?