Postoperative Results of Early Versus On-demand Maternal Feeding After Cesarean Delivery

Postoperative Results of Early Versus On-demand Maternal Feeding After Cesarean Delivery

To compare early versus on demand maternal feeding after cesarean delivery regarding gastrointestinal complaints and patient's satisfaction.

Two hundred uncomplicated singleton term pregnancies who had caesarean section under regional anaesthesia will be included in our trial. Patients will be randomized to a soft food diet (honey, skimmed cheese, soup, mashed potatoe, pudding, grissini) served on postoperative 2nd hour or whenever they wanted to eat on return to the ward. Thirty minutes after they eat their meal, nausea, vomiting, ileus and distention will be questioned. Participants will be provided with the visual analogue scale (VAS), which will be presented with a statement explaining what was intended to measure. Patient satisfaction before discharge from hospital will be recorded by the patient by using a 100-mm VAS (0= minimum satisfaction, 100= maximum satisfaction). Time to first flatus passage and defecation will be recorded after the caesarean section.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Uncomplicated singleton term pregnancy
• Planned or intrapartum uncomplicated cesarean section
• Cesarean section under regional anesthesia

Exclusion Criteria:

• General anesthesia
• History of bowel surgery
• Prenatal diagnosis of fetal anomaly
• Maternal disease
• Intraoperative or immediate postoperative major complications