Haematoma after ELCS

[snowydrops]

I had an ELCS 16 days ago and in the last 4 days have felt a sort of swelling and mild-moderate pain above the incision. At first I thought it was infected but now I realise it's above the incision. I saw my midwife today who sausage it's a haematoma but scar looks fine.

Tonight it hurts a bit, sort of achey and a bit sore. It feels quite swollen too to touch.

Has anyone any experience of this? Midwife didn't seem phased by it but will it go?? It's quite sore holding DD2 on my tummy to feed, I'm using different positions but I'm aware that a few days ago it didn't hurt and am scared it will get worse?!

I'm not medically trained at all!

But... I read this and it rang a bell with me. I'm pretty sure I had similar and was a bit freaked out by the term haematoma which I hadn't heard of. I believe it is just a bruising where there has been a little bleeding under the surface.

I think its normal but please get it checked out by gp or midwife if you're at all panicked or unhappy.

Thank you, yes it is bleeding under the skin and bruising. I am a bit scared it will get worse but I guess I will just have to see!

How are you doing with your painkillers? Could it be hurting more because of meds wearing off?
Why don't you ask midwife for another look or to explain things which are normal/not normal in its development to try to put your mind at ease or alert you of when to check it out?
Again-no medical training but didn't want to leave thread unanswered.

Congratulations on your dc by the way!

I stopped painkillers other than paracetamol at seven days and then I stopped that at day ten too. The pain from the ELCS had almost gone but now there is pain where the haematoma thing is so I may have to start them up again. I'm really depressed about It as it's making me feel much less recovered and also like I will have a puffy overhanging stomach forever (I'm quite slim so it's like a pouch hanging over the scar).

I had exactly the same thing as you describe as well as the puffy bit 'overhanging' the scar. Looks like you've got invisible knickers on that are too tight, right?

Is it on the right-hand side of your scar? Mine was, and I know I took longer than usual to stop bleeding in theatre, and the consultant applied a pressure dressing. The haematoma was on the right hand side as the table is tilted to the right when doing the CS so that the weight of the baby doesn't inhibit blood supply (I think).

I would say that the puffy swelling was gone after 3m. My dd will be 3yo this month and I absolutely do not have any overhang. I have a tiny dent that only I notice where the scar is. It is well hidden in my pubic hair and I don't think DH notices at all.

Congratulations and all the best with your recovery

I used to notice that I'd swell if I stood for too long and/or physically over-exerted. I remember all of that stopped by 3m ... it had definitely stopped by 5m.

Sounds like ages, but it isn't. My GP told me that internal wounds take at least 12w (3m) to heal. 16 days isn't long in the grand scheme