Haematoma after c section -any advice?

[JacobandTomsmum1981]

Hi everyone

I am nearly 5 weeks post elective c section and have a hematoma on my scar which has been bleeding for the last 3.5 weeks.

I've had 2 courses of antibiotics as the hospital suspected it was an infection to begin with. A blood test on Wednesday shows no infection in my blood, which is good.

My wound is still bleeding and it's really getting me down. I cant leave the house, accept for doctors appointments etc. as I'm trying to rest to let it heal.

I have an 8 year old who I cannot take anywhere or do much with, which makes me feel very guilty.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience of this happening after a c section and has any tips on how to help it heal?

The hematoma is approx. 1.5 inches long on the left side of my scar. There is one small hole in my scar. I clean the area twice a day with gauze and cooled boiled water and then let it air dry but it doesn't seem to help.

The doctor at hospital on Wednesday said it could take 8-10 weeks to heal, so I will just have to rest and it will get better.

I have support from my partner, but he works full time, my dad, who takes my 8 year old to school and drops him home for me and a close friend who calls me most days to check how I'm doing.

I am so happy my baby boy is healthy and doing well, but have had one of the toughest years of my life this year. I've had ongoing contact issues with my 8 year olds dad, my mum passed away nearly 3 months ago and the pregnancy really took it out of me.

This just seems like another kick in the teeth when I really just needed a break.

I know there are other people in worse situations, but I cant help it all getting me down.

Thanks x

I thought a hematoma was inside the womb? Has your scar/wound opened both inside and out?

My scar has a hole on the outside, I'm hoping everything internally is healing.
My understanding from what the doctor at hospital said is that a hematoma is a leaking blood vessel, mine is a swelling that seems to fill up and then the pressure causes it to keep bleeding.

Hello, I just came across your post as I’m going through the same.
I had my second c section 4 weeks ago, the first one I had no issues with healing at all. This time I had a lot of bruising/swelling and 10 days after my surgery my incision split open and blood poured out everywhere, it was so scary. It’s gradually reducing in size and healing but 3 weeks later it’s still leaking blood.
I had two swabs done, first was clear but they put me on antibiotics just incase and then the second showed mixed anaerobes so they changed the antibiotics, I’m on my second dose of them, first course was 5 days and they’ve extended for a further week. I have another hematoma deeper inside which is gradually reducing too.
How long did it take for yours to finally close over? I’m also so down about it.
Thanks

Hello
My scar is still not healed my little one will be 8 weeks on Tuesday.
I've had another course of antibiotics since I first posted this, my third course in total due to an increase in discharge.
I am now receiving wound care from the nurses at my GP surgery.
The hematoma swelling has now subsided, but my wound had granulated (an overgrowth of scar tissue) which was preventing the hole from healing over.
They cauterized the granulation with silver nitrate on Thursday to kill the skin off and heal the hole. The hole has now healed, but I now have a bit of skin breakdown which was seeping, so I have an iodine dressing on the wound and am hoping this will do the trick. Back again on Monday for them to take this dressing off and see if it's worked, fingers crossed as I've had more than enough of this now.
The doctors and nurses all seem to think this is perfectly normal, but it's not normal to me to have a wound still leaking fluid after nearly 8 weeks, it's been hard enough coping with a new baby let alone having the constant worry that the scar might get infected and I might get really ill
It's certainly put me off considering having any more children.
It's hard not to get down but at least you know youare not on your own suffering.
I hope you will have a quicker recovery than I have x

Hello, I just came across this post as I’m having the same thing aswell. I’m 2 weeks post section and similarly have had a really hard year that started with a stillbirth and tough pregancy with lots of complications. Hear you on kick in the teeth. How long did it take to resolve? Thanks

Hi, how are you now? I am 8 weeks post partum
And they’ve found a 7cm haematoma inside my incision wound. I’m in a lot of pain with it!

I had an infected haematoma after my elective c section in July. The pain was horrendous and I got a full on fever as well. The infection never went into my bloodstream, all blood tests remained clear, but swabs from the wound (which was leaking) showed 2 hospital acquired super bugs. I was readmitted to hospital for a concoction of what ended up being 5 different iv antibiotics for two weeks to clear the infection and when I was discharged I still had a leaking wound with holes in it. I was told it was best for everything to leak out than stay inside. Eventually after about 8 weeks the leaking stopped and my wound closed over but I now have an area of very thick scar tissue which is unsightly and uncomfortable. I guess I'm lucky the infection was picked up and treated as I suppose I could have died! I'm certainly not having any more children (this was my second c section after an emergency one with my son in 2019). I would say to anyone who's experiencing extreme pain and leaking from their wound to make sure it's swabbed and cultures taken to rule out infection. As long as there is none it should eventually close over..