Swelling after a C-section is completely normal, and gas pains can be excruciating. They should pass within a week, once your bowels are moving normally again (abdominal surgery causes them to "shut down" temporarily, so pooping after a C-section might not come easy).
“I learned later that this is common, but it was still really disconcerting because it was unexpected.” Swelling after a c-section is completely normal—chalk it up to the IV fluids during surgery and those post-pregnancy hormones—and should go down after a week or so.
For women who have been used to a flat stomach prior to pregnancy and birth, this shelf can come as a surprise. However, it's important to remember that this bulge is completely normal and experienced by the vast majority of women who deliver by C-section.
You will probably need about 6 weeks to fully recover. It's important to take it easy while the incision heals. Avoid heavy lifting, strenuous activities, and exercises that strain the belly muscles while you recover. Ask a family member or friend for help with housework, cooking, and shopping.
The second issue with C-Sections is that a lot of times the scar is going to stick down to the muscle and that as you get more mature, as you get older, the skin gets looser and it just folds over that scar and you can't make that go away either.
This is because a c-section scar creates an effect akin to a tight band being placed at the bottom of the abdomen. This forces the lax abdominal skin and muscles to hang over the tightness of the scar.
While diet and exercise can help women lose excess fat after pregnancy, a healthy lifestyle can't make a c-section scar and bulge go away. Some women may find their c-shelf sticks around for years, while others may notice the area gradually flattens over time.
Your belly will gradually slim down as your uterus shrinks back to its usual size and excess fluids are flushed out of your body. Your stretched-out abdominal muscles and lax skin will most likely begin to firm up.
Swelling after C-section — also known as edema — is caused by extra fluid in tissues. This can lead to swelling on the face, ankles, hands, and feet or around the incision area. Intravenous (IV) fluid can also provoke swelling after a cesarean delivery.
When you can lay on your side after a c-section will all depend on your body. You may find it painful while your wound is healing. If it's comfortable, you may be able to lay on your side straight away.
By keeping yourself hydrated, your body will have an easier time releasing extra fluid causing the swelling. It is also important for you to walk and move around after delivery to prevent complications that lead to swelling in the legs.
After you've been home from the hospital for 3 weeks or so, you might be walking for up to 15 minutes, gradually building up the time if it feels good. Keep up your daily pelvic floor exercises too.
A hernia that occurs after surgery is called an incisional hernia. The C-section is a surgical procedure that can create a weakness in the abdominal wall. A hernia occurs when part of the intestines or stomach protrudes outward through this weakened area, creating a bulge.
If you had a caesarean section (c-section) your tummy may look and feel a little different right now. A c-section is major surgery, and not without effects on your abdominal muscles. Your abdominal muscles are essential for core stability. They support your spine and help to hold your organs in place.
If you are looking for a less invasive procedure for elimination of your post-C-section pooch, a fat transfer might be right for you. Using tiny syringes, fatty cells are removed from the midsection and can be deposited elsewhere in the body, if you want to enhance another area.
Items like carbonated drinks, citrus juices, coffee, tea, and spicy food should be avoided as they increase bloating and gas. Fermented and fried food can cause heartburn and indigestion. Since mothers are breastfeeding, such foods can affect the milk and cause growth problems in the newborn.
Doctors, traditionally, have advised women to avoid stairs after a C-section. But Kathryn Houston, a clinical instructor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, San Francisco, shrugs off that recommendation. “Stairs are fine as long as you take them slowly,” she says.
Gentle exercise, such as walking, will help you recover from your c-section. But avoid anything more active until you have no pain and you feel ready. For example, avoid driving, carrying anything heavy, having sex or doing heavy housework, such as vacuuming, until you feel able to.
Activity. Getting up and walking around once you are home will help you heal faster and can help prevent blood clots. You should be able to do most of your regular activities in 4 to 8 weeks.
Just make sure not to push yourself too much, as overexertion after C-section delivery can have serious consequences, including wound infection or injury.
With a cesarean birth, lifting too heavy too soon can cause your incision (either external or internal) to open, rupture, or cause other serious medical issues.