Struggling with C section scar/overhang

[Firsttimemum000]

Hi all, two weeks ago I had to have a planned c-section birth. This was something I struggled with, but I was actually pleasantly surprised by the procedure and it was just magical to meet my little girl, regardless of the more surgical situation. Since the birth I am massively struggling with the appearance of the area. I gained minimal weight in pregnancy and my stomach has already shrunk back quite significantly. However above the scar it is puffy and there is a little shelf of a bit of puffy skin/stomach running the length of the scar that sticks out around an inch. Below, where my pubic hair/area is it is flatter and tighter. I really don’t mind about having a scar but am terrified that it is going to stay shelf like above the scar so my stomach will unable to be flat and will forever have this tiered affect. Because Im not that large and didn’t gain loads of weight I guess I wasn’t expecting this overhang/distended puffy area. All the midwives have said that it looks like a neat scar and it should shrink back but all the images I find online don’t show this much overhang or swelling and so I’m really not convinced. I’m a firmer anorexic with a complex relationship with my body anyway and so I’m finding this so distressing. I know it’s only two weeks but I guess I’m looking to hear others experience of the healing process. Did you have swelling like this that subsided and flattened and if so, what was the timeline? Did yours never flatten? Have you had any successful procedures to help? Many thanks in advance x

There will be swelling for a little while so I wouldn’t let it worry you too much just yet. It is major surgery. If you had a flat stomach before and didn’t gain weight in pregnancy there’s no reason why it won’t shrink back flat.

It takes months to heal properly. You must still be swollen and numb on top of your body recovering from your pregnancy.

Let it heal then start gentle exercise. My scar is near invisible, the overhang is always there but not visible in clothes but then I gained 4 stone in pregnancy and never lost the final half stone so that may well be the problem.

Thanks @GreyBlackBay. Did you ever done car massage or other methods to improve?

I'm almost 3 years post csection and still have a noticeable shelf. I'm a size 8/10.

6 years post was ridiculous for and size 6/8 now a size 8 and it’s still there. I absolutely hate it!!!

train/run 4 times a week

@Helpfullright @makemineadecaf was yours there straight after the surgery and did it decrease at all? Did you try and scar massage/physio, or other treatments to improve the appearance?

I'm two weeks and 2 days post planned csection. I'm stilling very puffy and swollen in my stomach, the top part is soft but the lower part is still very firm and I look months pregnant still. It's still very early days. It takes 6-8 weeks just for your uterus to contract back to normal size, then ontop of that you'll have swelling and trauma happening inside from such a major surgery, you'll still be carrying water and you'll still be carrying weight you gained from the pregnancy, (you'll have gained some even if you ate healthy and exercised throughout, our body's naturally gain weight for breastfeeding etc) try to be kind to yourself and give yourself time. 2 weeks is super early to be worrying about that.
You can't start scar massage etc until 6-8 weeks post op anyway, and that's because you aren't fully healed yet. I plan on doing scar massage after that point as have read it can be very beneficial for c section shelf and adhesions. X

i had this exact concern and I am now 4 months postpartum and let me tell you it does go down. At even 2 months I felt that my shelf was very prominent and felt quite lumpy /hard surrounding the scar but this was just the healing process and you have to be patient and trust the process. Mines not perfectly flat but it’s continuing to reduce and feels nice and flat and well healed underneath now when I press it and when lying down on my back. Standing up there is still a slight shelf but to be honest I think this may have been there with a vaginal birth as the skin above the scar is so stretched that it causes a slight hang anyway.
Be patient with yourself and remember that you went through major surgery and 9 months of pregnancy, the body needs time to recover.

It will go down but I think having a little shelf is quite normal just due to position. I have an indent from my appendix scar because that area is more fleshy vs an arm.

Be patient with yourself and remember that you went through major surgery and 9 months of pregnancy, the body needs time to recover.

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Unlikely it’ll ever reduce enough to appear flat however you’re probably still a little swollen so there may be some improvement. Congratulations on your new baby!

I'm 24 years post emergency C section and have always had an overhang. Even when I lost loads of weight and was going to the gym 3 times a week.

I think the only way mine could be rectified is by surgery. Not that bothered though as I'm old and single and no one sees it apart from me.

After my first section my stomach went flat very quickly. My second didn’t. I had a lot of overhang and swelling for months actually as it was a rough recovery. My second section was 18 months ago and I’m back to size 8 but this time around there is a stubborn overhang on the right hand side of my scar that just won’t go sadly. The left side is much flatter. I think it could be the way I was stitched this time around.