To anyone who has had a c-section???

[First Baby White]

I am coming to the stage in pregnancy when I am thinking about the birth. I have read up on all the different ways a birth can go and feel prepared in that way but I have never seen a section scar or know where and how big the cut is etc.
Would anyone be able to tell me where they cut and how big also what it looks like after or even better post me a picture as I want to get prepared.
Thanks for your help

Edited fpr spelling

 

[peach]

i cant post a pic of mine for you hun coz the huge bump i have now i cant find it lol

its so low down if i wore a bikkine you wouldnt see it its small only about 5inch max and its a lt pink colour x
If i didnt do my keeney line my hair (sorry tmi) would just about cover it iykwim xx
HTH xx

 

[bonuspregnant]

Hi First Baby White,

I had a c section and you can barely see it, Its about 4" long and they cut a line accross the top of where you pubic hairs start.

I also had an eptopic and they cut through the old c section scar, still can't see it, brilliant.

My Grandma who is now in her 70's had 3 c sections back in the day, her scars are terrible, they cut great lines down her stomach, she looks like she's got 3 bums on her belly!

Good luck with everything

 

[Becky]

I just tried to take a picture of mine for you and you can't see anything worth posting!!!

I don't do anything with my hair there and the car is about 1 cm down and is such a faint line you really can't see it unless you look for it. You can slightly feel the skin is a bit different and that's it.

Its about 5 inches in length but as I said you wouldn't see it unless you knew it was there and went looking for it!!

I remember at the time that my midwife said "ooh that's going to be a lovely scar, your doc did a good job on you" and all I could see was a big purple line that looked like a big scar! But she was right!

Oh and remember that the cut shrinks as your belly does! So 5 inches probably doesn't seem enough to get a baby out of but when my tummy was a big baby bump the incision was bigger too.

 

[peach]

My Grandma who is now in her 70's had 3 c sections back in the day, her scars are terrible, they cut great lines down her stomach, she looks like she's got 3 bums on her belly!

Good luck with everything

my nanna also has 2 like this theyare aufull really pleased times have changed lol

 

[Hellokitty]

Ok well here is a pic of my scar...It actually looks better in reality! So its just over 11 months old and is now starting to fade more. I'd say it was about 4 1/2 inches across.

You'll see from the pic that my stretch marks are actually worse than the section scar!

 

[Laur_250]

Thanks for raising this first baby white im in the same dilema with lots of questions on this. Hope you dont mind me posting this here but its reference to the scar also......................

How long approx does the scar take to heal up (ie. go to being like an old scar rather than fresh with a risk of bleeding again??) xx

Also unrelated to scars but if not succesful i'll try it on its own post, does anyone know if you're allowed to opt for a c-section or if the midwife wont allow it, I live in the south west by the way. xx

 

[LilysMummy]

My doctor was really pleased with mine. He said it was the best scar he'd seen

Laura23yrs - I had the dressings off the next day and stich out on day 5

 

[Hellokitty]

There shouldn't be any risk of the scar opening up past a couple of weeks. Mine opened up a little on day 8 because I got an infection.

You can't opt for a c-section without a good reason, whether physical or psychological. Unless you are wealthy enough to pay for a private c-section!

 

[Laur_250]

Oh wow Lilysmummy and Hellokitty yours healed really fast! I was just having nightmares as my weddings 6 weeks after so worrying about scar opening or something and blood through my dress

I am absolutely petrified of labour and have been worrying myself sick about it so I really hope the midwife will consider this as a reason to opt for one but i doubt it xx

 

[Hellokitty]

Oh wow Lilysmummy and Hellokitty yours healed really fast! I was just having nightmares as my weddings 6 weeks after so worrying about scar opening or something and blood through my dress

I am absolutely petrified of labour and have been worrying myself sick about it so I really hope the midwife will consider this as a reason to opt for one but i doubt it xx

The surgeons use several layers of different stitches and the very top ones come out after 5-7 days, even if this layer opened up a little (like mine) its unlikely to bleed much, just weep probably. I can honestly say the after effects of the c-section were not nearly as bad as I would have imagined and the recovery was quite quick. For me the biggest issue was not driving as I felt a bit cooped up!

I think you have to see a consultant to discuss an elective section, there was a girl on the forum who did have an elective I think it was 'pigletpooh' ? I haven't seen her around for sometime or she may be able to advise.

 

[Laur_250]

Oh wow Lilysmummy and Hellokitty yours healed really fast! I was just having nightmares as my weddings 6 weeks after so worrying about scar opening or something and blood through my dress

I am absolutely petrified of labour and have been worrying myself sick about it so I really hope the midwife will consider this as a reason to opt for one but i doubt it xx

The surgeons use several layers of different stitches and the very top ones come out after 5-7 days, even if this layer opened up a little (like mine) its unlikely to bleed much, just weep probably. I can honestly say the after effects of the c-section were not nearly as bad as I would have imagined and the recovery was quite quick. For me the biggest issue was not driving as I felt a bit cooped up!

I think you have to see a consultant to discuss an elective section, there was a girl on the forum who did have an elective I think it was 'pigletpooh' ? I haven't seen her around for sometime or she may be able to advise.

Thanks! I see my MW next week so wil discuss my thoughts with her but good to hear some good stories!xx

 

[Fly]

i can't take a pic of my scar cos of me bump but its really small and barely noticeable - exactley where other people have said. The one thing i will say is that i have noticed with this pregnancy that i am feeling a lot of pulling and acheyness from my scar but have taken to rubbing in some sanctuary mum to be body butter and this is really helping it to stretch and relax a bit
I get a bit upset when i read that mum's are scared of labour and are thinking of going for an elective c-section... i had to have a c-section with my son.. i felt robbed and cheated for years... it is major surgery and whilst i can appreciate that for many women its a magical experience - i was knocked out cold so missed it all...and that sucked! I am so looking forward to experiencing labour. I know its gonna hurt and I can't wait to feel those contractions and go through that process that i was cheated of before. Its hard to explain but please don't be scared of labour ladies.. its the being scared that makes it hurt more. It's positive pain... women have been doing this since forever and its only the last 100 years or so that we have become obsessed with how much its gonna hurt.. before then it was just a fact of life and it would be so nice to see a return to those days.. we are conditioned from our own births to be scared of giving birth and its wrong ok rant over - sorry didn't mean to derail the thread or come over as being arsey - i'm just really passionate about women feeling empowered to enjoy their birthing experiences rather than feel scared of them...

Loadsa Love Sarah xxxx

 

[peach]

i know what you men hun I had normal with my first and a sec with my second
and have been offed a c sec with this one but i have refused up till now will only say yes if there is a problem ect
I felf robbed and was so disapointed with myself ect would deffo have a normal and avoid the c sec thing again x

 

[bobtheunfortunateone]

I had an emergency section with my first and still went throught some contraction pain before I got to hospital, second time I only had gas and air.

I say it is up to you. but my first I felt like I missed on something special. the second time, was alot more emotional and the pain was soon forgotten, even with a 3 degree tear, a C section hurt alot more after too. So you may think you are getting it easy but its not! second time, baby out, pain forgotten, first time, I took weeks before I was able to get up and down with out pain killers. and it was no quicker labour/birth time for me (labour lasted 55min!)

 

[Hellokitty]

I really have never felt like I missed out on anything.

Besides I experienced all of the birthing process except the actual final exit, so to speak!

I wasn't nervous about being in labour/giving birth at all, with hindsight that was possibly a bit foolhardy! It is positive pain, but its pretty difficult to see it positively when you are in agony!

No question about what I'm doing second time, I'll be straight on the list for the c-section!

At the end of the day everyone has a very different birth experience, some don't find it that difficult or painful at all. I'm just saying there's no way on earth I wanna go back there!

 

[Becky]

Also, my scar was stitched using dissolvable stitches so I didn't have to get them taken out.