Nightmares of C-Section Sensations

[KNMom]

Wondering whether anybody else has experienced this, and if so how you dealt with it.

I had a positive birth experience despite it being an unplanned C-section (labour failed to progress after water broke and induction failed). The procedure went well. I had excellent rapport with the surgical team and experienced minimal anxiety. Baby was born healthy and happy. My post-natal care in hospital was fantastic and post-op recovery was quick. I mention all this just to say, there were no physical complications and no psychological trauma.

However, while still recovering in hospital I began to have nightmares about the physical sensations experienced during the procedure - the pressure of incisions, the tugging, and all the other not-painful-but-distint things one feels during a C-section despite the spinal. I wake up in panic and horror. Then once I become aware it was a dream and I am not in fact being torn part, I calm down and feel fine.

I had never had surgery prior to my C-section, so at first I thought this was just a normal way for my mind to process what happened. But I am now 16 weeks post-partum and still having these dreams. Everything else is fine: I am enjoying the baby, coping perfectly well, no PND. Just the dreams. They are not getting worse or more frequent, but not any less frequent either. I have never had recurring nightmares before, and this is starting to worry me.

Just to add, my professional background is in mental health and I know the answer to this is ultimately therapy. Interestingly though, I have tried to do some research into these types of post-op dreams and cannot find much, especially pertaining to C-section specifically. So I am not so much asking for general advice, as wondering whether anyone else out there has experienced this, and if so were you able to get over the dreams, how long did it take, how did you cope, etc.

Thanks in advance for reading and taking the time to respond!