Conceal Carrying After C-Section [2026]

Baby Primer Peak 2 (PP2) ended up being born via C-Section. This was unexpected, so I found myself quite unprepared. According to the March of Dimes, in 2023 approximately 32.3% of all live births were via cesarean section. That’s nearly 23 out of 100 births. Here is how I had to adapt as a conceal carrying C-Section mom.

General Guidance

At discharge your doctor will give you instructions to care for yourself and your incision, as well as things to look out for. This will be the same for all new moms, to include weight restrictions, the importance of rest, and how to avoid infection.

However you have a baby, you’ll be instructed to not lift anything heavier than your new baby for about the first six weeks. After a C-Section, you risk not only your pelvic floor, but also the integrity of your incision. The last thing you want is to risk re-opening your incision and starting the healing process all over again. I know you are probably itching to go back to your regularly scheduled programming, but it’s very important to let your incision heal.

Self Care

You’ll also need to keep your incision clean and dry. This will help prevent infection. Your doctor may apply a bandage to the incision prior to discharge, but often times this will come off at one to two weeks postpartum. You don’t want anything rubbing up against the incision either. Friction could cause a popped stitch or could introduce bacteria to the healing area.

You need to take this time to rest. Rely on your partner as much as possible. Enlist the help of friends and family. Delegate as many tasks as possible so you can rest and let your incision heal. If you can afford to hire help, do it! Postpartum doulas can help with some small tasks around the house. A night nanny can handle diaper changes and washing pump parts to give you a few extra minutes of sleep. After Baby Primer Peak 1 was born I hired house cleaners to come twice a month so I didn’t have to worry about big chores.

I also encourage you to prepare what you can before your baby comes. Before Baby PP2’s birth I had about a month of meals frozen and ready to heat up. I doubled up on breakfasts and dinners and froze half. I also bought frozen pizzas when they were on sale for quick, easy lunches.

Conceal Carry Guidance

We know it is important to stay strapped, but after a C-Section we need to do so carefully.

For the first few weeks, the number one priority is to keep your incision clean and dry, and to limit friction to the area. Unfortunately, waistband carry is going to be off the table. A belt would add unnecessary pressure to the area. If you carry appendix, the holster will be sitting right along the incision site. Until your doctor has given the green light, you do not want to carry along your waistband.

After your incision heals the skin will still be sensitive, and waistband carry might not be comfortable. At nearly eight months postpartum, while manageable, it is not the most comfortable. So, off body carry is going to be a great option for a C-Section mom. My current set up is in a Jessie & James Peyton Sling Shoulder Conceal Carry Backpack that I’ve also thrown baby supplies in and use as a diaper bag.

Additionally, while you are healing, it is okay to offload responsibility to your partner. For the first weeks to months I let my husband carry for all of us. Again, a Cesarean Section is a major surgery that you are healing from. You do not have to “bounce back”. It is okay to give yourself time to heal.

Heading to the Range

I had my first postpartum range session at 5 weeks 4 days. We live 10 minutes from public land that we can shoot on, and I headed out during naptime. I’d encourage you to have a short and quick range session as soon as you are comfortable. Just to get reacquainted with your firearm, and to quickly assess your skills. All in all, my first postpartum range session lasted just about an hour total. I did a 50 round warm up at 7 yards, followed by an FBI Qual, and finished with 10 rounds at a 2-inch circle at 5 yards. Short and sweet.

I opted to shoot from appendix with my Glock 48. It was comfortable enough for a range session, but wasn’t something I was comfortable committing to on an outing. I also opted to keep my shirt tucked behind the gun as an extra layer of protection for my still healing incision.

Conclusion Conceal Carrying After C-Section [2026]

Congratulations on your new baby! Whether your C-Section was planned, or unexpected, your conceal carry set up will likely be impacted for a little bit. Follow the doctor’s orders and you’ll be back to your new normal in no time.