I wasn’t expecting to have a cesarean and I wasn’t prepared for how it would affect my body afterwards. I didn’t even read up on cesareans when I was pregnant so when I got one I was not prepared for its effect on my body.
credit: Michelle Gingrich
After you have a cesarean you have a scar. For a few days it isn’t a pretty sight. Staples cover the area where pubic hair used to be. Staples that look like they came out of your husband’s staple gun. Then they pull them out. For awhile you can see where the holes were. Like a zipper tattoo.
The scar does fade over time. After a year it’s just a red line. No longer angry. Then it turns purple. Five and a half years later I can barely find mine at all. But the numbness guides me. The numbness remains.
Three years later. Credit: @devaskyla
After I had time to take in the fact that my abdomen wore staples that looked like a Hannibal Lector mask, I was pretty upset that I wouldn’t be able to wear a cute bikini or pretty panties ever again. But I got over that aspect of my c-section pretty fast. My issues with my cesarean were more than skin deep. As far as my body image went I was a little more concerned with my deflated beach ball tummy and stretch marks.
After you have a cesarean you have pain. You’ve just had major abdominal surgery. This is not something you should take lightly. Because your body doesn’t. Prepare to not be able to do things by yourself that you’ve otherwise always taken for granted. Like getting out of bed, lifting a baby, carrying a basket of laundry, settling into a hot bath. Ask for help. If you need to, get a bell. No, really! Laughter is great medicine. Just don’t laugh too hard because that hurts too!
However, it is important to give your scar time to heal and that is what the first few days and weeks of taking it easy are about. Special “after cesarean” panties like the C-Panty can help support and heal the scar and make you more comfortable and better about your appearance. There are also mesh panties available in hospitals which I loved, even taking some home with me and washing them a few times (they’re disposable) so I could wear them as long as possible.
As far as getting back into shape goes, it is recommended that you consult your health care provider before doing any kind of physical activity. Waiting six to eight weeks is standard. Once you have the go ahead, you should be able to do some light aerobic activity. Jogging, hiking, walking, swimming and cycling are good for losing weight. Simple abdominal exercises like kegels, pelvic tilts and pelvic floor exercises are good ways to re-build some strength in your muscles. If you join a class make sure you tell your instructor that you’ve had a cesarean section. As you feel stronger you will be able to do more and more.
Give yourself time. Everyone’s tummies go back to their previous shape at different rates and some don’t go back to their old shape ever again. This depends on several factors: How many pregnancies you’ve had, genes, your previous level of fitness and your commitment. If you’re like me, and many other moms, you will get to the point that you come to accept, and possibly even (gasp!) enjoy your new body.
Now I wear my faded scar as the badge I earned when I first became a mother.
To read about some of the emotional fall-outs from having a cesarean head over to Breastfeeding Momma’s post, My Firstborn: My C-section.
Did I leave anything out? Was there anything else that happened to your body after your cesarean that you want other moms to know about?
Hey and by the way! Did you know April is Cesarean Awareness Month? See the link for ideas you can do to participate in raising awareness.
This post is a part of the Body Image Carnival being hosted by myself and Maman A Droit. Head over t her blog today to read a series of posts entitled Who Am I? and prepare to be inspired.
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Tags: c-panty, c-section, cesarean, what to expect
I didn’t prepare myself for my last minute C-section either – I was going for a natural birth. The back pain from the epidural lasted months; the numbness in my abdomen from severed nerves will last forever. It’s not just the physical scars that your body has but the long term emotional ones.
It took months for me to accept that, this time, a natural birth wasn’t possible for me and the more I read about it the more I realised that my c-section was probably not truly needed anyway. It was just the doctors who were antsy about it all. This hurt because I not only felt like a failure who couldn’t birth naturally, but I also couldn’t advocate for myself and tell the care givers to naff-off.
Having the right to birth naturally taken away by belittling care-givers who insist that you’re unable to do it yourself is one of the major catalysts for women to become birth-rights activists! Trust birth. Your body will if your mind does.
.-= Georgia Julian´s last blog ..Apr 14, Naturally Knocked Up. Can You Increase Your Fertility Naturally Through Diet Changes? =-.
I can relate to everything Georgia said in her comment. It’s so hard to get over emotionally, and physically sometimes. And then to top it off after much research you realize that your c-section was most likely not necessary. And if you are not confident enough to question “authority” then you just go along with it.
.-= Alexandra´s last blog ..Extra Curves =-.
Okay, yes you left out that morphine is your friend and that when you have your first BM it will hurt worse than pushing that baby out!!! Trust me!!! Expect there to be some serious pain!!!
Also, the sooner you get yourself out of bed the better. You will heal faster. I had my csection at 1am was on morphine pump for the rest of that morning and partially through the afternoon. They only removed the pump because my IV blew. By 2am that night, I was out of bed and walking around with my babies pram as my walker. I walked as much as a could take it pushing her around the halls. It paid off!
@Mummatutu – Yes! I knew I would forget something! I hated getting up though. I mean I know it was good for me but when they came to get me up I was like “are you kidding me? I just had major surgery and you want me to walk around!?!?” They come so much earlier than you’d expect. I couldn’t believe how soon they wanted me moving. But yes, it paid off. It was hard though. And peeing hurt even though I didn’t push a baby out. That was weird. I guess it was the catheter.
I had an emergency c-section & tried valiantly to go pain med free despite being induced ( I had gestational diabetes) 23 hours I lay awake in agony , throwing up from pain only to end up w/ a c-section . I felt like a failure just like Georgia did. I mourned the loss of the birth that I’d dreamed of, & planned so painstakingly! I remember when the Dr. told me that her cord was around her neck & they had to operate just crying & yelling “BUT I TRIED SO HARD!!”
I didn’t know that I wouldn’t be able to hold my baby for an hour afterward & that tore me up waiting alone in the recovery room w/o my sweet baby. They only held her up to my face for a moment & then whisked her away …for reasons that I still don’t understand .she was perfectly fine, but of course they had to put her in a warmer instead of letting my husband hold her w/ his more than willing arms..That still bothers me.
I didn’t get up for a day ..I just layed in my hospital bed w/ the catheter they so kindly inserted mid-contraction still in…I was just too tired & sore but, when I did get up it was hard. It did make me feel better afterward though so I was glad that I’d finally mustered up the courage ..
There’s so much that they don’t tell you about c-sections..like the fact that you won’t be able to drive for 6 weeks or lift your baby in their car seat..you aren’t supposed to go up & down stairs..
I just never knew..& even though I may not have listened b/c i thought that I was going to have a natural birth I wish that someone would have told me…
If I have another one I’ll be prepared & darn it I’ll be holding my baby !
ps. I still get pains in my incision area from time to time but it’s pretty numb too..I do wonder if they use the same cut the 2nd time or if there will be another numb stripe on my stomach ?
Interestingly I didn’t get staples-they just glued me back together and stuck some paper strips on. I looked like a thanksgiving turkey with little paper fringes! And I wish I would’ve known about c-panties! I’ll buy some for next time in case a VBAC doesn’t work out, although I really want it to. This time they said I had to do a c-section because it’d been long enough since my water broke that they were worried about infection. I felt like such a failure. I remember crying and apologizing to hubby for not being able to give birth naturally and asking my hubby if he thought I was a failure if I took some pain meds. He of course responded sweetly and encouragingly, but it shows you how crushed I was.
.-= Maman A Droit´s last blog ..Culture and Body Image =-.
I am grateful that I have not had a cesarean, but if I had I would have been totally unprepared, too. Just as I was unprepared when I suddenly went into labour at 34 weeks. Pregnancy and birth just has a way of coming at you out of left field, doesn’t it?
I’m so glad you were about to have your HBAC, and I’m sure that this information will be helpful to some other moms. It’s always so great to hear from other people who have experienced the same thing you’re going through.
.-= Amber´s last blog ..Cultivating Cleaning Enthusiasm =-.
[...] And Breastfeeding Moms Unite posted What to Expect of Your Body after a C-section. [...]
Wow–great post! I have had two c-sections, my last one was 6 1/2 years ago. Both were due to breech babies. To answer Michelle’s question, yes they use the same scar, but it takes longer to cut through the scar tissue. It makes me cringe just to think of it! I still feel sadness about not ever experiencing a vaginal birth. I never even went into labor. Sad.
I had a “crash” section due to my OB’s fears that I was suffering an abruption (would’ve been bad news for me and baby) – and that was after induction and 3 hours of trying to deliver the regular old-fashioned way. I’m just grateful there was, in the end, no serious abruption and no need for a blood transfusion, etc. I trusted my OB 100% and delivered at a hospital famous for providing excellent care and support – I’m really grateful for that too.
My doc said after that she would support whatever kind of birth I would like to have in the future – should I decide to have more kids – but that I was also a good candidate for just scheduling a c-section since my baby was small (not too small, just a nice reasonable size) and I’m a tall gal with what I’d always jokingly referred to as good birthing hips. But baby just wasn’t coming out that way, no way, no how.
If I decide to have more kids, I can say with 95% certainty that I’ll opt for the c-section. I’ve “experienced” most of the labor experience plenty for my tastes and without a crystal ball to ensure that I won’t end up with a c-section anyway, I’ll save the fear and pain – even though I recognize the benefits of vaginal birth.
For those reading this who are facing a known c-section or who might end up with one unexpectedly: yes, it’s a big deal, but please don’t be too scared about it. The challenges of parenthood are a better focus. I hope everyone has a supportive staff of nurses to care for you after you section – that makes it much easier.
My baby was with me in the recovery room – kangaroo style – right after I was wheeled there.
Also – I don’t know much about c-pants – granny panties did me JUST fine. THat’s my only recommendation – pack some big ol’ high rise briefs in your bag (or have then on hand) just in case. All my maternity underwear was lowrise to go under the belly. Hey, maybe having them will be Murphy’s-Law like insurance against a c-section!