c section scar pain and lochia- how long?

[strangerjo]

I had a elcs 3 weeks ago. My abdomen and the scar are still very painful and tender, and very sensitive when clothes rub against them. I'm also still bleeding bright red on and off - it seems to be just after expressing. Did anyone experience this and how long did the pain and bleeding take to stop fully? Cheers

I had an ELCS in 2012 and my lochia lasted for 6w (the same as after my previous VB). Expressing/breastfeeding causes the uterus to contract as it shrinks (yours will still be shrinking), so the increase is normal as long as you are not passing clots/soaking pads or have abdominal pain with fever. Talk to your HV though.

The scar may take longer to feel normal again, and 3 weeks post-section is still very early days. If I remember correctly, I didn't like to wear knickers with a tight waistband or jeans against my scar for months afterwards as after the soreness, I had hyper-sensitivity around the scar. It wasn't anything unbearable, I just preferred to have nothing rubbing against it.

Mine settled with time and I remember being fully back in pre-pregnancy clothes (including hipster jeans) by the time my dd was a year old.

Thank you for your comment. I've read lots of people saying they were pain-free after a week so was starting to panic about the ongoing pain around my stitch and the hypersensitivity. I'm glad to hear you were fine and back in your jeans after a year though!

I think it was about 6 weeks before I could wear normal jeans again without it irritating my scar. Now 4 months on I still get a sort of tingling and slight soreness when I press on it or rub it too hard, but other than that it's fine. Bleeding was also on and off for a while before it stopped completely.

I had bleeding for at least six weeks. It would be bright red most often when I had been walking a fair amount or exerting myself. Took a while for the scar to settle down, maybe around four months. There's a lot of hype about quick recovery from sections but it's not always the case.

I'm at 4 weeks post section and am still bleeding quite a lot, and still bright red. On the other hand I've been wearing pre-pregnancy jeggings for a week now - this is my second section and I seem to have recovered much quicker than last time round. I remember my scar and the skin around feeling weirdly numb but tingly last time. My first section was an EMCS and I do wonder whether the rush job aspect of it, along with the exhaustion from days of contractions, had anything to do with the slower recovery first time round,

I remember feeling much much better by 10 weeks, but like you was disappointed in myself for not healing quicker - as if that was something I could control! I'm not 6 months on, running and dancing again with no problems. It just takes time, frustratingly.

now, not not!

Thanks everyone. I'm so miserable about the pain. It's around and above my scar - the skin is sore and hypersensitive and it feels that the muscles are too - a mix of nerve and muscle pain. Lots of people seem to have less or no pain by three weeks... I hope it goes.

I would definitely expect you to have less pain now than you did at the time of the op, of a couple of days later. Have you asked your HV for advice?

I'm 3 weeks post section like you and still bleeding a bit although only really need a panty liner.

I can still feel the scar, especially if I wear my maternity jeans (tried pre pregnancy jeans and no chance!). Am still finding yoga pants at home much more comfortable. I still can't really sleep on my side yet with ease and I get more soreness in the evenings, probably from doing too much in the day.

I'm 4 weeks post section and still bleeding although it's dropped off in the past couple of days. I find it's red after I pump or after a longer walk both of which I'm told are usual.

I have had no scar pain and the skin round it has been fine but I was tender in that area for a few weeks. It's gone now but I couldn't touch that part of my belly for 2-3 weeks after.