Is It Normal for My C- Section to Still Bother Me?

Hi there...yes I have a 9 month old and I still am uncomfortable from my c section. Sometimes when I cough it bothers me. The doctor said it is nerve damage. Hope this helps :)

I've had two c-sections. Based on my experience and what my perinatologist (high-risk obstetrician told me), I believe that what you are feeling is normal.

Hope you feel better soon.

Lynne E

I know that each person recovers differently but I would be a little concerned that it is still that painful after 8 months. I would go to the doctor.

Heidi,
Is your incision red, hot to the touch or warmer than the surrounding area? Is there any drainage or odor at the incision site? Are there any harder areas around the incisional site? Has the pain increased since surgery? Is the pain sharp or stabbing? Are you running a fever of 100.4 or higher? If so, notify your physician immediately. Other wise your discomfort may be due to scar tissue or normal, but slower healing time. This also warrants notifying your OB or primary physician--just to be sure.
Good luck to you.

You may want to do some castor oil packs. Once per day with heating pad for about 15 mins. It is a little messy as casotr oil is thick but the mess can be contained. Packs are re-useable. It is very relaxing so do it when your baby is sleeping or you have a helper in the house. I can email you where to get the supplies to do castor oil packs and how to do it if you send me an email address. I am also available for Reiki from a distance that may help heal that area. Warmest regards. C. L.

Hi Heidi...

I had my C-section 5 and a half months ago and it is still touchy also. Some days it just aches for no apparent reason. Other days I feel fine. Sometimes if my baby stands at just the right spot it's so painful. Also my whole lower abdomen is still numb. It's the strangest thing. Especially the actually incision site..I cant feel anything about an inch wide and as long as the incision. I did go and talk to my doctor about it and she assured me that everything was fine and it was just the natural healing process and it can sometimes take a couple months to a couple years for things to revert to normal. She also said that sometimes you will always have pain/ achiness or numbing of that area. My mom who had a c-section 26 years ago still says her incision site is numb and sometimes it twitches or tingles..so I guess we are in for the long haul, huh. If you think your issues are a bit more than normal, then I suggest you go nad talk to your doctor. Good luck

Perfectly normal mine still bugs me a times especially right before my minthly....

Yes mine did for 2 yrs then it stopped. I mean daily irritating doctors said its the scar tissue. Dont worry just try and ignore it. It will go away in its own time, or if not you can know your ok, and normal.:)

It is completely normal. It took me 2.5 years to have the numbness go away, right after my 2nd/ child was born my husband who is a Chiropractor did some research and started to have me put wheat germ oil on the incision site and because of it's healing properties it felt better within a few weeks and now you can barely even see my scar. This has been 10 years ago this October 1st. when my baby turns 10 years old :(... I can't believe it! I have had 3 VBAC's since that c-section and feel GREAT too! I used the wheat germ oil for 6 months and then for about 6 weeks after my three other children were born and my skin was stretched again.

Good luck!

Hi Heidi,
You have gotten a lot of advice, I second the one from Tanya H. If you do not have any sign of infection, it is probably tissue adhesions/scar tissue. I am Physical Therapist and have dealt with a lot of patients post surgery for scar management. One very simple thing you can do to slowly stretch your tissues is lay on you tummy and prop up on you elbows, slowly increasing to out stretched arms over time. You should try for a few minutes (~3-4 minutes) 3 times a day, something to do when your baby is having tummy time too! If you have scar tissue build up on your incision site, you can do "scar massage" with a non greasy lotion, you don't want to be slipping off the scar when you do this. You apply a little pressure into the scar tender points or thickened tissue w/ one or two fingers making little round, downward motions for 1-2 minutes 2 x day. The aim is to feel just a little discomfort, if it's too light, it probably won't be effective in desensitizing the area. I hope this helps you!

I would say it is normal, my last c-section was April of 2005 and although I can now do complete sit ups and everything else ab related, there are times when I just turn the wrong way and I flinch at the pain/more like sensation that I feel, there is no way I could tolerate someone even a baby to stand on me. I just applied pressure with my hands and although it isn't painful, it's not comfortable. I get the twinges of pain if I get out of bed wrong (stepping out of the bed while laying on my back), I've had two c-sections by the way. If I were you, I'd at least mention it at your next appt. just to make sure everything is OK.
M.

Hello Heidi,

You have had some great advice! I have also had big babies with two c-sections.
Yes, there is a lot of pulling and twinge sensations. Your body does heal from the outside then inward.

But after a year it does get better. The itchy bellie does go away and you will feel normal again.

blessings, Shell

I have had three c-sections and never experienced any pain. Had my third child on a Fri, home Sunday and monday driving car pool and going to the market. I would check it out!

I had a c-section on February 2007 and had pain after as well. I waited about 8 months and I was still unable to have my daughter stand on my lower abdomin without pain. I went to the docter and after several tests and being referred to a pain specialist they believe it is scar tissue. Mine is a dull pain and was located where low rise pants sit and when I would wear pants I had a constant dull pain. The Pain specialist has been performing injections to deaden the nerve. I've had two treatments and the pain no longer bothers me. I would recommend waiting a while longer as I believe the muscle will continue to heal. If you plan on having other children then I would probably take no action in deadening the nerve as you will most likely have a repeat c-section which could correct the pain. I wouldnrecommend seeing the doctor as it could be a hernia or muscle damage. I am not planning on having any more children so that is why I chose to have the pain addressed. Good luck!

Hey Heidi,

Had two c-sections with both my kids and it's going to be a long, long time till you have feeling back in that area....cause the nerves have been cut!! It still feels weird and my daughter is 16 now!! Anymore questions, you can email me at ____@____.com

V.

Yes it can be normal....with my first c-section it would bother me when a lot of pressure was put on it or when I would work out for about a year and a half! With my second it was completely fine after 3 months!?!

I've heard this can be pretty normal. I had my C-section 13 months ago and still feel pain from pressure around the scar area and under the skin. The top skin is sensitive too. I can't let my kids climb around my pelvic area and when they accidently do jump on me it is pretty painful. My doctor said this is quite common though.
In my opinion, basically this is the kind of wound that you are not intended to survive in nature! So the healing is pretty intense and can take years. Keep in mind that these incisions go through many layers, through our muscles, uterus, etc. It is not just a cut through skin, it is a horizontal autopsy! So hang in there, some day we'll forget all about it, by then we'll be pregnant again and having another c-section, lol!

Just want to echo what everyone has said. I've had 2 c-sections, the 2nd being almost 3 yrs ago, and I still get those twinges of pain that many posted about. I had very good "healing" at the incision sites, so I have always thought of this as normal. I also get the itching that has been mentioned. Too bad we live with these "reminders", huh?

Hi Heidi, Yes it is normal for the C section to still bother you. It may take you up to a year or better for the pain to go away sometimes longer depending on how fast your body heals. The outside may looked healed but your insides are still healing.

In the meantime just be aware and always position the baby away from that area. It is a very sensitive spot on your body where the nerves were seperated and need to heal.

Be patient I had a C section and Historectomy years ago and I still get little tinges down there but mine are just scar tissue. Take care
N.

Well, I don't know if it's normal or not, but I sure had the same reaction to a c-section. Don't know if that helps or not, but there it is. My son just turned 2 a little over a week ago . . . my incision site is still sensitive in some places and completely numb in others.

I had mine in december 29th and i also have pain still. Somedays its really bad. Mine itches really bad too. Does yours? I cant say whether its normal or not because i haven't gone to the doctor. My friends aunt told me though its always going to hurt and hers still hurts after five years so i'm guessing its normal. I just wish i could do sit ups like i use to but it hurts so very bad the next day. Hope you start feeling better though good luck to you!

you have to remember that was a major surgery and it takes about a year for things to be normal again - it's been 15 months for me and my scar area still bugs me but it's getting less and less each passing day - hang in there!

I have had 2 c-sections with my last one May 30th 2007 (almost 14 mos ago). I feel the same way as you. My son can not stand on me there and sometimes if I lean on the counter wrong, or even in pilates class on my exercise ball (which is round and rubber) I can feel so uncomfortable. I am pretty sure for some of us, this is totally normal. I was told by a friend of mine who had thyroid cancer (surgery) that she was told that those twinges of pain are actually the nerve endings reconnecting. She experienced the same thing in her neck after surgery. Considering during a c-section there are 3 layers that are cut, uterus, abdominal muscle and skin there is a lot going on in there and a lot of scarring and nerves trying to reconnect.

mine does that, too sometimes - especially if i am stretching out. other times, like in the shower, it is numb when i wash my stomach, almost like the muscles/tendons, etc havent all gotten back together yet. its only been 5 months for me - but it bugs me none-the-less.

My sister is a nurse and she said that it is not normal, you should really go to the doctor as soon as possible.

I saw this after I responded to your c-section/vbac question. I am 16, almost 17 months post c-section and it is still sensitive. When I go swimming the initial shock of the cold water on my scar hurts and sometimes if I get up fast, or twist a wierd way I feel pain. I know you are thinking about baby #2, the stretching of that also hurts quite a bit. It isn't awful pain, but when i was about 5 or so months pregnant (now 8 months) I would get stabbing pains around my incision. I did get pregnant again only 9 months after my C-section, which isn't recommended, so that could be contributing to the pains I feel. Wait atleast a year, that is what a midwife told me when I was trying to find a VBAC doctor/midwife.

hey heidi!

i had an emergency c section 5 and a half years ago, and to this day, when i stretch out, it pulls on my lower abdominal muscles. you gotta remember that when they do c~sections, they cut thru ALL of the muscles in your abdomin. which takes time to heal. if you really feel uncomfortable, go see your dr! maybe its just scar tissue healing or not healing properly, but like i said, i can feel the muscles pull still to this day when i stretch out!

If you have decent health insurance and can afford to go see your doctor, do it. I was having a lot of itching with my c-section and I called the doctor and the nurse told me to use Benadryl spray to cut down on the itching. But, it got worse, and I ignored it. Finally, I took a mirror to it because it just didn't feel right when I touched it. It looked kind of icky so I called the doctor back (oh, about a month went by). I went in and they told me I had a skin ulcer and an infection and gave me some cream, told me to give it some air. I went a step further and used a hair dryer to dry the area after showers and also got some sun on the area (trust me, not where anyone would see me sunbathing my scar) and it got better. Also, still feeling pain if I do a lot of physical activity involving that area (but it has only been 11 weeks). Long story short, get some medical advice. :)