My cesarean scar journey

My Cesarean Scar Journey

The relationship I have with my cesarean scar would be a mixed relationship, it is more on the positive side but on the odd occasion sometimes negative. Whilst I love that my 2 babies arrived into this earth through that thin silvery line, it does remind me every now and then that my body did fail me in doing what it was naturally meant to do. Don't worry those moments are fleeting, I only need to look at my two amazing and beautiful girls and those negative thoughts instantly melt away. 

I thought sharing my detailed experience with my scar journey might help mums-to-be or new mum's who have also just had a cesarean through their journey.

For both my births I had cesarean's. Georgia, my oldest was an emergency C, after a full day of labour and reaching 9cm dilation the doctor realised she was stuck. And for Lauren, my youngest, she was a planned C as there was a risk she would also become stuck.

For both births my scars were closed together using staples which 5 days after birth were removed. The best way I could describe the sensation of them being removed is having hairs tweezed out one by one. Whilst it had a little sting it wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. For 6 weeks after the births I was required to wear a bandage over the top of the scar and to regularly change it, so it would stay clean and dry. The scar itself wasn't sore at all and to be honest I found the pain after my cesarean's to be minimal...if I behaved myself. I learned very quickly not to try any silly business, one time I went to get up off the couch to fast and it felt like my insides were ripping apart. That pain brought me to tears, luckily it only happened the one time. You are given strong pain relief to have whenever needed afterwards but I didn't use it often as I felt pretty good. 

After my first cesarean, my scar developed keloid scarring, which is a raised or bulgey scar. So when I had my second cesarean my doctor cut off the old scar and injected my new scar with something to prevent it from happening again. He did mention what he was planning on injecting it with but at the time I was cut open and focused on my baby more then what he was saying! I want to say he injected it with steroids but I could be wrong. I used a bandage over my scar 6 weeks post op called Cica Care. They are a silicone strip which helps the scar heal and can prevent keloid scarring from happening. Which I found worked a treat, it is expensive but worth it.

As the months went on my scar faded to a thin silvery line and it sits low enough to be covered by my knickers. The damaged nerve endings have left the skin in that area feeling 'different' the best way I could describe it would be numb. I have been left with a pouch at the top of my scar which looks like a newly added fat roll. It isn't very noticeable to anyone else as I don't wear clothing that shows it, but I am aware of it. I asked my doctor about it and she said it is very common for that to happen. 

In recent months I had been having issues above my scar, every now and then I was experiencing extreme pain on the right side of my scar which travels past my hip and wraps around my back. It is a very sharp pain which feels like it is on fire. This lingers for hours and once it subsides my skin is left feeling bruised. I've recently tried scar tissue therapy on that area to hopefully stop this from happening again. When you look at your scar on your skin, that isn't where it stops, there is heaps of scar tissue underneath your skin as well which can cause some issues, most of the time it doesn't but it can happen. I'm hoping this treatment will stop this pain as it usually happens when I'm trying to sleep! But we will have to wait and see. If you are having troubles with any scar definitely consider finding someone who does scar tissue therapy as they will be able to make such a difference for you. 

Our bodies are amazing things, when I think about how my body helped grow another human to being cut open while I was awake and being all stitched up and walking again the next day to making milk to feed a tiny person. The whole experience, whilst it wasn't how I had it planned in my head, has been a really special and empowering one. It doesn't matter how you give birth just know it is amazing either way and scars do heal. 

x