C section scar

[DazedandConfused135]

Sorry didn't know where to post this and it's probably a weird question but wanted to know if anybody else felt the same or do I need to pull myself together!

Had a section over 12 months ago now but I still cannot bring myself to look, touch or go anywhere near the scar. It absolutely makes me feel horrible and a bit sad.
I had to get my DH or DM to check it for me in the early days, cannot not pat it with a towel and resort to the hairdryer.

I have no idea why I feel this way but it's becoming a bit silly now and I just cannot bring myself to look even.

Is it just me? It's getting me down now.

Did you have a traumatic delivery? I felt exactly like that for a few months, if I did accidentally touch it it was hyper sensitive in one side and numb on the other. Then it got infected!

It made me feel sick to look at it or touch it. I started using silicon strips to try and normalise the sensation so I had to touch the area around it to put the strip on and over time I got used to it.

I still don’t like it, I certainly don’t wear it like a badge of honour like I know some women do, but that’s emotional as much as physical. It’s healed really well, feels normal and while very long it’s not actually horrible to look at but I’ve learnt to live with it rather than love or embrace it. I expect many mums feel as you do and I really sympathise.

@AnneLovesGilbert

Thank you for your reply, it's made me feel a lot better about how I'm feeling.
Wasnt too traumatic (planned) but happened quickly due to complications during pregnancy.
I may try the strips, as long as I can learn to live with it I'm happy. Unfortunately don't think I'll ever be able to embrace it but I'm not ashamed and have a lovely DS.

Thank you for sharing your experience, it's helped a lot.

Yeah I felt like that. No trauma and generally really happy about the c section etc..... just found it a bit gross that my abdomen was opened there if that makes sense. My baby is a year and a bit and I feel OK-ish about it now. I had the area waxed and I think that helped psychologically. Beauty therapist always know the right thing to say. I'd suggest just trying to touch it and build up to it. Maybe ask your partner to touch it?

You’re so welcome. It can be a complicated business, you’re certainly not alone. I also have quite a bit scar from having my appendix out and never had any issues with that at all so there’s definitely an emotional side to my c section feelings. Mine was a crash section under GA, it all went very wrong very fast so it’s hip to hip and I have big memory gaps from all the stuff I was pumped full of. I’m obviously glad they got her out safely but she wasn’t in a great way, I was in a worse way and while I’m sure we got the best care we could have and I had faith in the whole team, it wasn’t how I’d imagined giving birth and it’s all wrapped up in that. It’s literally a line across my body telling the less than ideal story of how my child came into the world. What can you do! I’m glad it doesn’t hurt anymore, I’m lucky that despite the infection it’s healed well and is thin and growing ever paler, they did a decent job despite the circumstances. It’s okay to feel whatever you feel about your own experience. Maybe just accepting that will help. Who knows how it may change in future.

Sorry if that’s way more deep and meaningful than you were asking

Sorry you feel like that, don’t be hard on yourself it isn’t silly at all. I’d really recommend having a look at scar therapy/scar massage. I had some after my c section and it really helped, this is the lady I saw and she has some good information on her website restoretherapy.co.uk/

My c section was in 2016 and my scar is super faint now and I really don’t notice it any more.

Lanolin or anything lanolin based (like Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream) is good for scars. I have unfortunately become a bit of a scar person after the c section and two abdominal surgeries last year (the last one having left me with a full length vertical from under my bust). I’ve been looking for some kind of tool to do my scar massage with as I don’t really like touching my big scar but I find if I do it with a firm pressure it’s not so bad.

I had a planned c-section in 2008 due to DS1 being breach (following an unsuccessful ECV). Although I was so happy to have my baby delivered safely, I’ll admit I was devastated to have this ugly, red, angry scar on my body, and cried many times because I hated it so much. Obviously now 13 years on the scar is no more than a silvery line it’s much easier to deal with but, it took me a long time to learn to live with it, and I know I won’t ever think of it as a ‘badge of honour’ like some women - but I’ve accepted it was a means to an end to ensure my baby and myself were ok.