C section incision still red - five weeks pp

[Springbaby2023]

I’m five weeks pp today and my c section incision has become red and inflamed. I’ve had it checked and it’s not infected, although keeping a careful eye and making sure I keep it clean and dry.

I had a re-opening after two weeks which is almost but not quite healed.

Physically I feel absolutely fine, no pain or no weakness, the incision just obviously isn’t healing well (no doubt because I am fat so have an overhang!)

Just wondering what I should and shouldn’t be doing. I’ve started driving again as feel fine but now wondering if I shouldn’t be? I have been trying to rest but also have a three year old and we drive each other mad stuck in the house so I feel like I have to get him out and about (rest more when he’s in nursery).

Have also been occasionally carrying baby in the sling but now wondering if I should have avoided this too.

Will resting more and not driving really make much difference at this stage?

Any other tips other than keeping it clean and lifting the overhang to let it air dry?

It’s really starting to get me down, I just want it to heal. I spent the newborn period with my first in lockdown and it feels like to properly get better I almost need to do the same again!

I'd try putting sudocrem on it and if you have an overhand keep it clean and dry if you don't use sudocrem.

@Mbop I did wonder about sudocrem, surely that will be ok if it doesn’t touch with actual incision bit, as it’s below the incision that is red. But I’m also a wimp and don’t want to make it worse! I definitely have a bad overhang so been trying to air dry but have admittedly got lazy with it in last few days.

My midwife gave me swabs to put on my wound due to my overhang, to keep it dry. Might be worth a try?

I'd give the sudocrem a try, even if it touches your wound it will probably be ok and won't cause any harm.