Early post-operative feeding after caesarean delivery.

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of early oral feeding after Caesarean delivery performed under general anaesthesia. During a 1-year period, 182 pregnant women undergoing Caesarean section under general anaesthesia were enrolled in a controlled trial of early compared with traditional post-operative oral feeding. Patients were allocated to early feeding of low-residue diets 6 h post-operatively (n = 95) or traditional dietary management of clear liquids once normal bowel sounds were heard (n = 87). Demographic data, post-operative and intra-operative complications and gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated. Age, gravidity, parity, gestational age, surgery length and post-operative incidence of ileus were similar in the early- and traditional-feeding groups. Time to development of bowel sounds, time to initiation of oral intake and hospital stay were significantly shorter in the early-feeding group. Complications including wound infection, blood transfusion and febrile morbidity occurred at a similar rate in each group. Early post-operative feeding in women undergoing Caesarean section is safe and well tolerated.