Rest<\/strong>: Try to mostly stay in bed or on the couch with your head comfortably elevated, and a few pillows under your knees. This will help to keep your chest slightly elevated and reduce the stress on the skin of your belly.<\/p>\nThe skin in the tummy area will have been stretched at the end of your surgery, so reducing the tension on the incision will help with blood flow and further reduce the chances of any complications.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong>Exercise<\/strong>: During these first few days you should be very careful when moving around. While walking is recommended, too much movement this early in your recovery can cause friction between the skin and underlying muscles, rather than them knitting together. This can lead to fluid or blood build-up beneath the skin, known as seromas and hematomas. The purpose of the drains is to help pump the fluid out of the body, but if you move too much, fluid will build-up despite the drains.<\/p>\n\n\n