Ab pain after C-Section (7mpp)

[helentina]

I’ll start off by saying I have a follow up appointment schedule with my dr.

So in August of 2023 I had an emergency C-section under general anesthesia at 25+0. The incision is transverse on the outside and vertical on the inside. (Baby weighed 490g and is thankfully doing okay).

Ever since then, I have had terrible pain in my abs that gets worse with activity or if I wear high waisted pants. It’s right down the middle. I’m telling yall, if I do a plank for 30 seconds, I’m sore for four days. (I used to be super athletic so this is really weird for me haha). I recently looked in my c section note (spooky) for a clue and it said it was a “technically difficult” procedure, it also used the word “bluntly” three times. So they pulled my abs apart bluntly. I’m thinking my abs are having a hard time healing.

I’m just writing this wondering if any of y’all have had the same thing. I have asked friends and family who have had c-sections and they all look at me like I’m crazy, and I know a lot of y’all are preemie/micro-preemie parents so I was gonna see if any of y’all have had this. I’m thinking maybe it’s related to the baby being so small and my abs not being already separated like full term c-sections..?

I know this is a forum that is about babies but I don’t know where else to post Bully me into taking this down if this isn’t the right spot.

 

[light4]

@helentina Go see a pelvic floor physical therapist - they are great for stuff like this. It could be some internal scar tissue that's pulling when you use your abs, or imbalances in how your muscles are working. A PFPT can assess the situation, then do scar massage if necessary while guiding you through exercises to realign everything.

I'm 9 months post c-section, and things just felt weird when I worked out - like my core wasn't working properly, so I didn't have the support I needed. My physical therapist said that during a C-section, the transverse (lower) abs are usually cut, and they often don't "reactivate" without some re-training. In the meantime, other muscles (often glutes and hamstrings) overcompensate and get even stronger, which allows the abs to further weaken.

I also had a pulling sensation internally when I stretched/moved certain ways, which was caused by some internal scar tissue.

For me, an 8-week course of PT gradually righted those imbalances. Now I feel much more like myself during workouts.

 

[ninkies]

@helentina I’m 4 weeks pp from an emergency c section at 35+4 I can’t find what type of c section I had and I’m not necessarily experiencing exactly what you are but from my belly button down in a pretty straight line I have numbness and prickly pain like tiny needles being moved around in my skin it’s weird and I can’t find any reason to it. I hope the pain subsides for you cause even with what I’m feeling it’s uncomfortable and frustrating I can’t imagine your whole a** abs hurting like that would feel

 

[compassionate_rn]

@ninkies What you mention is quite a common pain after surgery. It is from nerves being damaged during the operation. A friend of mine told be about it years ago, hers took almost a year to recover, I read about it in my pre op documents as well. I have it very mildly. Usually it heals overtime. It is definitely very annoying though