Recovery after c section. What's normal?

[orchid101]

Hi I had an elective c section 4weeks ago and had a lovely baby who was almost 10 pounds. I have followed all the recovery advice but my tummy is still sore, it feels very swollen,bruised and the stitches feel very tight. Is this normal? Also I am back to my pre pregnancy weight but my tummy still looks very big and pregnant . Is this normal and how long before your tummy shrinks? Also how long does the bleeding continue for , it's still bright red?
Thanks for reading x

Hi there,
First of all congrats on your new baby!!
The bleeding can last up to 6-8 weeks although it should turn brownish then and not be all that much. If you have bright red blood it can be a sign that you are doing too much; I'd speak to your HV about it.
As for the wobbly tummy, I'm sorry to inform you that the mum tum is here to stay!! It will firm up a bit if you work on it (obviously not yet - you'll have to wait until 12w PP for exercise I think), but it won't ever look the same as before (unless you're really really young or a supermodel maybe).
About the stomach pains, to a degree that's still normal, although again it might indicate you are doing too much physically. For me, the painfulness (and the feeling that my guts are about to spill out if I don't hold my tummy) lasted beyond 6 weeks. Best bring it up with your HV or GP at your next appt, just to check that you are healing ok.

Hi

Thanks for replying. I will talk to the HV at the next visit.

My tummys not wobbly, instead its quite hard and firm and just still looks pregnant. I am still wearing my maternity trousers! Should this bump go down?

Hi - I had lochia (eg vaginal bleeding) for 6-8 weeks after my EMCS. I can't remember if it was bright red the whole time but it did go on a long time. I definitely did not have a swollen hard stomach at all after birth (indeed quite the opposite) and that sounds to me like something you should ask the HV or go to your GP to check to make sure you don't have an internal infection brewing.

Thanks for your reply.
My tummy is getting more painful, it feels very bruised and I have a horrible burning sensation on one side of my stomach. I have got a doctors appointment for Monday to get it checked.

Shouldn't your stitches have come our by now?
Don't worry about bleeding, can take more than 8 weeks in some cases.

All my stitches are the dissolvable ones and I have been told they should dissolve by about 6 weeks.
It's my tummy above the incision line that is hurting and big still.