Objective: The aim was to compare returns of bowel movement, adverse effects, and satisfaction of the pateints postoperative early feeding versus conventional feeding in cesarean section.

Method: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 120 pregnant women who underwent cesarean section in Nakhonpathom Hospital. All participants were randomized into 2 groups. One group initiated early feeding in 2-6 hours after cesarean sections while the other group had conventional feeding 20-24 hours after cesarean section. Feeding in both groups started with water followed by liquid diet, soft diet, and regular diet consecutively.

Results:  Demographic characteristics of both groups including age, parity, gestational age, operative time, blood loss, neonatal birth weight, and indication for cesarean section were insignificantly different. Patients with early feeding had significantly less time to flatus, more presence of bowel sound at next morning, less time to ambulation, less duration of intravenous fluid hydration and Foley catheterization, and less time to regular diet (p-value < .001) compared to those with conventional feeding. Moreover, those with early feeding were more satisfied. In terms of hospitalization and adverse effects including nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, ileus, and fever were not significantly different (p-value > .05) between two groups.

Conclusion: Early feeding in cesarean section resulted in earlier gastrointestinal functions, earlier ambulation, less duration of intravenous fluid hydration and Foley catherization, less time to regular diet, and were more satisfied without increased adverse outcomes.